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Navalny and Novichok Members Public

Hello! This week we just have one story, which overshadowed all the other Russian news: the momentous announcement that opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent. We look at what we know, why it happened now, who ordered it, and the likely consequences. Russia crosses rubicon

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Techies on the barricades Members Public

Hello! This week our top story is a deep-dive into how the famous Belarusian IT sector is reacting to ongoing protests against President Alexander Lukasehnko. We also look at why the poisoning of Alexei Navalny has not led to an outcry, and investigate the rise of billionaire Tatiana Bakalchuk, who

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Navalny in critical condition after suspected poisoning  Members Public

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is seriously ill after being poisoned on his way home from a trip to Siberia. The poisoning appears to be deliberate. There is no suspect at the moment, but we will look at who might have the capability and motive to do such a thing.

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Protests escalate in Belarus amid police violence Members Public

The news in Russia this week has been completely dominated by events in neighboring Belarus. Following a rigged election, protesters took to the streets to demonstrate against the 26-year rule of President Alexander Lukashenko. They faced a brutal police crackdown, but continue to defy the authorities. For Russian officials, this

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Belarus on the brink Members Public

Hello! This week our top story is the wave of demonstrations over fraudulent elections in Belarus that appear to be getting bigger with each passing day. We also look in detail at Nexta Live, the Telegram Channel at the heart of the Belarusian protests, and at the announcement that Russia

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Why the Belarusian presidential elections matter for Russia Members Public

The most unpredictable presidential election in Belarus in 25 years will take place Sunday. In recent days, thousands have turned out to opposition rallies despite threats by the authorities to use force. Incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko has also gone all-out to secure victory, even attacking Putin in a two-hour interview

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Russia targets offshore tax dodges Members Public

Officials in Moscow this week began withdrawing from a long-standing double taxation treaty with Cyprus. The process means that the Mediterranean island looks set to be the first of several popular offshore tax havens to be targeted by Moscow: Malta, Luxembourg and the Netherlands are next on the list, with

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How did Suleiman Kerimov amass a $25 bln fortune? Members Public

Tycoon Suleiman Kerimov was named this week by Forbes magazine as Russia’s richest person despite media reports that he was out-of-favor. Kerimov pushed metals billionaire Vladimir Potanin into second place Wednesday as a sharp rise in the price of gold saw estimates of his wealth surpass $24.7 billion.

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