On May 28, 1858, one of the key treaties in the history of Russian-Chinese relations was signed in the town of Aigun — the Treaty of Aigun between the Russian Empire and the Qing Empire. On the Russian side, it was signed by Nikolay Muravyov, Governor-General of Eastern Siberia, who later received the title Muravyov-Amursky. On the Chinese side, the document was signed by the Qing official Yishan. The treaty established a new border between the two empires along the Amur River and effectively secured Russia’s control over vast territories on the left bank of the Amur.

The Russian leadership’s visit to China has once again brought a key issue on the Moscow–Beijing energy agenda into focus — the future of the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. Despite political statements about a strategic partnership, the main commercial contract for the project has still not been signed. This has fuelled debate over whether Moscow has achieved the expected breakthrough in energy cooperation with China, and how willing Beijing is to commit to long-term Russian gas purchases.

On Wednesday, talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping made no progress on the long-planned 1,615-mile pipeline intended to deliver 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Russia’s Yamal field to China.

Aishat Khizriyeva, a 21-year-old Chechen woman, left Russia, according to a report from the human rights group SK SOS on April 23.

Russian authorities have detained the chief doctor and acting head of the intensive care unit at a Siberian maternity hospital following the deaths of nine newborn babies.

Ukrainian intelligence hackers have inflicted significant damage on Orion Telecom, one of Siberia’s largest internet providers, causing losses of 66 million rubles (over $800,000), according to sources familiar with the incident.

Gazprom has successfully delivered the first 100 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas to China through the Power of Siberia pipeline, according to Alexey Miller, CEO of the company.

Five teenagers were killed and four were hospitalized as a result of a stabbing attack in Siberia’s Irkutsk Region, the local department of the Russian Investigative Committee said.