News
- Ex-Ministry of Defense construction chief gets 6 years in CT scanner overpayment caseA former head of the Russian Defense Ministry's military construction directorate was sentenced to six years in prison over a CT scanner purchase that prosecutors said was overpriced by 48 million rubles.
- British man killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine, first known caseA 33-year-old British citizen, Bradley Townsend, has died fighting on Russia's side in Ukraine, the first known such case.
- Hackers leak Sberbank memo: analysts put odds of Russian military victory at 7%A hacker group published an internal Sberbank document in which the bank's analysts assess the probability of a decisive Russian military victory in the war against Ukraine at 7%.
- Russia asks Turkey for gasoline for first time as AI-95 vanishes from 80% of stationsRussia has for the first time in its history requested gasoline from Turkey as the AI-95 grade remains available at only 22% of filling stations nationwide.
- Moscow metro ads pitch 'alternative service' — actually a Defense Ministry contractAds for 'alternative service' in Moscow's metro are actually recruiting for a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry's African Corps, with recruiters promising pay and benefits.
- Fire at Amur gas chemical complex kills one, injures 87A fire at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex, a joint project of Sibur and China's Sinopec, left one person dead and 87 injured, according to the Telegram channel 112.
- Kazakhstan refinery to send 70% of fuel from Russian oil back to RussiaKazakhstan's Kondensat refinery has agreed to process Russian crude, keeping up to 30% of the fuel output domestically and shipping the rest to Russia, the country's energy minister said.
- Head of Russian drone center arrested in $11 million fraud caseThe general director of the Russian drone development center Tuladron has been arrested on suspicion of large-scale fraud.
- Russian strikes on four Ukrainian cities kill three, damage Red Cross warehouseOvernight Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Dnipro killed three people and wounded others, while a drone strike set a Red Cross warehouse in Kherson ablaze.
- Russian refinery halts output after drone strike knocks out two key unitsRussia's seventh-largest oil refinery, Lukoil's Permnefteorgsintez, has fully halted crude processing after a Ukrainian drone attack on August 21 disabled its two largest units, Reuters reported.
- AI-guided Russian drone kills civilians in Zaporizhzhia for first timeA Russian drone equipped with an AI targeting system killed three civilians in Zaporizhzhia on July 6, marking the first documented case of such an attack, according to The New York Times.
- Russia's children's ombudsman says she was targeted for kidnapping after ICC warrantMaria Lvova-Belova, Russia's children's rights commissioner, said in an interview that unknown individuals attempted to kidnap her several times after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for her.
- Ukraine, Russia swap 10 prisoners each via BelarusUkraine and Russia exchanged 10 prisoners each in a swap organized through Belarus, with Kyiv saying the returning Ukrainians were soldiers who had been listed as missing in action.
- Putin extends 72-year-old Investigative Committee chief Bastrykin's term for another yearPresident Vladimir Putin has extended the term of Alexander Bastrykin, the 72-year-old head of Russia's Investigative Committee, until August 27, 2027.
- Russian radio-frequency center programmer gets 4 years probation for $17 FBK donationsA Moscow court sentenced a leading programmer at a Roskomnadzor-affiliated center to four years of probation for donating 1,532 rubles to the banned FBK opposition group.
- Putin signs decree allowing seizure of critical infrastructure from owners who fail to protect it from dronesRussian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree allowing the government to impose temporary external management on critical infrastructure facilities whose owners failed to secure them against drone attacks.
- Russian woman who flew to Moscow to renew passport faces treason chargeA Russian woman who returned from Kyiv to Moscow to renew her passport has been arrested and charged with high treason, according to Mediazona.
- Finland deports 155 Russians since start of 2026, up 30% year-on-yearFinland has expelled 155 Russian citizens since the start of 2026, a 30% increase from the 104 deported during the same period in 2025, according to the National Police Board.
- Ex-Pussy Riot member says FSB forced her to cooperate for three yearsRita Flores, a former member of Pussy Riot, said she was coerced into cooperating with Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) for nearly three years, and that the agency tasked her with luring another band member to Serbia for a planned abduction.
- Kremlin vows to crack down on media, messengers to stop leaks of strike aftermathThe Kremlin plans to tighten regulation of media, social networks and messengers to minimize leaks of information about the war in Ukraine, a senior official said.
- Kiselev replaced as host of Vesti Nedeli by MP Popov, keeps slot with own showDmitry Kiselev is stepping down as host of the weekly flagship program Vesti Nedeli on the Rossiya channel, with State Duma deputy and TV presenter Yevgeny Popov taking over in September.
- UK to let Ukraine build Storm Shadow missiles, as European leaders mark Independence Day in KyivBritish Prime Minister Andy Burnham will announce plans to allow MBDA to declassify information about UK components of Storm Shadow/Scalp missiles, enabling Ukraine to produce similar long-range missiles domestically.
- Three teenagers killed in Ukrainian drone attack on KrasnodarThree teenagers aged 13, 15 and 16 were killed in Krasnodar when debris from a downed Ukrainian drone fell on a private children's center, Russia's children's ombudsman said.
- UK to hand Ukraine SCALP missile blueprints for domestic productionBritain will allow defense firm MBDA to share secret data on SCALP missile components, enabling Ukraine and France to set up assembly lines on Ukrainian soil.
- EU gives Ukraine €6.1 billion for air defense, ammunitionThe European Commission announced a €6.1 billion tranche to Ukraine for air and missile defense systems, rockets, ammunition and radars.
- Russia proposes tax deferrals for Wildberries, sellers hit by drone strikesRussia's Finance Ministry has drafted measures to give the merged Wildberries & Russ company and sellers who lost goods in Ukrainian drone attacks a deferral on tax payments.
- Russian strike on Odesa sets hypermarket ablazeA fire broke out at an Epicentr hypermarket in Odesa after a nighttime Russian attack, Ukrainian Telegram channels reported.
- Drone strikes on Ozon warehouses in southern Russia kill two childrenTwo children were killed and nine people injured when drone debris hit a private children's center in Krasnodar during an attack on an Ozon logistics hub, local officials said.
- Putin calls fuel crisis 'certain inconveniences', shifts blame to governmentPresident Vladimir Putin acknowledged the ongoing fuel crisis in Russia as 'certain inconveniences' for citizens, adding that the government must keep the situation under control.
- Drones strike Russia's Plesetsk military cosmodrome for first timeUkrainian drones attacked the Plesetsk military cosmodrome in Russia's Arkhangelsk region for the first time, according to the Ukrainian monitoring Telegram channel Supernova+.
- Russian drone strikes evacuated commuter train in Kharkiv region, killing twoA Russian drone struck a commuter train that had been stopped and evacuated due to a drone threat at a station in Kharkiv region, killing two passengers who had stayed near the train.
- WSJ: Russia drills in Kaliningrad rehearsed mobilization proceduresThe Wall Street Journal reports that Russian military exercises in July in the Kaliningrad region rehearsed procedures for a potential mobilization of local residents.
- Russian military posts, then deletes drone video of attack on unarmed cyclist near KramatorskRussia's 3rd Combined Arms Army published and later deleted a drone video showing an attack on an unarmed cyclist near Kramatorsk, drawing attention to the incident.
- Russian security forces raid Moscow and Petrozavodsk clubs, using stun guns and making arrestsRussian police and security forces raided nightclubs in Moscow and Petrozavodsk overnight, using stun guns and detaining visitors.
- Friend of missing Chechen woman detained at protest on third anniversary of her disappearanceLena Patyaeva was detained in Grozny after holding a solo picket demanding an investigation into the killing of Seda Suleymanova, three years after the Chechen woman disappeared.
- Russia calls Ukraine war veterans 'bearers of unique pedagogical potential'Russia's Education Ministry says Ukraine war veterans have a 'unique pedagogical potential' and will be trained to teach schoolchildren.
- Police raid Moscow club Simach; guest jumps from balcony, another breaks window during drug checkPolice and riot officers raided a party at Moscow's Simach club on the night of August 23, stopping the music and detaining guests for drug checks, with one visitor jumping from a second-floor balcony.
- Russian drones hit train with 593 passengers near Odesa, homes in KharkivRussian drones struck a passenger train carrying 593 people near Odesa and residential buildings in Kharkiv overnight, injuring at least seven in the latter.
- Russian police detain about 100 at forest festival near Finnish borderPolice and special forces raided a closed music festival in a forest near Vyborg, detaining around 100 people over alleged pro-Ukraine songs and drug use.
- Court removes Communist candidate in Altai after spoiler rival's lawsuitAltai Krai Court on August 21 annulled the registration of Communist Party candidate Lyudmila Klyushnikova for the regional legislature, following a lawsuit filed by a rival whose surname differs by one letter.
- Putin calls strikes on Kyiv 'effective and timely,' Ukraine's peace proposals 'exotic'Russian President Vladimir Putin said strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure are 'effective and timely,' dismissing Ukraine's peace proposals as 'sometimes exotic and unacceptable.'
- Police detain animal rights activists outside Putin's administration, one carrying a pitchforkRussian police detained at least two people outside Vladimir Putin's administration in Moscow on Tuesday as they arrived to submit appeals on street improvements and animal protection, one of them carrying a pitchfork.
- Drone debris hits Sevastopol bus, killing twoDebris from a downed drone struck a public bus in Sevastopol on August 22, killing two people and injuring five, according to the Moscow-appointed governor.
- Putin vows elections on 'all territories', says society backs warPresident Vladimir Putin promised to hold elections on 'all territories' of Russia and claimed public support for the war in Ukraine at the United Russia party congress.
- Russian police warn Communist Party candidate over 'possible' media law abuseOfficers from the Center for Combating Extremism have issued a formal warning to Communist Party State Duma candidate Alexander Safonov over a 'possible' abuse of media freedom.
- Russian strikes on Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia regions kill five, wound dozensRussian forces struck Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia regions, killing five people and wounding dozens, according to Ukrainian officials and local media.
- Russia asks all countries to ban protests near its embassies during Duma electionMoscow has sent diplomatic notes to all countries requesting they ban demonstrations near Russian diplomatic missions during the September State Duma election.
- Two Tajik men arrested in Moscow for wearing women's clothing at Sadovod marketTwo Tajik citizens were arrested for 10 days and will be deported from Russia after appearing in women's clothing at Moscow's Sadovod market, where they were charged with 'propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations.'
- Ukrainian drone strike kills two children in Russia's YeyskTwo children were killed and two adults hospitalized after Ukrainian drones struck civilian infrastructure and homes in the Yeysk district of Russia's Krasnodar region.
- Russian governor urges residents to report people with accents to FSBThe governor of Russia's Oryol region has called on residents to report to security services anyone with a 'speech accent' or poor knowledge of the area as a potential saboteur.
- Russian strike on Kyiv kills railway worker, hits Odesa stationA Russian missile strike on a railway facility in Kyiv's Darnytskyi district killed one employee and wounded several people, Ukrainian authorities said.
- Ukrainian drones hit Ozon warehouse in Samara region, refinery ablazeUkrainian drones struck an Ozon logistics complex in Chapayevsk, Samara region, for the first time, sparking a fire that forced the evacuation of over 500 workers, while a separate blaze hit a Rosneft refinery nearby.
- Russia allows amputees to drive buses and trucksPrime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has eased medical restrictions, allowing people with a missing or severely deformed arm or leg to drive buses, trams, trolleybuses and trucks.
- Fuel shortages hit Russian resorts as queues stretch 16 hoursGasoline shortages in the Black Sea resort towns of Gelendzhik and Sochi have left drivers waiting in lines of up to 16 hours, with fuel running out even at the last station that had supplies.
- Rodina party sues to remove Yabloko from Pskov regional election ballotThe Rodina party has filed a lawsuit demanding that the Yabloko party be removed from the ballot for the Pskov regional legislative elections, with a court hearing scheduled for August 25.
- Russian forces strike Kryvyi Rih mall twice, killing 2 and wounding 52Russian forces twice attacked a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih on Friday, killing two people and wounding 52, including six children, local officials said.
- Russia re-labels Mediazona as 'foreign agent' alongside 'First Flight' and five activistsRussia's Justice Ministry has again added the independent news outlet Mediazona to its 'foreign agents' registry, along with the democratic community 'First Flight' and five activists.
- Russian blogger jailed for throwing 5,000 rubles into Mamayev Kurgan poolA court in Volgograd ordered pretrial detention for blogger Svyatoslav Kovalenko and his friend Andrei Yaroshenko, accused of desecrating a war memorial on Mamayev Kurgan.
- Russians' emigration interest surges amid new mobilization rumorsThe human rights project Kovcheg received 6.3 times more questions about leaving Russia in the first 20 days of August than in all of May, amid rumors of a new mobilization wave.
- Russian court sentences comedian Semyon Slepakov to 400 hours of community service in absentiaA Moscow court has sentenced comedian Semyon Slepakov in absentia to 400 hours of community service for failing to label his social media posts as those of a 'foreign agent.'