Russian libraries order Trump biographies; Sanctions hit largest Russian fleet

DEMAND FOR TRUMP: Libraries across Russia have been ordering copies of biographies of Donald Trump to meet demand from readers, Russian media has reported. (COMMENT: This reflects back Kremlin propaganda which has been eulogising Trump as a "great peacemaker". The Kremlin has also ordered Russian school textbooks to include chapters on Trump as a great US President. Even the Kremlin has been surprised at the strength of Trump's pro-Russia position since taking over the White House.)

SANCTIONS BITE: Sovcomflot, Russia's largest tanker and shipping group, on Friday reported a massive slump in revenue after it was sanctioned last year. The group's revenue fell by 49% to $278.5 million in Q1 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. (COMMENT: Sovcomflot was sanctioned in February 2024. Its financial results show the impact of Western sanctions on Russian business.)

MARAUDERING SOLDIERS: A gang of Russian soldiers who looted and robbed villages in Russia's southern Kursk region has been arrested. The Kommersant newspaper also said that the gang of five soldiers had been charged with murder. (COMMENT: At least one of the arrested soldiers is reported to be a convicted murderer who signed up to the Russian army from prison. The case shows the difficulties that the Russian army has controlling its soldiers.)

PEACE TALKS: The Kremlin denied on Thursday that it had agreed to hold the next round of peace talks at the Vatican. Dmitry Peskov said that "no concrete arrangements" had been made for the next round of talks. (COMMENT: Peskov was replying to a story in the Wall Street Journal. The Vatican was always an unlikely choice as it lies inside Italy, which is an EU member state. The EU has strongly supported Ukraine.)