THE BELL WEEKLY: A winter heating crisis strikes Russia Paid Members Public
Hello! This week we cover a winter heating crisis and Russia’s dilapidated municipal infrastructure. We also summarize The Bell’s investigation into Russia’s “lottery king” snapping up cut-price Western assets and look at the arrest of a pro-war anti-Putin activist. Kremlin steps in as local heating systems collapse
THE BELL WEEKLY: Russia gripped by controversial street crime TV series Paid Members Public
Hello. This week we look at how a hit crime TV show has caught Russia by storm. We also cover growing concerns over the disappearance of Alexei Navalny and analyze why rising egg prices have authorities scrambling for a response. How a TV show about street gangs captured Russians and
Russia’s authorities seek to label LGBT+ movement as “extremist” Paid Members Public
The Russian authorities stepped up their relentless campaign against the LGBT+ community last week as the justice ministry asked the Supreme Court to recognize the “International LGBT Social Movement” as “extremist” and ban it in Russia. Since there is no single organization that goes by that name, the move is
Back to the pandemic — Russian stats body delays bad news publications Paid Members Public
Rosstat, Russia’s statistics agency, appears to be reverting to its pandemic-era practice of delaying the publication of statistical reports. Last week, Rosstat withheld the release of its latest socio-economic report which included information on soaring inflation levels across the country, until well into the evening. * Last week, Rosstat delayed
The latest travails of the Alfa Group owners: Detained in France, forgiven in Russia Paid Members Public
The co-owners of Alfa Group, one of Russia’s largest business groups, have been held in disgrace in the West since the invasion of Ukraine — a point of view cemented by them being added to, and not removed from, various sanctions lists. Last year, British police searched properties belonging to
Islamic fundamentalism and the antisemitic airport riot in Dagestan Paid Members Public
The recent riot at Makhachkala airport, which involved 1,500 people chanting antisemitic slogans and waving Palestinian flags, continues to be a major topic in Russian-language media eight days on. The Bell has looked into how anonymous Telegram channels orchestrated the events that led to a mob storming the airport
THE BELL WEEKLY: Islamist links to antisemitic airport riot? Paid Members Public
Hello! This week The Bell looks at the possible links between the riot at Dagestan’s airport and a radical Islamist movement. We also highlight the latest twists in the saga of the sanctioned Alfa Group founders, and how Russia’s stats body is returning to its favourite pandemic-era habit:
Russia’s authorities are talking about blocking WhatsApp. What would this mean in reality? Paid Members Public
For the first time in 18 months of war, Russian authorities alarmedWhatsApp users with talk of blocking the popular messaging app. Along with YouTube, it is one of two international services that the Kremlin has long wished to switch off, but fears a public backlash too much to follow through.
