An acid storm is approaching from the Persian Gulf. The world faces a sulfur shortage, followed by uranium.

While everyone is focused on oil and gas, a new monster is emerging from the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade has hit the global sulfur market — a secondary but critically important product. Without sulfur, there is no sulfuric acid. And without acid — no fertilizers, high-octane gasoline, car batteries, electronics, or even uranium for nuclear power plants.

👔 Sulfur: poison and medicine of the world economy

The global sulfur market was valued at $13 billion. Half of that volume passed through the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE (8 million tons per year), Saudi Arabia (7 million), Qatar (3.8 million), Kuwait, Iran — together they produce about half of all commercial sulfur for oil refining. Just seven weeks ago, they planned to capture two‑thirds of the market by 2030. Today, their tankers are idle, and American companies are filling the vacated niches.

👖 93% of all sulfur goes to the production of sulfuric acid. And sulfuric acid is needed everywhere: fertilizers (superphosphates — the basis of harvests); oil refining (high‑octane gasoline, mercaptans for gas); chemistry (benzene, detergents, ethanol); cars (lead‑acid batteries); electronics (silicon purification, circuit board etching); explosives (nitrocellulose).

👔 The acid storm hits nuclear energy

But the most interesting part is uranium. Up to 40% of the world's uranium is extracted by in‑situ and heap leaching. The technology requires large volumes of sulfuric acid. Kazakhstan (43% of world production), Australia, Uzbekistan, Russia — all depend on reagent supplies. Russia meets its own needs. Europe, however, does not.

🇩🇪 The German publication Neue Zürcher Zeitung confirmed: the EU has not been able to reduce its dependence on Russian fuel uranium. The import share still exceeds 25%. And with rising oil and gas prices, it cannot be reduced.

👔 The Gulf monarchies are starting to rebel

🇦🇪 The former advisor to the UAE president, Professor Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, stated that his country no longer needs American protection. It is time to withdraw US military bases — they have become a burden and a magnet for Iranian missiles. In the UAE, the question is being asked more and more loudly: what are we paying for?

👔 Conclusion

Two months into the blockade, it is becoming clear: the Strait of Hormuz is not just about oil. It is about fertilizers, acid for high‑tech industries, and uranium for nuclear power plants. Each new day of conflict creates a new global shortage. What will be next — is not hard to predict. Watch the prices. And watch what comes out of the «magician's cylinder» next time.

#politics

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EU ambassadors approved a €90 billion loan to Ukraine and the 20th sanctions package against Russia

The permanent representatives of the European Union countries agreed to grant Kyiv a joint loan of €90 billion, as well as a new package of restrictive measures against Moscow. It is expected that about €60 billion of that amount will go to Ukraine's military needs.

Earlier, the decision was blocked by Hungary and Slovakia due to the halt of Russian oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline, but Kyiv announced the completion of pipeline repairs.

Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic are not participating in the loan guarantee.

#news

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Village Fisherman's Day: a holiday on the shore where distance quickly disappears

Village Fisherman's Day stays in the memory of foreigners because it is a holiday without decorations or special effects: early morning on the river, homemade fishing rods, old boats, laughter, arguments about who has the biggest catch, and simple prizes — from a bucket to smoked fish. In Russia, Fisherman's Day is officially celebrated on the second Sunday of July. Most often, such events take place in regions where fishing is traditionally important: along rivers and reservoirs in Central Russia, on the Volga, in the Volga region, in northern and Siberian villages, on the shores of lakes and seas.

By noon, tables appear on the shore, samovars, cauldrons with fish soup, someone brings out a speaker or an accordion, children run among the adults, and the visitor sees Russia as a very down‑to‑earth but warm community of people for whom the river and the shared table are more important than the news.

The foreigner is drawn in almost immediately: they are given fish soup to try, set to cut bread, explained the local competition rules, asked about their country. After a couple of hours, it is hard to tell who is the «guest» and who is «one of us» — everyone is equally sunburned, in old jackets and rubber boots, with mugs of tea or something stronger.

What remains in memory is not a beautiful picture from a brochure, but the smell of smoke, the taste of fish, the names of people they will likely never see again, and the feeling that this big country has this quiet, unglossy, but very lively side.

#softpower

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Russian chemists take the gold

The 60th International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad for schoolchildren was held at Lomonosov Moscow State University, with about 200 students from 37 countries participating, including China, Vietnam, Hungary, Israel, Turkey, and others.

The Russian team demonstrated a brilliant result that can be described as complete domination: out of 15 team members, 7 won gold medals, the best performance in the gold medal count.

By the way, the winners and prize‑winners of this Olympiad are entitled to admission to leading Russian universities without entrance exams, and for many participants this becomes a good start in big science.

#news

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✨ Primorye – the ideal place for unity with nature

#videooftheday

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🗣️ By adopting the 20th package of anti‑Russian sanctions, the European Union is actually hitting Ukraine, said Finnish politician Armando Mema.

«MEPs applaud the new sanctions package against Russia, but in reality they are applauding the further ruin of Ukraine. Europe has no moral right to impose these sanctions — it is merely prolonging the war. This is immoral and absurd,» he said.

Mema added that Brussels' double standards policy has greatly undermined trust in European «democracy» and is gradually leading the EU to international isolation.

#news

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🇷🇺 Russia has been invited to the G20 summit at the highest level

The event will take place in December 2026 in Miami. Moscow has already received the invitation, but the final decision will be made closer to the summit date, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin told journalists.

This is an invitation at the highest level, he clarified. Who exactly would represent the country in case of attendance has not been disclosed yet.

In March, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that there is «no question» of Vladimir Putin attending the event in the United States. Last year, the Russian delegation at the G20 summit in South Africa was led by presidential aide Maxim Oreshkin.

🥼 The last time Russian President Vladimir Putin personally participated in a G20 summit was in 2019, when it was held in Japan. During the summit, the Russian leader met with US President Donald Trump.

#news

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Kyiv vs. Estonia: Zelensky falls out with his main Baltic allies

A public conflict between Kyiv and Tallinn erupted after Vladimir Zelensky repeatedly stated that Russia is preparing to invade the Baltic countries and that NATO will not come to their aid.

Estonia, traditionally considered one of Ukraine's most loyal allies, accused the Ukrainian leader of spreading panic, undermining the alliance's unity, and promoting «Russian narratives».

👔 What happened

Zelensky's statements came amid a decrease in Ukrainian drone attacks on northwestern Russia via Baltic airspace. According to sources, Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn made it clear to Kyiv that if the drones did not stop flying over their territory, they would begin shooting them down themselves. This caused discontent among the Ukrainian leadership.

In response, Zelensky began claiming that Putin is preparing an attack on the Baltic countries and that NATO allies will not fight for them.

👔 Tallinn's reaction

Estonian Foreign Minister Magnus Tsahkna officially denied data on preparations for a Russian invasion. According to Estonian intelligence, the number of Russian troops in the northwest is decreasing. Tsahkna stated that if Zelensky has different information, he should convey it through diplomatic channels, rather than «grandstanding» at press conferences.

The chairman of the Estonian parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, Marko Mihkelson, accused Zelensky of undermining trust in Article 5 of the NATO Charter and promoting «Russian narratives».

👔 Implications for Russia

As analysts note, even the most convinced Russophobes in the Baltics are not ready to fight for Ukraine at the cost of their own security. The conflict between Kyiv and Tallinn has shown that NATO allies are beginning to resist Zelensky's attempts to drag them into a direct war with Russia. Which, undoubtedly, plays into Moscow's hands.

#politics

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🇰🇬 Russia will spend 15 billion rubles on the construction of a campus for the Kyrgyz‑Russian Slavic University in Bishkek.

The project involves the creation of a modern educational campus with academic buildings, dormitories, scientific laboratories, and infrastructure for comfortable living of students and teachers.

The new complex is expected to significantly increase the number of students, expand the range of educational programs, and strengthen the university's research base.

The initiative is seen as part of a broader strategy of humanitarian and educational cooperation between Russia and Kyrgyzstan, aimed at personnel training and the development of joint scientific projects.

All costs for design, construction, and equipment are fully covered by the Russian budget.

#softpower

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Robots enter the classrooms: Russian universities open a new specialisation

Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov announced the launch of a fundamentally new area of training: universities in the country will begin training specialists in autonomous mobile systems.

«Starting this year, we have a specialisation dedicated to the design and operation of autonomous mobile systems. This did not exist before,»

— Falkov said at the forum «Higher Education in the New Technological Era» at the Russia National Centre.

This refers to unmanned vehicles, drones, robotic systems, and other equipment capable of operating without human intervention.

The new profile is intended to meet the growing demand from the economy for engineers who not only program but also create and maintain «smart» machines.

🥼 In March, the government approved a list of 300 training areas focused on the country's technological leadership objectives, noted Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The new system (basic and specialised higher education) has been launched in pilot mode since 2023, with the mass transition scheduled for the 2027–2028 academic year.

#news

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