Eastern Europe / Tech
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Russia's illegal video services market on the rise
Four years after the exit of Hollywood majors following the invasion of Ukraine, Russians still want to watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters
Ukraine tops the world for crypto use per person as volumes hit $206bn
Ukrainians trade more cryptocurrency per head than anyone else on earth. What they mostly do not do is trade it under Ukrainian law.
Russia's ruble stablecoin has turned over $140bn since launch, its sponsor bank says
A ruble-backed stablecoin built by a sanctioned Russian defence bank has handled nearly $140bn of turnover since it was created 18 months ago.
Ukraine adds a cyberattack to its drone campaign against Russia's Wildberries
Ukraine has spent a month setting fire to Wildberries warehouses. Last week it went after the checkout instead.
Russia's e-commerce turnover rises 19% to RUB7.2 trillion in H1 2026
Russia's e-commerce turnover reached RUB7.2 trillion ($90.8bn) in the first half of 2026, up 18.7% year on year, Vedomosti reported on August 11, citing the Association of Internet Trade Companies (AKIT).
Russia builds Rassvet satellite network to replace lost Starlink access
Bureau 1440, a Russian aerospace company, is developing a low-Earth-orbit broadband network called Rassvet as a domestic alternative to Starlink, the US-built system Russian forces themselves used, informally, earlier in the war...
Russia builds crypto infrastructure, adopts regulation
Russia's Sber is launching crypto trading infrastructure against the backdrop of tightening Western sanctions.
Kazakhstan may face sanctions risks from drone-hit Wildberries expansion, say observers
Chances Ukraine would attack logistics of ecommerce giant moved to Russia's neighbour seen as "zero", but dual-use items in stock would be a worry.
Russia's mobile internet 'whitelist' mode has quietly become permanent
Russia's mobile internet 'whitelist' mode - restricting access to a government-approved list of services - has shifted from an emergency drone-defence measure into a permanent feature of daily life, with only 30.5% of mobile sessions in central...
Putin signs law bringing Russia's crypto market under central bank licensing
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on August 4 that for the first time comprehensively regulates the circulation of digital currencies and digital rights in Russia, TASS reported, establishing comprehensive digital currency rules.
Russia's Starlink rival Rassvet is operational over Ukraine
Russia's Rassvet satellites, operated by Bureau 1440, now provide at least two communication windows of more than an hour each per day over Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi and cited by military analyst Rob Lee on August 1.
Russia puts Telegram founder Pavel Durov on international wanted list over terrorism allegations
Russia has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with assisting terrorist activity and begun procedures to place him on an international wanted list, sharply escalating the Kremlin’s confrontation with Russia's most famous tech guru.
Russia is not even a contender in the global AI race
Russia and its tech sector are largely absent from the global conversation about artificial intelligence, despite a historical track record of technological breakthroughs and a highly qualified workforce.
Russia adopts AI regulations, lags behind in the race
Russia has adopted a law aimed at regulating artificial intelligence in the country, inadvertently admitting that the country has next to nothing in the area of "sovereign AI."
Russia weighs turning Gosuslugi state services portal into social network
Russia's government is weighing plans to turn the Gosuslugi state services portal into a social network with family chats, local communities and news feeds, drawing on its 120mn verified users under a strategy running to 2035.
Three crypto protocols lose $35.55mn in day of bridge exploits
Three crypto protocols lost $35.55mn in 24 hours, with AFX Trade drained of $24.15mn after bridge validator keys were compromised. July hack losses have reached roughly $97mn, ahead of June's $75.32mn.
Turkish readywear retailer Koton’s stock damaged by Ukrainian bombing of Wildberries warehouses in Russia
Following the exodus of Western retailers from Russia as the Kremlin ignited a full-scale war in Ukraine, Turkish apparel chains stepped in aggressively to grab market share.
Russian disinformation campaign fails to fan flames of Ukrainian Defence Minister Fedorov sacking
Analysis of 6,947 publications suggests street protests shifted blame for defence minister’s dismissal towards army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, activist group PoshukaAi found in a study.
Xi positions China to challenge US grip on global AI rules
President Xi Jinping used the opening of China's flagship AI summit on July 17 to portray Beijing as an alternative rule-setter for artificial intelligence, unveiling a new intergovernmental body and a package of aid for developing nations.
Turkish Black Sea villager takes washed-up Russian drone home after “AI safety check”
Reassured UAV contains no explosives, scrap hunter, wife and grandchild grab it by the wings.