Russia
Russian Authorities Say They’ve Dismantled REvil Ransomware Group at US Request
Russia’s top domestic intelligence agency says REvil, the Russia-based ransomware group tied to the Colonial Pipeline attack, has “ceased to exist” after it arrested 14 alleged members of the criminal organization last week. CoinDesk’s Nikhilesh De discusses the latest global policy and regulation and what this could mean for ransomware attacks in 2022.

Putin Signals Tolerance of Cryptocurrencies
CoinDesk’s Nikhilesh De discusses the specifics, reactions, and implications for Russian President Vladimir Putin saying crypto has value but cannot yet replace the U.S. dollar in settling oil trades.

Putin: Crypto Can’t Yet Replace Dollar in Settling Oil Trades
Reacting to Russian president Vladimir Putin saying he doesn’t think crypto can replace the U.S. dollar in settling oil trades yet, though he believes it has value. Merkle Science’s Mary Beth Buchanan discusses the implications for Russia potentially warming up to crypto.

US Sanctions Enforcer Blacklists a Crypto Exchange for First Time
The U.S. Treasury Department added Russia-based crypto exchange Suex.io to its list of specially designated nationals (SDNs) for its alleged role in facilitating cryptocurrency transactions for ransomware attackers. Labeled a “specially designated national,” Suex.io is in a category with suspected terrorists.

Russia’s Financial Monitoring Agency Will Pay $200K for Crypto Transaction Surveillance
Rosfinmonitoring, Russia’s agency for preventing crime financing and money laundering, will pay 14.7 million Russian rubles ($200,000) for a proprietary bitcoin transaction tool that helps identify crypto users and see if they are involved in criminal activities. "The Hash" squad discusses the local and international implications for Russia finally dabbling into the transaction monitoring space after three years in the making.

Bank of Russia: Stock Exchanges Should Avoid Crypto-Related Funds
The Central Bank of Russia announced Thursday stock exchanges in the country should avoid listing investment products related to cryptocurrency prices. “The Hash” panel discusses the underlying nuances for central banks controlling the money supply.

Senators Urge E-CNY Ban, Russia Woos Crypto Miners
US Senators urge Team USA to ban the use of E-CNY. Russia woos crypto miners with green credentials, and street performers embrace digital payments. We’ll have more on that story and other news shaping the cryptocurrency and blockchain world in this episode of “The Daily Forkast.”

Russian Industry Association Works to Attract Crypto Mining
The Russian Association of Cryptoeconomics, Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain (RACIB) is working with local authorities and state-owned enterprises to attract crypto mining firms to the country as they migrate away from China. "The Hash" hosts discuss bitcoin miners breaking new ground in Russia and neighboring Kazakhstan and the implications for the wider mining community.


