🇷🇺Week of October 5

An oil tanker caught fire in the waters off Sochi after a drone strike, with a column of smoke visible for many kilometers and beaches closed. Two other vessels were attacked near the coast of Bulgaria. The open burning in the Black Sea was extinguished, and no oil cargo pollution of the water area was reported.1234

The crew of the tanker was rescued, according to the Ministry of Transport. Sochi authorities took measures to extinguish the burning vessel, and beaches and embankments were closed.567

The strike on the tanker near Sochi came as Ukrainian forces counterattacked on the Dobropolsky salient, according to The Insider. The Insider is an opposition outlet.8

The fire on the attacked tanker raised questions about the threat to the Sochi coast and its residents, according to BBC. BBC is an opposition outlet.9

Hungary lifted its veto on opening European Union accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. EU permanent representatives then agreed to open two negotiation clusters with both countries, clearing the way for the next stage of the accession process.12345678

The decision allows the EU to move to the next stage of negotiations on Ukraine's membership. The approval covers two negotiation clusters for Ukraine and Moldova.23457

The day before the veto was lifted, a bill on national minority rights was submitted to Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada.4

The International Monetary Fund says the combined public debt of all countries will soon surpass 100 percent of world GDP, a level it describes as a record not seen since the Second World War. The fund also flags expensive oil and an artificial intelligence boom as risks to the world economy.123

The head of the IMF warned that artificial intelligence carries risks including rising inequality, a stock market crash and higher energy prices. Euronews reported that the IMF chief spoke of a return of austerity as public debt climbs toward 100 percent of GDP.45

Russia's Ministry of Digital Development has explained the future introduction of fees for obtaining state services through Post of Russia branches and multifunctional centers (MFCs). The ministry's explanation was reported by the state outlet Финансы Mail, the business outlets BFM.ru and Банки.ру, the oppositional outlet ФОНТАНКА.ру, and the state-aligned CNews.ru.12345

After the reform, Post of Russia may become an analogue of an MFC, but a paid one, according to BFM.ru. The cost of submitting documents for state services through the post office and MFCs has become known, Банки.ру reported. CNews.ru reported that Post of Russia will charge money for electronic correspondence between authorities and the population.245

The exact amount of the fee and the date of its introduction were not specified in the cited titles and ledes. The reports frame the change as a future establishment of payment for state services provided through these channels.12345

A powerful fire broke out at the Ustuu-Khuree Buddhist complex in Tuva, the largest Buddhist temple in Russia. The monastery caught fire and the blaze was later extinguished, with the complex described as destroyed.12345

The fire at the Ustuu-Khuree complex was reported by state outlets Lenta.news and VFokuse Mail, wire service Interfax, business outlet Vedomosti, and the centrist outlet Newslab.ru, which published video of the burning complex.12345