Inside Russia’s Secret Bitcoin Mining Industry

Anna Baydakova, Senior Reporter at CoinDesk joins us to talk about Russia’s complex relationship with Bitcoin. From Putin’s surprising embrace of crypto mining to the grey market of mining rig distribution, Anna reveals how sanctions transformed Russia’s crypto landscape. We explore Siberian mining operations and why Russians increasingly turn to Bitcoin as both protest and preservation against an authoritarian regime.

Link to the full report: https://blockspace.media/insight/in-between-worlds-the-state-of-bitcoin-mining-in-russia/

Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com

Notes:

• Russia legalized Bitcoin mining in November 2024

• Hash rate dropped 10-15% after Ukraine invasion

• Electricity costs $0.02-0.04/kWh in Siberia

• Putin shifted from anti-crypto to pro-mining

• Telegram channels became primary crypto platform

👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech!

Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here.

Questions or want to sponsor? hello@blockspace.media

Related Episodes

Charlie and Colin drop their 6 major predictions for 2026. From a silver supply shock and Bitcoin hash rate stagnation to the rise of prediction markets and AI data center delays. Find out why big banks are entering Bitcoin lending and why the internet is about to get fake.
Jan 03, 2026
The Blockspace Boys count down the best and favorite Bitcoin stories of 2025, from ICE raids in Texas and Operation Chokepoint 2.0 to the explosive pivot to AI and the mystery of the $8B OG whale wallet.
Dec 23, 2025
Charlie and Colin dive into the quantum computing debate. Is it a threat to Bitcoin or just VC hype? We explore vulnerable addresses, Nick Carter's thesis, the 2028 timeline, and the controversial plan to "burn" Satoshi's coins to save the network from a $100B hack.
Dec 20, 2025
Ryan Gentry, CEO of Bitcoin Infrastructure Acquisition Corp, discusses his $220M IPO, the "aerospace mafia" thesis, and why Bitcoin lending is the next big sector for public markets.
Dec 15, 2025
A new proposal suggests burning "spam" Bitcoin UTXOs. We explain why the "CAT" proposal is technically flawed, philosophically dangerous, and amounts to on-chain confiscation.
Dec 10, 2025
Was the 2025 Bitcoin top a failure? We analyze why $126k felt underwhelming, compare BTC returns against Gold and the S&P 500, and discuss Meltem Demirors’ thesis on why TradFi is beating DeFi. Plus, why institutional adoption might be making crypto boring.
Dec 06, 2025
A new House report confirms the Biden Administration's coordinated, extralegal "Operation Chokepoint 2.0" to debank the crypto industry. We review the timeline & confirmed shadow debanking conspiracies
Dec 03, 2025
Historical data reveals Bitcoin's Thanksgiving-to-Christmas performance is a literal coin toss: 6 up years, 6 down years since 2012. Learn why orange pilling family is brutally hard and the only strategy that actually works.
Nov 29, 2025
Matt Cole, CEO of Strive, discusses corporate Bitcoin strategy, amplification tactics, surviving volatility, and why Bitcoin's 30%+ annual returns make it the ultimate hurdle rate for treasury companies in 2025.
Nov 26, 2025
Now, listen here

Get updates on new episodes and a whole lot more

By subscribing, you agree to the Blockspace Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.