Russia · Daily Brief
- 20 August 2026 (Week 34) - Kremlin slashes citizenship fees in Georgian Russia-occupied territories, Moldovan Transnistria; President Putin orders state support to rebuild warehouses.
Barbershop Whispers....Russia
All Things Russia with a Focus on Russian Business and Geopolitics.
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Russia Weekly Brief:
Week 34: 17 August 2026 - The Yabloko party threatens to disrupt Russia's managed Duma elections; Petrol rations are back; Ukrainian drones cap Russia's refinery capacity.
Relaxing Summer 2026 Books: More Russia, Asimov, and the Brothers Strugatsky
Russia, Russia...and More Russia | Isaac Asimov & Strugatsky Brothers
Russia · Daily Brief
- 14 August 2026 (Week 33) - Prosecutors seek 12-year prison for Yabloko Party leader; Putin in naval commander uniform; Ukrainian drones strike Ust-Luga oil terminal, again; and crypto raids.
Russia · Daily Brief
- 13 August 2026 (Week 33) - Prosecutors seek 9.5-year prison sentence in absentia for Rolf founder Sergei Petrov; Putin visits Kuril Islands; Orsk refinery closes for six months.
Russia · Daily Brief
- 12 August 2026 (Week 33) - Ukraine strikes largest Siberian petrochemical plant ~2,200 km from border; Putin threatens EU with retaliatory action over seizure of Russian shadow tankers.
Russia Weekly Brief:
Week 33: 10 August 2026 - Rosatom staffing Iranian nuclear plant, frequent Ukrainian drone attacks impact key oil infrastructure, and the Russian armed forces may be back in Syria.
Marching Toward the Abyss II: Mobilization
Dear BWR Shoeshiners and Barbers!
Russia · Daily Brief
- 06 August 2026 (Week 32) - Potemkin fuel pricing during Putin's visits, Ukrainian long-range sanctions drive Russian oil refineries' capacity to a 24-year low, and mobilization anxiety grows.
Russia · Daily Brief
- 05 August 2026 (Week 32) - Russian Ministry of Defense field leadership changes, Wildberries warehouses burn, and the Kremlin formalizes its legal basis for seizing exiled Russian assets.
Russia Weekly Brief:
Week 32: 03 August 2026 - Four Wildberries & six oil refineries hit by Ukrainian drones, but who is counting? Astana in talks with Moscow to process Russian crude and ship back petrol and diesel.
Chingiz Khan Heir Whispers into the Tsar’s Ear
A Kremlin consumed by Ukraine can no longer keep the steppe on a short leash — and Tokayev, courting the foreign devils, means to test the slack.
Russia · Daily Brief
- 31 July 2026 (Week 31) - Ukraine's long-range sanctions operation continues to strike oil refineries and Wildberries warehouses. Russia is in talks with Kazakhstan for oil processing services.
Russia · Daily Brief
- 30 July 2026 (Week 31) - A stray Russian missile lands in Poland, Ukraine continues attacks on giant online platform Wildberries, and tax authorities squeeze citizen Petrovich to find the war.
Russia · Daily Brief
- 29 July 2026 (Week 31) - Russia issues an arrest warrant for Telegram founder Pavel Durov. Pavel sent a diplomatic notice. Ukrainian drones hit Wildberries again.
Russia · Daily Brief
- 28 July 2026 (Week 31) - US President hosts Ukrainian President Zelensky today in US, Tuymen region struck by Ukrainian Drones and Mother Nature, and Pashinyan seeks relief from Russian tariffs.
Russia Weekly Brief:
Week 31: 27 July 2026 - Kazakh President Tokayev publicly calls for a ceasefire in the Russo-Ukrainian War; Wildberries warehouses burnt to the ground bring War to Citizen Petrovich.
Squeezing Ivan Petrovich…to Infinity
Ivan Petrovich complied with Putin's Social Contract — silence for stability. What he is getting in return is body bags, inflation, taxes, and burning warehouses filled with his livelihood.
Russia · Daily Brief
- 24 July 2026 (Week 30) - CBR cuts key interest rate, Wildberries warehouses are struck again, Putin visits aircraft manufacturer in Irkutsk, and Zelensky-Trump meeting is scheduled for 28 July.
Russia · Daily Brief
- 21 July 2026 (Week 30) - State Duma strengthens asset seizure laws applied to Russian exiles, Russian missiles strike a grain carrier killing Indian crew, and Italian diplomats expelled.
Russia Weekly Brief:
Week 30: 20 July 2026