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Production of vodka in Russia has plummetted by more than 13%, according to the latest data. The dip occurred between January and May as the country also deals with a shortage of potatoes. On May 14, President Vladimir Putin admitted that Russians "don’t have enough potatoes". Figures suggest that, in the first few months of 2025, the price of the crop surged by 52%, while the overall harvest dropped by 12%. In the first five months of 2025, Armenia exported nearly twice as many potatoes to Russia as it did during the first half of 2024, and almost 17 times...

Vladimir Putin is demanding urgent potato imports from Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, while he delays supplying the ally with promised notorious Oreshnik horror missiles. Putin has made the shameful admission that he has run out of spuds - one of his country’s leading food staples - amid economic meltdown during his war with Ukraine. It now appears Belarus will not get the lethal missiles until after Lukashenko supplies Putin with new exports of potatoes which have spiralled in prices in Russia. The Minsk tyrant has even cancelled sanctions against imports from the EU to stock up to supply Russia. -snip-...

Russian president Vladimir Putin has acknowledged crop shortages as pressure on the country’s economy continues to mount. Pressure is mounting on Russia amid labour shortages, international sanctions, record interest rates, and inflation, but Putin’s admission of shortages of key crops marks a milestone in the nation’s woes. Speaking yesterday in a televised meeting, he said: “Yesterday, I met with representatives from various business sectors, including agriculture. It turns out that we don’t have enough potatoes. “I spoke with Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko. He said, ‘We’ve already sold everything to Russia’.” Potato shortages have become a serious problem in neighbouring Belarus, with...

A bone-chilling document declassified by the CIA has exposed an alleged massacre by aliens from a crashed UFO who turned an entire military unit into stone. According to the report, Soviet troops shot down a flying saucer hovering over the Soviet military unit in Siberia roughly 35 years ago, and what happened next was truly terrifying. In the document, summarizing a 250-page top secret file acquired by US intelligence agents, eyewitnesses said five aliens climbed out of their wrecked craft, combined themselves into one creature, exploded in a burst of intense energy, and turned 23 soldiers into solid rock. One...

Russian vodka enthusiasts are seething after the Finance Ministry implemented a 17 percent price hike for a half-litre bottle on New Year's Day. Russia holds the title as the world's largest vodka producer, accounting for over 30 percent of global production. Domestic consumption makes up more than 90 percent of Russia-made vodka, making it one of the country's most beloved beverages. As of January 1st, a bottle will now set consumers back 349 rubles (£2.53), up from 299 (£2.16) - a jump of 50 rubles. This follows a 6.4 percent increase in June 2024, meaning that within the last six...

But Russia's red-hot wartime economy comes with a price: inflation, which hit 9.8% in September. The price hikes are trickling down to basic food items, with prices of potatoes — a Russian staple — surging this year by 64% as of November 5, according to official statistics. Potatoes' price surge stems from bad weather and the rising cost of production amid a labor shortage and rising wages. It's not just potatoes. The data from Rosstat, Russia's federal statistics service, show that food prices have generally risen across the board this year. In late October, economists on the MMI Telegram channel,...

When thinking about the best vodka to drink, brands such as Grey Goose, Ketel One, and Absolute come to mind. However, with so many choices on the market, it can be overwhelming and tough to figure out the difference between great marketing and great product. We’ve cut to the chase and lined up only those worth drinking to help you get the best bang for your buck. Our list includes vodka options if you’re looking for something cheap, strong, or expensive, and we believe we’ve found the perfect vodka for every occasion.

Vodka is perhaps the spirit with the least personality. It doesn't bring much by way of tasting notes to the table, but when you're looking for a clean, clear liquor to serve a boozy kick without dominating the flavor profile of your drink, vodka is what you want to reach for. Around the world, vodkas are made from grains, potatoes, sugar cane, and even maple sap. There are some pretty cheap ones on the market, leaving you wondering which of them are worth the buy? Bottom shelf is a term that can come with some stigma, but here we use...

A senior ally of President Vladimir Putin warned on Friday that Moscow would regard any move by Britain to deploy a military contingent to Ukraine as a declaration of war against Russia. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, made the comments in response to a visit by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to Kyiv to announce an increase in military funding to help Ukraine purchase new military drones. "I hope that our eternal enemies - the arrogant British - understand that deploying an official military contingent to Ukraine would be a declaration of war...

A senior ally of President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that any Ukrainian attacks on missile launch sites inside Russia with arms supplied by the United States and its allies would risk a nuclear response from Moscow. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said that some Ukrainian military commanders were considering hitting missile launch sites inside Russia with Western-supplied long-range missiles. He did not name the commanders or disclose more details of the alleged plan and there was no immediate reaction from Ukraine to his threat.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was mocked on social media after many of his outlandish predictions for 2023 failed to come true. In a series of tweets on X, formerly Twitter, Medvedev predicted on December 26, 2022, that the U.K. would rejoin the EU, which would eventually collapse, and France would go to war with Germany again. Civil war in the U.S. was also in the cards, Medvedev said. The deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia and ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin also said: "Oil price will rise to $150 a barrel," parts of western Ukraine would...

Dozens of Russian Soldiers Killed After Drinking Poisoned Vodka Dec 04, 2023 at 7:13 PM EST By Aila Slisco Two dozen Russian soldiers have allegedly been killed by a Ukrainian partisan group who claimed it offered them poisoned vodka and other food items in occupied Crimea. A partisan group calling itself the "Crimea Combat Seagulls" said in a post to Telegram over the weekend that it had killed 24 Russian soldiers and hospitalized 11 others after giving them the poisoned food and drinks in Simferopol, Crimea's second-largest city. Russia illegally annexed the peninsula in 2014. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has...

A top ally of President Vladimir Putin warned Poland on Thursday that the NATO member state was now considered a "dangerous enemy" by Russia and could end up losing its statehood if it continued on its current course. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, made the comments in an 8,000-word article on Russian-Polish relations, saying Moscow now had a "dangerous enemy" in Poland. "We will treat it (Poland) precisely as a historical enemy," Medvedev said. "If there is no hope for reconciliation with the enemy, Russia should have only one and a very tough...

The conflict was sparked when troops from Dagestan - a poor, mountainous region of southern Russia disproportionately affected by the Russian army's conscription drive late last year - took umbrage with the arrival of the 'Kadyrovites', who are particularly vocal on social media and were allegedly in town to film propaganda clips. Around 8pm local time, a fight broke out between the two groups. The NRC said: 'During the quarrel, one of the occupants opened fire in the air from a small automatic weapon. 'In the course of the fight, one of the occupiers was inflicted with numerous stab wounds...

Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that former President Donald Trump was a “puppeteer” making those who do his bidding “look pathetic.” Anchor Dana Bash said, “In a private call, the now Speaker Kevin McCarthy told the former president that he supported the idea of expunging Trump’s two impeachments but apparently he didn’t commit to bringing it to the floor for a vote. You oversaw both of these impeachment proceedings. What is your reaction to that notion?”

Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Friday on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” said former President Donald Trump looked like a “scared puppy” arriving in Washington, D.C. to be arraigned in the January 6 case. Mitchell said, “I want your reaction to the history we saw unfold yesterday. A former president of the United States pleading not guilty over an alleged conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election while he was still leading the country.” Pelosi said, “As I have said, this is heartbreaking for the country. It leads me to a very prayerful time as we say God bless America, to really bless...

Two thirds of US voters say they want Nashville police to release the manifesto of transgender school shooter Audrey Hale — a sign of growing frustration with the investigation into the deadly attack two weeks ago. Americans by wide margins want to see the screed, which many believe will reveal an agenda of violent trans extremism, and equal numbers are concerned that Hale's attack will inspire more copycat strikes on Christian schools, pollsters found. The Rasmussen Reports survey heaps pressure on Nashville cops to release Hale's writings, even as officials backtrack on claims she left behind a manifesto, and say...

A significant minority of Russia's 200,000 Ukraine War casualties have been due to non-combat causes, with many linked to alcohol abuse, the United Kingdom Defense Ministry assessed in a Sunday morning intelligence update. The UK Defense Ministry said that Russian sources have indicated a high number of alcohol-linked incidents, crimes and deaths among deployed Russian soldiers. "Russian commanders likely identify pervasive alcohol abuse as particularly detrimental to combat effectiveness," said the UK Defense Ministry. "However, with heavy drinking pervasive across much of Russian society, it has long been seen as a tacitly accepted part of military life, even on combat...

Russia has suffered around 200,000 casualties since its invasion of Ukraine The Ministry of Defence claims a 'minority' are due to non-combat causes A high number of deaths are linked to Russian soldier's alcohol consumption The UK Ministry of Defence said an 'extremely high' number of Russian troop deaths as a part of the Ukraine war are linked to alcohol abuse. Russian military forces are injuring themselves as a result of poor handling of weapons and heavy drinking, according to the ministry's morning intelligence update. Although Russia has suffered around 200,000 casualties since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of...

The borg — "blackout rage gallon" — has become the drink of choice on college campuses across the country. Made with half water, half vodka, a caffeinated flavor enhancer and a dash of powdered electrolytes, the drink has been hailed by many students on TikTok as a hangover-proof party staple. Binge drinking, which involves consuming an excessive amount of alcohol over a short period of time, remains a widespread issue that many college administrators have struggled to control. But as borgs go viral, some harm reduction advocates — who don't condone binge drinking — have said the trend may actually...