Stories from RuNet Echo from May, 2014
Russian Internet Users, Putin is After Your Digital Wallets
The offices of Yandex.Money, the popular online payments system associated with Russia's largest search engine, were searched by Russia's Investigative Committee.
Now Russia Wants to Tighten the Noose Around News-Aggregation Sites
Russian lawmakers are taking steps to classify news-aggregating websites as mass media, which would require companies like Yandex to register with the government and face stricter regulations.
Ukraine War in Real Time
Last Friday Ukrainian violence became even more viscerally evident on the Facebook account of one of the cyber-punk, post-state, viral-citizen-armies operating in the region.
Russia's Hashtag Activism in Ukraine
Russian activists are capitalizing on #BringBackOurGirls by framing in analogous terms Ukraine's capture of two Russian journalists, hoping for a similar groundswell of awareness and public outrage.
Russian Special Forces Blogger Throws in the Towel
The anonymous LiveJournal blog hardingush, run by a member of Russia's Ministry of the Interior special forces operating in Ingushetia, is now closed.
Russian Digital Sovereignty Is Here and, Yes, It Includes Schoolgirls
No sooner than Basov announced the search engine's moral superiority did Russian bloggers begin posting screen captures of curious search queries conducted using Sputnik.ru.
Escape from Ukraine, or Return of the Tomato Terrorist
After coming in contact with separatists, Morozov was arrested and accused of being a spy: "I don't hold it against the militia who tortured me in Antracite" he later wrote.
In Eastern Ukraine Conspiracies Believe in You
Several Russian journalists made connections between Eastern Ukraine separatist leaders and Russian billionaire Konstantin Malofeev.
Persecuting Russian Bloggers Doesn't End with Censorship
Pro-Kremlin Internet activists are now targeting tech volunteers working for Russia's top blogger, who is already blocked online and under house arrest.
Sultan Suleimanov on the RuNet's Last Chance
Suleimanov attended an invitation-only meeting at Roscomnadzor, the Russian government's chief censorship agency, which is tasked with enforcing a series of recent laws that limit the freedom of information online.
Countdown to the End of Twitter in Russia
The deputy director of Russia’s chief censorship agency, Roscomnadzor, has threatened to order a block on Twitter or Facebook entirely, in a matter of minutes.
Russia's Space Wars, On the Ground
Although GPS is safe, for now, the incident is an illustration of a kind of resigned lack of trust some Russians feel toward their government.
Death and Twitter: Reports from Ukraine
Today Russian journalist Ilya Azar reported on Twitter that members of Ukraine's newfangled National Guard had fired on civilian bystanders in Krasnoarmeysk.
Russians Hate Eurovision's Bearded-Lady Champion
On the Internet, Russians have reacted to Wurst’s victory with a mix of humor and homophobia.
Crowd Boos Ukrainian Governor During Victory Day Speech
On a holiday that honors the millions who battled and sacrificed ostensibly to preserve the Soviet Union, lo and behold, Kherson's Governor offended people with his anti-Soviet remarks.
Russia's War of the Roses
After the deadly fire in Odessa, and months of tensions between Moscow and Kiev, it's no surprise that a WWII memorial has become an important stage in Russian politics.
Dissecting the Dead in Odessa
Vladimir Golyshev's text on the Odessan tragedy is an excellent representation of pro-Maidan bias, and it's worth reading as a typical case of how Kiev’s allies understand last week's tragedy.
Crowdsourcing Ukraine’s Rebellion
Bloggers in Ukraine are turning to the Internet to publish the locations of troops in the country’s southeast, where the army is in the midst of a massive “counter-terrorist” operation...
Live Fire for Russian Historical Reenactor Spy
Military commander of the Slavyanks separatists, Igor Strelkov, is a historical reenactor, and, allegedly, works for Russia's military intelligence.
Tragedy and Confusion in Odessa
Over thirty pro-Russian protesters died in a fire in the cheerful Black Sea port of Odessa on May 2.
Laundering the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The Kremlin might project its power into Ukraine’s mainland by encouraging, and perhaps arming, Crimean militia. In theory, Moscow might succeed in “laundering” an armed intervention in this way.
