Meduza.io (RSS Feed)

Every day we bring you the most important news and feature stories from hundreds of sources in Russia and across the former Soviet Union.

https://meduza.io

Public Key

npub1v0m4jl65w0y3khtdluf9vyjxp2lu75n8vshkl6pcs3d623hfq86qca2r4h

NIP-05 Address

[email protected]

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsx8a6e0a288jgmt4kl7yjkzfrq40702fnkgtm0aquggka9gm5sraqpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsc45sa6

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1v0m4jl65w0y3khtdluf9vyjxp2lu75n8vshkl6pcs3d623hfq86qca2r4h

Show more details

Last Notes

2026-07-15 18:42:58 GMT

Want to message someone in a Russian prison? There’s now an app for that. It costs about three rubles per text, once the censor signs off.
An ad for a messaging app called “Tochka Kontakta” (“Point of Contact”), designed for communicating with prisoners, has appeared on the ZT service’s website. The human rights organization First Department flagged the ad. The ad links to a separate website laying out the new app’s features.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1784140978/en/news/2026/07/15/want-to-message-someone-in-a-russian-prison-there-s-now-an-app-for-that-it-costs-about-three-rubles-per-text-once-the-censor-signs-off
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/07/15/want-to-message-someone-in-a-russian-prison-there-s-now-an-app-for-that-it-costs-about-three-rubles-per-text-once-the-censor-signs-off

2026-05-22 19:39:45 GMT

Hungary reverses course on ICC withdrawal and reinstates ban on agricultural imports from Ukraine
Hungary is withdrawing its notice to leave the International Criminal Court, Prime Minister Peter Magyar announced. He also said Hungary is banning imports of agricultural products from Ukraine.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779478785/en/news/2026/05/22/hungary-reverses-course-on-icc-withdrawal-and-reinstates-ban-on-agricultural-imports-from-ukraine
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/hungary-reverses-course-on-icc-withdrawal-and-reinstates-ban-on-agricultural-imports-from-ukraine

2026-05-22 19:26:52 GMT

Head of state-owned VTB bank says Russians should be ‘satisfied’ with their economy, tells sex joke about 80-year-old man
VTB bank chief Andrei Kostin closed his remarks at a conference of the Association of Russian Banks with a joke about an 80-year-old man who visits his doctor to complain about a ringing in his ears. The radio station BFM published video of Kostin’s appearance.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779478012/en/news/2026/05/22/head-of-state-owned-vtb-bank-says-russians-should-be-satisfied-with-their-economy-tells-sex-joke-about-80-year-old-man
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/head-of-state-owned-vtb-bank-says-russians-should-be-satisfied-with-their-economy-tells-sex-joke-about-80-year-old-man

2026-05-22 19:18:14 GMT

Four-time Olympic medalist Evgeni Plushenko once slammed athletes who ‘turn their back’ on Russia. Now his teenage son will skate for Azerbaijan.
Thirteen-year-old figure skater Alexander Plushenko is changing his sporting citizenship and will now compete for Azerbaijan. This is a common practice among figure skaters who feel they have little chance of making the Russian national team — they switch to countries where figure skating is less developed, hoping to qualify for world championships and the Olympics in a less competitive field.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/198/324/small/65GynBst9xhKn_IOfRW5bA
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/22/four-time-olympic-medalist-evgeni-plushenko-once-slammed-athletes-who-turn-their-back-on-russia-now-his-teenage-son-will-skate-for-azerbaijan

2026-05-22 18:33:02 GMT

You already know Russia’s Max messenger spies on users. You probably don’t know just how many surveillance tools it hides, including even a neural network for eavesdropping.
It has long been known that the Russian messenger Max is an unreliable and even dangerous service that constantly spies on its users. But IT specialists continue to find new vulnerabilities and surveillance tools in the app. In mid-May, a user of the IT site Habr shared the results of his own analysis of Max for Android. He not only confirmed previously known information but also revealed previously unknown features of the app. Some of them — such as the ability to disable all encryption on a messenger conversation with a single command — are fairly alarming. Meduza explains what else has come to light about Max and how many people are now using the platform.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/195/920/small/TbXm9M7_uzIcEWUQHyPUVg
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/22/you-already-know-russia-s-max-messenger-spies-on-users-you-probably-don-t-know-just-how-many-surveillance-tools-it-hides-including-even-a-neural-network-for-eavesdropping

2026-05-22 17:32:49 GMT

Kyiv dismisses Russia’s claim that Ukrainian forces bombed a college in occupied Luhansk
Ukraine’s General Staff has dismissed Russian claims that Ukrainian forces struck civilian infrastructure in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine as “manipulative.”
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779471169/en/news/2026/05/22/kyiv-dismisses-russia-s-claim-that-ukrainian-forces-bombed-a-college-in-occupied-luhansk
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/kyiv-dismisses-russia-s-claim-that-ukrainian-forces-bombed-a-college-in-occupied-luhansk

2026-05-22 16:32:21 GMT

Bill that would punish Russians abroad for ‘offenses against Russia’s interests’ advances to second reading
A committee of Russia’s State Duma has recommended advancing a bill that would make Russian citizens liable for “committing offenses against Russia’s interests abroad.”
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779467541/en/news/2026/05/22/bill-that-would-punish-russians-abroad-for-offenses-against-russia-s-interests-advances-to-second-reading
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/bill-that-would-punish-russians-abroad-for-offenses-against-russia-s-interests-advances-to-second-reading

2026-05-22 16:14:09 GMT

13-year-old boy in Russia accused of ‘LGBT promotion’ faces possible transfer to school for juvenile offenders
Police in an unidentified Russian region filed reports against a 13-year-old boy on charges of “LGBT promotion” and displaying extremist symbols, the independent Russian news outlet Mediazona reported.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779466495/en/news/2026/05/22/13-year-old-boy-in-russia-accused-of-lgbt-promotion-faces-possible-transfer-to-school-for-juvenile-offenders
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/13-year-old-boy-in-russia-accused-of-lgbt-promotion-faces-possible-transfer-to-school-for-juvenile-offenders

2026-05-22 15:59:20 GMT

Kyiv says war has reached a pivotal moment; Ukraine is ‘holding the line’ as pressure on Moscow grows
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sibiga, said the full-scale war with Russia has reached a “pivotal moment” and that pressure on Moscow is growing. He spoke at a meeting with NATO foreign ministers in Sweden on May 21.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779465560/en/news/2026/05/22/kyiv-says-war-has-reached-a-pivotal-moment-ukraine-is-holding-the-line-as-pressure-on-moscow-grows
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/kyiv-says-war-has-reached-a-pivotal-moment-ukraine-is-holding-the-line-as-pressure-on-moscow-grows

2026-05-22 15:33:03 GMT

‘No fuel — none at all.’ Independent gas stations in Russia face gasoline shortage after Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries
Independent gas station chains, which handle about 40% of fuel sales in Russia, can no longer restock their gasoline supplies. Chats used by oil traders and managers at those chains are “in a panic,” the independent Russian news outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe reported.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779463983/en/news/2026/05/22/no-fuel-none-at-all-independent-gas-stations-in-russia-face-gasoline-shortage-after-ukrainian-drone-strikes-on-refineries
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/no-fuel-none-at-all-independent-gas-stations-in-russia-face-gasoline-shortage-after-ukrainian-drone-strikes-on-refineries

2026-05-22 15:15:54 GMT

Putin says six killed, nearly 40 wounded in strike on college in self-proclaimed ‘LNR,’ orders Russia’s Defense Ministry to prepare a response
Vladimir Putin called a strike on a college dormitory in Starobilsk, in the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (“LNR”), a terrorist attack and ordered Russia’s Defense Ministry to submit proposals for a response.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779462954/en/news/2026/05/22/putin-says-six-killed-nearly-40-wounded-in-strike-on-college-in-self-proclaimed-lnr-orders-russia-s-defense-ministry-to-prepare-a-response
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/putin-says-six-killed-nearly-40-wounded-in-strike-on-college-in-self-proclaimed-lnr-orders-russia-s-defense-ministry-to-prepare-a-response

2026-05-22 12:33:23 GMT

Russia’s Institute of Philosophy raided over fraud case tied to Aristotle translation project — the institute had previously been accused of disloyalty to the Kremlin.
Security personnel raided the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences as part of a fraud investigation into funds allocated for a translation of Aristotle. The pro-government Telegram channels Zapiski Traditsionalista (“Notes of a Traditionalist”) and AGDChan — the latter linked to philosopher Alexander Dugin — were among the first to report the searches. The post on AGDChan was later deleted, but a copy survives.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/197/672/small/yUlDhMbyGQL_vmIC1pZIDg
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/22/russia-s-institute-of-philosophy-raided-over-fraud-case-tied-to-aristotle-translation-project-the-institute-had-previously-been-accused-of-disloyalty-to-the-kremlin

2026-05-22 11:56:48 GMT

Putin’s approval rating keeps falling. Mid-May marked his worst numbers in a year.
Vladimir Putin’s approval rating fell to its lowest point in a year in mid-May, according to a poll whose results were presented on May 22 by one of Russia’s leading polling organizations, the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM).
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779451008/en/news/2026/05/22/putin-s-approval-rating-keeps-falling-mid-may-marked-his-worst-numbers-in-a-year
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/putin-s-approval-rating-keeps-falling-mid-may-marked-his-worst-numbers-in-a-year

2026-05-22 08:20:11 GMT

Ukrainian drones strike Yaroslavl. All four Moscow airports temporarily restricted operations because of the drone threat.
Ukrainian drones struck Yaroslavl overnight on May 22, prompting authorities to close the road toward Moscow at the intersection of Moskovsky Prospekt and the Southwestern Ring Road.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779438011/en/news/2026/05/22/ukrainian-drones-strike-yaroslavl-all-four-moscow-airports-temporarily-restricted-operations-because-of-the-drone-threat
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/ukrainian-drones-strike-yaroslavl-all-four-moscow-airports-temporarily-restricted-operations-because-of-the-drone-threat

2026-05-22 07:52:50 GMT

35 students injured in strike on college in Russian-occupied part of Ukraine’s Luhansk region
Thirty-five students were injured when a strike hit a college building and dormitory in Starobilsk, in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine’s Luhansk region, according to local officials.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779436435/en/news/2026/05/22/35-students-injured-in-strike-on-college-in-russian-occupied-part-of-ukraine-s-luhansk-region
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/35-students-injured-in-strike-on-college-in-russian-occupied-part-of-ukraine-s-luhansk-region

2026-05-21 23:42:41 GMT

Moscow lawyer who defended ‘Bolotnaya Square’ defendants detained on fraud charges
A Moscow lawyer named Igor Popovsky has been detained on fraud charges, according to the Russian security services-linked Telegram channels Baza and 112 and the Federal Investigative Committee, which has not identified the detainee by name.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779406961/en/news/2026/05/22/moscow-lawyer-who-defended-bolotnaya-square-defendants-detained-on-fraud-charges
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/moscow-lawyer-who-defended-bolotnaya-square-defendants-detained-on-fraud-charges

2026-05-21 23:36:31 GMT

Russian strike on Dnipro wounds at least 14, damages two apartment buildings
A Russian strike on Dnipro wounded at least 14 people, Dnipropetrovsk region administration head Oleksandr Hanzha said.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779406591/en/news/2026/05/22/russian-strike-on-dnipro-wounds-at-least-14-damages-two-apartment-buildings
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/russian-strike-on-dnipro-wounds-at-least-14-damages-two-apartment-buildings

2026-05-21 22:02:05 GMT

Two Muslim clerics arrested in Russia amid confusing, unconfirmed reports of wider crackdown
Over the past several days, Russian Telegram channels and pro-Kremlin commentators have reported that several people connected to the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of Russia have been detained. It has been officially confirmed that two people were detained: the Mufti of Mordovia, Rail Asainov, and the former Mufti of Karelia, Imam Wisam Ali Bardwil. The first case involves criminal charges; the second is administrative. Reports of detentions of other Muslim religious figures have not been confirmed. Here’s what we know, so far.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/194/129/small/ajnOzN89eT51w9mVslCp6A
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/22/two-muslim-clerics-arrested-in-russia-amid-confusing-unconfirmed-reports-of-wider-crackdown

2026-05-21 21:06:00 GMT

Moscow pulls up artificial lavender from Lubyanka Square after public backlash
Workers have begun pulling up the plastic lavender from Lubyanka Square, an installation that drew divided reactions from Muscovites. The Russian news outlet Msk1.ru published video footage from the square showing the artificial flowers being replaced with pots of what appear to be live plants.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779397560/en/news/2026/05/22/moscow-pulls-up-artificial-lavender-from-lubyanka-square-after-public-backlash
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/22/moscow-pulls-up-artificial-lavender-from-lubyanka-square-after-public-backlash

2026-05-21 20:31:14 GMT

One of Russia’s largest oil refineries partially shuts down after Ukrainian drone strike
A Ukrainian drone strike in the early hours of May 20 knocked out the main crude distillation unit at the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod region, the Reuters news agency reported, citing two industry sources familiar with the situation.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779395474/en/news/2026/05/21/one-of-russia-s-largest-oil-refineries-partially-shuts-down-after-ukrainian-drone-strike
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/21/one-of-russia-s-largest-oil-refineries-partially-shuts-down-after-ukrainian-drone-strike

2026-05-21 15:43:42 GMT

Ukrainian drone kills three Russian Railways workers at rail station
Three Russian Railways employees were killed when a Ukrainian drone struck a switcher locomotive at Unecha station in the Bryansk region, the company said.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779378222/en/news/2026/05/21/ukrainian-drone-kills-three-russian-railways-workers-at-rail-station
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/21/ukrainian-drone-kills-three-russian-railways-workers-at-rail-station

2026-05-21 14:48:14 GMT

Russia delays plans to charge users for international traffic — including VPN use
Three sources in Russia’s telecom industry told the Russian business news outlet RBC that the deadline for introducing an additional charge for mobile data consumption of more than 15 gigabytes of international traffic per month would be delayed.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779374894/en/news/2026/05/21/russia-delays-plans-to-charge-users-for-international-traffic-including-vpn-use
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/21/russia-delays-plans-to-charge-users-for-international-traffic-including-vpn-use

2026-05-21 14:24:45 GMT

Putin and Lukashenko hold joint nuclear forces exercise
Russia and Belarus launched a joint nuclear forces exercise on the afternoon of May 21. Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko watched via video link.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779373485/en/news/2026/05/21/putin-and-lukashenko-hold-joint-nuclear-forces-exercise
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/21/putin-and-lukashenko-hold-joint-nuclear-forces-exercise

2026-05-21 13:59:52 GMT

Kazakhstan court authorizes enforcement of $1.4 billion arbitration ruling against Gazprom in favor of Ukraine’s Naftogaz
The Astana International Financial Centre Court authorized enforcement on Kazakhstan’s territory of an international arbitration ruling ordering Gazprom to pay $1.4 billion to Ukraine’s Naftogaz.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779371992/en/news/2026/05/21/kazakhstan-court-authorizes-enforcement-of-1-4-billion-arbitration-ruling-against-gazprom-in-favor-of-ukraine-s-naftogaz
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/21/kazakhstan-court-authorizes-enforcement-of-1-4-billion-arbitration-ruling-against-gazprom-in-favor-of-ukraine-s-naftogaz

2026-05-21 12:33:50 GMT

The Kremlin says it sees no fuel shortage risk from Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries. Residents of one Russian city have already complained that gas stations have run out of gasoline.
The Kremlin sees no risk of a fuel shortage from Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779366830/en/news/2026/05/21/the-kremlin-says-it-sees-no-fuel-shortage-risk-from-ukrainian-drone-strikes-on-russian-refineries-residents-of-one-russian-city-have-already-complained-that-gas-stations-have-run-out-of-gasoline
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/21/the-kremlin-says-it-sees-no-fuel-shortage-risk-from-ukrainian-drone-strikes-on-russian-refineries-residents-of-one-russian-city-have-already-complained-that-gas-stations-have-run-out-of-gasoline

2026-05-21 11:27:11 GMT

Ukraine’s Security Service conducts ‘enhanced inspections’ of residents in regions bordering Belarus
Ukraine’s Security Service announced “enhanced security measures” across the country’s northern regions to “prevent enemy infiltration” and head off sabotage in border areas.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779363176/en/news/2026/05/21/ukraine-s-security-service-conducts-enhanced-inspections-of-residents-in-regions-bordering-belarus
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/21/ukraine-s-security-service-conducts-enhanced-inspections-of-residents-in-regions-bordering-belarus

2026-05-21 10:08:56 GMT

Putin met with Xi Jinping in Beijing. The leaders signed dozens of documents but failed to agree on the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline construction timeline or the price of Russian gas.
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping held talks in Beijing on May 20. The two leaders signed roughly 40 documents, including a joint declaration “on the formation of a multipolar world and international relations of a new type” and a joint statement “on further strengthening comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation.” The statement runs nearly 10,000 words and ranges from nuclear security to the protection of Amur tigers.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/192/085/small/For248XV-sq3STjEM1uirA
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/21/putin-met-with-xi-jinping-in-beijing-the-leaders-signed-dozens-of-documents-but-failed-to-agree-on-the-power-of-siberia-2-pipeline-construction-timeline-or-the-price-of-russian-gas

2026-05-21 09:05:56 GMT

Two schools in Russia ban students from wearing clothing with foreign-language inscriptions
Two schools in the Tomsk region have banned students from wearing clothing with foreign-language inscriptions.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779354356/en/news/2026/05/21/two-schools-in-russia-ban-students-from-wearing-clothing-with-foreign-language-inscriptions
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/21/two-schools-in-russia-ban-students-from-wearing-clothing-with-foreign-language-inscriptions

2026-05-21 08:59:39 GMT

Russia’s Defense Ministry says troops delivered nuclear munitions to Belarus as part of exercises
Russia’s Defense Ministry said troops delivered munitions to field positions of a missile brigade in Belarus as part of nuclear exercises.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779353979/en/news/2026/05/21/russia-s-defense-ministry-says-troops-delivered-nuclear-munitions-to-belarus-as-part-of-exercises
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/21/russia-s-defense-ministry-says-troops-delivered-nuclear-munitions-to-belarus-as-part-of-exercises

2026-05-21 08:36:33 GMT

Ukraine strikes Rosneft oil refinery in Russia, sparking major fire. Two killed.
Two people were killed and several others wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike on Syzran, Samara region Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said, without providing further details.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779352593/en/news/2026/05/21/ukraine-strikes-rosneft-oil-refinery-in-russia-sparking-major-fire-two-killed
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/21/ukraine-strikes-rosneft-oil-refinery-in-russia-sparking-major-fire-two-killed

2026-05-21 08:13:29 GMT

Lithuania’s foreign minister says NATO could ‘level’ Russia’s military bases in Kaliningrad. Moscow threatens nuclear retaliation.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys gave a wide-ranging interview that drew sharp criticism from Russian politicians over his remarks about Kaliningrad. Moscow called his words “madness.” The interview was published in the Swiss newspaper Neue Zurcher Zeitung on May 18. Here is what the minister said, and how Russia reacted.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/191/544/small/JdI5C_Q1sfgmmTmQrm1_NQ
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/21/lithuania-s-foreign-minister-says-nato-could-level-russia-s-military-bases-in-kaliningrad-moscow-threatens-nuclear-retaliation

2026-05-20 14:54:26 GMT

Zelensky’s friend and businessman Timur Mindich sues him over sanctions decree
Timur Mindich, a businessman and close associate of Volodymyr Zelensky who is the central figure in the Energoatom embezzlement case, has gone to court to challenge a Ukrainian presidential decree imposing sanctions on him, filed November 13, 2025.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779288866/en/news/2026/05/20/zelensky-s-friend-and-businessman-timur-mindich-sues-him-over-sanctions-decree
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/20/zelensky-s-friend-and-businessman-timur-mindich-sues-him-over-sanctions-decree

2026-05-20 12:42:56 GMT

Vadim Pokrovsky, academic who led Russia’s fight against AIDS, dies at 71
Vadim Pokrovsky, a full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences who spent his career fighting AIDS, has died at 71.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779280976/en/news/2026/05/20/vadim-pokrovsky-academic-who-led-russia-s-fight-against-aids-dies-at-71
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/20/vadim-pokrovsky-academic-who-led-russia-s-fight-against-aids-dies-at-71

2026-05-20 12:36:05 GMT

China extends visa-free entry for Russians through end of 2027
China will extend visa-free entry for Russian citizens through December 31, 2027, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun announced on May 20.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779280565/en/news/2026/05/20/china-extends-visa-free-entry-for-russians-through-end-of-2027
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/20/china-extends-visa-free-entry-for-russians-through-end-of-2027

2026-05-20 10:30:51 GMT

Lithuania declares alert over drone approaching from Belarus. Vilnius residents shelter. Airport halts operations for an hour.
Lithuania’s Defense Ministry declared a “yellow” alert on the morning of May 20 after a drone approached from Belarus — a level indicating an attack was considered likely, though not the highest, “red” level, which would indicate an attack was underway, the news outlet Delfi reported.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779273051/en/news/2026/05/20/lithuania-declares-alert-over-drone-approaching-from-belarus-vilnius-residents-shelter-airport-halts-operations-for-an-hour
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/20/lithuania-declares-alert-over-drone-approaching-from-belarus-vilnius-residents-shelter-airport-halts-operations-for-an-hour

2026-05-20 07:27:33 GMT

Ukrainian drones strike Lukoil refinery in Russia
Ukrainian drones struck Kstovo, a city in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, overnight on May 20. Astra published footage showing the drones flying near residential buildings.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779262053/en/news/2026/05/20/ukrainian-drones-strike-lukoil-refinery-in-russia
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/20/ukrainian-drones-strike-lukoil-refinery-in-russia

2026-05-20 07:17:08 GMT

Putin meets with Xi Jinping in Beijing
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in Beijing on the morning of May 20.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779261428/en/news/2026/05/20/putin-meets-with-xi-jinping-in-beijing
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/20/putin-meets-with-xi-jinping-in-beijing

2026-05-20 00:04:25 GMT

Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev’s first feature in nearly a decade, ‘Minotaur,’ premieres at Cannes
Director Andrey Zvyagintsev premiered his new film Minotaur at the 79th Cannes Film Festival — his first feature in nearly a decade.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779235465/en/news/2026/05/20/russian-filmmaker-andrey-zvyagintsev-s-first-feature-in-nearly-a-decade-minotaur-premieres-at-cannes
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/20/russian-filmmaker-andrey-zvyagintsev-s-first-feature-in-nearly-a-decade-minotaur-premieres-at-cannes

2026-05-19 23:53:12 GMT

Latvia summons Russian diplomat over Moscow’s claim that Ukraine plans drone strikes from Baltic territory
On May 19, Latvia’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian Embassy’s chargé d’affaires ad interim, Dmitry Kasatkin, and lodged a formal protest against Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service for claiming that Ukraine plans to launch drones from Latvian territory.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779234792/en/news/2026/05/20/latvia-summons-russian-diplomat-over-moscow-s-claim-that-ukraine-plans-drone-strikes-from-baltic-territory
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/20/latvia-summons-russian-diplomat-over-moscow-s-claim-that-ukraine-plans-drone-strikes-from-baltic-territory

2026-05-19 23:38:00 GMT

TikTok bans wave of bloggers, some with millions of followers, over ads for Russian drone assembly college
TikTok has banned a wave of accounts that promoted “Alabuga Polytech” in Tatarstan. Blogger Alexey Gubanov was among the first to flag the bans.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779233880/en/news/2026/05/20/tiktok-bans-wave-of-bloggers-some-with-millions-of-followers-over-ads-for-russian-drone-assembly-college
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/20/tiktok-bans-wave-of-bloggers-some-with-millions-of-followers-over-ads-for-russian-drone-assembly-college

2026-05-19 23:27:55 GMT

Former Tatler Russia editor-in-chief, jailed for extorting Rostec chief, has been released from prison
Arian Romanovsky, the former editor-in-chief of Tatler’s Russian edition who was convicted of extorting Rostec head Sergei Chemezov, has been released from prison.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779233275/en/news/2026/05/20/former-tatler-russia-editor-in-chief-jailed-for-extorting-rostec-chief-has-been-released-from-prison
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/20/former-tatler-russia-editor-in-chief-jailed-for-extorting-rostec-chief-has-been-released-from-prison

2026-05-19 22:38:12 GMT

Masked men armed with sledgehammers storm a Moscow newspaper’s building, looking for a nonprofit linked to Putin’s daughter
Armed men wearing masks and camouflage and carrying sledgehammers stormed the offices of the newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets on May 19, looking for the Consortium of Medical Technology, the paper’s chief financial officer, Yekaterina Chereshnikova, said.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779230292/en/news/2026/05/20/masked-men-armed-with-sledgehammers-storm-a-moscow-newspaper-s-building-looking-for-a-nonprofit-linked-to-putin-s-daughter
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/20/masked-men-armed-with-sledgehammers-storm-a-moscow-newspaper-s-building-looking-for-a-nonprofit-linked-to-putin-s-daughter

2026-05-19 21:02:24 GMT

‘Maybe Putin isn’t even being told about this?’ Muscovites in two bombed districts react to Ukraine’s drone strikes.
In the early hours of May 17, Ukraine launched a massive drone strike on the Moscow area, killing three people and wounding 16. Two districts of the capital were hit: Kapotnya and Zelenograd. The first is home to a large oil refinery; the second houses several strategic facilities linked to Russia’s defense industry. In both districts, drones also struck residential buildings. According to official figures, no one was killed in either Kapotnya or Zelenograd, but the strikes left serious damage and badly frightened locals. Correspondents from the independent journalism cooperative Bereg visited Zelenograd and Kapotnya and reported on what the areas look like in the aftermath of the largest Ukrainian drone attack since the start of the full-scale war. With the outlet’s permission, Meduza is publishing the report in full.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/183/371/small/Dvn3dtPl1VqewEa8LuaAlQ
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/20/maybe-putin-isn-t-even-being-told-about-this-muscovites-in-two-bombed-districts-react-to-ukraine-s-drone-strikes

2026-05-19 15:46:29 GMT

Reuters: About 200 Russian troops secretly trained in China, the first known case since the war began
About 200 Russian military personnel trained in China in late 2025 under a secret bilateral agreement, Reuters reported, citing documents and sources in three European intelligence services.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779205589/en/news/2026/05/19/reuters-about-200-russian-troops-secretly-trained-in-china-the-first-known-case-since-the-war-began
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/reuters-about-200-russian-troops-secretly-trained-in-china-the-first-known-case-since-the-war-began

2026-05-19 14:46:35 GMT

Ukraine apologizes to Estonia after drone enters its airspace and is shot down by NATO fighter jets
Ukraine has apologized to Estonia after a drone entered Estonian airspace and was shot down by a fighter jet. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi posted the apology on social media platform X.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779201995/en/news/2026/05/19/ukraine-apologizes-to-estonia-after-drone-enters-its-airspace-and-is-shot-down-by-nato-fighter-jets
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/ukraine-apologizes-to-estonia-after-drone-enters-its-airspace-and-is-shot-down-by-nato-fighter-jets

2026-05-19 13:21:16 GMT

Estonian military shoots down Ukrainian drone for the first time after it enters the country’s airspace
Estonian air defense forces shot down a drone over Lake Vortsjärv on the morning of May 19 after it entered the country’s airspace, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur told Delfi. “This is the first time we have shot down a drone ourselves,” he said.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779196876/en/news/2026/05/19/estonian-military-shoots-down-ukrainian-drone-for-the-first-time-after-it-enters-the-country-s-airspace
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/estonian-military-shoots-down-ukrainian-drone-for-the-first-time-after-it-enters-the-country-s-airspace

2026-05-19 12:21:06 GMT

Ruble leads world currencies in gains against dollar. That’s cutting into revenues for Russian exporters and the state budget.
The Russian ruble was the world’s best-performing currency against the U.S. dollar in the second quarter of 2026, the Bloomberg news agency reported.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779193266/en/news/2026/05/19/ruble-leads-world-currencies-in-gains-against-dollar-that-s-cutting-into-revenues-for-russian-exporters-and-the-state-budget
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/ruble-leads-world-currencies-in-gains-against-dollar-that-s-cutting-into-revenues-for-russian-exporters-and-the-state-budget

2026-05-19 10:13:51 GMT

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service claims Ukraine is planning to launch drones from Latvian territory. ‘Russia lies again,’ Riga responds.
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said Ukrainian forces are planning to launch drones against targets in Russia from Latvian territory.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779185631/en/news/2026/05/19/russia-s-foreign-intelligence-service-claims-ukraine-is-planning-to-launch-drones-from-latvian-territory-russia-lies-again-riga-responds
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/russia-s-foreign-intelligence-service-claims-ukraine-is-planning-to-launch-drones-from-latvian-territory-russia-lies-again-riga-responds

2026-05-19 09:33:07 GMT

Russian Communist Party lawmaker says the country’s economy ‘won’t survive’ a prolonged war
A State Duma deputy from the Novosibirsk region representing Russia’s Communist Party (KPRF) said Russia must bring the war in Ukraine to “the swiftest possible end” because the country’s economy “won’t survive a prolonged special military operation.” The deputy, Renat Suleymanov, made the remarks in an interview with the Novosibirsk-based news outlet Kontinent Sibiri.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779183188/en/news/2026/05/19/russian-communist-party-lawmaker-says-the-country-s-economy-won-t-survive-a-prolonged-war
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/russian-communist-party-lawmaker-says-the-country-s-economy-won-t-survive-a-prolonged-war

2026-05-19 08:02:03 GMT

Residents of a Russian neighborhood, where a school has gone unbuilt for five years, ask China’s President Xi Jinping for help
Residents of the Beryozovy neighborhood outside Irkutsk have asked Russia’s Foreign Ministry to appeal to Chinese President Xi Jinping to build them a school “within the framework of ethnocultural diversity and the active development of cultural ties with China.”
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779177723/en/news/2026/05/19/residents-of-a-russian-neighborhood-where-a-school-has-gone-unbuilt-for-five-years-ask-china-s-president-xi-jinping-for-help
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/residents-of-a-russian-neighborhood-where-a-school-has-gone-unbuilt-for-five-years-ask-china-s-president-xi-jinping-for-help

2026-05-19 07:21:04 GMT

Russia’s Defense Ministry announces start of nuclear drills with live launches of ballistic and cruise missiles
Russia’s Armed Forces are conducting nuclear readiness drills from May 19 to 21, simulating conditions of an imminent threat of aggression, the Defense Ministry announced.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779175264/en/news/2026/05/19/russia-s-defense-ministry-announces-start-of-nuclear-drills-with-live-launches-of-ballistic-and-cruise-missiles
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/russia-s-defense-ministry-announces-start-of-nuclear-drills-with-live-launches-of-ballistic-and-cruise-missiles

2026-05-18 22:46:11 GMT

Euroclear rejects Moscow ruling seeking massive damages, keeps Russian assets frozen
The assets of Russia’s central bank frozen at the Belgian depositary Euroclear under international sanctions remain blocked, Euroclear said in a statement.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779144371/en/news/2026/05/19/euroclear-rejects-moscow-ruling-seeking-massive-damages-keeps-russian-assets-frozen
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/euroclear-rejects-moscow-ruling-seeking-massive-damages-keeps-russian-assets-frozen

2026-05-18 22:28:52 GMT

‘Game over’ graffiti appears outside Russian residential building struck by drone. Two days later, it was painted over.
Municipal workers in Yekaterinburg have painted over a “Game over” graffiti mural near a residential building recently struck by a Ukrainian drone. The image — depicting a girl in VR goggles holding a controller — appeared on May 16.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779143332/en/news/2026/05/19/game-over-graffiti-appears-outside-russian-residential-building-struck-by-drone-two-days-later-it-was-painted-over
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/game-over-graffiti-appears-outside-russian-residential-building-struck-by-drone-two-days-later-it-was-painted-over

2026-05-18 22:09:04 GMT

Prosecutors find no evidence that political prisoner Azat Miftakhov was tortured in prison, but the medical examination wasn’t conducted until two weeks after he reported the abuse
Prosecutors in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District found no violations of political prisoner Azat Miftakhov’s rights, despite his reports of torture at Penal Colony No. 18 “Polyarnaya Sova,” his support group said.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779142144/en/news/2026/05/19/prosecutors-find-no-evidence-that-political-prisoner-azat-miftakhov-was-tortured-in-prison-but-the-medical-examination-wasn-t-conducted-until-two-weeks-after-he-reported-the-abuse
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/prosecutors-find-no-evidence-that-political-prisoner-azat-miftakhov-was-tortured-in-prison-but-the-medical-examination-wasn-t-conducted-until-two-weeks-after-he-reported-the-abuse

2026-05-18 21:45:03 GMT

Former Russian lawmaker Magomed Gadzhiyev is sentenced in absentia to life in prison for murder and corporate raiding
Dagestan’s Supreme Court has sentenced former State Duma deputy Magomed Gadzhiyev in absentia to life in a maximum-security prison for organizing a double murder and extortion, the press service of Dagestan’s courts reported. He was also fined 900,000 rubles.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779140703/en/news/2026/05/19/former-russian-lawmaker-magomed-gadzhiyev-is-sentenced-in-absentia-to-life-in-prison-for-murder-and-corporate-raiding
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/19/former-russian-lawmaker-magomed-gadzhiyev-is-sentenced-in-absentia-to-life-in-prison-for-murder-and-corporate-raiding

2026-05-18 18:42:12 GMT

War and sanctions have cut Russia’s nonstop flight network to about 30 countries this summer — fewer than during the Iron Curtain era
Russians will have nonstop service to 31–32 countries this summer — 25% fewer than airlines offered in their winter schedules and a third of what the Soviet Union provided during the Iron Curtain era, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) said.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779129732/en/news/2026/05/18/war-and-sanctions-have-cut-russia-s-nonstop-flight-network-to-about-30-countries-this-summer-fewer-than-during-the-iron-curtain-era
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/18/war-and-sanctions-have-cut-russia-s-nonstop-flight-network-to-about-30-countries-this-summer-fewer-than-during-the-iron-curtain-era

2026-05-18 17:47:22 GMT

Ukraine hit Moscow with its biggest drone attack since the start of the war. Russian national TV networks all but ignored it.
Russia’s national television networks almost entirely ignored the largest Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow area since the start of the war. The attack, which took place overnight on May 17, killed three people and wounded 16 more. Several days before the strike, Moscow authorities introduced a ban on publishing photos and videos showing the aftermath of drone strikes, citing the need to prevent “the spread of unreliable information.”
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/184/982/small/p09ZvY4WBu_9MeLPRhPKSA
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/18/ukraine-hit-moscow-with-its-biggest-drone-attack-since-the-start-of-the-war-russian-national-tv-networks-all-but-ignored-it

2026-05-18 17:17:19 GMT

Russian soldiers who want out of the war are deserting and turning themselves in, hoping for prison time. Some are hiring lawyers to make it happen.
Many Russian soldiers unwilling to fight in Ukraine are deserting and then turning themselves in, seeking prosecution and imprisonment to avoid being sent back to the front. As the independent Russian news outlet Mediazona reports, some are even hiring lawyers to persuade investigators to open criminal cases against them, though that doesn’t always work.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/185/927/small/TqAappYXFditmLsF922nlQ
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/18/russian-soldiers-who-want-out-of-the-war-are-deserting-and-turning-themselves-in-hoping-for-prison-time-some-are-hiring-lawyers-to-make-it-happen

2026-05-18 16:41:28 GMT

A bankrupt entrepreneur climbed onto the imperial throne at the Hermitage museum and threatened staff with a knife while demanding Putin’s attention
A 45-year-old entrepreneur from the Leningrad region climbed onto the Great Imperial Throne at the Hermitage on May 17, sat down, and read aloud an address to Vladimir Putin. The St. Petersburg-based news outlet Fontanka and other outlets reported on the incident.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/184/743/small/zfQ4bwcX2iU5jdCuDLYuhw
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/18/a-bankrupt-entrepreneur-climbed-onto-the-imperial-throne-at-the-hermitage-museum-and-threatened-staff-with-a-knife-while-demanding-putin-s-attention

2026-05-18 16:00:29 GMT

Kremlin spokesman complains of ‘unrelenting drone strikes by Ukraine’s forces against civilian targets,’ makes no mention of the attack on Moscow
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged reporters to “pay particular attention to the unrelenting strikes by Ukraine’s armed forces using drones against civilian targets and civilian infrastructure in various Russian cities and towns,” according to the Telegram channel Vy Slushali (“You Were Listening”). Peskov made no mention of Moscow or the Moscow region, which Ukraine struck overnight on May 17 in the largest drone attack on the region so far.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779120130/en/news/2026/05/18/kremlin-spokesman-complains-of-unrelenting-drone-strikes-by-ukraine-s-forces-against-civilian-targets-he-made-no-mention-of-the-attack-on-moscow
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/18/kremlin-spokesman-complains-of-unrelenting-drone-strikes-by-ukraine-s-forces-against-civilian-targets-he-made-no-mention-of-the-attack-on-moscow

2026-05-18 15:39:20 GMT

‘Propaganda uses me now in both directions,’ says Russian archaeologist freed in prisoner exchange
Alexander Butyagin, a St. Petersburg archaeologist and Hermitage Museum researcher, was arrested in Warsaw in late 2025. He was detained at Ukraine’s request, which alleges that after 2014 he conducted illegal excavations in Crimea and destroyed a cultural heritage site. In April, the archaeologist was returned to Russia in a prisoner exchange. A few days after his release, Butyagin, who does not consider his work a crime, said he would soon return to Crimea. In a new interview — this time with Kommersant — Butyagin described how he was arrested and exchanged, and responded to colleagues who had criticized his work in Crimea after 2014. He also spoke about politics and about how both Russian and Ukrainian propaganda now use him for their own purposes. We have selected the key quotes from the interview.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/184/285/small/nWgHhAKfoQhHoLV3p4McGA
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/18/propaganda-uses-me-now-in-both-directions-says-russian-archaeologist-freed-in-prisoner-exchange

2026-05-18 15:25:57 GMT

A 14-year-old girl vanished in Russia after a drone strike burned her family’s home to the ground. Her body was never found.
Ukrainian drones struck Tuapse in the early hours of April 16 — the first in a series of large-scale attacks on the Tuapse oil refinery and the Rosneft marine terminal that together caused an environmental disaster in the city.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/180/953/small/IQ6Mfi22S7mE5UeLuvcdVA
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/18/a-14-year-old-girl-vanished-in-russia-after-a-drone-strike-burned-her-family-s-home-to-the-ground-her-body-was-never-found

2026-05-18 14:57:43 GMT

Belarus begins drills on combat use of nuclear weapons
Belarus’s Defense Ministry has announced exercises for units responsible for the combat use and logistical support of nuclear weapons.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779116263/en/news/2026/05/18/belarus-begins-drills-on-combat-use-of-nuclear-weapons
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/18/belarus-begins-drills-on-combat-use-of-nuclear-weapons

2026-05-18 12:13:26 GMT

Unmarried partners of deceased Russian soldiers sue over denial of benefits and payments
Russia’s Supreme Court has received its first lawsuit challenging a law that restricts benefits for the unmarried partners of fallen Russian soldiers, the Russian business daily Kommersant reported.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779106406/en/news/2026/05/18/unmarried-partners-of-deceased-russian-soldiers-sue-over-denial-of-benefits-and-payments
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/18/unmarried-partners-of-deceased-russian-soldiers-sue-over-denial-of-benefits-and-payments

2026-05-18 12:06:45 GMT

Online grocery sales growth in Russia slowed sharply in early 2026. Mobile internet outages are partly to blame.
Growth in Russia’s online grocery sales slowed sharply in the first quarter of 2026, the Russian business daily Kommersant reported, citing figures from the information and consulting agency Infoline.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779106005/en/news/2026/05/18/online-grocery-sales-growth-in-russia-slowed-sharply-in-early-2026-mobile-internet-outages-are-partly-to-blame
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/18/online-grocery-sales-growth-in-russia-slowed-sharply-in-early-2026-mobile-internet-outages-are-partly-to-blame

2026-05-18 11:48:42 GMT

Bail posted for Andriy Yermak, former Ukrainian presidential chief of staff. He has been released from pretrial detention.
Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court has approved a 140 million hryvnia bail for Andriy Yermak, the former chief of staff to the Ukrainian president, the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN reported.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779104922/en/news/2026/05/18/bail-posted-for-andriy-yermak-former-ukrainian-presidential-chief-of-staff-he-has-been-released-from-pretrial-detention
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/18/bail-posted-for-andriy-yermak-former-ukrainian-presidential-chief-of-staff-he-has-been-released-from-pretrial-detention

2026-05-18 09:02:15 GMT

International Gymnastics Federation lifts ban on Russian athletes competing under national flag and anthem
The International Gymnastics Federation has lifted its ban on athletes from Russia and Belarus, allowing them to compete under their national flag and anthem. The restrictions had been in place since February 2022.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779094935/en/news/2026/05/18/international-gymnastics-federation-lifts-ban-on-russian-athletes-competing-under-national-flag-and-anthem
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/18/international-gymnastics-federation-lifts-ban-on-russian-athletes-competing-under-national-flag-and-anthem

2026-05-18 08:52:15 GMT

Russia strikes Dnipro with missiles, injuring 18
Russian forces struck Dnipro with missiles overnight on May 18, damaging apartment buildings, private homes, a religious institution, a university, and an industrial facility, said Oleksandr Hanzha, the head of the regional military administration.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779094335/en/news/2026/05/18/russia-strikes-dnipro-with-missiles-injuring-18
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/18/russia-strikes-dnipro-with-missiles-injuring-18

2026-05-18 08:24:32 GMT

Moscow synagogue invites congregants to appear in Stalin TV series. Casting call seeks ‘Jews by nationality or of Jewish appearance.’
The Moscow Choral Synagogue has invited its congregants to appear in a four-part television series about Soviet Communist Party General Secretary Joseph Stalin.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779092672/en/news/2026/05/18/moscow-synagogue-invites-congregants-to-appear-in-stalin-tv-series-casting-call-seeks-jews-by-nationality-or-of-jewish-appearance
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/18/moscow-synagogue-invites-congregants-to-appear-in-stalin-tv-series-casting-call-seeks-jews-by-nationality-or-of-jewish-appearance

2026-05-18 07:51:07 GMT

Moscow and Moscow Region — after unprecedented Ukrainian strikes. Photos and video
In the early hours of May 17, Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow and the Moscow region. Ukrainian channels have called the strike on the capital region the largest since the start of the full-scale war. Moscow and regional authorities say three people were killed and 16 were injured. Two oil industry facilities were hit: the Moscow oil refinery in Kapotnya and the Solnechnogorskaya petroleum transfer station in the village of Durykino. Below are photos and videos that Russians have been posting on social media.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/181/824/small/1G05HiStD7O06d4c05pLtA
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/18/moscow-and-moscow-region-after-unprecedented-ukrainian-strikes-photos-and-video

2026-05-18 07:36:28 GMT

Crashed Ukrainian drone found in Lithuania
Residents near the village of Samane in Lithuania’s northeastern Utena district found a Ukrainian drone in a field, the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported, citing the Crisis Management Center.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1779089788/en/news/2026/05/18/crashed-ukrainian-drone-found-in-lithuania
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/18/crashed-ukrainian-drone-found-in-lithuania

2026-05-15 23:31:16 GMT

A mother in Russia’s Irkutsk region filmed herself sexually abusing her six-year-old son. Child welfare authorities removed all five children from her home.
Child welfare authorities in the Irkutsk region removed five children from their mother’s care after she filmed herself performing oral sex on her six-year-old son while her adult boyfriend also participated, journalist Ksenia Sobchak and the independent news outlet People of Baikal reported.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778887971/en/news/2026/05/16/a-mother-in-russia-s-irkutsk-region-filmed-herself-sexually-abusing-her-six-year-old-son-child-welfare-authorities-removed-all-five-children-from-her-home
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/16/a-mother-in-russia-s-irkutsk-region-filmed-herself-sexually-abusing-her-six-year-old-son-child-welfare-authorities-removed-all-five-children-from-her-home

2026-05-15 22:05:19 GMT

Two St. Petersburg men sentenced to 15 and 16 years for plot to poison food supplies bound for fighters in ‘Espanyola’ Russian paramilitary brigade
A Russian court has sentenced two men to lengthy prison terms in a plot to poison food supplies bound for fighters of “Espanyola”, the Telegram news channel Ostorozhno Novosti reported. Nikita Krasilnikov, 22, received 16 years, while Rinat Ilyin, 20, received 15.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778882719/en/news/2026/05/16/two-st-petersburg-men-sentenced-to-15-and-16-years-for-plot-to-poison-food-supplies-bound-for-fighters-in-espanyola-russian-paramilitary-brigade
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/16/two-st-petersburg-men-sentenced-to-15-and-16-years-for-plot-to-poison-food-supplies-bound-for-fighters-in-espanyola-russian-paramilitary-brigade

2026-05-15 21:50:07 GMT

After failing to post bail, Zelensky’s former chief of staff will remain in pretrial detention through the weekend
Andriy Yermak, the former head of the Ukrainian president’s office, will remain in pretrial detention through the weekend — bail has not yet been posted on his behalf, the Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda reports.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778882041/en/news/2026/05/16/former-ukrainian-presidential-office-chief-yermak-to-remain-in-pretrial-detention-through-the-weekend-bail-has-not-yet-been-posted-on-his-behalf
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/16/former-ukrainian-presidential-office-chief-yermak-to-remain-in-pretrial-detention-through-the-weekend-bail-has-not-yet-been-posted-on-his-behalf

2026-05-15 21:42:20 GMT

Russian online marketplaces lost up to 10% of users after blocking VPN access
Russian online marketplaces saw user activity and sales decline after they began blocking VPN users in April, the Russian business daily Kommersant reported, citing a study by Digital Budget.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778881340/en/news/2026/05/16/russian-online-marketplaces-lost-up-to-10-of-users-after-blocking-vpn-access
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/16/russian-online-marketplaces-lost-up-to-10-of-users-after-blocking-vpn-access

2026-05-15 19:42:03 GMT

Pussy Riot added to Russia’s list of ‘terrorists and extremists’
Pussy Riot has been added to the list of “terrorists and extremists” maintained by Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service. The independent Russian news outlet Vot Tak was among the first to notice the change.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778874123/en/news/2026/05/15/pussy-riot-added-to-russia-s-list-of-terrorists-and-extremists
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/15/pussy-riot-added-to-russia-s-list-of-terrorists-and-extremists

2026-05-15 18:43:11 GMT

Ukrainian drone attack kills four in Ryazan, igniting refinery fire and showering city in ‘oil rain’
Ukrainian drones struck Ryazan overnight on May 15. Governor Pavel Malkov said two multi-story residential buildings in the city were damaged, and drone debris fell on the grounds of an industrial facility. Four people were killed, including a child, and 12 more were injured. The strike sparked a fire at the Ryazan oil refinery, leading to what some locals described as an “oil rain.” Residents complained online of sticky black spots on their cars, windows, and building facades. Ukrainian drones have previously struck the Ryazan refinery, one of the largest in Russia, on multiple occasions, but this was the first attack to result in fatalities. Meduza is publishing photos and videos of the aftermath of the drone strike.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/176/622/small/_5UYNgsRUHssgyMDEuLOOw
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/15/ukrainian-drone-attack-kills-four-in-ryazan-ignites-refinery-fire-and-showers-city-in-oil-rain

2026-05-15 18:22:11 GMT

Russia’s biggest nationalist group is funded by a pro-Kremlin analyst and a billionaire linked to the son of a former FSB chief, BBC investigation finds
Russia’s largest nationalist organization, Russkaya Obshchina — whose members target migrants and LGBTQ+ people — is funded by foundations linked to pro-Kremlin political analyst Sergei Mikheyev and billionaire Igor Khudokormov. BBC Eye journalists reached that conclusion after reviewing the organization’s financial documents. Russkaya Obshchina’s representatives have repeatedly said it operates exclusively on donations from its members.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/177/212/small/8sdKkx8wFCp5B22WPkKPVg
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/15/russia-s-biggest-nationalist-group-is-funded-by-a-pro-kremlin-analyst-and-a-billionaire-linked-to-the-son-of-a-former-fsb-chief-bbc-investigation-finds

2026-05-15 17:57:27 GMT

200,000 small and medium-sized businesses closed in Russia in the first quarter of 2026. Experts cite falling demand and higher taxes.
Some 209,000 small and medium-sized businesses closed in Russia between January and March 2026 — nearly 9% more than in the same period of 2025, Forbes Russia reported, citing data from the business analytics service Kontur.Focus. Russia has a total of 6.9 million such businesses.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778867847/en/news/2026/05/15/200-000-small-and-medium-sized-businesses-closed-in-russia-in-the-first-quarter-of-2026-experts-cite-falling-demand-and-higher-taxes
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/15/200-000-small-and-medium-sized-businesses-closed-in-russia-in-the-first-quarter-of-2026-experts-cite-falling-demand-and-higher-taxes

2026-05-15 17:48:12 GMT

Kommersant reports General Lapin may chair State Duma’s defense committee. In 2024, he failed to defend Russia’s Kursk region against Ukrainian incursion.
Colonel General Alexander Lapin, who commanded the Central and Leningrad military districts, is under consideration to serve as chairman of the defense committee in the incoming State Duma, the Russian business daily Kommersant reports, citing sources in the lower house of parliament and in United Russia, the country’s ruling party.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778867292/en/news/2026/05/15/kommersant-reports-general-lapin-may-chair-state-duma-s-defense-committee-in-2024-he-failed-to-defend-russia-s-kursk-region-against-ukrainian-incursion
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/15/kommersant-reports-general-lapin-may-chair-state-duma-s-defense-committee-in-2024-he-failed-to-defend-russia-s-kursk-region-against-ukrainian-incursion

2026-05-15 17:33:26 GMT

Ukrainian drones keep straying into Baltic and Finnish airspace after being diverted by Russian electronic warfare
Russia’s war against Ukraine has begun to affect Northern Europe directly. Ukrainian forces launch drones against Russian oil refineries in the St. Petersburg region almost daily, and those drones are increasingly appearing in the airspace of the Baltic states and Finland. Russian pro-war social media channels claim that these countries unofficially allow Ukraine to use their airspace for drone flights. There is no independent confirmation of that claim; moreover, Latvian authorities officially rejected the accusations. In Latvia, the drone incidents have already had political consequences: the government resigned. Below is a rundown of the most notable drone incidents in Northern Europe over the past two months.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/177/898/small/JPB1Xurg4rctXH8mu7mF5w
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/15/ukrainian-drones-keep-straying-into-baltic-and-finnish-airspace-after-being-diverted-by-russian-electronic-warfare

2026-05-15 16:59:36 GMT

Moscow court orders Belgian depositary Euroclear to pay massive damages to Russia’s Central Bank
A Moscow arbitration court has ordered the Belgian depositary Euroclear to pay 18.17 trillion rubles (200 billion euros) in damages, fully granting Russia’s central bank’s claim, Sergei Savelyev, a representative of the defendant, told the Russian business outlet RBC.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778864376/en/news/2026/05/15/moscow-court-orders-belgian-depositary-euroclear-to-pay-massive-damages-to-russia-s-central-bank
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/15/moscow-court-orders-belgian-depositary-euroclear-to-pay-massive-damages-to-russia-s-central-bank

2026-05-15 16:26:39 GMT

Russia and Ukraine exchange 205 prisoners each
Russia and Ukraine each returned 205 prisoners, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Friday.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778862399/en/news/2026/05/15/russia-and-ukraine-exchange-205-prisoners-each
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/15/russia-and-ukraine-exchange-205-prisoners-each

2026-05-15 15:32:34 GMT

36 countries sign agreement establishing ‘tribunal for Putin’
The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, meeting in Chisinau, approved an agreement to establish a steering committee for the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778859154/en/news/2026/05/15/36-countries-sign-agreement-establishing-tribunal-for-putin
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/15/36-countries-sign-agreement-establishing-tribunal-for-putin

2026-05-15 13:38:06 GMT

24 people killed in Russian strike on Kyiv. Rescuers clear the rubble of a destroyed nine-story building. The city is in mourning.
Two days after the end of a truce that ran from May 9 to 11, Russian forces launched a massive strike on Ukraine, deploying 670 attack drones and 56 missiles. In Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district, a section of a residential building — floors one through nine — collapsed in the attack, destroying 18 apartments. On the morning of May 15, after more than a day of search-and-rescue operations, Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announced that 24 people had been killed in the attack, including three children. Among the dead were 12-year-old Lyubava Yakovleva and her older sister, daughters of soldier Yevhen Yakovlev, who went by the call sign “Rudyi” (Redhead) and was killed in the war in April 2023. On its Facebook page, Lyubava’s school announced her death, noting that her older sister was still buried under the rubble at the time. No survivors were found overnight. May 15 has been declared a day of mourning in Kyiv. Meduza is publishing photos from the search-and-rescue operation.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/178/495/small/V-C9phUsRvPecvbkwMm6XA
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/15/24-people-killed-in-russian-strike-on-kyiv

2026-05-15 13:15:17 GMT

Russia’s state pollster changed its methodology and also started going door-to-door to ask people whether they support Putin. The president’s rating immediately went up.
A new poll by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM), published on May 15, put the president’s approval at 66.8% for the period from May 4 to 10 — up 1.2 percentage points from the previous poll, which covered April 13–19.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778850917/en/news/2026/05/15/russia-s-state-pollster-changed-its-methodology-and-also-started-going-door-to-door-to-ask-people-whether-they-support-putin-the-president-s-rating-immediately-went-up
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/15/russia-s-state-pollster-changed-its-methodology-and-also-started-going-door-to-door-to-ask-people-whether-they-support-putin-the-president-s-rating-immediately-went-up

2026-05-14 20:48:54 GMT

Moscow court orders arrest of former deputy natural resources minister in absentia. His lawyer says he ‘temporarily’ left Russia and is not evading investigators.
A Moscow court has ordered the arrest, in absentia, of Denis Butsayev, a former deputy minister of natural resources, on charges of large-scale fraud.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778791734/en/news/2026/05/14/moscow-court-orders-arrest-of-former-deputy-natural-resources-minister-in-absentia-his-lawyer-says-he-temporarily-left-russia-and-is-not-evading-investigators
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/moscow-court-orders-arrest-of-former-deputy-natural-resources-minister-in-absentia-his-lawyer-says-he-temporarily-left-russia-and-is-not-evading-investigators

2026-05-14 20:07:31 GMT

Italy’s embassy says it continues to accept visa applications from Russians through intermediaries. Russia’s tour operators association had said the practice was banned.
Italy’s embassy in Russia has not changed its procedures for Russians submitting visa applications through intermediaries, the Italian diplomatic mission told the Russian business news outlet RBC.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778789251/en/news/2026/05/14/italy-s-embassy-says-it-continues-to-accept-visa-applications-from-russians-through-intermediaries-russia-s-tour-operators-association-had-said-the-practice-was-banned
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/italy-s-embassy-says-it-continues-to-accept-visa-applications-from-russians-through-intermediaries-russia-s-tour-operators-association-had-said-the-practice-was-banned

2026-05-14 19:53:20 GMT

Russian anti-war actress Olga Vasilieva calls ‘letter of repentance’ attributed to her a fake
Decorated Russian actress Olga Vasilieva has dismissed as a fake a claim that she had petitioned the State Duma to allow her and her husband, Dmitry Nazarov, to return to Russia.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778788400/en/news/2026/05/14/russian-anti-war-actress-olga-vasilieva-calls-letter-of-repentance-attributed-to-her-a-fake
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/russian-anti-war-actress-olga-vasilieva-calls-letter-of-repentance-attributed-to-her-a-fake

2026-05-14 18:22:21 GMT

Former Rosnano chief Anatoly Chubais denounces prosecution of ex-managers as ‘repressions’
Anatoly Chubais, the former head of the Russian state nanotechnology corporation Rosnano, has denounced the criminal prosecution of the company’s former top managers as “repressions” and “a mockery of the law.”
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778782941/en/news/2026/05/14/former-rosnano-chief-anatoly-chubais-denounces-prosecution-of-ex-managers-as-repressions
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/former-rosnano-chief-anatoly-chubais-denounces-prosecution-of-ex-managers-as-repressions

2026-05-14 18:02:39 GMT

Russia’s State Duma appoints new human rights commissioner. Meduza sources say filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov backed her appointment.
Russia’s State Duma has appointed Yana Lantratova as the country’s human rights commissioner.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778781759/en/news/2026/05/14/russia-s-state-duma-appoints-new-human-rights-commissioner-meduza-sources-say-filmmaker-nikita-mikhalkov-backed-her-appointment
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/russia-s-state-duma-appoints-new-human-rights-commissioner-meduza-sources-say-filmmaker-nikita-mikhalkov-backed-her-appointment

2026-05-14 14:59:58 GMT

Zelensky orders military to prepare a ‘response’ after Russia’s large-scale attack kills eight in Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the military to prepare a “response” to the large-scale Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities that followed the end of a three-day ceasefire.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778770798/en/news/2026/05/14/zelensky-orders-military-to-prepare-a-response-after-russia-s-large-scale-attack-kills-eight-in-kyiv
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/zelensky-orders-military-to-prepare-a-response-after-russia-s-large-scale-attack-kills-eight-in-kyiv

2026-05-14 14:39:26 GMT

Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service acknowledges prison population drop is partly due to war recruitment
Russia’s prison population has fallen to 282,000 over the past four and a half years, the director of the Federal Penitentiary Service, Arkady Gostev, said. The state-run Russian news agency TASS cited his remarks.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778769566/en/news/2026/05/14/russia-s-federal-penitentiary-service-acknowledges-prison-population-drop-is-partly-due-to-war-recruitment
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/russia-s-federal-penitentiary-service-acknowledges-prison-population-drop-is-partly-due-to-war-recruitment

2026-05-14 14:31:37 GMT

Former Ekho Moskvy editor-in-chief fined for cooperating with ‘undesirable’ organization
Alexei Venediktov, former editor-in-chief of the shuttered independent Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy, has been fined for cooperating with an “undesirable” organization, the Slovo Zashchite project reported.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778769097/en/news/2026/05/14/former-ekho-moskvy-editor-in-chief-fined-for-cooperating-with-undesirable-organization
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/former-ekho-moskvy-editor-in-chief-fined-for-cooperating-with-undesirable-organization

2026-05-14 11:25:29 GMT

Former Bryansk Region governor becomes a State Duma deputy — the day after resigning as governor.
Russia’s Central Election Commission voted at a May 14 session to give a vacant State Duma seat to former Bryansk Region Governor Alexander Bogomaz, registering him as a deputy, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778757929/en/news/2026/05/14/former-bryansk-region-governor-becomes-a-state-duma-deputy-the-day-after-resigning-as-governor
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/former-bryansk-region-governor-becomes-a-state-duma-deputy-the-day-after-resigning-as-governor

2026-05-14 08:57:20 GMT

Vyacheslav Gladkov resigns as governor of Russia’s Belgorod region
The Kremlin announced that Vyacheslav Gladkov has resigned as governor of the Belgorod region. Gladkov submitted his resignation voluntarily, and President Vladimir Putin accepted it. Putin appointed Alexander Shuvaev — a 45-year-old deputy governor of the Irkutsk region, a veteran of Russia’s war against Ukraine, and a graduate of the Vremya Geroev program — as acting head of the region.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/172/402/small/j6cWarN4EmJrhbYlUmgBhw
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/14/vyacheslav-gladkov-resigns-as-governor-of-russia-s-belgorod-region

2026-05-14 08:22:08 GMT

Italy’s visa centers in Russia stop accepting applications through third parties — following a case involving illegal Schengen visa issuance to Russians in Tashkent
Italy’s visa centers in Russia, VMS and AlmavivA, stopped accepting applications submitted through third parties as of May 12, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) reported.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778746928/en/news/2026/05/14/italy-s-visa-centers-in-russia-stop-accepting-applications-through-third-parties-following-a-case-involving-illegal-schengen-visa-issuance-to-russians-in-tashkent
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/italy-s-visa-centers-in-russia-stop-accepting-applications-through-third-parties-following-a-case-involving-illegal-schengen-visa-issuance-to-russians-in-tashkent

2026-05-14 07:52:17 GMT

Kyiv court orders arrest of former Ukrainian presidential office head
Kyiv’s High Anti-Corruption Court has ordered the arrest of Andriy Yermak, the former head of the Ukrainian presidential office, but offered him the option of posting bail of 140 million hryvnias ($3.2 million).
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778745137/en/news/2026/05/14/kyiv-court-orders-arrest-of-former-ukrainian-presidential-office-head
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/kyiv-court-orders-arrest-of-former-ukrainian-presidential-office-head

2026-05-14 07:43:53 GMT

Russia strikes Kyiv with drones and missiles, partially collapsing a residential building. Two people killed, 40 injured.
Russian forces struck Kyiv overnight on May 14 with a combined drone and missile attack.
https://meduza.io/imgly/share/1778744633/en/news/2026/05/14/russia-strikes-kyiv-with-drones-and-missiles-partially-collapsing-a-residential-building-two-people-killed-40-injured
https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/05/14/russia-strikes-kyiv-with-drones-and-missiles-partially-collapsing-a-residential-building-two-people-killed-40-injured

2026-05-14 07:37:45 GMT

Mass cattle slaughter underway in Russia. Authorities say it’s lumpy skin disease. Farmers say it’s foot-and-mouth.
In Russia’s Kemerovo region, cattle are being culled, and checkpoints are being set up around farms and agricultural facilities. According to the official version, the cows are being euthanized due to a skin disease. Unofficially, however, sources say it may be foot-and-mouth disease, an acute viral infection that has also been detected in cattle in the Novosibirsk region. Preliminary reports suggest that between 2,000 and 4,000 cows were killed in one village in Kuzbass over the past week. Here’s what we know.
https://meduza.io/image/attachments/images/012/171/004/small/5JODfTdnlFkZuN56CAuBww
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/05/14/mass-cattle-slaughter-underway-in-russia-authorities-say-it-s-lumpy-skin-disease-farmers-say-it-s-foot-and-mouth