Latest news with #Rusal
BreakingNews.ie
08-07-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Gardaí questioning man (40s) in connection with discovery of 'viable' bomb in Limerick
Gardaí were questioning a man in his 40s in connection with the discovery of viable bombs in Limerick and the north of Ireland last Friday. Reliable sources said the man was being questioned by gardaí as part of an ongoing cross border Garda - PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) investigation. Advertisement One of the bombs was discovered close to the large alumina refinery Aughinish Alumina, located between Foynes and Askeaton, Co Limerick. The Rusal alumina giant, which owns the plant, had not responded to media queries sent to it last Sunday. It's understood that up to 100 of the 450 staff employed at the Rusal-owned Aughinish refinery were unable to leave the plant as a 350-metre security cordon was put in place allowing gardaí and members of the Defence Forces respond at the scene for several hours between Friday night and Saturday morning. It's understood that gardaí are no longer investigating the possibility that the bomb could have been a reaction to Russia's largest bombarded on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, last Thursday night. Advertisement A spokesman for the Irish Defence Forces confirmed the bomb was 'viable', meaning it was capable of detonating and causing injuries or death. A statement provided by the Defence Forces read: 'On Friday evening, bomb experts from the Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team responded to a request for assistance from An Garda Síochána (AGS) in relation to a suspect device in the area of Askeaton, Co. Limerick.' 'Following an assessment, the EOD team confirmed the device was viable, and it was rendered safe. The EOD Team then handed the scene over to AGS.'. The army EOD unit were on scene for a total of six hours, from arrival on scene at 6.58pm, Friday, to departure at 01.04am, Saturday 5th July. Advertisement Gardaí said they were 'alerted' to the bomb after its discovery at approximately 3.30pm, last Friday, 'and a cordon was established' until the scene was declared safe. The area where the bomb was found is located close to a publicly accessible nature walking trail. In February 2022, gardaí launched an investigation into criminal damage at the entrance to Aughinish Alumina which was daubed with slogans in red paint, similar in nature to paint attacks at Russian embassies around the world in protest at Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Other bombs were found elsewhere in the north west of Ireland. Advertisement A Garda statement released to the media on Tuesday, said:'As part of the investigation into the discovery of a number of attempted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the Northeast and Southwest of the country, a male (40s) was arrested on Sunday, 6th July 2025.' 'The male was arrested during an operation on Sunday evening involving National, Regional and local Garda units in County Monaghan.' Gardaí said the suspect was detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939 at a Garda Station in the North Western Region. 'An Garda Síochána continues to liaise with our colleagues in the PSNI in relation to this investigation.'
Irish Times
06-07-2025
- Irish Times
Gardai probe bomb found at Russian-owned refinery in Limerick
Gardaí are investigating the discovery of a 'viable' bomb near a Russian-owned refinery in Co Limerick. The device was found on Friday afternoon, attached to a fuel tank that services the Aughinish Alumina refinery sports and social club building located close to the Shannon-estuary towns of Foynes and Askeaton. A spokesman for the Irish Defence Forces confirmed the bomb was viable, meaning it was capable of detonating and causing injuries or death. The device is believed to have included a battery-timed mechanism so that it could be detonated long after the perpetrators had left the area. READ MORE It is understood that up to 100 staff at the Rusal-owned facility were unable to leave while a 350-metre security cordon was in place at the scene for several hours between Friday night and Saturday morning. A garda spokeswoman said local gardaí were alerted after a 'suspect device' was discovered 'at a premises near Foynes, at approximately 3.30pm, Friday, and a cordon was established'. A statement provided by the Defence Forces said: 'On Friday evening, bomb experts from the Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team responded to a request for assistance from An Garda Síochána in relation to a suspect device in the area of Askeaton, Co. Limerick. 'Following an assessment, the EOD team confirmed the device was viable, and it was rendered safe. The EOD Team then handed the scene over to AGS.' The army EOD unit was on scene for a total of six hours, from its arrival at 6.58pm on Friday to just after 1am on Saturday. Security sources said CCTV will play a central role in the ongoing investigation into who was behind the bomb threat. The area around and inside the alumina refinery is heavily populated with security cameras, and gardaí hope to secure footage that may assist them in tracking and apprehending those behind the bomb. A garda spokeswoman confirmed on Sunday that the scene had been declared safe. The area where the bomb was found was located close to a publicly accessible nature walking trail. Following an assessment, the EOD team confirmed the device was viable, and it was rendered safe A source said investigating gardaí were examining one of many lines of inquiry, including the possibility that the bomb may have been in response to Russian missile attacks in Kyiv on Thursday night. While the Aughinish Alumina plant has no direct link to Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, it is owned by Russian aluminium giant Rusal, and one of its significant shareholders is Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska . Mr Deripaska was previously hit with UK government sanctions including a full asset freeze and travel ban in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, the Irish government has refused to support any potential sanctioning of Rusal's Askeaton plant. The Kremlin stated in April 2024 that UK and US sanctions imposed on Russian metals would have no impact on its ability to supply aluminium to world markets, and would only serve to hurt countries imposing sanctions. In February 2022, gardaí launched an investigation into criminal damage at the entrance to Aughinish Alumina which was daubed with slogans in red paint, similar in nature to protests at Russian embassies around the world. Aughinish Alumina, which employs 450 people at the Askeaton refinery, has been contacted for comment.
Russia Today
01-07-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
China boosting purchases of Russian metals
Beijing has increased purchases of Russian metals as Moscow pivots toward Asia amid Western sanctions, Bloomberg has reported, citing customs data. The US and its allies have been targeting Russian base metals in an effort to cut the country's revenues amid the Ukraine conflict. China has become a key buyer of Russian commodities, with overall trade between the two countries hitting historic highs last year, exceeding $240 billion. Imports of Russian aluminum jumped nearly 56% year-on-year to almost one million tons between January and May, while copper purchases surged 66% and nickel imports more than doubled, according to Trade Data Monitor, cited by the outlet on Monday. The report noted that while Russian producers Rusal and Norilsk Nickel are not under Western sanctions, their access to global trading platforms has been restricted. In April 2024, the US and UK barred the London Metal Exchange (LME) and Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) from accepting new Russian-origin aluminum, copper, and nickel and barred imports of the metals. Washington had earlier imposed 200% duties on Russian-made aluminum products, while Canada enacted a full ban on imports of Russian aluminum and steel. Earlier this year, the EU introduced a phased ban on Russian aluminum, setting a 275,000-ton quota that runs through February 2026. The Kremlin has condemned the sanctions as 'illegal,' warning they will backfire on those imposing them. The measures triggered spikes in global metal prices, with aluminum seeing its biggest surge on the LME in decades. Moscow has redirected exports to Asia and the Middle East amid the shift away from Western markets. People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Norilsk Nickel began boosting sales to China in the second half of 2024. The company is also reportedly working with a unit of Chinese gold giant Shandong Gold to expand copper cathode shipments to the country. Sanctioned producers such as Russian Copper and UMCC may also be shipping metal to China, the sources said. Norilsk Nickel's chief executive, Vladimir Potanin, has said the company plans to relocate some copper smelting operations to China to safeguard exports from sanctions pressure on financial transactions.
Mint
30-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Russia Base Metals Sales to China Surge, Signaling Deep Reliance
Russian base metals sales to China surged in the first five months of 2025, underscoring its economic dependence on its Asian neighbor even as the country seeks to diversify trade. Russian aluminum sales to China through May jumped by almost 56% year-on-year to nearly 1 million tons, copper sales advanced 66%, while nickel imports more than doubled, according to Trade Data Monitor, which sources information from China's customs office. China has emerged as a key partner for Moscow, with over $240 billion worth of trade last year, replacing Europe, after the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, resulting in international sanctions and trade restrictions. Russia is a major producer of aluminum, copper, and nickel. Although its two top producers — MMC Norilsk Nickel PJSC and United Co. Rusal International PJSC — are not sanctioned by the US and its allies, new Russian metal supplies can no longer be delivered to the London Metal Exchange and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and are subject to some trade restrictions. Earlier this year, the European Union approved a gradual ban on aluminum imports. The bloc has set a 275,000-ton import quota, that will run through Feb. 2026. For Rusal, the surge in sales to China this year reflects the clearance of stockpiles built up due to rail bottlenecks on the Russian side, according to a person familiar with the matter. Full-year shipments are still expected to total about 1.5 million tons, the person said. Read: Russia's Wartime Economic Woes Slow Railway Trade With China Norilsk Nickel began ramping up sales to China in the second half of 2024, according to people familiar with the matter. The Russian miner is working with a unit of Shandong Gold to boost copper cathode shipments to the country, they said. Aside from Norilsk Nickel, Russian Copper Co. and UMCC, both sanctioned, may also still ship to China. Not all the volumes reflected in the customs data represent direct sales by Russian copper and nickel producers, as some appear to be trader-led transactions involving previously produced metal, one of the people said. Glencore Plc has been buying Russian copper on the LME with the aim of delivering it into China as a response to supply squeeze in the world's largest copper consumer, Bloomberg reported earlier. The press services of Norilsk Nickel and Rusal didn't comment and a request for comment to Shandong Gold wasn't immediately answered outside of normal working hours. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Al Arabiya
18-06-2025
- Al Arabiya
Two workers hospitalized after collapse at Russian bauxite mine: Authorities
Two workers were injured and taken to hospital after a collapse at a bauxite mine belonging to a unit of Russian metals producer Rusal in the Urals, the regional prosecutor's office said on Wednesday. The incident occurred at a depth of 1,172 meters (3,845 feet). Authorities have begun a safety compliance inspection at the facility, prosecutors said. Rusal subsidiary SUBR, which owns the Cheremukhovskaya-Glubokaya mine, said the incident happened when the wall of one of the mine workings collapsed. The miners were quickly brought to the surface, it said. 'The scene of the incident is being examined. Work at other levels of the mine is proceeding as planned,' it said. The mine is the second deepest in Russia and among the deepest in the world.
