Gennady Timchenko

Britain has sanctioned five Russian banks and three oligarchs close to President Vladimir Putin.

This became clear from the statement of Prime Minister Boris Johnson before the House of Commons.

Boris Johnson Promised to Strike Russia Significantly

The recent appointment of Russian billionaire Gennady Timchenko as Serbia's honorary consul in St. Petersburg "has caused many reactions."

Belgrade-based daily Vecernje Novosti also writes that the move was the idea of the family of Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic, who made the suggestion to Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.

ST. PETERSBURG - The South Stream gas pipeline will definitely be built by Gazprom and it will go through Serbia, says Gennady Timchenko, Serbia's honorary consul in St. Petersburg.

The South Stream is not only important for Serbia as it is also a transit route to Europe, Timchenko said, adding that he believed Gazprom was definitely interested in building the gas pipeline.

BELGRADE - Serbia's hypothetical admission to the European Union will not yield any advantages, Serbia's honorary consul in St. Petersburg, Gennady Timchenko, told TASS First Deputy Director-General in an interview.

Serbia's current economic position is grave, he said.

MOSCOW - Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic will visit Russia in October to attend the ceremony of opening an honorary consulate of Serbia in St. Petersburg, Russia's TASS news agency reported on Tuesday.

However, Nikolic's presidential office was unable to confirm this to Tanjug.

Amid media reports that a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the businessman Gennady Timchenko, will be appointed as Serbian honorary consul in St Petersburg, Serbian authorities told BIRN they can neither confirm nor deny the claims.

According to unofficial announcements, Russian businessman Gennady Timchenko will soon become Serbia's honorary consul in St. Petersburg.

The 63-year-old billionaire is the founder and shareholder in the Volga Group investment firm, a member of the council of directors of the oil-chemical concern Sibur, and investor in Russia's biggest independent oil producer Novatek.

The USA extended the list of sanctioned Russian and Ukrainian individuals and institutions in an attempt to maintain pressure on Russia for Moscow's alleged support of separatists in Ukraine.

The administration of US President Barack Obama added on Thursday the names of 26 people and entities that will be subjected to economic sanctions, the New York Times informs.

Russia's Stroitransgaz said on March 12 it will build a gas pipeline across Macedonia, which could eventually be used as part of a route to supply Europe with Russian gas via Turkey.

Bulgaria’s President Rosen Plevneliev has leveled strong criticism at the country’s politicians and oligarchs for relying too heavily on public funds, the FT reports.