Russia

Black, white and blue illustration of a man wearing a mask, helmet and sunglasses, centered, with a skull behind him.

A conversation with a former member of Wagner: ‘They were like little kings or czars’

With large numbers of young Russian fighters dying on the battlefield in Ukraine, the Wagner mercenary group must constantly recruit to replenish its stocks. It's now gone online and is using the same tactics that ISIS once used to lure young men to go fight in Syria.

A conversation with a former member of Wagner: ‘They were like little kings or czars’
man with guitar

This blues musician fled Russia for Serbia. But he sounds like he came straight from the Mississippi Delta.

This blues musician fled Russia for Serbia. But he sounds like he came straight from the Mississippi Delta.
man at table

Ethnic minorities in Russia are campaigning for the breakup of the country

Ethnic minorities in Russia are campaigning for the breakup of the country
paintings on the wall

Russian artists in exile create new identity and work 

Russian artists in exile create new identity and work 
boy at chalkboard

Ukrainian refugees create their own school in Romania

Ukrainian refugees create their own school in Romania
Zhemal Gamakharia, Chairman of Abkhazia’s Supreme Council, a regional-level parliament.

Georgian politicians from Russian-occupied Abkhazia run a ‘government-in-exile’

Many people living in Georgia  who fled Abkhazia in 1993 now say they are dissatisfied with the politicians in charge of their needs.  

Georgian politicians from Russian-occupied Abkhazia run a ‘government-in-exile’
Azerbaijani troops attend the parade in Baku, Azerbaijan, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020.

Azerbaijan establishes checkpoint at Lachin Corridor, spiking tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh

More than 100,000 Armenians still live in Nagorno-Karabakh, and they depend on the Lachin Corridor as the only road that connects to the rest of Armenia.

Azerbaijan establishes checkpoint at Lachin Corridor, spiking tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh
In this photo provided by The Federation Council of The Federal Assembly of The Russian Federation Press Service, lawmakers of Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation listen to the national anthem at a session in Moscow, Russi

In Russia, a novel about a summer romance between two men sparks outrage

Novels about queer topics have been pulled from bookstores in Russia under a recent law that bans all mention of LGBTQ life in popular culture. It's part of a regional crackdown against novelists and poets.

In Russia, a novel about a summer romance between two men sparks outrage
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attends a military promotion ceremony, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. 

Where does Brazil stand with the war in Ukraine?

Over the last week, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva courted controversy with his remarks on the conflict in Ukraine, causing tensions between Brazil and the US. 

Where does Brazil stand with the war in Ukraine?
man at podium

Kremlin eyes US intelligence leak, questions authenticity

There are still lots of unknowns about a leaked trove of classified US intelligence information. Secrets about Russia's war in Ukraine made their way online, then, eventually, into the news. The incident has been embarrassing for the Pentagon and the White House. In Russia, officials at the Kremlin and media commentators are all paying close attention. 

Kremlin eyes US intelligence leak, questions authenticity
illustration of people at a table

Many Jews this year will celebrate Passover with a traditional reading in Ukrainian for the first time 

The night of April 5 marks the beginning of Passover. Traditionally, Jewish families gather around the dinner table for the holiday with a festive meal where they eat matzah and read aloud from the Haggadah. The text tells the Passover story, guiding readers through a tale of redemption. On Wednesday night, many Ukrainians will be reading the Haggadah in their own language for the first time.

Many Jews this year will celebrate Passover with a traditional reading in Ukrainian for the first time 
The Kyiv Pesherska Lavra, the Monastery of the Caves, in Kyiv, Ukraine, ornate cathedral, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s the heart of Ukrainian Orthodoxy.

Divisions among Orthodox church communities widen amid war in Ukraine

This month, the Ukrainian government issued an eviction notice to clergy at Pecherska Lavra, where some Orthodox Christians may still have close ties with Russia.

Divisions among Orthodox church communities widen amid war in Ukraine
Fans are seen on the stands during the Russian Premier-League soccer match between Khimki and Rostov Rostov-on-Don, in Khimki, outside Moscow, Russia.

Russia’s new Fan ID law seen as new form of authoritarian surveillance

​​​​​​​In Russia, in order to attend soccer matches in the country's Premier League, fans now need to present a "Fan ID." The state says it’s about public safety and security. But Russian soccer fans aren’t buying it. 

Russia’s new Fan ID law seen as new form of authoritarian surveillance
Colleagues gather at a cafeteria in the offices of Picsart, in Yerevan, Armenia.

Russia's war turns Armenia into a booming tech sector

Thousands of Russian tech workers have fled to Armenia, helping the country’s tech sector double in size and fueling dramatic economic growth over the last year.

Russia's war turns Armenia into a booming tech sector
A visitor takes in the painting “Red Sunset," by Mariupol painter Arkhyp Kuindzhi. 

Art historians debate identity of iconic Mariupol painter

Arkhyp Kuindzhi is a revered artist who was born in the Russian empire. He was from Mariupol, which is now part of the modern Ukrainian state, sparking a debate among art historians: Should he be considered a Ukrainian or a Russian artist?

Art historians debate identity of iconic Mariupol painter