Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 4h

Military expert Dmitry Kuznets discusses power-grid warfare in Russia and Ukraine and fields questions about the risk of tactical nuclear weapons and the deadliness of drones on the battlefield. meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Blackouts, tactical nukes, and drones Military expert Dmitry Kuznets explains the limits of energy warfare, tactical nuclear weapons, and UAV lethality — Meduza

Winter is coming to Russia and Ukraine, and the two sides have spent the past several weeks pounding each other’s energy infrastructure, seeking to make the falling temperatures as painful…

meduza.io

1 6

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 8h

The Committee Against Torture is trying to raise awareness about torture in Russia with a new video. The three-minute footage is voiced by the Russian actors Varvara Shmykova and Nikita Kukushkin, it's claymation, and it is absolutely brutal. meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Russian human rights activists are raising awareness about torture with this brutal stop-motion video — Meduza

This week, the Committee Against Torture released “The Interview,” an animated video designed to raise awareness about prisoner abuse in Russia. The stop-motion video, voiced by the well-known…

meduza.io

1 13 19

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 11h

New podcast alert! For The Naked Pravda, researcher @msnegovaya.bsky.social breaks down the rising costs straining the Kremlin’s war machine — and explores four possible scenarios for the Russia–Ukraine war’s next chapter. meduza.io/en/episodes/...

Four scenarios for the next chapter in Russia’s war against Ukraine — Meduza

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has now passed the three-and-a-half-year mark, and there is still no end in sight. The Trump administration’s recent push to negotiate a ceasefire ground…

meduza.io

6 14

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 12h

We watched 10 hours of footage from Russia’s leading conference of experts in smartphone hacking so you don’t have to. Here’s what they can do to your phone.
meduza.io/en/slides/wh...

What a top Russian cyber forensics conference reveals about the country’s ability to hack iPhones and Androids — Meduza

The human rights group Memorial found a publicly available video recording of the 2025 Moscow Forensics Day conference, held in mid-September in the Russian capital. The event brought together…

meduza.io

12 23

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 12h

For the first time, Putin has directly acknowledged Russia’s responsibility for the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet in December 2024.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Putin admits Russian air defenses downed Azerbaijan Airlines flight last year, killing 38 — Meduza

For the first time, Russian President Vladimir Putin has directly acknowledged Russia’s responsibility for the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger jet in December 2024. The Embraer E190,…

meduza.io

1 6 26

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 17h

Jailing people with cystic fibrosis is illegal in Russia. So to keep this 20-year-old behind bars, authorities are denying her diagnosis — and her lifesaving medication. Her crime? Selling drugs to afford that medication in the first place.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

‘I don’t want to die so young’ Jailing people with cystic fibrosis is illegal in Russia. So to keep this 20-year-old behind bars, authorities are denying her diagnosis — and her lifesaving medication. — Meduza

Cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening genetic disease that affects the mucous membranes in the lungs and other organs, is one of the conditions that make it illegal to imprison a person under…

meduza.io

1 9 21

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 1d

The Yekaterinburg city administration has asked local police to intervene amid a wave of attacks by “hooligans” who have been “terrorizing” public transport drivers.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Officials in Russia’s Yekaterinburg call for police help as teenagers ‘terrorize’ tram drivers — Meduza

The Yekaterinburg city administration has asked local police to intervene amid a wave of attacks by “hooligans” who have been “terrorizing” public transport drivers, according to a letter from the…

meduza.io

4 10

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 1d

Kyiv wants to cash in on OnlyFans creators’ millions in unpaid taxes, but there’s a problem: making porn is illegal in Ukraine. Meanwhile, police reportedly exploit the legal gray zone surrounding adult content as a source of bribes and kickbacks.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

‘Turning me into a criminal’ Kyiv wants to cash in on OnlyFans creators’ unpaid taxes. There’s just one problem: making porn is illegal in Ukraine. — Meduza

Ukrainian OnlyFans creators owe nearly 385 million hryvnias (about $9 million) in back taxes, according to Ukraine’s State Tax Service (STS). This figure covers income taxes for just the years 2020…

meduza.io

2 12

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 1d

Since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, thousands of Russian soldiers have fled the army. Here’s why so many contract soldiers and mobilized men are deserting — and when it leads to criminal prosecution.

meduza.io/en/feature/2...

‘For the Defense Ministry, people are garbage’ Why thousands of Russian soldiers are deserting — Meduza

Since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, at least 50,000 Russian soldiers have fled the army, according to leaked Defense Ministry documents from 2024. Now, in the war’s fourth year,…

meduza.io

3 17 39

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 1d

Astrakhan is famous throughout Russia for its watermelons and produce, but it could soon be known instead as a lifeless desert, thanks to climate change and local human activity like overgrazing.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

‘Another pointless interview’ A report from Russia’s Astrakhan region, where the climate crisis and government indifference are accelerating a once-lush ecosystem’s desertification — Meduza

Astrakhan is famous throughout Russia for its watermelons and produce, but it could soon be known instead as a lifeless desert. That prognosis might sound alarmist, but the once-flourishing region…

meduza.io

3 14

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 2d

A Russian woman made headlines this summer after Indian police discovered her living in a cave near Goa with her two young daughters. “I didn’t want to live in a concrete apartment block in Moscow,” she told BBC in a new interview.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

‘I didn’t want to live in an apartment in Moscow’ Why did a Russian woman live with her daughters in an Indian cave for nine months? — Meduza

In early July, a Russian woman drew international attention after Indian police on a routine patrol discovered her living in a cave near Goa with her two young daughters. Because their visas had…

meduza.io

5 19

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 2d

Putin has claimed Estonia’s and France’s detentions of Russian ‘shadow fleet’ ships are ‘piracy.’ But what does maritime law say?
meduza.io/en/cards/arr...

Arrr these inspections legal? Putin claims E.U. detentions of Russian ‘shadow fleet’ ships are ‘piracy.’ But what does the law say? — Meduza

In April 2025, Estonia detained the Kivala, a tanker linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. On September 27, the same vessel — now renamed the Boracay — was intercepted by French authorities.

meduza.io

2 13

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 2d

Russian state nuclear power company Rosenergoatom says Ukrainian forces attempted a drone strike on the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Russia says Ukraine attempted drone attack on nuclear plant’s cooling tower — Meduza

The Russian state nuclear power company Rosenergoatom said Tuesday that Ukrainian forces attempted a drone strike on the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant the previous night, targeting one of its…

meduza.io

3 2 11

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 3d

Worried that a "Franz Ferdinand moment" might trigger a full-scale conflict with Russia? Historian Alexey Uvarov reviews the events of 1914 and warns that the belief in the “inevitability” of war has a long and problematic history. meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Dangers of a self-fulfilling prophecy Historian Alexey Uvarov warns against looking for a ‘Franz Ferdinand moment’ in the Russian–Ukrainian war — Meduza

In late September 2025, European officials told Politico that the Russian–Ukrainian war threatens a “Franz Ferdinand moment,” where a sudden escalation drags the entire continent into direct military…

meduza.io

1 9 17

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 3d

Meduza has updated its combat map of Ukraine, which shows Kyiv's success in slowing the Russian army’s advance in central Donbas, albeit at a steep cost that has left other sectors more vulnerable. meduza.io/en/feature/2...

A high-stakes gamble Ukraine has successfully slowed Russia’s advance in central Donbas — but at the cost of its defenses elsewhere — Meduza

Like our earlier reports on the combat situation in Ukraine, this article takes stock of the recent developments on the battlefield based on open-source information. Meduza has condemned…

meduza.io

6 21

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 3d

Short on infantry, Ukraine is struggling to hold its defenses as Russian forces exploit weak spots along the front, advancing in small tactical groups through undermanned positions. meduza.io/en/feature/2...

As gaps widen along the front, Ukraine is reportedly struggling to hold back Russia’s advance — Meduza

Ukrainian troops are struggling to contain Russia’s advance as manpower shortages deepen and gaps widen between front-line positions, according to soldiers interviewed by Ukrainska Pravda. Short…

meduza.io

4 5 17

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 3d

Georgia’s prime minister has vowed that “no one will go unpunished” after protesters attempted to storm the presidential palace on Saturday following local elections dominated by the country’s ruling party.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

‘No one will go unpunished” Georgian prime minister vows crackdown after protesters try to storm presidential palace over disputed election — Meduza

Georgia saw its largest protests in months on Saturday, sparked by local elections in which the ruling Georgian Dream party, widely seen as pro-Russian, claimed a sweeping victory.

meduza.io

2 7 16

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 3d

Russia is in the midst of a fuel crisis. At the height of the consumption season, gasoline production has dropped following Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries, and prices are climbing. Here’s what the situation looks like on the ground.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Long lines and empty pumps. Russia’s gasoline crisis in photos. — Meduza

Russia is in the midst of a fuel crisis. At the height of the consumption season, gasoline production has dropped following Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries, and prices are climbing. Some gas…

meduza.io

1 9 31

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 6d

Russia's Culture Ministry spent a reported $2.4M on a trashy propaganda movie that depicts Europe as a dystopic nightmareland overrun by liberal values, multiculturalism, and murderous refugees. The film failed spectacularly, grossing just $1,315 at Russia's box office. meduza.io/en/feature/2...

The terror of ‘Tolerance’ Russia’s government funded a propaganda film this summer that sold 192 tickets on its opening weekend. The movie presents Europe as a nightmare of liberal values. — Meduza

Close your eyes and feel yourself transported to mythical “Franglia,” where liberal values have triumphed over tradition, and human rights now reign. Gender identity is fluid, and refugees from the…

meduza.io

3 17 49

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 6d

Another billionaire is behind bars in Russia. meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Russia arrests billionaire Ibrahim Suleymanov on suspicion of contract killings after alleged gunman dies in police custody — Meduza

On Friday, a Moscow court ordered the detention of billionaire Ibrahim Suleymanov on charges of organizing two contract killings from 1999 and 2004. The murders targeted Gennady Borisov, a Vnukovo…

meduza.io

3 16

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 6d

In his annual Valdai speech, Putin spent plenty of time speaking directly to (and about) the U.S. and the E.U., whom he portrayed as aggressors and Moscow’s adversaries.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

European ‘hysteria,’ Trump’s ‘paper tigers’ comment, and MAGA values Putin’s messages for the West at this year’s Valdai Discussion Club Forum — Meduza

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke for nearly four hours at the annual Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday, delivering a wide-ranging address followed by a Q&A session. Alongside commentary…

meduza.io

1 2 15

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 6d

Putin’s jokes about drone incursions in the E.U. call to mind his denial of Russia’s ‘little green men’ in Crimea a decade ago.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

‘I won’t send any more’ Putin’s jokes about drone incursions in the E.U. call to mind his denial of Russia’s ‘little green men’ in Crimea — Meduza

Speaking at Russia’s annual Valdai Discussion Club Forum in Sochi on Thursday, Vladimir Putin joked about the E.U.’s suspicions that Moscow is behind the recent uptick in unidentified drone sightings…

meduza.io

1 14 38

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 6d

Russian POW Yevgeny Kovtkov returned home yesterday in a prisoner exchange. His wife, who went to Ukraine after his capture and founded Our Way Out, a group that helps Russian prisoners of war, is staying in Kyiv.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Russian activist who works with POWs stays in Ukraine as her husband returns in prisoner swap — Meduza

On October 2, as part of a prisoner exchange with Ukraine, Russian serviceman Yevgeny Kovtkov — the husband of Our Way Out movement coordinator Irina Krynina — returned to Russia, the organization…

meduza.io

2 12 25

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 6d

Drones have rewritten the battlefield in Ukraine — and spooked the West. Meduza unpacks the so-called “drone revolution” and what it might mean for the future of warfare.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

The weapons of tomorrow The ‘drone revolution’ rewrote the battlefield in Ukraine. Will they upend the West’s way of war? — Meduza

Russia’s recent drone incursions into Poland and Romania set off alarm bells in Europe. For Brussels, it looked like a political signal of Moscow’s willingness to escalate. But the episode also…

meduza.io

8 16

Meduza in English @meduza.io · 6d

Overnight, Russian forces carried out their biggest strike on Ukraine’s gas production infrastructure since the start of the full-scale invasion, according to a statement from the state-owned energy company Naftogaz.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Russia launches largest strike on Ukraine’s gas infrastructure since start of full-scale war, inflicting ‘critical’ damage — Meduza

On Thursday night, Russian forces carried out their biggest strike on Ukraine’s gas production infrastructure since the start of the full-scale invasion, according to a statement from the state-owned…

meduza.io

10 11