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The Desperate Chechen Lawyer Offering Kadyrov a Human Swap

Human rights lawyer Abubakar Yangulbaev is no novice when it comes to standing up to Ramzan Kadyrov, the strongman leader of Russia’s republic of...

'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...

‘not silent’

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...

against all odds

Russia’s Local Journalists Struggle to Keep News Flowing – From Home and Abroad

Russian independent media outlet Zvezda in the city of Perm consistently uses the word “war” in its coverage of the fighting in Ukraine &mdash...

gradual decline

What Really Happened With Russia’s Economy in 2022?

While many analysts and observers expected the Russian economy to collapse under the weight of the Ukraine war and a flood of Western sanctions, the country...

vocal resistance

Tatarstan Deputies Reject Kremlin Attempt to Bring Region to Heel

In a rare show of defiance toward the federal government in Moscow, regional politicians in Tatarstan on Thursday rejected a set of amendments to its constitution...

far-reaching consequences

7 Unexpected Ways Western Sanctions Have Affected Life in Russia

Western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine may not have resulted in the dramatic economic collapse some predicted — but they have still...

climate of fear

Ukraine War Fuels ‘Fear and Anxiety’ for Russia’s Trans Community

Transgender and non-binary people in Russia have faced rising harassment and physical abuse since the start of the war in Ukraine, activists say, as the...

crossing the dnipro

Russia Begins Kherson 'Evacuations' as Ukrainian Forces Advance

State-run Russian television aired footage on Wednesday of long lines of people and their luggage on the banks of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine&rsquo...

straight to the front

From Mobilization to Death in 10 Days: Russia’s Draftees Killed in Ukraine

St. Petersburg lawyer Andrei Nikiforov was drafted into the Russian army four days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial&rdquo...

Russia Claims Front ‘Stabilized’ as Ukraine Pushes on With Counteroffensive

Russian officials sought to allay concerns Wednesday that Ukraine could achieve a major breakthrough in its ongoing counteroffensive amid reports that...

unlikely critics

‘We Cannot Win’: Russia’s Military Veterans Opposing The Ukraine War

After retiring from the Russian Air Force at the rank of lieutenant-colonel, Vitaly Votanovsky got involved in political activism in the southern Russian...

Disproportionate levies

Ethnic Minorities Hit Hardest By Russia’s Mobilization, Activists Say

Just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization for the war in Ukraine last week, a family in Russia’s majority-Buddhist...

‘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...

Russia’s Tatarstan Bans Reservists From Leaving as Mobilization Underway

Authorities in Russia’s republic of Tatarstan have prohibited all residents in the military reserves from leaving the region, according to a government...

‘Demoralized and Depressed’: Voting Begins in Russia’s First Wartime Elections

Moscow will see the most contested elections as over a hundred independent candidates seek to win municipal council seats.

new destination

Russians Flock to Belarus for Sanctions-Free Shopping Tourism

The demand for tours to Russia’s ex-Soviet ally has been unexpectedly high since the invasion, according to travel agents.

From Yandex to RT: Russia Expands Presence in Serbia Amid Ukraine War

The Kremlin is looking to use its Balkan ally to evade sanctions and “gaslight” the West, analysts say.

evidence of abuse

Russia’s ‘Filtration Camp’ System Detailed in Human Rights Watch Report

“The forcible transfer of civilians… can be prosecuted as a war crime and a crime against humanity,” the international watchdog said.

Praise and Blame: How Russia Reacted to the Death of Gorbachev

President Vladimir Putin said Gorbachev was a “statesman who made an enormous impact on the trajectory of world history.”

'Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union'

It’s hard not to seek answers to questions of the present in Zubok’s work about the past.

navigating the maze

NGO Helps Women Fleeing Ukraine War, Political Repression

A global team of volunteers coordinated by a leading Russian expert is supporting women facing gender-based violence abroad.

Possible exchange

Explainer: What’s Next for U.S. Basketball Star Griner After Russia Conviction?

Brittney Griner’s defense is preparing to appeal the verdict, while prisoner swap talks between the U.S. and Russia could drag on for months.

Russia’s Tatar Minority Mourns Loss of Regional Presidency

Vladimir Putin formalized the arrangement in July when referencing the local leader as “head” for the first time.

Local battalions

‘Explosive Cocktail’: The Russian Regions Recruiting Units for Ukraine War

It may alleviate Russia’s manpower shortages but is unlikely to change the course of the fighting, analysts said.

Russian Authorities Detain, Threaten Soldiers Refusing to Fight in Ukraine

Servicemen report that they are being prevented from resigning from the military.

Russia's Liberal Dozhd TV Returns to the Air After Wartime Crackdown

“We hope that we won’t disappoint the viewers,” Dozhd’s editor-in-chief said.

professional duty

‘We Save Everyone’: The Lawyers Helping Russian Soldiers Evade Service in Ukraine

Thousands of Russian contract soldiers and National Guard employees have likely refused to be sent into battle since the start of the invasion.

Russian Ruble Drops 17% Amid Falling Exports, Rumored Intervention

The ruble is currently at its lowest level in six weeks.

Russia’s Remote Communities Feel Fallout From Ukraine Invasion

Residents of distant towns and villages are facing the loss and grief of a “big land” conflict.

'business trip'

Russia Recruits Teachers, Construction Workers and Politicians to ‘Rebuild’ Occupied Ukraine

Potential hires are promised salaries up to nine times higher than the Russian average.

Taliban, Separatists and Lukashenko: Russia Kicks Off Diminished St. Petersburg Forum

There will be no delegations from “unfriendly” countries, according to Russian officials.

looming recession

Explainer: What Does Russia’s ‘Zero-Inflation’ Mean?

“Things are a lot worse than they are saying,” said one economist.

Amid Official Silence, Russian Soldiers’ Families Get Answers From the Enemy

Ukraine’s “IT Army” spreads information and photos of deceased Russian military personnel on social media to raise awareness of losses.

Russia Places Top Investigative Journalist on Federal Wanted List

Andrei Soldatov, a leading expert on Russia's security services, learned of the case against him after his bank accounts were frozen.

A Future Federation

For Russia’s Exiled Ethnic Activists, Ukraine War a ‘Window of Opportunity’

“We believe that the Russian invasion of Ukraine will bring about the fall of the empire,” said one ethnic rights activist.

Z-symbols, Fewer Tanks and No Guests: Russia Prepares to Mark Victory Day as Ukraine War Rages

There will be 129 military vehicles and about 10,000 personnel taking part in the military parade in Moscow on Monday.

CRITICAL JUNCTURE

Explainer: Where Things Stand With Navalny

A look at the state of play in the impasse between President Vladimir Putin’s most vocal domestic critic and the Kremlin.

Guzel Yakhina Lays Bare the Soviet Past in 'Train to Samarkand'

Yakhina’s new novel gives voice to the children of 1920s famine.

Of Borscht and Protests: The Female Future of Russia’s Opposition

Women in Russia’s opposition have been drivers of change long before entering the spotlight in the wake of Alexei Navalny's jailing.

Live, love, laugh!

South African Comedian Goes for Laughs in Moscow

Mum-z speaks about comedy, love and living in Russia as a black man.

bilateral bonding

Iranian Speaker’s Moscow Visit Signals Closer Ties to Come, Experts Say

Mohammad-Bager Galibaf’s Russia trip was more than a routine visit, experts told The Moscow Times.

proof of immunity

Russian Region Becomes First to Introduce Covid-19 'Passports'

Passport holders will be exempt from certain pandemic restrictions and eligible for discounts, sparking debate over "immunity discrimination."

7 Protests That Defined the Year in Russia and Former Soviet Republics

Anger in Khabarovsk, historic demonstrations in Belarus and revolution in Kyrgyzstan.

Russia’s Response to the Coronavirus: The 2020 Timeline

How the pandemic unfolded in Russia in 2020, from border closures to mass vaccination rollout.

STRONGER TOGETHER

New Alliance Hopes to Raise Awareness of Arctic Environmental Crisis

BRIES will unite scientists and journalists from five northern nations to sound the alarm.

The Arctic Open Film Festival Goes Online

Some of the festival's avant-garde films are already available to the wider audience.

TECH-SAVVY TEACHING

‘Geek Teachers’ Innovate Russian Classrooms

A project founded by two young teachers has supported remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

regional player

What Does the Nagorno-Karabakh Deal Mean for Russia?

Regional analysts disagree on whether the latest ceasefire should be treated as a Russian geopolitical victory.

Scientists Fear Arctic Sea That Didn’t Freeze Heralds Trend

A Russian expert told The Moscow Times that sea-ice coverage is shrinking 10% each decade.

Binational Couples Separated by Russia's Coronavirus Travel Bans Push for Change

Complicated visa rules and the lack of legal recognition for non-married couples make reuniting in Russia almost impossible.