MOSCOW, November 14. /TASS/. A corruption scandal in Ukraine may spiral into a political crisis as US bombers with nuclear missiles are seen performing flights near the Russian border. Meanwhile, Russia warns risks of another war in Lebanon. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Vedomosti: Corruption scandal in Ukraine risks escalating to political crisis
The G7 has actually supported a probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office into the inner circle of Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky as a major corruption scandal coincided with problems facing the EU in providing more funding to Kiev.
"We made it clear to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga that Ukraine must take decisive action against corruption in order to maintain strong Western support," Germany’s top diplomat Johann Wadephul told reporters, commenting on the results of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting with Sibiga in Canada on Wednesday.
The corruption scandal, among other things, was discussed in a phone conversation between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Zelensky on November 13. Germany will support the initiative to expose the misuse of funds by the Ukrainian leadership as Berlin is Ukraine’s second-largest sponsor after Washington, concurs Artyom Sokolov, a senior researcher at the European Studies Institute of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Besides, the expert continues, the European community has grown weary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, especially in light of the Ukrainian retreat on the front lines, thus, Germany may take a more meticulous attitude to Kiev. However, it is too early to talk about any termination of European funding for Ukraine, the political analyst noted.
European countries are unlikely to stop financing Ukraine, as the Ukrainian army relies heavily on this aid for its combat capabilities, Alexander Kamkin, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, told Vedomosti. However, the expert argued, the corruption scandal may prompt the EU to monitor financial aid flows more closely. And military assistance to Kiev is not going anywhere, as Germany plans to spend $3 billion for this purpose next year, the expert said.
Now, Ukrainian politicians are under pressure from anti-corruption agencies, but the West has so far refrained from attacking Zelensky personally, head of the Ukraine division at the Institute of CIS Countries Ivan Skorikov told Vedomosti. "In theory, Zelensky may turn on his associates under pressure, like he did to businessman Igor Kolomoisky. As the stakes get higher, it could be useful for him to get done with his inner circle," the expert concluded.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta: B-52 bombers with nuclear missiles perform flights near Russian border
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reaffirmed Washington’s readiness to start testing nuclear weapons and their carriers. The United States’ top diplomat explained this was needed "to make sure these things work, and they are safe." And such tests seem to have already started.
Images of a B-52H Stratofortress bomber equipped with a prototype of the latest American cruise missile AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO), performing flights on November 4 and 8, have leaked to the media. The photos were taken near a US air base in California. Experts say the images of missiles may indicate a start to testing nuclear weapon carriers in the United States. Earlier, President Donald Trump announced plans to resume testing of US nuclear capabilities, even as no official statements have been made yet.
Reports that three B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers, according to data from NATO, recently arrived in Europe for Bomber Task Force Europe 26-1 and patrolled the airspace over Estonia, the Baltic Sea and Finland on November 12 look very alarming against this backdrop. While it is unclear if they carry the newest LRSO missiles, the very flight close to Russia’s border itself represents a potential threat.
"Maneuvers currently taking place in Europe, involving Bomber Task Force Europe 26-1, can be viewed as a follow-up to the US nuclear exercise Global Thunder. For all B-52H Stratofortress bombers are considered nuclear weapon carriers," military expert and retired Lieutenant General Yury Netkachev said in an interview with Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
Netkachev noted that simultaneously with NATO’s Bomber Task Force Europe 26-1 Finland is hosting a ground exercise with more than 15,000 troops taking part. British and Swedish militaries, too, are participating in the maneuvers. The goals include solving tasks on the ground and practicing cooperation and methods of air defense warfare with allies, Western media reported.
Izvestia: Russia sees risks of a new war looming in Lebanon
An explosive situation has been reported in southern Lebanon, Russian Ambassador to Beirut Alexander Rudakov told Izvestia, and Russia sees the likelihood of large-scale battles erupting there anew. Despite the ceasefire, Israel has been violating Lebanon’s airspace almost every day, delivering strikes inside Lebanese territory, the diplomat noted. Hezbollah is ready to surrender weapons to the state, but not under fire, Rudakov said.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told Izvestia that the Shiite movement has been rebuilding its military infrastructure as it smuggles weapons and builds production facilities to manufacture weapons in Lebanon.
In the past few weeks, the IDF has broadened the scope of strikes, including operations in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley. Lebanon has estimated that 309 people were killed, and 598 others sustained injuries in attacks in less than a year, with more than 5,000 ceasefire violations registered.
According to Jamal Wakim, a professor at the Lebanese University, Israel has been stepping up pressure on Lebanon in order to force it into direct talks with the Jewish state, a goal being pursued by Washington.
While Hezbollah retains a substantial deterrence potential, the likelihood of a major war remains, the expert told Izvestia.
Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Abnormal amount of crude stuck at sea
Around 1.2 billion to 1.4 billion barrels of oil is currently concentrated in oil tankers in the oceans, with many of those standing still and not going to any ports of destination. And a large portion of oil barrels accumulated in these tankers belongs to economies sanctioned by the United States, namely Russia, Iran and Venezuela, Bloomberg reported, citing data from Vortexa, Kpler and OilX.
This amount of oil has accumulated in global seas and oceans since late August. Naturally, this concentration is primarily associated with the latest US sanctions on Russian oil majors and tougher restrictions against Iran and Venezuela.
According to Maxim Malkov, head of Oil and Gas Services at Kept, the situation is quite extraordinary and things looked the same in 2020 amid the pandemic when global oil demand declined heavily. If the data from Bloomberg is correct, an additional supply overhang is being formed on the market that can put pressure on prices. However, if the amount is not precise or exaggerated, this looks like an attempt at informational intervention to manipulate market expectations.
If the data is correct indeed, Daniil Tyun, who heads the department of client services at AMCH, argues, sanctions and excessive supply are to blame here: many ports and companies refuse to take Russian and Iranian oil as they fear to breach the restrictions. And the loss of major buyers would force Russian exporters to sell their crude to smaller traders or the "shadow fleet" or even keep oil at sea while waiting for buyers.
The situation is unlikely to persist for long, as alternative supply routes to bypass sanctions will likely be established, along with new supply and settlement chains. The downside for Russia is that no rise in oil prices appears imminent. Oleg Abelev, Head of the Analytical Department at Rikom-Trust, told Rossiyskaya Gazeta that oil benchmarks will be under pressure in the coming months.
Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Market share of Russian wine rises to 63% in 2025
Since the start of this year, the market share of Russian wines has increased from 58% to 63%, while wine imports have declined by one-third, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev revealed. The assortment of wines, too, has expanded, and in 2025, the vineyard area exceeded 110,000 hectares, a 14% increase from 2020. "This is one of the highest growth rates globally," Patrushev said. And one-third of Russian vineyards are quite young, meaning the growth potential is significant.
The government views enotourism as a growth driver. The State Duma has already adopted a first reading of a bill allowing businessmen to build wine tourism facilities on lands that are suitable for cultivating vineyards. And the minimal vineyard area for such projects will be 5 hectares, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for Economic Policy Sergey Altukhov noted.
In parallel to this, the international agenda is unfolding. The initiatives include holding a BRICS wine summit and establishing a wine export center that will enable Russian winemakers to take part in international fairs collectively. "Our common ambitious goal is to make Russian wine, like Italian, French or Spanish wines, not only a beverage but a true point of national pride and a strong international brand," Rosselkhozbank Board Chairman Boris Listov believes.
The perception of Russian wine has already strengthened. Alexander Oslon, President of the Public Opinion Foundation, cited a recent survey showing that 70% of Russians believe domestic wines can compete with imported brands. "So far, wine has been the most dynamic segment of the alcohol market, and the culture of wine consumption continues to improve," he said.
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