Top official implicated in corruption scam with FSB links PRO Members Public
The Russian banking sector was rocked by the arrest of several high-ranking FSB officers last year who covered up a bribery scandal (as reported by The Bell and investigative outlet Proekt). This week, we learned of yet another player in the scam — the deputy head of state-owned Deposit Insurance Agency
IPO success for Russian e-commerce giant Ozon PRO Members Public
It’s rare that Russia’s top business story is good news. But that’s what happened this week with the long-awaited New York IPO of Russian online retailer Ozon. Not only did the company price the deal above initial guidance, but shares rose by 40 percent in early trading.
Ozon triumphs in New York PRO Members Public
Hello! Our main story this week is the runaway success of Russian e-commerce giant Ozon’s IPO, which raised $1 billion. We also look at revelations about a huge corruption scheme that spread its tentacles through the banking system, and an article claiming to have identified Putin’s former lover,
AI to keep officials in check PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is about the latest tech fad at the heart of government: tracking officials using AI. We also look at reports that Russia is considering implementing a ‘golden passport’ scheme, and the U.K. electric vehicle start-up founded by a ex-Russian official that is heading
Caucasus power broker PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is about Russia’s role in negotiating a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, ending over 40 days of bloody fighting. We also look at why state-owned bank Sber is on the verge of losing yet another major tech partner, and the soccer player
Production problems hamper Russian vaccine roll-out PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is about the difficulties plaguing Russia’s attempt to roll out a mass coronavirus vaccination programme. We also look at how Kremlin propaganda is spinning the U.S. presidential election, and why you should be skeptical about oddly-sourced stories alleging Putin is suffering from
Profiting from poverty PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is the rapid spread of discount stores as economic woes make Russians progressively poorer. We also look at the likely endgame in the criminal case against U.S. investor Michael Calvey and revelations about the bizarre sourcing of the 2016 ‘Steele dossier’ that alleged
Biden and Russia PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is an analysis of what Russia can expect if Joe Biden wins the U.S. presidential election next month. We also look at the likely next career move for 1990s privatization tsar Anatoly Chubais, and the launch of VTimes, a new, independent business media
Sensei and philosopher – meet Sergei Kiriyenko, the latest EU sanctions target PRO Members Public
The European Union introduced new sanctions against six Russian officials Thursday in response to the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. While most of the names on the list were familiar from previous sanction lists, Sergei Kiriyenko was a new appearance. The first deputy chief of the presidential administration (the
Is Belarus approaching a political denouement? PRO Members Public
A third month of civil disobedience in Belarus began this week as President Alexander Lukashenko met with an opposition leader, albeit in a KGB jail. Meanwhile Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the figurehead of the protest movement, issued a ‘people’s ultimatum’ on behalf of the Belarusian public. Many pointed out that events
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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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