Moscow launched a metro train decorated with Chinese motifs for the Lunar New Year on Wednesday amid strengthening relations with one-time rival China.

An investigation by RFE/RL’s Schemes has found that companies at least partially owned by the Chinese state are feeding critical minerals to Russian suppliers to manufacturers of weapons the Kremlin has used to pummel Ukraine since its all-out invasion nearly three years ago.

Once a global leader in cryptocurrency mining, China banned the activity in 2021, citing financial and environmental concerns. Russia is also becoming increasingly dependent on its neighbor at a time when its war-time economy is being choked by sanctions, with no end in sight.

China is seeking global leadership in key defence and military technologies amid fierce rivalry with the West - and Russia should learn from it, a Russian think tank has said. "By 2049, we can expect the PRC navy to achieve a combat potential comparable to the US Navy,

Moscow launched a special metro train decorated with traditional Chinese symbols on Wednesday to mark the Lunar New Year

As part of deepening Russia-China ties, Moscow hosting series of events to celebrate Chinese New Year - Anadolu Ajansı

The Moscow City Tourism Committee is in discussions with the Indian government for a 'group-free visa regime,' allowing a specified number of tourists travelling together in a group to enter Russia without a visa.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has had a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, emphasizing the two countries’ close ties, a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th U.S. president.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday that Moscow and Beijing's foreign policy ties played a stabilising role in international affairs.

In December, Russia reportedly sold its stakes in certain Kazakh uranium deposits to Chinese-owned companies. This involved Kazakhstan's nuclear resources company, Kazatomprom, and Russia's Rosatom transferring interests to Chinese entities, National Security News reported.

Moscow launched a metro train decorated with Chinese motifs for the Lunar New Year on Wednesday amid strengthening relations with one-time rival China. (AP video/Vladimir Kondrashov)