War

One thousand eighth day. The ruble is rapidly depreciating in the Forex market. The Prime Minister of Slovakia promised to come to Moscow on May 9

Since February 24, 2022, Meduza has been broadcasting live about the Russian-Ukrainian war. We recently changed the format of our daily chronicle. Now published once a day, we take a closer look at several key stories that are affecting the course of the war right now. We also publish your letters in these materials, because we are sure that we need to continue talking about the war. Please tell us how you have received the very disturbing news of the last few days - about the shelling of Russian territory by ATACMS missiles and the strike by the Russian Oreshnik missile on the Dnieper. Find the feedback form at the end of this article. You can read the previous day's review here .

Russia

The ruble exchange rate is rapidly falling

The dollar exchange rate on the international Forex currency market on the afternoon of November 27 exceeded 114 rubles per dollar. The euro is trading above 120 rubles, the yuan is above 15.5 rubles. Since the beginning of the trading day, the Russian currency has fallen in price by about 9%.

The ruble has not been so cheap since March 2022, when the Russian currency, against the backdrop of the simultaneous introduction of a large number of sanctions due to the invasion of Ukraine, fell in relation to the world currency by about one and a half times in a few days.

This time the sharp fall in the ruble exchange rate began in mid-November. Just two weeks ago, the euro cost 104 rubles, the dollar - 97 rubles, the yuan - 13.5 rubles.

Analysts list the reasons for the weakening of the ruble as the insufficient influx of foreign currency into the country from exports due to its reduction under the influence of sanctions and lower oil prices, as well as recently introduced restrictions against Gazprombank, through which payments for Russian gas were made.

“The ruble is weakening as demand for the currency continues, and supply remains weak due to sanctions against the Russian banking sector. New restrictions have further narrowed the possibilities for cross-border circulation of currency. If the supply of foreign currency is not increased, the exchange rate will continue to weaken in the near future,” Promsvyazbank analysts said in a report.

Experts believe that without the support of the Bank of Russia, rates may continue to rise, and volatility in the foreign exchange market may remain high. At the same time, the Russian authorities do not yet see any problems with the depreciation of the ruble. The head of the Ministry of Finance, Anton Siluanov, said on November 26 that the current exchange rate “is very, very conducive to exports.”

World

Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico will come to Moscow for the Victory Parade

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico officially announced that he accepted the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the Victory Parade in Moscow on May 9, 2025, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War.

On his Facebook page, Fico noted that the Red Army and the peoples of the former USSR “played an irreplaceable role in the victory over fascism and victory in World War II.” “Citizens of the Slovak Republic remember with respect all the anniversaries and events related to the liberation of our territory by the Red Army in 1944–1945, and also the assistance provided by the former Soviet Union,” Fico wrote.

Fico became the first leader of an EU member country to announce his intention to come to Moscow. Earlier it became known that the parade on May 9 will be attended by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said in September that Russia would not invite leaders of “unfriendly” countries to the celebrations. The “unfriendly” list includes 25 of the 27 EU states - with the exception of Slovakia and Hungary.

Robert Fico has been Prime Minister of Slovakia since the end of 2023. Critics accuse him, like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, of “pro-Russian” views. During the election campaign, Fico promised to curtail military aid to Ukraine. After taking office, however, he softened his position and did not block the allocation of EU funds to Kyiv, and also supported the Ukrainian course towards European integration and the “peace formula” of Vladimir Zelensky. In October 2024, Fico stated that “the European Union needs Russia, Russia needs the European Union” and expressed his readiness to restore “normal relations” with the Russian Federation as soon as the war ends.

Ukraine

Biden asked Congress for 24 billion for Ukraine. Musk opposes

US President Joe Biden has privately asked Congress for $24 billion for Ukraine, reported Politico, which reviewed the document.

Two-thirds of the requested amount is supposed to be used to replenish the stock of American weapons that Ukraine has, and another third to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, within the framework of which the Pentagon signs contracts with American companies to arm the Ukrainian army.

Politico rates the chances of congressional approval of the request as "slim."

Businessman Elon Musk, who is part of President-elect Donald Trump’s team, has already responded to Biden’s initiative. On social network X, he wrote “this is not ok” under one of the news about a request for $24 billion.

The Biden administration, ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House, is trying to speed up the release of aid to Ukraine. The current administration fears that Trump will reduce supplies and force Kyiv to enter into negotiations with Russia - therefore, in the last weeks of its work, they expect to strengthen Ukraine’s position.

War through the eyes of Meduza readers

Stepan, Russian Federation (about possible escalation). Ukraine is determined to defend its territory: it is impossible to wage a war without the ability to hit enemy aircraft and personnel on its territory. Such strikes are justified both from a military and moral point of view, because the Russian Armed Forces do not constrain themselves in any way by using long-range missiles.

[The use of the Oreshnik missile] is an information operation and nothing more. The Russian Armed Forces are using absolutely all conventional weapons in Ukraine and will not be able to “increase the level of escalation.”

Regarding the use of nuclear weapons: if they could win or significantly influence the war, they would have already been used, because the Russian leadership does not care about the number of dead civilians and even more so its soldiers.

Therefore, [the possibility of using nuclear weapons] is not alarming at all: Putin is in a weak position and is again waving a nuclear club. Those who have military successes do not behave this way, especially on the eve of possible negotiations.