Russia officially moves to a war economy PRO Members Public
Despite statements in Moscow and promises from President Vladimir Putin that mobilization will end soon, it will keep going for a long time. This week, Putin declared martial law in the occupied regions of Ukraine and placed Russia’s regions on heightened alert. This gives the authorities in those regions
Russian statements raise fears of catastrophic false-flag attacks PRO Members Public
Over the past week, tensions have escalated over the possibility of a Russian retreat from southern Ukraine. The pro-Moscow authorities of Kherson announced a mass evacuation of civilians to the opposite side of the Dnipro, and tens of thousands of people have already been moved. At the same time, the
Heightened false-flag fears PRO Members Public
Hello! This week’s top story is the heightened warnings from Russian officials of a Ukrainian false-flag attack on its own territory — and what these warnings mean for the war. We also break down Moscow’s declaration of martial law in occupied Ukraine and special regimes in Russia’s regions,
Putin offers Europe a new gas deal PRO Members Public
Despite the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines and Europe’s determination to wean itself off Russian fossil fuels, Putin is still counting on a “new gas world.” Last week, he set out his plan: apparently, the European Union should either just launch the remaining Nord Stream 2, or switch
Kremlin-backed VK fails to buy Russia’s most wanted internet company PRO Members Public
Despite support from the Kremlin, internet giant VK was unable to purchase Russia’s biggest ad service, Avito. The service’s South African owner, internet group Naspers, flatly refused to sell to such a toxic buyer. As a result, a rival bidder acquired Avito – Russian businessman Ivan Tavrin, who is
Can the Russian Armed Forces destroy Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure? PRO Members Public
After the explosion on the bridge linking Russia and annexed-Crimea and the appointment of General Sergei Surovikin as commander of the Russian forces in Ukraine, Russia’s Armed Forces last week resumed large-scale missile strikes on Ukraine. The main aim was to destroy the country’s energy infrastructure. However, over
Russia’s missile arsenal PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is the rain of rockets and drones Russia has been using to strike Ukrainian electricity infrastructure and what the Kremlin is trying to achieve. We also look at how the Kremlin did not get its way when it came to the buyer of top
Russia spends billions on defense, yet conscripts often have no food PRO Members Public
Dozens of videos have surfaced in recent weeks of Russian conscripts living in squalid conditions, being issued with old equipment and being encouraged to buy their own body armor and medical supplies. * For example, the relatives of one young man from the industrial city of Chelyabinsk who was called up
Russian Nobel Peace Prize Win for Second Consecutive Year PRO Members Public
The Nobel committee announced Friday the winner of its annual Peace Prize. This year, the honor was shared by three human rights activists: Belarusian activist Ales Belyatsky (currently in pre-trial detention), Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties and Russia’s Memorial. * Memorial is Russia’s oldest NGO. It researches political
Aliexpress Russia shareholders refuse to finance company PRO Members Public
Before the war, Aliexpress Russia — the biggest Russo-Chinese joint enterprise — was poised to become the “Russian Amazon.” But it appears that the conflict has persuaded China’s Alibaba that its international reputation is worth more than the Russian market. As The Bell reported, the Chinese company has decided to curtail
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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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