Russia’s billionaire Hairspray King Paid Members Public
Before 2022, the name Alexei Sagal meant little to anyone in Russia outside the domestic cosmetics industry and residents of his native Stavropol Territory in the south of the country. That has changed completely since Russia invaded Ukraine as Sagal swooped to take control of Heineken’s Russian businesses. That
Opposition leaders, newly freed, stoke controversy with first public comments Paid Members Public
The biggest prisoner swap between Russia and the West since Soviet times has freed two of Russia’s leading liberal politicians — figures with genuine ambitions to lead the opposition in exile. Tet far from garnering sympathy for the more than two years they spent in Putin’s prison system, their
THE BELL WEEKLY: Historic prisoner swap highlights rifts in Russian society Paid Members Public
Hello. This week we look at the controversy surrounding the historic prisoner exchange between Russia and the West. We also bring you a snapshot of our investigation into Russia’s “Hairspray King” — a little-known billionaire and major winner from the exodus of Western firms. Opposition leaders, newly freed, stoke controversy
The Western banks are not leaving Russia yet Paid Members Public
Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy — written by Alexander Kolyandr and Alexandra Prokopenko and brought to you by The Bell. This time we take an in depth look at the two biggest European banks in Russia – Austria’s Raiffeisen and Italy’s UniCredit. Why are they
Russia’s new elite being pushed into politics Paid Members Public
Russian soldiers who have fought in Ukraine have become a powerful new social class in Russian society. They get state subsidies, extra welfare payments, career boosts, and, for some, a fast track to power. President Vladimir Putin often calls veterans and soldiers Russia’s “new elite,” asserting that the leadership
Russian propagandists slam Olympics opening ceremony Paid Members Public
The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics — which attracted criticism for its apparent reinterpretation of the Last Supper featuring drag performers — proved a gift for Russian propagandists. They jumped on the opportunity to rehash one of their favorite talking points — the decadence of a liberal Europe that has no
Divorce, Kadyrov and corporate raiders: The blockbuster saga at Wildberries Paid Members Public
Online shopping has belatedly become a major industry across Russia over the last five years. After a slow start, online marketplaces are thriving and pick-up points can be found all over the country, even in the smallest remote villages. But market leader Wildberries hit the headlines last week for something
THE BELL WEEKLY: Primetime scandal at Russia’s Amazon Paid Members Public
Hello! This week we look at an eye-popping scandal at Wildberries — Russia’s answer to Amazon — and how Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov got himself involved in the founder’s divorce. We also cover Russian propagandists having a field day with the Olympics opening ceremony and the war veterans being pushed
