Stories from Russia

A criminal organization has reportedly monopolized the fuel and energy sector in Saint Petersburg. The group is allegedly involved in extortion and is linked to the Zonda Crypto investigation. This follows the disappearance of Sylwester Szuszk, described as the 'King of Cryptocurrencies'.

Fraudsters in Russia are using voice deepfakes to impersonate individuals in audio messages. Scammers post advertisements in messaging apps offering up to 5,000 rubles for voice acting work for commercials or films. These recordings are then used to generate fraudulent audio messages using the stolen voice samples. Once samples are obtained, criminals generate audio messages to impersonate the participants. The process has become easier and less costly for criminals to execute. Experts warn that deepfake audio used in video and voice calls is increasingly difficult to detect. Fraudsters may use monotonous or emotionless tones that are only noticeable during long communications. Listeners are advised to verify identities by calling back or using pre-established secret phrases. Discrepancies are harder to identify in short phrases compared to long messages.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) has introduced a project to guarantee digital rights, including internet access, anonymity, and freedom of expression. Dmitry Gusev, a deputy from the Just Russia party, has proposed creating a 'white list' of verified Russian internet users. Under this proposal, users with phone numbers linked to confirmed Gosuslugi accounts would be exempt from mobile internet shutdowns. This comes as the Russian State Duma considers a digital rights bill covering internet access, anonymity, and freedom of expression. The proposal follows public attention toward blogger Victoria Bonya's appeal to President Vladimir Putin. The legislation aims to formalize digital asset transactions while strengthening anti-money laundering (AML) controls and oversight.

More than 500 people are facing flight delays at Vladivostok airport. The delays, which exceed four hours, affect Aeroflot and Sibir airlines flights. The airport service confirmed the situation regarding the arrival and departure of aircraft.

The St. Petersburg Shostakovich Philharmonia is celebrating its 50th anniversary of awards. The festival also marks nearly 100 years since the premiere of Dmitry Shostakovich's first symphony. Concerts began on April 25 and will continue through May 22. The event is part of a classical music festival in St. Petersburg.

The Kursk nuclear power station has accumulated approximately 7 tons of plutonium over more than 40 years of operation. Current primary issues at the facility involve the storage of spent Swedish fuel. The accumulation of radioactive material remains a operational concern for the station.

Biologists warn that consuming multiple dietary supplements simultaneously without following packaging instructions can lead to liver failure. The consumption of unverified substances poses health risks due to unknown chemical compositions. There is a noted lack of evidence-based data for many herbal remedies used by consumers. The issue is compounded by users failing to observe recommended dosage limits and timing. This behavior increases the risk of toxicity from an accumulation of unstudied ingredients. Biological concerns have been raised regarding the consumption of dietary supplements and multivitamins. The discussion also noted the lack of proven efficacy for certain supplements in treating common colds.

Scammers in Moscow are making fraudulent calls impersonating clinic employees to solicit sensitive information. Callers claim to be offering medical checkups to trick victims into providing passport details and SMS codes. The Moscow Department of Health warned that legitimate medical workers do not request such data. These stolen details are reportedly used for fraudulent activities. This follows warnings regarding the mention of certain substances as medical remedies. New labeling requirements and the designation of over 40 writers and publicists as foreign agents are driving the risk of book removals. Scammers impersonating Mosenergosbyt are adding Moscow residents to chats, claiming payment data will be automatically transferred from Gosuslugi. Sending this code to the scammer grants them access to the victim's personal Gosuslugi account.

The first train has completed its journey to Vladivostok via the China-East Railway.

Erik Proznikov, Vice President of the Russian Society of Physicians and head of the Pensioners Party, has proposed a new financial support system. The proposal suggests providing payments to unemployed mothers with multiple children.