Stories from Moscow · Russia

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

Two Olympic volleyball champions are assisting UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev in preparation for his next fight. Rozanbek Jamalov, an Olympic winner in the 74 kg category, and Ahmed Tazhudinov, an Olympic champion in the 97 kg category, are providing support.

The Kremlin will not allow citizens access to the necropolis by the Kremlin Wall on the upcoming Victory Day. The Kremlin Necropolis will be closed to visitors. This closure is a standard security measure for the annual commemoration. Access will be restricted on May 9th.

The first day of a mobile internet blackout in the capital city has concluded, according to the Ministry of Digital Development. A sudden SMS service disruption occurred, according to a report from Moscow. SMS services experienced sudden disruptions, according to a report from Business FM Russia. Citizens and businesses have begun calculating financial losses resulting from the disruption. There are concerns among the public and business sectors that further blocks may occur. The outage affected even whitelisted services during the downtime. Mobile internet and SMS services were unavailable in Moscow for four and a half hours on Tuesday. Authorities attributed the disruption to security considerations. Experts suggest the outage may have been a rehearsal for potential restrictions surrounding May 9 celebrations. Even services on white lists were reportedly affected during the period.

President Vladimir Putin stated that the automotive industry is experiencing difficult times but noted that Kamaz is managing well. He made these remarks during a meeting with Kamaz head Sergey Kagoyev.

A Russian court ruled that rapper Guf and several associates struck a victim in the face and stole a mobile phone during a conflict. The group also deleted video footage recorded by the victim without authorization.

The Moscow Kremlin will be closed to visitors on May 9. The ceremony of the changing of the guards will not take place on Sobornaya Square, according to the Federal Protective Service (FSO) press office. This year's Victory Day parade in the capital will proceed without military vehicles. Additionally, students from Sverdlovsk military schools, Nakhimov schools, and Cadet Corps will not participate in the Red Square ceremonies. The Kremlin stated these decisions were made for security reasons. The Kremlin in Moscow will be closed to visitors from May 9 to May 17. Access to Lenin's Mausoleum will also be restricted during this period. The closure coincides with Victory Day celebrations. The source cited Reuters regarding the upcoming restrictions. The Kremlin will not allow citizens access to the necropolis by the Kremlin Wall on the upcoming Victory Day.

Kaspersky reports that Daemon-Tools software has contained a backdoor since early April. The vulnerability is linked to files signed by the code-signer 'AVB Disc Soft, SIA'. This supply chain attack has affected users in over 100 countries since April 8, 2026.

The distribution area of American maple and hogweed in Russian forests has reached 1.5 million hectares.

The deadline for passing the practical driving exam in Russia has been reduced from six months to 60 days following the successful completion of the theory test. Alexander Lytkin, chief expert of the National Expert Council for Driver Training and Testing, stated the change is viewed as correct by the driving community. The exact volume of affected applicants has not yet been established. Russian authorities are implementing new regulations regarding driver training and testing. According to Alexander Lytkin of the expert council for driver training and testing, medical examinations will play a critical role in license validity. If a physician identifies contraindications during a routine exam and the driver fails a subsequent mandatory follow-up, both the medical certificate and the driver's license will be annulled.