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‘They Destroyed Everything’: With Russia Gone, Syrians Begin a Long, Painful Process of Rebuilding

Eastern Ghouta's residents are reckoning with the devastation left behind by Russian and regime forces.

‘Did Not Push Hard Enough’: Navalny Lawyer Speaks of Regrets

Olga Mikhailova said Navalny’s return to Russia sparked a “tragic” chain of events leading to his death.
4 Min read

I Went Undercover in Putin’s New ‘Pioneers’

The Movement of the First aims to engage children and teenagers in a worldview “based on traditional Russian values.” Its carefully crafted image is...
8 Min read

Can Music Mobilize the Russian Diaspora? These Anti-War Artists Are Betting On It

The INOI rock festival, whose lineup features a range of popular exiled Russian musicians, seeks to speak truth to power through art. 
4 Min read

‘I’m a Real-Life Katyusha’: As Russia Hikes Payments for Soldiers, Their Wives Flaunt Newfound Affluence

Soldiers’ wives and girlfriends are taking to social media to show off their comfortable new lives, often while espousing their pro-Kremlin views.
6 Min read

‘I Realized My Efforts Were Futile’: How a Russian Combat Medic Deserted From the Front Lines

Alexei Zhilyaev’s story sheds light on the horrors faced by both soldiers and civilians in the war — and the brutality of the Russian military. 
7 Min read

Full Support or Quiet Resistance: Ukraine War Splits Russia’s Buddhists

Nonviolence is a central precept of the Buddhist faith. So why have so many Buddhist clerks from Russia backed the invasion of Ukraine?
5 Min read

Russia’s Opposition, Past and Future: A Conversation With Jan Matti Dollbaum

The prominent scholar of contemporary Russian politics discusses how Russia's opposition has evolved since the invasion of Ukraine and what lies ahead...
8 Min read

For Russian Children, New Year’s Celebrations Transformed By War

This once-apolitical holiday has become another way to promote the Kremlin's wartime ideology to children as young as three years old.
5 Min read

‘They Are Just Humans’: Exiled Lama on Why Russia’s Buddhist Clergy Support the War

Lama Baldan Bazarov is one of only a few Russian Buddhist clerks to have condemned the invasion of Ukraine publicly.
5 Min read

Exclusive: Russia, Reeling from Syrian Regime’s Collapse, Bets on Chaos to Preserve Its Foothold

While diplomats said Moscow is unlikely to keep its Syrian bases, the Kremlin sees opportunities in potential conflicts among the Syrian rebels.
5 Min read

Battling Fear and Indifference, Exiled Chechen Women Protest Kadyrov

An all-women protest aimed to spotlight Kadyrov's “fight against defenseless women” and cases of women kidnapped or imprisoned in the North Caucasus...
3 Min read

Caught in Riots, Georgia’s Protesters Say They Must Choose Between Europe and Russia

For pro-EU Georgians — including those who left Russia after the invasion of Ukraine — the prospect of creeping Kremlin influence is a serious concern...
4 Min read

'Nowhere Is Safe': Uneasy Stability in Lviv as Russia's War Grinds On

While life in this western Ukrainian city goes on as normal, a sense of tension lurks beneath the surface.
6 Min read

How Russia Attempted to Influence the U.S. Presidential Election

U.S. officials identified several ways Russia tried to interfere in the election, but observers cautioned against overstating their influence.
5 Min read

As Russia Advances in the Donbas, Ukraine Faces a New Surge of Displacement

In the city of Kramatorsk, a steady flow of refugees from Ukrainian towns and villages near the front lines seeks shelter from Russia's advance.
5 Min read

Top 5 Takeaways From Navalny’s Memoir ‘Patriot’

From a childhood in the shadow of Chernobyl to an Arctic prison, Patriot provides an insight into the mind of Putin’s most famous foe.
5 Min read

‘Wake-Up Call’: Moldova Narrowly Votes for EU Accession Amid Alleged Widespread Russian Interference

Following a dramatic day of voting, Moldovans appear divided over their country's future.
5 Min read

'A Pivotal Moment': Moldovans to Decide on European Future in Presidential Election, EU Referendum

The diaspora vote is set to play a crucial role in determining Moldova's path toward European integration or shifting to a more Russia-aligned future.
5 Min read
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