Legal

Russian authorities vs. Twitter: Threat of censorship over, or just over for now?

May 27, 2014

The Russian government demonstrated earlier this month that it not only knows how to obstruct Internet freedom, but also uphold it. A high-level government official who appeared to have threatened to block Twitter in Russia has been officially reprimanded. Maxim Ksenzov, the Deputy Director of Roskomnadzor, the Russian telecom market watchdog, complained on May 16 …

Russian authorities vs. Twitter: Threat of censorship over, or just over for now? Read More

New rules on user identification may significantly affect cross-border payments from Russia

May 23, 2014

On May 16, amendments to the Russian legislation on payments came into force with potentially far-reaching consequences for e-payment and e-commerce companies working with Russian customers – including those operating from abroad. The amendments, included in an “anti-terrorism” package adopted by the Russian parliament on May 5, make user identification mandatory for electronic payments in …

New rules on user identification may significantly affect cross-border payments from Russia Read More

Medvedev on Russia’s response to the West’s “Soviet” approach to business

May 20, 2014

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has spoken out on a number of internet and business related issues in a wide-ranging interview with Bloomberg’s Ryan Chilcote. In the run up to the St Petersburg Economic Forum, which will go ahead without many Western CEOs warned by their governments to stay away, Medvedev accuses the West of …

Medvedev on Russia’s response to the West’s “Soviet” approach to business Read More

Visa, MasterCard better off quitting Russia, Morgan Stanley says

May 15, 2014

New legislation placing foreign payment service providers under the thumb of Russian regulators is so damaging to Visa and MasterCard that the two U.S. companies might be better off abandoning the Russian market, according to research by investment bank Morgan Stanley. Compliance with the new law will cost Visa and MasterCard at least $2.9 billion, …

Visa, MasterCard better off quitting Russia, Morgan Stanley says Read More

On the blogosphere, in classrooms and across Internet service providers, Russian authorities introduce new restrictions to Internet freedom

May 12, 2014

The Russian-language Internet, which had remained an area of relatively free expression until recently, may soon see its landscape thoroughly reshaped. Haunted by newly resurrected images of the West as an adversary both on and offline, the federal authorities are putting together a package of new internet restrictions, which opposition-minded observers see as the prelude …

On the blogosphere, in classrooms and across Internet service providers, Russian authorities introduce new restrictions to Internet freedom Read More

New law establishes national control of bank card transactions – without banning Visa and Mastercard

April 29, 2014

This past Friday, the Russian State Duma passed a law to create a national payment card system, the Russian news agency Interfax reported. The law took the form of amendments to existing legislation adopted in 2011. The new rules will ensure “uninterrupted transfers of monetary funds within the payment system on the territory of Russia,” …

New law establishes national control of bank card transactions – without banning Visa and Mastercard Read More

Pavel Durov flees lawsuits, not politics, claims UCP

December 21, 2015

Last week, following Pavel Durov’s dismissal as CEO and exit from Russia – a country which he now judges “incompatible with Internet business,” – Vkontakte shareholder United Capital Partners (UCP) released a statement about these latest developments. The fund, which acquired a 48% stake in the social network one year ago, describes Durov’s move as “an attempt to present …

Pavel Durov flees lawsuits, not politics, claims UCP Read More

VKontakte shareholders sue each other: Will Durov take back UCP’s stake or will UCP take control of Durov’s Telegram?

April 10, 2014

What started a year ago as a shareholder dispute within VKontakte (VK.com), Russia’s largest social network, appears to be emerging as a full-blown war of litigation. The faction most actively fanning the legal flames is United Capital Partners (UCP), a major Russian fund active in various sectors that acquired a 48% stake in VK a …

VKontakte shareholders sue each other: Will Durov take back UCP’s stake or will UCP take control of Durov’s Telegram? Read More

Global record labels take Vkontakte into Russian court as music piracy continues

April 9, 2014

Three international music record labels have taken the offensive in another attempt to challenge online piracy in Russia, international industry association IFPI reported. Once again the target is Vkontakte (also known as VK.com), the former Soviet Union’s third most visited website and leading social network. Sony Music Russia, Universal Music Russia and Warner Music UK filed three separate …

Global record labels take Vkontakte into Russian court as music piracy continues Read More

Russia considers switching to national payment system after Visa, Mastercard block US-sanctioned Russian banks

March 24, 2014

Last week saw the international turmoil around Ukraine and Crimea affect Russia’s banking system, as the bank card operations of several US-sanctioned Russian banks were blocked by Visa and Mastercard. Seven Russian banks were involved in the suspension, reported Russia Today, citing Timur Batyrev, head of the national payment system department at the Central Bank …

Russia considers switching to national payment system after Visa, Mastercard block US-sanctioned Russian banks Read More

Russo-Finnish consortium halts Siberian LTE equipment manufacturing

March 17, 2014

Rusnano, Russia’s nanotech giant, Tomsk-based Micran, a major electronics manufacturer, and Finland’s Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN) are shutting down Wireless Technology Center (WTC), their joint LTE base station facility in Tomsk. Russian media have offered the lack of legal endorsement by national regulators as an explanation for the move. A year ago WTC equipment …

Russo-Finnish consortium halts Siberian LTE equipment manufacturing Read More

Scroll to Top

This site is under maintenance. Sorry for the inconvenience.

This site is under maintenance. Sorry for the inconvenience.