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Articles by Anna Dolgov

Growing Number of Russians Think State Has Failed in Duties to Citizens - Poll

The number of Russians who believe the state is failing in its duties to citizens has increased to 39 percent from 28 percent a year ago.

Russian Election Watchdog Fined as Part of 'Intimidation Campaign'

A Moscow city court has fined election monitoring group Golos 1.2 million rubles ($18,000) for failing to identify itself as a “foreign agent” on its...

Kremlin Apologises to German Newspaper, Goldman Sachs for Putin’s Statement

The Kremlin on Friday issued an apology to German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs for false comments made by Russian...

Miss Russia Contestant From Dagestan Slammed for Swimsuit Photos

The head of the State Duma's ethnic affairs committee has denounced a “Miss Russia” beauty pageant contestant from the predominantly Muslim region...

New Report Slams 'Authoritarian' Russia and Former Soviet Nations

Seven of the 15 former Soviet countries have become “consolidated authoritarian regimes,” with Russian President Putin's “naked embrace of autocracy”...

60% of Russians Think Their Country Is World Leader in Space Exploration

As Russia marks Cosmonautics Day on Tuesday, six out of 10 Russians believe their country is the world's leader in space exploration — a sharp increase...

Yatsenyuk’s Resignation to Be Presented to Parliament on Tuesday

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on Sunday announced his resignation, blaming an “artificially created” political crisis and politicians'...

Putin: Obama 'Personally' Invited Russian President to Nuclear Summit

Vladimir Putin said U.S. President Barack Obama had “personally” invited him to attend the nuclear summit held in Washington last week, but he declined...

Russian School Introduces Single-Sex Education to 'Combat Female Emancipation'

A public school in Russia's southern Siberian Altai region has introduced separate education for boys and girls in an attempt to combat female “emancipation”...

Erdogan: Russia Backing Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict


Turkish President Recep Erdogan on Wednesday accused Russia of siding with Armenia in the conflict with Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh...

Russian Prime Minister: Ukraine Has 'No Industry, or State'

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev denounced Ukraine as having “neither industry, nor a state,” according to remarks published Monday on the Cabinet...

Russia Increases Nuclear Warheads While U.S. Decreases Its Arsenal

Russia has continued to increase its arsenal of strategic warheads, although their number will have to be reduced to meet a 5-year-old arms reduction...

Stressed Circus Elephant Makes Mad Dash to Ukrainian Border

A circus elephant being trucked from Hungary to Belarus has escaped and fled into Ukraine, in what the driver said was an attempt to avoid the stressful...

U.S. Military Boosts European Presence in Light of 'Aggressive Russia'

The United States will boost its military presence in Eastern Europe early next year in an attempt to reassure allies that feel threatened by an “aggressive...

Northern Russia’s Lake Ladoga Islands Emit Dangerous Radiation Levels

Patches of the picturesque islands on Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia emit radiation at hundreds of times above the normal levels, military-news portal...

Amnesty Proposed to Celebrate Russian State Duma Anniversary

Lawmakers from the Liberal Democratic Party have proposed amnestying 70,000 convicts to celebrate the 110th anniversary of Russia's legislature, independent...

Russian Karjakin to Compete in Chess World Championship Title Match

Grandmaster Sergei Karjakin will become the first Russian since 2008 to compete in a title match of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) championship, after...

Russia's Patriarch Kirill: Some Human Rights Are 'Heresy'

Head of the Russian Orthodox Church denounced as "heresy" those human rights that he said contradicted the Bible, and proclaimed fighting them the goal...

Police in Southern Russia Link Crime Increase to Ukraine Crisis

Police in southern Russia have raised concerns about an alleged increase in crime, including the smuggling of weapons and explosives from eastern Ukraine...

Russians Urged to Rally Behind Crimea Annexation

As Russian authorities gear up to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the “inevitable” annexation of Crimea, participants in commemoration rallies...

Dissernet Ranks Russian Universities According to Plagiarism

Russia's prominent Dissernet online group dedicated to exposing intellectual fraud has published a ranking of the nation's universities based on the frequency...

Kerry to Discuss Syria With Putin, Lavrov in Moscow

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in official statements Tuesday that he would travel to Moscow next week to discuss the Syrian crisis with President...

Obama: ‘Putin is Not Completely Stupid’

Vladimir Putin wants to be seen as the peer of U.S. leaders and remains businesslike during top-level meetings, Barack Obama said in an interview published...

Russians Sending Significant Sums to Terrorist Groups – Financial Watchdog

Russian citizens are wiring substantial sums of money to terrorist groups that seek donations online to fight "infidels," the head of Russia's state...

Russian-Iranian S-300 Missile-Deal Reportedly Delayed

Russian officials conceded some problems with supplying S-300 missiles to Iran but maintained the deal was still in place, the Kommersant newspaper reported...

Five Detained in Moscow for Protesting Trial of Ukrainian Pilot Savchenko

Police detained five demonstrators who gathered near the Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters in Moscow to protest Russia's trial against Ukrainian...

Russian Tennis Champion Sharapova Fails Drug Test

Russian tennis champion Maria Sharapova said Monday she had tested positive at Australian Open for a recently banned drug that she had been taking for...

Russian Communists Pay Homage to Stalin in Moscow


Russian Communists paid homage to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin to mark the anniversary of his death this weekend.

Russian Communist Party Removes Controversial Anti-Immigration Drawing From Website

Russia's Communist Party has removed from its website a drawing of a woman wearing a Muslim head covering and veil and holding a severed human head, after...

Child Murder Sparks Calls for Stricter Russian Immigration Rules

Russia's Communist Party has called for a curtailment of “illegal migration” to the country and illustrated its appeal by a drawing of a woman wearing...

Wives of Russian Governors, Lawmakers Top Forbes Rich List

The wives of two Russian regional governors and a State Duma lawmaker have topped the list of the richest spouses of the country's state officials, the...

UN Secretary-General: U.S.-Russian Brokered Partial Cease-Fire Largely Holding

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday the partial cease-fire brokered by Russia and the U.S. for Syria was largely holding, despite occasional...

Russian TV Silent Over Child Killed by Nanny in Moscow

The Kremlin has decided that some incidents in Russia are too incendiary to be shown on television.

Kerry: Obama Has 'Plan B' if U.S.-Russian Brokered Syrian Truce Fails

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday the White House has a “plan B” in place if a recent agreement with Russia on a cease-fire for Syria...

U.S., Russia Agree on Partial Cease-Fire in Syria

The new cease-fire deal agreed upon by Russia and the U.S. was deemed so momentous in Moscow that state-run Rossia-1 television network interrupted its...

Russian Politicians Ask Khodorkovsky for Endorsement As Elections Near

Former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky's pro-democracy foundation has received dozens of requests from members of Russia's main political parties to endorse...

Putin and Obama Discuss Syria, Ukraine in Phone Call

U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the crises in Syria and Ukraine during a phone conversation, the White House...

Russia's Medvedev: Syrian Conflict May Become 'Permanent War'

The conflict in Syria may escalate into a “permanent” war to last for decades, if peace talks were to collapse or if foreign countries tried to intervene...

Rally in Russia's Dagestan Against Arrest of Conservative Cleric

Police in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan dispersed a rally that protested the detention of an ultra-conservative Salafi mosque imam, who...

U.S. National Intelligence Director Says Russia Is Paranoid, Aggressive

Russia is “paranoid” about NATO and is likely to continue “aggressive” actions this year to support its claim to great power status, U.S. National...

Russian Foreign Ministry Accuses UN Secretary-General of Bias

The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of an anti-Moscow bias in his assessment of its actions in Syria, according to...

Police Pursue Drunk St. Petersburg Man Driving Armored Carrier

Police near St. Petersburg have pursued an armored personnel carrier along a road and through a field, eventually detaining its driver and a passenger...

Russian Security Officials Destroy Turkish Oranges in the North Caucasus

Russian security officials have seized nearly half a ton of oranges from vendors at a city market in the North Caucasus and destroyed the fruit, reasoning...

Moscow Resident Allegedly Murders Creditors' Representative

A Moscow resident faces murder charges for shooting and killing a representative of his creditors who had arrived at his apartment in the company of court...

Russian Schoolgirl Replaces Mandelshtam Poetry With Oxxxymiron Rap Lyrics

A schoolgirl in the Far East recited the lyrics of a Russian rap song in literature class, presenting them as the work of Soviet-era poet Osip Mandelshtam...

Instagram Removes Kadyrov’s Video of Russian Opposition in the Crosshairs

Instagram on Monday removed a video posted by the leader of Russia's republic of Chechnya that showed Russian opposition leaders in the crosshairs of a...

Russians Hold Irreverent Rally in Support of the Ruble

Activists in southern Russia held a rally billed as an action in support of the shrinking ruble, but intended as a tongue-in-cheek reminder to Russians...

Russian Region Mourns 3 Boys Killed by Hot Water

A city in Russia's far eastern Kamchatka region was holding a day of mourning Friday over the deaths of three elementary schoolchildren who fell into a...

Fewer Russians Think Country Is on the Right Track – Poll

The number of Russians who think their country is on the right track has shrunk to 45 percent of the population — the lowest in more than a year.

Article on Russian-Chechen Tensions Draws Chechen Ire

Chechnya's regional legislature has demanded an investigation for possible “extremism” into an article by a Russian political analyst who wrote that...

Russian Lawmaker Blames U.S. for Flu Epidemic

A State Duma lawmaker has blamed Russia's flu epidemic on the United States, and said he would ask government and security agencies to take “serious”...

Russian Air Strikes Kill Hundreds of Syrian Civilians Reports Say

Russian air strikes in Syria have killed 2,371 people — a third of them civilians, including 180 children – according to a tally released Wednesday...

Supreme Court Allows German Couple to Adopt Russian Child

Russia's Supreme Court has overturned a lower court's decision and allowed a German couple to adopt a Russian orphan with disabilities, the Kommersant...

Online Poll Names Putin 'Liar of the Year'

A Twitter user claiming to be head of the state-run news agency Rossia Segodnya deleted an online poll Sunday that named a “liar of the year,” after...

Russia's Protesting Truckers Send Critical Message to Putin

Russia's protesting truck drivers issued an acerbic video message to President Vladimir Putin on Constitution Day this weekend, saying citizens' wishes...

Russian Engineering University Expels Turkish Students

An engineering university in Russia has expelled a number of its Turkish students amid the growing rift between Moscow and Ankara over the downing of a...

Elderly Russian Opposition Activist Hospitalized After Court Sentence

A 76-year-old opposition activist standing trial for breaking Russian protest laws was hospitalized Thursday with heart problems, after a younger man...

Third Bengal Tiger Cub Dies of Cold in Crimea Blackout

The third white Bengal tiger cub has died in a Crimean zoo, amid a dispute between Russian authorities and the zoo's director over the confiscation...

No Turkish Fabric Means No Anti-Turkish T-shirts

Russian production of T-shirts with anti-Turkish slogans has been delayed by disruptions in fabric imports from Turkey, Russian media reports said Wednesday...

Putin Gives Sports Minister English Coursebook for Birthday

Russia's sports minister — whose attempts to speak English at international gatherings have produced such gems as "Let's me speak from my heart" —...

Ukrainian Militia Demands 50M Euros for Stolen Paintings

A nationalist militia in Ukraine has demanded 50 million euros for a haul of Dutch golden age paintings that were stolen from a museum in the Netherlands...

Russia Brings New Criminal Charges Against Khodorkovsky

Russia has brought new criminal charges against the exiled former oil tycoon turned political opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky, sending an official...

Lawyer, Businessman Shumkov Found Dead in Moscow-City

A businessman and political activist who played a role in President Vladimir Putin's re-election campaign in 2012 and was named Russia's Lawyer of the...

Russia Is Not Planning More Turkey Sanctions - Minister

Russia does not plan to expand its economic sanctions against Turkey, but is unlikely to restore visa-free travel for Turkish citizens any time soon, Economic...

Cossacks Burn Effigies of Obama, Erdogan

Cossacks in southern Russia burned effigies of U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish President Recep Erdogan, while rallying this weekend in support...

What's in a Name? Russia Replaces 'Islamic State' With 'Daesh'

The Kremlin administration appears to be retiring the term “Islamic State” when referring to the terror group, and replacing the militants' preferred...

Turkey May Slash Russian Gas Imports – Reuters

Turkey is considering slashing its import of Russian liquified petroleum gas (LPG) by as much as 25 percent next year — a plan that would hit a key Russian...

Zhirinovsky Wins Libel Case Against Gorbachev

Flamboyant Russian politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky has won a libel suit against former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev who had accused him in a book...

Russian Priest Accused of Killing Woman When Driving Drunk

The Russian Orthodox Church said it was suspending a priest accused of killing a woman in a drunk-driving accident Tuesday in northern Russia.

Russians Turn to Bartering in Economic Recession

An economic recession and soaring grocery prices have prompted Russians to go online to trade household items for food, with scores of websites facilitating...

Russian Exchange Students in Turkey Will Return Home

All Russian exchange students studying in Turkey will return home as soon as possible, the Education and Science Ministry announced on Tuesday, according...

Tiger and Goat Form Unlikely Friendship at Russian Zoo

A tiger and a goat have become unlikely friends at a zoo in Russia's far eastern Primorye region, astounding visitors by wandering together around the...

Russian President Putin to Give State of the Nation Address on Dec. 3

President Vladimir Putin will present his annual state of the nation address on Dec. 3, the Kremlin press office announced Monday.

Beloved Russian Film Director Ryazanov Dies at Age 88

One of Russia's most famed and beloved film directors, Eldar Ryazanov, has died in a Moscow hospital from heart failure, the TASS news agency reported...

Russian Minister: Security Concerns Justify Restricting Civil Rights

Russia's interior minister said restricting civil rights is justifiable if security considerations demand it, according to a television interview that...

Putin: Russia Ready to Cooperate With U.S. Coalition in Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday his country is committed to cooperating with a U.S.-led coalition to fight the Islamic State terrorist group...

Russian Opposition Deputy Sues Pro-Kremlin TV for Libel

Russia's only State Duma deputy known for his support of the political opposition, Dmitry Gudkov, said Wednesday he is suing NTV television for libel over...

U.S. Sanctions Russians With Financial Ties to Syrian Regime

The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday announced sanctions against a Russian businessman who heads the World Chess Federation, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, accusing...

Russian Official Proposes Revoking 'Irrelevant' International Agreements

The powerful head of the Investigative Committee proposed revoking international agreements that Russia deems contrary to its interests, media reports...

Russian Republic Blocks Access to Charlie Hebdo Twitter Feed

A city court in Russia's predominantly Muslim republic of Chechnya has blocked access to the Twitter account of the French satirical newspaper Charlie...

Putin: Russian Military to Remain in Caspian Sea Despite Region's Unease

President Putin said the Russian military would continue to use the Caspian Sea to launch attacks against Islamic State “for as long as necessary,”...

Hagel: Russia, U.S. Must Fight Islamic State Together

Former U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called for including Russia in a consolidated global battle against Islamic State, and suggested putting aside...

Ukraine Rebuffs Putin’s Offer to Restructure Russian Debt

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has rejected Russia's restructuring proposal for the repayment of Kiev's eurobond debt, and said the “aggressor...

Russian Prosecutor Blames Tajik Baby Death on 'Damp'

The shack that housed a Tajik family whose 5-month-son died while the mother was held in police custody was “unsuitable for living,” Russian prosecutors...

U.S. Diplomats Edit Comically Inept Fake Letter

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has mocked the pro-Kremlin daily Izvestia for using fake letters in the newspaper's attempt to illustrate what it cast as an...

Russia Increases Pressure on Islamic State in Syria

Strategic bombers belonging to the Russian air force have conducted bombings and rocket strikes on Islamic State positions, Russian Defense Minister...

Kadyrov Says 480 Chechens Have Joined Islamic State

Nearly 500 Chechens have joined the Islamic State terrorist organization, the head of Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus republic of Chechnya Ramzan...

Russia to Get 21st-Century Version of Kids' Pioneers Organization

President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a schoolchildren's movement aimed at promoting national values and apparently modeled on the Soviet...

Russian Justice Ministry Proposes Further Checks to 'Foreign Agent' NGOs

The Justice Ministry has proposed legal amendments that would set a procedure for the government to shut down nongovernmental organizations deemed “foreign...

Free Syrian Army Groups Deny Reports of Moscow Visit

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday said it had hosted several delegations from the Western-backed Free Syrian Army, but representatives of the opposition...

Darth Vader Sculpture Replaces Soviet Leader Lenin in Ukraine's Odessa


A statue of Bolshevik revolutionary Vladimir Lenin in Ukraine's Odessa has been converted into a monument to Darth Vader — the city's response to a...

'Sadists' Law' Granted Preliminary Approval by Russia's Parliament

Russia's parliament has granted preliminary approval to a bill, dubbed “sadists’ law” by critics, which details the acceptable use of physical force...

Parents Ask Moscow School to Remove Girl With Down Syndrome From Yearbook

A Moscow school has allegedly moved to edit a girl with Down syndrome out of its yearbook, after several parents complained that her picture ruined the...

Poroshenko Pressures TV Channel to Keep Putin Handshake Off-Air

A Ukrainian television channel has published a statement by its former producer, claiming officials from President Petro Poroshenko's administration banned...

Zombies Hazardous to Russian Children's 'Spiritual' Health – Human Rights Official

A senior human rights official in the presidential administration has called for an evaluation of toys sold in Russia's stores, claiming that many are...

Russian Elderly to Receive Firewood Via Crowdfunding, Not Government Subsidies

Activists in Russia are collecting money to buy firewood to heat the homes of impoverished villagers who may otherwise struggle to get though the upcoming...

Ukraine's Foreign Minister: MH17 Investigation May Again Request UN Tribunal


Countries seeking to prosecute those responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine may once again ask the UN Security...

Moscow 'Patriot' Rally Draws Dozens Not Thousands of Participants

A Russian television channel reported that thousands of people gathered in Moscow for a rally strengthening “patriotism” — but the rally never took...

Russian Prosecution Witnesses Identified Savchenko Sight Unseen


Witnesses for the prosecution in Russia's trial against Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko have claimed to identify the defendant despite being unable...

Russian Investigative Committee Opens Criminal Case Against Putin Accuser


Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case on charges of appeals for "terrorism" against an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister...

Radioactive-Waste Processing Plant Endangers Russia's Lake Baikal

Local residents and environmentalists have appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the planned construction of a radioactive-waste processing...

Russian Version of 'Tumble' TV Show Denied BBC License

Britain's BBC Worldwide has declined to license the production of a Russian version of the “Tumble” television show because of Western sanctions imposed...

Crimea Tourism Improves 34 Percent, Still Below Pre-Annexation Levels


More than 3.9 million people have visited Crimea so far this year, a 34 percent increase from 2014, according to regional authorities, but the number...

Russian Security Service Orders Deportation of Buddhist Leader

Russia's Federal Security Service has ordered the deportation of a Buddhist leader who has been practicing in Russian regions for over a decade, reportedly...

Russian Children Hospitalized After Inadvertently Ingesting 'Spice' Drug

Three 5-year-old girls were hospitalized with synthetic drug poisoning after tasting a “soup” they made during kindergarten playtime that contained...

Volgograd to Unveil Russia's First Monument to TV Detectives Zheglov, Sharapov


The Russian city of Volgograd is set to unveil a monument on Monday to the lead characters of a Soviet-era crime miniseries “The Meeting Place Cannot...

Russian Consumer Rights Activist Anshakov Arrested in Moscow


Police have detained the head of a Russian consumer rights NGO who attracted the ire of President Vladimir Putin by describing Crimea as an “occupied”...

Ukrainian, Russian Media Clash Over Spilled Coffee

A Ukrainian man spilled a cup of coffee on Crimea's Minister of Information Dmitry Polonsky during a meeting in Warsaw on Thursday, and the incident...

Russian, U.S. Speeches Deliver High Tension but Few Dramatics

As political gatherings go, the annual assembly of world leaders at the United Nations in New York is about as high-octane as they get, and this year's...

Russian Textbook Claiming Disabled People are 'Not Individuals' Is Yanked From Sale


A Russian publishing company has suspended the sale of a social studies textbook that prompted an outcry with its message that people with developmental...

Putin Praises American Qualities in Interview With U.S. Television


In excerpts from an upcoming American television interview, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said he admired American creativity and open-mindedness...

Kremlin Critic Expelled From Russian Regional Legislature

A regional legislature in northwest Russia voted to expel a lawmaker who has criticized the Kremlin and has been investigating the deaths of Russian...

Design Chosen for Moscow Monument Commemorating Gulag Victims

The winner of a public initiative competition to design a Moscow monument honoring victims of the gulags has been chosen from 336 entries by a jury...

Russian Activist Fined for Online Caricatures Mocking Fascism

A court in southern Russia has fined a local activist 1,500 rubles ($23) for online publications of caricatures mocking fascism and a photograph...

Russian Senator Introduces Bill Criminalizing Pro-Stalin Propoganda


A high-ranking Russian senator has sought to combat the increasing promotion of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in the country by introducing a bill that...

Russia's Culture Minister Makes Uncultured Dovlatov Gaffe


Russia's culture minister struggles to keep his novelists, or his numerals, straight.

Orthodox Activists Demand to Close Exhibition 'Violating Mystery of Death'

An anatomical exhibition titled "The Human Body" opened on Friday in St. Petersburg despite the claims of Orthodox Activists that it would violate...

Russian Official Denies Boycotting Pskov Festival Over Kashin Allegations

The head of Russia's state agency for media development has denied a statement put out by his own spokespeople saying he was boycotting a festival in the...

Russian Authorities Close Down American Center in Moscow

The Russian government has shut down the U.S. Embassy's American Center in Moscow after 22 years in operation, Ambassador John Tefft said, warning the...

News Report Ridicules Russian Media Law on Suicide

A regional news portal has poked fun at a Russian law prohibiting online content found to promote suicide in a report about the attempt of a teenage girl...

Russian Orthodox Activists Who Vandalized Manezh Face Criminal Charges

Investigators have opened a criminal case against a group of radical Orthodox activists who attacked Moscow's Manezh exhibition center last month.

Russia Has Older Democracy Than U.S. and First Black General Proves It — Elections Chief

The head of Russia's Central Elections Commission has claimed that Russia has an older democracy than the U.S. because Russia appointed its first black...

Russian Women Barred From 456 Jobs, World Bank Says

Women in Russia face the most job-related barriers worldwide, with gender specifications for 456 types of jobs, the World Bank said in a report.

Russian Anti-Gay Crusader Milonov Apologizes for Rudeness, Then Calls Liberals 'Dogs'

Famously eccentric St. Petersburg lawmaker Vitaly Milonov has offered an uncharacteristic apology for his “rude” statements after which he referred...

Russian Monuments to Stalin Highlight Controversy Over His Legacy

Two monuments to Josef Stalin were unveiled in separate Russian regions in one day this week in a face-off that marks a deepening rift within the nation...

Chechen Leader Kadyrov Calls for Judge to Be Punished Over Ruling on Muslim Book

Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia's North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, has pledged to “personally call to account” the Russian judge and prosecutor...

Russian Investigative Committee Head Advised to Have Head Examined

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk's spokeswoman suggested on Tuesday that the chairman of Russia's Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin...

Prince Vladimir Statue to Find Home in Central Moscow Square

Following a months-long dispute marked by public protests, Moscow authorities have ruled that a monument to medieval ruler Prince Vladimir will be erected...

Matviyenko Calls Ukraine a 'Geopolitical Project of the U.S.'


The Ukrainian-born speaker of Russia's Federation Council has denounced her native land as a “geopolitical project of the U.S.” and its citizens...

Ukrainian Paratroopers Found 'Fraternizing' in Crimea

Three Ukrainian paratroopers who had gone missing from their base near Crimea have turned up in the Russian-held peninsula, where they had supposedly traveled...

Radical Orthodox Activists Fined $14 for Manezh Art Vandalism

A Moscow city court has fined two radical Orthodox activists 1,000 rubles ($14) for attacking an exhibition center and damaging art that restoration experts...

Chechnya a 'Model of Peace and Harmony' Says Kadyrov

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov called his republic a “model of peace and harmony” — a claim that ignores a recent attack by Islamic militants, attacks...

Authorities in Russia's Far East Try Land Giveaway to Attract Residents

Authorities in Russia's Far East are handing out hectares of land free of charge in a bid to attract people to the vast region.

Families Up in Arms Over Spate of Body Switchings at Russian Morgues

Investigators in northern Russia are looking into complaints that a morgue has mixing up bodies, presenting mourners who came to bury their loved ones...

Russia's North Caucasus Creates Wedding Police to Protect From 'Uncontrolled Joy'

The republic of Adygea in Russia's North Caucasus region has created a new unit of "wedding police" to make sure wedding motorcades behave on the...

Russia's Dozhd TV Releases Archival Photos of Japanese POWs

Archival photos of Japanese POWs working at Soviet labor camps have been released by independent Dozhd television station to mark the Sept. 2 anniversary...

Russian Human Rights Activists to Hold 'Tribunal' Against Stalin

On Thursday, Russian intellectuals and human rights activists will hold a "tribunal" against Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, whose popularity has recently...

Russian Students to Learn About 'Friendship' With North Korea

A school in Russia's Far East has introduced a new course to help students deepen the “time-tested friendship” between their country and North Korea...

Putin Calls on Young Russians to Work for the Glory of Their Country

Gifted young Russians should "most importantly" work for the glory of their country, President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday at a new center for gifted...

Moscow Clinic Teaches Moms How to Please Their Russian Husbands

A maternity clinic in Moscow has been providing patients with booklets on "improving family relations" — dispensing advice to women that urges them...

Russia, Belarus and Serbia Team Up For Counter-Protest Exercises

Troops from Russia, Belarus and Serbia will practice fighting anti-government protesters — such as those who overthrew the Moscow-backed government in...

Russian Orthodox Spokesman Calls on Faithful to Replace 'Cynical Elite'

A Russian Orthodox Church spokesman has called for Russia's faithful to replace the current “tired, corrupt and cynical” political elite with devout...

Plaques Commemorating Gulag Victims Popping Up Around Moscow

At least seven plaques commemorating Russian citizens sent to gulag force labor camps under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin have been placed on Moscow buildings...

St. Petersburg Cossacks Deny Involvement In Mephistopheles Relief Destruction

A Cossack organization denied that one of its members was responsible for the removal of a 100-year-old bas relief depicting the mythical demon Mephistopheles...

Conservative Lawmaker Mizulina Takes On Cheeky Children's Notebooks

The creative efforts of designers crafting notebook covers for Russian school children have resulted in several works of decisively bad taste, according...

Mephistopheles Facade Facing Orthodox Church Taken Down In St. Petersburg

A hundred-year-old bas relief depicting the mythical demon Mephistopheles has been removed from the facade of a historical building in St. Petersburg...

Scientists Find Pre-Historic Religious Site in Urals Cave

Tools and bones of slain animals were discovered in a cave in southern Russia by a team of research scientists, indicating that the cave was inhabited...

Art at Risk as Russian Museums Lose Guards to Budget Cuts

The Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg may be left without police guards starting this fall as the Interior Ministry is laying off officers amid funding...

Trash Cans Returning to Moscow Metro After 40 Years

Moscow subway stations will be outfitted with trash cans for the first time in nearly 40 years, an official said Monday.

Moscow Mayor Apologizes for Massive Road Reconstruction

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has apologized to local residents for the "inconveniences" brought by his massive — and widely criticized — street...

Night Wolves are Putin's 'Iron Cavalry,' Says Leader

Night Wolves leader Alexander Zaldostanov, speaking ahead of a massive show his group plans to hold Friday in the Crimean city of Sevastopol, called...

Russian Translators Denounce Use of 'Unpatriotic' Onomatopoeia in Comics

The use of words such as "bang," "crash" and "wow" in Russian comic books is unpatriotic and should be avoided, Russian translators said

State Duma Speaker Accuses the U.S. of Plotting Against Russia

The speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament Sergei Naryshkin penned an article accusing the United States of plotting "provocations" against...

Russian Car Dealerships See Spike in Layoffs as Sales Plummet

Russian car dealerships are laying off their employees en masse as car sales plummet amid the economic crisis, Western sanctions and the falling value...

World War II Memorial 'Evocative of Chinese Flag' Causes Outcry in Siberia

The administration of a city in Siberia has agreed to change the design for the planned renovation of a World War II memorial, after local residents...

At Least 4 Russian Tourists Dead in Bus Crash in Turkey


A bus crash in Turkey killed at least four Russian tourists and injured 27, officials said

Gruesome Family Killing Highlights Russian Domestic Abuse Problem

About 14,000 women in Russia die every year "at the hands of husbands or other relatives," while violence of some form occurs in one out of four...

Russian Lawmaker Proposes 12 Years in Prison for Food Smugglers

State Duma deputy Yevgeny Fyodorov of the ruling United Russia party has proposed expanding Russian laws against smuggling, adding food from Western...

Russian Health Officials Comment on Proposed Condom Ban

Russia's proposed restrictions on condom imports would make citizens more "disciplined," and may also help raise the birth rate, a former public health...

Russian Region Bans British Historian's Books

The Sverdlovsk regional government has ordered local schools to remove renowned British historian Antony Beevor's books about World War II from their...

Russian Government Book on Ukraine Conflict Illustrated With Fake Photo

Russia's Investigative Committee has released a book supposedly documenting the "crimes" of Ukrainian government forces illustrated by a cover photo...

Health Minister Concerned About Rise in Death Rate Among Younger Russians

Increasing numbers of Russians aged 30 to 45 are dying, mostly as a result of excessive drinking, the health minister was quoted as saying.

Another Russian Teenager Dies While Trying to Take a Selfie on a Train

Russians' infatuation with reckless selfie-taking has claimed a new victim after a 14-year-old girl was electrocuted.

Tiger Cub Found Shot in Russia's Far East

The animal was likely killed by a member of a logging crew whose truck was parked a short distance away, though a shooting by poachers was also possible...

Latvia to Study 'Material and Moral Damage' Inflicted by the KGB

A government panel in Latvia will spend three years preparing a report, Latvian media reported.

6 in 10 Russians Would Support Internet Censorship During a Crisis

Support for online censorship or cutting off Internet access altogether was the highest among Russians who never or rarely go online, but remained high...

Auction for Political Prisoners Goes on Despite Police Interference

Russian opposition activists have held a benefit in Moscow for political prisoners, despite being forced to change location several times.

Average Bribe in Russia Doubles in Rubles, Remains Steady in Dollars

The amount of the average bribe in Russia has nearly doubled this year, reaching 208,000 rubles.

Russian Official Proposes Protecting Children With Giant Fences

Russia's ombudsman for children's rights Pavel Astakhov has proposed enclosing kindergartens, schools and daycare centers with high solid fences.

Putin Signs Decree Ordering Destruction of Banned Food

Shipments of banned food are to be destroyed starting on Aug. 6, according to the decree published by the Kremlin on Wednesday evening.

International Community Looks for 'Alternative Path' After Russia Vetoes MH17 Tribunal Plan

Countries investigating the downing of MH17 have pledged to explore alternative paths for bringing the perpetrators to justice after Russia vetoes...

Moscow Airport Losing Its 'Shot Glass'

Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport is dismantling its famed modernist lounge — a 1964 building popularly dubbed the “shot glass,” or “ryumka."

Foundation of Dynasty Founder's Son Also Named Foreign Agent

The Justice Ministry declared the Sreda organization a foreign agent on Tuesday.

Proposal Would Have Boars Roaming Latvian Capital Sent to NATO Training Ground

The head of the Baltic nation's hunter's association suggested wild boars that have attacked residents could be moved to the Adazi training ground.

Putin Scheduled to Address UN General Assembly

The Russian president will address the gathering of world leaders in September, according to a provisional list of speakers released by the UN.

Missile Explosion Spoils Navy Day in Crimean Port of Sevastopol

A missile exploded immediately after its launch during a parade celebrating Navy Day near the Crimean port of Sevastopol.

Two Nabbed After Russian IT Technician Finds Child Porn During Routine Repair

Police in Vladivostok have detained two men on suspicion of sexually abusing children after an IT technician alerted investigators.

Ukrainian Border Guards Deny Shooting Russian Man Taking Selfie

Ukraine's police denied accusations Monday from Russia's Federal Security Service that Ukrainian border guards had shot and injured a Russian man trying...

Russia Proposes Alternative UN Resolution to MH17 — on Ukraine


As Russia argues that the UN Security Council would overstep its boundaries by establishing an international tribunal to try those responsible for the...

Russian Official Calls for Obligations to International Law to be Struck from Constitution

The head of Russia's Investigative Committee has called for scrapping from the country's Constitution all mentions of adherence to international...

Moscow Park to Host Performance Honoring Vysotsky Friday

The Hermitage Garden will host a "Night of Poetry" on Friday to commemorate Vladimir Vysotsky, who died 35 years ago this week.

Mysterious Crop Circles Appear in Southern Russian City on 10 Year Anniversary of Previous Circles

Aviation buffs testing a drone in Tolyatti have spotted elaborate crop circles on nearby fields; similar circles appeared in the Volga city 10 years...

Russian Election Monitoring NGO Golos Removed from Foreign Agents List

The Justice Ministry is revoking the registration of election-monitoring group Golos as a "foreign agent" and has refunded the fines the NGO has...

Cell Phones, Yeast Confiscated from Russian Prison-Bound Drones

Drones may now officially qualify as the tool of choice for prison contraband smuggling in Russia, after two incidents of attempted drone deliveries were...

Gorbachev Urges Renewed Ties With West

The former Soviet president says that problems inherited from previous eras are holding Russia back and urged Western leaders to restore ties with Moscow...

Chinese Investment in Russia Fell 25% in the First Half of This Year

China's direct investments in Russia have shrunk by 25 percent in the first half of this year, even as its overall foreign investment has increased...

Russia Disowns Soldiers Captured in Eastern Ukraine in May

Russia's Defense Ministry says that the men had resigned from the army before crossing the border and their mission had "no connection" with Moscow's...

Novaya Gazeta Could Face Closure After Second Government Warning

One of Russia's last independent newspapers plans to appeal in court the second government warning it has received within a year.

Russian Government Failing to Stem Rising Poverty

The government is failing to protect Russians who are falling into poverty at the fastest rate for nearly two decades, an economist said in an interview...

Former State Duma Speaker Gennady Seleznyov Dies at 67

Seleznyov was kicked out of the Communist party for urging reforms and refusing to step down from his parliamentary position.

'Koshmario' Takes on Terrorists in Russian Anti-Extremism Video Competition

The Interior Ministry received more than 300 entries in its anti-extremist video competition.

Russian Military Struggling to Modernize

The Russian military is failing to meet its plans for this year on re-equipping its armed forces with modernized weapons.

Ultraconservative Duma Deputy Mizulina to Run for Federation Council

Mizulina said she would serve as a senator from the Omsk region of Siberia in the Federation Council if the region's acting governor wins the Sept. 13...

Moscow Authorities Open Parks, Close Roads for Eid al-Fitr

Moscow city authorities will close off sections of the capital to traffic this Friday to accommodate mass prayers marking the end of the month-long fast...

Putin Says He Supports "Minimal" Internet Restrictions

Putin calls for limited restrictions on the Internet, but added that he expects Russian citizens to promote Moscow's views online.

Russians Not Interested in Emigrating Poll Says

Eighty-five percent of Russians have little or no interest in moving to a different country, a survey by state-run polling agency VTsIOM indicated.

Ukraine's Consul in Turkey Fired for Wearing Putin T-Shirt

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said he has fired his country's honorary consul in Turkey for wearing a t-shirt with a portrait of the Russian...

Countries Call for UN Tribunal on MH17

Five countries have asked the UN Security Council to establish an international tribunal to prosecute those responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines...

Defense Ministry Denies Soldiers Are Deserting for Fear of Being Sent to Ukraine

The Defense Ministry says it is investigating four soldiers on suspicion of having gone AWOL from their base in southern Russia, but denied reports that...

French Group Accuses United Russia of Stealing Design for 'Straight Flag'

French opponents of gay marriage have accused the ruling United Russia party of using their logo without permission after it unveiled a “heterosexual...