
Bacardi breaks its promise to end trade with Russia, sees profits triple PRO Members Public
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, alcohol manufacturer Bacardi International announced that it would stop exporting its alcoholic beverages to Russia and freeze investment and promotion programs. However, over the past year, Bacardi's Russian subsidiary has experienced a threefold increase in profits. * In March of

Prigozhin abandons media empire following failed mutiny PRO Members Public
Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin faces disgrace after his failed mutiny on June 23-24. As a result, he is rushing to dispose of his assets, including the Patriot media group — which encompasses the Internet Research Agency, widely known as a "troll factory.” Hunt for trolls Prigozhin owns multiple news

THE BELL WEEKLY: Prigozhin’s Patriot Media Group closes up shop PRO Members Public
Hello! This week, our main story is about the end of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s media empire. We also look into Bacardi’s ongoing business presence in Russia despite the company’s promise to halt all exports to Russia and freeze investments and advertising. Finally, we talk with political scientist Grigory

Bacardi reneges on promise to quit Russia, sees profits triple PRO Members Public
After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, alcohol manufacturer Bacardi International announced that it would cease exporting its alcoholic drink range to Russia and would freeze investment and promotion programs. However, the pledge to halt supplies disappeared from the press release soon after and, over the past year, the profits

The trans community is the latest to fall victim to Russian state repression PRO Members Public
While much of the world is celebrating Pride month in support and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, Russia is preparing changes to legislation that would prohibit gender transition. Russian lawmakers explain these changes as protection of “traditional values” and “national interests.” But in reality, it means that the lives of

How Russia’s most mysterious retailer is building its business in the West PRO Members Public
For most Russian businesses, following the invasion of Ukraine, it’s better to forget about any plans to expand into Europe. However, one Russian company is continuing its efforts to conquer the European market despite the war. Svetofor, founded by Krasnoyarsk’s Schneider brothers, remains Russia’s most mysterious retailer.

Russia sends ‘nuclear’ signals to the West PRO Members Public
Nuclear threats have probably not been debated so widely in Russia all year as they are being debated now. Last week, there were several reasons why the country’s atomic arsenal was back in the news. Sergei Karaganov, an international affairs expert known in the West for his Kremlin ties,

THE BELL WEEKLY: Russia sends ‘nuclear’ signals to the West PRO Members Public
Hello! This week, our main story is a look into the expansion of a budget Russian supermarket chain in Europe despite the war in Ukraine. We also look at the return of nuclear threats to Putin’s rhetoric and Russian lawmakers’ latest efforts to pass draconian anti-LGBT legislation. Russia sends

Why is the Kremlin quiet about drone attacks on Moscow and raids in the border regions? PRO Members Public
In the first year or so since Russia invaded Ukraine, the war barely touched the home front. However, that has changed sharply since May: Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow and the surrounding region, while Ukrainian artillery fire forced the evacuation of Shebekino, a town of 40,000 people near the border.

The first week of Ukraine’s counteroffensive fails to deliver a clear outcome PRO Members Public
The first week of Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive has not brought any tangible results, nor even any clear vision of how events might develop in the future. Russia’s Defense Ministry produces daily reports of how Ukrainian attacks are repelled and, more importantly, how much Western equipment was destroyed. However,