Russia boosts army sign-up bonuses amid escalating frontline losses PRO Members Public
After the unpleasant experience with forcibly calling up army reservists in the 2022 “partial mobilization” drive, the Kremlin has since gone into overdrive to convince people to sign-up as contract soldiers for the invasion of Ukraine. The recruitment of “volunteers” (those who sign-up specifically to take part in the war
THE BELL WEEKLY: The mounting costs of Russia’s army recruitment PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we look at Russia ramping up spending to lure soldiers for its war on Ukraine. We also highlight calls for a tax on couples who choose not to have children. Russia boosts army sign-up bonuses amid escalating frontline losses After the unpleasant experience with forcibly calling up
Why does Russia have a yuan shortage? PRO Members Public
Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy — written by Denis Kasyanchuk and Alexander Kolyandr and brought to you by The Bell. This week, our top story is a deep-dive analysis of Russia’s yuan liquidity crisis. We also look at the escalating conflict over online retailer Wildberries
Russian opposition figure killed fighting for Ukraine PRO Members Public
Russian opposition activist Ildar Dadin was killed fighting for the Ukrainian army. Dadin achieved widespread notoriety after being convicted of unlawful behavior at rallies. After becoming disillusioned with non-violent protest, he joined the Ukrainian Army in 2023 to fight against Russia. * Dadin was the first Russian to be convicted under
Mass layoff of Russian IT staff spooks emigrants PRO Members Public
A round of mass layoffs at ABBYY, the IT company founded by David Yang, a businessman with Russian roots, was one of the big stories in the Russian business world last week. The firings affected only the offices in Cyprus, Serbia and Hungary. Russian citizens were featured heavily among those
‘Reputation whitewashing’ scandal rocks Russian opposition PRO Members Public
Yet another scandal is tearing the Russian opposition apart. This time, the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), set up by the late Alexei Navalny, is under fire. Maxim Katz, a former municipal deputy turned popular YouTuber, released an investigation that accuses the foundation of close ties with fugitive Russian bankers and alleged
THE BELL WEEKLY: Navalny aides accused of legitimizing fraudsters PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we look at another scandal that has thrown yet more divisions into Russia’s fraught opposition. We also look at a round of tech layoffs that has spooked Russians working abroad and a Russian opposition figure killed while fighting for Ukraine. ‘Reputation whitewashing’ scandal rocks Russian opposition
Inside Russia’s budget: Taxes, borrowing, reserves PRO Members Public
Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy — written by Alexandra Prokopenko and Alexander Kolyandr and brought to you by The Bell. This week we look inside Russia’s record high government budget, detailing the plans for taxes and spending, assessing the solidity of Moscow’s reserves and
Putin edges up the nuclear escalation ladder PRO Members Public
While Volodymyr Zelensky was busy meeting Ukraine’s Western allies in the United States to push for fresh military aid, from halfway round the world in Moscow, Vladimir Putin was doing everything he could to make himself the elephant in the room. On the eve of Zelensky’s meeting with
Secret spending hits record level PRO Members Public
The Russian government on Monday sent its 2025-2027 budget to the State Duma, outlining plans that will see defense spending hit a post-Soviet record at 6.3% of GDP. We wrote about the plans for another ramp-up in Russia’s military spending in Friday’s newsletter. The publication of 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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