The Moscow Times

Support The Moscow Times!

Contribute today

a russian app store?

Russia Struggles to Replicate Google Play in Tech Analogue Drive

Three Russian replicates of Google Play have appeared since the invasion of Ukraine: RuMarket, RuStore and NashStore

Turmoil at ‘Russia’s Google’ Amid Sanctions, War and Censorship

“I realized that we as a company are responsible for this. We are not victims, we are actors,” said one former Yandex employee.

Five Men Found Guilty in Nemtsov Murder Case

The men had been offered 15 million rubles ($240,000) to murder Nemtsov, the court was told.

Russian Security Service Announces Telegram Messenger Terror Link Amid Privacy Row

The FSB announced on Monday that the terror cell behind April's St. Petersburg metro bombing used Telegram to keep their plans hidden from the authorities...

Moscow's Most Racist Landlords Revealed

It is illegal for Russian landlords to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity or nationality. But the city's property listings tell a different story...

The Internet Is Accusing Putin of Using U.S. Footage to Boast About Russia's Airforce

For some eagle-eyed viewers, the Russian airforce's daring exploits look more than a little familiar.

Game On: Russia's Cyber Athletes Have Asian Rivals in Their Sights

In a dimly lit hotel room, a pack of 20-year-olds in sweatsuits stare into computer screens lining the wall. But this is much more than your average college...

These Uncensored Questions Gatecrashed Putin's Annual Call-In Marathon

President Putin's annual question and answer session is a carefully choreographed affair. And then some uncomfortable questions snuck onscreen.

Bellingcat 'Identifies' Russian Soldiers Who Transported MH17 Buk Missiles

Online investigation network Bellingcat has released a report linking Russian soldiers with the Buk anti-aircraft missile which brought down Malaysia Airlines...

Russia's Jehovah's Witnesses Meet in Defiance of 'Extremism' Ban

The group has pinned its hopes on an appeal submitted to Russia’s Supreme Court on May 20.

Moscow Officials Vote on Home Demolition Plan Despite Prosecutors' Warnings

The Moscow government will vote on new changes to the capital's controversial home demolition program, despite city prosecutors slamming the law as “unclear...

Telegram App to Refuse Russia's Data Demands

The company behind messaging app Telegram has said it will not hand over information to the Russian state amid reports of government pressure to give up...

Kremlin Search Engine Sputnik Could Close Amid Massive Losses — Reports

Russia's Kremlin-backed search engine could soon close after capturing less than one percent of the country's online market.

Russia Unveils New Bill to Transform Crimea Into Tax Haven

The annexed peninsula of Crimea could be transformed into a tax haven under a new bill set to appear before the Russian parliament.

The Irish Rover: Building Moscow's Gaelic Football Team

Kieran Haren, IT teacher and chairperson of the Moscow Shamrocks Gaelic football team, talks about promoting Ireland's national sport and surviving Moscow...

Revealed: Confessions of a Kremlin Troll

Even more of the Kremlin's online army are coming forward to lift the lid on working in Russia's most controversial office.

Suspect Accused of Training St. Petersburg Bomber Arrested Near Moscow

The man believed to have recruited and trained St. Petersburg metro bomber Akbarzhon Dzhalilov has been arrested by Russian special forces.

One Week On: Who Was the St. Petersburg Metro Bomber?

A week after a terrorist bombing tore through the St. Petersburg metro system, Russian police are building a clearer picture of the man who allegedly carried...

Russia’s Phony Jehovah’s Witnesses

When Jehovah's Witnesses arrived at the Russian Supreme Court on Wednesday morning, crowds lined the streets — but it wasn't their people.

Russian 'Failure' Led to Syria Gas Massacre, Says Tillerson

Russia's failure to strip the Syrian government of its chemical weapons stockpile contributed to the death of more than 70 Syrian civilians attacked with...

Revealed: The Name and Face of the St. Petersburg Subway Bomber

Russia's Investigative Committee has confirmed the identity of the man behind Monday's fatal terror attack in St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg Terror Attack Suspect Revealed as Russian Citizen

Investigators are currently treating the attack, which killed 14 people on the city's subway system, as a suspected suicide bombing.

Nine Dead After Explosion Hits St. Petersburg Metro

Nine people have died following an explosion on the St. Petersburg Metro.

Foreign Ministry

'Let God Judge Obama'

When Russia's chief diplomat talks, the world listens.

Russia's Sberbank to Sell Ukrainian Subsidiary Amid Sanctions

Russia’s largest state-owned bank is set to sell its Ukrainian subsidiary weeks after being hit with sanctions from Kiev.

6 Places You Need to Visit on Russia's Free Far East E-Visa

Russia is introducing a new e-visa scheme for tourists visiting the country's Far East. Here's how to make the most of it.

The Russian Billionaires on Bloomberg's Rich List

Only a select few of Russia's oligarchs make it to the top of the world's rich lists. We looked at the Russian businessmen ranked among the world's elite...

Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia Brace for a Final Blow

After more than a decade of legal wrangling, controversial anti-terrorism laws are set to deliver the final blow to Russia’s embattled Jehovah’s Witnesses...

Russian Embassy Hedges on Pre-Election Meetings With Trump Attorney General Sessions

The Russian embassy in Washington has refused to confirm or deny meeting with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the run-up to the country's presidential...

Manchester Is a 'City of Mosques,' Says Russian TV

The British city of Manchester is "nothing but mosques" — or so says Russian network television.

Putin Orders Demolition of Moscow's Iconic Post-War Apartment Blocks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the demolition of Moscow’s post-war Khrushchevkas: the pre-fabricated Soviet housing blocks which once offered...

The Man Who Got a Porn Giant Blacklisted in Russia Has Been Unmasked

A 38-year-old Russian academic has been unmasked as the driving force behind the campaign to ban global porn giant Brazzers, and a lot more.

British Historian Caught in Ukraine-Russia Spat Accuses Both Sides of Spreading 'Propaganda'

The British academic at the heart of the latest diplomatic spat between Russia and Ukraine has accused both sides of “greatly exaggerating” the incident...

Russians Want President Putin to Follow Trump to Twitter Stardom

He's already one of the internet's most beloved - and reviled - figures. Now Russians want Putin to take to Twitter to hear what the president really has...

No 'Clear Evidence' of Kremlin Propaganda in Germany - Reports

German intelligence agencies have found no clear evidence of a Kremlin-led propaganda drive targeting the country’s voters.

Belarus Accuses Russia of Violating Treaties With New Border Controls

Belarus has accused the Kremlin of building a new border zone between the two former Soviet states without notifying the Belarusian government.

Powerful Chechen Clan Accused of Plotting Kadyrov Assassination

One of Chechnya's most powerful clans has been accused of plotting to kill Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.

You Sunk My Battleship: Russian and British Navy Engage In High-Seas Trash-Talk

Forget frigates and aircraft carriers: Russia's armed forces have reached peak sass in a war of words with the British Navy.

Duma Official Tolstoy Accuses Russian Jews of 'Attempting to Destroy Churches'

The deputy speaker of Russia’s state parliament is under fire for anti-Semitic remarks accusing Russian Jews of attempting to destroy the country’s...

Facebook Temporarily Suspends ‘RT’ Ahead of Trump's Inauguration, and Moscow Is Pissed

Kremlin-funded news outlet RT was briefly blocked from posting photos or videos via its Facebook page as part of a reported copyright dispute.

Spies in Wigs

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov used his annual press conference to moan about Western liberal values, cross-dressing U.S. spies, and Washington's...

Russian State Bank Loaned $11.6 Bln to Start Rosneft Privatization Deal

Kremlin-owned Russian bank VTB provided a loan needed to kick-started the privatization of Russian energy giant Rosneft, the RBC news outlet has revealed...

Contemporary art

Activist Pavlensky Flees Russia Seeking Political Asylum Amid Rape Allegations

Russian activist Pyotr Pavlensky is applying for political asylum in France, the Hromadske news outlet reported Monday.

Russian Troops Being Briefed for Deployment in Syria — Reports

Russian army personal are being briefed for deployment in Syria, according to military brochures obtained by Russia's Novaya Gazeta newspaper.

Russian TV Channel Dozhd Suspended in Ukraine

Independent Russian television channel Dozhd has been suspended in Ukraine after repeatedly showing Crimea as part of Russia.

Trump Backed by Kremlin for 'Years,' Claims Unverified Dossier

An unverified dossier accusing Russia of gathering sexually explicit material to blackmail U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has been published online...

Trump Facing Down 'Coup D'Etat,' Says Russian State Media

Protesters in Ukraine were high on drugs, the U.S. is financing Russian liberals, and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is facing a “coup d'etat.”...

U.S. President-Elect Trump Is Full of 'Sensible Ideas': The Best of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's 2016 Press Conference

The Kremlin won't rest until the Russia's GDP overtakes the U.S., President-elect Trump is full of "sensible ideas," and Russia's former Sports Minister...

When Russian Buddhism Meets Siberian Vice

In a bid to entice partygoers in the Siberian mining town of Novokuznetsk, club owners have switched from happy hour cocktail promotions to the next best...

European University, Under Fire, Receives Temporary Reprieve From Closure

After authorities last year revoked European University in St. Petersburg's license, classes were halted and students feared the future. While the university...

Jailed for a Text Message: Welcome to Krasnodar, the Epicenter of Russian Treason

It took just two text messages for Oksana Sevastidi to be convicted of treason. The 46-year-old sales assistant was not involved in politics, according...

Top Fillon Supporter Dines in Moscow as France Fears Kremlin Election Interference

A close associate of French presidential candidate Francois Fillon has come under fire for attending a gala dinner in Moscow on Sunday. Thierry Mariani...

Kremlin Urged to Rethink Privatization Plans - Reports

A new government report is urging the Kremlin to rethink its privatization policy and keep more state assets under its control, the Vedomosti newspaper...

Moscow's Support in Syria for 'Morals not Self-Interest,' Assad Says

Syria is only a pawn in the United States' struggle against Russia, Syrian President Bashar Assad has claimed. Speaking in an interview with Russian tabloid...

President's Friend Was Stakeholder in Firm Linked to Putin's Fortune — Reports

The former co-owner of the Gunvor energy company — the firm long-rumored to be the source of President Vladimir Putin's private wealth — has been revealed...

U.S. Presidential Debates 2016: 'No Doubt' Russia Used Cyberattacks, Says Clinton

Sparks flew in the first U.S. presidential debate, with Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton declaring that Russian hackers were targeting the United...

U.S. Photographer Sturges' Moscow Exhibition Closed Amid Child Pornography Claims

The Moscow exhibition of controversial American photographer Jock Sturges has been closed following protests from conservative activists. Members of the...

Medvedev Warns Russia of Economic Reform's 'High Social Cost'

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has warned that reforms needed to save Russia's economy will have “a high social cost” for the Russian people...

Russian Elections 2016: Kremlin Landslide Confirmed

Russia's ruling United Russia party has secured a larger-than expected landslide victory in the country's parliamentary elections. As of 10:00 am Moscow...

Investigators Confirm Egypt Plane Crash as Terrorist Attack — Report

International investigators have confirmed that the Russian passenger jet which crashed over Egypt's Sinai desert was downed by a bomb, the Kommersant...

Exiled Oligarch Khodorkovsky Starts Search for Putin Replacement

Exiled Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky has announced his search to find Russia's next president. The former oil tycoon is asking Russians to nominate...

Islam Karimov Rumored Dead, Uzbekistan Ponders Future

Reports of the alleged death of the President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, have been denied by officials in Tashkent, who say his condition is "serious...

Uzbek President Islam Karimov Hospitalized

The president of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, has been hospitalized, international media reported Sunday. Karimov's "full medical examination and follow-up...

'There Are Some People You Should Kill': The Russian Priests Supporting Stalin

Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin of the Russian Orthodox Church is no stranger to controversy. The staunchly conservative Orthodox priest has stuck his nose...

Russia's Economy Still Falling After 'Hitting Rock Bottom' - Report

Russia's economy is continuing to decline “after hitting rock bottom,” a report by Moscow's Higher School of Economics (HSE) revealed Monday. The Russian...

I Am Not Afraid to Speak: Russian Online Flash Mob Condemns Sexual Violence

Thousands of women in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus have taken to social media to share their experiences of sexual violence in an online flash mob. Women...

Russian 'Political Prisoner' Pivovarov Found Guilty of Bribery

Russian opposition politician Andrei Pivovarov has been found guilty of bribery and illegally accessing a police database, the Interfax news agency reported...

Pay Rises Continue Amid Crisis at Russia's Top Companies

Two-thirds of executives at Russia's largest companies saw pay rises in 2015 despite the country's economic crisis, the RBC news website reported Monday...

Website Publishes New List of Journalists Working in Ukraine's Donbass

Ukrainian nationalists have leaked a second list of the personal details of journalists working in the Donbass and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine.
...

State Has Put 6% of Russians Under Surveillance in Past Decade - Report

At least six percent of Russia's population has been under state surveillance at some point in the last nine years, according to a report released by human...

Russia's First Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill Under Consideration by Duma

Russia's first anti-sexual harassment law has been submitted to the State Duma, despite concerns among critics that its terms will be used to deport...