Many thanks to Kevin Riehle for joining me on The Naked Pravda to talk about the history of the FSB, Russia's arrests of foreign journalists, Havana syndrome, and more.
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As Alexander Lukashenko wraps up a two-day visit to Russia, journalist Roman Chernikov explains how a shared affinity for political repression is bringing Moscow and Minsk closer together than their supranational Union State ever did. meduza.io/en/feature/202…

The Beet’s latest begins in an “invisible national park” in the Carpathian Forest, taking us all the way to the Oder River and back again, as we follow the environmental activists and experts fighting to preserve Poland’s natural wonders. meduza.io/en/feature/202… Meduza in English

Meduza obtained and verified hundreds of emails in the years-long correspondence of an agent in the Federal Security Service responsible for purging Russia's theater industry of independent, subversive artists. meduza.io/en/feature/202…

A vehicle reportedly belonging to Vasily Prozorov, a former Ukrainian Security Service officer who said in 2019 that he had secretly collaborated with Russia for years, has exploded in Moscow.
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A Russian court has sent 17-year-old Lyubov Lizunova to pre-trial detention for anti-war graffiti and social media posts. This appears to be the first instance in Russia of a female minor being remanded into custody for anti-war statements.
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After Putin’s inauguration, Russian law dictates he disband the current government and establish a new one. Meduza spoke with Kremlin insiders to learn what they’re expecting this potential shakeup to look like.
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Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has passed a law amending the country’s mobilization rules.
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As people in Russia’s Orenburg region fled floodwaters after a dam breach, many left pets behind. Volunteers describe how they’re trying to rescue the animals left tied to kennels, trapped in enclosures, or shut in houses.
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Igor Strelkov, convicted of war crimes in The Hague and jailed in Russia for his hardline criticism of the Kremlin, wants to go fight in Ukraine. meduza.io/en/news/2024/0…

Like countless Russian men, Ilya Bakharev thought joining the war against Ukraine was a path to redemption. Less than three months after his deployment, however, his fellow soldiers attacked him in his sleep and murdered him over the course of 14 hours.
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Last fall, Russia’s Defense Ministry started recruiting inmates from a women’s prison outside St. Petersburg. Six months later, they haven’t been sent to the front, and some fear they could still be called up after their release. From «Бумага» :
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The Russian authorities have accused Burisma Holdings and other unnamed firms of financing terrorist attacks in Russia and abroad. The Ukrainian gas company was at the center of the Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory promoted by Donald Trump in 2020.
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The Russian army made several breakthroughs along the front line in Ukraine over the past week, advancing more than a kilometer in some directions. But Russia’s equipment losses seem disproportionately high relative to its gains. meduza.io/en/feature/202…

Over the weekend, heavy rainfall and spring snowmelt caused a dam in Russia’s Orenburg region to collapse, flooding thousands of homes. On Monday, hundreds of locals flouted warnings from authorities and staged a protest to demand financial compensation.
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Meduza speaks to Oscar-winning filmmaker Roher and journalist Julia Ioffe, one of America’s foremost voices on Russia-U.S. relations, for a look back at Alexey Navalny’s career in politics and ahead to the political future of his widow, Yulia. meduza.io/en/episodes/20…

ICYMI: Last week, The Beet delved into Armenia’s contemporary music scene to learn how a new generation of folk-rock artists are navigating conflict, creativity, and cultural preservation. And yes, we made you a playlist 🎶 meduza.io/en/feature/202… Meduza in English

Alexander Demidenko, a Russian man who helped hundreds of Ukrainians return from Russia back to Ukraine after the start of the full-scale war until his arrest in October 2023, has reportedly died in pre-trial detention.
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The Russian FSB has published new footage in which the Crocus City Hall shooting suspects say they were instructed by a person named Sayfullo to carry out the attack and then flee to Ukraine. Earlier videos have shown the suspects being tortured.
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