Russia's National Welfare Fund accounts for almost 12% of GDP

Russia's National Welfare Fund accounts for almost 12% of GDP.

Police arresting activists ahead of Saturday’s demonstration in support of Navalny

Russian Interior Ministry forces (MVD) have been detaining activists organising and promoting the country-wide protests planned for this weekend by jailed anti-corruption blogger and opposition activist Alexei Navalny.

Biden seeking a five-year extension to START II missile treaty

The freshly minted US President Joe Biden intends to ask Russia for a five-year extension to the crucial START II missile treaty, one of the pillars of the Cold War international security infrastructure that is due to expire in February.

Russian consumer confidence index drops q/q, y/y in 4Q20

Rosstat has published its quarterly consumer confidence index (CCI), which showed a q/q and y/y deterioration. The index fell to -26% in 4Q20 vs. -22% in 3Q20, whereas the level a year ago was -13%.

M&A in Central and Eastern Europe fell 16% in value in 2020, says CMS report

COVID-19 blighted dealmaking in 2020 but a strong Q4 indicates a sharp rebound this year.

Russia’s grain harvest may fall to 131mn tonnes in 2021 from 133mn tonnes in 2020

ING: Russia balance of payments: supportive of ruble in the near-term, but risks for 2H21 mount.

Russia's current account surplus was relatively strong in 4Q20 on merchandise exports and services imports, but it could be in trouble in the second half of this year, along with the ruble

Jailed Russian opposition activist Navalny drops Putin corruption investigation bomb on his second day home

Anti-corruption blogger and activist Alexei Navalny had hardly been in jail for 24 hours when he dropped a bomb on the Russian public: a two-hour long documentary on his investigation into the corruption network surrounding Vladimir Putin.

Russian opposition activist Navalny calls for supporters to take to the streets this weekend

Jailed anti-corruption blogger and opposition activist Alexei Navalny calls on Russians across the country to take to the streets this weekend, Saturday January 23. “Do not be silent. Resist. Take to the streets – not for me, but for you."

Alexei Navalny arrested on arrival as he returns home

Russian opposition leader was arrested at passport control as he returned home after spending five months in Germany recovering from a poison attack.

LONG READ: The oligarch problem

Andrew Meier had a good joke about the problems post-Soviet countries face with their oligarchs: "What is to be done with those who are to blame."

One of Russia’s biggest wood product companies, Segezha could be Sistema’s next IPO

Segezha is Russia's biggest pulp and paper company. Owned by multi-industry conglomerate Sistema, the company could be the next up in the groups string of IPOs

COVID-19 and Trump’s indifference helped human rights abusers in 2020

2020 was a bad year for human rights around the world, but the US’ upcoming Biden presidency is an opportunity for change, says Human Rights Watch.

Durov rejects Western funds’ offer to buy 5%-10% of Telegram with $30bn valuation

Russia’s most famous tech entrepreneur and the creator of the Telegram messaging service has rejected an offer by Western funds to buy a 5%-10% stake in the company with a valuation of $30bn.

The volume of the Russian National Wealth Fund tops $183.93bn as gold overtakes dollar asset for first time

The volume of the Russian National Wealth Fund in December 2020 increased by RUB89bn ($1.21bn) to reach RUB13.546 trillion ($183.93bn) as of January 1 as the share of gold in reserves overtook dollar assets for the first time ever.

EU to begin certifying Russian Sputnik V vaccine for use in Europe

Russia will begin the process of certifying its Sputnik V vaccine for use in Europe on January 19, according to Kirill Dmitriev, director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) that funded the development of the medicine.

Russia’s Watcom shopping index recovers some ground in December, still down by half on previous year

Russia’s Watcom shopping index, which measures foot traffic in Moscow’s major shopping malls, recovered some of the ground lost after the second wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic started, but it is still down by half on last year.

Lukashenko: I am no enemy of the people

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has but one friend in the world and, in his own words, that person is Vladimir Putin, he told famous Russian reporter Nailya Asker-Zade.

COMMENT: Record high debt levels will slow post-coronavirus recovery, threaten some countries' financial stability, says IIF

The global economy starts 2021 with record amounts of debt that will slow the recovery and could destabilise some countries, the Institute of International Finance warned.

Armenia’s PM cautions conflict with Azerbaijan “still not settled” after trilateral meeting with Putin

Nikol Pashinian nevertheless agrees to Armenian, Azerbaijani, Russian working group to unblock regional economic and transport links.