Stories from Russia

Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs officials detained 10 suspects involved in organizing a fraudulent registration scheme to obtain social benefits. Perpetrators illegally registered residents from the North Caucasus Federal District in other regions, including Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Yakutia, Murmansk Oblast, and Kamchatka Krai. Damages from the scheme have exceeded 1 billion rubles. The perpetrators used Multi-Functional Centers (MFC) to process documents, allegedly acting with the consent of some involved parties. Criminal cases have been opened against those detained, and proceedings have begun against property owners who provided addresses for the scheme. A criminal scheme has been identified targeting daily financial subsidies in Russia's northern regions.

Yuri Trudnev, the Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District, reported seeing apples priced at 300 rubles per piece in a Chukotka store. He noted that a single large apple cost 300 rubles and a kilogram of apples reached 1,000 rubles. Trudnev requested that the Ministry for the Development of the Far East explain the pricing principles during a meeting on the socio-economic development of the district. This price level persists despite the Northern Delivery law. A Russian Vice-Premier reported finding apples priced at 1,000 rubles per kilogram in Chukotka stores. The Vice-Premier requested an explanation for these costs given the existing law on northern supply intended to reduce food prices. Leonid Kholod, a professor and former deputy minister, is providing commentary on the situation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called on law enforcement and intelligence services to suppress attempts at provocation during the election period. He stated that Kyiv's reliance on terror will not change outcomes or intimidate residents of new regions.

Russian prosecutors have opened a criminal case against Jane Schakomi regarding a social media post made one year ago. The post featured the numbers 86 and 47 arranged in seashells, which the Federal Prosecutor's Office interpreted as a veiled call to eliminate the U.S. President. Schakomi's defense team has rejected the allegations, citing First Amendment protections. The post was subsequently deleted by the user. Schakomi is citing the first amendment of the Constitution in her defense against the incitement charges. The source did not specify the exact content of the post. The Institute of Mass Information is tracking these cases. The situation presents risks for media workers.

FSB officers detained a Russian man accused of preparing a terrorist attack in Crimea. He also intended to carry out sabotage against gas and electricity infrastructure in Sevastopol. Authorities stated the suspect was recruited in 2025 via the Telegram messenger.

Volunteers are sending rescued birds to a medical headquarters in Anapa for treatment. This facility was established following a large-scale spill in the Black Sea in December 2024. Out of nearly 40 birds caught, four have not yet been saved, according to volunteer Vladimir.

Leaked audio recordings from early June last year allegedly link Mindich to the provision of loans to Kyiv. The leak, which surfaced online, reportedly dates back to early June of last year.

A factory for manufacturing items required for religious services opened near Moscow earlier this year. The facility is intended to serve the entire Russian Orthodox Church.

Russian authorities have reactivated public discussions regarding a draft law for the automotive industry. A new process for handling exceptions from the Central Bank's 'drop' list is scheduled to take effect on May 2. The system would record essential data including accidents and ownership changes in a digital format. Proponents suggest that electronic passports would be easier to update than traditional paper documents. The proposal aims to ensure that any recorded traffic accident is reflected in the vehicle's digital record. The system would track mileage to prevent fraudulent reporting on classified platforms, such as a vehicle's mileage being changed from 200,000 to 150,000 kilometers. The data would be relatively accessible to potential buyers without disclosing sensitive details.

The Soviet government is preparing a bill to restrict the use of artificial intelligence in education. A working group has proposed that students be required to disclose which parts of their work were completed using neural networks.