Stories from RuNet Echo from March, 2014
A Schism Over Ukraine in Russian-owned LiveJournal
Igor Bigdan (ibigdan), one of the most popular RuNet bloggers, announced yesterday that he would be leaving his position as Director of LiveJournal Ukraine starting April.
Embattled Opposition Blogger's Insanity Defense?
When attempts to silence Alexey Navalny, Russia's top blogger and anti-corruption activist, don't work quite as planned, it's time to shovel the dirt.
Putin Brings Back Soviet-era Civil Defense Certification
Bringing back "Readiness to Labor and Defense" would "pay homage to [Russia's] national historical traditions."
Top 10 Russian-Language Tweets, Week 13 of 2014
Every Friday, RuNet Echo collects the top ten Russian-language tweets and curates them for Global Voices readers.
‘Anonymous International’ Leaks Kremlin's Instructions to Russian TV
A Russian Internet group called “Anonymous International” has leaked what it claims is a “tyomnik”—a list of prepackaged news stories prepared by the Kremlin for Russia’s central television news stations.
Creator of Quirky Movement Defends Kremlin Propagandist
Artyom Loskutov, creator of "Monstration", signed a letter in support of odious propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov. Was he right to do so?
Blogging about Russia's Crimea Annexation? You Could Be an Extremist!
Russian lawmakers are toying with the idea of levying extremism charges against bloggers who “incite xenophobic attitudes” when writing about the Crimea.
Russia's Media Crackdown Spills into Academia
Three days ago, MGIMO University fired Professor Andrei Zubov for so-called academic misconduct. His supposed crime was writing an antiwar op-ed criticizing Russia's intervention in Ukraine.
Ukrainians Desperate to Flip the Script on Fascism
Photoshoped swastika is making the rounds on RuNet.
How Russians Are Outsmarting Internet Censorship
RuNet activists have created a sophisticated system of censorship evasion and counter-attack, which can potentially make life hard for both censors and pro-Kremlin websites.
Ukrainian Paramilitary Leader Assassinated, Moscow to Blame?
Over the past several hours rumors spread through the RuNet claiming that Alexander Muzychko, second-in-command to Ukraine's ultra-nationalist "Right Sector" leader Dmytro Yarosh, was gunned down near Rivno.
Putin's Alleged “Ukraine Annexation Plan” Surfaces Online
Katya Gorchinskaya, deputy editor of the newspaper KyivPost, has published on Facebook photographs of a report that journalists are calling "Putin's plan for annexing Ukraine."
A Telethon to Save Russia's Independent TV
Russia’s only independent television station, TV Rain, is on its last leg. Following what appears to have been an orchestrated campaign to rob the channel of its cable and satellite distributors, advertisers have run for the hills and the station is being evicted from its Moscow studio at Red October...
Ukrainian Women's Sex Boycott Against Russian Men
A creative boycott is drawing the attention of Russian Internet users. Ukrainian women are organizing a new campaign called “Don’t give it to a Russian”—a sex embargo against Russian men.
What Is the Future of Russia's News Media?
Now that Moscow has formally annexed Crimea, following a controversial popular referendum, it's possible, if not extremely likely, that Russian journalists will face even greater difficulties.
Meet Crimea's New Anime Mascot, Natalia Poklonskaya
A definitive fan-art collection of Natalia Poklonskaya, the newly minted Prosecutor General appointed by the secessionist government of Crimea, who has captured the heart of RuNet and Japan.
Russia's No. 1 Separatist Dead, Again
Doku Umarov was declared dead by the official propaganda arm of the Caucasus Emirate, an armed separatist movement in Russia's south.
Do US Sanctions Against Putin's Cronies Fuel Russian Patriotism?
So far, it seems the West’s response to the annexation of Crimea has only reinforced Russia’s patriotic frenzy. But could tougher sanctions change that?
Are America's Latest Sanctions on Russia Based on a List by a Blogger?
"looks like it isn't the CIA that's in charge of Navalny, but Navalny that's in charge of the CIA"
Russia Today's YouTube Glitch Spurs Censorship Fears
Russia's liberals seemed to be torn between their principles and a clear opportunity for schadenfreude at a Kremlin-friendly station being blocked.
10 Ways Russians and Ukrainians Reacted to Crimea Annexation Speech
Regardless of how one feels about the Crimean question, it was a landmark speech, and one that bloggers reacted to the way they usually do on the Internet. Through memes.
