Stories from Moscow · Russia

A Vice-Speaker of the State Duma has introduced a law regarding restrictions on the Unified State Exam. The deputy, speaking in a Moscow-based broadcast, framed the proposal as a measure to address specific issues.

Rapper Navay was involved in an accident involving a sportcat, according to reports.

The Russian toy marking system includes approximately 34,500 market participants, according to Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Ekaterina Priozhova. This figure includes 2,500 manufacturers, which is three times higher than previous Ministry of Industry and Trade data indicated. The marking system has been implemented in the children's goods industry since 2020. It currently covers children's footwear, clothing, perfume, cosmetics, and bicycles. Between January and April, the volume of domestic cars reached 62%, compared to 54% during the same period last year. The department cited analytical data for these figures.

Yandex announced a share buyback program worth up to 50 billion rubles to motivate employees. The program is expected to operate over a two-year period. Following the announcement, Yandex stock prices rose by approximately one percent on the Moscow Exchange. The procedure is expected to span a period of two years. Yandex announced in late April that the buyback is intended to implement an employee motivation program. Employees will not receive voting rights or dividends until the shares are transferred to them. The buyback will be executed by Yantech LLC.

A Russian court has transferred the controlling stake of Rusagro, owned by Vadim Mashkovets, to the state. A Russian court partially granted a lawsuit to seize assets belonging to RusAgro founder and former senator Vadim Mashkovich in a corruption case. The state has taken control of 65% of RusAgro shares. Additionally, 10.5 billion rubles held in Mashkovich's accounts were confiscated. Despite the seizure, RusAgro shares saw an increase on the Moscow Exchange on Tuesday. Mashkovich, the founder of Rusagro, was detained and arrested over a year ago following initial fraud allegations. The Prosecutor General's Office later identified corruption components in the case. Approximately 20% of Rusagro shares are traded on the Moscow Exchange. Shares of the holding company rose nearly 3.5% following reports that the controlled stake would transition to the state.

Several major Moscow theaters have requested that patrons print electronic tickets in advance or download them to mobile devices. This measure follows reported mobile internet restrictions in the capital scheduled from May 5 to May 9.

Nearly one-quarter of the Russian bond market is facing potential default, according to expert assessments. The price index for industrial raw materials continued to rise due to supply shortages and increased production costs. The market continues to monitor the situation in the Persian Gulf as oil prices reach 102 dollars per barrel. New car sales in Russia grew by 11 percent between January and April, reaching 385,000 units according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Electric vehicle sales increased by 26 percent during the same period, with half of those being domestically produced. The market share of Russian-made automobiles rose to 62 percent from 54 percent in the previous year. Expenses are currently growing faster than revenues, leaving companies with insufficient funds to service debt.

Victory Day parades have been cancelled in two Russian cities. The specific cities affected were not named. The reason for the cancellation is not specified in the report. This cancellation was confirmed by multiple sources.

UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan has begun training for his next fight, according to a TASS source. The athlete is prioritizing a third bout against Mirab Dvalishvili, which could take place in August.

The Moscow Regional Court terminated a criminal case against the rapper Guf regarding allegations of self-governance.