Russian Prison Boss Offers Inmate Labor to Boost Military Production

Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service has offered the state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec the use of inmate labor to boost the production of military equipment for the country’s armed forces, the Russian daily newspaper Kommersant reported on Wednesday. Rostec head Sergei Chemezov, who is widely believed to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is said to have received a proposal from…

Russia Places Pussy Riot Co-Founder Nadya Tolokonnikova on Wanted List   

Russia’s Interior Ministry has placed Nadya Tolokonnikova, co-founder of Russian feminist protest and performance art group Pussy Riot, on its wanted list, independent news outlet Mediazona reported Wednesday.  Though the ministry didn’t specify which criminal offense prompted the move, the Russian authorities opened an investigation into Tolokonnikova for “insulting the religious feelings of believers” earlier…

Sweden Summons Russian Envoy After NATO Bid Warning

Stockholm said on Wednesday that it was summoning the Russian ambassador to Sweden for warning the country would become a “legitimate target” of “retaliatory measures” if it joined NATO. Sweden and neighbor Finland both ended decades of military non-alignment in May when they decided to join the Western defense alliance in the wake of Russia’s…

Kremlin Forecasts ‘Long War’ With ‘Unfriendly Countries’

The Kremlin’s spokesperson predicted a long-lasting hybrid war against Russia’s Western adversaries on Wednesday after a media report revealed he had urged colleagues to brace themselves for a “forever war” three months ago. According to the report published by The Guardian on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned members of Russia’s cultural and political elite at a New…

Top Agriculture Trader Cargill to Stop Exporting Russian Grain

The top global agricultural commodity trader Cargill is to stop exporting Russian grain this summer while maintaining its other operations in the country, Russia’s RBC news website reported Wednesday, citing a letter sent by Cargill Russia to a senior Russian official. Cargill Russia has reportedly notified Russian Deputy Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut of its intentions to…