Stories about Russia from September, 2015
When Online Kremlin Propaganda Leaves the Web, It Looks Like This
"Material Evidence" is one of few pro-Putin Internet projects connected to Russia's "troll factories" with a significant offline trail. Because of this, we can trace its operations unusually well.
Kazakhstani Textbooks Send Local Patriots and Ukraine into a Tantrum (Clue: It's About Crimea)
"People are working for the promotion of Putin's "Russian World" into the minds of Kazakh children. In my opinion, this is ideological sabotage."
Vladimir Putin's UN General Assembly Speech: Beyond Hashtags
RuNet Echo showcases what about Putin's speech in New York seemed to resonate best with Russian-speaking Twitter users.
Pussy Riot Performance in Banksy's Dismaland Highlights Plight of Refugees
Russian punk musicians and political activists Pussy Riot raised awareness of the cause of refugees in Europe with a violent and loud performance at Banksy's Dismaland park in London.
This Is What Happened When A Pregnant Dog Was Buried Alive in Voronezh
When local authorities failed to respond to requests for help, several tenants decided to take matters into their own hands, pulling up the bricks and digging out the trapped animal.
Netizen Report: China Joins Russia in Crusade to Keep User Data at Government’s Fingertips
This week, a public outcry over encryption proposal sent Indian legislators back to the drawing board. Meanwhile, Iranian leaders are re-centralizing power under the country's Supreme Cyberspace Council.
It Gets Worse for Russia's Most-Prominent LGBT Youth Support Group
Authorities have ordered the country's most popular social network to ban Children-404, along with four other LGBT groups, or risk being blocked altogether by Russian Internet providers.
Russia's Favorite Beer-Eating Patriot Has Now Burned, Eaten, and Stomped on 20,000 ‘Dollars’
This week, Baretsky burned up, chewed up, stomped on, and then sprayed with beer a stack of dollars and euros. He said it was about $20,000—his supposed life savings.
Russian Court Fines Google for ‘Reading Private Correspondence’ on Gmail
A Yekaterinburg academic has convinced Moscow city court to fine Google 50 thousand rubles ($765) for violating his "secrecy of correspondence" on Gmail with its targeted ads.
This Is How Chechnya Deals With ISIS Recruiters
Kadyrov's video features Chechen men caught recruiting for ISIS on social networks, and the elderly people shouting at them are their relatives and local community leaders.
Russia Bans Footage of Opposition Leader's Fiery Courtroom Speech
Russian censors have banned a series of political videos on YouTube featuring calls to anti-Putin activism. Notably, officials have banned clips from opposition leader Alexey Navalny’s courtroom closing statement.
Apple Caves To Data Localization Demands, Rents Out Space in Russian Data Center
Apple has decided to comply with the Russian data localization law and is renting out storage space at a data center on Russian soil, according to local media.
Young Stalinist Defaces New Monument to ‘Traitor’ Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
A young Stalinist living in Vladivostok has defaced a new statue of Nobel-prize-winning writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, hanging a sign reading “JUDAS” around Solzhenitsyn’s neck.
Russian Activists Fight Municipal Corruption with ‘Mortal Kombat’-Style Website
Russian anti-corruption activists are pitching battles in courts and online against corrupt municipal officials, 'Mortal Kombat'-style.
Grand Theft Auto and More: The Grim Reality of Life in ‘Donetsk People's Republic’
Documents leaked this summer by 'Anonymous International' depict a living hell for civilians in the separatist-controlled territories of eastern Ukraine.
Sharing This Oscar-Winning ‘Donald Duck’ Cartoon Is Illegal in Russia
Two men found out the hard way that it is illegal in Russia to share this Oscar-winning anti-fascist Disney cartoon from 1942, "Der Fuehrer’s Face."
Russian Rock Legend Boris Grebenshikov Crowdfunds New Record
Boris Grebenshikov, often called the "Grandfather of Russian rock," has appealed to his fans online to crowdfund his new album, which looks set to be fully funded, despite the critics.
On the Ground in Russia's Only Free Election This September
Olga Borisova, a volunteer for the democratic opposition in Russia's only open regional contest this fall, talks about working in Russian elections today.
