Today’s economic situation in Russia cannot be described as unambiguous. People have many questions regarding changes in prices, the key interest rate, the situation with the ruble, the reliability of bank deposits, and fuel prices. To clarify the situation, let us turn to an interview given to RBC by Bank of Russia Deputy Governor Alexei Zabotkin. Zabotkin commented in detail on the current situation and answered the most pressing questions.

In June 2026, the volume of investments by individuals in securities on the Moscow Exchange stock market increased by 32% compared to the same period in 2025. The rise in investments has been continuing for several months (in the first half of 2026, investments grew by 70%, reaching about 1.5 trillion rubles). The main assets of interest to individuals in 2026 were bonds, due to the high volatility of equities, as well as exchange-traded precious metals — gold and silver — as safe-haven assets. In the first half of 2026, investments in bonds increased by 18%, reaching 1.1 trillion rubles, while investments in precious metals grew 2.3 times.

The ice cream manufacturing sector in the Russian Federation demonstrates a notable structural feature: the overwhelming majority of industry players are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to current data, more than 85% of all ice cream producers in the country belong to this segment. Such a concentration of SMEs is not accidental; it reflects the specifics of market entry, which requires significant initial investment, technological capacity, expertise, and a long-term business development orientation.

The heaviest burden for a woman in business is not taxes, not competitors, and not even cash flow gaps. The heaviest burden is the illusion of total control.

There’s one phrase I hear from women entrepreneurs more often than any other: “I manage everything. But it’s getting hard.”

The paradox of modern business in 2026 looks like this: the higher a manager’s position and salary, the less joy they experience.

The International Ballet Competition in Moscow is known unofficially as the “Olympic Games of the Ballet World” — such is the name given to the world’s oldest ballet competition.

At the Benois Wing of the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, a large-scale retrospective of Pyotr Konchalovsky, “Garden in Bloom,” dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the artist’s birth, runs until September 14, 2026.

From May 21 to 24, 2026, Sevkabel Port (St. Petersburg) will host the fourth Port Art Fair — one of the most prominent independent contemporary art fairs in Russia.

Recently in Accra, at the partner Russian House of the Center for Public Diplomacy, an intensive course was launched to help Ghanaian students of the targeted enrollment program adapt to life in Russia before they soon leave to study at Novosibirsk State Technical University (NSTU).

An 8% decline in the number of students in India's primary schools over the past two years could lead to serious consequences.

As of January 1, 2025, Russia has 1,115 higher education institutions, with Lomonosov Moscow State University taking first place in the ranking of the best universities in Russia in 2024. But which other institutions train highly qualified specialists?