Iran-Israel war plays into Kremlin hands Members Public

Hello! This week we cover how Moscow could benefit from the conflict between Iran and Israel. We also unpack an investigation into Telegram and the FSB, examining what mobile data Russia’s security services can and cannot access. Moscow stands to benefit from all-out war between Israel and Iran Although

Denis Kasyanchuk Denis Kasyanchuk
Russia, Explained

Russia’s ballooning budget deficit 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 on data revealing the current state of Russia’s finances, including a steadily growing budget deficit. We also assess the upcoming St.

Alexandra Prokopenko Alexandra Prokopenko Alexander Kolyandr Alexander Kolyandr
Newsletter

Russia prepares for a war on WhatsApp Members Public

Hello! This week we look at Russia’s plans to create a domestic messenger platform – and why that spells trouble for the almost 100 million Russian WhatsApp users. Putin backs creation of ‘national messenger’ Russian authorities are moving towards blocking the last major foreign online service that had been – until

Pyotr Mironenko Pyotr Mironenko
Russia, Explained

Bonuses reduced for Russian military recruits 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 looks at reductions to the bonuses paid to military recruits, a break with the trend of the last two years. We also analyze

Alexandra Prokopenko Alexandra Prokopenko Alexander Kolyandr Alexander Kolyandr
Inside the Russian Economy

Protectionist rhetoric bodes ill for Western companies hoping for return Members Public

Russia’s parliament will next month consider legislation to allow Russian companies to deny former foreign shareholders a buyback—even if they had such an option under the terms of their exit from Russia. The law specifies Russian owners can block a buyback if the company has a “significant influence

Alexandra Prokopenko Alexandra Prokopenko
Economy

Russia’s Pearl Harbor? Members Public

Hello! This week we look in depth at Ukraine’s attacks on Russian air bases housing its strategic bomber fleet — what it means for the war, could Russia go nuclear in response, and why state TV hasn’t been talking about it. Ukraine attacks Russian strategic bomber fleet in stunning

Denis Kasyanchuk Denis Kasyanchuk
Russia, Explained

Russia teeters on brink of recession Members Public

Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy, written by Alexander Kolyandr and Alexandra Prokopenko and brought to you by The Bell. This week our top story is a look at data suggesting Russia is very close to entering a recession. We also analyze Russia’s embrace of

Alexander Kolyandr Alexander Kolyandr Alexandra Prokopenko Alexandra Prokopenko
Inside the Russian Economy

Repression set to tighten Members Public

Hello! This week we analyze how Russia is preparing to tighten the screws on domestic critics and why a ceasefire in Ukraine would only lead to yet more repression on the home front. Russia steps up campaign against the ‘enemy within’ ahead of possible ceasefire Amid a thaw in relations

Pyotr Mironenko Pyotr Mironenko
Russia, Explained

War is twisting Russia’s demographics Members Public

Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy, written by Alexander Kolyandr and Alexandra Prokopenko and brought to you by The Bell. This week our top story is an analysis of Russian wartime budget and demographic paradoxes. We also look at why new Western sanctions are less and

Alexandra Prokopenko Alexandra Prokopenko Alexander Kolyandr Alexander Kolyandr
Inside the Russian Economy

Istanbul talks: Russia’s impossible demands Members Public

Hello! This week we look in detail at what Russia put on the table at the first direct peace talks with Ukraine in more than three years. We also talk a bit about our dear colleague Irina Pankratova, The Bell’s investigative correspondent who recently passed away. Russia comes to

Denis Kasyanchuk Denis Kasyanchuk Irina Malkova Irina Malkova Pyotr Mironenko Pyotr Mironenko
Russia, Explained
Buy our subscription Buy our subscription Buy our subscription

We are working for you

The Bell was founded in 2017 by journalists Elizaveta Osetinskaya, Irina Malkova and Peter Mironenko as a news outlet independent from the Russian authorities, after its founders have been sacked as top editors at the largest Russian news website RBC because of pressure from the Kremlin.

Read about us Sidebar Image

RUSSIA IN GRAPHS

Understand the Russian economy and politics with a monthly infographic plus a selection of articles to add to your reading list, compiled by The Bell’s editors team.