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How Criminal Culture Has Led Russian Society Toward Militaristic Madness

opinion Svetlana Stephenson Why are some Russians willing to give up comfort for the sake of victory over a propaganda-fabricated enemy?  
4 Min read

Father Facing Charges After Daughter’s Anti-War Drawing Escapes House Arrest

Alexei Moskalev reportedly fled house arrest on the eve of his sentencing and was not in court to hear the verdict.

2 Min read

Belarus Blames Western 'Pressure' for Decision to Accept Nuclear Weapons

Belarus said the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons on its territory "in no way" breached non-proliferation treaties.
1 Min read
live

Ukraine War: Kyiv says Russia must leave 'every meter' of country

Shoigu tours arms manufacturing plants in Chelyabinsk and Kirov
Russia intercepts U.S.-supplied precision bomb
France to double shipments of artillery shells to Ukraine
coming back ?

IOC Backs Return of Russian Athletes as Individuals, No Timeline for Paris Olympics

The head of Russia's Olympic Committee said forcing Russians to compete under a neutral flag would amount to "discrimination."
3 Min read
conscious decision

Mayor of Russian Arctic Town to Serve on the Frontline in Ukraine

Shaposhnikov will be replaced by one of his deputies until a new city head is elected.
2 Min read
court ruling

Student Expelled for Anti-War Stance Wins Payout From Russian University

A Russian court has ordered a St. Petersburg university to pay compensation to a student expelled for his anti-war stance.
2 Min read
Vagina Monologues

Russian Court Overturns Acquittal of LGBT Activist on Pornography Charges

Yulia Tsvetkova’s case prompted nationwide pickets and online flashmobs protesting her prosecution.
1 Min read
On the run

Russian Secret Services Likely Helped Siberian Governor's Son Flee Italy

Uss faces a number of charges in the U.S., including sanctions violations and money laundering.
2 Min read
In depth

Russia Imposes Stringent Controls on Officials’ Foreign Travel

The wartime restrictions on leaving the country were detailed to The Moscow Times by 10 former and current officials.
6 Min read

Editor's Pick

opinion

A Year of War Has Left Russia’s Elites Anchorless and Atomized

With sanctions set to stay, Russia's elites find themselves with little choice but to stay put and wait out the war.

5 Min read

Editor's Pick

In depth

Languages in Russia Disappearing Faster than Data Suggests, Activists Warn

While Russia's 2021 census might help identify linguistic trends, experts argue it fails to capture the real number of active language users.
5 Min read

Editor's Pick

Death march

In Photos: Russian Forces Inch Forward in Bakhmut at Terrible Human Cost

Already a byword for the futility of war, Bakhmut has so far defied all predictions that the battle for its control will soon be over.
1 Min read

Editor's Pick

opinion

A Family History of Not Looking Back

Reflecting on the year since I left Russia — and a century since my grandparents emigrated from the Russian Empire.
7 Min read

Editor's Pick

In depth

A Beginner's Guide to Russia's Fragmented Opposition

The Moscow Times has compiled a list of the nine largest and most influential Russian opposition groups.
6 Min read

Editor's Pick

opinion

Navalny's Policy Shift on Crimea May Be Too Little, Too Late

Alexei Navalny finally appears to have accepted the moral case for returning Crimea to Ukraine, but its future may no longer be Russia's to decide.
4 Min read

Editor's Pick

In depth

‘War Has a Cost’: The Journalists Tallying Russia’s Dead Soldiers

A group of volunteer journalists is painstakingly building a database of the Russian soldiers lost in Ukraine.
5 Min read

opinion
Svetlana Stephenson

How Criminal Culture Has Led Russian Society Toward Militaristic Madness

4 Min read
Dmitry Glukhovsky

When Governments Make Immoral Laws, it Is Our Duty to Disobey Them

4 Min read
Stefan Wolff

Putin's ICC Arrest Warrant Is the First Step in Holding Him Accountable

4 Min read
Arnold Khachaturov

Why We Shouldn’t Expect the Russian Economy to Collapse Tomorrow

3 Min read
James Horncastle

How the Battle for Bakhmut Has Exposed Russia’s Fault Lines

4 Min read
Alexandra Prokopenko

A Year of War Has Left Russia’s Elites Anchorless and Atomized

5 Min read
more opinion

Photos and Videos

Moskalev case

In Photos: Rural Russian Town Shaken by Trial Over Child's Drawing

1 Min read
TMT Lecture Series

The Gulag Legacy. Memory of Stalinism in Today’s Russia – Nikolai Epplée

1 Min read
state visit

In Photos: Putin and Xi Shore Up Sino-Russian Alliance Despite Differing Agendas

1 Min read
muted celebrations

In Photos: Russia Marks 9 Years of Crimea Annexation Amid Full-Scale Invasion

1 Min read

In depth
stay at home

Russia Imposes Stringent Controls on Officials’ Foreign Travel

The wartime restrictions on leaving the country were detailed to The Moscow Times by 10 former and current officials.
6 Min read
on both sides

Explainer: Which Russian Far-Right Groups are Fighting in Ukraine?

While many Russian ultranationalists support the invasion of Ukraine, a minority have taken up arms against the Kremlin. 
5 Min read
'lightning never strikes twice'

Moscow Bars Targeted in Police Raids Defy Intimidation

Underdog visitors were filmed being forced to sing patriotic songs during a police raid. Days later, the bar is busier than ever.
4 Min read
growing censorship

Books Removed and Movies Banned Under Russia’s ‘LGBT Propaganda’ Law

The vague wording of the legislation has encouraged self-censorship and led major publishers and streaming services to erase content.
4 Min read
dying out

Languages in Russia Disappearing Faster than Data Suggests, Activists Warn

While Russia's 2021 census might help identify linguistic trends, experts argue it fails to capture the real number of active language users.
5 Min read
More in depth

Business
sponsored

Campaigns For Humanity: €10,000 Awards for Russians Supporting Ukraine

When we recognize our shared humanity, we are not strangers; we are simply friends who haven’t met yet.
3 Min read
shifting market

Russian Oil Exports to India Surge 2,200% Following European Sanctions

Russia increased its oil sales to India by 2,200% in 2022 after sanctions ended exports to the European market.
2 Min read
Under pressure

European Central Bank Asks Raiffeisen to Scale Back Russian Operations

The news comes just a day after Ukraine added the Austrian bank to its list of international sponsors of the war. 
1 Min read
Embroiled in controversy

French DIY Retailer Leroy Merlin to Cede Control of Russian Stores

The company has been accused of allowing pro-Kremlin activists to use its delivery network to supply the Russian military.
1 Min read
More business

arts and life
show must go on

Berlinale 2023: Foreign Films on Russian Screens

The Russian film industry is doing well while Belarussian filmmakers stake out independent ground.
5 Min read
Vagina Monologues

Russian Court Overturns Acquittal of LGBT Activist on Pornography Charges

Yulia Tsvetkova’s case prompted nationwide pickets and online flashmobs protesting her prosecution.
1 Min read
weekend kitchen

Ice-Cold Sushi From Russia's North

The nations of the far north knew what to do with fish: freeze it, skin it, and slice it into thin strips.
6 Min read
the word's worth

Shame That Is Cringeworthy

When figuring out teen slang leads to a puzzle with an English translation.
4 Min read
More Arts and Life

the new diaspora
'foreign agent' law

While Some Russian Exiles Join Georgia Protests, Others Keep Away

When thousands of Georgians protested this week, some Russian exiles joined rallies that would have been unthinkable in their homeland.
3 Min read
opinion Michele A. Berdy

A Family History of Not Looking Back

Reflecting on the year since I left Russia — and a century since my grandparents emigrated from the Russian Empire.
7 Min read
emigration challenges

To Reach Russian Audiences, Emigre Activists and Media Forced to Innovate

Exiled Russian activists are working hard to remain one step ahead of the Kremlin and relevant to their audiences.
4 Min read
lost luminaries

9 Russian Cultural and Sporting Figures Who Emigrated in a Year of War

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked an exodus of cultural and sporting stars, many of whom publicly condemned the war.
6 Min read
More the new diaspora