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Russian stocks down as main trading session opens

The yuan exchange rate against the ruble fell by 3.1 kopecks, trading at 10.429 rubles

MOSCOW, May 21. /TASS/. Russia’s stock market went down as the main trading session started on Thursday as the MOEX and RTS indices lost 0.43% to 2,629.02 and 1,167.29 points, respectively, according to trading data as of 10:00 a.m. Moscow time (07:00 a.m. GMT). The yuan exchange rate against the ruble fell by 3.1 kopecks, as trading opened, compared with previous closing to 10.429 rubles.

As of 10:15 a.m. Moscow time (07:15 a.m. GMT), the indices were down by 0.97% at 2,614.61 and 1,160.88 points, respectively. Meanwhile, the yuan exchange rate was down by 6.95 kopecks at 10.39 rubles.

The MOEX Index with additional IMOEX2 ticker lost 0.34% as morning trading session started on the Moscow Exchange as of 7:00 a.m. Moscow time (4:00 a.m. GMT), reaching 2,631.23 points.

Russia increases corn exports 2.2-fold, barley exports 70%, wheat exports 30% in 2026

Ilya Ilyushin specified that corn exports to Iran rose by 86%, to Turkey nearly ninefold, to China by 44% and to Kazakhstan 38-fold

Russia to respond to aggression as Kiev plans to launch drones from Latvia — intel agency

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence reported that service members from the Ukrainian army’s Unmanned Systems Forces had been deployed to Latvia to prepare attacks on Russia from the Baltic country’s territory

Belarusian missile forces took part in nuclear training exercise — Defense Ministry

The personnel carried out security, defense, and logistical support activities throughout the exercise

Japan remains committed to postwar pacifist path — Cabinet

Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki emphasized that Tokyo pursued an "exclusively defense-oriented policy"

US set for long-term increase in tariffs worldwide — source

The US wants to overhaul the international trading system because it believes its national interests have been constrained by outdated mechanisms, the source said

Tehran reviewing US response to ceasefire proposal — Iranian Foreign Ministry

The parties exchanged messages several times, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said

SpaceX files for IPO

The company plans to list on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol SPCX

Hostilities to expand beyond Middle East region if US attacks Iran again — IRGC

The IRGC added that Iran had not used all its combat capabilities in previous rounds of fighting

Armenia’s actions contradict relations with Russia, risk causing changes — senior diplomat

According to Mikhail Galuzin, Moscow had previously "conveyed its negative attitude toward such steps to the Armenian side in a completely frank and partnership-oriented manner"

Ukrainian counterintelligence officer supplies dozens of coordinates for Russian strikes

Sergey Mikhailov surrendered in the Zaporozhye direction. He said he does not want to return to Ukraine

Russia receives permit to export beef to Indonesia — watchdog

An important milestone was the inspections of the Russian facility conducted by Indonesian representatives in March and October 2025

Russia’s nuclear drills 'silent message' to those who threaten it — expert

According to Yevgeny Poddubny, demonstrating the possibility of launching a nuclear strike in the event of a threat to the existence or integrity of the country could have a sobering effect on adversaries

New round of Washington-Tehran talks may take place in early June — TV

According to the TV channel, the meeting is expected to take place "in Islamabad after the end of the Hajj season"

UEFA announces new qualifying criteria starting after 2028 Euro Cup

In the new structure, the UEFA Nations League will transition, as of the 2028/29 edition from the current four leagues to three leagues of 18 teams

West mistakenly thought it can subdue Russia, China — Russia’s top diplomat

Great powers and peoples, such as the Russian and Chinese cannot be enslaved, Sergey Lavrov said

Putin concludes his visit to China

A brief farewell ceremony was organized for the Russian leader upon his arrival at the airport

Possibility of Putin-Trump meeting, spirit of Beijing: what Kremlin aide said

Yury Ushakov emphasized that he knew nothing about the "spirit of Anchorage," in contrast to the "spirit of Beijing," which indeed exists

FACTBOX: What is known about Bank of Russia vs Euroclear litigation

According to the case database, the appellate court partially upheld Pervaya Management Company's claims and ruled that Euroclear must pay it approximately 32 billion rubles

Europe seeks to block any talks on Ukrainian settlement — Russian diplomat

According to Russian Foreign Ministry's Ambassador-at-Large for the crimes of the Kiev regime Rodion Miroshnik, the European Union’s actions show a complete lack of willingness to follow a peaceful path

Russian stock market closes lower as main indices drop

MOEX Index fell 0.87% to 2,640.32 points, while dollar-denominated RTS Index fell 0.39% to 1,172.3 points

Russian troops deliver nuclear warheads to missile brigade in Belarus during major drills

The personnel of the missile brigade of the Republic of Belarus are practicing combat training assignments of receiving special munitions for Iskander-M theater missile systems, loading launch tubes with them and stealthily advancing to the designated area to prepare for launches

Russian forces readied for missile launches during nuclear drills — top brass

Overall, the drills involve over 64,000 military personnel and more than 7,800 pieces of armament, including over 200 missile launchers, more than 140 aircraft, 73 surface ships and 13 submarines

Russian lab in DPR assembles up to 400 FPV UAVs from seized Ukrainian drones in two weeks

According to the Russian officer, on average, it takes five to six captured enemy unmanned aerial vehicles to assemble one operational drone

Iran calls on Saudi Arabia to ‘eject’ US troops from region

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stressed that Iran respects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and considers it a brotherly nation

Putin, Xi Jinping wrap up informal meeting over tea

During the 90-minute sitdown, the most important issues on the agenda were broached

Press review: Russia, China shape new global security while Moscow launches nuclear drills

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, May 20th

Visa-free travel, porcelain set, oil and gas: highlights of Putin's visit to China

The Russian president announced agreement on forty bilateral documents

It’s getting harder for West to conceal negative effects of helping Ukraine — diplomat

The governments of European countries were unable to properly evaluate the potential consequences, Yulia Zhdanova said

Armenia made series of unfriendly steps towards Russia recently — top security official

According to Sergey Shoigu, this is how Moscow views the decisions to join the International Criminal Court, to extradite Russian citizens to third countries, and to make things harder for Russian economic entities

Pakistani army chief of staff to arrive in Tehran with message for Iranians — TV

The details of the message have not been disclosed

Zelensky, Europe practically hang off Trump's shoulders after Anchorage — Lavrov

They demanded that the Americans change course, the Russian foreign minister said

Putin’s visit to China shows growing understanding among SCO, BRICS members — US expert

Retired US Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson noted that BRICS countries stood for ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability’ while the US seemed to stand for ‘Sanctions and War’

US Navy's Nimitz aircraft strike group arrives in Carribean Sea — command

The carrier is accompanied by the destroyer USS Gridley and a supply ship

US military aircraft struck by Iran makes it to Kuwait — TV

Iran also fired at two US UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters conducting a search and rescue operation

Russia holding nuclear forces drills — top brass

According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, the drills are set to practice readying some of nuclear forces’ units and formations for accomplishing assigned objectives

New Ukrainian tactics for extreme overload of Russian air defenses fail — soldier

The unit's fighters have personally seen that the Moscow-made Yolka interceptor drone is capable of countering Ukrainian UAVs in various situations

Trump says ready to wait for agreement with Iran for a few more days

Thus, the US leader commented on the possibility of resuming US strikes

Trump says Iran has 48 hours to make deal or open strait

Time is running out: 48 hours remain before all hell rains down on them, US President said

Russia-China ties rest on solid material foundation with focus on energy — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister reiterated that "Russia is the leading supplier of pipeline natural gas to the People's Republic of China"

Foreign air defenses fail to stop even 8% of Ukrainian drones attacking Russia — expert

According to Dmitry Kuzyakin, Russia has developed and produced new interception systems tailored to combat drones and organized a multi-layered, echeloned defense with an end-to-end targeting and control system

West's current aggression stems from decline in influence, fear of competition — Lavrov

Sergey Lavrov also noted that "the financial and economic system led by the West after World War II can no longer function in a way that guarantees continued benefit for Western countries"

Bank of Russia’s gold reserves in ounces fall to their lowest level since February 2022

In February 2022, the monetary gold reserves of the Bank of Russia also amounted to 73.9 million troy ounces

Iran divides countries into three categories based on use of Strait of Hormuz — TV

According to the TV channel, all states are divided into three categories — "hostile," "neutral," and "friendly"

Svarog 1000 heavy-duty robotic platform to be tested in special military op

An important feature is the availability of two platform versions — one powered by gas and the other powered by diesel

Russia did not recognize Ukraine, which aspires to join NATO — top diplomat

Russia recognized Ukraine as a non-nuclear, non-bloc and neutral state, Sergey Lavrov said

Tanker with Iranian oil change course, heading to China — PTI

The change in the destination of Pin Shun appears to be payment-related, Sumit Ritolia, Lead Research Analyst at Kpler, noted

Launch of Xudapu NPP to provide China with cheap, clean energy — Putin

According to the Russian president, Moscow and Beijing also have major potential for cooperation in renewable energy, particularly in implementing joint low-carbon generation projects

Root causes of conflict in Ukraine, visa formalities: Russia-China statement highlights

Russia and China will improve military cooperation mechanisms

Israel, US attack amusement park in central Iran

No information on casualties or damage has been reported yet

EU uses civilian infrastructure for military purposes — Russian diplomat

Paris is using production capacities of major civilian companies for large-scale production of defense products, Yulia Zhdanova said

Putin, Xi building world order free from Western influence — former CIA officer

Larry Johnson stressed that the visit by Vladimir Putin to Beijing underscores the seriousness of the relationship between Russia and China

Merlin-VR recon drone can fly 150 km without losing signal — operator

The senior UAV crew operator noted that thanks to improved communication quality, the flight range can be increased to 260 km

Putin’s visit to China to boost trade, tech exchange — former US congressman

According to Dennis Kucinich, the meeting between the Russian and Chinese leaders underscores the significance of leaders who strive for mutual benefit through cooperation within the emerging consciousness of multipolarity

Ukraine has to make painful concessions to achieve peace — media

The news outlet noted that the imbalance in resources between Russia and Ukraine has always meant that Kiev would never be able to succeed

Russia’s Battlegroup East fighters modernizing drones for specific missions — commander

According to the report, technical specialists can increase the number of engines, change battery capacities, upgrade the propeller-motor unit, and reinforce drones with new structures

Russian troops destroy German-made Gepard anti-aircraft gun in Ukraine operation

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 990 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours

Russian electronic warfare systems being upgraded continuously — official

According to FSMTC Director Dmitry Shugayev, the EW systems quickly become obsolete, so technical solutions must stay ahead of today’s needs

Upper house speaker slams US-Israeli operation against Iran as geopolitical mistake

Valentina Matviyenko emphasized that this intervention has destabilized the Middle East, triggering an energy crisis, yet it ultimately changes nothing

Russia records deflation for 2nd time in 2026, at 0.02% from May 13 to 18

Earlier, from May 5 to 12, inflation was recorded at 0.07%

US-Israeli strike on humanitarian aid aircraft in western Iran reported

The Civil Aviation Organization of the Islamic Republic called on all international bodies to take appropriate measures in response to this incident

Xi Jinping plans to visit North Korea — media

According to the news agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited North Korea in April

Kremlin says calls from Lithuania’s top diplomat to attack Kaliningrad verge on insanity

Dmitry Peskov believes that such statements should not be taken seriously

Cuban revolutionary leader Castro charged with murder, destruction of aircraft

Raul Castro was charged with four counts of murder, two counts of destruction of an aircraft and a conspiracy to kill US citizens

European Commission head wants to turn Baltic states into anti-Russian base — MP

Chairman of the State Duma International Affairs Committee and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Leonid Slutsky also noted that the European Commission ignores the fact that drones detected in the Baltic countries are from Ukraine

Moscow, Beijing want to prevent multipolarity from turning into chaos — Lavrov

Russia and China are interested in building normal relations among all states, including between the SCO and BRICS, the Russian foreign minister said

Putin, Xi attend TASS-Xinhua photo exhibit on Russia-China relations’ development

TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov and Xinhua CEO Fu Hua took the high-ranking guests to an improvised tour, presenting 26 photographs

Russia develops Odyssey repeater to increase UAV strike range

The Aviatechnolab Design Bureau said the Odyssey system extended the range of attack unmanned aerial vehicles to 70 kilometers

Iran, US continue to discuss Tehran’s 14-point peace plan — Iranian foreign ministry

The 14-point document focuses on ending hostilities and trust-building measures

Putin thanks Xi Jinping for extensive joint work in Beijing

The Russian president stressed that Moscow and Beijing had carried out productive and substantial work

Talks with MOL on buyout of Russian stake in NIS not going well — Vucic

Belgrade is hoping for understanding from the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Serbian president added

Trump says in no rush to make decisions on Iran, Strait of Hormuz, giving diplomacy chance

The US president earlier stated that he had decided to postpone the resumption of hostilities against Iran at the request of Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia

Putin-Xi meeting highlights failure of attempts to isolate Russia — US expert

James Carden emphasized that the world order is now undoubtedly multipolar and the policy of the Donald Trump administration in the Middle East is only accelerating America's isolation

Baltic states to be punished for assisting Ukraine in attacking Russia — MP

Speaking about Lithuanian threats against Kaliningrad, Leonid Slutsky noted that by making such statements the "hotheads" in the Baltics "are drawing fire not only upon themselves, but also on Europe as a whole"

Iran publishes map of IRGC-controlled area around Hormuz Strait

According to the Iran’s Persian Gulf Surveillance Agency, ships may pass through Iranian-controlled waters only with permission from the PGSA

Xi, Putin send clear signal of increased stability to global community — Chinese experts

According to the executive director of the Center for Russian Studies at East China Normal University Liu Jun, the statements by Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping indicate that relations between Beijing and Moscow are focused on the long-term strategic outlook

Putin meets Chinese engineer 26 years after iconic joint photo

The Russian president received a porcelain tea set as a souvenir from Peng Pai and presented him with a reciprocal gift

Trump to discuss arms sales with Taiwan’s leader

The US president said that he speaks to everybody

Bank of Russia petitions for immediate enforcement of court ruling on Euroclear — TASS

The Moscow Arbitration Court received a petition

US deploys two laser-armed destroyers to Middle East — portal

Both ships are equipped with the ODIN laser system, which is designed to disorient drones

US searches Iranian tanker in Gulf of Oman — CENTCOM

According to the statement, over the course of the US naval blockade of Iran, which has lasted more than a month, US servicemen have redirected a total of 91 commercial vessels

Development of Russia-China partnership: key Putin’s statements

Trade turnover between Russia and China has grown by more than 10% this year

China, Russia to improve military cooperation mechanisms — joint statement

Moscow and Beijing intend to deepen mutual trust in the military sphere

Persian Gulf countries running out of interceptor missiles - Bloomberg

Iran has fired almost 1,200 ballistic missiles and 4,000 Shahed drones at the Gulf states since the start of the war

Ukrainian drone attacks in Belgorod Region leave three people injured

In the town of Shebekino, a drone struck a moving vehicle

Trump says US has no plans of easing Iranian sanctions until deal is reached

Donald Trump said that he is not doing any relief until Iran signs an agreement

Putin-Xi meeting shows sides’ commitment to strengthening ties — expert

John Kavulich opined that Russia is particularly interested in China as both a purchaser of resources from and as a provider of products and services required to sustain the economy of Russia

Nine fast-neutron reactors to be built in Russia by 2042 — Rosatom

According to the statement, fast reactors with a closed fuel cycle are not just a means of increasing the efficiency of nuclear energy, but a prerequisite for its long-term existence

Ukraine launches five attacks on DPR settlements over past day

Reports indicate that three civilians were wounded

Russian drone detectors upgraded to detect Ukraine’s Martian UAVs — developer

The developer noted that these AI-powered drones had been spotted on the line of contact at the beginning of the year, and now the Ukrainian armed forces had increased their use

FACTBOX: Aftermath of Ukrainian drone attack on Russian regions, casualties in Syzran

Two people died and several others were injured in a drone attack on the city of Syzran in Russia’s southeastern Samara Region

US authorities charge Raul Castro — news agency

The report does not specify exactly what the charges are

Qatar calls for respecting freedom of navigation in Strait of Hormuz

According to Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesman Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari, contacts are currently being held at various levels to restore stability and ensure safe navigation in the Persian Gulf

Press review: Turkey to host Russia-Ukraine talks as NATO starts drills by Russian border

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, May 12th

Another strike hits area near Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran

One of the facility’s security guards was killed, Iran’s AEOI said

Trump not happy with Cuba’s defense ties to other countries

America will not tolerate a rogue state harboring hostile foreign military, intelligence and terror operations just ninety miles from the American homeland, the US president noted

US charges against Raul Castro have no legal basis — Cuban president

The Cuban President pointed out thatthe US is lying and manipulating the events surrounding the 1996 incident involving aircraft belonging to the narco-terrorist organization ‘Brothers to the Rescue'

UK becomes first G7 country to sign trade agreement with Gulf Cooperation Council

The agreement will "enable UK companies to store and process data outside the region for the first time ever, which will save businesses money on setting up costly data centers in the Gulf"

Pezeshkian asks global community to judge which side, Iran or US, actually favors dialogue

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian invited the world to judge which side engages in terrorism

Russia liberates around 80 settlements as part of special military op in 2026 — Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister emphasized that Russia is consistently carrying out the objectives of the special military operation

Camp of anti-Iranian opposition forces comes under missile fire near Erbil — TV

No information has yet been released regarding possible casualties from the attack

Russia to restrict flower imports from Armenia from May 22 — watchdog

The regulator clarified that the decision was made to protect Russia's phytosanitary safety and export potential