Up to 30% of Rostov Restaurants May Close Amid CrisisThe new year in Rostov-on-Don has begun with several restaurant closures. 161.RU spoke with restaurateurs and HoReCa market experts about the impact of the crisis and new tax policies.
We'll Think About What to Do: Yaroslavl Shopping Center Empties OutThe owner of the 'Old City' shopping center in Yaroslavl has explained the reasons behind the mass exodus of businesses from the premises. The once-popular mall now has only one chain discount store operating on its first floor.
From sales to microgreens: Perm woman supplies restaurantsAnna Plotnikova left her sales job to start a microgreen farm in Perm, supplying restaurants and teaching in local schools. She launched the business during the pandemic and is now the city's largest supplier.
From Poverty to Oligarch: How Alsou's Father Built a Billion-Dollar EmpireRalif Safin rose from a farmhouse to become an oil tycoon, senator, and property magnate, using his wealth to launch his daughter's singing career and fund his sons' businesses. This is the story of the man who almost became the president of Bashkortostan.
Siberian Craftswoman Earns Big with Russian Neo-Gothic Christmas ToysSiberian artisan Anastasia Arefyeva makes handcrafted Christmas ornaments in a Russian neo-gothic style, with orders coming year-round and clients paying up to 4,000 rubles (about $50 at current rates) each.
Siberian Warehouse Worker Becomes Niche PerfumerA Siberian warehouse worker, Sergei Danilov, taught himself perfumery after being inspired by a childhood scent, and now creates niche fragrances from scratch, even crafting some ingredients by hand.
Anesthesiologist from Ryazan Makes Toffees and Raises Diabetic SonYevgenia Osipova, an anesthesiologist from Ryazan, balances her demanding medical career with making homemade toffees, caring for her son who has diabetes, and maintaining an active blog about her experiences.
Chelyabinsk Wildberries owner films daily tire delugeA Wildberries pickup point in Chelyabinsk is overwhelmed with tires, making it difficult for customers to enter, as the owner documents the daily influx of over 400 tires.
URA.RU staff report mass layoffs across regionsChief editor Diana Kozlova has explained that financial struggles are leading to voluntary resignations at URA.RU, following employee complaints.
Young Ural Mother Starts Business While PregnantEvgenia Blonskaya from Yekaterinburg launched her business while six months pregnant, building a network of parcel pickup points that now operates with minimal daily involvement.
Ufa barbershop owner quits business for shift work36-year-old Anton Shuraskin sold his last barbershop in Ufa after nine years in business to take up shift work in the North, citing burnout from the routine.
Businessman Alleges Cemetery Entry Fees in YekaterinburgA representative of memorial company Danila-Master says installers at Yekaterinburg cemeteries have been forced to pay QR-code donations — about 5,000 rubles (≈$60 at current rates) — since July 2025.
Five Tyumen women who built businessesThe stories of five Tyumen entrepreneurs show how personal passions became sustainable ventures. From a lakeside resort to a wedding label and a roaming indie bookstore, their projects grew despite crises.
Chelyabinsk geologist and wife run Arkaim innTravelers from across Russia come for educational excursions through mountains and steppe, returning to explore Arkaim again with geologist Arkady Shokhin and guide Olga Shokhina, who founded the Sun Wanderer inn in 2013.
