Latest news about Russia and the war in Ukraine

Russia expelled Slovenia's top envoy from the country after a summons, after Ljubljana expelled a Russian diplomat for the first time in March.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said, in a statement translated via Google, that it had declared the Slovenian ambassador to Moscow, Darja Pavadaz Koret, “persona non grata” under the principle of reciprocity.

A host country that declares a diplomat “persona non grata” is effectively asking that they be recalled by their country of origin.

“We consider this to be the next openly unfriendly step in the context of Ljubljana's general course towards the destruction of Russian-Slovenian relations. Responsibility for the consequences of such a destructive policy lies entirely on the Slovenian side,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

On March 21, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry said it had designated an unidentified Russian diplomat as “persona non grata” for carrying out “activities inconsistent with his diplomatic status,” according to a Google-translated statement.

-Roxandra Iordas

The Paris-based IEA is closely monitoring Ukrainian strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, Toril Busoni, head of the agency's oil industry and markets division, told CNBC's “Street Signs Europe” on Friday.

When Busoni was asked about global energy security, he said: “Obviously we are watching the Middle East very closely. The ongoing attacks on tankers in the Red Sea are a major concern, but also the escalation of tensions between Iran and Israel, so we question global energy security.” Seeing continued tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with attacks on Russian refineries.

Earlier on Friday, a Russian official said that Russian forces shot down Ukrainian drones targeting the town of Novoshakhtinsk, which includes a refinery that was previously forced to temporarily close following an attack from Kiev.

Russia is one of the world's largest hydrocarbon producers, although Western and G7 countries no longer have access to sea shipments of its oil and petroleum products, following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

-Roxandra Iordas

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 was unable to independently verify developments on the ground.

The town is home to the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, which Russian officials said in March was bombed by Ukrainian drones, temporarily halting operations.

Energy and electricity infrastructure in Russia and Ukraine have been increasingly targeted in recent weeks, raising global concerns about broader energy flows. Moscow is one of the largest oil and gas producers in the world.

-Roxandra Iordas

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

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will raise concerns about Beijing's aid to Russia during his trip to China from April 15-16, Reuters reported, citing German officials.

China, an important trading partner of Moscow, faces international pressure not to aid Russia's war effort in Ukraine. Beijing claims it is not participating in this capacity.

The United States has increasingly indicated its willingness to impose sanctions on Chinese institutions found to be helping Russia invade Ukraine.

-Roxandra Iordas

Denis Basler, the regional governor, said on Telegram that the water level in the Ural River reached 11 meters and 29 centimeters on Friday in Orenburg, Russia.

Bassler said that in just two hours until 8 a.m. local time, the water level rose by 6 centimeters, describing the situation as “difficult,” according to a Google translation of his statement.

Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry said work was underway to limit the impact of the flood and lower water levels in cities, including Orsk, which was one of the first places to be flooded as water levels in the Ural River began to rise last week. The water level in Orsk dropped by 30 cm overnight, the ministry said on Telegram.

Meanwhile, state media reported that residents in the southwestern Kurgan region were evacuated early Friday, as water levels there rose by 1.4 meters overnight.

The Ural River is the third longest river in Europe and flows through Russia and Kazakhstan. Melting snow last week caused water levels to rise rapidly, and the river has since burst through its dams and banks, flooding the cities alongside it.

-Sophie Kiderlein

Russia's overnight attacks destroyed infrastructure facilities and private homes across Ukraine, officials said on Friday.

The Ukrainian military said on the Telegram app that it shot down 16 out of 17 drones used by Russia in the strikes overnight. The Ukrainian military said Russia had also deployed a Kh-59 air-guided missile.

Serhiy Lysak, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region in eastern Ukraine, said via the Telegram app that drone debris fell on a “vital” infrastructure facility, causing a fire. Reuters reported that this was an energy facility. Several private homes were also damaged in the area, Lesak said.

Elsewhere, Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that new strikes on infrastructure and homes had been recorded in the southern Ukrainian region.

CNBC was unable to independently verify the information.

-Sophie Kiderlein

Japan wants any dealings with frozen Russian assets to comply with international law, the Japanese Finance Minister said on Friday, adding that the issue will likely be discussed at next week's meeting of its counterparts from the Group of Seven advanced economies.

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

“Japan's position is that the matter should be handled in a way that does not violate international law,” he added, suggesting that Tokyo is wary about the idea floated by Washington to completely confiscate frozen Russian assets – a move that some experts warn could lead to legal disputes.

Suzuki is expected to travel to Washington, D.C., next week to attend the G7 and G20 finance leaders' meetings, which will be held on the sidelines of the IMF's spring meeting.

– Reuters

Ukraine's parliament on Thursday passed a controversial new law that gives the government more power to mobilize society for war as the country continues to fight the Russian offensive.

The vote in favor of the legislation comes after months of delay, and it must now be signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to take effect.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Thursday that Russia and the United States are discussing not deploying nuclear weapons in space, according to what was reported by the Russian official TASS media agency.

Ryabkov said in statements translated via Google: “Our delegations in the relevant international forums, and above all in New York, where Washington – the American administration – is promoting the issue of accusations against Russia, are already in contact and discussing this issue.”

Ryabkov said that space can be used for military purposes, but strikes should not be launched there, and that Russia will work to maintain peace in space.

“We will work with the global majority to ensure that space remains safe, and to achieve a situation in which there is no threat to anyone from there,” he said.

Earlier this year, tensions flared between Washington and Moscow over the risk of potential nuclear attacks in space. Russia at the time denied US claims that it was developing nuclear weapons that could target satellites in space.

-Sophie Kiderlein

Russia said it carried out a “massive” drone and missile attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure in response to Ukrainian attacks on the oil and gas industry.

“In response to the Kiev regime’s attempts to damage Russia’s oil and gas industry and energy facilities, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a massive overnight strike with high-precision, long-range air and sea weapons, as well as drones, against the facilities of the fuel and energy complex in Ukraine.”

The ministry added: “The objectives of the strike were achieved. All targets were hit.”

Early morning Russian missile and drone attacks on several regions across Ukraine knocked out power to thousands of civilians and destroyed energy infrastructure, officials said Thursday.

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

CNBC was unable to confirm developments on the ground.

– Holly Eliatt