Features
Hungary's dependence on Russian energy will make ending those ties very painful
Viktor Orban opposes energy sanctions on Moscow because Hungary is so dependent on Russian supplies, but it is his regime that has deepened those energy links.
EXPLAINER: Poland’s rule of law crisis
The Polish parliamentary debate on how to overhaul the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court to address Brussels’ criticisms could lead to a showdown inside the governing coalition.
Russia on fire: Is Ukraine giving Moscow a taste of its own medicine?
A decade-long secret war is reaching its boiling point as mysterious explosions ripple throughout the Russian Federation.
Young Moldovans respond to Transnistria blasts with anger, sadness and resignation
Four young women from Moldova and Transnistria tell bne IntelliNews how a series of unexplained attacks in the separatist republic affected their lives.
Serbia’s pro-Russian media turn on Putin
Russia risks losing one of its last remaining European friends after President Vladimir Putin hints Moscow may drop support for Serbia on Kosovo issue.
INVESTIGATION: New evidence raises questions over the EU’s decision to sanction Russian oligarch Usmanov’s sister
On April 8 the EU added Saodat Narzieva, the sister of Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, to the personal sanctions list after Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), claimed she controls 27 Swiss accounts holding more than $2bn.
Kremlin ‘attack dog’ unsettles Kazakhs who fear Russia’s territorial ambitions
Talk show anchor who suggested Kazakhstan might suffer same fate as Ukraine prompts memories of Vladimir Putin once stating that historically “the Kazakhs never had statehood”.
Kazakh businesses reliant on Russia for re-exports wary of knock-on effects of war sanctions
Traders in Kazakhstan, meanwhile, see opportunities in building up re-exports to the Russian market.
Uzbekistan’s multi-industry Orient Group getting ready to go to the next level
Orient Group is one of the three biggest companies in Uzbekistan with a 20-year track record in a wide variety of industries and sectors, and now the holding is getting ready to take its business to the next level. The holding has been flourishing.
OIES expert warns against gradual phase-out of Russian gas
EU efforts to gradually reduce Russian gas imports over time will only bolster Moscow’s revenues by driving prices upwards, Mike Fulwood, a senior fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES), warned in a paper.
What are Russian troops still doing in Belarus?
While the front line has moved to Eastern and Southern Ukraine, Russian troops still remain in Belarus. The question is, what are they still doing there? Moreover, what are the objectives of Lukashenko's revived dialogue initiatives with the West?
Expected IPOs of major state companies to revive Belgrade stock exchange
New start for the Belex after the government’s adoption of a capital markets development strategy and the Athens Stock Exchange’s acquisition of a 10.24% equity stake.
The Belarusian regime's "crypto friendliness"
The EU's latest sanctions package makes it harder for Russian and Belarusian actors to evade sanctions using cryptocurrencies. In light of this, it's also important to remember what the Belarusian regime's "crypto friendliness" is actually based on.
Layoffs, relocation, terminated projects and the brain drain in Russia’s IT sector
In mid-March, Hiroshi Makino, a venture capitalist, made the difficult choice to relocate his family and business from St Petersburg, Russia back to his home country of Japan.
RUmainers: the western companies still in Russia
Alongside hard-hitting sanctions, over 750 multinationals are voluntarily reducing operations in Russia. Those which remain are finding their decision increasingly difficult to justify, dealing with reputational damage and disrupted supply chains.
Is Ukraine’s heroic resistance on borrowed time?
Ukraine is rapidly depleting its Soviet era weapons stockpiles as well as “burning through a week’s worth of anti-tank munitions every day”, according to Bloomberg.
Moscow's race against time to divert energy exports from Europe to Asia
Europe’s unprecedented push to sever all energy ties with Russia has left Moscow scrambling to re-orientate its vast oil, gas and coal exports to Asian markets. But achieving such a monumental feat would likely take years and cost billions.
Newly formed Freedom Movement threatens to oust SDS in Slovenian general election
Polls put Prime Minister Janez Jansa’s rightwing SDS and the green centre-left Freedom Movement neck and neck — but the latter will find it easier to put together a coalition.
Gagauzia’s pro-Russian people open their arms to Ukrainian refugees
The majority of Gagauzians are pro-Russian and take Russia’s side in the war in Ukraine, but many are still offering aid to refugees from the conflict.
DON: Russia's Black Sea flagship Moskva sunk – the anatomy of a missile strike
On April 16 Moscow confirmed that its Black Sea flagship Moskva had sunk after the survivors of her crew of 500 men had abandoned ship. It is the biggest naval loss to enemy action since WWII and a major blow to Russia’s military prestige.
