Russia’s crucial oil and gas revenues, which have sustained its war against Ukraine, have suddenly dwindled to multi-year lows as the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion approaches.

This sharp decline is the result of new punitive measures from the US and the European Union, tariff pressure from US President Donald Trump against India, and a tightening crackdown on the fleet of sanctions-dodging tankers carrying Russian oil.

The resulting revenue drop is forcing President Vladimir Putin to borrow from Russian banks and raise taxes.

While these measures are currently keeping state finances “on an even keel”, they only increase strains in a war economy now plagued by slowing growth and stubborn inflation.

In January, Russian state revenues from taxing the oil and gas industries fell to 393 billion rubles (US$5.1 billion). This is down from 587 billion rubles ($7.6 billion) in December and from 1.12 trillion ($14.5 billion) in January 2025.

Janis Kluge, an expert on the Russian economy at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, says this is the lowest level since the Covid-19 pandemic.

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In January, Russian state revenues from taxing the oil and gas industries fell to 393 billion rubles ($5.1 billion).

That’s down from 587 billion ($7.6 billion) in December and from 1.12 trillion ($14.5 billion) in January 2025. That’s the lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic, says Janis Kluge, an expert on the Russian economy at German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

A new approach to sanctions

To pressure the Kremlin to halt fighting in Ukraine, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, from 21 November. That means anyone buying or shipping their oil runs the risk of being cut off from the U.S banking system — a serious concern for any multinational business.

On top of that, on 21 January, the EU began banning fuel made from Russia crude — meaning it could no longer be refined somewhere else and shipped to Europe in the form of gasoline or diesel fuel.

The head of the EU’s executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Friday proposed a full ban on shipping services for Russian oil, saying sanctions offered leverage to push Russia to halt the fighting. “We must be clear-eyed: Russia will only come to the table with genuine intent if it is pressured to do so,” she said.

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The latest sanctions are a step beyond the oil price cap imposed by the Group of Seven democracies under the Biden administration. The $60 per barrel cap, enforced through insurers and shippers based in G-7 countries, was aimed at reducing Russia’s profits, not banning imports, out of concern over higher energy prices.

The cap did reduce government oil revenues temporarily, especially after an EU ban on most Russian seaborne oil forced Russia to shift sales to China and India.

But Russia built a “shadow fleet” of aging tankers operating beyond the reach of the cap, and revenues rose again.

Pressure on India to stop Russian oil imports

Trump on 3 February agreed to lower tariffs to 18 per cent from 25 per cent, saying Indian President Narendra Modi agreed to halt Russian crude imports, and on Friday removed an additional 25 per cent tariff imposed over continued imports of Russian oil.

Modi hasn’t commented. Foreign affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said India’s strategy was “diversifying our energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Moscow was monitoring the statements and remains committed to our “advanced strategic partnership” with New Delhi.

In any case, Russian oil shipments to India have declined in recent weeks, from 2 million barrels per day in October to 1.3 million per day in December, according to figures from the Kyiv School of Economics and the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

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Data firm Kpler says “India is unlikely to fully disengage in the near term” from cheap Russian energy.

Ukraine’s allies increasingly have sanctioned individual shadow tankers to deter customers from taking their oil — raising the number to 640 among the U.S., U.K. and EU. U.S. forces have seized vessels linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil, including one sailing under a Russian flag, while France briefly intercepted a suspected shadow fleet vessel. Ukrainian strikes have hit Russian refineries, pipelines, export terminals and tankers.

Russian oil is trading at a steep discount

Buyers are now demanding bigger discounts on Russian oil to compensate for the risk of running afoul of U.S. sanctions and the hassle of finding payment workarounds that skirt banks reluctant to touch the transactions.

The discount widened to about $25 per barrel in December, as Russia’s primary crude export, Urals blend, fell below $38 per barrel, compared with about $62.50 per barrel for international benchmark Brent crude.

Since Russia’s taxes on oil production are based on the price of oil, that cuts into state revenues.

“It’s a cascading or domino effect,” said Mark Esposito, a senior analyst focused on seaborne crude at S&P Global Energy.

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Including diesel and gasoline created “a really a dynamic sanctions package, a one-two punch that are impacting not only the crude flow, but the refined product flow off of those barrels. … A universal way of saying, if it’s coming from Russian crude, it’s out.”

Reluctance to take delivery has meant an inordinate amount — about 125 million barrels — has built up in tankers at sea. That has driven up costs for scarce capacity, with rates for very large oil tankers reaching $125,000 per day “and that’s directly correlated with the ramifications of the sanctions,” said Esposito.

Slowing growth strains Russia’s budget

On top of that, economic growth has stalled as the boost from war-related spending reaches its limits and as labor shortages put a cap on potential business expansion. And lower growth means less tax revenue. Gross domestic product increased only 0.1 per cent in the third quarter.

Forecasts for this year range between 0.6 per cent and 0.9 per cent, down from over 4 per cent in 2023 and 2024.

“I think the Kremlin is worried about the overall balance of the budget, because it coincides with the economic downturn,” said Kluge. “And at the same time the costs of the war are not decreasing.”

The Kremlin responds by raising taxes and borrowing

The Kremlin has resorted to higher taxes and borrowing to fill the gap left by dwindling oil revenues and by slower economic growth.

The Kremlin-controlled parliament, the Duma, raised value-added tax paid on consumer purchases at the cash register to 22 per cent from 20 per cent and increased levies on car imports, cigarettes and alcohol.

The government has increased its borrowing from compliant domestic banks and a national wealth fund still has reserves to patch budget holes.

So the Kremlin has money — for now. But raising taxes can slow growth even more. And borrowing risks worsening inflation, brought down to 5.6 per cent through interest rates of 16 per cent from the central bank, down from a peak of 21 per cent.

“Give it six months or a year, and it could also affect their thinking about the war,” said Kluge. “I don’t think they will seek a peace deal because of this, but they might want to lower the intensity of the fighting, focus on certain areas of the front and slow the war down. This would be the response if it’s getting too expensive.”

Plenty of regions in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have had a very wet start to the year.

January and early February have seen rain fall for most days in some parts of these countries, with the Met Office sharing that several observing sites recorded runs of 37 or more successive days with measurable rainfall.

As a result, it has got people questioning when the weather will improve.

It’s been another wet start to this week, but our weather pattern will slowly start to change to allow colder air to move in by the end of the week, meaning there is an increasing risk of snow across northern areas.

Find out more in the Week Ahead forecast with Annie. pic.twitter.com/HCf8pyoMdS

— Met Office (@metoffice) February 9, 2026

When will it stop raining in the UK?

BBC Weather explains that the weather has been in a “blocked pattern” for weeks, which has been causing the current level of rainfall.

High pressure to the east has been diverting a series of rain-bearing weather fronts across the UK.

This will need to change to reduce the level of rainfall, and higher pressure is set to build across the UK later in the week.

It is expected that Thursday and Friday (February 12 and 13) will see drier and brighter conditions.

However, this is set to only be a brief reprieve as milder westerly winds from the Atlantic will likely deliver more wind and rain in the third week of the month.

Steven Keates, Deputy Chief Forecaster at the Met Office , explained: “In the near term, the unsettled theme is expected to continue, with further showers or longer spells of rain for most.

“We are likely to see the transition from wet and windy weather to colder, more settled conditions towards the end of the week, with Saturday (February 14) looking a fine day for many.

“But, this reprieve doesn’t last long, as the next set of Atlantic weather fronts looks set to move in from the west at the end of the weekend.” 

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The Met Office has also shared that provision figures for the meteorological winter (December, January and February) show the UK has already had a significant proportion of its seasonal rainfall.

It says: “The UK has already reached 89% of its average winter rainfall, while England has already exceeded its seasonal average at 111%.”

Alongside that, Wales has had 94%, Northern Ireland has had 101%, and Scotland has had 69%.

Stacey Solomon recently showcased her genius gadget that easily removes stains, even the darkest stains left on a white rug, and shoppers are desperate to know where to buy their own

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Stacey Solomon knows how difficult it can be trying to keep her perfect home mess-free, with an array of animals and five children to keep on top of. Stains and scuffs on white walls and light flooring are going to be hard to avoid. That’s why fans are going wild over Stacey’s innovative solution for tackling even the toughest stains, as she demonstrated its power by tackling a bright red mess on a pristine white rug.

Fans began bombarding her with messages about the contraption she used to clean the white rug in seconds. Stacey revealed that it’s the Shark StainForce Cordless Spot Cleaner that she swears by for tackling emergencies like spilt drinks, muddy footprints, paint, coloured crayons, and more.

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Boasting a cordless stain-destroying system, this Shark cleaner lets users tackle everyday spills and stains the moment they occur, so no trace is left behind. Designed for powerful, tough household messes, this cleaner easily erases pet stains, permanent marker, coffee, wine, oil, dirt, and more on carpets, area rugs, stairs, upholstery, and car interiors, making it the ideal gadget for every room in the house.

It comes with 2x Full-Size Cleaning Solution, Shark’s most powerful stain-fighting formula, which mixes and activates on contact to break down tough stains.

This device ensures easy use anytime, anywhere, offering cordless convenience so you can reach for it the second a stain appears, whether inside or outside the house. Plus, when armed with Rinse & Go, the Stain Force can be quickly set to clean itself between uses, so it’s always ready for the next job.

From pet pandemonium to kid spills, this Shark device is sure to be a lifesaver for tackling everything from fresh accidents to set-in stains, as Stacey demonstrated on Instagram this week.

The Shark StainForce Cordless Spot Cleaner is currently up for grabs on Amazon for £169.99 for the Shark tool and two bottles of cleaner. For those who don’t mind skipping out on a deal, you can pick up the device and one bottle of cleaner for £169. It’s also available for the same price from Argos.

If you’re looking for alternative gadgets on a smaller budget, The Range has this Beldray 15-in-1 Steam Cleaner on sale for £44.99, down from £69.99. Meanwhile, if you don’t mind a slightly bulkier device, there’s this VAX SpotWash Spot Cleaner on offer for £89.99, down from £129.99.

Back to Stacey’s Shark gadget, the mum-of-five isn’t the only one singing its praises. Plenty of shoppers on Amazon have bestowed glowing 5-star reviews.

One buyer beams: “This is great. So easy to use, took a before and after of a mark/ stain on the arm of the sofa, which it effortlessly removed! Need to use it on the whole sofa as there’s now just a really clean patch! Quick and easy to use due to being so lightweight and also self-cleaning too! The suction is quite powerful for such a small thing. The spray is amazing too, almost does all the work itself! Would recommend getting this too if you have pets – if they like to throw up their food from eating too quickly or wee on the carpet! Makes cleaning a headache of a mess so easy!“

Another reviewer raves: “Great product! I love this. Love how convenient the cordless element is and how lightweight it is. Great for those spills that you need to clean quickly. Highly recommend.”

Though one shopper shares a balanced argument, pointing out their gripe with the gadget: “Fantastic little thing, very simple and straightforward to use. We used it on old pet stains on a light carpet, and it got rid of them on the first go. The battery does run out very quickly, but as this is only a spot cleaner and very high-powered suction, it’s not surprising. It removed the stain very easily and has removed other stains too, leaving no trace they were ever there. I’ve added the before and after photos of the worst stain to this review.”

But the praise keeps coming as this shopper shares: “Wow, this worked on old stains and brought my cushions up like new. It gets used a lot with the children and the dog. Bought it when it was on offer, so a great price for it.”

And another customer comments: “Have used this a few times now and have been really impressed. Easy to use and has brought up stains instantly. Got it at a great price too, so glad I waited as it’s definitely worth it!”

He burgled several properties within a matter of days

A prolific burglar has been locked up again after being convicted for his latest crime spree. Lee Edwards, 40, targeted a number of properties, taking belongings between April 29 and June 5 last year.

He started by burgling a home in Felsted Road, Woodston, Peterborough, at around 2am on April 29. He got in through a back door and stole a Hyundai i30 from the driveway and a handbag containing bank cards, a laptop, and glasses. The victim later found her car parked in Burystead, Stanground.

Edwards struck again at a house in Brewster Avenue, Woodston, on May 9 when he stole a Honda motorbike. He broke into a building site in London Road, Woodston, at about 5am on May 13, stealing copper piping, tools, and cabling.

He then burgled a garage at a house in Clement Drive, Woodston, on May 29, stealing a Carrera bike, before stealing another bike on June 5. He was identified and linked to the burglaries and thefts through a combination of CCTV images and forensics before being arrested in Orchard Street, Fletton, on June 13.

On Friday (February 6), at Peterborough Crown Court, Edwards, of Queen’s Walk, Fletton, Peterborough, was jailed for three years and four months, having pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, theft of a pedal cycle, and a further burglary, for which he received no separate penalty.

PC Luke Blakey, who investigated, said: “Edwards is a prolific thief and burglar who causes misery for people and businesses in Peterborough and clearly hasn’t learnt his lesson from his previous convictions.”

England have made one change for the match against West Indies with all-rounder Jamie Overton replacing left-arm quick Luke Wood.

The Windies, who beat Scotland in their opening match, are expected to provide England a different challenge compared to Nepal with their trademark six-hitting.

Sunday’s match was England’s first meeting with Nepal in any format. In contrast, England have played four T20 series against West Indies since the start of 2022.

They were comfortable winners of the past two – a 3-0 victory at home last year and a 3-1 win in the Caribbean the previous winter.

Wednesday’s match will also be played on a fresh pitch and, crucially, later in the evening.

That should help run-scoring and dew could have a significant impact, giving an advantage to the chasing side.

England XI to play West Indies: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (capt), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid

An Irishman who has been detained by ICE for five months has described the facilities as “like a modern-day concentration camp”.

Seamus Culleton said he would like Irish premier Micheal Martin to raise his case with US President Donald Trump during his meeting at the White House in March.

Mr Culleton, who is originally from Co Kilkenny, has been living in the US for nearly 20 years and is married to a US citizen.

He was detained by ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents in September 2025 while driving home after finishing work, describing how several cars appeared around him.

He was asked if he had a green card, and he said he did not, but said he was married to a US citizen, had a work permit and was due to receive his green card.

However, he was detained and initially put into a holding cell in Massachusetts, before being taken to New York, and then to the detention centre in El Paso in Texas.

Mr Culleton claims ICE agents tried to get him to sign deportation papers, which he refused to do.

He described the detention centre in El Paso as “horrible” and “filthy”, with little sanitation, limited food and where it was “tough to stay positive”.

He said he was in fear of his life from the security firm in charge, who he said were “capable of anything”, and there was competition for food, and he had “definitely” lost weight.

The Irishman said there were 72 people in a tent the size of a 16ft by 35ft room with no ceiling, with two rows of bunk beds on either side and a long table down the middle.

Illnesses are rife among detainees, he said, with barely any outside time, fresh air or sunlight.

Mr Culleton added: “It’s just torture. I don’t know how much more I can take.

“I just want to get back to my wife. We’re so desperate to start a family.”

Mr Culleton said his mother is heartbroken about his situation, though he can talk with her most days.

His wife described the shock of his original detention and the “awful” experience of trying to maintain contact with him after his detainment.

She said she did not hear from him for almost a week after an initial phone call following his arrest and said she “did not know if he was deported” and “had no idea if he was safe”.

She added it was “almost impossible” to set up a visit to see her husband.

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She had booked flights from Massachusetts to Texas to attend one of Mr Culleton’s court dates, but the hearing was moved on the day before her journey.

“He’s a good man. I don’t think anyone deserves this, but Seamus definitely doesn’t deserve this,” she said.

Earlier, Mr Culleton’s sister, Caroline, said his family still does not know why he was detained.

She said he has lost an “awful lot of weight”, has sores, infections and hair loss.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said: “Minister McEntee is aware of this case and of the consular assistance being provided to the citizen involved, and his family, by our Consulate General in Austin, Texas, and our consular unit in Dublin.

“Our embassy in Washington DC is also engaging directly with the Department of Homeland Security at a senior level in relation to this case.”

It comes after Molly-Mae announced she is six months pregnant with her second child

Molly-Mae Hague was left ‘in tears’ as she enjoyed a night out in Manchester with her sister, Zoe, after announcing she is six months pregnant with her second child.

The 26-year-old influencer and her boxer partner Tommy Fury, also 26, have announced they are expecting their second child together, just nine months after they reconciled following a brief split, which they announced in August 2024.

The couple – who already have daughter Bambi, three, together – took to Instagram last Thursday (February 5) to share a video where she debuted her baby bump. In the sweet clip, Bambi – who can be seen wearing a ‘big sister’ jumper – said: “I’m going to be a big sister”.

Molly-Mae, who has since confirmed she’s already six months pregnant, and Tommy, who met on Love Island in 2019, captioned the video: “Soon to be four,” and were quickly flooded with congratulatory messages.

But away from any baby updates, Molly-Mae was seen documenting an evening out with her sister as they headed to the Albert Hall in Manchester to watch Mumford & Sons.

Alongside a picture of the band – made up of Marcus Mumford, Ted Dwane, and Ben Lovett – on stage, she wrote to her millions of followers on her Instagram Story: “Tonight,” before adding a string of crying face emojis.

She then posted a picture of her and Zoe with the trio, to which Molly-Mae admitted: “Life… made [heart emoji] @mumfordandsons.” In a further update, the mum-of-two-to-be shared a video from the gig and said: “My mum got me these tickets for Christmas [crying face emoji]. Anyone that knows me knows how much I love @mumfordandsons.”

After her pregnancy announcement last week, Molly-Mae confirmed that she is already six months pregnant. Resharing her announcement video to her Instagram Story, the mum-of-two-to-be said: “Nearly 6 months on… and it still hasn’t sunk in [crying face emoji and love heart].”

She also shared a video of her posing in the mirror as she sported a black figure-hugging top that accentuated her blossoming baby bump. Tommy then joined her in the video and she giggled as he felt her stomach before bending down to kiss her bump. “The weekend just gone,” she captioned the clip with a string of emojis that suggested she was feeling emotional.

She also said she was the “luckiest” to be expecting again and revealed that she didn’t know she was pregnant when she hit the runway at L’Oreal’s Paris Fashion Week show. “Little baby with me in this moment… and I didn’t even know [single tear crying emoji].”

Channel 4 viewers will see another episode of 24 Hours in Police Custody tonight (February 10) guaranteed to be a “tough” watch

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Channel 4 viewers are being warned ahead of an “incredibly tough watch” as 24 Hours in Police Custody returns to television screens again tonight.

The landmark documentary has become a firm favourite amongst true crime fans as it follows the real-life drama within a local police force.

Having first aired back in 2014, viewers eagerly await fresh new instalments to follow detectives as they investigate major crimes that rock a community.

In a race against time, viewers often witness an investigation from start to finish as detectives uncover horrific truths. Over the years, the show has been branded as the “best ever”, as viewers count down to another instalment every week.

Tonight (February 10), Channel 4 viewers will witness another episode of 24 Hours in Police Custody, which is set to air at 9pm on the channel. However, it will be another repeat that viewers previously branded as a tough watch.

Titled 24 Hours in Police Custody: Horror House, tonight’s instalment will be the first part of a harrowing investigation into a “disturbing” pursuit.

Channel 4 teases: “24 Hours in Police Custody. The Horror House (Part 1/2): A lone detective is on the trail of a Luton man who sexually abused scores of young people in what becomes a complex, disturbing pursuit.”

Part two of the special documentary will air next week, but viewers should be aware of a scheduling change. Instead of Tuesday evening, part 2 of the Horror House will air on Monday, February 16 at 9pm on Channel 4.

Episodes of 24 Hours in Police Custody can also be streamed for free on Channel 4 online.

The harrowing instalment has been dubbed a “tough” watch. Previously taking to social media, one person wrote: “Catching up on last night’s #24hoursinpolicecustody, the horror house part 2, and it’s so shocking, the worst I have seen!”

Another said: “Horror House….already gripped. #24hoursinpolicecustody.” A third added: “#24hoursinpolicecustody – Horror house. Incredibly tough watch!”

Over on TikTok, the two-part special has been dubbed a harrowing instalment as one person wrote: “Honestly, the first episode was horrible, to then see even more people come forward.”

Another described it in a video as a “distressing” watch, admitting they were “in tears”. One person replied: “Extremely hard watch”, as another echoed: “One of the worst episodes.”

Another said they “had to turn it off, it was too traumatic.”

24 Hours in Police Custody: Horror House part 1 airs tonight on Channel 4 at 9pm.

Diversions will be in place for some closures.

A major A-road will be closed overnight for a month to replace LED lighting. National Highways is carrying out work on the A11 between Babraham and Red Lodge.

The work began on February 5, and is set to last until Wednesday, March 4. For the work to take place, this section of road will be closed from 8pm until 6am the following morning.

A National Highways spokesperson said: “We’ll need to close sections of the A11 Babraham (Fourwentways Interchange) to Red Lodge (Snetterton Interchange). We’ll be working over four weeks starting Thursday, February 5, 2026 from 8pm to 6am weather permitting. This work will also involve some weekend closures.”

In February 2022, National Highways began its five year £132 million programme to retrofit 70% of road lights from traditional incandescent bulbs to greener and more efficient LED bulbs. This work is set to be completed by March 2027.

These sections of road will be closed on the following dates, with some diversions:

• Wednesday, February 11, Thursday, February 12 and Friday, February 13 – A11 Fiveways Roundabout lane one closure. No diversions.
• Saturday, February 14 – Fiveways Roundabout will have two-way temporary traffic lights on A1101 road. No diversions.
• Sunday, February 15 and Monday, February 16 – London Road roundabout lane one closed. No diversions.
• Tuesday, February 17 – London Road roundabout lane two closed. No diversions.
• Wednesday, February 18 – Brandon Road roundabout lane one closed. No diversions.
• Friday, February 20 – Brandon Road roundabout lane one closed. No diversions.
• Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22 – Thetford Road roundabout lane two closed. No diversions.
• Thursday, March 3 – A11 Kennett Interchange northbound exit slip road closed. Diversions will be in place. Drivers will need to: continue north and exit at the A11 onto Elms Road (B1085); take the third exit at the roundabout; at the next roundabout take the second exit onto Newmarket Road and continue down Turnpike Road and re-join the A11.
• Thursday, March 3 – A11 Kennett Interchange southbound entry slip road closed. Diversions will be in place. Drivers will need to: drivers will be diverted onto Turnpike Road (B1085); continue onto Newmarket Road and join the A11 southbound at Red Lodge Interchange.

National Highways warns closures can change at short notice.

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