Stories from Russia

The Ministry of Education announced that summer holidays for students will begin on May 27 and last until August 31. The Ministry of Labor published the approved holiday schedule for 2027. New Year holidays will last 11 days, running from December 31, 2026, to January 10, 2027. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Labor. The government stated that Russia will not observe an 11-day break. The schedule includes five three-day weekends occurring in February, March, and twice in May and June. Additionally, a four-day weekend is planned from November 4 to November 7. These adjustments follow the Russian Labor Code regarding holidays falling on non-working days. State Duma Deputy Yaroslav Nilov announced that Russians can expect extended New Year holidays from December 31, 2031, to January 11, 2032. The information was provided during an interview with TVC.

Analysts have identified a 14-fold increase in the usage of VPN applications in Russia over the past year. Digital Budget data shows over 35 million total downloads recorded between March 2025 and March 2026. Approximately 60% of these downloads occurred during the first quarter of 2026. VPN service downloads in Russia have grown 14 times year-over-year, according to Kommersant. Users downloaded these services more than 21 million times during the first quarter alone. Specific limits and tariffs for international traffic have not yet been defined. By the end of last year, active users of the five most popular VPN services reached 70.5 million people. This surge in usage followed the blocking of Telegram. In January, Russian authorities restricted access to nearly 500 VPN services and began blocking popular protocols.

Six people were found trapped under snow near Irokinda in Buryatia. An avalanche occurred at the Stolny-90 compressor station of the Irkinda PGU-1 industrial site in the Muysky district of Buryatia. Three individuals managed to escape on their own, while the fate of the remaining six people remains unknown. An Mi-8 helicopter has been deployed to the site for search and rescue operations, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Rescue workers are currently searching for the remaining three people. Rescuers have recovered the body of one person at the mine site. Three people escaped the entrapment independently, while search operations continue for others. The avalanche measured 150 meters in length and 50 meters in width, with snow depth between 3 and 6 meters. More than 60 rescuers are on site. One death has been confirmed following the avalanche in Buryatia.

A Filimonovo toy festival is gathering more than 6,000 people to promote traditional clay toy craftsmanship. The event features masters of traditional clay toys traveling from various cities to showcase their work. The festival aims to propagate local culture through these traditional crafts. The event featured traditional toys and cultural displays. One segment mentioned a historical figure, a runaway convict, associated with the festival's context.

Cherkizovo plans to increase the volume of its non-interest bond issuance on financial services markets by 1 billion rubles.

Rostec officials stated the assets, which are primarily of an IT profile, will be used for national interests and state projects. The transfer was reported by Interfax. The Russian government has approved projects regarding the handling of cryptocurrencies, alongside warnings of fines for illegal operations and potential restrictions on unqualified investors in the Russian Federation.

Television presenter Vladimir Solovyev issued an apology to guest Victoria Bonya during a morning broadcast. Solovyev admitted that his previous statements were overly emotional and contained incorrect formulations. The apology followed an initial segment where the host commented on Bonya's appearance. The apology occurred after the program opened with comments regarding Bonya's appearance. Solovyev had previously characterized Bonya as an agent planted by Vladimir Zelensky. The apology follows the incident where Bonya's actions drew audience attention.

The total global nuclear weapons potential has decreased by 85 percent during the period this document has been in effect. Article six of the agreement mandates that nuclear powers must strive to reduce their arsenals. A meeting regarding Russia and China proposed by Donald Trump should be conducted with a broader group of participants, according to the source. The source noted that non-compliance with diplomatic procedures regarding the IP-Hinyan agreement could result in sanctions. Radio Zvezda reported that despite various nuances, the treaty remains relevant.

The Dagestan regional branch of the Russian Red Cross, supported by the national organization, has organized a humanitarian aid drive for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Pavel Savchuk of the Russian Red Cross stated that attacks on humanitarian workers, transport, and medical facilities are unacceptable under the Geneva Conventions. The collected aid has been directed to the Iranian society. This marks the first flight from the Iranian capital since February 26, according to RIA Novosti. Pavel Savchuk reported that 500 units of humanitarian aid have been collected and dispatched.

The head of the Federal Tax Service has implemented a model that automatically provides tax deductions for medical expenses, education, and sports. This system uses data from service providers to automatically fill out tax forms for citizens. The deduction reduces the taxable base provided certain conditions are met. The Federal Tax Service (FNS) revealed that over 200 billion rubles were automatically provided as tax deductions in 2016. The figure was disclosed by economist and investor Vyacheslav Takvil. The report aims to clarify the scale of these automatic deductions. The amount represents the total sum of deductions granted during the current year. The announcement was discussed alongside economist and investor Vyacheslav Takvile.