Inside the Russian Economy
Our weekly in-depth analysis of the Russian economy from Alexandra Prokopenko and Alexander Kolyandr, who have experience at the Russian Central Bank and financial sector more broadly. Filled with reliable data, insightful analysis and commentary from sources inside Russia.
Russia’s economic slowdown bites harder 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 analyze how Russia’s economic slowdown is hitting harder, with worse still on the horizon, and look at Russia selling off its gold
Is Russia facing a debt crisis? PRO 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 week we detail growing concerns about the health of the financial sector, and look at how the cumulative impact of sanctions is weighing on many
Lukoil’s sanctions deal collapses: What does it mean? PRO 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 week we analyze the implications of Washington blocking a multi-billion-euro deal involving sanctioned Russian oil giant Lukoil, and a partial climbdown by the government over
How Russia exploits Western banks to repress Kremlin critics 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 at how Russia is abusing the West’s financial infrastructure and compliance checks to crack down on Kremlin opponents who have fled
Trump sanctions Russian oil: What does it mean? PRO 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 week we analyze the possible impact of Donald Trump’s sanctions on Russian oil majors, Rosneft and Lukoil. We also cover the central bank’s
Interest rates set to stay higher for longer PRO 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. Our focus this week is on how the Central Bank will have to keep higher interest rates in place for longer, raising the prospects of stagflation.
Tax crackdown on Russia’s small businesses PRO 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 week we discuss the government’s tax crackdown on small businesses, its possible effects and what could be motivating it. We also look at the
Russia’s budget at risk of economic reality PRO 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 week we continue our analysis of next year’s budget, digging into how economic reality could upset its overly optimistic assumptions. Russia overlooks sanctions and
Russia’s budget: Paper tiger or invincible bear? 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 analyze Russia’s draft budget plans for 2026, which show neither the “paper tiger” economy portrayed by Donald Trump nor the invincible “bear”
Top businesses face debt crisis 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 we dig into Russia’s corporate debt crisis, highlighting the 13 businesses with massive debt piles that have the central bank worried. War, sanctions
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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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