Russia

The 47th Moscow International Film Festival MIFF, one of the oldest in the world having had its first edition in 1935, will open in Moscow tomorrow 17 April; ending on 24 April, it will display dozens of international works including five from Iran

Sahel foreign ministers arrived in Moscow for their first official talks with Russia following the breaking of relations between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and traditional western allies, namely France and other EU countries

Russian tennis player Daria Kasatkina will play under the Australian flag after announcing she has changed nationality; currently number 12 in the WTA ranking, she had repeatedly criticised the war in Ukraine

Officials of the United Russia party allegedly donated meat mincers for 8 March to the mothers of Russian soldiers who died on the Ukrainian front; the gesture has caused great controversy as it recalls the sending of soldiers to slaughter

Russia reportedly struck with a drone the protective shield built over reactor number 4 of the former Chernobyl power plant, exploded in 1986 causing the worst nuclear disaster in history, now still dangerously radioactive

The first prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine in 2025 took place: 25 Ukrainian civilians and military personnel and 25 Russian soldiers were freed

Andrei Kotov, director of 'Men Travel' agency and arrested for "organizing extremist activity and participating in it" was found dead in custody in Moscow amid a crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights, says organization OVD-Info, which tracks political arrests

President Putin, when asked if he would change his decision to invade Ukraine in any way, replied that he would have to decide 'before' doing so

Vladimir Putin said that 'this year, on average, over a thousand people a day are enlisting' under contract in the Russian armed forces; the government has increased payments for those who enlist, with highest payment being set by the Moscow City Council

Journalist Anatoly Kurmanaev wrote in NYT on 2 December that while the Russian economy is experiencing a slowdown, “the economic strains are still far from provoking the kind of crisis that might compel Mr. Putin to curtail his ambitions in Ukraine.”

President Putin decleared that "Russia has the right to strike at countries that have supplied arms to Ukraine"

A Russian court has sentenced Google to pay a fine of $20.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000, a sum higher than the GDP of the entire planet, which amounts to $110.000 billion according to the IMF