Outrage as architect of 1990s privatization bemoans lack of ‘gratitude’ PRO Members Public
What happened The topic of 1990s privatization can lead to violent disputes in Russia even thirty years later. This week, there was heated debate about a speech given by the architect of privatization, Anatoly Chubais, in which he said that Russian society should be grateful to Russian businessmen, and not
Hawks propose a Chinese-style plan to isolate Russian internet PRO Members Public
What happened Russian lawmakers have started working on the Kremlin’s long held dream of an isolated internet along the lines of the system used in China. The official reason for this is fear that during a conflict with the U.S., servers allowing internet access in Russia could be
Hawks propose a Chinese-style plan to isolate Russian internet PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we look at how a group of lawmakers, including the suspected killer of Alexander Litvinenko, are pushing a plan to create Chinese-style internet in Russia. We also analyze why the woman alleged to be Putin’s youngest daughter made her first ever appearance on state television, the
A Russian billionaire on the ‘Kremlin List’ is suing the U.S. government PRO Members Public
Valentin Gapontsev and Prime minister Dmitry Medvedev What happened In addition to U.S. sanctions, a major problem for Russian businessmen is the so-called Kremlin List. This is a group of wealthy Russians “close to Vladimir Putin” put together in January 2018 in response to a requirement of sanctions law
Moscow is expanding its use of face recognition technology PRO Members Public
What happened Russian authorities continue to adopt the Chinese model of tracking citizens. Moscow City Hall promises to install a system of CCTV cameras in the city in 2019 with facial recognition technology. To date, $120 million has already been spent on this system. The first experiments with the technology
Moscow’s relationship with OPEC at risk amid disagreement PRO Members Public
What happened For the first time in over three years of close cooperation between Russia and OPEC, serious splits have arisen between the oil-producing partners. Some analysts say Russia’s increased role at OPEC in a period of sanctions is one of Putin’s greatest foreign policy achievements, but the
A Russian billionaire on the ‘Kremlin List’ is suing the U.S. government PRO Members Public
Hello! Our top story this week is about a Russian billionaire (based in the U.S. since the 1990s) who is so fed up of the indirect effect of sanctions legislation that he is taking the U.S. government to court. We also analyze recent difficulties in Russia’s relationship
Naval conflict in the Kerch Straits unlikely to have serious immediate consequences PRO Members Public
Russian coast guard boat (left) preparing to ram a Ukrainain tugboat near Kerch Strait What happened A new escalation in Russia’s undeclared war with Ukraine has forced President Donald Trump to cancel his meeting with Putin at the G20 and European countries have called for new sanctions. But the
How the Kremlin mastered Telegram in less than a year PRO Members Public
The Kremlin has turned communication platform Telegram into a useful political tool. Photo credit: TASS What happened In the last two years, the Telegram messaging service, founded by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, has become the most important social media tool for political insiders. Now an investigation (Rus) by Proekt has
How the Kremlin mastered Telegram in less than a year PRO Members Public
Hello! This week you can read the results of a fascinating investigation into how the Kremlin manipulates Telegram, a favorite source of news for the Russian elite. We also have analysis of the fallout from the incident in the Kerch Straits, a growing confrontation between the authorities and the rap
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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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