News
- Ex-Russian minister Nikiforov charged in absentia in Finiko pyramid caseRussia's Investigative Department of the Interior Ministry has charged former Communications Minister Nikolai Nikiforov in absentia with organizing a criminal community and large-scale fraud in the Finiko financial pyramid case.
- Russia labels Novaya Gazeta a 'foreign agent,' adds over 100 affiliated namesRussia's Justice Ministry added Novaya Gazeta to its register of 'foreign agents,' saying the outlet spread false information about government policy and opposed the war in Ukraine.
- Russian drone hits SBU chief's office in central Kyiv; Zelensky vows 'mirror' responseA Russian drone struck the central building of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kyiv, targeting the office of its chief, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Persecution
- Pavel Syutkin: Six Years in Prison Over a Post About Bucha
A Moscow court sentenced culinary historian Pavel Syutkin to six years in a penal colony over posts about Bucha. The case involved raids, a closed trial and a disputed expert report. His defense has appealed.
- Alexander Skobov: From Soviet Psychiatric Hospitals to a 16-Year Prison Sentence
A Soviet-era dissident twice subjected to compulsory psychiatric treatment, Alexander Skobov is now serving a 16-year sentence in Russia. His case spans decades of opposition activism, terrorism-related charges and renewed punishment behind bars.
- Pavel Syutkin: Six Years in Prison Over a Post About Bucha
- Russian court sentences hostage-takers from Rostov detention center to up to 29 yearsA Russian military court sentenced five inmates of a Rostov pretrial detention center to prison terms ranging from 21 to 29 years for a hostage-taking in June 2024.
- Ukraine's SBU and military intelligence exchange fire in Kyiv over detained Russian volunteer fighterA shootout between Ukraine's SBU security service and military intelligence (GUR) in Kyiv on September 2 left three GUR officers wounded, following the detention of a Russian volunteer fighter commander.
- None of 16 satellites in second batch of Russian Starlink rival reached target orbitAll 16 Russian low-orbit communications satellites launched on July 19 failed to reach their intended orbital altitude, according to US Space Force data cited by Business Insider.
- Two Yabloko Duma candidates detained in Moscow two days before voteMoscow police detained two Yabloko party candidates for the State Duma two days before the election, the party's press service reported.
- Russian licensing reform could wipe out local internet providers in 27 regionsA proposed overhaul of telecom licensing in Russia could force regional internet providers out of business in 27 regions, an industry association warned.
Editor's Column
- When an Outage in Russia Disrupts Taxi Service in Kazakhstan
Drone strikes damaged three Yandex data centers in four days. The disruption reached Kazakhstan, where users' personal data is stored locally, according to officials. The episode exposed the difference between keeping data inside national borders and keeping a digital service running independently.
- Peskov Says Russia Has No Political Prisoners. What the Cases and Numbers Show
On September 30, Dmitry Peskov said Russia “categorically denies” that it holds political prisoners. FACTUM’s political persecution database listed 6,794 people at the latest count; 2,163 were imprisoned, while 1,404 had been recognized as political prisoners by human rights organizations. This column looks at what those figures mean and at several criminal cases behind them.
- When an Outage in Russia Disrupts Taxi Service in Kazakhstan
- Georgia gives anti-war Russian activist seven days to leave, avoiding deportation to RussiaA Tbilisi court granted Russian anti-war activist Denis Kulanin permission to leave Georgia voluntarily within seven days, rejecting his forced deportation to Russia.
- Russian candidate finds city hall documents on back of ads covering his campaign leafletsA Communist Party candidate in Samara said residents who tore down ads covering his campaign leaflets found internal city administration documents, including infrastructure schematics, printed on the reverse side.
- Six Russian border regions to stretch State Duma voting beyond three daysSix Russian regions bordering Ukraine will hold early voting in September's State Duma elections, extending the process to as many as 12 days in some areas.
- Latvia raids Russian-language bookstore chain Mnogoknig over EU sanctions breachLatvian security police searched four sites linked to the Mnogoknig bookstore chain on September 3 over suspected violations of EU sanctions.
- Russian strikes on warehouses destroyed 15 million booksRussian air strikes on Ozon and Wildberries warehouses destroyed 15 million books worth 6 billion rubles, the digital ministry said.
- Russians shift mall spending to food and alcohol as incomes shrinkShoppers at major Russian malls are spending a larger share of their money on groceries and alcohol, a shift experts link to falling purchasing power.
Analytics
- Yandex After the Drone Strikes: What Is Back Online, What Was Damaged and How Long Recovery Could Take
By October 16, Yandex had brought most everyday services back online, but cloud operations and advertising tools remained restricted. What is known about the three damaged data centers, the fate of its supercomputers and the competing timelines for a full recovery?
- Vladislav Surkov: From Managed Politics to the Kremlin's Donbas Liaison
Vladislav Surkov began his career in advertising and some of Russia's largest businesses before spending almost two decades helping shape the Kremlin's domestic political system. His name is associated with the emergence of the ruling party, pro-Kremlin youth movements and the doctrine of “sovereign democracy.” From 2013 onward, he became an important intermediary in Moscow's dealings with the conflict in Ukraine. FACTUM.press examined his career, political decisions, leaked office correspondence and intercepted conversations presented in the MH17 investigation, asking what these records establish—and what they do not—about his personal responsibility.
- Yandex After the Drone Strikes: What Is Back Online, What Was Damaged and How Long Recovery Could Take
- Germany starts serial production of 5,000 strike drones for UkraineGerman-American defense firm Auterion and its Ukrainian partner Airlogix have launched serial production of strike drones for Ukraine, with the first units already completed.
- Russians flee country amid rumors of new mobilization waveRussian emigration help projects report a sixfold surge in requests in early August as fears of a new mobilization drive spread, with many seeking to leave before October.
- Ukrainian strike kills four in Shebekino, including two ambulance workersA Ukrainian strike on the town of Shebekino killed four people, including a doctor, a paramedic and a married couple, local officials said.
- Zelensky says Trump envoys to visit Kyiv and Moscow in coming daysRepresentatives of U.S. President Donald Trump will hold talks in Kyiv and Moscow in the coming days, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address.
- Russia's oil and gas revenue hits six-month low as Urals price slides and refineries come under drone attackRussia's oil and gas revenues fell to a six-month low in August, dropping 16% year on year to 424 billion rubles, the Finance Ministry said.
- Putin's 'favorite newspaper' Komsomolskaya Pravda falls under control of state-linked media groupMIK Izvestia, part of the National Media Group holding, has acquired a controlling stake in the publishing house of Komsomolskaya Pravda, the newspaper Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly called his favorite.
- Netherlands moves 86 tons of gold from US and Canada to London over 'geopolitical instability'The Dutch central bank relocated roughly 86 tons of gold from vaults in New York and Ottawa to London between March and August, citing preparation for 'serious crises' amid 'growing geopolitical instability.'
- British man says Russian police beat him, jumped on his head at station in YessentukiA British citizen says police in the southern Russian resort town of Yessentuki beat him when he arrived for his grandmother's funeral, breaking his nose and two ribs.
- Putin backs central bank's tight policy, dismisses deposit-freeze talk as 'stupid'President Vladimir Putin on Thursday endorsed the central bank's tight monetary policy and dismissed public fears about a possible freeze on bank deposits as 'stupid' rumors.
- ECHR throws out 879 Russian cases, citing Russia's exit from Council of EuropeThe European Court of Human Rights has dismissed 879 applications by Russian citizens against Russia, saying they fall outside the scope of its residual jurisdiction.
- Ukraine's SBU accuses Russian Volunteer Corps deputy of plotting for FSBUkraine's SBU security service says it uncovered contacts between a deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps and Russia's FSB, alleging he was hired to assassinate opposition figures and Ukrainian soldiers.
- FSB surveillance developer flees to France, leaks SORM archive to journalistsA 24-year-old programmer who worked for the main manufacturer of Russia's SORM surveillance systems has left the country and handed journalists an archive of technical documents.
- Russian general wounded in assassination attempt near Engels air baseMaj. Gen. Nikolai Varpakhovich, commander of Russia's 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, was shot twice in an assassination attempt in the Saratov region on September 3.
- Putin: War not main cause of Russia's falling birth rateRussian President Vladimir Putin said the war in Ukraine is not the main reason for the country's declining birth rate, citing Japan and South Korea as examples of low fertility without conflict.
- Ukraine launches AI-drone operation to shut down Moscow airports — The AtlanticA source who earlier told The Atlantic about a plan to block Moscow airports has confirmed its implementation has begun, the magazine reported.
- Putin says contacts with Kyiv continue via intelligence channels, chance for talks remainsRussian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that a chance for a settlement in Ukraine still exists and that Moscow and Kyiv remain in contact through intelligence services.
- Russian oil majors default on 60% of exchange gasoline contractsRussian oil suppliers fulfilled only 41% of exchange gasoline contracts signed between May and September, with 20% ending in default or cancellation and 39% still unclosed.
- Sberbank CEO calls Russian economy 'overcooled' as bank eyes record profitSberbank chief German Gref said Russia's economy is in a state of 'overcooling' and urged the state to shift toward policies supporting investment growth, while the bank expects record profit in 2026.
- Ukrainian drones hit apartment buildings in Kubinka and Pavlovsky Posad near MoscowUkrainian drones struck residential buildings in the Moscow region towns of Kubinka and Pavlovsky Posad overnight, the regional governor said.
- Putin unveils 10-year Far East strategy with special drone testing regimePresident Vladimir Putin announced a new stage of development for Russia's Far East, with a special legal regime for testing drones and other technologies to launch in 2027.
- Russian state TV bosses get Rosgvardia bodyguardsRussian state television executives and prominent hosts are now being accompanied by Rosgvardia security officers, according to four informed sources cited by the outlet Agentstvo.
- Norway arrests Russian research vessel in $4.22 billion Ukraine asset disputeA Norwegian court has authorized the arrest of the Russian research vessel Professor Molchanov in the port of Barentsburg on Svalbard, acting on a claim by Ukraine's Naftogaz group seeking to enforce a $4.22 billion arbitration award against Russia.
- Putin's motorcade in Vladivostok includes pickup with anti-aircraft gunA pickup truck mounted with an anti-aircraft gun was spotted in Vladimir Putin's motorcade during his visit to Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum.
- Annexed Crimea limits gas station sales to four hours a dayRussia-installed head of annexed Crimea Sergei Aksyonov announced fuel will be sold at stations only during two two-hour windows daily as deliveries fail to meet demand.
- EU weighs billions in Ukraine air-defense aid as Kyiv seeks Patriot missile outputThe European Commission confirmed receiving a new Ukrainian request for billions of euros in funding to bolster air defenses, including high-tech Patriot PAC-3 systems.
- Moscow police detain Yabloko Duma candidate over alleged army 'discreditation'Moscow police detained Artem Snegovsky, a Yabloko candidate for the State Duma, near a district election commission and issued him a protocol on alleged 'discreditation' of the Russian army.
- Putin says Ukraine damaged 100 merchant ships in 40 days, costing 1% of GDPRussian President Vladimir Putin said Ukrainian forces damaged about 100 merchant ships in the Black and Azov seas over 40 days, causing preliminary economic damage of about 1% of Russia's GDP.
- Volgograd postpones youth festival to 2027, redirects funds to war effortVolgograd Governor Andrei Bocharov has proposed postponing the #TriChetyre youth festival to 2027, with freed-up funds to be redirected to support Russian troops.
- Mi-8 helicopter carrying election workers, journalists makes hard landing on Sakhalin highwayAn Mi-8 helicopter carrying election commission staff and journalists made a hard landing on a highway in southern Sakhalin after running out of fuel, with no casualties reported.
- Ex-Rosaviatsia head Neradko moved from pretrial detention to house arrest in Domodedovo embezzlement caseThe Moscow City Court overturned a lower court's ruling and transferred former Rosaviatsia head Alexander Neradko from pretrial detention to house arrest in an embezzlement case linked to Domodedovo airport.
- Russia opens new criminal case against TV Rain host Kotrikadze over 'foreign agent' lawRussia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against TV Rain presenter Yekaterina Kotrikadze for repeatedly evading duties imposed by the country's 'foreign agent' law.
- Russia's Novak: Drone defense costly but refinery shutdowns pricierDeputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said protecting Russian oil refineries from drone attacks is expensive but worthwhile, as halting plants would cause greater losses.
- Ukraine warns ICAO that Russian airspace is unsafe; airlines cancel Moscow flightsUkraine has formally notified the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that Russia's airspace is unsafe due to heightened military activity, prompting some airlines to cancel or divert flights to Moscow.
- Russia weighs legalizing books by 'foreign agents' published before designationRussia's Digital Development Ministry is considering legalizing books by 'foreign agents' and 'undesirable' organizations that were published before the government imposed those statuses.
- Russia's second-largest oil refinery halts processing after drone strikeRussia's second-largest oil refinery, Kinef, has completely halted crude processing after a drone attack on August 30 damaged two primary refining units.
- Maldives become secret hub for shipping sanctioned goods to Russia, WSJ findsThe Maldives have emerged as a transit hub for shipping sanctioned goods to Russia, with imports surging from under $7 million in 2021 to over $630 million in 2022, according to The Wall Street Journal.
- Fire hits Russian rocket engine plant in PermA fire broke out in a production workshop at the Proton-PM plant in Perm, which makes rocket engines for Russia's space program, covering 2,100 square meters before being extinguished.
- Wildberries sellers say payouts delayed; marketplace blames DDoS attacksWildberries sellers say they have not received payments for goods sold, with some waiting since August 17; the marketplace attributes the delays to DDoS attacks on its systems.
- Russia weighs giving Yandex's Alice AI access to banking apps on phonesRussia's Digital Development Ministry is discussing rules that would let Yandex's Alice AI assistant access system functions, apps, notifications and hardware on smartphones, including banking services.
- Police bring children's hospice founder Lida Moniava to Investigative Committee over army 'fakes'Lida Moniava, head of the children's hospice charity Dom s Mayakom, was taken to the Investigative Committee on September 2 for questioning in a criminal case over alleged 'fakes' about the Russian army.
- Pegasus cancels Moscow flights after Zelensky warns Russian airspace 'fully unsafe'Turkish budget carrier Pegasus canceled a flight from Bodrum to Moscow and turned back two other aircraft bound for the Russian capital early on September 2, citing a ban on departures by the Turkish side over the airspace situation.
- Ukraine says it foiled FSB plot to kill Russian opposition figure in KyivUkraine's SBU security service said it prevented an assassination attempt on a Russian opposition figure that Russia's FSB had planned for Ukraine's Independence Day on August 24.
- Russian strike on Odesa damages 24-story building, injures eightA Russian strike on Odesa damaged apartments on the 17th through 23rd floors of a 24-story residential building, injuring eight people, Ukrainian authorities said.
- Putin dismisses post-election mobilization rumors as 'complete nonsense'President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called reports of a possible mobilization after the parliamentary elections 'complete nonsense,' describing them as an information attack on Russia.
- Ozon asks sellers to ship goods to Kazakhstan warehouses for Russian deliveriesMarketplace Ozon has proposed that sellers place goods at its logistics facilities in Almaty and Astana, from where it plans to deliver orders to customers in Russia.
- Zelensky warns airlines: Russian airspace 'will de facto be closing'Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned airlines and insurers that Russian airspace is becoming 'completely unsafe' as drones will increasingly appear in Russian skies.