East-West Digital News

Founded in 2011, East-West Digital News is an online resource dedicated to the Russian high tech industry — providing fresh news, market research and business consulting services. Its news service and publications were suspended in 2022 as a consequence of Russia’s war on Ukraine and the subsequent international isolation.

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East-West Digital News suspends Russian tech news coverage

East-West Digital News was founded back in 2011 to provide international audiences with quality information about Russia’s emerging tech industries — from startup and venture developments, to e-commerce, to mobile, to software development and much more.    Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and the West responded with unprecedented sanctions, this mission has become more …

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100,000 IT professionals left Russia this year, minister acknowledges

While IT brain drain is not new in Russia, the trend has accelerated dramatically in 2022 following Russia’s war on Ukraine, the subsequent international sanctions and new waves of political repression across the country.  Speaking at the Russian parliament on December 20, digitalization minister Maksut Shadaev provided his estimate of the number of IT professionals …

100,000 IT professionals left Russia this year, minister acknowledges Read More

Apple to close Moscow office 9 months after stopping official product sales in Russia

Apple is seeking to terminate a lease on its Moscow office, according to real estate sources cited by Russian media. The US firm had opened this corporate office just just before Russia began its war on Ukraine: at that time, in early February 2022,  Apple was first company to comply with new regulations requiring foreign technology firms to localize their operations in …

Apple to close Moscow office 9 months after stopping official product sales in Russia Read More

Kicksharing service Whoosh completes Russia’s first IPO of the year

Russia saw Wednesday its first IPO since the war in Ukraine began with local kicksharing service Whoosh raising 2.1 billion rubles ($32.6 million at the current exchange rate) on the Moscow exchange.  The IPO valued the company at 20.6 billion rubles ($320 million). This is a very honorable performance for a Russian startup launched in …

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640,000 websites are currently blocked in Russia, reports NGO

Russia has blocked an average of 4,900 websites per week so far in 2022, according to Roskomsvoboda, an internet freedom NGO. According to Roskomsvoboda’s report, published Monday by the Kommersant business daily, authorities restricted 14,800 websites last week alone — the highest total in a single week in several years. While it did not name potential …

640,000 websites are currently blocked in Russia, reports NGO Read More

Russian investors seek assistance in darknet to recover blocked crypto assets

Service offers to release Russian investors’ assets blocked on international crypto exchanges are springing up in the darknet, reports Russian business daily Kommersant. Among the methods used are the transfer of the funds to an unblocked account, the renewal of accounts submitting fake KYC information, etc. The cost of such services may vary between 35% and …

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Russian VC market in crisis: volumes and valuations fell sharply in 2022

Russia’s venture market, which hardly even reached $1 billion in pre-war years, is enduring hard times.  In the first half of 2022, it fell by almost 40% in volume, according to industry research agency DSight, cited by industry news site PlusWorld. Company valuations in the tech sector have fallen dramatically, according to a study from Skolkovo and Tinkoff Private. …

Russian VC market in crisis: volumes and valuations fell sharply in 2022 Read More

Why Russia’s cyber-war in Ukraine has been intense, but not always effective

Shaping the battlefield. Darius, king of Persia, did it in 331bc, with caltrops strewn where he thought his enemy Alexander the Great would advance. The Allies did it in 1944, with dummy aircraft and landing craft intended to fool Germany’s high command into thinking their invasion of France would be in the Pas de Calais, …

Why Russia’s cyber-war in Ukraine has been intense, but not always effective Read More

Yandex could dismantle itself amid domestic and international pressure

Yandex, arguably the most successful and emblematic Russian digital company over the past 25 years, could be split amid the international and domestic tensions that have followed Russia’s attack on Ukraine on Feb. 24.  Confirming earlier media reports (FT, NYT, The Bell), Yandex announced Friday it had “commenced a strategic process to review options to restructure the …

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Slush revokes €1 million prize from Russian founded-startup after international outcry

Yesterday Immigram, a UK-based but Russian-founded tech immigration platform, opted out from the Slush competition, just a couple of days after winning the first prize.  Almost simultaneously, Slush formally revoked the win “in light of new information on the extent of [Immigram’s] operations in Russia.” The attribution of the Slush prize to a Russian-founded startup had shocked a number of …

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Russian-founded tech migration platform wins €1 million at Slush, spurring controversy over solidarity with Ukraine

Immigram, a UK-based tech immigration platform, has won first prize at Slush, Helsinki’s yearly top tech event.  The Russian-founded startup will receive €1 million in investment coming from top global investors including Accel, General Catalyst, Lightspeed, NEA and Northzone.  Immigram had raised half a million just six months ago, earning trust from Joint Journey and Xploration …

Russian-founded tech migration platform wins €1 million at Slush, spurring controversy over solidarity with Ukraine Read More

Skolkovo opens representative office in India

As Russia is actively seeking alternative technological partners to circumvent western sanctions, Skolkovo, a major Russian tech hub, is opening a representative office in New Delhi, India. The office will help Indian companies and Skolkovo startups develop cooperation, promote Skolkovo’s international services, organize visits, business events, consultations, as well as educational and research programs.  It …

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