Charles Maynes

The World

Charles is a reporter and producer based in Moscow.

Charles is a reporter and producer based in Moscow.

The monument to “Iron Felix” Dzerzhinsky, the founder and patron saint of the Soviet secret police.

In the removal of a Soviet symbol of oppression, Russians see lessons for the US

As debates in the US rage over the removal of Confederate and other monuments that celebrate a racist past, some in Russia have been thinking hard about how people there confront their own history. 

In the removal of a Soviet symbol of oppression, Russians see lessons for the US
crew

From the USSR with love: A sailor’s 50-year-old message in a bottle makes it to Alaska

From the USSR with love: A sailor’s 50-year-old message in a bottle makes it to Alaska
Shiyes police

Eco-protesters fight Moscow’s attempt to ‘trash’ Russia’s north

Eco-protesters fight Moscow’s attempt to ‘trash’ Russia’s north
Two men sit at a desk and sign a paper

As landmark nuclear treaty fades, its Cold War authors ask ‘What next?’ 

As landmark nuclear treaty fades, its Cold War authors ask ‘What next?’ 
The coat of arms of Russia is reflected in a laptop screen in this picture illustration

The trolls are winning, says Russian troll hunter

The trolls are winning, says Russian troll hunter
Victoria Lomasko is shown in this portrait photo with black coat standing in front of an illustrated wall.

Looking for stories of Russia beyond Putin? This artist has the answer.

If you’re among those who feel press coverage of Russia has an unhealthy fascination with all things Vladimir Putin, then enter artist Victoria Lomasko’s “Other Russias” to the rescue. Lomasko is out to capture Russian stories that most of us never see.

Looking for stories of Russia beyond Putin? This artist has the answer.
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017.

As Trump-Putin summit looms, Russia eyes its return to global power status

How is the Kremlin viewing the upcoming summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin? It's Russia’s symbolic return from international isolation to a global powerbroker and America needs to negotiate once more.

As Trump-Putin summit looms, Russia eyes its return to global power status
An activist with Reporter Without Borders, wearing a mask depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin, stands next to a giant portrait of imprisoned Russian journalist Alexei Kungurov on the Place de la Republique

Between Sochi and the World Cup, Putin built up a resistance to Western criticism over human rights

As Russia hosts the 2018 World Cup, it's being condemned for many of the same human rights abuses it was criticized for in the lead-up to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. Now, President Vladimir Putin seems much more resistant to Western criticism.

Between Sochi and the World Cup, Putin built up a resistance to Western criticism over human rights
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends his fourth inauguration ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2018.

Putin's fourth inauguration was a Russia-first extravaganza

Russian President Vladimir Putin was sworn in to a fourth term in office on Monday, extending his 18-year rule amid promises of continuity in foreign policy and renewed efforts toward building prosperity at home.

Putin's fourth inauguration was a Russia-first extravaganza
Silhouettes of mobile users are seen next to logos of social media apps Signal, Whatsapp and Telegram projected on a screen in this picture illustration taken March 28, 2018.

Russian authorities want to ban Telegram in the country. But it's not going as well as they had hoped.

The Russian government is moving to block the messaging app after the company refused to comply with a court order demanding access to user data. But so far, the ban hasn’t gone as smoothly as Russian authorities had hoped.

Russian authorities want to ban Telegram in the country. But it's not going as well as they had hoped.
A person is bent backward as a bag flies overhead during a game outside a polling place.

Putin wins, surprising no one, but voter turnout rose

The election was never about whether Putin would win. But high voter turnout has been marred by reports of ballot stuffing and other unethical means of getting support for the incumbent president.

Putin wins, surprising no one, but voter turnout rose
A crowd of young people are gathered. Two hold up two large signs in Russian.

There are no surprises in Russia's upcoming elections. Putin will win.

Vladimir Putin will win his fourth term after 18 years in power. But behind the scenes of an election with a foregone conclusion — an event that should be drama-free — a more complicated picture emerges.

There are no surprises in Russia's upcoming elections. Putin will win.
The Internet Research Agency, or IRA, in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A mole among trolls: Inside Russia's online propaganda machine

Russian journalist Vitaly Bespalov worked in the now-infamous Internet Research Agency, which employed internet trolls to reinforce state-sanctioned messages.

A mole among trolls: Inside Russia's online propaganda machine
Alexander Borodai (C), former prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, poses with delegates during the Union of Donbass Volunteers congress in Moscow, Russia, Oct. 10, 2015.

Russia’s shadow armies: Soldiers, mercenaries or volunteers?

A close look at the conflicts in both Ukraine and Syria shows that the Russian definition of “soldier,” “mercenary” and “volunteer” seem to blur when convenient.

Russia’s shadow armies: Soldiers, mercenaries or volunteers?
The statue of liberty and an American flag are on a blue sky, with words in Russian at the bottom of the image.

A guide to Russian ‘demotivator’ memes

Long before Russia ever launched social media campaigns in the US, Kremlin-backed trolling was alive and well at home. In this online underworld of paid seeders, twitterati and trolls, “demotivators” — Russian internet picture memes — play a special bottom-feeder role.

A guide to Russian ‘demotivator’ memes