News
- Six farm workers killed in strike on Kharkiv region agricultural siteA Russian strike on an agricultural enterprise in Ukraine's Kharkiv region killed six workers and wounded 12 others, according to the head of the regional military administration.
- Kazakhstan court upholds refusal of asylum for activist Yulia Yemelyanova, clearing path for extradition to RussiaA cassation court in Astana has rejected activist Yulia Yemelyanova's appeal against the refusal of asylum, leaving Kazakhstan free to extradite her to Russia, where she faces a criminal charge she denies.
- Putin's Sochi Residence Rebuilt Under Classified FSO Defense OrderOld buildings at Bocharov Ruchey, Vladimir Putin's Black Sea residence in Sochi, were demolished in 2024 and replaced by larger structures under a classified Federal Protection Service (FSO) defense contract awarded without tender, according to BBC Russian.
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
- Russia's Finance Ministry Proposes Taxing Deposits and Dividends at Rates Up to 22%Russia's Finance Ministry has proposed taxing bank deposit interest, dividends and other personal income at rates of up to 22%, as part of a budget package of amendments to the Tax Code for 2027–2029 that the government will review on Thursday.
- Drone Debris Sparks Fire at Kuban Plant as Strikes Hit Rostov RegionFalling drone debris damaged an oil depot in Russia's Rostov region and started a fire at a plant in the Krasnodar region, officials said, as Moscow reported downing 40 Ukrainian drones overnight.
- Zelensky Offers Energy Truce If Russia Halts Strikes on Ukrainian Power GridUkraine's president said Kyiv is ready for any format of an energy truce and will not strike Russian energy facilities if Moscow does the same to Ukraine's power, heating and water systems.
- Putin Tells Veterans Duma Vote Was 'For You' as Analysts Allege Mass FraudVladimir Putin thanked Russians for voting in the State Duma election and told participants in the war in Ukraine the ballot was cast in their support, as electoral analysts alleged the results were falsified.
- Russia's Central Bank to tell lenders to verify cash origins as banknote outflow persistsThe Bank of Russia will issue a new recommendation to banks on verifying the origin of cash deposited into accounts and used in conversion operations, with the document expected to be published shortly, according to a senior regulator official.
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
- Owner of Lady Gaga Fan Account Reveals Two-Year Silence Was a Belarusian Prison SentenceThe man behind the Gaga Daily fan account said he spent more than two years in a Belarusian prison for protesting against the government, explaining a silence that stretched from March 2022 to September 2026.
- Putin's Law School Classmate's Firms Win All Moscow School Catering Tenders Worth 127 Billion RublesFour companies registered in March 2024, months after Yevgeny Prigozhin's death, have won every Moscow school catering tender worth a combined 127 billion rubles, according to Verstka.
- Russia Adds YouTuber Yuri Dud to Rosfinmonitoring's 'Terrorists and Extremists' ListRosfinmonitoring has added journalist Yuri Dud to its list of 'terrorists and extremists', with several outlets noting an asterisk beside his name that typically indicates involvement in a terrorism case.
- Russia's Supreme Court Proposes Shrinking Juries to Four and Adding a JudgeRussia's Supreme Court has proposed cutting jury panels to four members and adding a professional judge as a fifth, part of a reform concept presented at a roundtable in Moscow.
- Russia Revives Plan to Charge for International Traffic, Now on 5G NetworksRussian authorities have revived discussions about charging users for international internet traffic, this time targeting 5G networks launched in early September, according to BBC Russian's sources in the telecom market.
- Son of Ex-Duma Deputy Who Lost 18 Billion Rubles to State Seizure Now Heads Leroy Merlin SuccessorDenis Isayev, son of a former United Russia State Duma deputy whose shares and 18 billion rubles were seized by a court in April, has been appointed head of the legal entity behind the Lemana PRO retail chain, according to corporate registry data.
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
- Russian drone strike on Kyiv kills two, injures 25 and disrupts internetA Russian attack on Kyiv killed two people and injured 25, damaging data centers of two internet providers and causing outages across the Ukrainian capital, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
- Fires Erupt at Rosneft and Bashneft Refineries After Drone Strikes on Ufa and SamaraFires broke out at oil refineries in Ufa and Samara after overnight drone attacks, with Ukrainian monitoring channels reporting a burning tank at Rosneft's Kuibyshev plant and smoke over a Bashneft facility.
- Volodin poised to become first Russian State Duma speaker elected to three consecutive termsVyacheslav Volodin may retain the speakership of Russia's lower house of parliament for a third consecutive term, RBC reported, a first in the State Duma's history.
- Yekaterinburg Court Hands Tyumen Man 8 Years for Telegram 'Stars'A court in Yekaterinburg sentenced a Tyumen resident to eight years in a strict-regime colony over paid Telegram reactions totaling 292.99 rubles, which investigators classified as terrorism financing.
- Russia's Financial Monitoring Service Proposes Freezing Accounts on Partial Name MatchA draft amendment would let Russian banks freeze accounts when a client's name and birth date partially match entries on the government's extremism and terrorism list.
- US Begins Work on Freeing Russian Political Prisoners, Trump Envoy SaysJohn Cole, the US president's special representative for Belarus, said Washington is starting work on the release of Russian political prisoners, adding that he already has lists but is not yet ready to make them public.
- Todd Boehly Builds Consortium to Buy Lukoil's Foreign AssetsTodd Boehly has assembled a consortium including a US government corporation and Gulf investors to acquire Lukoil's international assets, with the deal at an advanced stage, the Financial Times reports.
- Russia strikes Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy overnight, killing civilians and setting fuel stations and a shopping centre ablazeRussian forces launched 161 attack drones at Ukraine overnight, hitting Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy and the Kharkiv region, with at least one person killed in Kyiv and a captain killed in Odesa.
- Russia Weighs New Air Passenger Fee of Up to 700 Rubles per TicketThe Transport Ministry and state corporation Rostec are discussing a new levy on airline passengers that could reach 700 rubles per domestic ticket, with no decision yet on its size or collection mechanism.
- Kaluga Region and Zabaykalsky Krai Impose Gasoline Sales Limits as Three Refineries Hit in Three DaysRussia's Kaluga Region reinstated an odd-even fuel rationing system on September 23, while Zabaykalsky Krai capped gasoline sales at 15 liters per car, as The Moscow Times reported that three Russian refineries were struck over three days.
- Russia's 2026 budget deficit to nearly double its targetRussia's federal budget deficit will reach 3% of GDP in 2026, nearly double the 1.6% written into law, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said.
- EU Extends Russia Sanctions to 2029 and Drops Usmanov and Fridman From ListThe Council of the European Union has extended sanctions against Russian individuals and entities until 22 September 2029, while removing Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from the list.
- Auchan's New CEO Is a Rosimushchestvo Official Who Still Lists a Canadian StartupIlya Berdnikov, an executive director at Russia's federal property agency Rosimushchestvo, has been named CEO of Auchan's Russian business, Kommersant reported, citing a source familiar with the situation.
- Russia's Health Ministry Approves First Clinical Guidelines for Treating Fetishism and SadomasochismRussia's Health Ministry has published its first official clinical guidelines for diagnosing and treating disorders of sexual preference, covering fetishism, sadomasochism and other conditions under the country's Soviet-era classification.
- FSB Imposes Border Movement Restrictions Near Estonia Two Days Before VoteThe FSB's border directorate has imposed temporary bans on movement in two districts of the Leningrad Region, two days before voting, according to Novaya Gazeta Europe.
- Zelensky and Trump to meet in New York for one-hour talksVolodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump are scheduled to meet in New York at 13:15 local time, with one hour allotted for the talks, according to the US president's schedule.
- Metropolitan Hilarion Sues TV Rain Over Cocaine Incident in Czech RepublicMetropolitan Hilarion, the former head of the Moscow Patriarchate's external church relations department, has filed a lawsuit against the TV Rain channel, with a preliminary hearing set for November 2.
- Jailed saxophonist Shabanov asks to be added to prisoner exchange listsPolitical prisoner Andrei Shabanov, a saxophonist serving six years in a Russian penal colony, has asked to be included in lists for a prisoner exchange between Russia and EU countries, according to a letter published by Novaya Gazeta.
- Four Killed in Fire at Sterlitamak Shopping Center, Criminal Case OpenedA fire at the Solnechny shopping and service complex in Sterlitamak killed four people and injured four others, with a criminal case opened over negligent homicide.
- Memorial asks Durov to make paid Telegram reactions anonymous by default over terrorism-financing casesThe rights project Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial has asked Telegram founder Pavel Durov to make paid reactions anonymous by default, saying investigators use the public list of senders to build terrorism-financing cases.
- Leaked Files Show A7 Moved $6.9 Billion Through Western Banks Using Fake InvoicesA payment system created with backing from a Russian state bank routed $6.9 billion through Western and Emirati lenders using shell companies and forged documents, according to hundreds of thousands of files obtained by the Financial Times.
- United Russia Loses Expat Vote in 40 Countries, Wins in Riga Where Embassy Staff Cast a Third of BallotsUnited Russia lost the overseas parliamentary vote in 40 countries, but won in Riga, where embassy staff accounted for roughly a third of ballots cast for the ruling party, according to an analysis by the outlet Agentstvo.
- Theater Director Zhenya Berkovich Sent to Punishment Cell for Third Time Without Needed MedicationTheater director Zhenya Berkovich has been sent to a punishment cell (SHIZO) for the third time, where she is not receiving medication she needs, according to Novaya Gazeta.
- Ex-Belgorod mayor Konstantin Polezhayev, convicted of bribery and freed to fight, killed in Ukraine warKonstantin Polezhayev, the former mayor of Belgorod sentenced to five years for bribery and released from custody to serve in the military, has been killed in the war, according to his relatives.
- 555 Ukrainians charged with treason and espionage since invasion, rights project findsAt least 555 Ukrainian citizens have faced Russian criminal charges of treason, espionage, confidential cooperation with a foreign state and aiding the enemy since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to research by the rights project First Department and Parubets Analytics.
- Russian ballistic missile strikes on Dnipro and Kyiv kill three, injure more than tenRussian strikes on Dnipro and Kyiv killed three people and wounded more than ten, Ukrainian authorities said, as ballistic missiles hit Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih and Pavlohrad overnight.
- Drones Strike Samara Region, Set Rosneft's Kuibyshev Refinery AblazeA drone attack on the Samara region overnight set Rosneft's Kuibyshev oil refinery on fire, the regional governor said, with dozens of drones downed over the territory.
- Zelensky Met CIA Director Ratcliffe at Irish Airport During Refueling StopUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met CIA Director John Ratcliffe at an Irish airport on September 21 while their planes were refueling, according to Reuters.
- United Russia Would Have Won About 34% Without Falsification, Analysis FindsRussia's ruling party would have received about 34% of the vote if the official result were stripped of falsifications, according to an analysis by Novaya Gazeta Europe.
- EU lifts sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman, extends rest for three yearsEU ambassadors agreed to remove USM Holdings founder Alisher Usmanov and Alfa Group co-founder Mikhail Fridman from the bloc's sanctions list, with the decision taking effect unless any EU government objects within hours.
- Russia's Finance Ministry Drafts Tax Rules for Companies Spending on Drone DefensesRussia's Finance Ministry is drafting amendments to the Tax Code covering how companies can account for spending on protecting facilities from drone attacks and restoring them afterward, Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Sazanov said.
- Trump says US in talks with Belarus on 'large-scale deal' to buy potashUS President Donald Trump said Washington is negotiating a "large-scale deal" with Belarus to purchase potash, writing on his Truth social network that the fertilizer would be cheaper than supplies bought from Canada.
- Courts in Seven Russian Regions Deny Alternative Civilian Service Citing Good Grades in Military Safety CourseCourts in seven Russian regions have rejected conscientious objectors' requests for alternative civilian service, citing their high marks in the school military-safety course as proof they lack pacifist convictions.
- Trump Says Russia Has 'Lost Control' of Its Diesel Industry After Ukrainian Strikes on RefineriesUS President Donald Trump said Russia has "lost control over its diesel industry" as Ukrainian strikes on refineries disrupt fuel production.
- Putin Hands Control of Russian Aptar Plant to Kadyrov's NephewVladimir Putin has transferred control of a Russian plant seized from its American owners to a nephew of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, according to Meduza.
- EU to sanction organizers of 'sham elections' in occupied UkraineThe EU Council said it will not recognize the voting held in occupied parts of Ukraine and will sanction those involved in organizing it.
- Interior Ministry general placed in charge of Auchan and Leroy Merlin promises to shield stores from drone attacksThe firm handed temporary control of Auchan's and Leroy Merlin's Russian assets has told both retailers to keep operating without interruption and promised to defend Auchan's properties against drone attacks.
- United Russia Loses Expat Vote in Paris, Prague and Vilnius as New People SurgesUnited Russia finished behind one or two rival parties at 12 of the 20 overseas polling stations whose results Russia's Central Election Commission has released, according to data cited by Agentstvo.
- A Just Russia enters State Duma after Central Election Commission cited a 'big chance'A Just Russia crossed the 5% threshold to enter the State Duma after the Central Election Commission reported the party had cleared the bar with 96.91% of protocols counted, following an earlier count that left it short at 4.96%.
- United Russia Wins 355 Duma Seats as Turnout Hits Record 59%, Russia's Election Commission SaysRussia's Central Election Commission said United Russia is set to take 355 of the Duma's 450 seats after a record 59.32% turnout, with 95.18% of protocols counted.
- Drones Strike Ufa as Industrial Zone Burns Near Bashneft RefineryA drone attack set an industrial zone in northern Ufa on fire near the Bashneft-Novoil oil refinery, according to the Astra Telegram channel.
- Russian Overnight Strikes Kill Three Across Ukraine, Including a 14-Year-Old Among the WoundedRussian drone and missile attacks across Ukraine overnight killed three people and wounded at least 12, damaging homes, a school, railway infrastructure and port facilities, Ukrainian authorities said.
- Kadyrov Wins 99.85% in Chechnya Election, Setting New RecordRamzan Kadyrov, the incumbent head of Chechnya, won 99.85% of the vote after all ballots were counted, a new personal record, according to the Central Election Commission and the state news agency TASS.
- Yabloko Wins Seats in Novgorod Legislature, the Only Region Where Its Party List Was Allowed on the BallotYabloko has cleared the 5% threshold in the Novgorod regional legislature election, the only one of eight regions where its party list was permitted to run, according to Central Election Commission data.
- Zelensky and Trump Agree to Meet in New York After Phone CallUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he and US President Donald Trump agreed during a phone call to meet in person in New York, calling the upcoming talks one that "can change a lot."
- Moscow men receive military registration notices a day after online votingA pro-war blogger and two Moscow residents say they or their acquaintances were placed on military registration the day after casting ballots through Russia's online voting system, according to Meduza and Agentstvo.