Putin has publicly instructed the Defense Ministry to submit proposals by April 1 to improve the search for missing soldiers of the “special military operation” (smo). But in reality, this is nothing more than an attempt to calm down frustrated Russians. A month ago, the Russian authorities already announced the creation of an algorithm for…
Media reports indicate that Azerbaijan will restrict the operations of Sputnik, the Kremlin’s propaganda mouthpiece in the country. The editorial staff will be reduced from approximately 40 employees to a single correspondent—effectively shutting down the branch. ▫️ Azerbaijani authorities are acting based on the principle of reciprocity: Sputnik will be allowed to retain as many…
Before February 23, when Russia celebrates “Defender of the Fatherland Day,” Russian schools will replace the sound of a school bell with songs by Kremlin-approved musicians. ▪️ This event, featuring upbeat patriotic songs about “Russian officers,” the “motherland,” and the tricolor, is part of a broader Kremlin campaign to indoctrinate and militarize Russian children. This…
Former Russian Finance Minister Mikhail Zadornov said that Russia’s National Welfare Fund—heavily drained to cover budget deficits during the war—would last only six months if oil prices were to drop significantly. As of today, the fund’s liquid assets stand at approximately 3.8 trillion rubles ($42 billion), or less than 2% of GDP—down from 7.4% of…
Russia will finance the production of at least 140 feature films in 2025, the vast majority of which will be propaganda movies. At the end of 2024, the Russian Ministry of Culture approved a list of topics for films that will receive financial support in 2025. The main topic: “the heroism of the participants of…
In a draft resolution, members of the Russian State Duma propose to exempt from criminal liability for committing crimes of minor and medium severity those who survived the war against Ukraine. From the very beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Russian authorities have been actively involving criminals in the war. At the same time, Russian…
The Russian government has announced the revival of a special commission on economic resilience, originally created during the COVID-19 crisis. The commission is tasked with identifying problem areas and developing support measures. Russian officials have now identified nine such sectors in need of assistance. Western sanctions have crippled Russian exports to Europe, and finding alternative…
Russian State Duma has drafted a bill that removes the possibility of administrative liability for “public discrediting” of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, leaving only criminal liability in all cases. ▫️ MPs also plan to criminalize the article calling for sanctions against Russia. After the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the…
Residents of the Russian city of Kemerovo rallied and recorded a video message to Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin about the poor quality of coal being sold to them at a regional discount. The situation is absurd, given that Kemerovo is located in Kuzbass, Russia’s main coal region. People complain that the coal burns poorly and…
Payments to the families of Kursk residents killed or wounded in the war have not been made since last July, while the region’s budget deficit has already reached 17 billion rubles ($175 million). The seven-month delay in payments to the military in the Kursk region once again highlights Russia’s heavy losses and deepening economic problems—issues…
At the end of 2024, Russia saw a rise in wage arrears. According to official statistics, the amount owed to workers in 2024 was 43.5% higher than in 2023. This is the first recorded increase in wage arrears since 2015, with the largest debts in the construction sector, which has been severely impacted by the…
Russian media actively cover the demonstrative report of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to dictator Vladimir Putin on the situation in the Russian economy. ▫️ Mishustin’s report contains traditional propaganda narratives: “Russia has successfully handled the sanctions”, “GDP growth is higher than expected and higher than in the United States”, “incomes and industrial production are growing”,…
