Stories from Russia

Snus remains available at tobacco outlets across Russia despite being prohibited for wholesale, retail, and production. The process aims to suppress illegal activities within the nicotine and tobacco sectors. Ali Kapranov, head of a Russian newspaper technology project, stated that the licensing process was not completed due to security concerns. The source noted that the technology's operational status in Russia is uncertain because the encryption keys are held outside of Russian jurisdiction. The ban is currently in effect as of today. Retail sales of shashlik in Russia fell by 10 percent in April compared to the previous year. The decline is attributed to cold weather and reduced consumer activity. This represents a sharp contrast to the spring of 2025, when sales growth reached 30 percent. Businesses may face losses if demand does not recover during the May holidays.

The source appears to be archive, anniversary, or historical retrospective coverage of a past event. Treat it as background context rather than a newly reported incident unless the source states a current new development.

The source appears to be archive, anniversary, or historical retrospective coverage of a past event. Treat it as background context rather than a newly reported incident unless the source states a current new development.

A multi-vehicle accident involving a Renault, a Toyota, a MAN semi-trailer, and an Opel resulted in four deaths. The Renault driver reportedly exceeded the speed limit and lost control, crossing into the oncoming lane before striking the Toyota.

Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin has returned to St. Petersburg following his release in an exchange. Butyagin was detained in Poland in December of last year. He described his prosecution by Ukraine for illegal excavations as in global practice.

Vice-Premier Tatiana Golikova stated that nearly two million Russians underwent workplace health screenings in 2025. The government aims to increase this figure by the 2030s. The announcement was made during a broadcast on Komsomolskaya Pravda.

The Russian aviation regulator Rosaviatsia has restricted the validity of the operator certificate for airline Izh-Avia. The airline may continue flights provided that violations identified during an inspection are rectified by July 28. Failure to address these violations will result in the cancellation of the certificate. Izh-Avia management has promised to resolve the issues.

The Moscow Arbitration Court has registered a lawsuit filed by the Prosecutor General's Office against Mashkovich for 6.7 billion rubles. The Moscow City Court will consider an anti-monopoly lawsuit involving the seizure of movable and immovable property. The lawsuit targets assets belonging to Vadim Moskovich, a Russian billionaire ranked 51st on the Forbes list with a net worth of $2.9 billion. The assets are alleged to have been acquired illegally. In mid-April, interim measures were placed on bank accounts and affiliated assets related to Moskovich as part of a fraud and abuse of power criminal case. A court in Moscow upheld a sentence for former party leader Schlosberg this week. Authorities estimated that up to 70,000 people could have attended a related protest regarding internet freedom and Telegram access.

A Mi-8 helicopter crashed at a helipad within the industrial zone of Usinsk. Twenty-four employees bound for the Nenets Autonomous Okrug were on board. Rosaviatsia has classified the event as an accident. The Interstate Aviation Committee will investigate the causes of the crash. Russian aviation authorities have classified the incident as an accident, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will investigate the causes. District head Nikolai Tokayev reported the casualties, which included two individuals with moderate injuries and eight with light injuries, according to the Ministry of Health. Preliminary reports indicate that 24 people were on board the aircraft at the time of the incident. Rosaviatsiya has validated the occurrence and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) is launching an investigation into the matter.

The Mariinsky Theatre will celebrate the 240th anniversary of the world premiere of the opera The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.