In February, we at RFE/RL obtained leaked Russian military hospital records showing the huge toll the Kremlin's war has inflicted on its forces.
We contacted a Chinese national listed as wounded in the database. He confirmed he'd fought for Russia in Ukraine: www.rferl.org/a/russia-war...
Much appreciated, Kolya!
One last thing, for now: RFE/RL have a great track record of important investigative journalism on the Kremlin. Here, for example, is a 2019 exclusive by @mikeeckel.bsky.social and
@carlschreck.bsky.social on Mikhail Lesin's death in a Washington hotel room www.rferl.org/a/lesin-auto...
A Russian diplomat suspected of espionage was pressured to leave Belgium while 19 of his colleagues were expelled in a spy purge. Now Moscow has nominated him for top OSCE posts in Serbia, Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan: www.rferl.org/a/russian-sp...
Ekaterina Barabash, a journalist and film critic, has been detained in Moscow and charged with spreading “fake news” about the Russian military. Her son Yuriy, who broke the news about her detention, lives in Kyiv.
Photo: Yuriy Barabash / Facebook
90,000 Russian privates. 4,000 lieutenants. 3,000 captains. 2,700 warrant officers. 24 lieutenant captains. 34 major generals: Inside the Russian military hospitalization database, obtained exclusively by @RFE/RL.
www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukr...
Russian authorities made more than 20,000 detentions for anti-war activities in the three years since the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to data from the Russian rights monitor OVD-Info: data.ovd.info/antiwar_3_ye...
Remember Igor Kirillov, head of Russia's nuclear defenses, assassinated in Dec. by an exploding scooter that Ukrainian intelligence took credit for?
Well, leaked Ru military hospital records show he'd actually been shot 9 months earlier & spent a month recovering. www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukr...
In a new investigation FT reveals evidence that Russian executions of Ukrainian POWs are likely part of a systematic policy. They uncover the identity of a Russian soldier likely involved in filming and carrying out the mass execution of 6 POWs. @christopherjm.ft.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Muw...
RFE/RL examines the bustling online market offering Russians help in securing Kyrgyz citizenship. www.rferl.org/a/russia-war...
For more background on new(ish) Kyrgyz citizen Ilya Gambashidze and his disinfo ops, see the internal Social Design Agency docs my brilliant @cxemu colleagues & their European partners got their hands on:
Eng: www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukr...
Ukr: www.radiosvoboda.org/a/skhemy-kre...
Donald Trump’s “minerals-for-aid” offer to Ukraine last week has put the spotlight on the country’s vast and rare mineral resources, to which Washington wants rights as payback for past military support.
Our explainer, and a free link: on.ft.com/3X88ybv
Among the newly minted Kyrgyz citizens my colleagues found is Ilya Gambashidze, a Russian sanctioned by the US for heading a massive Kremlin-linked influence op of fake stories and news sites, and forged docs, targeting Ukraine and European elections.
www.rferl.org/a/russia-war...
I marvel at the talents of my RFE/RL colleagues. This time they analyzed Spanish police video & found that Russia-bound sanctioned chemicals seized in Barcelona included a solvent Russia sources for its military (and other things, ofc): www.rferl.org/a/33313478.h...
A Russian musician leapt/fell/was pushed (we may never know for sure) to his death from his 10th floor window during a police raid on suspicion of donating to Ukraine's army.
(And no, not every fatal fall from a window in Russia means foul play.)
www.rferl.org/a/russia-mus...
Really hope I'll finally be able to dunk.
The purge workshopped by Kadyrov in Chechnya going federal.
Six years ago, we used cell records to reveal the kidnapping & likely killing of Andrei Kobyshev, a gay Russian man, by Kadyrov's goons in Grozny: www.rferl.org/a/chechnya-m...
I just checked, and Russian feds still list him as "missing."
Russian security forces have begun collecting data on LGBTQ Russians after the Russian Supreme Court declared the non-existent “LGBT movement” extremist and banned it. Such a database would create unlimited opportunities for blackmail and persecution of queer people.
meduza.io/feature/2025...
The director of the Bulgarian shipping company that owns the ship-- the "Vezhen"-- says it is possible the ship responsible for the damage, but says he doesn't think it was sabotage. The ship may be flying Maltese flag. (h/t Ivan Bedrov; @carlschreck.bsky.social)
www.bta.bg/bg/news/bulg...
Putin offers (deliberately timed) comments and congratulations to Donald Trump. "We are open for dialogue with the new U.S. administration on the Ukrainian conflict. The most important thing here is to eliminate the root causes of the crisis...."
Pro baseball players Bob Uecker and Bob Gibson holding hands in a team photo
RIP Bob Uecker. Never forget the time he and Bob Gibson got in trouble for holding hands during the team photo.
Belvedere was an underrated sitcom - Wesley an underrated TV rapscallion.
His collabing with the brilliant Stephen Duffy from @thelilactime.bsky.social tilted it to full-on positive for me. Plus, that "Let Me Entertain You" song is a banger.
Still can't believe I managed to see Wild At Heart in the theater at age 14. Then had the movie poster hanging on my bedroom wall.
The Museum of Moscow removed a planned section on Soviet repressions from its city history exhibition in response to a "demand" from outside the museum, according to journalist Ksenia Basilashvili.
Carlos The Spanish Air Traffic Controller right now
Father of Timur Praliev - the ex-Wagner fighter who illegally crossed into US from Mexico just weeks after getting combat veteran's ID at an event in Russia - tells us in Kazakhstan he hopes his son stays in the US:
"If he came here, he would be arrested."
www.rferl.org/a/russia-wag...
This is a wonderful obituary for Walter Harris, whose passing might have gone unnoticed by the chess community if not for Daaim Shabazz, of the Chess Drum. Some great stories, photos and games, including holding Bobby Fischer to a draw in a 1958 simul
thechessdrum.net/blog/2024/12...
We looked into Europe Invasion, one of the more influential anti-immigration X accounts that have flourished there over the past 2 years. We found a hall of mirrors driven likely by commercial engagement-baiting rather than ideology: www.rferl.org/a/europe-inv...
I take it back
