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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...