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.
Could Russia lose one of its last ties to the global financial system? PRO Members Public
Hello! This is Alexandra Prokopenko with your weekly guide to the Russian economy — brought to you by The Bell. This week we focus on Russia’s possible blacklisting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which could mean the severing of one of its last ties to the global financial
THE BELL WEEKLY: Icon Giveaway PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is President Vladimir Putin’s decision to return a historic religious icon to the Russian Orthodox Church. Then we turn to how Russian propagandists have tried to portray the capture of Bakhmut as a significant military victory for the country’s Armed Forces. And,
The Global South holds the keys to successful Western sanctions on Russia PRO Members Public
Hello! This is Alexandra Prokopenko with your weekly guide to the Russian economy — brought to you by The Bell. This week we focus on the G7 Summit taking place in Japan on Friday and Saturday, where the war in Ukraine and the role of the Global South in sanctions will
THE BELL WEEKLY: Moscow-Tbilisi detente PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is Moscow’s decision to restore visa-free access for citizens of Georgia and lift a flight ban between the two countries. We also take a look at the presidential elections in Turkey and their implications for Russia. And, finally, we sum up a new
Kremlin hopes for Erdogan victory as Turkey goes to the polls PRO Members Public
Hello! This is Alexandra Prokopenko with your weekly guide to the Russian economy — brought to you by The Bell. This week we focus on the Turkish elections and what the outcome could mean for Turkish-Russian relations. We also look at how the Central Bank sees vulnerabilities of the financial sector.
THE BELL WEEKLY: Yandex for sale PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is about Russian billionaires competing to buy a controlling stake in Yandex, Russia's homegrown version of Google. We also look at an assassination attempt on pro-war writer and politician Zakhar Prilepin and the latest spat between the Wagener mercenary group and Russia’
What's driving rising Russian crude prices? PRO Members Public
Hello! This is Alexandra Prokopenko with your weekly guide to the Russian economy — brought to you by The Bell. This week we look at why rising prices for Russian oil are a tactical victory for Russia in its economic war with the West — and at attacks on the Kremlin and
THE BELL WEEKLY: Squeezing influencers PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is about the high-profile arrest of top social media influencer Yelena Blinovskaya and whether Russia is looking for innovative ways to boost tax revenue. We also look at how Russia is trying to revive its problem-hit electric car program and the Kremlin’s decision
Kremlin opts to seize foreign assets as ‘sanctions war’ hots up PRO Members Public
Hello! This is Alexandra Prokopenko with your weekly guide to the Russian economy — brought to you by The Bell. This week we look at the Kremlin’s decision to nationalize the assets of several companies owned by foreign states (in a way that benefits Putin’s ally Igor Sechin) and
THE BELL WEEKLY: Army recruitment drive PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our top story is about an enormous military recruitment drive in Russia seeking to attract hundreds of thousands of soldiers. We also look at reports that the children of the Russian elite are fighting on the frontlines in Ukraine and another spat between different factions of Russia’
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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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