Stories from moscow · Russia

A charity appeal has been launched to raise 568,900 rubles for Sofia Stepanova. Donors can contribute by sending an SMS with the word 'Zhivi' to the number 8776. The funds will be transferred to the 'World Through a Child's Eyes' charitable foundation. The amount is described as a sum for individual contributors. A new asset called the Mariannas token is set to launch at the beginning of next month. Two for-profit companies, Nebula DeFi, a blockchain network provider, and Zone Global Mariannas, which holds the token, are involved. These companies have pledged 2% of their trading profits to the Mariannas Foundation, a charity they created.

Middle Eastern tourists have mass cancelled trips to Russia following the start of the conflict. Maya Lamidze, executive director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, stated that tourists are not renewing tour requests despite the restoration of air travel. Lamidze noted a slowdown and a near-zero level of incoming group tourism. The Kremlin also clarified Vladimir Putin's call to legislators not to focus solely on prohibitions. Travelers from the Middle East are reportedly canceling trips to Russia in large numbers.

Five trains traveling to and from Kaliningrad are currently delayed following the derailment of a freight train. The incident disrupted rail traffic in the Moscow region.

Russia continues to prioritize negotiation as its primary method for resolving conflicts, according to a report. This stance remains a priority for the Russian side despite facing a severe energy crisis. The report noted that strikes by Ukraine on Russian oil infrastructure could trigger larger oil shortages and potentially drive oil prices higher. However, rising fuel prices may actually increase revenues for Russian state and corporate entities. Strikes on Russian oil infrastructure by Ukraine may lead to larger oil shortages and higher prices, while rising fuel costs impact state and corporate revenues. Russia is prioritizing negotiation methods to resolve issues through peaceful agreements. Peskov stated that Russian interests remain protected despite the severe energy crisis.

Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalist Pavel Zarubin that Russia would prefer to achieve its goals in Ukraine through a peaceful agreement. The Kremlin representative also indicated that Washington could potentially restrain the Kyiv regime, but noted that Europe is preventing this action. Peskov's comments were made in response to remarks by US President Donald Trump regarding the proximity of a deal. Peskov also noted that the world is awaiting President Vladimir Putin's upcoming speech at the May 9 parade. He described the anticipated address as very. The Kremlin has stated that any deal with Ukraine depends on Kyiv's actions. The Kremlin stated that any potential deal regarding Ukraine depends on the actions of the Kyiv regime, though noted that European mobilization acts as an obstacle.

Several internal game development studios were closed in January, resulting in the layoff of 1,500 employees. Top managers from these studios have transitioned into consultancy roles.

Emergency responders assisted a Chinese driver, identified as Li Yang, who became stuck in a snowdrift in the Moscow region.

Rospotrebnadzor has developed a project for a mandatory product labeling system. The mechanism is designed to detect when a seller provides a buyer with goods that have expired. The labeling system is capable of reading and identifying when a seller is providing a consumer with a product that has an expired shelf life. Askar Rakhimberdiyev, CEO of the SEO-ERP service Moy Sklad, noted that while the system is well-established, external oversight of violations remains insufficient. He stated that market participants have learned to work with the system, but violations could potentially exceed 99% due to intentional actions rather than errors. New regulations effective May 1 require construction materials to carry 'Chestny Znak' marking in Russia. Experts warned that this mandatory labeling could lead to increased costs for these materials.

One unmanned aerial vehicle flying toward Moscow was shot down, according to reports. Moscow Mayor Sobyanin confirmed one drone flying toward the city was intercepted. Ukrainian drones were neutralized while approaching Moscow, according to reports from German broadcasters. No specific casualties or damage were reported in the available information. The interception occurred as the drones were in flight toward the city. The incident involved drones attempting to fly toward the city. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin stated that 26 drones flying toward the Russian capital were repelled over a seven-hour period. The report follows the start of a ceasefire. The source noted uncertainty regarding whether the drones were launched prior to the ceasefire agreement.

Vladimir Putin has instructed the government to reduce the workload for schoolchildren. The directive includes managing the volume of homework and ensuring thorough checking of assignments.