ROSATOM successfully attended WNU Summer Institute

ROSATOM took part in the World Nuclear University’s Summer Institute, an international educational program aimed at developing the professional skills of nuclear industry workers from different countries. The SI 2024 was hosted by Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The program has been attended by ROSATOM Special Representative for International Projects Lyudmila Zalimskaya, Chief Sustainability Officer Polina…

Ukrainian Azov Fighter Dies in Russian Prison

A member of Ukraine’s Azov battalion has died in Russian custody, independent Russian media reported and Ukraine’s human rights commissioner confirmed Wednesday. Oleksandr Ishchenko was among 24 former and current Azov members, including nine women, who were arrested in southern Russia on terrorism charges in March-May 2022. Russia’s Memorial human rights organization considers all of them to be political prisoners.…

Freedom of Russia Legion Breaks Ties With Ex-Lawmaker Ponomaryov

A Ukraine-based paramilitary unit of Russian citizens opposed to the Kremlin announced Wednesday that it was breaking ties with former Russian lawmaker turned opposition figure Ilya Ponomaryov. The Freedom of Russia Legion said in a statement that it would “unilaterally revoke” its signature from the Irpin Declaration, “thereby terminating participation in any political projects.” The…

Russian Regions Hike Military Sign-Up Payments in Bid to Boost Manpower for Ukraine War

The Kremlin is increasingly turning to creative measures to boost its troops without formally declaring another unpopular mobilization as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine grinds on. From TV marathons promoting war recruitment to increasing payments, Russian regions are looking for ways to address the need for fresh troops on the front line. The Kremlin said last year…

Germany Says Will Not Be ‘Intimidated’ by Putin’s Nuclear Threats

Germany said on Monday it was not deterred by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats to relaunch production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons if the United States confirms its intention to deploy missiles to Europe. “We will not be intimidated by such statements,” foreign ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer told a government press conference. In early July, Washington…

Whereabouts of 4 Russian Dissidents Unknown After Apparent Jail Transfers

The whereabouts of four Russian political prisoners — Lilia Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeyeva, Oleg Orlov and Alexandra Skochilenko — are unknown after their apparent transfer to new prison facilities, lawyers and relatives said on Monday. Prison authorities in Russia often subject high-profile inmates to secret and lengthy transfers across the country. Shortly before his death at…

Olympic Organizers Confirm Russian Journalists Stripped of Accreditation

Olympic organizers on Monday confirmed that they canceled the accreditation of some reporters after Russia’s state-run TASS news agency said several of its journalists could no longer cover the Paris Games. TASS reported on Sunday that the removal of its journalists’ accreditation, essential for covering sporting events, was “completely unexpected” and came after the journalists…

What We Know About Russian Mercenary Losses in Mali

Russian mercenaries have suffered heavy losses in two-day fighting against Tuareg rebels near Mali’s border with Algeria, Russia’s Wagner mercenary group confirmed on Monday in a rare statement. A mainly Tuareg separatist coalition claimed earlier on Sunday it took a major victory over Mali’s army and its Russian allies. In its statement, Wagner detailed “fierce…

Kremlin Dismisses Claims of Russian ‘Sabotage Campaign’ Against Olympics

The Kremlin on Monday rejected U.S. media claims that Russia may be plotting attacks on critical infrastructure in France during the Olympic Games. NBC News reported Sunday that acts of sabotage against France’s high-speed train network ahead of the opening ceremony last week Friday showed a broad array of security threats to the Olympics, including a “Russian-backed sabotage…

Russia Says Kyiv’s Statements on Peace Talks Contradictory

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday he “does not listen” to what he called Ukraine’s contradictory statements on peace talks. Lavrov spoke after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba visited China for talks this week. President Volodymyr Zelensky then said Beijing sent a “clear signal” it supported Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Answering questions from Russian journalists…

Fashion Police: Russia Cracks Down on Pop Stars’ Revealing Costumes

Russian politicians fighting to defend so-called “traditional” values are turning their attention to the country’s vibrant music scene, lambasting pop stars for performances and outfits deemed to be too revealing or sexual.  Pop singer Natalya Chistyakova-Ionova, who is best known by her stage name Glukoza, became embroiled in scandal after pro-Kremlin censorship activist Yekaterina Mizulina…

Volcanic Ash Creates ‘Alien’ Landscape at Nature Preserve in Kamchatka

A recent volcanic eruption in Far East Russia has blanketed the remote landscape of a major nature preserve with ash, the Kamchatka peninsula’s park service said Friday.  Bezymyanny volcano, one of Kamchatka’s most active, erupted on Wednesday, with ash spewing up to 12 kilometers into the Earth’s atmosphere and plumes extending around 2,500 kilometers southeast of the…

How a Novel About a Zombie Apocalypse in Moscow Spooked the Russian Government

Writer Ivan Filippov’s novel “Mouse” (“Miysh’”), about a zombie apocalypse in Moscow, was pulled from Russian bookstore shelves this month on the Prosecutor General’s Office’s orders. The news came from Georgy Urushadze, founder of the book’s publisher Freedom Letters. Luckily for the publisher, sales of the book only increased after the announcement.  Freedom Letters is one of…