Western firms face Russian asset risks — Italy shows the scale PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we look at how Russia could retaliate if Europe moves ahead with plans to more boldly use Russia’s frozen assets to fund Ukraine. With Western companies sure to be in the firing line, we calculate how much firms from just one country, Italy, stand to lose.
Top businesses face debt crisis PRO Members Public
Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy, written by Denis Kasyanchuk and Alexander Kolyandr and brought to you by The Bell. This week we dig into Russia’s corporate debt crisis, highlighting the 13 businesses with massive debt piles that have the central bank worried. War, sanctions
Yandex founder's $20 billion comeback PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we look at the comeback of Arkady Volozh, the Yandex founder who has struck it rich—again—thanks to a mega deal for his new AI infrastructure startup. From startup to sanctions and back again Last year, Arkady Volozh, one of the founders of Russia’s most
Propaganda in Russian schools PRO Members Public
Hello! As a new school year kicks off in Russia, we dig into how the authorities are pushing propaganda into Russian schools and glorifying the invasion of Ukraine in lessons for children as young as three. Instilling ideology: How the Kremlin raises young loyalists Much like during the Soviet era,
Security services turn on unruly tabloid PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we cover the raids and arrests of top figures at the Baza Telegram channel, an outlet with close ties to the security agencies, which appear to have now turned against the publication they fed for years. Baza targeted in Russia’s escalating media crackdown Baza — the Telegram
Censorship in Russia – back to the USSR? PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we look at plans to revive Soviet-era censorship, what the Kremlin thinks of the idea and what it would mean, if anything, for Russian media. Russia gets serious about bring back Soviet-style censorship Talk of reviving official censorship in Russia, while not new, has taken on a
How Russian banks adapted to sanctions PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we detail our investigation into how Russian banks are skirting sanctions to transfer money to the EU — the latest in a string of restriction-busting innovations rolled out by the sector amid the Ukraine invasion. The Central Asian fix: Sending rubles to Europe Sanctions against Russia over its
Iran-Israel war plays into Kremlin hands PRO 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
Russia’s Pearl Harbor? PRO 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
Istanbul talks: Russia’s impossible demands PRO 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
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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.
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