Fresh Karabakh conflict dents Russia’s standing in the Caucasus Paid Members Public
Last week, Azerbaijan launched fresh military action to seize control of Nagorno-Karabakh, a separatist republic in the Caucasus populated mainly by ethnic Armenians but which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. Not only did this one-day “anti-terrorist operation,” as Baku called it, seemingly bring an end to any independent
THE BELL WEEKLY: A blow to Russia in the Caucasus Paid Members Public
Hello! This week we look at how Azerbaijan’s use of military force to seize control of Nagorno-Karabakh has dealt yet another blow to Russia’s standing in the Caucasus. We also summarize a new investigation into Dialog, a major player in the Kremlin’s online propaganda machine, and assess
Will the West tap Russia’s frozen assets? Paid Members Public
Hello! This is your weekly guide to the Russian economy — brought to you by The Bell. Our top story is a look at whether the West might be on the verge of utilizing Russian assets that were frozen as the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We also look
Nobody is safe from Russia’s wave of re-nationalization Paid Members Public
Hello! This is Alexandra Prokopenko with your weekly guide to the Russian economy — brought to you by The Bell. This time we are focusing on how Russia is quietly reversing the results of the privatizations that followed the Soviet collapse. Even Kremlin loyalist oligarchs and former officials have been among
Russia is preparing for a long war Paid Members Public
Hello! This is Alexandra Prokopenko with your weekly guide to the Russian economy — brought to you by The Bell. I am joined this time by analyst Alexander Kolyandr. We focus this week on how the Ukraine war is gradually becoming key to both Russia’s economy and its politics and
Kremlin asset seizures the new normal Paid Members Public
Hello! This is Alexandra Prokopenko with your weekly guide to the Russian economy — brought to you by The Bell. In this newsletter we focus on the Kremlin’s decision to seize the Russian assets of two major foreign companies and what it means for the business climate and the other
Moscow doesn’t like the Ukraine grain deal, but won’t ditch it Paid Members Public
Hello! This is Alexandra Prokopenko with your weekly guide to the Russian economy — brought to you by The Bell. In this newsletter we focus on disputes over the Black Sea grain deal and why it’s almost certain that Moscow will agree to another extension. We also compare NATO and
Budget planning and Russia’s spending reduction pipe-dream Paid Members Public
Hello! This is Alexandra Prokopenko with your weekly guide to the Russian economy — brought to you by The Bell. In this newsletter we focus on whether — as some officials are advocating — Russia could actually reduce spending in its next budget despite the war in Ukraine. We also look at how
