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As Russia’s Losses in Ukraine Spike, Those Tracking the Deaths Are Overwhelmed

An independent media outlet tallying the number of Russian military fatalities in Ukraine advertised this week for volunteers because — for the first...

‘I Couldn’t Stay Silent’: Anti-War ‘Flower Protests’ Spread to 60 Cities Across Russia

Russians continue to memorialize the dozens of Ukrainians killed in last month’s Russian missile strike on the city of Dnipro — one of the...

‘Not Forgotten’: Pen Pals Offer Solace to Russia’s Political Prisoners

YEREVAN, Armenia — At a recent event in Armenia’s capital, Olga Yelsakova was composing a letter to a longtime correspondent. That correspondent...

'Final Nail in the Coffin': Activists Lament Moscow Helsinki Group Closure

Russian and international human rights activists on Thursday condemned the dissolution of the Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG), Russia's oldest independent...

Fear and Frustration in Moscow as Air Defense Systems Deployed

The installation of air defense systems in the center of the Russian capital in recent weeks has been met with fear and anger by locals — as well...

Russian Emigres Rally Worldwide in Support of Jailed Navalny

Thousands of Russian emigres in more than 60 cities, from Seoul and London to Yerevan, Vilnius and Belgrade, took part in solidarity rallies Saturday in...

Glory Hunters or Gold Diggers? The Shadowy World of Russia’s ‘Volunteers’ Fighting in Ukraine

Alexander was quickly deployed to the frontlines in Ukraine after he joined a Russian unit for volunteer soldiers in October because he wanted to &ldquo...

As Russia Claims Win, Analysts Say Capture of Soledar Is ‘Pyrrhic Victory’

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that its forces had won a significant victory on Friday with the capture of the eastern Ukrainian town of Soledar...

In Russia’s Samara Region, A Steady Trickle of Funerals for Soldiers Killed in Makiivka

Russian families from the Volga region of Samara continue to bury loved ones who died in one of the most deadly single incidents of the Ukraine war as...

time for reflection

‘Where Are We Heading?’: Wartime New Year Prompts Russian Soul-Searching

As Russians prepare to mark their first New Year’s Eve since the start of the war in Ukraine that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and created...

E-Scooter Firm Whoosh Seeks Russia’s First Ukraine War IPO

Russian E-scooter firm Whoosh’s plans for an initial public offering (IPO) this week — the first since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine &mdash...

Latvian Decision to Revoke Russian TV Station’s License Sparks Fear, Disbelief

Latvia’s decision Tuesday to withdraw the broadcast license of independent Russian television channel Dozhd caused disbelief and anger among the...

Scarred by War, Returning Russian Soldiers Struggle to Adapt to Civilian Life

After six months of combat with Russia’s 64th Motorized Rifle Brigade in Ukraine, Alexei Astashov quietly rejoiced when he was discharged from the...

Putin Met With Street Protests on Visit to Armenia

YEREVAN, Armenia — Russian President Vladimir Putin was greeted with street demonstrations in the capital of this landlocked South Caucasus nation...

raccoon removal

Russian Zookeeper Accused of Stealing Animals From Ukraine’s Kherson Claims Relocation ‘Temporary’

A Russian zookeeper accused of stealing animals from a zoo in Ukraine’s Kherson amid Russian forces’ retreat from the city told The Moscow...

‘The Military Betrayed Us’: Desperate Relatives of Russian Draftees Seek Answers

Relatives of Russian draftees on the frontline in Ukraine have been protesting the treatment of their loved ones and accusing local officials of &ldquo...

Kirill Stremousov

Deputy Head of Russian-Occupied Kherson Region Dies in Car Crash

Updates with reaction and details. Kirill Stremousov, the vocal deputy head of the Moscow-installed administration in the occupied Kherson region...

‘Propaganda Show’: Russia Struggles to Integrate Annexed Ukrainian Regions

Russia has made little progress in absorbing four partially occupied areas of eastern and southern Ukraine that it annexed with great fanfare in September...

suspicion reigns

‘I Don’t Trust What They Say’: Russian Draft Dodgers Stay in Hiding Even as Putin Announces Mobilization’s End

Nikita moved to his family’s summer cottage outside the Russian capital to lie low after President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial&rdquo...

Grief and Fear in Russia as Military Planes Crash Into Civilian Residences

On the night of Oct. 17, the Ischenko family reportedly sat down for dinner in their apartment on the seventh floor of an apartment block in the southern...

mobilization marriages

Russia Sees Wedding Boom as Draftees Rush to Tie the Knot

Anastasia and Oleg decided to get married the moment Oleg received his draft papers in Russia’s “partial” mobilization announced last...

simmering discontent

Anger Mounts as Russian Draftees Thrown Into Battle Without Training, Equipment

Ten days after being mobilized into the Russian army, Igor Puchkov was killed fighting in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region. The 27-year-old...

canceled holidays

Russian Cities Scrap New Year Festivities as War Encroaches on Everyday Life

Dozens of Russian cities have canceled or scaled back planned New Year’s Eve celebrations as the war strains local budgets and calls grow for money...

minimal disruption

Lines, Delays But Little Panic in Crimea After Bridge Blast

A giant explosion that damaged the Crimean Bridge — a key route between mainland Russia and annexed Crimea — over the weekend has jammed traffic...

Muted Festivities for Putin’s 70th Birthday Amid War, International Isolation

Russian President Vladimir Putin will mark his 70th birthday Friday with little fanfare as the war in Ukraine, which has killed tens of thousands and plunged...

Putin Declares Russia's Annexation of Occupied Ukraine, Lashes Out at West

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed off on the annexation of four partially occupied Ukrainian regions Friday in a major escalation of Moscow&rsquo...

disputed results

Pro-Russia ‘Victory’ in Staged Ukraine Referendums Clears Path to Annexation

Moscow-installed election officials in occupied Ukraine claimed overwhelming support Wednesday for unification with Russia in a series of hasty referendums...

rush for the exit

‘Total Chaos’: Russian Mobilization Exodus Accelerates Amid Border Closure Rumors

Muscovite Rodion Logvin decided to flee to the South Caucasus nation of Georgia to avoid being conscripted into the Russian army a few hours after mobilization...

‘We Just Started Crying’: Call-Up Gains Steam as Russians Receive Draft Papers

Thousands of men across Russia were handed draft papers and NGOs helping conscripts were flooded with requests for help Thursday amid the military mobilization...

‘I Don’t Want to Be Cannon Fodder’: Panic and Fear as Russia Begins Mobilization

Thousands of conscription-age Russian men appeared to be attempting to flee the country Wednesday as others planned how to avoid being sent to the front...

tension in tbilisi

‘We Don’t Want To Serve Occupiers’: Backlash in Georgia Against Russian Emigres

Some Georgian businesses require Russian customers to state they don’t support the invasion of Ukraine.

Silk Road sit-down

‘Uneasy Allies’: Putin and Xi Set to Meet for First Time Since Ukraine War

“It’s important for Putin to show Russia is not isolated from the rest of the world,” said one expert.

regional power vacuum

'Difficult Moment for Russia’ as Fighting Flares Between Armenia and Azerbaijan

“We were hearing the sound of rockets. It was very scary,” said an Armenian living near the border with Azerbaijan.

‘Coast Defense Flotilla’: Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Mauled in 200 Days of Ukraine War

In addition to at least 10 naval vessels, the Black Sea Fleet has also suffered manpower losses and seen a large part of its air wing destroyed.

Rising Numbers of Russians Barred From Georgia, Activists Say

“I would not advise other activists to move to Georgia," said one Russian recently not allowed into the South Caucasus country.

Russia Jails Journalist Safronov for 22 Years on Treason Charges

Ivan Safronov denies the accusations of working with Western intelligence and says his prosecution is “directly related to his journalism.”

targeting collaborators

Assassinations Of Russia-Installed Officials On the Rise in Occupied Ukraine

At least nine shootings, car bombings and poisoning attempts have been reported in the last month.

routine mistreatment

One Month After 50 Ukrainian PoWs Died, Ex-Inmates Detail Abuse at Olenivka Prison

While the site has been visited by Russian officials and U.S. actor Steven Seagal, no independent investigators have been allowed inside.

high-profile funeral

'She Died for Russia': Hundreds Mourn Pro-Kremlin Ideologue’s Slain Daughter

Speakers painted Daria Dugina as a martyr who had died for her country amid its war in Ukraine.

high-profile attack

‘A Signal to All of Us’: Moscow Blames Kyiv for Killing of Ideologue’s Daughter

"Pro-Kremlin speakers will understand the war is not an abstraction and it threatens them personally,” said one analyst.

rush of applications

Russians Scramble for Visas as EU Mulls Travel Restrictions

"What if the borders are closed and my mother will not be able to visit me?” said one Russian citizen living in Europe.

playing with fire

Explainer: What’s the Risk of Disaster at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant?

Increasing military activity in the area poses dangers not only for critical infrastructure, but also nuclear waste stored at the site.

spreading violence

‘We Need to Get Out of Here’: Fear Grips Annexed Crimea After Airbase Attack

"Many vacationers were trying to find shelter — some people were hiding behind the trees, children were crying," said one eyewitness.

What We Know About the Olenivka Attack That Killed 50 Ukrainian PoWs

While Kyiv says Russia murdered the prisoners, Moscow claims Ukraine targeted its own men.

Fleeing War and Discrimination, LGBT Russians Find Refuge in South Caucasus

Armenia and Georgia are socially conservative societies and LGBT people face legal and social obstacles as well as occasional violence.

manpower shortage

Russia Sends Army Recruits to Fight in Ukraine After Just Days of Training

“There was a soldier in our company who didn’t know how a machine gun works," said one recruit sent to the front after five days training.

uncertain future

‘I Was Ready for This’: Russian Journalist Who Protested War On-Air Faces New Charges

Marina Ovsyannikova burst onto a live news broadcast to denounce the Ukraine war. She plans to continue opposing it from within Russia.

'extraordinary' meeting

Russian Lawmakers Hold Snap Summer Session as War, Economic Issues Loom

The sudden decision to recall parliament less than a week after its spring session ended indicates that an urgent matter is at hand.

long distance weapons

Effectiveness of Ukraine's HIMARS Fuels Concern in Russia

“The Russian air defense systems… turned out to be ineffective against massive strikes by HIMARS missiles,” said one former military commander.

Russian Towns Get Ukrainian ‘Twins’ in PR Drive, Political Deflection Tactic

The Kremlin decided to devolve the responsibility for rebuilding occupied Ukraine to local Russian authorities.

Russian Officials Appointed to Top Posts in Occupied Ukraine

The Kremlin is apparently having difficulty finding Ukrainians who will agree to work with Russian forces.

Putin Orders Advance to Continue After Russia Takes Ukraine’s Lysychansk

Ukrainian forces pulled back to avoid the risk of encirclement, according to one military analyst.

Russians Urged to Snitch on Ukraine War Critics in Return to Soviet-Style Denunciations

Anti-war dissenters have been denounced by family, neighbors and passersby who are encouraged by official rhetoric.

stuck shipments

Russia Hits Out at Norway Over Blocked Arctic Archipelago Access

“Following Norway's actions, the sovereignty of this country over Svalbard is a big question from now on,” one Russian senator said.

deflecting attention

Russia Slams 'Provocations,' 'Fakes' in Deadly Ukraine Mall Strike

How Russian officials and state media have reacted to the latest accusations that its forces targeted Ukrainian civilians.

behind the scenes

Pay Raises, More News and Tighter Control: Staff at Russian State TV Work Overtime Amid Ukraine War

On-air protester Marina Ovsyannikova said criticism of her has discouraged other state television employees from quitting.

Pussy Riot Member Barred From Georgia as Russian Activists Face Entry Problems

Despite Georgia being a destination for anti-war Russians, several activists and journalists have faced problems at its border.

Russian Blogger Stuck at Georgian Border After Fleeing ‘Political’ Terrorism Charges

Human rights advocates have called the terrorism charges against Insa Lander politically motivated.

plugging the gaps

‘It’s Our Way to Protest’: Anti-War Russians Volunteer to Help Ukrainian Refugees

More than a million Ukrainian refugees have crossed into Russia since the start of the war in February.

Pro-War ‘Z-Banners’ Disappear in Some Russian Cities

“It might be some kind of rebranding. The war has clearly stalled," said one political analyst.