The State Duma of the Russian Federation plans to introduce a subsidized mortgage rate of 2% per annum for the so-called “smo” participants. Despite large budget allocations for those who voluntarily sign contracts to participate in the war, the Kremlin is facing a steady decline in the number of people willing to fight. Instead, the…
Russian propaganda continues to invent new stories about the so-called “atrocities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces” in the Kursk region. Let’s break down the methods used to create such fakes using a specific example. A Telegram channel published a message in which propagandists, on behalf of a supposed resident of the village of Korenevo named…
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has once again escalated tensions with Putin’s security forces. ▫️ He openly criticized Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, and Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Minister of Internal Affairs, accusing them of being “out of place” and failing to carry out Putin’s orders. Kadyrov also condemned government repression of Muslim migrants, referring to…
Russia’s oil revenues have fallen for the second consecutive month, according to Bloomberg. Key points from the article: ▫️ In November, Russian oil-related taxes generated 605.2 billion rubles ($5.8 billion) for the budget, down around 21% from the same period last year. ▫️ This decline follows a drop in oil prices due to concerns about…
Vladimir Putin used the forum “Russia Calling!” to try to personally convince Russians that the country’s economy is “doing well”. ▫️ In his speech, the Russian dictator emphasized the supposed success of the economy despite the attempts of “unfriendly countries” to deliver a strategic defeat to Russia on the economic front. With such rhetoric, Putin…
The Russian state history exam for high school graduates includes questions about the so-called “smo” heroes – 11 participants in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Their names are taken from a new ideologically aligned textbook on Russian history. By forcing students to study the biographies of these war participants and promoting them, the Russian authorities aim…
The Russian authorities are planning to allow teenagers as young as 16 to work at hazardous industrial workplaces. The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation believes these changes will “allow enterprises to enter into agreements on paid internships with students from professional educational organizations.” In reality, the goal of these changes is…
In their attempts to reassure Russians amid the collapse of the ruble, officials are resorting to absurdities, inventing new terms in the propaganda “newspeak”. For example, Russian propaganda introduced the word “bangs” to avoid scaring people with the word “explosions.” Now, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov talks about how “the erosion of the dollar is gaining…
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has signed the Russian Federation’s budget law for 2025–2027, which includes unprecedented increases in spending on war and state propaganda. ▪️ Over 32% of the new budget is allocated to “national defense,” effectively funding the war against Ukraine. In total, expenditures on the military, police, and other security forces will account…
The Russian government continues to slash social programs to divert more funds to the war effort. Amid officials’ claims of “advanced medicine” and promises to raise doctors’ salaries, funding for medical assistance programs, including those for hepatitis patients, has been reduced. Additionally, funding for Russia’s largest Blokhin Cancer Center has been cut by 30%. These…
In September, the profits of Russian companies fell by 19% compared to last year – the worst figure in two years. The coal industry is facing the most severe challenges, burdened with multibillion-dollar debts, largely due to the rising cost of credit. While businesses across Russia struggle to stay afloat, officials hypocritically claim that the…
In 2024, Russia saw a record number of incidents involving malfunctioning passenger aircraft and airplane crashes. In less than a year, 208 such incidents have occurred—30% more than last year, which had already set a record. As Russian authorities continue their war against Ukraine, air travel in Russia is increasingly resembling a game of “Russian…
