Stories from Moscow · Russia

Leila Izobokarova, an artist, jeweler, and goldsmith from the Caucasus region, is featured for her exceptional craftsmanship. Her work has garnered disbelief, with many assuming she has a workshop rather than creating pieces herself.

Russian travel operators are lifting restrictions on flights to Israel, despite the ongoing conflict in the region. The current Russian airline fleet consists of 1,089 aircraft, approximately two-thirds of which are of foreign manufacture. Nikitin noted that biometric data submission will be required for these operations. A Mahan Air flight from Iran is scheduled to arrive in Moscow today, marking the first flight on this route in two months. Previous flights were suspended following the closure of Iranian airspace due to regional escalation in late February. The arrival follows a two-month hiatus in direct air travel between the two nations. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have lifted restrictions on flights within the country's airspace. This announcement was made by the Emirates state news agency WAM.

Problems with internet and mobile service have been reported in major Russian cities. The Russian Ministry of Digital Development stated that Russian services remain available to users abroad in their standard mode. The Ministry recommended that users outside Russia access domestic sites and applications via local mobile internet if standard methods fail. Russian platforms may temporarily reduce international traffic due to large-scale DDoS attacks. Green Party MP Konstantin von Notz stated that digital attacks are exposing weaknesses in Germany's communication infrastructure protection. The FBI and Dutch intelligence services have attributed recent sabotage and espionage actions to Russia. Von Notz noted that identifying the exact origins of these digital attacks remains difficult. The German government cannot rule out further impacts on signal users.

A commentator suggested that football players sometimes arrange illegal agreements, potentially influencing match outcomes.

A Russian man, Marchenkov, has been sentenced to five years in prison for defrauding elderly residents, many of whom were women, out of their money. The investigation follows the February 2026 conviction of Andrey Marchenko, who received a fine for bribery. Prosecutors are currently appealing that sentence, arguing it was too lenient. The prosecutor has appealed the bribery conviction of Andrei Marchenko, arguing the sentence was too lenient. The mother of official Medovik has reportedly ceased her pursuit of justice in the case. Russian forces launched 47 ballistic missiles and over 600 drones toward Ukrainian territory. Petro Viskov, head of the Dnipro regional military administration, reported 4 deaths and 27 injuries following strikes on a residential building in Dnipro. A separate Russian raid also targeted two buildings in the same city.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has honored the late politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky in a film set to air on the "Moscow, Kremlin, Putin" program. The film, directed by Nikita Mikhalkov, explores Zhirinovsky's charisma and leadership over his 30-year tenure as head of a major Russian party and his eight terms as a Duma deputy. Zhirinovsky would have turned 80 this year, and Putin attended an exhibition dedicated to his birthday. A program on Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda will feature discussions about Vladimir Zhirinovsky's attempts to look into the future. The project is titled 'Prophecy of Zhirinovsky'.

Komsomolskaya Pravda reported on archaeological findings that allow for the reconstruction of Paleolithic clothing with a good degree of certainty. The findings stem from early Upper Paleolithic burials, including the famous Sungir site near Vladimir. Analysis of animal hides suggests the use of fur and leather. These discoveries provide insights into the material culture and survival strategies of early humans.

The Soyuz-5 rocket is scheduled for a demonstration flight on April 26, 2026. This mission is a critical step in testing the launch vehicle's capabilities for upcoming space operations. A demo flight for the Soyuz-5 rocket is currently in the 'Go for Launch' status. A Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket is scheduled to launch the Starlink Group 17-16 mission on April 26, 2026, at 14:36:50Z. Launch Library confirms the mission is a 'Go for Launch' using a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, scheduled for April 26 at 14:36:50Z.

The Russian marketplace Wildberries is seeing a reduction in income for its pickup point operators as the company shifts preference toward larger retail networks. While the total number of pickup points grew 43% to 94,000 over the past year, the company is optimizing costs by closing underperforming locations. This move follows the company reaching its planned performance targets. The marketplace claims that figures totaling 10.1 billion rubles in agency commissions for the previous year are being misinterpreted. This follows reports in Kommersant suggesting a 25 percent decline in payouts compared to the prior year.

During a Duma session, Russian Defense Minister Anna Tsivileva spoke about the scale of missing soldiers, a figure previously not acknowledged. In one instance, soldiers' bodies were recovered by fellow servicemen, not commanders, after being left on the battlefield. A group of wives of soldiers from the 74th Motor Rifle Brigade, who were searching for missing personnel and publishing obituaries, was declared extremist and banned by a court in Chita. A Polish court is hearing a case involving the abduction of a minor in August 1980. The accused allegedly hid the child from enforcement authorities. In September 1987, the defendants are accused of assaulting and threatening a bailiff and a judge involved in a custody case. These actions were intended to prevent the execution of court orders. The defense attorney argued that the child's best interest is paramount in custody decisions.