WORLD BRIEFING: September 4, 2023

Today marks 558 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine

• India cuts Russian oil purchases in favor of cheaper supplies from the Middle East. In July, India imported 2.1 million barrels per day, in August - only 1.6 million. This is the lowest figure since January - Bloomberg

• A gas deal between Turkey and Bulgaria could allow more Russian gas into the EU — just as the bloc is struggling to end those imports - Politico

• Azerbaijan has cut off the disputed region’s link to the outside world, leaving its Armenian majority facing desperate shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies as winter draws in - Sunday Times

• Indian authorities have protested after Beijing published a map showing the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh and the disputed Aksai Chin plateau as part of Chinese territory. In response, Beijing said its neighbors should avoid "excessive interpretation" of the situation - BBC

• Barbie becomes the highest grossing movie of 2023

• Ukrainian troops have decisively broken through Russia’s first line of defense in the Zaporizhzhia region and expect a quick breakthrough of the weaker second line

• Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov has been dismissed from his post, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. It comes amid a procurement scandal in the ministry. Speculation he’ll be sent to London to replace Vadym Prystaiko as ambassador

• Negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will take place in Sochi on Monday, a Kremlin spokesman said. It is reported that at the meeting they may discuss a new formula for the grain agreement.

• Meanwhile, Ukrainian farmers continue harvesting. More than 33 million tons of grain and oil products have already been sent to warehouses. In total, the crop was harvested on 6.64 million hectares. The average yield was 43.9 centers per hectare.