Графономика writes:

What a coincidence! For the second time, Chinese gas traders are pulling their European colleagues back from the brink of disaster. In Europe, underground gas storage facilities are at record lows, and there's still a whole month left of the heating season. Gas is in high demand, but TTF prices aren't rising.

The chart shows LNG deliveries to China. In February, they fell to multi-year lows. "It's the Chinese New Year," Bloomberg writes, implying that this is a normal occurrence. But during previous Chinese New Year celebrations, there were no similar drops in LNG supplies.

It's clear that with a plunge in Chinese purchases, the LNG market is immediately oversupplied. Storing liquefied gas in tankers, as oil companies do when demand drops, is very costly. LNG tends to evaporate, so traders are trying to sell their batches as quickly as possible. And, of course, this LNG immediately flows to Europe - a market facing a severe shortage.

Similarly, Chinese oil giants did the same with LNG during the peak of the European gas crisis in 2022-2023, simply redirecting all contracted gas to the region. But back then, at least you could make a surplus margin on such operations. Now, however, gas prices in Europe are low.

Of course, one could say, "it's not personal, it's just business." However, China is saving Europe not at the expense of its own gas, but at the expense of Gazprom's pipeline gas, which, among other things, creates a surplus in the Chinese gas market and opportunities for LNG maneuvers.

In this entire gas puzzle, China's role as a new gas hub is interesting. For the second time in five years, the Chinese are showing that the global gas market has become more complex, and the old model - monopoly buyer - monopoly seller - no longer works. In the new reality, the buyer can also become a reseller.

But why are the Chinese once again saving Europe from an energy collapse? That's a question of big geopolitics. Let's assume they harbor great affection for the Lao people.

✏️At the same time:

China supports the independence of the European Union, the strengthening of its own power, and hopes for mutually beneficial cooperation, said Xi Jinping. /Reports TASS/
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To sum up the situation - that's all about balance. China needs EU as a market and as something to counter the US. There are no friends in politics, only interests. There cannot be absolute victory, as end of one war means preparation to another. Stating this, just to emphasize one again - there are only interests and there's not a single reason to wait for someone who appears and resolves all the global problems.

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Corruption as modus vivendi of the Ukraine.

See full stream here

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A US-flagged boat invaded Cuban waters and opened fire on border guards. According to the Cuban Ministry of Interior Affairs four attackers were killed.

Another seven people were injured, including the captain of the Cuban ship. The circumstances of the incident are being investigated.

Source: Vesti
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Winter in the Arctic is a time of extreme challenges, but the most difficult period for navigation remains from March to May. It is then that the formation of the ice cover is completed, and the conditions for ship passage become particularly difficult. Thanks to the Russian nuclear icebreaker fleet, work in the region does not stop for a minute, and millions of tons of cargo continue to be transported along the Northern Sea Route. About how this is achieved - a special report by Natalia Solovyova.

Source: Росатом
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Really, very interesting report.

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❗️What is known about the incident with an American boat off the coast of Cuba:

▪️A boat under the US flag entered Cuban waters and opened fire;

▪️As a result of the return fire, four Americans were killed and six others were injured;

▪️A representative of the UN Secretary-General told TASS that the organization is investigating the details of the incident;

▪️The US Coast Guard told TASS that it does not comment on the incident with the boat in Cuban waters;

▪️The Florida Attorney General announced the start of an investigation into the incident.

▪️In response to TASS's request, the US Southern Command redirected questions about the incident in Cuba to the State Department.

❗️ The boat off the coast of Cuba did not belong to the US Navy or the Coast Guard, reports the NYT, citing a source.

Source: TASS
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Russia has questions about the charter and mandate of the proposed Peace Council, Kirill Logvinov, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's department, told TASS.

"The mandate states 'assisting in ensuring long-term peace in regions affected by conflict or under its threat', but the Gaza Strip is not mentioned once," he noted.

Source: TASS
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Russian quantum computers are increasing their power - the results of control experiments conducted at several scientific sites have amazed even the scientists themselves. About processors operating beyond the laws of classical physics - in a special report by Anton Podkovenko.

Source: Росатом
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❕Rubio stated that US administration officials were not involved in the boat incident off Cuba.
He noted that he considered the boat incident off Cuba extremely unusual.

▪️The USA does not want to withdraw from resolving the conflict in Ukraine, but Trump's patience is not unlimited, Rubio stated.
He noted that there is progress in the negotiations, but there are still unresolved complex issues.

▪️The USA is only interested in trilateral nuclear agreements with Russia and China, Rubio stated.

Source: TASS
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The Armed Forces of Ukraine are using poisonous substances against the Russian army and civilians, said Kirill Logvinov, the director of the Department of International Organizations of the Russian Foreign Ministry, in an interview with TASS.

The risks of poisonous substances falling into the hands of terrorists due to Kiev are high, he noted.

Source: TASS
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Vladimir Zelensky hopes to resolve the Ukrainian conflict by the end of the year. He stated this to Donald Trump in a telephone conversation, according to Axios, citing Ukrainian officials.

However, the US President wants to complete the process in a month.

Source: Izvestia
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And in the end it's going to be the way that suits Russia.

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Via "Come and See":

🇷🇺 A mobile air defense fire group of the "Dnieper" troop group destroyed a heavy strike UAV in the sky over the Kherson region.

Video: Russian Ministry of Defense

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The Russian Armed Forces have taken new positions on the southern outskirts of Konstantinovka.

Map: divgen.ru

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