Stories about Russia from October, 2014
The Space Race Is Over, But Russian Schadenfreude at American Rocket Troubles Soars
In Russia's post-Crimea era, almost any event seems capable of sparking spasms of patriotic fervor. Thanks to the legacy of the Cold War, space travel is a particularly sensitive flashpoint.
Laughing at Russia's 2018 World Cup Logo
Good will is a rare commodity among Russian social media users, and Russia's logo for the 2018 World Cup became the target of mockery the moment it went public.
The Upsetting Ethnic Taxonomy of Russia's Richest Businessmen
One of Russia’s most popular news websites, the once vaunted Lenta.ru, finds itself at the center of a scandal today, after publishing an ethnic breakdown of Russia’s 200 richest people.
Russian and Ukrainian Musicians Caught Between Conflict, Bitter Rhetoric and Bans
As the Russia-Ukraine conflict unfolds, political borders turn into cultural borders, and artists on both sides suffer the consequences.
Russia Step Ups Censorship of ISIS Social Media Content
The move to forbid ISIS’s media content joins a trend of growing Internet surveillance and censorship in Russia, but the feasibility of weakening ISIS by targeting social media is questionable.
Russia's Justice Ministry Targets Human Rights Group ‘Memorial’
Russia hasn't elaborated its grievances against the human rights group, but Memorial says the main issue is that officials want it to adopt a more centralized organizational structure.
Russian Opposition Leaders Support Ukraine, But Crimea Is Not Coming Back
Russia’s leading opposition figures Alexey Navalny and Mikhail Khodorkovsky have a message for Ukrainians: Crimea is gone, and Ukraine is not getting it back.
Russians, Rejoice! The Long-Awaited ‘Meduza’ News Portal Has Arrived!
A cross between news aggregation and independent reporting, "Meduza" is the coolest thing to hit online Russian journalism in recent memory.
Building an Internet Fast Lane in Russia Could Be a Great Way to Stifle Independent Media
In Russia, where the online space for independent media is fast shrinking, the prospect of ending net neutrality and filtering Internet content poses significant dangers.
With Just Over 50 Entries, Kremlin Blogger Registry Gets No Love
Russia's new blogger law requires popular bloggers to register with the state, but only 52 entries have been added to the registry since it started operations over two months ago.
As The Kremlin's Media Crackdown Continues, Blogs Might Be The Final Casualty
With independent online media closing down or moving abroad, Russian bloggers may now be facing even greater pressure from the Kremlin, as their freedom has shrunk dramatically.
Vladimir Putin and Russian Nationalists Don't Get Along. Here's Why.
RuNet Echo speaks to Egor Prosvirnin, the chief editor of the website "Sputnik & Pogrom," about Vladimir Putin and nationalism in Russia today.
Death By Firing Squad in Eastern Ukraine Over a Cartoon?
The rebel "culture minister" allegedly demands that a court sentence a writer to death by firing squad, and also asks to be awarded 50,000 rubles in compensation for moral damages.
Russian Lawmakers Will Debate Legislation Against Back Tattoos for Women
Male chauvinism and homophobia are nothing unique to Russia, but it’s hard to ignore how the Duma’s new effort to protect women from tattoos dovetails with current reactionary trends.
The 10 Best Music Videos That Spread the Putin-Love
RuNet Echo gives you the 10 best examples of the Internet's musical Putin-love. A "cult of personality" never sounded so good.
Facebook Weighs In on the Ukraine-Russia Takedown Dispute
RuNet Echo talks with Facebook about content takedowns, community standards, and the social media war in Ukraine, where users on all sides resort to desperate measures.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Does ‘Ask-Me-Anything’ on Russian Geek Forum
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin showed up on a Russian geek forum this morning to do an "Ask-Me-Anything" style Q&A session with its users.
Russian Court Sentences 23-Year-Old Woman to 2 Years for Torrenting Porn
In court, the accused denied that she knew she was also sharing porn while she downloaded the films, but prosecutors say she admitted this knowledge when they seized her computer.
Aliens Are Running Hong Kong Protests, And The Russian News Is On It
A popular Russian news website claims an alien force might be behind the mass protests in Hong Kong.
Russian Mathematician Aids Hong Kong's ‘America-Orchestrated Color Revolution’
Given the popular frame in Russia that the United States is masterminding Hong Kong’s pro-democracy demonstrations, FireChat’s Moscow-educated co-founder is awkward for the pro-Kremlin press.