Russia

In the years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, political repression inside Russia has increased considerably. Russia now has hundreds of political prisoners who are tried under new laws that are meant to suppress any form of dissent — especially against the war. Despite relentless pressure, there are still lawyers in Russia fighting for the rights of political prisoners.

How does one gauge public opinion in an authoritarian country, especially during war? This has been an ongoing debate among journalists, sociologists, researchers, and experts who study Russia. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports on their findings.

Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals scored his 895th career goal this weekend. That put the 39-year-old superstar captain ahead of the former record holder, Wayne Gretzky, who congratulated him in a ceremony on the ice, along with a host of other top-echelon athletes. Ovechkin was also congratulated by Russian President Vladimir Putin. What often gets lost amid the excitement is Ovechkin’s pro-Kremlin politics.

In a highly anticipated phone call on Tuesday, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about the potential of a ceasefire in Ukraine. During a meeting last week with US officials in Saudi Arabia, Ukraine supported a proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. However, many Ukrainians, both military and civilian, are skeptical that Russia is at all interested in ending the war.

It’s been just one week since the high-stakes meeting at the Oval Office where a conversation between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy imploded, live on television, for the world to see. Since then, a lot has changed, including in Russia — and you can hear it if you listen to the Kremlin’s state-run media.