The head of Russia’s top technology firm Yandex quit late Tuesday after being slapped with EU sanctions in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Brussels hit Yandex executive director and deputy CEO Tigran Khudaverdyan with an asset freeze and travel ban earlier in the day, citing the firm’s role in “hiding information” from the Russian …
Yandex top executive quits after surprise EU sanctions Read More
Russia has made some serious progress in import substitution, but the new technology sanctions will hit Russian industry hard. Some sanctions will have almost immediate effect. Take microchips, the Russia’s Achilles heel for decades. Despite all the country’s efforts — the Soviet Union even built a city for the sole purpose of solving the problem …
The US said Friday it will “probably not” try to kick Russia out of the SWIFT financial messaging system should Moscow invade Ukraine. Washington has threatened to levy “severe” sanctions on Moscow in the event it attacks Ukraine, promising a package of measures that could “devastate” the Russian economy. “All options remain on the table. …
Today’s Google doodle is an image of the Russian State Historical Museum, one of Russia’s oldest and most revered collections of Russian culture and history. It commemorates the museum’s 150th anniversary celebrated on Wednesday. The doodle was created by Russian-guest artist and Muscovite Toma Vagner. “I would like my doodle to serve as a reminder of this beautiful …
A Google doodle for the Russian State Historical Museum Read More
Apple has opened a representative office in Russia, the Russian Internet and Telecom regulator said Friday, becoming the first company to comply with new regulations requiring foreign technology firms to localize their operations in the country. Some 13 foreign technology companies are required to open local offices and fulfill a string of other technical requirements, like …
Global digital giants must go local: Apple opens representative office in Russia Read More
Despite this recent success and the abundance of arable farmland, some see the country as ripe for the introduction of new agricultural technology in the form of vertical farming — indoor industrial greenhouses that are heavy on technology, light on physical space and located close to cities and consumers. “Vertical farming is one of the …
In the world’s biggest country, vertical farming gains ground Read More
Bank of Russia proposed today to ban cryptocurrency investment and mining as governments around the world crack down on the decentralized currencies, citing a variety of threats including monetary stability. At the moment, conducting transactions with cryptocurrencies is illegal in Russia, but investing and buying crypto through exchanges is permitted under a recent change. Russian citizens’ transactions using decentralized …
No exchange, no investment, no mining: Russia’s central bank proposes triple ban on crypto Read More
Roskomnadzor, the Russian Internet and telecom regulator, will require Netflix to offer state television channels to its Russian customers after it added the U.S.-based streaming service to its register of “audio-visual services” Tuesday. Roskomnadzor’s register, which was created in late 2020, applies to online streaming services with over 100,000 daily users and requires them to comply …
Russia to require Netflix to stream state television broadcasts Read More
On Friday last week, Russia slapped tech giants Google and Meta with penalties totaling over $125 million for repeated failure to remove banned content, the media reported. A Moscow magistrate’s court fined Google 7.2 billion rubles (around $98 million at the current exchange rate) under a legal clause that allows courts to impose between 5% and …
Russia imposes record fines to Google, Meta for failing to remove banned content Read More
The United States could hamstring Russia’s smartphone and automobile imports if Moscow invades Ukraine, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing an unnamed Biden administration official. The “unprecedented” U.S. export control measures are expected to be discussed at a White House meeting Tuesday. Washington will also reportedly closely coordinate its steps with key European and Asian partners that could be …
US could cut off Russia’s smartphone, car imports over Ukraine invasion Read More
Belarusian banks are preparing for tougher Western sanctions by signing up to Russia’s alternative to SWIFT, the international financial messaging network that underpins the global banking system, Russia’s Moskovsky Komsomolets tabloid has reported. Russia’s System for Transfer of Financial Messages (SPFS) has more than 400 domestic users — practically every licensed Russian lender — but is …
Preparing to Western sanctions, Belarusian banks sign up to Russia’s alternative to SWIFT Read More
Like many significant political developments of late, the decision to block TOR came almost unannounced by the Russian authorities. TOR — an acronym for “The Onion Router” — is encryption software that allows users to stealthily surf the Internet and bypass locally imposed web restrictions. Russian internet users spotted the blocking of TOR, and it was only after …
