
Yandex founder tells The Bell about his new business PRO Members Public
After months of negotiations, Yandex has completed its break-up — splitting into a Russian arm that will keep the name, and the vast majority of the company’s revenues, employees and services; and an international division, to be headed up by its founder, Russian tech tycoon Arkady Volozh. In his only

THE BELL WEEKLY. ‘More than hype’: Yandex founder bets on AI PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we spoke to Yandex founder Arkady Volozh about his new business venture following the multi-billion-dollar break-up of the Russian tech giant. We also look at how a university appointment reveals the Kremlin’s deepening control over the most liberal corners of higher education. Yandex founder tells The

Russia’s 650,000 wartime emigres PRO Members Public
Bonjour ! Bienvenue dans votre guide hebdomadaire de l'économie russe, rédigé par Denis Kasyanchuk et Alexandra Prokopenko et présenté par The Bell. Notre sujet principal est l'étude de The Bell sur l'exode des Russes à la suite de l'invasion de l'Ukraine. Nous nous penchons également sur les maux de tête de la Banque centrale de Russie.

Jet crash prompts speculation over Russia’s import substitution drive PRO Members Public
Last Friday, a Russian Sukhoi Superjet (SSJ) 100 passenger aircraft crashed near Moscow, killing all three crew members on board. The plane was flying to Moscow’s Vnukovo airport after having undergone repair work. First developed in the 2000s, the model never took off with airlines either abroad or at

Russia cancels national ID cards for anti-war exiles PRO Members Public
It seems that the Russian authorities have found a new way of pressuring opposition activists who left the country: annulling their internal passports — effectively a national ID card. So far a few cases have emerged and it is not clear whether this will be a widespread measure. But the potential

Russia puts the brakes on YouTube, WhatsApp PRO Members Public
After abandoning plans to block popular Western internet services, the Russian authorities have now moved to trying to slow them down. This week it emerged that YouTube was being throttled — a platform where millions of Russians watch reports and interviews from independent journalists undermining the Kremlin’s case for its

THE BELL WEEKLY: The Kremlin versus YouTube PRO Members Public
Hello! This week we cover Russian authorities slowing down traffic to YouTube and WhatsApp. We also look at the latest targeting of anti-war exiles and why a plane crash has shone a light on Russia’s import substitution drive. Russia puts the brakes on YouTube, WhatsApp After abandoning plans to

Russia’s acute labor shortage 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 top story is a deep dive into Russia’s wartime labor shortage, and what’s driving it. We also look at some Western successes targeting

Russia ends subsidized mortgages, leaving a housing bubble and inequality behind PRO Members Public
On July 1, Russia halted its preferential mortgage program after awarding loans to millions of people at interest rates of up to 8% — half the Central Bank’s current base rate. The program was first introduced to support the real estate market during the Covid pandemic, but ultimately proved hugely

Award-winning director and playwright sentenced to six years PRO Members Public
A Russian military court on Monday put a grim end to one of the most high-profile political cases of the last year. Director Yevgenia Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petriychuk were sentenced to six years in prison on charges of “justifying terrorism.” The case is designed to become a demonstrative example