Ben Aris

Berlin

Publisher and Editor at bne IntelliNews

long time Russia reporter. ex Daily Telegraph moscow bureau, ex Banker/Euromoney contributing editor, 15 yrs freelance. founder & editor business new europe

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Articles

Russian banking officials warn of hidden risks as debt concerns mount

1 day ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

Russia’s banking sector faces a growing threat of a systemic crisis within the next 12 months, with internal assessments suggesting a more fragile outlook than official statements imply, Bloomberg reported on June 26, citing current and former banking officials. Executives from several major banks have privately raised concerns about the rising volume of bad debt, as both corporate and retail borrowers increasingly struggle to meet repayment obligations amid persistently high interest rates.
Russia’s Tinkov and Calvey bet on Mexican fintech as Plata targets $10bn IPO

1 day ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

Two of the most prominent figures in post-Soviet finance—Oleg Tinkov and Michael Calvey—have reunited as investors in Plata, a rapidly growing Mexican fintech aiming to replicate the success of Tinkoff Bank, Russia’s first and leading online-only fintech, in Latin America. Plata, founded in 2023 by former Tinkoff Bank executives Neri Tollardo, Alexander Bro and Danil Anisimov, is now among the most valuable startups in Latin America.
Will Ukraine's refugees go home after the war is over?

2 days ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 caused Europe’s biggest displacement crisis in decades as millions fled, most of them women and children. Three years later, there are still more than 5mn Ukrainians living abroad and only 20% say they will go home again should the war stop, the Financial Times reports. The good news is that they have found jobs at much higher rates than is typical for refugees, according to Jean-Christophe Dumont, head of the international migration division at the OECD.
Nato members agree to 5% GDP spending hike, but will they pay?

2 days ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

#G7 #Nato #Russia #Ukraine #RussiaUkraineWar The regional court in Czechia’s second-largest city, Brno, has rejected the lawsuit of the French Électricité de France filed against the previous ruling of the Czech antitrust office ÚOHS. Issuance oversubscribed by a factor of two.
Uzbek President appoints his daughter Saida as head of his administration

3 days ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

In a move widely interpreted as Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev consolidating his hold on power, he has appointed his daughter, Saida Mirziyoyeva, as head of the presidential administration – a role regarded as the second most powerful position in the country. The appointment was made by presidential decree, and recreates a role that had been formally abolished in 2023 as part of a wider programme of institutional reform.
LONG READ: Nato summit in The Hague is all about the money, not about Ukraine

4 days ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

#Russia #Ukraine #RussiaUkraineWar #ceasefire #G7 #Nato Peru shines again as Maido in Lima is named the world’s best restaurant in 2025, marking a major win for chef Micha Tsumura and cementing Peru’s place as a global culinary powerhouse. Diplomacy, deterrence, and international cooperation are the only viable path forward. The alternative is not just a local war - it is a global tech blackout.
Sanctions no long top Russian business concerns, worries now focused on internal constraints on growth - survey

4 days ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

Russian business leaders are increasingly less concerned about Western sanctions but more preoccupied with structural economic challenges, particularly labour shortages and cost pressures, according to the latest "CEO Barometer" poll from consultancy Yakov & Partners (formerly McKinsey). The study was based on a survey of 150 top managers across multiple industries and released during St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia’s premier investment forum.
Sanctions no longer top Russian business concern, worries now focused on internal constraints on growth - survey

4 days ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

Russian business leaders are increasingly less concerned about Western sanctions but more preoccupied with structural economic challenges, particularly labour shortages and cost pressures, according to the latest "CEO Barometer" poll from consultancy Yakov & Partners (formerly McKinsey). The study was based on a survey of 150 top managers across multiple industries and released during St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia’s premier investment forum.
The Belarusian opposition leaders Sergey and Svetlana Tikhanovsky vow to continue the fight to release more political prisoners

4 days ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

Belarusian opposition figures Sergey Tikhanovsky, and his wife, presidential contender Svetlana Tikhanovskaya vowed to continue their fight against Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and seek the release of another 1,000 political prisoners who are still languishing in Minsk’s jails. The unexpected release followed a meeting in Minsk on June 15 between Lukashenko and US presidential envoy Keith Kellogg.
COMMENT: Fico hints Slovakia won’t spend 5% GDP on Nato defence under his watch

4 days ago | intellinews.com | Ben Aris

Prime Minister Robert Fico hinted that Slovakia would not increase defence spending to 5% of GDP as demanded by Nato, as his country has better things to spend budget money on, saying Slovakia "can meet Nato obligations" without the spending hike. Nato members are due to gather in the Hague on June 25 where the main topic on the agenda will be increasing defence spending from 2% of GDP mandated at the last meeting in 2014 to 5% of GDP by 2035 in the face of a rising threat from Russia.