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…
Despite the ongoing war and the work of the military-industrial complex, Russia recorded the world’s largest drop in steel production – more than 15% in October this year. One of the primary reasons for this decline is the loss of European and American markets due to the war and sanctions. Compared to 2021, Russian steel…
Russian propaganda is promoting Vladimir Putin’s visit to Kazakhstan and his talks with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, emphasizing the “unchanging friendship and strategic partnership” as well as the grand reception given to the Russian leader. For the Kremlin, it is now crucial to create the illusion of Russia’s lack of isolation and to project an image…
The weakening ruble has driven the value of Gazprom shares down to $1, marking a historic low. ▫️ The Russian gas giant is headed toward bankruptcy. Amid an increasing tax burden and declining export revenues, the only way to keep the company afloat is by raising gas tariffs for the population. Meanwhile, as the Kremlin…
New advanced U.S. drone systems, hailed as “game changers,” have been successfully tested on the Ukrainian front, Newsweek reports. Key points from the article: ▫️ The systems are the result of a collaboration between American technology companies IronNet and Asterion Systems, which have developed a defense system designed to counter hostile drones. ▫️ The defense…
