Russia has expelled Slovenia’s top envoy after a summons, the first time Ljubljana expelled a Russian diplomat in March.

In a statement translated by Google, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it declared Slovenia’s ambassador to Moscow, Darja Bavdaz Kuret, “persona non grata” under the principle of mutual cooperation.

A host country that orders a diplomat “persona non grata” is effectively asking them to be recalled from their home country.

“We consider this next openly unfriendly step in the context of Ljubljana’s general approach towards the destruction of Russian-Slovenian relations. The responsibility for the consequences of such a disastrous policy rests entirely with the Slovenian side,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Is.”

On March 21, Slovenia’s foreign ministry said it had declared an unspecified Russian diplomat “persona non grata” for “activities inconsistent with his diplomatic status.”

– Ruxandra Iordache

The Paris-based watchdog, the International Energy Agency, is closely monitoring Ukraine’s attacks against Russian energy infrastructure, Torel Bosoni, head of its oil industry and markets division, told CNBC’s “Street Signs” on Friday. Europe”.

When asked about global energy security, Bosni said, “We’re obviously watching the Middle East very closely. The constant tanker attacks in the Red Sea are a major concern, but it’s Iran and Israel. escalating tensions between, and then we have tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with attacks on Russian refineries.”

Earlier on Friday, a Russian official said Moscow’s forces had shot down a Ukrainian drone targeting the town of Novoshakhtinsk, home to a refinery that had previously been temporarily closed after an attack from Kiev. was forced.

Russia is one of the world’s largest producers of hydrocarbons, although the West and Group of Seven countries can no longer access its oil and oil products by sea following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

– Ruxandra Iordache

Russian air defense forces shot down four enemy drones near Novoshakhtinsk in the Rostov region, regional governor Vasily Golubev said in a Telegram post translated by Google.

CNBC could not independently confirm developments on the ground.

The town is home to the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, which in March Russian officials said was targeted by a Ukrainian drone, temporarily shutting down operations as a result.

Russian and Ukrainian energy and power infrastructure have been increasingly targeted in recent weeks, raising global concerns over broader energy flows. Moscow is one of the world’s largest oil and gas producers.

– Ruxandra Iordache

Correction: This post has been updated to reflect the March timing of the attack on the Novashakhtinsk refinery.

German Chancellor Olaf Schulz will raise concerns about Beijing’s aid to Russia during a visit to China on April 15-16, Reuters news agency quoted German officials as saying.

China, a key trading partner of Moscow, is facing international pressure not to support the Russian war effort in Ukraine. Beijing claims it is not involved in such a capacity.

The United States has increasingly signaled its readiness to impose sanctions against Chinese entities that support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

– Ruxandra Iordache

The water level of the Ural River reached 11 meters and 29 centimeters in Russia’s Orenburg on Friday, regional governor Denis Passler said on Telegram.

Passler described the situation as “difficult,” according to a Google translation of his statement, saying that by 8 a.m. local time alone, the water level had risen by 6 centimeters.

Russia’s Emergencies Ministry said work was underway to limit the effects of flooding and lower water levels in towns – including Orsk, which was one of the first places to flood as the Urals rose last week. The level had started to rise. Overnight, the water level in Orsk fell by 30 centimeters, the ministry said in a telegram.

Meanwhile, state media reported that people were evacuated from the southwestern Kurgan region on Friday as water levels there rose to 1.4 meters overnight.

The Ural is the third longest river in Europe and flows through Russia and Kazakhstan. Water levels rose sharply last week due to melting snow, and the river has since burst its dams and banks, flooding nearby towns.

– Sophie Kaderlin

Late-night strikes by Russia damaged infrastructure and private homes in Ukraine, officials said Friday.

Ukraine’s military said on Telegram that it had shot down 16 of the 17 drones used in the attacks by Russia overnight. Ukraine’s military said Russia had also deployed a Kh-59 guided air missile.

The governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region in eastern Ukraine, Serhiy Lysak, said on Telegram that the debris from the drone fell on a “critical” infrastructure facility, causing a fire. Reuters reported that it was an energy facility. Lysak said that many private houses in the area have also been damaged.

Elsewhere, Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokodin said in a telegram that fresh attacks on infrastructure and homes were recorded in the southern Ukrainian region.

CNBC could not independently verify the information.

– Sophie Kaderlin

Japan wants frozen Russian assets to be handled in compliance with international law, its finance minister said on Friday, with the topic likely to be discussed next week at a meeting of its counterparts from the G7 advanced economies. will

“I don’t think there is a consensus among countries yet on what to do with Russia’s frozen assets,” Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said at a press conference.

“Japan’s position is that it should be handled in a way that does not violate international law.” He said Tokyo is wary of the idea being floated by Washington of fully confiscating frozen Russian assets. Legal disputes.

Suzuki is expected to travel to Washington, D.C., next week to attend meetings of G7 and Group of 20 financial leaders, which will be held on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund’s spring meeting.

– Reuters

Ukraine’s parliament approved a controversial new law on Thursday that would give the government more power to mobilize society for war as the country battles an invasion by Russia.

The vote in favor of the legislation comes after months of delays and now must be signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi to take effect.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Thursday that Russia and the United States are discussing the non-deployment of nuclear weapons in space, according to Russian state media agency Tass.

“Our delegations at the relevant international platforms, and above all in New York, where Washington – the US administration – is promoting the topic of accusations against Russia, are in fact in touch,” Ryabkov said in comments translated by Google. and are discussing this topic,” Ryabkov said in Google-translated comments.

Ryabkov said that space could be used for military purposes, but that there should be no attacks and that Russia would work to keep space peaceful.

He said that we will work with the global majority in the interest of guaranteeing that space remains peaceful, to achieve a situation where no one is in danger.

Earlier this year, tensions rose between Washington and Moscow over the threat of possible nuclear attacks in space. Russia at the time denied US claims that it was developing nuclear weapons that would target satellites in space.

– Sophie Kaderlin

Russia said it had launched a “massive” drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in response to Ukrainian attacks on its oil and gas industry.

“In response to attempts by the Kiev government to damage Russia’s oil and gas industry and energy facilities, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a massive strike overnight with high-precision long-range missiles. with air and sea weapons, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, against the facilities of Ukraine’s fuel and energy complex,” Russia’s Defense Ministry said Thursday, according to a Google translation.

“The objectives of the strike were met. All targets were hit,” the ministry added.

Early morning Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine left thousands of civilians without power and damaged energy infrastructure, officials said Thursday.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that as a result of the attacks, “the operation of Ukrainian military industry enterprises was affected, the transfer of reserves to war zones was disrupted, and the supply of fuel to military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was interrupted.” “

CNBC could not confirm developments on the ground.

– Holly Elliott