Ishimbay Opens Central Square Reconstructed with Rosneft Support
Thanks to Bashneft’s (a subsidiary of Rosneft) support, the Square of the Discoverers of Bashkir Oil was reconstructed in Ishimbay
Russian Missile and Drone Attacks Hit Energy Sites Across Ukraine, Killing 3
Russian missile and drone strikes targeted energy facilities across Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv, killing at least three civilians, Ukrainian authorities said Monday. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said 15 of Ukraine’s 24 regions came under attack from drones, cruise missiles and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. “To stop the barbaric shelling of Ukrainian cities, it is necessary…
Ukrainian Drone Attack Damages High-Rise in Russia’s Saratov Region, Injures Residents
An overnight Ukrainian drone attack in southern Russia’s Saratov region damaged several high-rise apartment buildings and injured multiple people, local authorities said early Monday. “Air defense systems shot down drones early this morning,” Saratov region Governor Roman Busargin wrote on Telegram. “Debris fell on residential buildings in both Saratov and Engels.” The cities of Saratov…
Durov: Mysterious and Controversial Telegram Founder
Russian-born tech entrepreneur Pavel Durov has founded wildly popular social networks as well as a cryptocurrency, amassed a multi-billion-dollar fortune and locked horns with authorities not just in Russia but around the world. Still a few months shy of his 40th birthday, the man once dubbed the “Russian Zuckerberg” after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg now…
Kyiv Says Belarus ‘Concentrating’ Troops on Border, Warns Against ‘Unfriendly Actions’
Ukraine accused its Moscow-allied neighbor Belarus on Sunday of “concentrating” troops on the countries’ shared border and warned Minsk against “unfriendly actions,” in a statement by Kyiv’s foreign ministry. The statement came as Kyiv mounts an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region and as Russia continues its advance into eastern Ukraine. Belarus had allowed Russian troops…
How the World Reacted to Telegram Boss Pavel Durov’s Detention
French-Russian tech billionaire Pavel Durov is to appear in court on Sunday after being arrested at a Paris airport for offenses related to his popular Telegram messaging app, sources told AFP. France had reportedly issued an arrest warrant for Durov in a preliminary investigation into alleged offenses including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and…
Reuters Says Team Member Missing in Russian Strike on East Ukraine Hotel
A member of the Reuters news agency was missing and two others were wounded in a Russian strike on a hotel in the east Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, the agency said Sunday, while Russian attacks killed 12 civilians across the country in the last 24 hours. In another deadly day in the two-and-a-half year war,…
Telegram Chief Pavel Durov to Appear in Court After French Arrest
Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov is to appear in court Sunday after being arrested at a Paris airport for offenses related to his popular messaging app, sources told AFP. Russia has accused France of “refusing to cooperate” following the arrest of the Franco-Russian billionaire, 39, at Le Bourget airport on Saturday night. Durov had arrived…
Zelensky Vows More ‘Retribution’ for Russia, POWs Exchanged
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed more “retribution” against Russia on Saturday as he celebrated Independence Day near where his forces launched a surprise offensive into Russian territory two weeks ago. Zelensky also signed a law banning the Russia-linked branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, calling the legislation a “liberation from Moscow’s devils,” drawing a sharp…
Telegram Boss Pavel Durov Detained in France – French Media
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov was detained at a Paris airport for allegedly enabling criminal activity with his encrypted messaging app, French media reported Saturday. France issued an arrest warrant for Durov on charges of complicity in drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud due to the lack of moderation on Telegram and his failure to…
Russia Frees Israeli-Canadian Racer Wanted by U.S.
A Russian court on Saturday freed Israeli-Canadian citizen Joshua Cartu who was arrested earlier this week at the request of the U.S. over alleged financial crimes. Dubbed “Ferrari fugitive,” the racing car driver and entrepreneur has been accused along with his brothers of defrauding investors of millions of dollars. He was detained on Monday by…
Russia, Ukraine Exchange 230 Prisoners of War
Russia and Ukraine announced Saturday they had exchanged 115 prisoners of war each, just over two weeks after Kyiv launched a surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. The exchange came as Kyiv mounted its offensive in Kursk and as Russia eyes more east Ukrainian towns. It also came on Ukrainian Independence Day. Both countries thanked…
Zelensky Vows More ‘Retribution’ for Russia as POWs Exchanged
President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed more “retribution” against Russia on Ukrainian Independence Day Saturday, as Kyiv and Moscow announced the exchange of 230 prisoners just over two weeks into Ukraine’s surprise offensive on Kursk. Zelensky also signed a law banning the Russian-linked branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and called the legislation a “liberation from Moscow’s…
U.S. Unveils Sweeping Sanctions Against Russia’s Defense Sector
The U.S. unveiled sweeping sanctions Friday against almost 400 individuals and companies tied to Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, a day before Ukraine’s independence day. The moves announced by the U.S. Treasury, State and Commerce departments build on a raft of existing sanctions against Russia over the invasion, now well into its third year. “Russia…
Russia Has Enough Coal to Last Over 100 Years, Official Says
Russia has more than 100 years worth of coal at current and higher production capacities, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Alexander Kozlov said Friday. Russia’s total coal reserves are estimated at 273 billion metric tons, 46.4 billion of which is currently being extracted, according to the RIA Novosti state news agency. “Even with…
What We Know About the Prison Hostage Crisis in Russia’s Volgograd
Inmates at a prison in southern Russia’s Volgograd region seized control of the facility and took hostages on Friday, with at least three prison guards killed and all four attackers “neutralized” by special forces, officials said. The siege comes two months after Islamic State-linked prisoners took guards hostage in another facility and as ethnic tensions…
Russian Court Jails 5 More Dagestan Airport Rioters
Five men who took part in last year’s airport storming in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan were handed varying jail sentences, court authorities said Friday. Hundreds of people descended on Dagestan’s Makhachkala International Airport in late October as they searched for Israeli citizens rumored to be onboard a flight arriving from Tel Aviv. The mob paralyzed…
Police ‘Neutralize’ 4 Inmates After Hostage Standoff at Volgograd Region Prison
Knife-wielding inmates killed at least three Russian prison guards Friday in a prison siege, officials said, with the assailants having apparent connections to the Islamic State (IS) group. Russian special forces stormed IK-19 Surovikino penal colony in Russia’s southern Volgograd region and shot dead all four attackers after an hours-long standoff. “Four criminals took eight colony…
Russians Spend Record $211 Mln on Contraceptives in First Half of 2024 – Vedomosti
Russians spent a record 19.3 billion rubles ($211 million) on contraceptives in the first half of 2024, the Vedomosti business daily reported Friday, citing market research. The new data, gathered by pharmaceutical market research company DSM Group, compares to 16.7 billion rubles spent on condoms and birth control pills during the same period last year.…
Wildfire in Russia’s Karachayevo-Cherkessia Forces Hundreds to Evacuate
A large wildfire in the North Caucasus republic of Karachayevo-Cherkessia has quickly spread over the past two days, prompting the evacuation of almost 250 people at a popular nature reserve, regional authorities said Friday. Russian media reported that the blaze erupted in the resort town of Dombay on Wednesday, temporarily trapping groups of tourists. Eyewitness…
Apartment Residents Seek Damages for Deadly Russian Fighter Jet Crash
The victims of a deadly Russian fighter jet crash in October 2022 are seeking damages from the Russian military, the Kommersant newspaper reported Friday, citing anonymous sources. Sixteen people were killed and 43 others were injured when a Su-34 fighter jet crashed into a residential building in the town of Yeysk, located in southern Russia’s…
Ukrainian Missile Strike Sets Railway Ferry Ablaze in Krasnodar Region
A Ukrainian missile attack on southern Russia’s Krasnodar region sunk a railway ferry, regional authorities said Thursday afternoon. “The Kyiv regime carried out another terrorist attack on the territory of the Krasnodar region,” authorities wrote on social media. “A railway ferry carrying fuel tanks to Port Kavkaz was hit.” Officials said emergency responders were already…
‘Everyone Is On Their Own’: In Battlefield Kursk Region, Civilians Feel Forgotten By Their Own Country
As Kyiv’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region continues for a third week, civilians on the ground are voicing growing anger toward Ukraine, fellow Russians and their own government, which they feel has abandoned them and tried to downplay the incursion. Kursk region residents who spoke to The Moscow Times expressed frustration with what they see…
Moscow Activist Kotov Detained for Allegedly Donating to Navalny’s ‘Extremist’ Groups
An activist who previously served prison time for breaking Russian protest laws was detained for donating money to Alexei Navalny’s outlawed political organizations, independent media reported Thursday. Programmer Konstantin Kotov was arrested during the 2019 Moscow election protests and ended up serving 18 months for “multiple breaches” of Russian protest laws. His original four-year sentence…
Russian Universities Admit Twice as Many Ukraine War Veterans for 2024-25 Academic Year
Russian universities admitted almost twice as many Ukraine war veterans and their children for the upcoming academic year compared to 2023-24, Russia’s Education and Science Ministry said Thursday in comments to the Interfax news agency. President Vladimir Putin in 2022 ordered a 10% university admission quota for war veterans and their children, granting them priority…
Kursk Governor Says 133K Evacuated, 20K Remain in Border Areas
Around 20,000 Russian civilians remain in border areas of the southwestern Kursk region, authorities said Thursday, coming after more than 133,000 people were evacuated amid clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces. Acting Kursk region Governor Alexei Smirnov provided the latest evacuation figures in a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin and other government officials. “As…
Putin Accuses Ukraine of Trying to Strike Kursk Nuclear Plant
President Vladimir Putin on Thursday accused the Ukrainian military of trying to strike a major nuclear power plant in southwestern Russia’s embroiled Kursk region. “Today, the enemy tried to attack a nuclear power station,” Putin said during a government meeting, referring to the Kursk plant. “The International Atomic Energy Agency has been informed. They’ve promised to…
India Overtakes China as Russia’s Top Oil Importer in July – Reuters
India surpassed China as the largest buyer of Russian oil last month, Reuters reported Thursday, citing import data from both countries. Russian crude exports to India in July reached a record 2.07 million barrels per day (bpd) compared with 1.76 million bpd to China, the news agency said. India imported 12% more Russian crude than…
FSB Accuses Moldovan Man, 2 Russians of Plotting Crimea Attacks
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said Thursday it detained three men, including a Moldovan citizen, suspected of plotting bomb attacks in annexed Crimea and sharing military intelligence with Ukraine. “All those detained are providing confessions,” the law enforcement agency said in a statement published on its website. Russian state media released an FSB video showing the…
UN Nuclear Agency Head to Visit Kursk Nuclear Plant Next Week
UN nuclear agency head Rafael Grossi will visit Russia’s Kursk Nuclear Power Plant next week, an agency spokesperson said Thursday, more than two weeks after Ukraine launched a surprise counteroffensive in the region. “We can confirm [it’s planned for] next week,” a spokesperson for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said without providing further details.…
Russia Charges CNN Journalist Over Report From Sudzha
Russian law enforcement authorities said Thursday that they have filed criminal charges against a CNN reporter and two Ukrainian journalists for illegally crossing the border into Ukrainian-held territory of the Kursk region during a reporting assignment. “Criminal charges have been filed, and investigations are underway,” a spokesperson for Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) told the…
Kursk Region Installs Makeshift Bomb Shelters at Bus Stops Amid Air Attacks
Authorities in the embroiled Kursk region of southwestern Russia have begun setting up makeshift bomb shelters near bus stops to protect civilians from ongoing air attacks. “At my instruction, the Kursk city administration has identified key locations to place modular concrete shelters,” acting Kursk region Governor Alexei Smirnov wrote on Telegram. “We plan to equip…
Drone Attack Sparks Fire at Military Site in Southern Russia
Russian authorities said Thursday that a Ukrainian drone strike sparked a fire at a military site that some observers identified as an airfield housing warplanes that may be involved in combat operations against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region. Volgograd region Governor Andrei Bocharov said Russian air defenses repelled a drone attack near the village…
Russia Hands 8-Year Term To Exiled Kremlin Critic Gudkov
A Russian court on Wednesday sentenced exiled opposition politician and former MP Dmitry Gudkov to eight years in prison “in absentia” for criticism of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Gudkov, who served as a lawmaker in Russia’s parliament from 2011 to 2016, was found guilty of publishing “false information” about the Russian military, motivated by “political…
Russia Blames Telegram, WhatsApp Outage on Cyberattack as Experts Point to Censorship
Russia said Wednesday that brief outages of Telegram and WhatsApp were caused by a cyberattack, while internet experts suggested that the authorities themselves may have attempted to block the popular messaging services. Federal media regulator Roskomnadzor blamed the outage on a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) cyberattack targeting Russia’s telecom operators. A DDoS attack is designed to force…
Russia-China Partnership ‘Yielding Results,’ Putin Says
President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia’s economic and trade links with China are “yielding results” as he welcomed Chinese Premier Li Qiang to the Kremlin. Moscow has looked to Beijing as an economic lifeline since the Ukraine conflict began, with the two boosting trade to record highs as Russia faces heavy economic sanctions from…
Northern Russia’s Murmansk Region Targeted in Drone Attack
Authorities in northern Russia’s Murmansk region issued a drone attack warning on Wednesday, as local airports imposed flight restrictions following unverified reports of an unmanned aircraft being shot down. “A drone threat has been detected in the Murmansk region,” Governor Andrei Chibis wrote on Telegram. “All necessary security measures are being taken.” Shortly before the…
Ukraine Says Destroyed Russian Army Pontoon Bridges in Kursk Region
Ukrainian special forces said Wednesday that they destroyed several Russian military pontoon bridges along a river in the Kursk region, coming days after authorities in Russia said Kyiv’s military blew up three bridges spanning the waterway. A video posted on social media purportedly showed “precision” strikes against the makeshift river crossings in the partially occupied…
In Photos: The Russian Border Town of Sudzha Under Ukrainian Control
More than two weeks have passed since the Ukrainian army launched a surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. The Aug. 6 offensive marks the first time since World War II that foreign troops have occupied Russian territory. According to DeepState UA, an open-source intelligence digital mapping service, the Ukrainian army has captured at least 646…
Kyrgyz Banks Suspend In-App Money Transfers to Russia
Major banks in Kyrgyzstan have suspended money transfers to Russia via their mobile apps following U.S. sanctions, local media reported Wednesday. The former Soviet republic is one of several Central Asian countries that have become a “backdoor” for Russia to maintain economic ties with the West despite sanctions imposed over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.…
Russia Postpones Local Elections in Ukrainian-Held Areas of Kursk Region
Russian election authorities announced Wednesday that upcoming local races in parts of the southwestern Kursk region held by Ukrainian forces would be postponed until Moscow regained control over those areas. Dozens of regions across Russia are scheduled to hold elections in early September. However, amid ongoing clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces near the border,…
Russia’s Udmurtia to Build Village for Families of Soldiers Killed in Ukraine
A businessman in the republic of Udmurtia and a Kremlin-backed nonprofit organization that supports war veterans announced plans to build a “heroes village” for the families of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine. The Defenders of the Fatherland foundation said local businessman Andrei Chernov donated 10 acres of land to four widows and their children in…
Rosneft and the Ministry of Tourism of the Samara Oblast Present the “Zhiguli Weekend” Motor Tourist Route
Rosneft and the Ministry of Tourism of the Samara Oblast presented the “Zhiguli Weekend” motor tourist route, which runs along the region’s landmark and most picturesque locations
30 Killed Since Ukraine Launched Border Incursion – TASS
More than 30 people have died in southwestern Russia’s Kursk region since Ukrainian forces stormed across the border more than two weeks ago, the state-run news agency TASS reported Wednesday, citing unnamed medical personnel. “As of the morning of Aug. 21, 31 people were confirmed dead as a result of the Ukrainian armed forces attack…
Moscow Repels ‘Large-Scale’ Ukrainian Drone Attack, Mayor Says
Russian air defense systems destroyed nearly a dozen Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow overnight, the city’s mayor said early Wednesday, calling it one of the largest air attacks on the Russian capital since the start of the war. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said ten Ukrainian drones were shot down over the surrounding Moscow region as they…
Putin Visits Chechnya for First Time Since 2011
Russian President Vladimir Putin flew into Chechnya on Tuesday and met its leader Ramzan Kadyrov on his first visit to the North Caucasus region since 2011. Kadyrov, a key Kremlin ally, says he has deployed thousands of fighters to help the Kremlin with its Ukraine offensive. Putin in May said that he planned to visit…
What We Know About Russia’s Advances in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region
As Ukraine’s offensive in Russia’s Kursk region has dominated headlines and offered a morale boost for Kyiv’s supporters, Moscow’s troops have continued to press forward in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. The Russian army on Tuesday announced the capture of the eastern Ukrainian town of New York, a claim that was confirmed by data from the…
Moscow Patriarchate Condemns Move to Ban Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Russia’s Orthodox Church on Tuesday condemned a vote by Ukrainian lawmakers to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which many believe to be aligned with Moscow. “This is an unlawful act that is the grossest violation of the basic principles of freedom of conscience and human rights,” Russian Orthodox Church spokesman Vladimir Legoida wrote on Telegram.…
Russian Police Detain Israeli-Canadian Racecar Driver Wanted in U.S. for Fraud – Reports
Russian law enforcement authorities detained an Israeli-Canadian racecar driver and entrepreneur wanted by the U.S. for allegedly defrauding investors of millions of dollars through an illegal online stock trading scheme, media reported Tuesday. Joshua Cartu, 45, was detained at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo International Airport by the Interior Ministry’s Interpol bureau on Monday, according to the local news…
This Week in the Republics
The Moscow Times is republishing the weekly news wrap spotlighting the latest developments in Russia’s ethnic republics and Indigenous communities, which was originally published by From the Republics. Tyva & Sakha ablaze Authorities in the Siberian republic of Tyva on Sunday declared a region-wide state of emergency for the second time this month due to…
Russia Summons U.S. Envoy Over American Media Reports From Kursk Region
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it had summoned a senior U.S. Embassy official in Moscow over what it called “provocative actions” of American journalists reporting from Ukrainian-held parts of the Kursk region, as well as an alleged U.S. mercenary presence on Russian territory. The ministry said it expressed “strong protest” to U.S. Embassy Chief of…
Putin Visits Beslan Ahead of School Siege’s 20th Anniversary
President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday visited the North Caucasus city of Beslan ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Beslan school siege, the deadliest terror attack in modern Russian history. On Sept. 1, 2004, armed militants from Chechnya took more than 1,100 people hostage at Beslan School No. 1 in the republic of North Ossetia, holding…
Moscow Says Captured Town of New York in Eastern Ukraine
Russian forces said Tuesday they had captured the town of New York in eastern Ukraine, as Moscow — under pressure by a Kyiv counterattack on its territory — presses on with its full-scale invasion. The Defense Ministry said its troops had captured “one of the largest settlements of the Toretsk agglomeration and the strategically important…
Truck Driver Wages Become Fastest-Growing in Russia – Data
Wages for Russian truck drivers are rising faster than those in any other profession this year, the Vedomosti business daily reported Tuesday, citing the recruitment website Headhunter and the trucking association Avtogruzex. Median truck driver wages reached 131,000 rubles ($1,450) per month in January-June 2024, a 74% increase compared to the same time last year. Demand…
Ukrainian Lawmakers Vote to Ban Orthodox Church Suspected of Ties to Moscow
Ukrainian lawmakers on Tuesday voted to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as Kyiv continues to sever religious, social and institutional ties with entities it believes are aligned with Moscow. Ukraine has for years sought to limit its religious connections with Russia — a process greatly accelerated by Moscow’s 2022 invasion, which was endorsed by the…
Czech Republic to Use Income From Frozen Russian Assets to Buy Ammunition for Kyiv
Czech authorities announced Tuesday that they plan to use a portion of the interest earned on frozen Russian assets held in the European Union to purchase ammunition for Ukraine’s military. The EU froze around 200 billion euros ($221.5 billion) in Russian Central Bank assets as part of sanctions imposed on Moscow following its full-scale invasion…
Don’t Use Dating Sites Amid Kursk Incursion, Russia Tells Border Region Residents
Russian law enforcement authorities are urging residents in regions bordering northeastern Ukraine to avoid using dating websites amid Kyiv’s ongoing incursion, state media reported Tuesday, citing an Interior Ministry spokesperson. “The use of online dating services is strongly discouraged. The enemy is actively using them to gather information,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by…
Russia Struggles to Contain Oil Depot Fire 2 Days After Drone Attack
Firefighters on Tuesday continued to battle a large blaze at an oil storage site in southern Russia’s Rostov region, officials said, two days after a Ukrainian drone strike on the facility. The fire broke out early Sunday after Russian air defense systems shot down Ukrainian drones in the town of Proletarsk. Ukraine’s military said that…
17 Killed, 140 Injured Since Ukraine Launched Border Incursion – TASS
At least 17 people have died in southwestern Russia’s Kursk region in the two weeks since Ukrainian forces stormed across the border, the state-run news agency TASS reported Tuesday, citing unnamed medical personnel. “The latest figures show that 17 people died as a result of attacks by the armed forces of Ukraine,” TASS quoted its…
Putin Signs Decree Granting Residency to Foreigners Who Share ‘Traditional’ Russian Values
President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a decree allowing foreign citizens and stateless individuals to apply for temporary residency in the country if they share “traditional Russian spiritual and moral values,” even in cases when a person does not speak Russian. The decree states that those who oppose the “destructive neoliberal ideological agenda” in their…