High-ranking Russian general Igor Kirillov was killed in a Moscow attack, while US President-elect Donald Trump appears to have no clear strategy toward the Kremlin, as indicated by his first post-election news conference. Meanwhile, Hungary and Slovakia may stay on Russia’s list of unfriendly nations. These stories topped Wednesday's newspaper headlines in Russia, according to TASS news agency.
Izvestia: Chief of Russia’s nuclear protection forces Kirillov killed in Moscow attack
On the day of his death, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, Chief of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Troops, was to hold a regular briefing, Izvestia has learned. He had regularly briefed the press about the details of the investigation into the activities of US biological laboratories in Ukraine and provided information about Kiev’s project to develop a dirty bomb. It is Ukraine’s top military and political leaders who are accused of ordering the assassination, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said. Experts, too, believe that Ukraine’s special services might have been involved in the terrorist act, while law enforcement agencies will focus their efforts on preventing the perpetrators from leaving Russia, they argue. Kirillov was killed on the morning of December 17th as an explosive device attached to an electric scooter detonated when he was leaving his house on Ryazansky Avenue in southeastern Moscow.
On the day of the attack, the high-ranking general was to hold a scheduled briefing, a Russian Defense Ministry official told Izvestia. Experts do not rule out that he planned to reveal new details of investigations into the use of chemical weapons by Ukraine’s armed forces or Kiev’s latest attempts to build a dirty bomb, arguing that it is the work to expose these facts which may have provoked the attack on the general.
"Western countries sought to discredit his investigations into the use and development of biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine," Oleg Zheltonozhko, an expert in nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) protection, told Izvestia. "The rest of the world paid heed to those as they presented major volumes of data and specific evidence and exposed interconnections," he added. Also, Zheltonozhko continued, NBC protection troops have been playing a successful role in the special military operation, and Kirillov led the work to upgrade Tosochka flamethrower systems and other heavy weapons, which can be key on the battlefield.
Military expert Alexey Leonkov says Kirillov’s public statements were based on substantial evidence, and the terror attack was probably carried out in order to deprive commissions and working groups involved in related investigations of their leader.
According to Zheltonozhko, Kirillov was one of the most dedicated professionals in his field. "What happened is yet another proof that holding negotiations with the incumbent gangster regime in Kiev makes no sense," he maintained, calling for a harsh response.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Trump seems to have no strategy regarding the Kremlin yet
US President-elect Donald Trump spoke extensively on foreign policy issues during his first post-election news conference. And yet, what he said does not align with assumptions that he may make any concessions to Moscow at the expense of Kiev’s interests. Rather, the news conference revealed that the incoming US president has not yet developed a coherent strategy on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This issue was given less attention than one might have expected from Trump’s election promises to reconcile the two countries.
However, his press conference was notable for his friendly tone toward every global leader he mentioned. He stated that he is on good terms with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, and even North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump hinted he may speak with Zelensky within the first days after or even on the day of his inauguration on January 20. The US president-elect also assured reporters that Zelensky is seeking peace and, therefore, may be willing to make some concessions.
"Trump does not seem to have a clear understanding of what is happening on the ground. Some secret briefings may have been held, and I do not rule out that US intelligence services have already shared some information with him," Pavel Sharikov, an expert in US studies, told Nezavisimaya Gazeta. "Nevertheless, judging from the press conference, Trump does not seem to grasp the underlying causes of the conflict. As a result, he may not have a solution. One thing is clear - he is determined to take some action. But the latest news conference did not clarify exactly what that might be," the expert said.
However, Trump made one specific comment on the Ukraine conflict, stating it was "stupid" of incumbent US President Joe Biden to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons for strikes inside Russia. Trump said he might reverse the decision.
"Formally, the authorization to strike deep into Russian territory was indeed given by the Biden administration. Therefore, Trump might not have known about it and could potentially cancel it if he disagrees with it," Sharikov maintained. On the other hand, Biden may have consulted with Trump before making that decision, and in that case, strikes with long-range weapons may be used as leverage in potential dialogue with Moscow, he concluded.
Izvestia: Hungary, Slovakia may remain on Russia’s list of unfriendly countries
Since the start of the special military operation, the West has significantly tightened its sanctions on Russia. In response, Russia released a list of unfriendly countries in March 2022, which included Hungary and Slovakia, among other EU members. While Moscow acknowledges that both Budapest and Bratislava are willing to maintain economic ties with Russia, it does not yet see sufficient reasons to remove the two from its list of unfriendly countries.
"Despite these countries’ desire to preserve certain key achievements in strategically important areas of their economic relations with Russia and their focus on maintaining bilateral political dialogue, as members of the EU and NATO, Budapest and Bratislava are obligated to comply with the discipline of the two blocs and have implemented anti-Russian sanctions, too. Hence, there are not enough grounds to reconsider their status," the Russian Foreign Ministry told Izvestia.
However, while Budapest has not sent any weapons to Kiev, Bratislava has already provided Ukraine with 13 military aid packages worth €671 million. It is also significant that the two countries continue dialogue with Russia and have proposed initiatives toward resolving the situation in Ukraine. While each nation has its own reasons, what the two capitals share in common is their close economic ties with Moscow.
Hungary's actions are largely determined by the country's strategic interests, which are closely tied to its desire to continue importing gas and oil from Russia at low prices, analysts say. "There are hubs for receiving Russian oil in Hungary, so it cannot simply start using fuel from other countries," Darya Moiseyeva, a senior research fellow at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO RAS), told Izvestia. Additionally, Hungary plans to continue buying Russian pipeline gas delivered via Ukraine and the TurkStream pipeline.
"[Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor] Orban is not going to withdraw from either the European Union or NATO; he simply represents a more moderate wing in the [North] Atlantic Alliance," Vadim Trukhachev, an associate professor of international relations at the Russian State University for the Humanities, told Izvestia.
Like Hungary, Slovakia also has clear economic reasons to maintain a good relationship with Russia: the republic relies on Russian natural gas for around 85% of its demand. Ukraine’s decision to end gas transit starting January 1, 2025, was met with apprehension there. Bratislava has announced its intention to hold "extremely intensive" negotiations on Russian gas supplies with all relevant stakeholders.
Vedomosti: US poised to approve record $895 billion defense budget
The US Congress has only a few days left to approve the draft 2025 federal budget. The defense spending bill, which is close to final approval, does not include the additional funds for Ukraine that the Biden administration had requested.
The Senate has agreed on its version of the National Security Authorization Act (NDAA), setting next year’s defense budget at a record $895.2 billion—a 6.5% increase compared to the 2024 fiscal year.
In this context, US congressmen might opt to pass a continuing resolution (CR)—a temporary spending bill—Head of the Center for North American Studies at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO RAS), Victoria Zhuravleva, explained to Vedomosti. According to the expert, Republicans are inclined to wait until a new Congress, which they will control, convenes in early January. "They will try to use their latest advantage to pass a more favorable budget," the expert argued.
The NDAA is just one of a series of 12 bills specifying the federal budget, and all must be approved before the January 20 deadline to avert a partial shutdown. Notably, the draft NDAA for 2025 does not authorize any extension of the 2022 lend-lease act for Ukraine. However, this omission is more symbolic than indicative of a practical shift in US strategy on aid for Ukraine, Andrey Kortunov, scientific director of the Russian International Affairs Council, told the newspaper.
"This sends a message that further assistance may be scaled back, but canceling it altogether remains uncertain," Kortunov noted. "Trump could leverage the issue of weapon supplies and funding to pressure Kiev into launching talks to resolve the conflict," the expert concluded.
Kommersant: Global fund managers expect more US protectionism, easing geopolitical tensions
The latest survey of portfolio managers by Bank of America (BofA) analysts reveals that investor expectations of global growth have slightly improved. This cautious optimism arises from uncertainty over potential actions by US President-elect Donald Trump: 37% of BofA-surveyed wealth managers cite trade wars Trump may ignite—stemming from his promises to impose higher import tariffs—and the risk of a subsequent recession as top concerns for the global economy.
Tighter Federal Reserve policies in response to rising inflation rank as the second-biggest concern, with geopolitical risks coming in third. Over the past two months, portfolio investors have worried about escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, China and Taiwan, as well as conflicts in the Middle East. "Some investors believe Trump will adopt a pragmatic strategy to reduce war risks, prioritizing economic growth instead. These ‘peace bets’ may ease geopolitical tensions," said Alyona Nikolayev, a portfolio manager at Astero Falcon.
For 2025, US stocks are expected to benefit most from Trump’s domestic and foreign policies, portfolio managers predict. Conversely, European and emerging-market companies are likely to feel the strain from US protectionist measures. "The increased investment in US stocks reflects the growth of the US market relative to other major markets," said Artyom Mayorov, director of asset management at Ingosstrakh-Investments brokerage, to Kommersant.
According to Mayorov, US trade wars would indirectly affect the Russian economy and stock market, as trade volumes between Russia and the US have dwindled since 2022. However, energy prices—which may come under pressure if these risks materialize or if the global economy slows—could significantly impact Russia. "Should energy prices plummet amid a global recession, the ruble could weaken substantially, leaving Russian assets overvalued," Mayorov warned.
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