Can we trust Russian economic statistics? Paid Members Public
Since the start of the war, the Russian authorities have classified heaps of important statistical and economic data. For the third year in a row, Moscow is not publishing figures on imports, exports, foreign trade, gold and foreign exchange reserves, or oil production. But can the data that Moscow still
Narrow victory for Moldova’s pro-European president Paid Members Public
A week after Georgia held crunch parliamentary elections, another former Soviet republic with EU ambitions went to the polls, as Moldovans voted in a presidential contest. The situation in Moldova, which was recently granted EU candidate states, was the reverse of that in Georgia — pro-EU president Maia Sandu was looking
THE BELL WEEKLY: Moldova’s pro-Europe president squeaks through Paid Members Public
Hello. This week our main story is Moldova’s pro-EU president securing a slim victory in an election closely followed in Moscow. We also look at whether Russia’s economic statistics can be trusted. Narrow victory for Moldova’s pro-European president A week after Georgia held crunch parliamentary elections, another
The rise of Russia’s foreign trade middlemen Paid Members Public
Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy—written by Alexandra Prokopenko and Alexander Kolyandr and brought to you by The Bell. Our top story this week is about the transformative effect Western financial sanctions are having on Russia’s foreign trade. We also look at why so
Putin puts on a BRICS spectacle Paid Members Public
Last week’s BRICS summit in Kazan was probably the most successful international event staged by Vladimir Putin since the start of the war. It was the largest diplomatic forum, with the most world leaders, since at least 2022. Despite the show that Putin managed to put on and the
Georgia’s ruling party wins key election, triggering opposition protests Paid Members Public
Moscow has followed Georgia’s parliamentary elections almost as closely as the upcoming US presidential contest. Oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili’s ruling “Georgian Dream” party has been pursuing increasingly pro-Russian policies since the start of the war in Ukraine, triggering a falling out with the West and accusations of democratic backsliding.
THE BELL WEEKLY: Victory for Georgia’s pro-Russia ruling party Paid Members Public
Hello! This week’s main story is Georgia’s pro-Moscow ruling party securing victory in crucial parliamentary elections. We also cover last week’s BRICS summit — a political victory for Putin, but with no progress on anything important or meaningful. Georgia’s ruling party wins key election, triggering opposition protests
Central Bank hikes rates to 21% Paid Members Public
Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy—written by Alexandra Prokopenko and Alexander Kolyandr and brought to you by The Bell. Our top story is the Central Bank’s decision to hike interest rates to a record 21%. We also look at the IMF’s upgrade of
