Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has signed several laws aimed at tightening control within the country. These laws, which propaganda describes as measures to “protect sovereignty,” are, in fact, an attempt to safeguard the regime from new threats, such as Prigozhin’s march on Moscow. ▫️ Participation in an armed rebellion is now punishable by 15 to…
The Kremlin has refused to comment on the downing of an Azerbaijani plane by a Russian air defense system that crashed in Aktau, as well as the detention in Finland of a tanker from the Russian “shadow fleet” suspected of damaging cables. Russian officials justify their silence by claiming a need to “wait for the…
The Russian Ministry of Culture has approved a list of priority topics for films that will receive state financial support in 2025. The list includes films about war, “Russian traditional values,” and the “foreign policy victories of the Russian Federation.” The Russian authorities aim to embed themes of war and the glorification of Russia’s “special…
Another tanker from Russia’s “shadow fleet” has broken down, paralyzing traffic on the Bosphorus. Turkey was forced to completely close the strait and dispatch a tugboat to assist the vessel after its engine failed. The Cordelia Moon tanker, built in 2006, has been used by Russia to transport oil in violation of sanctions. The frequent…
In 2024, Russia failed to produce a single passenger airliner, despite the government’s ambitious plan to manufacture 69 aircraft this year. Due to sanctions, Russia is unable to establish serial production of passenger planes or even maintain the technical condition of its existing fleet. Russian airlines lack access to foreign components, particularly engines, for which…
The Russian authorities have been forced to acknowledge that they downplayed the scale of the environmental disaster caused by the oil tanker accident in the Kerch Strait. The emergency level in Kuban has been elevated from municipal to regional, and pollution has now reached the Crimean coast, with the risk of the contamination spreading to…
Roman Kobets and Ivan Boldyrev, both Russian servicemen, participated in the seizure of the Hostomel airfield as crew members of a Ka-52 helicopter. On February 24, 2022, the first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Major Boldyrev and Lieutenant Colonel Kobets flew to the Hostomel airfield as part of a strike group tasked with…
Evgeniy Viltsan is a Russian officer involved in the armed aggression against Ukraine. Ukrainian intelligence identified Viltsan as one of the participants in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces. He served in the 291st Artillery Brigade of the 58th Army of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation, holding the position of…
Sergey Kuzminchuk is a Russian serviceman who participated in the battles for the city of Irpin in the Kyiv region. Kuzminchuk, a native of Vladivostok, Russia, enrolled in a military school immediately after high school. In 2010, after completing his military education, he joined the 155th Marine Brigade of the Russian Pacific Fleet. He rose…
While Russian propaganda claims the situation following the oil tanker wreck in the Kerch Strait is under control and the consequences are being successfully liqiudated, satellite images reveal that fuel oil continues to leak from the sunken vessel. Once again, Russians are paying the price for their government’s irresponsibility. Today, it is unsafe to be…
Vladislav Golovin is a Russian serviceman known by his call sign “String.” He participated in the battle for Mariupol, which resulted in significant damage to the city and thousands of its residents being killed. In 2020, he received a military education and joined the Russian army. He participated in a mission of Russian troops in…
The latest “Direct Line” was intended to showcase Russia’s growing military and economic strength, but Putin’s propaganda efforts fell flat. ▫️ Amid record inflation and a declining industrial sector, Putin attempted to claim that Russia’s economy was “doing great,” relying on manipulative “average” figures to make his point. ▫️ He tried to frame Russia’s clear…
