Corporate raiding scandal engulfs Russian internet pioneer PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our main story is about a corporate raiding scandal that has broken out between a Russian internet pioneer and, allegedly, a billionaire arts patron. We also look at Putin’s recent meetings with the Ukrainian and Belarusian leaders, how ex-Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov will be remembered after
Jetting into trouble PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is on revelations about how Russia’s political elite uses private jets and why this caused a spat between opposition leader Alexei Navalny and major media outlets. We also tell the tale of a pro-Kremlin youth movement leader who emigrated to Germany; have a
Romanticism, nostalgia, regret: why are Russians discussing the 1990s? PRO Members Public
Romanticism, nostalgia, regret: why are Russians discussing the 1990s? The 1990s are a deeply divisive topic for most Russians: for some it is a reminder of economic disaster, for others it represents opportunity and political freedom. Either way, debates about the decade have intensified in recent years — and parallels are
Russia expands use of ‘foreign agent’ label PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is an explanation of a new ‘foreign agent’ law that could be applied to thousands of ordinary Russians. We also look at the deal internet giant Yandex struck with the Kremlin, the highlights of The Bell’s investigation into Orthodox tycoon Konstantin Malofeev, a
Russia’s ‘Orthodox tycoon’ is bankrolling a monarchist movement — but where does he get his money? PRO Members Public
Konstantin Malofeev rose to fame in Russia’s corporate wars of the late 2000s. He became one of the most powerful people in telecommunications, but the devoutly Orthodox tycoon almost lost everything in a bitter dispute with state-owned bank VTB. In 2014, he was sanctioned by the West for providing
Aeroflot unfazed by fat cat firestorm PRO Members Public
Hello! This week, our top story is on a fat cat and why PR works differently for companies like Aeroflot. We also look at the comedian beloved by state television who suddenly decided to criticize Putin, the top officials who could be linked to the 2014 downing of Malaysian airlines
Kremlin piles pressure on Apple PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is about new legislation moving swiftly through the State Duma that could lead to Apple quitting Russia. We also look at how rich Russians are having their Cypriot citizenship revoked, what is driving the stock market’s record-breaking bull run, why independent TV network
Sberbank wants your personal data PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is about how state-owned banking giant Sberbank’s acquisition of a stake in a major internet company will give it even more access to the personal data of ordinary Russians. We also look at the ‘sovereign internet’ law that came into force Friday, a
Africa in the Kremlin’s sights PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we explain how Russia wants to expand its presence in Africa after a major summit between Putin and African leaders. We also look at the recent appointment of a hawkish ex-TV host to Russia’s Human Rights Council, how the wife of Yuri Kovalchuk, a close personal
Top officials invited to Paris to testify in $12 bln case "Sergei Pugachev VS Russia" PRO Members Public
Audit Chamber head Aleksei Kudrin, chairman of Gazprom’s board of directors Viktor Zubkov and investment banker Oksana Reinhardt have been invited to testify in a case filed by former billionaire Sergei Pugachev, once a member of President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, against the Russian Federation in Paris. The
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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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