
THE BELL WEEKLY: Russia’s patience with YouTube running out PRO Members Public
Hello! Welcome to our final weekly newsletter of the year! This week we look at how Russia is moving closer to blocking YouTube, the country’s most popular video site. Putin weighs in on YouTube slowdown debate After the invasion of Ukraine, many Russians turned to YouTube as their primary

The Russian economy in 9 graphs PRO Members Public
Bonjour ! Bienvenue dans votre guide hebdomadaire de l'économie russe, rédigé par Alexandra Prokopenko et Alexander Kolyandr et présenté par The Bell. Alors que l'année touche à sa fin, nous prenons du recul pour évaluer l'état de l'économie russe en 9 graphiques différents. Nous avons également

Putin and Belousov warn NATO: Russia is preparing for war PRO Members Public
Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Andrei Belousov delivered their end-of-year report to a giant defense ministry conference on Monday, hailing the state of affairs at the front and in the rear. They talked about the latest successes in the Ukraine invasion, the increase in military spending and Russia’s preparations

‘Silent’ tech layoffs despite massive labour shortages PRO Members Public
As the year comes to an end, Russian companies are laying off IT staff. Back in 2022, the government and employers were bending over backwards to keep them in the country, offering exemption from military service, preferential mortgages and pay rises. But two-decade-high interest rates are taking a toll: despite

Russian “foreign agents” to lose property and asset income PRO Members Public
Russia’s authorities continue to crack down on opposition figures and journalists they have designated “foreign agents.” In the latest set of measures, they will be barred from earning income on their Russian assets, with proposed bans on collecting money from the sale or rental of property, through dividends or

THE BELL WEEKLY: Russia targets foreign agents’ income, again PRO Members Public
Hello! This week our main story looks at new measures to bar more income streams for “foreign agents.” We also look at a wave of under-the-radar IT layoffs and Russia saying it is preparing for a direct conflict with NATO. Russian “foreign agents” to lose property and asset income Russia’

Tough choices for Russia’s Central Bank 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 our top story is about the Central Bank’s upcoming decision on whether to raise interest rates and risk the ire of government and

Ruble stabilizes after latest sanctions slump PRO Members Public
The ruble has recovered from a sudden devaluation last month, which was largely tied to liquidity problems in the wake of US sanctions against dozens of Russian banks — chiefly Gazprombank. The value of the currency against both the dollar and the yuan, on various measures, had reached its worst level

PR man appointed Kursk governor PRO Members Public
Russia’s Kursk Region, partially occupied by Ukrainian forces, has got its second new governor in under a year. The Russian army has failed to recapture the region since Ukrainian troops stormed across the border in August, and it faces a social catastrophe which has forced residents into rare public

How did the Kremlin squander Syria PRO Members Public
After more than 20 years in power, Syrian president Bashir Assad saw his regime collapse in the space of two dramatic weeks. Russia, mired in its own war in Ukraine, did not come to the rescue, largely leaving him to face the country’s opposition forces alone. Nine years ago