Pakistan has reportedly signed a major weapons deal with eastern Libya’s Libyan National Army, openly defying a long-standing United Nations arms embargo on the conflict-torn country. Islamabad has described the agreement as a strategic breakthrough, even as Pakistan faces significant economic challenges at home.

The reported deal, said to be worth billions, has raised serious concerns among international observers and diplomats, given Libya’s ongoing instability and the strict UN restrictions on military transfers. The development has renewed scrutiny of regional arms flows, sanctions enforcement, and Pakistan’s evolving defence export strategy.

Islamabad Signs Major Weapons Deal With Libya Despite UN Arms Embargo

Sri Lanka took delivery of Russian oil on Saturday despite US sanctions amid an acute foreign exchange crunch which has&nbsp;left the government unable to finance crude imports.&nbsp;

The island nation is suffering its worst economic meltdown since independence&nbsp;with shortages of fuel and other vital goods amid large scale protests in the country.&nbsp;

The Russian crude delivery had been waiting offshore of the capital Colombo's port for over a month as the country was unable to raise $75 million to pay for it, energy minister Kanchana Wijesekera said.

Colombo is also in talks with Moscow to arrange direct supplies of crude, coal, diesel and petrol despite US-led sanctions.

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"I have made an official request to the Russian ambassador for direct supplies of Russian oil," Wijesekera said.&nbsp;

Saturday&nbsp;also marks the 50th day of Galle Face protests as demonstrators have been demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Rajapaksa administration&nbsp;which forced Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to resign earlier this month.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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Sri Lanka took delivery of Russian oil on Saturday despite US sanctions amid an acute foreign exchange crunch which has left the government unable to finance crude imports.

Sri Lanka took delivery of Russian oil on Saturday despite US sanctions amid an acute foreign exchange crunch which has left the government unable to finance crude imports. The island nation is suffering its worst economic meltdown since independence with shortages of fuel and other vital goods amid large scale protests in the country. The Russian crude delivery had been waiting offshore of the capital Colombo's port for over a month as the country was unable to raise $75 million to pay for it, energy minister Kanchana Wijesekera said. Colombo is also in talks with Moscow to arrange direct supplies of crude, coal, diesel and petrol despite US-led sanctions. × "I have made an official request to the Russian ambassador for direct supplies of Russian oil," Wijesekera said. Saturday also marks the 50th day of Galle Face protests as demonstrators have been demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Rajapaksa administration which forced Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to resign earlier this month. (With inputs from Agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Sri Lanka buys Russian oil amid economic meltdown

According to reports, EU is divided over Russian oil ban and now a temporary compromise is being discussed among EU countries in an attempt to get Hungarian Prime Minister's support.

EU mulls diluting Russian oil ban; move to bring Hungary on board

In an effort to win over hesitant governments like Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, the European Commission is proposing amendments to its planned embargo on Russian oil.

Should EU nations fail to achieve an agreement on an oil embargo against Russia by the weekend, a meeting of EU foreign ministers will be scheduled next week, according to EU foreign policy leader Josep Borrell.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-assures-it-wont-use-nuclear-weapons-in-ongoing-war-against-ukraine-476897" hreflang="en">Russia assures it won’t use nuclear weapons in ongoing war against Ukraine</a>

The oil embargo was suggested by the European Union's executive on Wednesday as part of a larger package of EU penalties on Russia, the sixth since Moscow started its&nbsp;invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Borrell told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Florence that he had faith in reaching "a solution that is shared, as not all countries are in the same situation," and that a deal must be found quickly.

Watch |&nbsp;Ukraine war: Europe proposes ban on Russian oil, aims to phase out Russian crude in 6 months

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When asked about a prospective gas embargo, Borrell stated, "Gas is not for tomorrow, but for the day after tomorrow," implying that the EU should take its sanctions against Russia one step at a time.

Earlier on Friday, he said the bloc needs to be "realistic" in its ambitions to wean itself from Russian energy, adding that it must do so in an orderly and cautious manner.

As the situation in Ukraine worsens, Europe, which imports roughly 40 per cent of its gas from Russia, has been trying to diversify its energy supply mix.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-likely-to-sanction-vladimir-putins-rumoured-girlfriend-alina-kabaeva-report-476904" hreflang="en">European Union likely to sanction Vladimir Putin's rumoured girlfriend Alina Kabaeva - Report</a>

"Gas cannot be substituted with something else... if it's not Russian gas it needs to be gas anyway," he said.

The senior diplomat went on to say that there were a variety of methods to punish Russia's oil exports, and that action might not be confined to a simple ban on buying the oil.

"If insurance companies don't provide the insurance for the transportation of Russian oil, it's going to be a big problem for Russian oil exports - not only to the EU but to rest of world," he stated, without providing any other information.

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(With inputs from agencies)

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In an effort to win over hesitant governments like Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, the European Commission is proposing amendments to its planned embargo on Russian oil.

In an effort to win over hesitant governments like Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, the European Commission is proposing amendments to its planned embargo on Russian oil. Should EU nations fail to achieve an agreement on an oil embargo against Russia by the weekend, a meeting of EU foreign ministers will be scheduled next week, according to EU foreign policy leader Josep Borrell. Also read | Russia assures it won’t use nuclear weapons in ongoing war against Ukraine The oil embargo was suggested by the European Union's executive on Wednesday as part of a larger package of EU penalties on Russia, the sixth since Moscow started its invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Borrell told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Florence that he had faith in reaching "a solution that is shared, as not all countries are in the same situation," and that a deal must be found quickly. Watch | Ukraine war: Europe proposes ban on Russian oil, aims to phase out Russian crude in 6 months When asked about a prospective gas embargo, Borrell stated, "Gas is not for tomorrow, but for the day after tomorrow," implying that the EU should take its sanctions against Russia one step at a time. Earlier on Friday, he said the bloc needs to be "realistic" in its ambitions to wean itself from Russian energy, adding that it must do so in an orderly and cautious manner. As the situation in Ukraine worsens, Europe, which imports roughly 40 per cent of its gas from Russia, has been trying to diversify its energy supply mix. Also read | European Union likely to sanction Vladimir Putin's rumoured girlfriend Alina Kabaeva - Report "Gas cannot be substituted with something else... if it's not Russian gas it needs to be gas anyway," he said. The senior diplomat went on to say that there were a variety of methods to punish Russia's oil exports, and that action might not be confined to a simple ban on buying the oil. "If insurance companies don't provide the insurance for the transportation of Russian oil, it's going to be a big problem for Russian oil exports - not only to the EU but to rest of world," he stated, without providing any other information. Watch WION LIVE HERE: (With inputs from agencies) Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION.

EU top diplomat hints at more sanctions, even as agency proposes amendments to oil embargo against Russia

As Russia continues to make advances in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky told US lawmakers that he needs an influx of fighter jets from NATO allies and an embargo on Russian oil, a report said. &nbsp;

This comes as NATO has refused to impose a no-fly zone in Ukrainian skies. &nbsp;

Ukrainian fighters need the jets "because their (anti-aircraft defenses) got destroyed on day one," a source, who is familiar with the conversation, told the Washington Examiner. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/weekend-special-who-is-a-russian-oligarch-heres-what-you-need-to-know-459198" hreflang="en">Weekend Special: Who is a Russian oligarch? Here's what you need to know</a>

During a virtual meeting, Zelensky also communicated with US lawmakers on Saturday morning that they "need an oil embargo on Russia." &nbsp;

Zelensky's frustration with Western officials was on full display as he acknowledged the value of the sanctions, which were imposed on Russia but said that they came too little, too late. &nbsp;&nbsp;

If Western leaders had implemented the penalties when Russian forces were mobilising around Ukraine, "there would not have been an invasion", the source said, in a paraphrase of Zelensky's remarks to the members of Congress. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sigh-of-relief-183-indian-citizens-reach-delhi-in-special-flight-under-operation-ganga-459431" hreflang="en">Sigh of relief: 183 Indian citizens reach Delhi in special flight under Operation Ganga</a>

In the meeting, his appeal resonated with US lawmakers. &nbsp;

On Twitter, Senator Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, wrote, "The US must impose both an import ban on Russian energy and secondary sanctions to force other countries to do the same. I also implore NATO countries to donate Soviet-made fighter jets to Ukraine. The White House should act now so Ukraine receives the jets they need for self-defence." &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

As Russia continues to make advances in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky told US lawmakers that he needs an influx of fighter jets from NATO allies and an embargo on Russian oil, a report said.

As Russia continues to make advances in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky told US lawmakers that he needs an influx of fighter jets from NATO allies and an embargo on Russian oil, a report said. This comes as NATO has refused to impose a no-fly zone in Ukrainian skies. Ukrainian fighters need the jets "because their (anti-aircraft defenses) got destroyed on day one," a source, who is familiar with the conversation, told the Washington Examiner. Also Read | Weekend Special: Who is a Russian oligarch? Here's what you need to know During a virtual meeting, Zelensky also communicated with US lawmakers on Saturday morning that they "need an oil embargo on Russia." Zelensky's frustration with Western officials was on full display as he acknowledged the value of the sanctions, which were imposed on Russia but said that they came too little, too late. If Western leaders had implemented the penalties when Russian forces were mobilising around Ukraine, "there would not have been an invasion", the source said, in a paraphrase of Zelensky's remarks to the members of Congress. Also Read | Sigh of relief: 183 Indian citizens reach Delhi in special flight under Operation Ganga In the meeting, his appeal resonated with US lawmakers. On Twitter, Senator Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, wrote, "The US must impose both an import ban on Russian energy and secondary sanctions to force other countries to do the same. I also implore NATO countries to donate Soviet-made fighter jets to Ukraine. The White House should act now so Ukraine receives the jets they need for self-defence." (With inputs from agencies)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sought fighter jets, Russian oil embargo, says report

A 193-member UN General Assembly vote on Tuesday on a draft resolution calling 'for an immediate suspension of the direct and indirect supply, sale or transfer of all weapons and munitions' to Myanmar has been postponed, diplomats said. &nbsp;

A spokesman for the UN General Assembly president said earlier on Monday that the body was due to vote on Tuesday. It was not immediately known when a vote would be rescheduled. Some diplomats said it had been delayed in a bid to win more support. &nbsp;

The draft resolution calls on the Myanmar military, which seized power in a February 1 coup, to end a state of emergency, stop all violence against peaceful protesters and respect the will of the people as expressed in the results of a November election. &nbsp;

General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but carry political weight. Unlike the 15-member Security Council, no country has a veto power in the General Assembly. &nbsp;

Myanmar has been in crisis since the army ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government and detained her and officials of her National League for Democracy party. The UN draft text calls for their release.&nbsp;

The military, which has set up a ruling junta of generals, complained of fraud in the November election that returned Suu Kyi to power. The election commission said the vote was fair.&nbsp;

The draft General Assembly resolution "calls upon the Myanmar armed forces to immediately stop all violence against peaceful demonstrators, members of civil society, women, youth, as well as children and others."&nbsp;

At least 788 people have been killed by the junta's security forces in crackdowns on protests against its rule, according to an advocacy group.&nbsp;

The military, which disputes that number, imposes tight restrictions on media, information and the internet. The reporter cannot independently verify arrests and casualty numbers.&nbsp;

The UN text also urges the army to stop 'attacks on, harassment of and restrictions on medical personnel, human rights defenders, labor union members, journalists and media workers ... and restrictions on the internet and social media'.&nbsp;

If adopted, the draft resolution would urge the military to allow a visit by the UN special envoy on Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, and implement a plan by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to end the crisis.&nbsp;

The United States, Britain and Canada on Monday imposed new sanctions targeting Myanmar's junta.&nbsp;

Only the UN Security Council can impose legally binding sanctions or an arms embargo, but diplomats say Russia and China could likely use their veto to prevent such action on Myanmar. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

A 193-member UN General Assembly vote on Tuesday on a draft resolution calling 'for an immediate suspension of the direct and indirect supply, sale or transfer of all weapons and munitions' to Myanmar has been postponed, diplomats said.

A 193-member UN General Assembly vote on Tuesday on a draft resolution calling 'for an immediate suspension of the direct and indirect supply, sale or transfer of all weapons and munitions' to Myanmar has been postponed, diplomats said. A spokesman for the UN General Assembly president said earlier on Monday that the body was due to vote on Tuesday. It was not immediately known when a vote would be rescheduled. Some diplomats said it had been delayed in a bid to win more support. The draft resolution calls on the Myanmar military, which seized power in a February 1 coup, to end a state of emergency, stop all violence against peaceful protesters and respect the will of the people as expressed in the results of a November election. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but carry political weight. Unlike the 15-member Security Council, no country has a veto power in the General Assembly. Myanmar has been in crisis since the army ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government and detained her and officials of her National League for Democracy party. The UN draft text calls for their release. The military, which has set up a ruling junta of generals, complained of fraud in the November election that returned Suu Kyi to power. The election commission said the vote was fair. The draft General Assembly resolution "calls upon the Myanmar armed forces to immediately stop all violence against peaceful demonstrators, members of civil society, women, youth, as well as children and others." At least 788 people have been killed by the junta's security forces in crackdowns on protests against its rule, according to an advocacy group. The military, which disputes that number, imposes tight restrictions on media, information and the internet. The reporter cannot independently verify arrests and casualty numbers. The UN text also urges the army to stop 'attacks on, harassment of and restrictions on medical personnel, human rights defenders, labor union members, journalists and media workers ... and restrictions on the internet and social media'. If adopted, the draft resolution would urge the military to allow a visit by the UN special envoy on Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, and implement a plan by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to end the crisis. The United States, Britain and Canada on Monday imposed new sanctions targeting Myanmar's junta. Only the UN Security Council can impose legally binding sanctions or an arms embargo, but diplomats say Russia and China could likely use their veto to prevent such action on Myanmar. (With inputs from agencies)

UN vote on call to stop arms supply to Myanmar postponed 

The UN General Assembly on Tuesday is set to consider a draft non-binding resolution calling for 'an immediate suspension' of the transfer of weapons to the military junta of Myanmar, a UN official said on Sunday.&nbsp;

Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are non-binding but carry strong political significance.&nbsp;

If an approval by consensus cannot be reached then the full General Assembly, 193 member states, will vote on the measure.&nbsp;

Introduced by Liechtenstein, with support from the European Union, Britain, and the United States, the measure will be considered at the plenary meeting set for Tuesday at 1900 GMT. &nbsp;

The draft resolution calls for "an immediate suspension of the direct and indirect supply, sale, or transfer of all weapons, munitions, and other military-related equipment to Myanmar."&nbsp;

"The meeting will be in person," a UN spokesman said.&nbsp;

The draft, which has been under negotiation for weeks, is co-sponsored by 48 countries, with South Korea the sole Asian country.&nbsp;

It also calls on military to 'end the state of emergency' and immediately stop 'all violence against peaceful demonstrators’, as well as 'immediately and unconditionally release President Win Myint, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi' and everyone who has been 'arbitrarily detained, charged or arrested' since the February 1 coup.&nbsp;

The draft adds a call to 'swiftly implement' a five-point consensus reached with leaders from the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on April 24, to 'facilitate the visit' of the special UN envoy to Myanmar, and to provide 'safe and unimpeded humanitarian access’.&nbsp;

Several NGOs have long been calling for an arms embargo on Myanmar.&nbsp;

Since February 1, the Security Council has unanimously adopted four statements on Myanmar, but each time, they have been watered down in negotiations, notably by Beijing.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The UN General Assembly on Tuesday is set to consider a draft non-binding resolution calling for 'an immediate suspension' of the transfer of weapons to the military junta of Myanmar, a UN official said on Sunday.

The UN General Assembly on Tuesday is set to consider a draft non-binding resolution calling for 'an immediate suspension' of the transfer of weapons to the military junta of Myanmar, a UN official said on Sunday. Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are non-binding but carry strong political significance. If an approval by consensus cannot be reached then the full General Assembly, 193 member states, will vote on the measure. Introduced by Liechtenstein, with support from the European Union, Britain, and the United States, the measure will be considered at the plenary meeting set for Tuesday at 1900 GMT. The draft resolution calls for "an immediate suspension of the direct and indirect supply, sale, or transfer of all weapons, munitions, and other military-related equipment to Myanmar." "The meeting will be in person," a UN spokesman said. The draft, which has been under negotiation for weeks, is co-sponsored by 48 countries, with South Korea the sole Asian country. It also calls on military to 'end the state of emergency' and immediately stop 'all violence against peaceful demonstrators’, as well as 'immediately and unconditionally release President Win Myint, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi' and everyone who has been 'arbitrarily detained, charged or arrested' since the February 1 coup. The draft adds a call to 'swiftly implement' a five-point consensus reached with leaders from the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on April 24, to 'facilitate the visit' of the special UN envoy to Myanmar, and to provide 'safe and unimpeded humanitarian access’. Several NGOs have long been calling for an arms embargo on Myanmar. Since February 1, the Security Council has unanimously adopted four statements on Myanmar, but each time, they have been watered down in negotiations, notably by Beijing. (With inputs from agencies)

UN General Assembly to consider call for Myanmar arms embargo 

The cottage cheese crackles like popcorn, emits a greyish smoke and finally goes up in flames, burning for an impressive ten minutes, like a well-oiled torch. 
 
The noxious experiment, filmed and posted last month by Russian news website Fontanka, concluded that some dairy sold around Saint Petersburg does not actually contain any milk and is &quot;good only for filling kerosene lamps&quot;. 
 
Though authorities closed one factory making the combustible cheese, the problem of milkless dairy, meatless sausages and other questionable products worry both government agencies and Russian shoppers amid a recession and a food embargo that left shelves empty of Western food imports. 
 
&quot;We decided to show that it&#39;s a systematic problem,&quot; said Fontanka reporter Venera Galeyeva, on the quest to expose other fake foods since her cheese-burning video went viral. 
 
&quot;The problem is not one specific producer. Globally the problem is that Russia does not have enough milk.&quot; 
 
Moscow has enforced an embargo on imports of most foods from the West since August 2014 in retaliation for Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over its involvement in the Ukraine conflict. 
 
On Friday Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev officially signed off on extending the embargo until the end of 2017. 
 
Closing the market off from European parmesan and brie has created a booming domestic industry, but as milk production has not grown, many producers are forced to get creative, misleading consumers. 
 
&quot;There is a milk deficit,&quot; said Vadim Semikin of the Institute for Agriculture Market Studies, giving a rough estimate of eight million tonnes last year. 
 
At the same time, palm oil imports grew by 25 per cent in 2015, he said, and companies use it to substitute for milk. 
 
&#39;Falling quality&#39; 
 
Russia has claimed that the embargo is a good opportunity to support the country&#39;s agriculture. 
 
On Thursday, Medvedev argued that extending it for another 18 months was dictated by the &quot;need to create comfortable and predictable conditions for our farmers&quot;. 
 
But the government&#39;s own analytical department concluded in April that Russian consumers have been the losers, observing a trend of &quot;falling quality&quot; of products and &quot;appearance of fake cheese products on the market.&quot; 
 
In a sign of the scope of the problem, Russia&#39;s agriculture watchdog this year began to publish a &quot;List of Honest Ones&quot; of companies which actually use milk and cream to make their dairy foods. 
 
Others use anything from water to &quot;starch, chalk, soap, baking soda, lime&quot; and even plaster to dilute and conserve milk, the watchdog said last week, scandalising the milk industry. 
 
&quot;Most domestic producers take advantage of the non-competitive market and don&#39;t rush to make good products,&quot; said Irina Tikhmyanova, spokeswoman for Roscontrol, a consumer protection NGO. 
 
Sixty per cent of 46 Russian dairy products tested by the group were recently shown to contain surrogates, she said. For meat products, the figure was even higher. 
 
Though recent polls showed that people are noticing food quality go down, many Russians still embrace the embargo. 
 
In a June poll by Levada centre independent pollster, 40 per cent of respondents said they were against allowing European products into Russia - up from 31 per cent in March 2015. 
 
Galeyeva of Fontanka said Russians with shrinking disposable incomes would just have to keep buying fake cheese as prices grow. 
 
&quot;When you have just 300 Rubles ($4.70) to feed your family for the week, you won&#39;t be so picky,&quot; she said. 
 
(AFP)

Rising problem of milk-less dairy, meatless sausages and other questionable products amid recession and an embargo on Western food imports

The cottage cheese crackles like popcorn, emits a greyish smoke and finally goes up in flames, burning for an impressive ten minutes, like a well-oiled torch. The noxious experiment, filmed and posted last month by Russian news website Fontanka, concluded that some dairy sold around Saint Petersburg does not actually contain any milk and is "good only for filling kerosene lamps". Though authorities closed one factory making the combustible cheese, the problem of milkless dairy, meatless sausages and other questionable products worry both government agencies and Russian shoppers amid a recession and a food embargo that left shelves empty of Western food imports. "We decided to show that it's a systematic problem," said Fontanka reporter Venera Galeyeva, on the quest to expose other fake foods since her cheese-burning video went viral. "The problem is not one specific producer. Globally the problem is that Russia does not have enough milk." Moscow has enforced an embargo on imports of most foods from the West since August 2014 in retaliation for Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over its involvement in the Ukraine conflict. On Friday Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev officially signed off on extending the embargo until the end of 2017. Closing the market off from European parmesan and brie has created a booming domestic industry, but as milk production has not grown, many producers are forced to get creative, misleading consumers. "There is a milk deficit," said Vadim Semikin of the Institute for Agriculture Market Studies, giving a rough estimate of eight million tonnes last year. At the same time, palm oil imports grew by 25 per cent in 2015, he said, and companies use it to substitute for milk. 'Falling quality' Russia has claimed that the embargo is a good opportunity to support the country's agriculture. On Thursday, Medvedev argued that extending it for another 18 months was dictated by the "need to create comfortable and predictable conditions for our farmers". But the government's own analytical department concluded in April that Russian consumers have been the losers, observing a trend of "falling quality" of products and "appearance of fake cheese products on the market." In a sign of the scope of the problem, Russia's agriculture watchdog this year began to publish a "List of Honest Ones" of companies which actually use milk and cream to make their dairy foods. Others use anything from water to "starch, chalk, soap, baking soda, lime" and even plaster to dilute and conserve milk, the watchdog said last week, scandalising the milk industry. "Most domestic producers take advantage of the non-competitive market and don't rush to make good products," said Irina Tikhmyanova, spokeswoman for Roscontrol, a consumer protection NGO. Sixty per cent of 46 Russian dairy products tested by the group were recently shown to contain surrogates, she said. For meat products, the figure was even higher. Though recent polls showed that people are noticing food quality go down, many Russians still embrace the embargo. In a June poll by Levada centre independent pollster, 40 per cent of respondents said they were against allowing European products into Russia - up from 31 per cent in March 2015. Galeyeva of Fontanka said Russians with shrinking disposable incomes would just have to keep buying fake cheese as prices grow. "When you have just 300 Rubles ($4.70) to feed your family for the week, you won't be so picky," she said. (AFP)

Russia's food embargo creates counterfeit dairy industry

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