News
- Son of Russian political prisoner gets 7 years for posting photo in anti-war chatA St. Petersburg man was sentenced to seven years in prison for posting a photo of a pro-Ukraine rally in an anti-war chat group.
- Rotenberg family gains control of St. Petersburg oil terminal after state seizureRussia's state property agency transferred a 55% stake in the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal to Roskhim, a company linked to the Rotenberg family, after the shares were seized from the heirs of the terminal's founder.
- Russian court cuts ex-deputy defense minister Popov's prison term from 19 to 10 yearsA Russian military appeals court reduced the prison sentence of former Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Popov from 19 to 10 years in a strict-regime colony, his lawyer said.
- Zelensky asks Trump for 300 Patriot interceptors to protect Ukraine's energy grid this winterUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked U.S. President Donald Trump for an emergency 'winter package' of 300 Patriot interceptor missiles to defend energy infrastructure from Russian ballistic strikes.
- Russian journalist Darya Shipachyova sentenced to 12 years in prison on treason chargesMoscow City Court sentenced journalist Darya Shipachyova to 12 years in a penal colony for state treason, with a 300,000 ruble fine, in a closed trial with classified materials.
- Ukraine strikes Perm refinery for fourth time in three months, hitting one of Russia's largest plantsUkrainian drones attacked the Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez refinery in Perm on July 29, causing a fire at a crude processing unit, the fourth such strike in three months.
- Director of Russian drone maker Ovod shot in Tula stairwellAndrei Cherezov, head of the Russian Laboratory of Air Transport (RLVT) which produces Ovod drones used by Russian forces in Ukraine, was shot three times in the entrance of his apartment building in Tula on the night of July 29.
- Putin fires Udmurtia head Alexander BrechalovPresident Vladimir Putin dismissed Alexander Brechalov as head of the Udmurt Republic, with independent media reporting the resignation was voluntary.
- Moscow candidate arrested for rainbow T-shirt under 'extremism' lawA Moscow municipal candidate was sentenced to 10 days in jail for wearing a T-shirt with a rainbow print, the latest in a series of disqualifications over alleged 'extremist' symbolism.
- Russia's Central Election Commission registers only anti-war party Yabloko for Duma electionsRussia's Central Election Commission unanimously registered the Yabloko party, the only party with an anti-war stance, for the upcoming State Duma elections.
- EU prepares sanctions against record 1,600 firms aiding Russia's militaryThe European Union is preparing a new sanctions package targeting over 1,600 companies, the largest single expansion of its sanctions list, with a combined annual turnover exceeding $20 billion.
- Ukrainian drone and missile attack kills woman, sparks fire at Wildberries warehouse in RussiaA woman was killed and two people were injured in Taganrog after missile debris hit an apartment building, while a drone attack in the Ryazan region sparked a fire at a Wildberries logistics facility, according to regional officials and company statements.
- Three Black Sea grain terminals halt truck deliveries after drone attacksThree major Russian grain terminals on the Black Sea have stopped accepting grain delivered by trucks due to the risk of drone attacks, disrupting a key export route.
- Russia charges Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism, puts him on wanted listRussia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism and placed him on an international wanted list, state news agencies reported.
- Drone debris sparks fires at Wildberries warehouse and oil refinery in Ryazan, six injuredSix people were hospitalized after drone debris caused fires at a Wildberries logistics center and a Rosneft oil refinery in Ryazan, Russia, early on July 29.
- Prosecutor seeks 12 years for journalist Daria Shipachyova in treason caseRussian prosecutors have requested a 12-year prison sentence for journalist Daria Shipachyova on charges of high treason, with the trial taking place behind closed doors in Moscow.
- Medvedev dismisses talk of new mobilization as 'lies' and 'paid propaganda'Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia's Security Council, called rumors of a new wave of mobilization in Russia a 'lying provocation' and 'enemy propaganda'.
- Kaliningrad court removes lawyer from treason case over refusal to obtain state-secret clearanceA Kaliningrad regional court on Monday granted a prosecutor's motion to remove lawyer Ilya Sidorov from the defense of Maria Bontsler, who is charged with high treason, after Sidorov refused to obtain clearance for state secrets.
- Russian scientist dies after being beaten for confronting children on ATVsNikita Zezin, a 67-year-old corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, died in Yekaterinburg after being attacked by parents whose children he had confronted for riding ATVs over experimental crops.
- US senators agree on 'hell sanctions' bill with tariffs up to 500% on Russian oil buyersUS senators from both parties have reached a bipartisan agreement on a bill that would allow the president to impose tariffs of up to 500% on imports of Russian goods and up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and gas.
- Kremlin spokesman calls Yabloko 'not a party, but a cell'Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he does not consider the liberal Yabloko party a real political party, calling it 'nothing more than a cell' in an interview with The Washington Post.
- Azerbaijani court sentences Toplum TV journalists to up to 15 yearsA Baku court sentenced nine journalists and activists linked to the independent media outlet Toplum TV to lengthy prison terms, with co-founders Akif Gurbanov and Ruslan Izzetli each receiving 15 years.
- Russia's largest publisher fired staff who refused to censor books under new lawsRussia's largest publishing group, Eksmo-AST, fired or forced out employees who refused to comply with tightened censorship rules following a criminal case against book publishers, the company's president said.
- Russia proposes mounting machine guns on grain ships in Azov Sea to counter Ukrainian dronesRussian authorities have proposed that shipowners and grain traders install machine guns and portable anti-aircraft missile systems on dry cargo vessels in the Azov Sea to protect against Ukrainian drone attacks, Bloomberg reported, citing sources familiar with the talks.
- Russian court labels North Caucasus LGBTQ+ crisis group 'extremist organization'A Russian court has designated the crisis group 'SK SOS', which assists LGBTQ+ individuals in the North Caucasus, as an 'extremist organization', though the group remains outside the official register.
- Tyumen oil refinery halts processing after drone attackThe Tyumen oil refinery, Russia's largest independent refinery, suspended crude oil processing and fuel production after a drone attack on July 25, according to industry sources cited by Reuters.
- Omsk region becomes first in Russia to fully lift fuel sale limitsOmsk Oblast became the first Russian region to completely abolish retail fuel sale restrictions, removing both a ban on selling fuel in canisters and quantitative limits.
- Tyumen declares state of emergency as residents report fecal smell in tap water and mass fish die-offTyumen region governor Alexander Moor introduced a regional-level state of emergency in the city and surrounding district after record summer flooding on the Tura River caused widespread water contamination, with residents reporting a strong smell of feces and hydrogen sulfide in tap water.
- Russia's Investigative Committee chief proposes making AI and VPN use an aggravating factor in crimesAlexander Bastrykin, head of Russia's Investigative Committee, has proposed classifying the use of artificial intelligence, VPNs and proxy servers as an aggravating circumstance in criminal cases.
- Russia labels Bosch foundation, StraightForward as 'undesirable'Russia's Justice Ministry added 10 new organizations to its register of 'undesirable' entities, including the German Robert Bosch Stiftung and the StraightForward foundation for Russian-language authors.
- Tourist arrivals in Russia fall to lowest since start of full-scale warForeign tourist trips to Russia in the first half of 2026 fell to 2.99 million, the lowest for that period since 2021, when pandemic restrictions were still in place.
- Zelensky becomes first foreign guest of new UK PM Burnham, who pledges troop deployment after ceasefireUK Prime Minister Andy Burnham hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth, pledging a military contingent for post-ceasefire security and handing over production rights for electronic warfare systems.
- More than 390 drones target Moscow region, one hits apartment building in ChekhovA massive drone attack on the Moscow region lasting ten hours involved over 390 unmanned aerial vehicles, with one striking a residential building in the town of Chekhov, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
- Yalta sets up outdoor kitchens in apartment courtyards amid power outagesRussian-installed authorities in Yalta have begun setting up outdoor cooking stations in apartment courtyards, citing power outages that have left more than 1,500 buildings without gas or electricity.
- Russian region bans refueling same car more than once every 24 hoursThe government of Russia's Altai Republic has banned refueling the same vehicle more than once every 24 hours, closing a loophole that allowed drivers to fill up twice in quick succession before and after midnight.
- Ozon triples insurance cost for sellers after drone strikes on Wildberries warehousesRussian online marketplace Ozon is raising the daily insurance rate for sellers' goods by 3.3 times, citing increased risks from drone attacks.
- UK grants Ukraine license to produce Stone Cloak electronic warfare devicesBritain has authorized Ukraine to domestically manufacture Stone Cloak electronic warfare systems, tablet-sized devices that shield drones from Russian air defenses.
- Putin expands Russian army to 2.4 million, third increase this yearRussian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree raising the total strength of the armed forces to 2,426,130 personnel, the third such increase since the start of the year.
- Russian heritage activist forcibly hospitalized after hunger strike against monument lawRussian authorities forcibly hospitalized Natalia Shamina, head of the Novosibirsk branch of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments, after she began a hunger strike to protest a law allowing regional officials to strip buildings of protected status.
- Man sentenced to 19 years for double murder leaves for war after signing Russian military contractKirill Cheplygin, sentenced to 19 years and two months in a strict-regime colony for the brutal double murder of his ex-wife and her partner, has signed a contract with Russia's Defense Ministry and left for the war in Ukraine.
- Montenegro to reinstate visa requirement for Russians and Belarusians from November 1Montenegro will require visas for citizens of Russia, Belarus, China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey starting November 1, ending a visa-free regime that has been in place under bilateral agreements.
- Ukraine drone strike on Russian pipeline terminal halves Kazakhstan oil outputKazakhstan's oil and gas condensate production fell to about 1 million barrels per day on July 26, roughly half the June average, after Ukrainian drones attacked tankers at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's terminal near Novorossiysk.
- Blogger Ilya Remeslo sent from pretrial detention to Serbsky psychiatric instituteIlya Remeslo, a blogger charged with spreading 'fakes' about the Russian military, has been transferred from a Moscow pretrial detention center to the Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology.
- EU reverses ban on Russian sable fur imports after three monthsThe European Union has removed processed Russian sable pelts from its sanctions list, reversing a ban imposed in April, after Italy and Greece argued there were no alternative suppliers.
- Russian lawmakers chant 'Russia. Putin. Victory' five times as Duma speaker closes sessionVyacheslav Volodin ended the final plenary session of the eighth State Duma by leading lawmakers in a fivefold chant of 'Russia. Putin. Victory,' a slogan previously used by the Kremlin during the 2011–2012 protests.
- Russian journalist Alexandra Bayazitova freed after four years in prisonAlexandra Bayazitova, a Russian journalist who ran the Telegram channel 'Hellish Grannies,' was released from prison on July 27 after serving four years on an extortion conviction.
- EU may scrap sanctions packages to bypass veto threats — FTThe European Union is considering abandoning its practice of adopting large sanctions packages against Russia in favor of individual or small thematic measures to reduce the risk of delays caused by member states' vetoes, the Financial Times reported.
- FSB arrests Khabarovsk resident for alleged contact with New Zealand intelligenceRussia's Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested a 55-year-old resident of Khabarovsk on treason charges for allegedly contacting New Zealand's Security Intelligence Service and passing information about Russia's military cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries.
- Zelensky says Putin plans covert mobilization of up to 500,000 after Duma electionsUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing a covert mobilization of 300,000 to 500,000 people after the State Duma elections on September 21, citing intelligence reports.
- Ukrainian drones strike strategic oil depot in Russia's UdmurtiaUkrainian drones attacked the Russian republic of Udmurtia on the morning of July 27, hitting a strategic state oil depot, according to local authorities and independent media.
- Ukraine updates target list for deep strikes into RussiaUkrainian forces have updated their list of priority targets for long-range strikes on Russian territory, President Volodymyr Zelensky said after a meeting with military commanders.
- Ukrainian drone strike on Rostov-on-Don kills two, wounds fiveA Ukrainian drone attack on Rostov-on-Don overnight killed two people and wounded five, including a teenager in serious condition, the regional governor said.
- Drone attack on Belgorod wounds 12, including two childrenAn overnight drone attack on the Russian city of Belgorod wounded 12 people, including two children, and damaged multiple residential buildings and cars, local authorities said.
- St. Petersburg malls to target 'radical' teens by their clothingSt. Petersburg authorities will conduct raids in shopping malls this August and September to identify 'radically minded' youth based on their clothing and accessories, according to a city commission document.
- Russia's Megamarket joins rivals in dropping liability for goods damaged in drone attacksMegamarket, the online marketplace controlled by Sberbank, has updated its seller agreement to classify drone strikes, explosions, and ammunition as force majeure, absolving itself of responsibility for goods damaged in such attacks.
- Russian drone strike on Chernihiv supermarket kills nine-year-old girlA Russian drone struck an ATB supermarket in Chernihiv on July 26, killing two people including a nine-year-old girl and wounding at least 13 others, local authorities said.
- Russia builds 24 new Pantsir air-defense towers around Moscow in two monthsRussia has erected approximately 24 new towers for Pantsir air-defense systems around Moscow over the past two months, forming a new defensive ring and positions near strategic sites, according to OSINT researcher Jembob.
- Ukraine claims strike on Crimea gas storage facility, Tyumen refineryUkraine's military said it struck a facility of the Crimean gas company Chornomornaftogaz and an oil refinery in Tyumen, over 2,000 kilometers from the border.
- Russia extends gasoline export ban through 2026Russia will extend its ban on gasoline exports until the end of 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced, citing the need to stabilize the domestic fuel market amid production losses from Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries.
- Russian drone strike kills three at Nova Poshta terminal in SumyA Russian drone hit a Nova Poshta sorting terminal in Sumy overnight, killing three drivers and sparking a large fire, as Ukraine faced a massive 157-drone attack.