Politics
Russia’s anti-Olympics turns into Soviet-style joke PRO Members Public
Around the world sports fans are tucking into a summer of top-quality competitions. The Euro 2024 and Copa America football tournaments are underway, to be followed by the Paris Olympics which kicks off next month. Russia is not competing in any of them, banned from both Uefa football competitions and
Will Ukraine be blamed for the latest Russian terror attack? PRO Members Public
A shock attack in Russia’s southern Dagestan region, the largest there in many years, killed at least 15 police officers. It is the third terrorist attack carried out by Islamist groups in Russia this year, and officials have already tried to draw some connections to Ukraine, despite an obvious
Controversial ‘theater case’ moved into closed court hearings PRO Members Public
A Moscow military court has ordered a highly controversial court case in which a playwright and director are accused of justifying terrorism to proceed behind closed doors, shutting off public scrutiny. The move came a month into the trial and after prosecution witnesses had finished testifying. * Director Evgenia Berkovich and
Russian “Trolls” turn to Western AI for their disinformation campaigns PRO Members Public
Russian internet trolls have been caught using Western AI to generate and spread disinformation about Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s own homegrown AI-powered services aren’t up to the task since they are coded to refuse to answer questions related to the war in order to avoid breaking
Russia moves towards recognising the Taliban PRO Members Public
Russia is planning to recognise the Taliban as the lawful government of Afghanistan and remove it from the list of “banned” organizations. This will put an end to the absurd situation where Taliban representatives are officially received in the Kremlin, while journalists can be jailed for mentioning them in their
Europe’s last land border closes to Russian tourists PRO Members Public
Norway has announced that it is closing its land border with Russia, the last remaining land crossing to Europe that was open to Russian tourists. During the 2022 mobilization, this was a popular way for Russians who did not want to be forced into the war to leave the country.
Pro-military bloggers clash with Chechen authorities over abuse case PRO Members Public
A young woman who fled her relatives in Chechnya after facing abuse has garnered unexpected support from Russian Z-bloggers. Facing the possibility of being forcibly sent back to the conservative Muslim region and likely harsh repercussions, pro-military voices came out in her support, criticizing the Caucasus republic as “medieval.” It
Propagandists cheer Putin’s “boring” visit to China PRO Members Public
Vladimir Putin and a heavyweight team of advisors, ministers and business leaders visited China last week in the president’s first overseas trip since his latest inauguration. The packed delegation was yet again unable to secure an agreement on the elusive Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline — a project Russia
Russia displays captured NATO military equipment PRO Members Public
An exhibition of captured military “trophies” has opened in Moscow, showing off Western military equipment and vehicles that Russian forces had destroyed and seized on the battlefield in Ukraine. Russian propaganda exploited the show to demonstrate the Russian army’s success on the front and tell the public that there
‘Almost Naked’ party host backs Putin PRO Members Public
Anastasia Ivleyeva, the host of the notorious “Almost Naked” party that provoked fury among supporters of the war and cost its guests lucrative advertising contracts, has come out in support of Vladimir Putin. In her first interview since the much-discussed event, she revealed she had visited soldiers on the front
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The Bell was founded in 2017 by journalists Elizaveta Osetinskaya, Irina Malkova and Peter Mironenko as a news outlet independent from the Russian authorities, after its founders have been sacked as top editors at the largest Russian news website RBC because of pressure from the Kremlin.
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