Featured stories from RuNet Echo
- 26 December 2019
What lies ahead for the RuNet in 2020?
- 21 November 2019
In Russia, individuals can now be branded ‘foreign agents’
- 12 November 2019
US withdrawal from Syria tests Russian soldiers’ social media use
Stories from RuNet Echo
21 January 2020
Is Russia getting its model for digital authoritarianism from China?
On the surface, China and Russia share much when it comes to digital governance. But their crackdowns on cyberspace also have important differences, says professor Maria Repnikova
23 December 2019
Latest offering from Russian cult novelist Pelevin divides and confuses critics
Viktor Pelevin's latest novel, a tale of 'weapons-grade memes', is creative but widely seen as overambitious.
22 December 2019
New documentary charts the RuNet's unlikely rise — and its fall
Twenty-five years on, Andrey Loshak's documentary series examines the ups and downs of Russia's internet, from its apparently idyllic beginnings to its uncertain future.
11 November 2019
Putin announces plan to ‘replace’ Wikipedia
The publishing house behind the Great Russian Encyclopedia has allocated two billion rubles (over $30 million) aimed at developing a “domestic equivalent” to Wikipedia by the end of 2022.
8 November 2019
Chechen leader suggests killing users who ‘insult honour’ online
For several years, human rights defenders have consistently cited Chechnya as one of Russia's most repressive regions, citing widespread torture, disappearances, and a complete intolerance of dissent.
6 November 2019
Behold Russia's new ‘sovereign internet’
The "sovereign internet" bill is about bringing the "critical infrastructure" of the RuNet under the state's oversight. That could mean a more effective implementation of Moscow's laws regulating expression online.
25 October 2019
Despite ban, Telegram survives in Russia — but for how long?
Most users still have access, but the authorities aren't giving up on attempts to block the instant messaging and voice app.
14 October 2019
A Crimean Tatar journalist's defiant last words in court
"I am a citizen of Ukraine, a Crimean Tatar, a Muslim. I am a journalist, a father, a husband, and a son. With the grace of God, these will not...
Meet the civic activists documenting abuses in Crimea
Crimean Solidarity members livestream arrests, detentions, and court hearings on the occupied peninsula, and fundraise for detainees' legal fees. That's why Moscow has had enough of them.
10 October 2019
‘I and we': The rallying cry of Russian protests
As the product of no particular political grouping or ideology, Я/Мы has become a relatively neutral rallying cry around which citizens of all political persuasions can unite.
16 September 2019
A professor's self-immolation puts the spotlight on the fragile future of Russia's minority languages
Many people discussing Razin's death seem bewildered that anyone would use minority languages in daily life, let alone die for them—an attitude by no means limited to Russia.
13 September 2019
Siberians appeal to world leaders via YouTube to save them from coal smoke
"This winter, the whole world saw our black snow. We were gasping for air because of coal dust. Why do we have to live in such intolerable conditions?"
12 September 2019
As Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners, the RuNet reacted
The return of Ukrainian political prisoners might be a win for president Zelensky. But the decision to hand a key witness to the MH17 tragedy to Russia attracted fierce criticism.
4 September 2019
Russian opposition divided over online ‘smart voting’ campaign
No Russian disillusioned with the country’s rulers has any qualms with voting against United Russia, but many are deeply uneasy about who this means they must vote for.
25 August 2019
Moscow’s revolution will be memed, online and on canvas
An anonymous RuNet user has a found a creative way to criticise recent police violence in Moscow: photoshopping riot police into dozens of famous Russian and foreign artworks.
24 August 2019
Videoblogging shaman walks to Moscow to ‘exorcise’ Putin
The 51-year old Yakut shaman calls his quest divinely ordained, insisting that Putin is a manifestation of dark forces which must be banished to save Russia from ruin.
9 August 2019
Who turned off Moscow’s internet during recent protests?
Evidence suggests that law enforcement agencies pressured mobile network operators to get part of the capital offline for the duration of the protests.
5 August 2019
How protesters are ‘deanonymising’ Russia's riot police
Activists are identifying the men behind the helmets, truncheons, and riot shields, and sharing their names, dates of birth, and links to their social media profiles.
2 August 2019
Russia's LGBTQ+ community reels after murder of activist Yelena Grigoryeva
Police say Yelena Grigoryeva died in the course of a “domestic dispute” with her killer, but activists dispute that account; her name had recently appeared on a homophobic hit-list.
31 July 2019
As Siberia burns, Russia chokes
While forest fires are no rarity in Siberia, climate scientists stated that this year’s fires spread particularly aggressively due to a combination of strong winds and the unusually hot summer.
About our RuNet Echo coverage
Maxim Edwards is the RuNet Echo editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
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