German sculptor Jacques Tilly has been sentenced in absentia by a Russian court to 8.5 years in prison for his sculptures that mock Putin.

He clearly hit a nerve. Absolute badge of honor.

Thanks to the Oxford Literary Festival for inviting me to speak about The Baton and The Cross and life in Russia today with fellow authors Jana Bakunina, Joe Luc Barnes and Alex Diggins. And thanks to Blenheim Palace park for a beautiful walk at sunset!

Poland’s History War Politically, Polish society is split down the middle and is embroiled in culture wars. Museums are caught in the crosshairs.

Poland isn’t just debating its future - it’s fighting over its past.
In today’s deeply polarised climate, history has become a battleground and museums are on the frontline. ip-quarterly.com/en/polands-h...

Spring 2026 Issue: A New German Foreign Policy? The 23rd issue of INTERNATIONALE POLITIK QUARTERLY focuses on German foreign policy one year after the Merz government came into office.

Our new issue, A New German Foreign Policy?, features @lucyaash.bsky.social, @andreasrinke.bsky.social, @bressansar.bsky.social, @wolfgangschmidt.bsky.social, @josephdeweck.bsky.social, @rebeccawire.bsky.social, @fraghi.bsky.social, @johnkampfner.bsky.social & more.

ip-quarterly.com/en/spring-20...

The worst war the Soviets ever fought is now haunting Putin Afghanistan was the grave of the Soviet Union – the Ukraine conflict bears striking similarities

My take on 2 wars 4 decades apart. inews.co.uk/opinion/wors...

In a dangerous world, Britain needs its diplomats more than ever – this is no time to axe them | John Kampfner Cut off from Europe by Brexit and cast adrift by Donald Trump, maintaining diplomatic expertise and connections is crucial, says author John Kampfner

Job cuts at the British Foreign Office is another wilful act of self-harm, just at a time of maximum turbulence. My piece @theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

How the Russian Orthodox Church is recruiting for the Ukraine war – and alienating believers The Patriarchate’s support for the military has intensified, and its outreach has expanded to America’s religious right. But for the faithful at home, trust in the church is wavering, writes Lucy Ash

Patriarch Kirill has degraded his church by turning it into an army recruitment office. My piece today for @chathamhouse.org www.chathamhouse.org/publications...

«Это хорошая жизнь». Европейские политики, которые публично поддерживают Путина, зарабатывают деньги в ток-шоу «Первого канала». Среди них — бывший министр иностранных дел Австрии Карин Кнайсль — Нова... «Для меня понятно, что разжигатели войны — это политики в Брюсселе, а не кто-то еще. Там что-то поломалось, что-то испортилось — и это происходит во всём ЕС», — так бывший министр иностранных дел Авст...

Outrageous that Austria's former foreign minister has earned over 1 million roubles for regurgitating Kremlin propaganda on Russian TV ...but this is a woman who danced with Putin on her wedding day.
novayagazeta.eu/articles/202...

Some very interesting reflections on fasting in wartime and forgiveness by Father Andrey Kordochkin in @themoscowtimes.com

Pushkin House, which describes it self as "the only independent cultural organisation in the West whose mission is to deepen understanding of Russia" asked for my thoughts on the 4th anniversary of Putin's assault on Ukraine. www.pushkinhouse.org/pages/24-Feb...

On March 24, I will be in conversation @gowerst-books.bsky.social with @lucyaash.bsky.social about my new book, 'The Return of Russia: From Yeltsin to Putin, the Story of a Vengeful Kremlin.' (@yalebooks.bsky.social). If you are in London that evening, please come to join the discussion.

Huge thanks to Helen Shair for the invite to
@authorsinoundle.bsky.social
and to Russian military expert @keirgiles.bsky.social for expertly steering our chat on The Baton and the Cross. Also discovered he reads Old Church Slavonic - did not see that one coming!

Pure genius!

The return of the German military There is a strong anti-military strain in German culture and the introduction of national service has not been popular. But times have changed

www.thenewworld.co.uk/lucy-ash-the...

Putin Demands Believers in Ukraine Pray His Way - Providence The image of Russia as a bastion of conservative Christianity against a decadent West exists purely to legitimize Putin’s repression of any Christian communities beyond his control

Russian police in occupied Ukraine should be hit with Magnitsky sanctions says this excellent piece in Providence magazine. Anti-terrorism officers are being mobilised with Moscow’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to conduct raids and disappear Ukrainian Christians.
providencemag.com/2026/02/puti...

On Thursday (19 Feb) I'll be interviewing @lucyaash.bsky.social about her book 'The Baton And The Cross' on the Russian Orthodox Church - amzn.to/3Obg1oL

We brainstormed some images for the welcome slideshow to remind the audience this is not a "church" in the sense they might be familiar with.

BBC World Service - The Documentary Podcast, Kentucky’s Real People Radio WMMT radio in Kentucky reaches some of the least heard communities in America

I loved this tribute to the power of radio. Listen to this perceptive portrait of Appalachia scarred by opioids, unemployment and carcinogenic coal dust, yet united by Kentucky bluegrass and a deep sense of community. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p... nice work @mariamargaronis.bsky.social

Russia: The Price of ‘Treason’ State security agencies are amplifying warnings to enemies of the state using compliant pro-Kremlin Russian journalists.

An alarming piece from @andreisoldatov.bsky.social and Irina Borogan on young enemies of the Russian state. From the age of 14 you can be held criminally responsible and jailed for 14 years. cepa.org/article/russ...

Tell The Government: Strengthen UK-EU Environmental Cooperation Climate change and environmental problems don't respect borders. The UK and EU must work together to protect our shared environment, tackle the climate crisis, and preserve biodiversity for future gen...

Sick of filthy rivers and sewage on our beaches? I just signed this petition calling for better cooperation with the EU on the environment. Will you add your name, too? www.europeanmovement.co.uk/uk-eu-enviro...

«Токсичная взаимозависимость Кремля и Русской православной церкви отравляет российское общество», — журналистка Люси Эш Люси Эш — британская журналистка, проработавшая на BBC четверть века....

libertasfidei.org/ru/oskorbite...
My interview for the Kyiv based think tank Libertas Fidei which analyses the weaponisation of religion. Ukrainian version coming soon!

Excited to be in conversation with @keirgiles.bsky.social next month for @authorsinoundle.bsky.social. Putin described his invasion of Ukraine as a "holy mission" - we'll ask why the Russian Orthodox Church has slavishly backed it. www.authorsinoundle.co.uk/aio-event/lu...

Konstantin Malofeev, owner of Tsargrad TV & Orthodox oligarch says Russia could protect Greenland all that Europe has to do is to agree "to end the war in Ukraine on Russian terms — with Kyiv's capitulation" .://english.pravda.ru/news/world/165421-greenland-us-annexation-russia-response/

Arms production is coming back to Berlin as Germany doubles defence spending. I spoke to locals angry about a repurposed weapons factory in the northern neighbourhood of Wedding. www.bbc.com/audio/play/p...
#Germany #DefenceSpending #Berlin #Wedding #Europe #ArmsIndustry

RUSSIA: Peaceful clergy statements "can become the target of prosecution" In a series of administrative prosecutions, a Krasnodar Region court fined Orthodox priest Fr Iona Sigida on 18 December for allegedly expressing "overt disrespect" for society, state bodies, and stat...

www.forum18.org/archive.php?...
So much for Russia's holiness and trad values. This priest, who is also a monk, was dragged out of his church in Krasnodar by armed men, beaten, shocked with a stun gun and forcibly shaved. He is charged with disrespecting the “military glory” of the Fatherland.

What Pussy Riot did next Thirteen years after the ‘punk prayer’ that saw her jailed, Maria Alyokhina’s new book details how the art collective continues the fight against Putin

Thirteen years after the ‘punk prayer’ that saw her jailed, Maria Alyokhina’s new book details how the art collective continues the fight against Putin

✏️ @lucyaash.bsky.social

Thank you Martin - much appreciated!

Delighted that @edwardlucas.bsky.social has reviewed paperback of The Baton & the Cross today @thetimes.com If you want to know more about why Russian clerics promise eternal life to those who kill Ukrainians, I'm at Stanfords Travel Books in Covent Gdn 19th November.

I was at Sherborne Historical Society this week to talk about the history of the Russian Orthodox Church and why on earth its leader unstintingly supports Putin‘s war. Paperback of The Baton & The Cross out this week @iconbooks #HistoryBooks #UkraineWar #NonfictionReads #PoliticsBooks

Russian Orthodox Priests Don’t Practice What They Preach - The Moscow Times Opinion | A video of a bearded man wearing headphones and repeatedly firing a pistol at a shooting range recently triggered a frenzy on social media.

www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/11/07/r...

The Kremlin’s spiritual phishing Click on ‘traditional values’ and get kidnapping, torture, murder

How the Kremlin hijacks the Orthodox faith for its own ends - a must read from Fr Andrey Kordochkin who supports priests forced into silence, jail or exile: compass.icwa.org/p/the-kremli...