Russia, Explained
Pyotr Mironenko, co-founder of The Bell, and Denis Kasyanchuk, our economics editor, take a closer look at the week's top Russia stories, and explain why they matter. An in-depth look at how Russia works, what is bothering the elite, how public opinion is changing, and how to read between the lines of state propaganda.
THE BELL WEEKLY: Don’t call it a tax rise PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we cover the biggest tax hikes in Russia for two decades, and why the state is trying to call them something else. We also look at the fledgling “pirate” car industry of Western-branded vehicles being assembled in Russia, and cover how troll farms are using Western AI
THE BELL WEEKLY: Rich Russians are bringing their money back home PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we cover Russian millionaires repatriating their cash from abroad, despite the threat of nationalization and higher taxes. We also cover another border closure for Russian tourists and Moscow moving to recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan. The Great Repatriation: Russian millionaires bring their cash back to the
THE BELL WEEKLY: Putin’s ‘boring’ China visit PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we look at how Russian media put an upbeat spin on Putin’s underwhelming visit to China. We also look at a clash between pro-military bloggers and Chechen authorities over a domestic violence case and Dmitry Medvedev threatening Yandex over its AI chatbot. Propagandists cheer Putin’s
THE BELL WEEKLY: Shoigu removed, Belousov to become defense minister PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we look at the surprise removal of Sergei Shoigu as Russia’s defense minister and dig into his replacement, Andrei Belousov, and what his priorities will be, What to expect from Belousov as the new defense minister Russian President Vladimir Putin sprang a Sunday night surprise with
THE BELL WEEKLY: Back to the Future – Anatoly Chubais’s new think tank PRO Members Public
Hello. This week we look at Anatoly Chubais opening a Russia studies institute in exile, and the bitter debate over his legacy at home. We also cover the ongoing fallout from last year’s scandalous “Almost Naked” party and a new war exhibition in Moscow. 1990s reform architect Chubais sets
THE BELL WEEKLY: A nepo-baby shuffle at VK PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we report on a possible shake-up at one of Russia’s most important tech companies. We also assess the impact of the West’s oil price cap with two of its authors and highlight the latest crackdown on independent journalists, media outlets and their readers. Russia’s
THE BELL WEEKLY: The shadow of the 90s haunts the Russian opposition PRO Members Public
Hello. This week we cover the opposition backlash to a major documentary on the 1990s published by Team Navalny. We also look at the latest piece of pro-war propaganda in Russian schools and how Moscow is responding to new US aid for Ukraine. Team Navalny film about 1990s oligarchs divides
THE BELL WEEKLY: Special benefits for Russia’s ‘new elite’ PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we cover the growing number of special benefits and legal exemptions for Russian soldiers coming back from Ukraine. We also look at the authorities’ response to unprecedented flooding and plans to use AI to improve online censorship. Airlines told to roll out the red carpet for Russian
THE BELL WEEKLY: Xenophobia takes hold after Moscow terror attack PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we look at a rise in xenophobia after the Moscow terror attack. We also cover a state-funded patriotic video game that became a multi-million dollar flop and a new case against an ailing Soviet dissident. Russia hit by wave of xenophobia after biggest terror attack in 20
THE BELL WEEKLY: Will Russia block Telegram, again? PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we look at Russian officials’ attempts to get more control over Telegram, the most popular messaging app in the country. We also provide a snapshot of a new The Bell investigation into one of the major Russian winners from the mass departure of foreign firms. Russian officials
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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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