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Articles by Brawley Benson

Feature

'If You're Afraid, They'll Know': For Foreign Recruits, Deserting Russia’s Army Is a Fraught Gamble

Peter, a man from Pakistan, went to Russia for a better life. Instead, he says, he found only misery after being deceived into joining the army.
6 Min read
News Analysis

At the Third Russia-Africa Summit, Moscow Talked Big. But Who Was Listening?

The picture of how the Ukraine war is reverberating across Africa is much clearer than it was in 2023 — and it doesn’t look reassuring for Moscow.
5 Min read
Feature

In His Reporting, Japanese Journalist Yuki Imai Revealed a Fascination With Russia. Then He Was Arrested.

As Japan stays silent about his case, Imai's online presence and articles offer glimpses of the reporter who Moscow jailed on espionage charges.
6 Min read

Ukraine’s Strikes on Yandex Data Centers, Explained

Drone strikes on Yandex data centers are disrupting services from taxis to digital payments across Russia.
5 Min read

Russians in ICE Detention Plan Hunger Strike to Protest Poor Conditions

Detainees described issues including a lack of adequate medical and dental care, disparaging attitudes from staff and poor living conditions.
3 Min read

With United Russia’s Election Victory All But Certain, Some Russians Are Still Pushing Back

Subtle acts of protest and organized voting strategies may offer only symbolic victories, but to those taking part, that is still worth the effort.
5 Min read
Feature

‘It Still Causes Severe Stress’: Fear of Expulsion Upends Life for Some Russian Asylum Seekers in Europe

From draft dodgers to anti-war activists, a growing number of Russian exiles are finding host countries unwilling to grant refuge.
6 Min read
Feature

As Russia Strips Rights from Exiled Regime Opponents, Many Don’t Know if They Should Worry

Sweeping restrictions could cause serious headaches for some Russians living overseas.
5 Min read
Feature

The Trump Administration Deported a Military Deserter Back to Russia. Then He Escaped Again.

In interviews with The Moscow Times, Artyom Vovchenko recounted his improbable and highly risky flight from Russia earlier this year.
9 Min read
News Analysis

Inside the Ukrainian Deep-Strike Campaign That Has Moscow on the Back Foot

MT verified and analyzed four recent attacks deep in the Russian interior, including last week’s record strikes on Moscow.
5 Min read
News Analysis

Cracks in Russia’s Economy Shine Through at SPIEF

Amid the spectacle of Russia's centerpiece business event, top executives and officials hinted at growing unease about the state of the economy.
5 Min read
Feature

How This Russian Nuclear Waste Dump Became an Unlikely Victim of the Ukraine War

Europe poured millions into cleaning up a hazardous nuclear waste site in Russia's Arctic. The invasion of Ukraine brought the effort to a halt.
9 Min read
News Analysis

On Trump’s Heels, Putin Gets a Lavish Welcome in China but No Blockbuster Deals

Experts say the visit was a symbolic win for Putin, even as negotiations on energy infrastructure floundered.
4 Min read
Feature

Even in Exile, Russia’s Political Opposition Struggles to Rise Above Its Divisions

Despite the exiled opposition’s reputation for infighting and ineffectiveness, some activists inside Russia say it still plays an important role.
7 Min read
Feature

Poland and Russia Can’t Stop Arguing Over History. Does it Matter?

More than 80 years after they occurred, the events of World War II are still hotly debated in Russia and Poland.
6 Min read

Early Setbacks for Russian Mercenaries as Conflict Flares in Mali, MT Analysis Shows

Mali's largest coordinated attacks in more than a decade dealt a staggering blow to the central government — and to the Russian forces helping it.
3 Min read

Russian Businesses Helping Funnel Military Equipment to Wagner Successor Group in Mali – Report

The size and scale of these shipments indicate that Russia could be looking to establish a long-term presence in Mali, the report said.
3 Min read
Feature

He Researched Public Health in the Arctic. Russia Says It Was Treason.

What really led to the imprisonment of a respected scientist?
7 Min read
News Analysis

Lost Investments, Jeopardized Influence: What the U.S.-Israel Attack on Iran Could Mean for Russia

With Khamenei dead and the future of Iran’s hardline anti-Western government in doubt, Russia now finds itself in a position to lose greatly.
5 Min read
Feature

Laurent Vinatier Studied Russia. Then the Country Imprisoned Him.

“I could disappear,” the French researcher and conflict mediator, who was freed last month, thought during his first night in prison.
8 Min read
Feature

‘Systemic Degradation’: How 4 Years of Occupation Have Devastated the Economy of Eastern Ukraine

In a region already torn apart by war, the lack of means to put food on the table only heightens day-to-day hardship, experts and locals say.
5 Min read
Feature

‘The Motherland Is Catching Up’: Russians in Kazakhstan Feel Moscow’s Reach in String of Expulsions

Kazakhstan's reputation as a safe haven for Russian exiles has been upended by a string of planned expulsions of dissidents.
6 Min read
News Analysis

U.S. and Russia Shrug as Landmark Nuclear Treaty Expires

New START's expiration is set to usher in an era of uncertainty over nuclear stockpiles not seen since the Cold War, experts say.
5 Min read
Feature

Yury Ushakov: The Quiet Power Broker in Russia’s Talks With Team Trump

Those who knew Yury Ushakov say he’s become one of Russia’s most powerful foreign policy officials. Who is he?
9 Min read
News Analysis

As Putin’s Allies Are Threatened, He Meets the Moment with Silence

Analysts say his silence reflects Russia’s focus on the war in Ukraine and hesitancy to provoke the U.S. — but it risks eroding trust in Moscow.
4 Min read

U.S. Seizes Russia-Flagged Oil Tanker: What We Know

The incident marks a rare open confrontation between Washington and Moscow in the second Trump presidency.
3 Min read
Feature

2 Years On, a Journalist’s Imprisonment Offers a Grim Look Into the Kremlin’s Press Crackdown

In a Siberian penal colony, Nika Novak has experienced the Russian prison system’s harsh treatment of journalists firsthand.
6 Min read

How the Scamming of a Pro-Putin Pop Star Rattled Russia's Housing Market

Larisa Dolina sold her luxury Moscow apartment at the behest of scammers. The ensuing scandal has outraged the public.
4 Min read
Feature

Arkady Volozh’s Second Act

The former head of Yandex has made a remarkable business pivot. How did he pull it off?
10 Min read

Asylum-Seeking Russians Deported From U.S. at Risk of Persecution and Forced Mobilization, Activists Warn

Men on the flight that touched down in Moscow were reportedly handed military summons upon landing.
2 Min read

Witkoff and Kushner Meet With Putin to Discuss Trump's Ukraine Peace Plan

Trump's special envoy and son-in-law are expected to personally seek Putin's buy-in on the White House's peace framework.
4 Min read
News Analysis

Moscow Risks Losing a Key Ally in Latin America as Trump Ramps Up Pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro

Former U.S. officials and analysts say that leaning on Russia in a potential confrontation with the United States is unlikely to succeed.
5 Min read
Feature

With 'Russian Houses,' Moscow Expands Soft Power Push Into Africa

More than a dozen Russian House cultural centers have opened across the continent in recent years, and more are on the way.
5 Min read
News Analysis

Is Flying in Russia as Deadly as it Seems?

Russia says it has an airline safety problem. Data analyzed by The Moscow Times suggests the issue is nuanced.
6 Min read
Feature

They Fled Discrimination in Russia. Now They're Swept Up in Trump's Immigration Crackdown.

Indigenous peoples and minorities make up a sizable portion of the Russian asylum seekers caught up in the U.S. push for more deportations.
6 Min read

Putin Says Responsibility for Peace Lies With EU, Vows Response to Europe’s ‘Militarization’

In a wide-ranging address, the president also lambasted Western countries for their supposed hypocrisy and suppression of free speech.
3 Min read
News Analysis

Trump’s About-Face on Russia-Ukraine War Leaves More Questions Than Clarity

Despite the major rhetorical shift, experts are split on whether or not Trump signaled a genuine shift in policy toward the war.
4 Min read
News Analysis

‘It Doesn’t Really Cost Much to Russia’: What’s Behind Putin’s Offer to Extend New START Treaty?

While experts and analysts hailed Putin’s announcement, they also noted that Russia is likely hoping to bolster its negotiating position on Ukraine.
4 Min read
News Analysis

Putin’s Musings on Immortality Highlight His Glaring Succession Dilemma

Putin has remade the Russian political system in his image. What happens when he is no longer in power?
4 Min read
News Analysis

‘Iron Diplomacy’: With NATO On Edge, Russia and Belarus Launch Major Military Drills

As Moscow and Minsk seek to show off their latest military capabilities, their NATO neighbors are expecting the two allies to probe their defenses.
4 Min read
News Analysis

How Would Russia Treat a Ukraine Peace Deal? Chechnya and Georgia Offer Clues.

From Chechnya to Georgia, Russia has a pattern of circumventing or outright violating the terms of its agreements.
5 Min read

Trump Says Plans Underway for Putin-Zelensky Meeting Following White House Talks

European leaders rallied behind Trump earlier in the day as he said Ukraine might receive security guarantees as part of a potential peace deal with Russia...
5 Min read

Trump and Putin End Alaska Talks With No Deal on Ukraine

After a red-carpet welcome for Putin, the talks ended earlier than expected and without the landmark peace deal that Trump had been hoping for.
4 Min read
Feature

In Armenia's Second City, Russian Military Outpost With a Dark Past Faces a Precarious Future

Russia’s base in Gyumri is its last major outpost of military influence in Armenia. But amid changing geopolitical tides, are its days numbered?
8 Min read
Feature

Their Leader Ousted By Mass Protests, Abkhazians Vote to Decide Ties With Russia

In the Georgian breakaway region, protests over a proposed Russian investment deal forced the president to step down. Now, the biggest prize for many locals...
6 Min read
Feature

‘My Moral Compass Demands It’: Russian Emigres Rally Alongside Georgians Against ‘Foreign Influence’ Bill

“It’s like a wave of inspiration that Georgia deserves to have a bright future in the European Union,” said one Russian of the mood at protests.
4 Min read
Feature

Evacuated Residents of War-Scarred Bakhmut Envision a Far-Off Return Home

Five hundred days into Russia’s invasion, the day when Bakhmut's population will be able to return looks increasingly distant.
5 Min read
Feature

Russia Lays Mines at 'Industrial Level' Ahead of Ukrainian Counteroffensive

Russian minefields will likely cause hundreds of civilian deaths and require billions of dollars to be safely removed in the coming years.
4 Min read
News Analysis

Attacks on Russian Oil Facilities Deal a Military, Psychological Blow to Moscow

Drone strikes create logistical problems for the Russian military and puncture a sense of security felt by Russians far from the frontlines.
4 Min read
Feature

Russia Ramps Up Use of Glide Bombs Ahead of Ukraine Counteroffensive

Glide bombs can travel much further and are much more precise than unguided — or “dumb” — bombs. And they're relatively cheap.
4 Min read

Russian Diaspora Aims to Inform and Influence Ahead of Duma Vote

The Vote Abroad initiative is a decentralized, grassroots movement organized online across more than 40 countries.