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.
How Russia’s economy changed in 2025 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 bring you a state of the nation rundown, a look at the condition of Russia’s economy as it enters 2026. Thank you
Final battle for Russia’s frozen billions 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 look at the battle over whether the EU will channel Russia’s frozen assets to Ukraine — and how Moscow is already responding. Edited
EU puts Russia on financial blacklist 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 EU’s decision to put Russia on its financial blacklist, and what Putin hopes to bring back from his trip to
Wartime debts drag Russian businesses down PRO Members Public
Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy, written by Alexander Kolyandr and Alexandra Prokopenko and and brought to you by The Bell. This week we look at how the Kremlin may have the upper hand on the battlefield, but at home its top companies are struggling with
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.
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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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