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Features

With Europe’s Doors Closed, Russians Are Flocking to Vyborg for a Taste of the West

Vyborg, a city with centuries of Swedish and Finnish heritage, is experiencing a tourism boom. But reminders of the war in Ukraine are never far away.

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

‘Still Just a Child’: The Russian Teenagers Fighting and Dying in Ukraine

A growing number of Russian soldiers who were still schoolchildren when the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began are being killed in the war.
5 Min read

She Was a Leading Arctic Ornithologist. Now She’s Imprisoned for $25 in Donations.

Sofya Rozenfeld dedicated her life to studying Arctic waterfowl. Even as she faced criminal charges, she couldn’t imagine leaving that work behind.
4 Min read

Russia’s Anti-War Theater Artists Search for a New Stage in Exile

For less-established actors and directors, exile has meant struggling to find their place in the theater world.
5 Min read

From Banking to Taxis, Ukraine’s Data Center Strikes Disrupt Everyday Life in Russia

The strikes on Yandex data centers have impacted services used by millions — and exposed vulnerabilities in Russia’s digital infrastructure.
5 Min read

Forced Underground, Russia’s Feminists Find New Ways to Keep Working

As the Kremlin clamps down on women’s rights, activists are working out of public view to provide practical support and build new alliances.
5 Min read

In Russian-Occupied Oleshky, Civilians Struggle to Survive as Hunger Deepens

With roads mined and supplies dwindling, civilians in the occupied Ukrainian town are risking their lives to find food or escape.
4 Min read

Years After His Death, Vladimir Zhirinovsky Lives Rent-Free in Russians’ Heads

The late far-right firebrand remains a fixture in the public consciousness as a political prophet. And his popularity is only growing.
4 Min read

Navigating Identity: A New Bookshop Reflects a Changing Pushkin House

The London-based center dedicated to Russian culture has unveiled a new installation by renowned architect Alexander Brodsky.
5 Min read

Ksenia Maximova Went From Top Model to Anti-War Activist to London Councillor. Now She’s Wanted By Russia.

The prominent Russian anti-war figure has been placed on Russia’s wanted list and added to its register of “terrorists and extremists.”
8 Min read

As Fears of Post-Election Mobilization Swirl, Russian Activists Prepare for the Worst

Anti-war activists and lawyers say that anxiety is rising, even though helping Russians avoid military service has long been a part of their work.
5 Min read

On TikTok, Russia's Political Parties Court Voters Who Grew Up Under Putin

Party youth wings are appealing to younger voters with memes and anti-establishment rhetoric — while strictly staying within the Kremlin’s political...
5 Min read

‘A Prison of Survival’: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ales Bialiatski on Life Behind Bars in Belarus

The veteran human rights activist discusses life since his release, receiving the Nobel Prize behind bars and the outlook for Belarusian society.
13 Min read

‘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

Calls to Rebury a Siberian Mummy Unearth Decades of Distorted History

Shamans claim a Pandora’s box of disaster and conflict was opened when the remains of the “Altai Princess” were excavated three decades ago.
3 Min read

Russia Is Betting on the MC-21 to Reverse Its Aviation Decline. It’s No Silver Bullet.

The MC-21’s troubled development reflects the mounting pressure on Russian civil aviation.
6 Min read

Moscow Is Touting North Korea as a New Tourism Hotspot. Few Russians Are Making the Trip.

Despite a growing selection of organized tours and deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, few Russians are venturing to the country.
6 Min read

'My Entire Career Is an Anti-War Project': Exiled Punk Rocker Dmitry Spirin

The former Tarakany! frontman talks the Hard Times Cafe, life in emigration and building bridges between Russia and his new home of Argentina.
6 Min read
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