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Articles by Allison Quinn

Experts See Dark Plot in Spate of Mystery Bombings in Ukraine

As the latest blast in a recent string of mysterious bombings in eastern Ukraine claimed another victim Wednesday, experts warned that there would...

News Execs Plead With Putin to Stall Foreign Media Law

The heads of foreign-owned publishing houses in Russia have appealed to President Vladimir Putin to defer a recently passed law set to impose major...

Two Suspected Snipers Nabbed Over Maidan Protest Killings

Ukrainian prosecutors said Tuesday that two law enforcement officers have been detained on suspicion of having gunned down protesters in Kiev during...

U.S. Leaker Edward Snowden Says He Is Not a Russian Spy

U.S. fugitive Edward Snowden has denied allegations that his life in Russia is controlled by the security services, saying he continues to remain unscathed...

Moscow's Anti-Maidan March: Creating a Bogeyman to Fight a Bogeyman

As tens of thousands gathered in central Moscow on Saturday for the "Anti-Maidan" rally, the Russian public was asked to swallow an unsavory pill...

Rebels, Kiev Offer Starkly Different Debaltseve Death Tolls

As east Ukrainian rebel forces announced that the death toll of their recent capture of key railway hub Debaltseve measured in the thousands, official...

Experts Say Conflict in North Caucasus Waning — But Far From Over

Though the security situation has improved in Russia's turbulent North Caucasus, which for years has been plagued by almost daily battles between police...

Russian Kindergarten Staff Write Open Letter to Putin Over Rising Prices

Employees of a kindergarten in the republic of Karelia have written an open letter to President Vladimir Putin after being threatened with termination...

Sochi Resident Suspected of Treason Denied Family Visits for Past Year

A Sochi man accused of treason has reportedly been denied the right to see his family for the past year owing to his refusal to confess to the...

Image of Gay Russian Couple Wins World Press Photo

A photograph of a gay male couple in St. Petersburg has been selected as the World Press Photo of the Year 2014.

Russia's Sudden Spate of Treason Cases Are Scare Tactic, Analysts Say

As the gulf between Russia and the West continues to deepen over the Ukraine crisis, the list of Russians being charged with treason has suddenly...

Russian Officials Slam Anti-Corruption Drive as Attempt to Overthrow Government

An initiative by anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny to battle graft among government officials prompted strong objections from officials themselves...

Alleged FSB Agent Working in Orthodox Church Arrested for High Treason

A Moscow court on Monday sanctioned the arrest of an alleged Federal Security Service agent who stands accused of having passed on secrets to American...

Putin Submits Bill Creating Easy Way Out for 'Foreign Agents'

A bill submitted by President Vladimir Putin to the State Duma on Thursday may offer nongovernmental organizations that have been deemed "foreign agents"...

Russian Mom Facing Treason Charges Granted Conditional Release

A mother of seven whose detention on suspicion of high treason last month triggered a major outcry has been released from Moscow’s Lefortovo detention...

Ex-Prime Minister Kasyanov Sues Russia's NTV Channel for Defamation

Mikhail Kasyanov, who served as prime minister during Vladimir Putin's first presidential term, has filed a defamation suit against state-run television...

Putin Gets Involved in Case Against Mother Who 'Outed' Russian Troops

President Putin will personally consider a petition advocating for the pre-trial release of Svetlana Davydova, a mother accused of treason for informing...

Kadyrov Says CIA is Recruiting Russians for Islamic State

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has accused the CIA and other Western intelligence agencies of using fake social media accounts to draw young Russian...

Russian Mom Accused of High Treason Dumps Court-Appointed Lawyer

A mother of seven facing high treason charges for making a phone call to the Ukrainian Embassy replaced her court-appointed defense attorney after...

Russian Mom Faces Treason Charges for Call to Ukrainian Embassy

A Smolensk woman faces charges of high treason after she phoned Ukrainian diplomats to warn them that Russian troops may be en route to their country...

Syrian Refugees in Russia Stuck in Dangerous Waiting Game

As members of the government and opposition of Syria met on Thursday, a dozen Syrian children sat around tables reciting the Arabic alphabet and learning...

Last Free Member Russian Neo-Nazi Group 'Volkssturm' Gets 10 Years

The last free member of violent Yekaterinburg-based neo-Nazi group "Volkssturm" has been hit with a 10-year prison sentence for at least 11 attacks...

Chechens Flee Russia in Increasing Numbers, Rights Group Says

A growing number of Chechens are seeking asylum in Europe over fears of persecution and lawlessness at home, a prominent human rights activist with...

Russian Authorities to Create Blacklist of Corrupt Officials

The Russian government has called for the creation of a special registry of officials who have been dismissed from their positions on the basis of a...

Court Extends House Arrest Over Pro-Ukrainian Stunt on Moscow Skyscraper

A Moscow court held that a group of suspects facing prison time for a high-visibility pro-Ukraine protest in the Russian capital will remain under...

Suspected Russian Killer Detained in Austria

One of Russia's most wanted criminals, a reputed mobster believed to have been responsible for more than 40 murders, has been detained in Austria...

Committee Against Torture Vows to Defy 'Foreign Agent' Label

A regional branch of a Russian human rights organization striving to expose police brutality and torture is the latest advocacy group to have been classified...

'Russian Spy' Executed in Islamic State Video Was Perfume Salesman

A video released by Islamic State reportedly showing two alleged Russian spies being executed has been deemed a fake by experts, after one of the...

Authorities Begin Relocation of Kazakh Villagers Hit With Mystery 'Sleep Illness'

Kazakh authorities have begun relocating the residents of a small village that has been plagued for nearly two years by the spread of a mysterious...

Islamic State Claims Child Soldier Executed 'Russian Spies'

Russian diplomats in Damascus are looking into the Islamic State's claims that it executed two Russian spies attempting to infiltrate the terrorist...

Russia's Reaction to EU 'Counter-Propaganda' Channel Hints at Fear

Russia's Foreign Ministry slammed the European Union's plan to create a Russian-language television channel in Europe as an attack on free speech...

Putin's Backing Allows Kadyrov Free Reign for Open Threats, Analysts Say

Ramzan Kadyrov has embarked in recent days on a marathon of threat-laden spats with prominent public figures, making statements so brazen they would...

Protesters Demand Return of TV-2 Television Station in Tomsk

Demonstrators in Tomsk have continued daily protests against the closure of the local TV-2 television channel, a move that critics say is part of a...

Opposition Posterboy Navalny Defies House Arrest ... Again

Navalny has continued to defy what he has described as his "illegal" house arrest by going to work on Saturday, as the European Court of Human Rights...

Alexei Navalny Refuses to Obey House Arrest, Cuts Off Electronic Bracelet

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was found guilty of embezzlement last week while already under house arrest, on Monday cut off his electronic monitoring...

Moscow Police Squash Opposition Protest Over Navalny Verdict

More than a thousand people gathered on Moscow's Manezh Square on Tuesday in a show of support for convicted opposition leader Alexei Navalny, but riot...

Verdict Against Kremlin Critic Navalny Abruptly Moved to Tuesday

Sentencing in the fraud case against opposition campaigner Alexei Navalny has been unexpectedly moved up from Jan. 15 to Dec. 30 amid speculation that...

Baku Office of RFE/RL Raided as Activists Warn of End to Free Speech

The Azeri Prosecutor General's Office has begun a raid on the Baku bureau of the U.S. government-funded RFE/RL in connection with the organization's...

Russian Investigators: Witness Says Ukrainian Army Responsible for MH17 Downing

Russia's Investigative Committee has issued a statement claiming that it has proof of the Ukrainian military's involvement in the July downing of Malaysia...

Kadyrov Calls Islamic Militants a Disease That Must Be Destroyed

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has described the Islamic militants that plague his republic as an incurable disease, in comments to the Izvestia newspaper...

Dagestan's Insurgent Leaders Pledge Allegiance to Islamic State

The leaders of the insurgent Caucasus Emirate's Dagestan network have pledged their loyalty to the Islamic State — in one fell swoop defying the organization's...

Pakistan Postpones Russian Man's Execution so Mom Can Say Goodbye

Pakistani authorities have agreed to hold off on executing a Russian citizen who has been on death row since 2003 until his mother arrives to say goodbye...

Former Rebel Commander Strelkov Gets Married

Historical re-enactment enthusiast-turned-rebel commander Igor Strelkov has reportedly married his assistant after having recently settled down in Moscow...

Charities Feel the Pinch as Economic Horizon Darkens

Representatives of several Russian charity foundations say they have felt the impact of the falling ruble and the country's economic woes, with a major...

EU Scolds Kadyrov in Human Rights Dispute

The European Union has stepped into the ongoing fray between Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and a group of human rights activists who criticized his...

Russia's Justice Ministry Says Will Abide by ECHR Ruling on Yukos

Russia's Justice Minister has announced that Moscow will abide by a "baseless" ruling by the European Court of Human Rights to pay damages to shareholders...

Falling Ruble Drives Out Expats

The Western sanctions hurled at Russia over its annexation of Crimea and involvement in Ukraine may have had one unintended (or perhaps intended?)...

Kremlin's Rights Council Scolds Chechen Leadership After Attack on Activists

The Kremlin's human rights council has called on Chechen authorities to help a group of activists rebuild their Grozny headquarters after they were...

Russian Lawmaker: Hague's Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal Should Be Abolished

Russian federal lawmaker Alexei Zhuravlyov has proposed appealing to the United Nations General Assembly to abolish the International Criminal Tribunal...

Human Rights Ombudsman Speaks Out After Arson Attack on Activists in Grozny

The head of the Kremlin's council on human rights, Mikhail Fedotov, has spoken to the Chechen government about ensuring the safety of the republic's...

With 'Terrorist' Mantra, Kadyrov Creates a Monster

Chechnya's strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov appears to be having a very public meltdown following the deadly terrorist attack on Grozny on Dec. 4....

Activists Confirm Chechen Families' Homes Set Ablaze After Grozny Gunbattle

At least six homes linked to Islamic insurgents had been burned to the ground by masked men near Grozny following calls by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov...

Vigilantes Vow to Punish Prostitutes in Buryatia for 'Bringing Shame' to Culture

A group of vigilantes in the Siberian republic of Buryatia has launched a campaign to punish prostitutes for "bringing shame to their people,"...

Homes of Suspected Militants' Relatives 'Set Ablaze' in Chechnya

Days after Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov called for the homes of Islamic militants' families to be razed to the ground following a large-scale attack...

FSB: Russian Terror Threat Reduced Threefold in 2014

Less than a week after an attack on Grozny claimed 14 police officers' lives, the head of Russia's Federal Security Service said the nationwide terror...

Putin Gives Faberge Egg to Hermitage for 250th Anniversary

President Vladimir Putin has presented St. Petersburg's Hermitage Museum with a Faberge egg to mark the institution's 250th anniversary.

Train Operators Who Allegedly Crashed Into Bear 'Just Wanted to Scare It'

Men accused of intentionally crashing the train they were driving into a bear last week in Krasnoyarsk told prosecutors that they only "wanted to scare"...

'Foreign Agent' NGOs Won't Be Allowed to Monitor Russian Elections

Russia's Justice Ministry has worked out a procedure that would allow non-governmental organizations to remove themselves from the federal register...

Chechen Leader Kadyrov Threatens to Deport Terrorists' Relatives After Attack on Grozny

In the aftermath of last week's attack on Grozny, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced that families of terrorists in the republic will be deported...

Moscow Medical Staff Keep Pressure on Authorities With Massive Street Protest

More than a thousand health care workers took to the capital's streets Sunday to keep the pressure on authorities amid ongoing medical reforms.

Soviet Propaganda Back in Play With Ferguson Coverage

Those relying on Russia's state-run media right now are probably under the impression that all of America is up in flames and on because the U.S...

Russia's Slams U.S. Human Rights Record as Ferguson Riots Continue

As U.S. authorities deployed the National Guard to deal with riots in Ferguson, Russia's state-run media and Foreign Ministry claimed that the protests...

Putin Bans Publication of Bomb-Making Instructions

President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed into law amendments imposing a ban on the publication of instructions on making explosives.

Kadyrov's Envoy Says 'Ready to Testify' by Phone After Evading Arrest in Moscow

A botched attempt by Moscow police to detain Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's envoy to Ukraine last week has triggered a flurry of corruption accusations...

Spy Malware Deployed Against Russia by Unknown Nation, Report Says

Russian and Saudi Arabian telecommunications and Internet firms are being targeted by highly advanced cyber espionage malware that is likely being controlled...

'Honor Killings' Persist in Russia's Dagestan, Chechnya

Early last Monday morning, a photo of a young Dagestani woman believed to have been suffocated by her own father appeared briefly before being deleted...

Head of Construction Firm Arrested After Visit From Putin

The head of a state enterprise responsible for building an oceanarium in the Far East who was detained following an inspection by President Vladimir...

Experts Say Russian Website Routinely Watches You Via Your Webcam

The U.K.'s data protection watchdog has warned that a Russian-based website is tapping into insecure webcams to broadcast scenes from thousands of unsuspecting...

Chechen Investigators Probe Suspected Honor Killing in Grozny

Investigators have launched a criminal case against the suspected murderer of a 27-year-old Chechen woman who appears to have fallen victim to an “honor...

Poroshenko Challenged to Duel by East Ukrainian Rebel Leader

The head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic has challenged Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to a duel in an open letter suggesting...

'Twin Peaks' Fan Gorbachev Asked Bush Who Killed Laura Palmer

A new book devoted to the U.S. television series "Twin Peaks" claims that Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was such a fan of the cult show that he enlisted...

Report Warns of Human Rights Infringements in Crimea

Human Rights Watch has slammed authorities in Crimea, annexed by Russia from Ukraine in March, for what the group describes as serious human rights...

Medvedev Urges Consolidated Fight Against Ebola

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday called for an intensified, unified fight against the Ebola epidemic sweeping West Africa and causing alarm...

Claim That Russian Sniper Shot British Terrorist in Ukraine Under Scrutiny

A dubious Russian news report claiming a  suspected Islamist terrorist known as the "White Widow" was recently killed in Ukraine by a volunteer Russian...

Police Join Hunt for Moscow's Mystery Stench

Police in Moscow have launched a criminal case into the toxic fumes that plagued the city Monday, ordering a series of expert analyses to determine...

Most Russians Say State-Run Media 'Objective' in Ukraine Coverage

Most Russians believe that the country's state-run news agencies have provided objective coverage of the events unfolding during the Ukraine conflict...

Russia Refuses European Court's Request for Answers on Disputed 2011 Elections

Russian authorities have refused to respond to questions from the European Court of Human Rights over a complaint about the 2011 State Duma elections...

Federal Agencies Can't Get Story Straight on Toxic Fumes in Moscow

After a mysterious stench descended on Moscow, Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry is still struggling to pinpoint what gave rise to the fumes,...

Kommersant Editor Steps Down Amid Rumors of Pressure From Above

The editor-in-chief of business daily Kommersant has resigned, triggering speculation Monday that he was forced out over a recent article in the newspaper...

Investigative Citizen Journalists Report That MH17 Downed by Rebels

President Vladimir Putin on Monday accused Ukraine's government of interfering with the investigation into the downing of a Malaysia Airlines jet...

Putin Hints at 'Terrorism,' Media at ISIS as Roadside Killers 'Caught'

Amid reports that investigators in Moscow had finally caught a gang of killers believed to be responsible for at least 14 grisly murders, Russian...

The Faces Behind Ukraine's Rebel Election Observer Mission

The recent elections in Ukraine's self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics may have been slammed by Western governments, but they were...

State Media Giant Rossiya Segodnya to Launch New Agency in 45 Languages – Report

State-run news agency Rossiya Segodnya is set to launch a new media project this month in dozens of different languages, RBC Daily reported Wednesday...

Son of Putin's Chief of Staff Drowns in United Arab Emirates

The son of presidential chief of staff Sergei Ivanov drowned while vacationing in the United Arab Emirates.

Russian State-Run News Agency Triggers Outcry With OSCE Kerfuffle

As the elections in the separatist stronghold of Donetsk got under way Sunday, some Western journalists were sounding the alarm over an erroneous...

Health Minister Reaches Out to Medical Workers After Massive Protest

Russia's health minister has promised to consider the demands of Moscow health workers amid ongoing reforms of the capital's health care system on Monday...

Vigilantes Plot Rescue Mission to Save Russian Captive From Syria

Two separate campaigns are under way to save a Russian photographer who was abducted after crossing the Turkish border into conflict-riddled Syria...

Vast Majority of Russians Think Foreign Media Criticize Putin to Weaken Russia

The overwhelming majority of Russians view negative foreign media coverage of President Vladimir Putin and of Russia in general as an attempt to destabilize...

Moscow's Deputy Mayor Attempts to Allay Panic Over Health Care Reforms

Putin made health care reform a priority when returning to the presidency in 2012, much to the approval of medical professionals aware of the flaws...

Half of Russians Expect Repeat of Soviet-Era Repression, Poll Says

Nearly half of all Russians believe that a return to Soviet-era repression is possible within their lifetime, a poll by the state-run Public Opinion Foundation...

Medvedev Adds New Drugs to List of Banned Substances in Russia

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has approved the addition of three new designer-drug ingredients to Russia's federal register of banned substances,...

Entire Staff of Moscow Film Museum Resigns in Protest at New Director

The employees of the State Central Museum of Cinema quit their jobs en masse over what they describe as their new director's "incompetence" in every...

Russian Region Sees Spike in HIV Infections, Doctor Blames 'Spice' Drug

Doctors in the Lipetsk region have recorded a sharp increase in the number of HIV infections, and one has blamed the trend on the dangerous smoking...

Human Rights Heavyweights Slam Russian Government's Move to Close Memorial NGO

Veteran human rights activist Lyudmila Alexeyeva has added her voice to those decrying the Russian government's move to close down the Memorial human...

Russians More Afraid of U.S. Than Islamic Terrorism, Survey Shows

Nearly a quarter of Russians believe that the United States poses a bigger terrorist threat to their country than radical Islamists, a survey published...

Chairwoman of Soldiers' Mothers NGO Detained on Fraud Charges

Police in Russia's Stavropol region have charged with fraud a human rights activist who claimed that Russian soldiers were fighting in Ukraine in a...

Anti-Gay Russian Lawmaker Milonov Protests Homoerotic Finnish Stamps

St. Petersburg lawmaker Vitaly Milonov has appealed to Russian Post to prevent an influx of postage stamps depicting homoerotic scenes by a Finnish...

2 African Students Hospitalized in Russia Over Ebola Fears

Two students from the West African country of Guinea-Bissau who arrived in the Russian city of Oryol this week to study at a university there have...

Turkey Detains 2 Suspects in High-Profile Murder of Chechen Activist

Turkish authorities have arrested two men suspected of killing a Chechen activist last year in a high-profile murder that was greeted by the country's...

Islamic State's Threat to Russia Is More Ideology Than Impending Attack

While an Islamic State leader reportedly threatened Russia last week, a Russian family was identifying the body of their son who had returned from Syria...

Islamic State Commander Phones Dad to Warn 'Russia Is Next'

The Islamic State's infamous red-bearded commander known as Omar the Chechen has phoned his father to vow his impending "revenge against Russia," Bloomberg...

Russia Risks Spread of Extremist Islam, Prosecutor General's Office Warns

With thousands of Russian Muslims pursuing religious education abroad, the country faces a proliferation of extremist Islamic ideology and increased...

Separatist Leader Says Strelkov Alienated Troops in Eastern Ukraine

Infamous former rebel commander Igor Girkin, a Russian better known by his nom de guerre "Strelkov," alienated his troops while fighting in eastern...

3 Islamic Militants Killed by Security Forces in Dagestan, Officials Say

Three militants believed to be responsible for murdering opponents of radical Islam were killed by security forces overnight Wednesday when they launched...

Russian Man Accused of Being Mercenary for Kiev

Russia's Investigative Committee has opened its first criminal case against a Russian citizen accused of fighting as a mercenary in eastern Ukraine...

8 Years on From Politkovskaya's Murder, Questions Remain

Memorial events were held in various Russian cities on Tuesday to honor the eight-year anniversary of the murder of Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna...

Kadyrov Calls Suicide Bomber Lone Wolf, Extremist Social Media Paints a Different Picture

In the wake of Sunday's suicide bombing in Grozny, as Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov called the attacker "illegitimate scum" and vowed revenge, there...

Russian Medical Student's Photos With Patients' Organs Prompt Outcry

A medical student in the Russian city of Kazan has landed in hot water after posting online photographs of herself holding the spleen of a patient...

Most Russians Would Not Donate Their Organs, Survey Shows

Most Russians would refuse to have their organs posthumously donated, independent pollster the Levada Center revealed Thursday.

2 Crimean Tatars Kidnapped Under Mysterious Circumstances

Federal investigators have opened a criminal case into the abduction of two Crimean Tatar residents, as the father of one of the purported victims...

Internet Drug Dealers Get Hefty Prison Terms in Russia

Nine drug dealers offering round-the-clock sales of synthetic marijuana in the Moscow region were sentenced to lengthy prison terms Tuesday.

Disappearances, Expulsions Reported Amid Dagestan Counter-Terrorism Raid

Activists say a small village in Dagestan is the site of a mysterious raid by special forces that has seen residents ejected, homes damaged and several...

Poll Shows Russians Divided on Democracy's Meaning, Importance

Democracy is important to most Russians, but they can't seem to agree on what exactly it is, according to a survey published Monday.

Crimean Tatars' News Channel Warned for 'Extremist' Content

A Crimean Tatar television channel has come under fire from Russian authorities for allegedly broadcasting content that borders on promoting extremism...

U.S. Blacklists Chechen Fighters in Syria Tied to Islamic State

The U.S. government has blacklisted several fighters from Russia's North Caucasus and a Chechen-led militant group fighting in Syria over their alleged...

Moscow Blames Kiev for 'Mass Grave' in Ukraine

Russia's Investigative Committee has vowed to open a probe into reports of a mass grave discovered near Donetsk in Ukraine's restive east, the TASS...

Russian Anti-Drug Vigilantes Ordered to Pay Nearly 1 Million Rubles

A controversial organization run by the renegade mayor of Yekaterinburg and known for its unorthodox and at times brutal approach to combating drug...

New Russian Synthetic Marijuana Blend Kills 4, Sends 42 to Hospital

A new marijuana blend containing an unidentified psychotropic substance claimed four lives and sent dozens scrambling to Kirov region hospitals over...

Russia Slams U.S. Air Strikes Against Islamic State in Syria

Russia's Foreign Ministry lashed out over U.S.-led airstrikes targeting Islamic State militants in Syria in a scathing statement released Tuesday.

American Fighter in East Ukraine Calls on U.S. Compatriots to Join Pro-Russian Rebels

From war-torn eastern Ukraine, a young American man named Hunter has called on his compatriots and other foreigners around the globe to come help...

A Day Spent Chasing Moscow's Gypsy Beggars


It's not uncommon in any major European city to see groups of women in crowded public places clutching infants to their bosoms and asking for spare...

150 Vigilante Street Racers Wage Manhunt Around Moscow for Gang of Highway Killers

More than 100 street racers in Moscow have stocked up on weapons and night-vision goggles and set out on a manhunt for a group of suspected serial...

Kazan's Civil Servants Banned From Wearing Glitter, Tacky Clothes

Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin has ordered that the city's civil servants refrain from any "extravagance" in their work attire: no piercings, no tattoos...

Bear Freed After Being Forced to Live in Retired Circus Trainer's Van

Animal rights activists have managed to liberate the last of several bears they claim were forced to live in a van and perform at children's parties...

Whistleblower Accuses Moscow City Election Candidate of Plagiarism

A United Russia candidate scheduled to run next Sunday in the Moscow City Duma elections used a counterfeit diploma to secure her spot on the ballot, activists...

Estonia: 'Spy' in Russian Detention Was Lured Into FSB Trap

Estonia's Internal Security Service has said a man accused of espionage by Russia was the victim of a trap set by Russia's Federal Security Service...

Islamic State Could Transport Nuclear Weapons Through Central Asia, Official Says

Central Asia is at risk of being used by Islamic State terrorists to transport nuclear weapons, an anti-terrorism official warned Tuesday.

Russian Workers Go on Hunger Strike to Protest Low Wages in Health Sector

Health workers in the city of Ufa have declared a hunger strike to protest their low wages, state-run news agency TASS reported Tuesday.

Aksyonov Promises Crimean Tatars $300K in Move Tatars Say Is Just for Show

At a recent conference devoted to Crimea's Tatar population, local officials urged members of the ethnic minority to exercise their rights to vote...

Soldiers' Mothers NGO Appeals for Removal of 'Foreign Agent' Label

The St. Petersburg branch of the non-profit group Soldiers' Mothers has appealed to the Justice Ministry to remove the "foreign agent" label applied...
opinion Allison Quinn

U.S.-Russia Split Over Ukraine Gives Islamic State Upper Hand

As world leaders put on a united front against the threat posed by terrorist organization the Islamic State, continued bickering between Russia and the...

Russian Foreign Ministry Slams Britain's Public Inquiry Into Litvinenko Death

A representative of Russia's Foreign Ministry has slammed Britain's decision to hold a public inquiry into the mysterious death of former Russian...

Islamic State to Putin: We Are on Our Way to Russia

Members of the Islamic State, a violent group of extremists presently terrorizing Iraq and Syria, have released a video threatening President Vladimir...

Justice Ministry Adds 2 More Russian NGOs to Foreign Agents List

The Justice Ministry has added two beleaguered NGOs to its list of "foreign agents," according to the ministry's online registry.

Canada Voices Readiness to Defend Arctic Against Russia If Necessary

Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird has expressed alarm over Russian military expansion in the Arctic, the BBC's Russian service reported Tuesday, citing...

Convicted Pedophile Sentenced After Being Caught on Film by Russian Vigilante Group

A former federal bailiff has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for pedophilia, Interfax reported Sunday.

'Killer Gang' Reportedly Targeting Russian Motorists

The Russian news sphere has been abuzz this week with unconfirmed reports that a gang of thrill-seeking killers is on the loose, setting booby traps...

Leading Russian Blogger Dies at 30 After Public Battle With Cancer

Top Russian blogger Anton Buslov died in New York on Wednesday at the age of 30 following a long and public battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Moscow Children's Fashion Show Has 'Ukraine' Commit Suicide

A children's fashion show in Moscow triggered outrage among bloggers after the show, titled "Children of the World Against War," depicted a child...

Experts Say Russia Not Ready to Fight HIV

Olesya asks if her glittery hair clips are in place, if her hot pink lipstick needs reapplication. It's all she can do to detract attention from the...

Russian NGOs Working to Fight AIDS Not 'Foreign Agents'

Non-governmental organizations working to fight HIV/AIDS in Russia will not be required to register as foreign agents if they receive funding from abroad...

Russian Arms Dealer Viktor Bout Gets Biopic By His Own Lawyer

Convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout's lawyer has announced plans to create a film based on all the crimes his client "did not commit" to rival an earlier...

Kamchatka Calls 'Emergency' Over Ukrainian Refugee Influx

Even Russia's Far East has felt the heat of the ongoing Ukraine conflict, with Kamchatka authorities having declared an emergency regime over an anticipated...

Russians' Regard for the West Has Plummeted, Poll Shows

Anti-Western sentiments in Russia have hit a fever pitch amid the ongoing conflict in neighboring Ukraine, a survey conducted by independent pollster...

Letter to Kim Jong-un Takes Russian Schoolgirl to North Korea

A 15-year-old Russian schoolgirl has made waves after getting an all-expenses paid trip to North Korea for penning a letter to Kim Jong-un in a...

Defense Ministry Calls Up Reservists for Nationwide Training

The Defense Ministry has called up reservists for military drills to be conducted across the nation from August to October, Interfax reported Friday...

Kiev to Shut Off Household Hot Water Until October

Residents of Kiev will have to live without hot water until mid-October in order to help cut municipal gas bills, Ukrainian media reported Thursday...

Anti-Narcotics Agency Warns Moscow Faces Drug Crisis

Moscow's soaring drug-use and distribution rates have launched the city into the clutches of a "pre-crisis situation," city authorities warned on Wednesday...

Ministers Boycott U.K.-Russia Year of Culture Over Ukraine Crisis

In a show of frustration over the ongoing Ukraine conflict, ministers from the U.K. reportedly announced the decision to boycott all events set to be...

Referencing Gogol, Russia Slams EU for 'Playing Into Hands of Terrorists'

In a strongly worded statement with at least one obscure literary reference, Russia's Foreign Ministry has lashed out at the European Union for its...

Opposition Figures Convicted of Organizing Mass Riots at Bolotnaya

A Moscow court on Thursday found two opposition activists guilty of inciting mass riots at a 2012 anti-Kremlin protest that erupted in violent clashes...

'Freed' Russian Journalist Says British RT Stringer Held by Ukrainian Soldiers

A Russian journalist was set free Thursday after having been held captive in Ukraine with British reporter Graham Phillips, who is still missing, Russian...

Victims of MH17 Tragedy Sent to Netherlands, Black Boxes Arrive in Britain

The first planes transporting bodies from last week's Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crash arrived in the Netherlands, where a day of mourning was...

Putin Sends Mixed Message at Security Council Meeting

President Vladimir Putin appeared to take one step forward and two steps back Tuesday, appeasing the international community with promises of cooperation...

Moscow Police Break Up Human Trafficking Ring

Several suspects have been detained in connection with an alleged human trafficking scheme that saw three amputees forced to beg for change to raise...

Probe Into Malaysian Airlines Fraught With Difficulties

Three days after the downing of a passenger plane over conflict-torn eastern Ukraine claimed 298 lives, questions raised by the investigation far exceed...

2 Opposition Candidates Blocked From Moscow City Duma Election

Two opposition candidates who had planned to run for spots in the Moscow City Duma have been denied the right to register for the upcoming election...

Leader of Crimean Tatars Labeled 'Extremist,' Banned From Home


The leader of Crimea's Tatar community has been banned from returning home for a period of five years by the peninsula's prosecutor due...

Investigators See Alarming Rise in Number of Missing Kids

The Investigative Committee has sounded the alarm over a rapid surge in cases of children going missing without a trace, most of them from orphanages...

Journalists Become Walking Targets in Ukraine's Information War

As a video of the death of Channel One cameraman Anatoly Klyan went viral ahead of his memorial service on Wednesday, the world got its starkest...

Russia Sends Sukhoi Jets to Iraq, Slams West Over Syria

As Iraq received its first shipment of Sukhoi fighter jets from Russia on Saturday to combat a radical insurgency seizing major cities, Moscow took...

No Rehab for Russia's Drug Addicts

As the world marks the United Nations' International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Thursday, millions of drug addicts in Russia...

Russian Policewomen to Be Disciplined for Wearing Short Skirts

The Interior Ministry has launched a crackdown to combat the trend toward shrinking hemlines witnessed among Russia's female police officers, Izvestia...

Russians More Confident in Stability in North Caucasus, Poll Shows

The number of Russians who believe the situation in the restive North Caucasus region is stable and under control has more than doubled in the past...

Russian Investigators Target Ukraine Minister in 'Organized Murder' Probe

Russian investigators have launched a criminal case against Ukraine's Interior Minister and the Dnepropetrovsk region's governor on suspicion of the...

Rosneft Declines to Publish Required Income Declarations

Rosneft head Igor Sechin, widely considered Russia's highest paid executive, has managed to avoid publishing an income declaration for 2013 as part...

Russian Sex Coaches Tout Orgasms as Means To Prevent Divorce

Erect rubber penises decorate the tables, and diagrams of male anuses form the room's perimeter. But no, this is not a sex toy shop — it's a new...

Court Gives Life Sentences for Murdered Russian Journalist Anna Politkovskaya

The Moscow City Court on Monday handed down life sentences to two of the five men convicted of the 2006 killing of journalist Anna Politkovskaya in a trial...

Death Be Not Proud — Be Profitable: Moscow's Funeral Business

Your beloved mother has died, leaving you in a state of grief just short of catatonic. Who do you call? Many Muscovites will tell you it's not really...

New Law Could Hit Russian Smokers With Massive Cigarette Price Hike

As Russians brace themselves for a public smoking ban to come into effect on Sunday, lawmakers have submitted a new draft law hiking the minimum...

Dutch Police Arrest 30 Greenpeace Activists for Scaling Gazprom Rig

Police in the Netherlands on Tuesday detained 30 Greenpeace activists for blocking an oil rig owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom to stop it from reaching...

Rogozin Rubs Elbows With Assad in Damascus

While all eyes were on Ukraine with its presidential election in full swing over the weekend, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin paid a visit to Syrian...

Ukrainians to Decide Who Gets to Clean Up the Mess

As fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian troops intensified in eastern Ukraine on Thursday with 11 killed near Donetsk, ordinary citizens...

Russia-China Gas Deal Signed to Applause — and Skepticism

Hours after the long-anticipated signing of a 30-year multi-billion dollar gas deal between Russia and China, analysts poked holes in President Vladimir...

Russia Gets First Child Porn Database

State Duma Deputy Yelena Mizulina, both despised and revered for her backing of Russia's controversial anti-gay propaganda law, can now add to her...

EU Rebuts Putin on Transdnestr Blockade

A top European Union official on Tuesday challenged President Vladimir Putin's statement about a blockade of Moldova's pro-Kremlin self-proclaimed...

Russia Slams West's 'Conniving Politics' in Ukraine

The Kremlin on Wednesday denounced ongoing violence in Ukraine as an "attempted coup by radicals," as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov lashed out at the...

Pussy Riot Members Detained, Then Released, in Sochi (Video)

Former Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, whose imprisonment for an anti-Putin protest in 2012 brought them world fame,...

Salafis in Dagestan Asked to Notify Police of Travel Plans

Police in the Karabudakhkenstky district of Dagestan just south of Makachkala have reportedly asked members of the religious Salafi community — a strict...

How to Free a Modern-Day Slave in Dagestan

Days after twin suicide bombings in Volgograd claimed 34 lives just ahead of the New Year, Vadim Pushkin found himself pulled off a bus travelling from Makhachkala...

Kazan Crash Victims Included British Teacher, Tatarstan Leader's Son

Among the 50 people killed when a plane crashed at Kazan International Airport on Sunday was a British schoolteacher, the recently married son of Tatarstan's...

Biryulyovo Killing Suspect Confesses, Investigators Say

The Azeri suspect in a deadly stabbing that triggered an anti-migrant riot in Moscow's Biryulyovo district has confessed to the killing and requested an...

Gay Activist Wins Court Appeal, Dealing 'Severe Blow' to Anti-Gay Law

A Ryazan region court has overturned an administrative charge against an activist who was fined under a regional statute banning gay propaganda among...

Science Reform Bill Passes Federation Council

The Federation Council on Wednesday approved a controversial bill to reform the Russian Academy of Sciences, paving the way for it to be signed...

Putin Talks Syria, Gays and John McCain at Valdai

At the 10th-anniversary meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin lapped up praise for his recent New York Times...

Sobyanin Inaugurated Despite Appeal

President Vladimir Putin hailed Moscow's mayoral elections as fair and transparent at Sergei Sobyanin's inauguration ceremony Thursday evening, attributing...

Navalny to Submit 'Truckload' of Complaints to Elections Commission

Opposition leader and former mayoral hopeful Alexei Navalny announced Wednesday that he would submit 951 separate complaints of voting violations to the...

Putin Lauds Elections as Most Transparent Ever

President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday hailed the recent regional elections as "more transparent than ever" as Moscow's elections commission announced acting...

Gays' Kids Could Be Taken by State Under Proposed Bill

A United Russia lawmaker on Thursday submitted a bill that would make "nontraditional sexual orientation" a legal basis for depriving someone of his...

Alexeyev Announces He's Quitting Gay Rights Activism

Russia's most prominent gay rights activist, Nikolai Alexeyev, on Wednesday evening announced that he would be quitting his work in Russia after a "slanderous"...

Anti-Gay Vigilante Groups Face Backlash

The video begins with the camera pointed down at a paved path in a snow-covered park, the cameraman walking unsteadily forward. A rap song plays...

Golos Ordered Shut for 6 Months

Independent elections watchdog Golos, which played a prominent role in reporting voting violations in disputed December 2011 parliamentary elections...

Snowstorm a Cruel Joke for Muscovites on April Fools' Day

April Fools' Day proved to be no laughing matter in Moscow on Monday, with the city receiving up to 40 percent of the month's norm of snow in one day.

Dagestan Deputy Killed in Security Operation

Investigators in Dagestan are trying to determine what a local United Russia deputy was doing with suspected militants during a special operation last...

Psychic Suspected of Serial Killings Detained

Moscow police on Thursday detained a self-proclaimed psychic on suspicion of murdering at least four models moonlighting as escorts, a statement...

Dogs and Horses to Patrol Sochi Olympics

The Emergency Situations Ministry is setting up a special training center in Sochi for a horse and canine rescue unit that will patrol the 2014 Winter...

Soviet Landmark Linked to Drug Use

A resident of the southern region of Orenburg has demanded that part of a famous fountain at Moscow's All-Russia Exhibition Center be dismantled for “promoting...

Maximum-Security Prison to Open in Krasnodar Region This Spring

A maximum-security prison for terrorists and extremists is scheduled to open in Yeniseisk in the southern Krasnodar region this spring, Vladimir...

Krymsk Flood Victims Asked to Return Compensation Funds

Social Development Minister for the Krasnodar region Yelena Ilchenko said Monday that more than 161 families in Krymsk that received payouts to repair...

Polonsky Tells Lavrov 'Big Money' Behind His Detention

Real estate developer Sergei Polonsky, currently being held in a Cambodian prison following a scandalous New Year's celebration, told Foreign Minister...