Stories from moscow · Russia

The criminal case involving the head of Avtodor, Ramil Shayduilin, has been transferred to Moscow, according to the Supreme Court press service.

Certain categories of Russian citizens will see an increase in pension benefits starting May 1. Guduma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin announced that pensions for citizens aged 80 and older, as well as those receiving first-group disability status in April, have doubled as of May 1. Additionally, monthly subsidies for large families will be maintained even if per capita income exceeds the regional subsistence minimum by up to 10%. These changes were reported via Volodin's channel. Additionally, a new labeling requirement for specific sweets and confectionery products will begin on May 1 through the Honest Sign system. Similar labeling requirements will also apply to radio electronics and construction materials. Imports of dual-use goods from China to Russia grew by 80% year-on-year in 2025.

Russia will introduce additional one-time payments for veterans of the Great Patriotic War. Federal subsidies for these payments will be uniform for all recipients. The program also includes benefits for people with disabilities.

A Tagansky District Court in Moscow fined Take-Two Interactive 22.3 million rubles for the storage of personal data. The company, which ceased sales in Russia in 2022, faces the penalty despite having withdrawn from the market.

Vladimir Putin has issued an instruction to increase cost-of-living allowances. The move follows reports that up to 20 percent of the population has been affected by stagnant wages despite being employed. The measure aims to mitigate the impact of reduced purchasing power.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed that businessmen make voluntary contributions to the budget for the war in Ukraine. Radio Svoboda reports that Putin has specifically proposed these voluntary contributions to support the war budget against Ukraine.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported via his Telegram channel that the city's fountain season has not yet opened. Specialists have been preparing for the launch. The announcement follows forecasts of warmer weather in Moscow with temperatures expected to reach 18-20 degrees Celsius. Specialists spent nearly the entire month of April preparing the infrastructure. Work included repairing communications, servicing pump stations and hydraulics, and cleaning the fountain basins. The city features hundreds of fountains, including dry and semi-dry varieties. Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case following an incident on a Moscow bus involving a woman from Buryatia. A designer, Natalya Sundupova, reported that a passenger insulted her based on her nationality and demanded she return to her own country.

Moscow has entered its fifth consecutive year of experiencing frosts, according to weather specialist Mikhail Leus. The minimum temperature at the VDNKh weather station was recorded at -0.6 degrees Celsius.

Russian businesses are increasingly looking toward domestic messaging solutions following the blockage of Telegram. Many users are currently relying on VPNs and proxy servers to maintain connectivity.

President Vladimir Putin signed a law introducing admission quotas for widows of participants in the special military operation. These widows will be able to enter vocational colleges without undergoing entrance examinations. The law was signed by Putin to provide support measures. The law includes provisions for fighters from the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics who have been fighting since May 2014. Currently, Russia provides benefits for special operation participants and their families, covering 10% of total state-funded university places. Irina Abankina, a professor at the Higher School of Economics, noted that the size of the quota will likely remain unchanged. The law provides priority access to specialties related to digital technologies.