Rosneft Organises Summer Internship for Students of Technical Specialties
Sibintek (a subsidiary of Rosneft) launched a summer internship for students of technical specialities
Russia May Free 20-30 Political Prisoners in Historic Exchange With West
This article was first published by Politika.Kozlov. Russia may be preparing to free between 20 and 30 political prisoners and journalists in an imminent exchange with the United States and Germany, a source familiar with the planning said, in what, if confirmed, would be the largest swap since the end of the Cold War. Previous…
Russian Territorial Gains in July Roughly the Size of Washington D.C. – AFP
Moscow’s forces consolidated their territorial gains in eastern Ukraine in July, taking control of almost 200 square kilometers (77 square miles) of land, or roughly the size of Washington D.C., according to an AFP analysis published on Wednesday. The analysis, based on data from the Institute for the Study of War, shows an increase over…
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.…
Slovenia Expels Russian Couple Convicted of Spying
A Slovenia court on Wednesday sentenced two Russian nationals suspected of spying for Moscow to more than a year and a half in prison but then ordered their expulsion from the country. The couple, who went by the names of Ludwig Gisch and Maria Rosa Mayer Munos, pleaded guilty at Wednesday’s hearing on charges of…
Jailed Russian-U.K. Dissident Kara-Murza Moved to Unknown Location – Reuters
Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza was removed from his prison in Siberia and is being transferred elsewhere, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing Russia’s prison service. Prison authorities told the agency that Kara-Murza, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence for treason and other charges, was removed from the IK-16 penal colony in the Omsk region and sent to…
Lawyer of Ex-U.S. Marine Jailed in Russia Says Cannot Confirm His Whereabouts
The lawyer of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan said she was unable to confirm the whereabouts of her client after receiving multiple requests from journalists amid growing speculation that Russia is preparing a prisoner exchange with the West. “I had asked the prison’s administration, but they’re not responding,” lawyer Olga Karlova was quoted as saying…
Russian Lawmakers Scrap Bill Allowing Draft Deferments for Fathers
Russia’s lower-house State Duma on Wednesday rejected a bill that would have granted draft deferments to men with three or more children, as some families demand a return of their loved ones from Ukraine. The military initially granted deferments to fathers with three or more children under the age of 16 after President Vladimir Putin announced…
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…
Putin Orders $4.6K Sign-On Bonus for New Army Recruits
President Vladimir Putin ordered a signing-on bonus of 400,000 rubles ($4,600) for new recruits to fight in Ukraine, the latest sign of a scramble to boost Russian troop numbers amid growing battlefield losses. A presidential decree published Wednesday promises the federally issued lump sum to anyone who signs a military contract for a minimum of one…
ROSATOM has started the implementation of fuel supply contract to India for the Kudankulam units 3 and 4
TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom has started implementation of nuclear fuel supply contract for units 3 and 4 of the Kudankulam NPP. The contract embraces the entire lifetime of the power units from the starting loading of the reactor cores. Units 3 and 4 of the Kudankulam NPP of the Russian design, powered by VVER-1000…
Russia Condemns Killing of Hamas Leader Haniyeh
The Kremlin said it “strongly condemns” the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran after the militant group announced his death early Wednesday. Hamas said the political leader was killed in an Israeli strike in Iran, where he was attending the inauguration ceremony of the country’s new president. The group vowed that the killing would…
Rosneft Enterprises Released Over 8 Million Fry into Rivers in Russia in July
Rosneft subsidiaries released more than 8.3 million fry into Russian rivers and water bodies in July as part of a programme to preserve biodiversity and replenish aquatic bioresources
Igor Sechin and Krasnoyarsk Region Governor Mikhail Kotyukov Hold a Working Meeting
Igor Sechin, Chief Executive Officer of Rosneft, and Mikhail Kotyukov, Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, held a working meeting to discuss cooperation between the Company and the regional government
Hungary’s Visa Rules Raise Fears of Russian Espionage in EU
The European Parliament’s biggest group has expressed concern over espionage risks emanating from Hungary’s recent decision to relax visa rules for Russian and Belarusian nationals, according to a letter seen by AFP on Tuesday. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban — the only EU leader to have maintained close ties with the Kremlin since Russia launched…
Belarus Pardons German Man Facing Execution – State Media
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday decided to pardon a German man facing the death penalty, the country’s state news agency reported. Lukashenko “took the decision to pardon the German citizen Rico Krieger… taking into account all the circumstances,” Belta news agency reported, citing the president’s press service. Krieger, 30, was shown on Belarusian public…
Huge Blaze Erupts at Manufacturing Facility in Russia’s Yekaterinburg
A large fire broke out on Tuesday at a production facility in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg, local media reported, with photos and videos on social media showing a large column of black smoke billowing into the sky. According to local media reports, the blaze erupted late Tuesday afternoon at NPO Avtomatiki, a subsidiary…
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…
More Russian Political Prisoners Moved, Fueling Speculation of Imminent Swap
Two more Russian political prisoners have been moved to unknown locations, lawyers and relatives said Tuesday, coming days after the transfer of four high-profile dissidents that has fueled speculation of a potential prisoner swap between Moscow and the West. Imprisoned activists Lilia Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeyeva and Oleg Orlov were reportedly moved from their jail cells…
Kremlin Says Venezuelan Opposition Should ‘Accept Defeat’
The Kremlin on Tuesday said Venezuela’s opposition must accept that it lost the presidential election after protestors took to the streets to challenge official results showing a victory for Nicolas Maduro. Several foreign countries including nine in Latin America have questioned Sunday’s election results, while Venezuela’s security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at…
Spain Allows Russian Sailboat to Make Port Call Despite Sanctions
Spanish authorities have granted an emergency request for the replica of an 18th-century Russian frigate to make a port call so that it can replenish provisions and replace broken parts, media reported Tuesday. The EU implemented a ban on Russian vessels docking at its ports as part of a broader sanctions package in response to…
Raiffeisen Bank to ‘Drastically’ Reduce Operations in Russia
Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank said Tuesday that it will continue to scale back its Russian business as it navigates a “very difficult” exit from the country, where it generated half of its post-tax profit in 2024 so far. In its semi-annual earnings report, Raiffeisen Bank International said its Russian division posted 705 million euros ($763.6 million) of the…
Fire at Russian Oil Depot Extinguished After Ukrainian Drone Strike, Authorities Say
Authorities in southwestern Russia said Tuesday a fire that had broken out after a Ukrainian attack over the weekend had finally been extinguished. Acting Kursk region Governor Alexei Smirnov said that “emergency responders have extinguished a fire at an oil depot.” Three fuel tanks were hit in a Ukrainian drone attack in the early hours…
As Russia Throttles YouTube, Exiled Opposition Voices Prepare for Total Blackout
When a Russian lawmaker said late last week that the country would start throttling YouTube loading speeds on desktop browsers by up to 70%, it appeared to confirm many Russians’ fears that the country would gradually cut off access to the video platform. Over the past decade, YouTube has become a vital platform for dissenting viewpoints…
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…
Pro-Kremlin Rapper Timati Joins Kadyrov in Opposing Wildberries Merger
Rapper Timati has called for ending the merger of Russia’s leading online retailer Wildberries with the outdoor advertising firm Russ Group. Wildberries and Russ Group announced a merger last month to create a joint digital trading platform called RWB, which the Kremlin said received the personal approval of President Vladimir Putin. Reports surrounding the deal…
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…
Passenger Train Derails in Southern Russia, Injuring Dozens
A passenger train derailed on Monday in southern Russia, injuring dozens of people, the country’s state-owned railway company said. Russian Railways said the train — which was traveling through the Volgograd region — collided with a truck that drove into a railroad crossing at 12:35 local time. Eight passenger cars were thrown from the tracks, it added. “The…
Putin Congratulates Venezuela’s Maduro on Election Victory
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday congratulated Nicolas Maduro on his victory in Venezuela’s presidential race, as the election results were rejected by the opposition and several foreign countries. “I am confident that your role as head of state will continue to enhance the progressive development of [Russian-Venezuelan relations],” Putin was quoted as saying in…
Wagner Group Confirms Fighters Killed Battling Mali Rebels
The Wagner mercenary group confirmed Monday that some of its fighters were killed alongside soldiers from Mali’s army as they battled against rebel forces in recent days. The rebel movement, the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD), said in a statement on Saturday that its troops “decisively obliterated” the Wagner-backed Malian army…
1 Dead, 2 Missing After Dam Collapses in Northwestern Russia
At least one person has died and two others missing after a torrent of water poured over a cofferdam in northwestern Russia early Monday and flooded the surrounding area, authorities said. Water washed away the temporary barrier between two locks of the White Sea-Baltic Canal in the republic of Karelia, regional head Artur Parfenchikov wrote…
Rosneft Hosts Corporate Environmental Race in Moscow
Rosneft organised an environmental event in Moscow’s Fili Park – a plogging race where employees cleaned up litter
Russia Says Journalists Stripped of Olympic Accreditation
Russia’s TASS state news agency said Sunday the Paris Olympics organizing committee had stripped four of its journalists of accreditation to cover the Games after they attended initial events. TASS said that the removal of the reporters’ accreditation, essential to cover the Games, was “completely unexpected” after the journalists had entered France, received passes and…
Tamizdat: The New World of Russian Publishing
“An infected mouse escapes from the Institute of Functional Immortality, where the development of a means to prolong Putin’s life is underway. An apocalypse occurs in Moscow: most of the city’s inhabitants die, some survive, and the rest turn into zombies.” …
Putin Threatens To Restart Production of Mid-Range Nuclear Weapons
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday threatened to relaunch production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons if the United States confirmed its intention to deploy missiles to Germany or elsewhere in Europe. “If the United States carries out such plans, we will consider ourselves liberated from the unilateral moratorium previously adopted on the deployment of medium- and…
Mali Army, Russian Allies Suffer Heavy Losses in North – Local Sources
Mali’s army and its Russian allies suffered a major setback and significant losses Saturday while fighting separatists in the country’s north, a spokesman for the rebels told AFP. The West African nation’s military leaders that took power in a 2020 coup have made it a priority to retake all of the country from separatist and…
Russian Navy Ship Arrives in Cuba for Three-Day Visit
A Russian navy ship arrived in Cuba on Saturday for a three-day stay, six weeks after Moscow sent a submarine and other naval vessels to visit the communist state off Florida’s coast. The Smolny training ship was greeted with salvos from Cuban artillery before it anchored in Havana’s harbor, where residents and tourists gathered to…
Russia Slams Olympic Opening as ‘Massive Failure’
Russia on Saturday slammed the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games as a “massive failure”. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova gave a long list of shortcomings at Friday’s ceremony, which was not broadcast live on Russian television. “I wasn’t planning to watch the opening. But after seeing the photos, I couldn’t believe it wasn’t…
Russia Claims Capture of Another Village in East Ukraine
Russia on Saturday claimed the capture of another village in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region where there is heavy fighting as Moscow’s forces advance towards the city of Pokrovsk. The Defense ministry said Russian troops “liberated” the village of Lozuvatske, about 24 kilometers (15 miles) east of Pokrovsk and near the Russian-occupied small town of Ocheretnye.…
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…
Feeding Olympic Athletes the Soviet Way
The opening of the Olympic Games not only makes us cheer for the athletes, it also makes us reminisce a bit. Looking back on the few weeks in July-August 1980 when the Soviet Union hosted the Olympics, we can see that Moscow finally had the ideal public catering that “the Bolsheviks had been talking about…
Dam Collapses in Russia’s Chelyabinsk Region, Forcing Hundreds to Flee
Heavy rainfall led to the collapse of a reservoir dam in the Ural Mountains region of Chelyabinsk on Friday night, Russian authorities said, forcing residents of nearby villages to evacuate their homes. A dam at the Kialimskoye reservoir, measuring around 500 meters long, was unable to hold back rising waters and broke, unleashing a flood torrent toward…
Man Sets Himself Ablaze on Red Square – Reports
The head of a research institute that supplies communication systems to the Russian military set himself ablaze on Red Square Friday, media outlets reported, citing anonymous sources. Mash, a Telegram news channel with purported links to Russian law enforcement, said eyewitnesses saw a man douse himself with a flammable liquid and then ignite in flames.…
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…
Determined to Stay: The Lives of Ukrainian Civilians on the Kharkiv Front
KHARKIV REGION, Ukraine — An old green Soviet Lada speeds along a dirt road, skidding as it races forward. Behind the car, thick black smoke billows into the July sky. A Grad missile has just struck a small village in the Kharkiv region, less than 6 miles from the front lines. Oleksiy, 65, is cultivating…
Who Are the Russian Athletes Competing in the Paris Olympics?
Only 15 Russian athletes will take part in the Paris Olympics after the International Olympic Committee banned athletes from Russia and Belarus from competing under their own flag. These athletes will be allowed to compete as “individual neutral athletes.” The IOC says there are strict conditions for Russian or Belarusian athletes to be eligible to…
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…
Anti-War Store Owner Released From St. Petersburg Prison
A store owner in St. Petersburg who was jailed last year for publicly opposing the war in Ukraine was released from prison on Friday, local media reported. In August 2023, Dmitry Skurikhin was ordered to spend one year and six months in prison for “discrediting” the Russian military after he painted his store in pacifist slogans. He was arrested after…
EU Transfers $1.6 Billion Raised From Russian Assets for Ukraine
The EU on Friday said 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) had been made available to support Ukraine, the first chunk of money earned from profits on frozen Russian assets. EU member states had agreed in May to use billions of euros in profits from frozen Russian Central Bank assets to help arm Ukraine and fund…
Kremlin Says Not Informed of Russian’s Arrest Over Suspected Olympics Plot
The Kremlin’s spokesman on Friday said Moscow had not been informed of the arrest in France of a Russian man over a suspected “destabilization” plot targeting the Paris Olympics. The man was detained Tuesday in Paris but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that France had not informed Russian officials. “We have no information. We…
Former Russian Deputy Defense Minister Arrested on Corruption Charges
Former Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov has been arrested on corruption charges, Russian law enforcement authorities announced on Friday, adding that the army general was moved to a detention center in Moscow. Bulgakov, 69, is the seventh high-ranking Defense Ministry official to have been arrested since April in an apparent purge of the military’s top ranks as…
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…
The I International Student Games Were Held in Vladivostok with Rosneft’s Support
Vladivostok, the capital of Primorsky Krai, hosted the closing ceremony of the First International Youth Student Games “Primorye Youth” sponsored by Rosneft. More than 500 athletes from Russia, Belarus, China, India, DPRK, and Uzbekistan took part in the Games
Russia’s Central Bank Raises Rates to 18% Amid Inflation Woes
Russia’s Central Bank on Friday raised its key interest rate from 16% to 18%, a widely anticipated move as the country struggles to fight inflation amid surging spending on the war in Ukraine and widespread labor shortages across the economy, which are driving up wages. “Inflation has accelerated and is developing significantly above the Bank…
Moscow Labels Dozens of Indigenous Groups, Free Russia Foundation as ‘Extremist’
Authorities in Moscow have added an unprecedented 54 Indigenous groups and the U.S.-based Free Russia Foundation to the country’s growing list of “extremist” organizations. Russia’s Justice Ministry labeled the 55 seemingly unrelated organizations as “structural divisions” of the vaguely defined “Anti-Russian Separatist Movement,” which Russia’s Supreme Court banned as an “extremist” organization last month. Rights groups…
Composer Philip Glass Accuses Theatre in Annexed Crimea of ‘Piracy’
American composer Philip Glass has accused a theatre in Russian-annexed Crimea of planning to stage a ballet premiere that uses his music without permission. Glass, an 87-year-old composer famed for his minimalist works, took to X (formerly Twitter) to complain about what he said was an act of “piracy” by a theatre in the Black…
Russian Defense Minister Inspects Troops’ Combat Readiness
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov oversaw combat readiness exercises at a military training facility in northwestern Russia, the defense ministry said on Friday. “Belousov reviewed the organization of combat training of military personnel at one of the training grounds of the Leningrad Military District,” the army said in a statement. The statement added that the training…