“NORMAL LIFE” IN ST PETERSBURG BELIES RUSSIA’S HEAVY FIGHTING WITH UKRAINE

The captivating sense of calmness, the throngs of people milling about and the huge traffic volumes throughout St Petersburg belies the reality that Russia is in a state of war. St Petersburg is a sprawling cosmopolitan city. It is regarded as the mecca of Russia’s culture and heritage, an epicentre of values as well as […]

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2022, GEOPOLITICAL FACTORS HAVE CEASED TO BE ONE OF THE KEY CHALLENGES FOR RUSSIAN BUSINESS

For the first time since 2022, geopolitical factors have ceased to be one of the key challenges for Russian business. The Roscongress Foundation, together with the consulting company Yakov & Partners, the all-Russian public organizations Delovaya Rossiya and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, prepared a research report on the impact of geopolitical challenges […]

ANTON KOBYAKOV IS RUSSIA’S RISING FORCE WITH PENCHANT TO “SAIL UNDER THE RADAR”

Anton Kobyakov, remember the name! He is a soft-spoken, erudite and affable Russian politician who serves as an adviser to the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. He also serves at the highest echelons of Roscongress, a state-owned enterprise responsible for various strategic initiatives, including international events assemble and management as well. The unassuming Kobyakov holds a […]

“THE DOMINANCE OF THE WEST IS OVER,” SAYS RUSSIA’S PRESIDENT PUTIN

Russian President Vladimir Putin sounded like a man on a mission to change the world. But any thoughts of Putin toying with the international world order needs a quick rethink because, in his own words, he is not. Instead, Putin told a packed St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) this week that he is merely […]

DEP PRESIDENT MASHATILE VOWS TO IMPROVE POOR TRADE BETWEEN SA AND RUSSIA

Trade relations between South Africa and Russia are woefully inadequate, struggling to reach 1 billion dollars per annum. This was revealed in remarks by the Deputy President Paul Mashatile in a press conference during his working visit to Russia this week. Mashatile was attending the annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) along with a […]