Chubais Out PRO Members Public
Hello! This week the newsletter is about presidential adviser and 1990s reformer Anatoly Chubais who has left Russia in protest against the ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine — the most senior Russian official to publicly break with the regime. While a divisive figure for most Russians, Chubais played a key role
Putin rails against 'fifth column' and 'traitors' PRO Members Public
President Vladimir Putin gave a speech Wednesday about a “fifth column” that, he said, should be spat out “like a mosquito swallowed by accident”. As the political atmosphere in Russia gets darker, investigators are opening cases under new laws, and opposition activists are finding the letter ‘Z’ (a patriotic symbol
Fifth column PRO Members Public
Hello! Three weeks into the Kremlin’s so-called ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine, the atmosphere in Russia is getting darker and darker. President Vladimir Putin gave a speech Wednesday about a “fifth column” that, he said, should be spat out “like a mosquito swallowed by accident”. At the same time,
Foreign businesses set for ‘nationalization’ PRO Members Public
Hundreds of foreign companies have announced a partial or total withdrawal from Russia in recent weeks amid continuing fighting in Ukraine. These include: Apple, IKEA, McDonald’s, Microsoft, IBM, Sony, Shell, Porsche, Volkswagen, H&M, Inditex (that includes Zara, Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear), Procter & Gamble (that
Flights canceled as aviation industry woes mount PRO Members Public
Russian airlines halted most international flights Wednesday and the government is preparing plans for the de facto nationalization of foreign aircraft. Even domestic aviation faces an uncertain future: sanctions means it will be hard to service planes. * Russia’s aviation authorities are concerned planes could be impounded at foreign airports
Default looms — but a sideshow to economic collapse PRO Members Public
International credit rating agencies believe that President Vladimir Putin’s decree on foreign debt repayment means a default is all-but inevitable. The decree states that creditors from countries that have committed “unfriendly actions” against Russia can now be paid in (increasingly worthless) rubles via special accounts in Russian banks — and
Currency controls grow as Russia defends ruble PRO Members Public
Before ‘locking’ people’s foreign currency in their accounts this week, the Central Bank forced banks to set rates of up to 20 percent on ruble accounts, and advised imposing early termination fees for new foreign currency deposits. Since the beginning of the ‘special military operation’, the following currency controls
Nationalization spree PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we focus on the economic consequences for Russia of Western sanctions amid the ongoing fighting in Ukraine. In particular, we look at how a swathe of foreign-owned businesses look set to be nationalized, the crisis in Russia’s aviation industry, a looming default, and a growing list
Emigration & economic collapse PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we continue to look at the economic and political fallout for Russia — and Russians — of the fighting in Ukraine. The four stories we focus on are: the emigration of journalists, IT specialists and other professionals; the collapse of the ruble after Western sanctions on the Central Bank;
Russian economy reels amid Ukraine invasion, sanctions PRO Members Public
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered political unrest and economic pain in Russia. And the country is being isolated by Western sanctions. After four days of fighting in Ukraine, we look at the major political and economic fallout for Russia. Reaction to war Publicly, there have been almost no
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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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