Danske Bank has found itself at the centre of a storm over findings that its Estonian branch acted as the hub of a money laundering scheme involving Russian and Eastern European customers. As criminal inquiries gather pace, the bank’s head office, Estonian subsidiary and the regulator should all take some blame for the scandal.
Just weeks after the UK government disclosed the names of the two Russian men alleged to have poisoned Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, an investigative journalism collective claimed to have revealed their ‘true’ identities. Using the kinds of sophisticated open source research techniques deployed across the corporate intelligence sector,…
Following the arrest of a North Caucasian kidnap for ransom gang in the Moscow region, Tim Geschwindt assesses the latest kidnapping trends in Russia, and examines the threat to businesspeople operating in the country.
Whilst the World Cup is a target for both football hooligans and militant groups like Islamic State (‘IS’), several initiatives to strengthen the capabilities of the security forces are likely to mitigate the risks of terrorism and hooliganism at the tournament, writes Tim Geschwindt.
Analysis by Andrew Wychrij.
After Putin’s unsurprising victory in the Russian presidential election on 18 March, focus has shifted to expectations for Putin’s fourth, and officially last, term in office. With few catalysts for change present in the Russian political landscape, inertia in the domestic sphere and uncertainty in foreign policy is likely to characterise Putin’s fourth…
It is premature to assume that the bromance between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will result in sustained, positive relations between the US and Russia, writes Saif Islam.
The outcome of the 2016 US presidential elections next week will define the West's relationship with Russia for years to come. Many observers have speculated that Hillary Clinton's hardline stance on Russia could worsen relations with the Kremlin, while the election of Trump – who has publicly praised President Putin – would lead to rapprochement. However,…
Reform and regime consolidation in Uzbekistan share much of the same path, what comes next is key, writes Tim Geschwindt.
Three major anti-government demonstrations since early 2017 have taken the Kremlin by surprise, but they are highly unlikely to challenge regime stability, writes Tim Geschwindt.