Analysis
Route Unavailable: Which Straits Control the Global Oil Trade?
An analysis of key maritime chokepoints in the global oil trade in 2026. How the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the blockade of Bab el-Mandeb, and Panama Canal disruptions are affecting prices and logistics. Data on volumes, insurance premiums, and alternative routes.
Kirill Netkachev18 min read
Opinion
Russia's Sovereign Digital Stack
In September 2026, Russia will simultaneously launch the digital ruble and enact its first cryptocurrency regulation law. This timing is no coincidence: it represents a deliberate sovereign strategy for digital currency adoption among major economies. With oil and gas revenues declining, the question becomes whether this digital infrastructure can help diversify the economy.
11 min read
Opinion
The Economics of Gambling
Проигрыш в азартных играх принято объяснять слабой силой воли. Но современная игровая индустрия давно строится не на удаче, а на достижениях психологии, нейробиологии и поведенческой экономики. Как казино и букмекерские приложения зарабатывают на особенностях человеческого мозга — в материале.
15 min read
Opinion
Lean Manufacturing 4.0
Classic lean manufacturing helped enterprises reduce waste and boost efficiency. Today, digital technologies are taking Lean to the next level, enabling companies not just to fix problems after the fact, but to prevent them before they occur. How digital twins, AI, and real-time analytics are transforming production processes—in this article.
9 min read
AnalysisThe Bill Without the Booze
An analysis of the 42.4% drop in restaurant alcohol sales in Russia during the first half of the year. How steep markups are changing consumer behavior and forcing restaurants to rethink their business model.
Yulia Ignatova5 min read
AnalysisCoal Falls Below 50%: How China Is Transforming Its Energy Sector
China is reshaping its energy landscape: coal-fired generation has dropped below 50% as renewables grow at record pace. An analysis of the energy transition in the world's largest economy.
Valeria Novoselova6 min read
AnalysisMajor on the Line: Inside the Scam Call Center Industry
Fraudulent call centers in Ukraine generate up to $1 billion per month for their operators. This estimate from a Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime report reveals an entire international industry with offices in business centers, above-market salaries, and customer retention departments.
Kirill Netkachev12 min read
«Digital finance will not replace oil revenues. But it is capable of restructuring the very "plumbing" of the financial system—the pipes through which all Russian revenues flow, including oil revenues—in a world where access to SWIFT is restricted and dollar clearing has become an instrument of sanctions pressure. This is a value of a different kind than diversification—and probably more enduring
Opinion
How Vibe Coding Is Accelerating Software Development
Vibe coding has completely transformed the traditional software development model by integrating AI directly into developers' workflows. This article explores how natural language prompts are redefining developer productivity and transforming engineering processes within companies.
5 min read
Opinion
The Hidden Costs of Energy Transition: Sovereignty Through Innovation
How historical decisions created Indonesia's coal dependency and why floating nuclear power plants and Russian VVER-1200 reactors could become a path to energy independence. An analysis of institutional barriers to energy transition.
22 min read
AnalysisWhy Ninth Graders Are Increasingly Being Denied Entry to 10th Grade
We examine the reasons behind the growing number of rejections for ninth graders seeking to enter 10th grade: specialized track education, government policy promoting vocational schools, and students' rights to continue their education.
Yulia Ignatova10 min read
AnalysisPrenuptial Calculations Without Divorce
How Russian attitudes toward prenuptial agreements have changed: statistics on their execution, reasons for growing popularity, business and asset protection, typical terms, and legal precedents for contesting them.
Yulia Ignatova7 min read
Analysis
Is the Fuel Crisis Coming to an End?
An analysis of Russia's fuel market situation: the extension of the export ban, gasoline and diesel price dynamics, stabilization measures, and forecasts for emerging from the crisis.
Kirill Netkachev6 min read