Russia’s auto giant had a monopoly. It still chose to fail
There are moments when an entire system reveals itself in a single phrase. In late 2025, a senior manager at AvtoVAZ, Oleg Grunenkov, was asked whether the company could build something better — something closer to a modern, competitive car. His answer was disarmingly simple: “We could. But why?” In a functioning market economy, that line would trigger resignations, investor panic, and a collapse in consumer trust. In Russia, it became a meme — and like many Russian memes, it carried more truth than anyone intended.
More than 6 million Ukrainian refugees are currently living outside the country, according to UNHCR data as of early 2026. Among them are over 1.5 million children and adolescents of preschool and school age. Most host countries are struggling to provide enough Ukrainian-speaking psychologists or culturally sensitive support programs.
"Only the dead will see the end of war"This inscription is placed on the wall of the Imperial War Museum in London by no coincidence. It is the leading institution of its kind in the world, created to familiarize visitors with the history of the world wars and their impact on society.
Building on improving deal momentum in the years since the full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s M&A market in 2025 has begun to regain a measure of momentum; with year-on-year disclosed deal value and deal volume increasing by more than 15% and 20%, respectively.
In September 1991, on an airfield in Tushino, Moscow, hundreds of thousands of young Soviets gathered to watch Metallica. Attendance has been estimated at up to 1.6 million people, placing it among the largest concerts ever staged. What is beyond dispute is this: it unfolded in the heart of a collapsing empire.
In 2025, Ukraine recorded the highest number of civilian casualties since the first year of Russia’s full-scale invasion. According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, the number of civilians killed and wounded in 2025 was 31% higher than in 2024 and 70% higher than in 2023. This is not a statistical anomaly. It is the result of a deliberate method of warfare.