Stories from Russia

The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that almost 1,500 trees have fallen. Lawyer Mikhail Salkin addressed questions regarding responsibility for controlling decaying trees in Moscow following reports of falling trees.

Russian authorities detained six or seven Ukrainians and one American citizen. The group allegedly planned to transport drones to arm insurgent groups.

Dmitry Dubrovsky has been re-elected as the president of the Russian Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Federation. He was the sole candidate in the election. Approximately 30 people participated in the vote. Dubrovsky will remain in the role until the creation of a unified federation for winter sports. Dubrovsky intends to lead the organization until the creation of a new United Ski Sports Federation, which is expected to be finalized by mid-May. Dmitry Svyashchev, the recent president of the Ski Sports Association, is a candidate for the head of the new unified organization. If Svyashchev is elected, current heads including Elena Vialbi, Dmitry Dubrovsky, Denis Tikhomirov, Aleksey Kurashov, and Leonid Milnikov will see their organizations liquidated.

Four people have died following a new fire, according to a volunteer named Vladimir.

More than 200 people are working to extinguish a large fire at a local oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai. The blaze began following a drone attack on the facility, according to regional operational headquarters. Governor Veniamin Kondratyev oversaw the response.

President Vladimir Putin has instructed the expansion of the list of diseases screened in infants during neonatal testing. During a meeting with Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, Putin said the need for early pregnancy screenings.

Russian authorities are removing memorial stones dedicated to Lithuanians, Poles, and Flakstons in the Tomsk region. The report notes previous instances where Ukrainian memorials were removed at the Levashovo cemetery near Saint Petersburg. There are concerns that Russian authorities may continue to dismantle other sites, including Polish crosses and memorials established during the Siberian exile periods. The Museum of Memory Regulation has been liquidated after being recognized as an extremist organization. The source noted that the memory association and fund no longer exist, and there is uncertainty regarding whether original museum contents will be repurposed. The director of the NKVD prison in Tomsk is reportedly a former FSB officer. Memorial stones dedicated to Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, and Estonia are being removed in Tomsk.

Vladimir Putin signed a decree extending the ban on accessing archives related to the OGPU, NKVD, KGB, and FSB for an additional 30 years. The move follows previous Russian condemnation of the opening of similar archives in Ukraine during the Poroshenko administration. The decree limits access to historical records concerning these security agencies. This decision follows a period where some compromises allowed for discussions regarding Gulag memorial complexes. The source noted that previous compromises allowed for discussions on the Gulag and the creation of memorial complexes, but the new restrictions tighten control over state narratives. The move follows historical patterns of managing sensitive information in Russia. This policy follows the 2014 annexation of Crimea and represents a systematic effort to remove certain historical data from the public sphere.

Elvira Nabiullina, head of the Central Bank, stated at the Alfa Summit that accusations of the regulator intentionally harming the economy through high interest rates are unfounded. The remarks come as small businesses report profit losses. The source noted that while money is available, businesses are struggling with the current economic environment. Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina stated the bank has no choice but to maintain high interest rates due to economic overheating. Macroeconomic data indicates demand significantly exceeds supply, which threatens high inflation. While some individual companies may not feel the overheating, the central bank is prioritizing macroeconomic stability. Elvira Nabiulina stated the slowdown is a forced measure due to high inflation rather than a special initiative. She noted there is no choice between high inflation and high growth.

The head of the Goru-Tufar city district administration was detained in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Acting assistant to the head of the Skayer Investigative Department, Ildar Ishbulatov, reported the arrest.