The Moscow Times
@themoscowtimes.com
Independent news from Russia since 1992.
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Photo: Yaroslav Chingayev / Moskva News Agency
https://linktr.ee/moscowtimes
Photo: Yaroslav Chingayev / Moskva News Agency
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Monday that he had appointed his 20-year-old son, Akhmat Kadyrov, as acting deputy prime minister of the republic.
Kadyrov Appoints 20-Year-Old Son as Acting Deputy Prime Minister of Chechnya - The Moscow Times
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Monday that he had appointed his 20-year-old son, Akhmat Kadyrov, as acting deputy prime minister of the republic.
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January 5, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Monday that he had appointed his 20-year-old son, Akhmat Kadyrov, as acting deputy prime minister of the republic.
Russian judges sentenced 100 people to life imprisonment between January and November 2025, the highest annual total in at least two decades.
Russian Courts Hand Down Record Number of Life Sentences in 2025 - The Moscow Times
Russian judges sentenced 100 people to life imprisonment between January and November 2025, the highest annual total in at least two decades, the state-run TASS news agency reported Monday, citing dat...
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January 5, 2026 at 4:28 PM
Russian judges sentenced 100 people to life imprisonment between January and November 2025, the highest annual total in at least two decades.
Three members of a family, including a child, have been injured by a polar bear in a rare attack in the far north of Siberia, Russian officials said Monday.
3 Hurt in Polar Bear Attack in Remote Siberian Village - The Moscow Times
Three members of a family, including a child, have been injured by a polar bear in a rare attack in the far north of Siberia, Russian officials said Monday.
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 5, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Three members of a family, including a child, have been injured by a polar bear in a rare attack in the far north of Siberia, Russian officials said Monday.
Pro-Kremlin figures and military bloggers have slammed the United States’ ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro while pointing out Russia’s own failure to capture Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky in 2022.
For Pro-Kremlin Figures, Maduro’s Capture a Stark Reminder of Failed Zelensky Ouster - The Moscow Times
Pro-Kremlin figures and military bloggers have slammed the United States’ ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro while pointing out Russia’s own failure to capture Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 5, 2026 at 3:44 PM
Pro-Kremlin figures and military bloggers have slammed the United States’ ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro while pointing out Russia’s own failure to capture Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky in 2022.
#OpEd Russia has lost a friend on The United States' doorstep. But the Kremlin will likely try to sabotage a U.S.-orchestrated transition of power, warns Emanuel Pietrobon.
With Maduro Gone, Putin Risks Being Pushed Out of the Western Hemisphere - The Moscow Times
Opinion | The first 72 hours of 2026 seem like the prelude to a year to remember.
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January 5, 2026 at 2:35 PM
#OpEd Russia has lost a friend on The United States' doorstep. But the Kremlin will likely try to sabotage a U.S.-orchestrated transition of power, warns Emanuel Pietrobon.
A leading researcher of regional and ethnic disparities in Russia’s war losses discusses how and where Moscow will find fresh manpower in 2026.
Russia Needs Men To Fight in Ukraine in 2026. Where Will They Come From? - The Moscow Times
Russia’s regions and ethnic republics have borne a disproportionate share of the burden in supplying manpower for the front lines in Ukraine since the onset of Moscow’s full-scale invasion. With no p...
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 5, 2026 at 12:27 PM
A leading researcher of regional and ethnic disparities in Russia’s war losses discusses how and where Moscow will find fresh manpower in 2026.
The capture, if confirmed, would mark a new advance in the northeastern region, previously largely spared from fighting since 2022.
Russia Says Captured Village in Ukraine’s Sumy Region - The Moscow Times
Russia on Monday said it had seized the village of Hrabovske in Ukraine's Sumy region, from where Kyiv last month accused Moscow of forcibly relocating dozens of residents in a "medieval raid."
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January 5, 2026 at 11:21 AM
The capture, if confirmed, would mark a new advance in the northeastern region, previously largely spared from fighting since 2022.
Reposted by The Moscow Times
Russia is likely to slide from a phase of “managed cooling” into outright stagnation in 2026, with any meaningful recovery unlikely before 2027.
Russia’s Economy in 2026: More War, Slower Growth and Higher Taxes - The Moscow Times
With Western sanctions tightening and military demands on the budget due to the war in Ukraine showing little sign of easing, Russia is likely to slide from a phase of “managed cooling” into outright ...
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 2, 2026 at 3:59 PM
Russia is likely to slide from a phase of “managed cooling” into outright stagnation in 2026, with any meaningful recovery unlikely before 2027.
Russia bombarded Ukraine early Monday, killing two people in the Kyiv region, authorities said on the eve of a diplomatic summit in France.
2 Killed in Series of Russian Attacks on Ukraine - The Moscow Times
Russia bombarded Ukraine early Monday, killing two people in the Kyiv region, authorities said on the eve of a diplomatic summit in France.
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January 5, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Russia bombarded Ukraine early Monday, killing two people in the Kyiv region, authorities said on the eve of a diplomatic summit in France.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday denied reports that President Vladimir Putin's residence was attacked by Ukrainian drones, as the Kremlin claimed.
Trump Says He Doesn't Believe Ukraine Struck Putin Residence - The Moscow Times
U.S.
themoscowtimes.com
January 5, 2026 at 9:30 AM
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday denied reports that President Vladimir Putin's residence was attacked by Ukrainian drones, as the Kremlin claimed.
Experts and political leaders have viewed the suspected cable sabotage as part of a "hybrid war" carried out by Russia against Western countries.
Vessel Coming From Russia Dragged Anchor Before Subsea Cable Damaged — Finnish Police - The Moscow Times
The anchor of a vessel that damaged an undersea cable linking Helsinki and the Estonian capital Tallinn dragged along the seabed "at least several tens of kilometres" before it hit the line, Finnish p...
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January 4, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Experts and political leaders have viewed the suspected cable sabotage as part of a "hybrid war" carried out by Russia against Western countries.
In November, The Moscow Times spoke to former U.S. officials and analysts about how Russia might respond to a direct confrontation between Venezuela and the United States.
Moscow Risks Losing a Key Ally in Latin America as Trump Ramps Up Pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro - The Moscow Times
As the United States deployed warships and submarines to the Caribbean and escalated strikes on suspected Venezuelan drug-smuggling boats in recent months, President Nicolás Maduro appealed to a power...
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 4, 2026 at 1:43 PM
In November, The Moscow Times spoke to former U.S. officials and analysts about how Russia might respond to a direct confrontation between Venezuela and the United States.
❗️ Russia has demanded the release of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife from U.S. custody.
Russia Demands Release of Maduro After U.S. Military Strikes Venezuela
- The Moscow Times
Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday called for the release of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife from U.S. custody after President Donald Trump announced that they were captured during mi...
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 3, 2026 at 3:47 PM
❗️ Russia has demanded the release of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife from U.S. custody.
In November, The Moscow Times spoke to former U.S. officials and analysts about how Russia might respond to a direct confrontation between Venezuela and the United States.
Moscow Risks Losing a Key Ally in Latin America as Trump Ramps Up Pressure on Venezuela’s Maduro - The Moscow Times
As the United States deployed warships and submarines to the Caribbean and escalated strikes on suspected Venezuelan drug-smuggling boats in recent months, President Nicolás Maduro appealed to a power...
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 3, 2026 at 11:40 AM
In November, The Moscow Times spoke to former U.S. officials and analysts about how Russia might respond to a direct confrontation between Venezuela and the United States.
The Foreign Ministry urged restraint and warned against further escalation following the attack on Caracas.
Russia Condemns U.S. Military Strikes Against Venezuela
- The Moscow Times
Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it called a U.S. act of “armed aggression” against Venezuela on Saturday, urging restraint and warning against further escalation. “The pretexts cited to justi...
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 3, 2026 at 10:18 AM
The Foreign Ministry urged restraint and warned against further escalation following the attack on Caracas.
Reposted by The Moscow Times
#OpEd Russia is used to being the dominant player in the region. While it remains an important economic partner, the political priorities of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are taking different paths, writes Nicholas Castillo.
Where Does Russia Stand After a Year of Recalibration in the Caucasus? - The Moscow Times
Opinion | That the Caucasus is a zone of diverging political interests is nothing new.
www.themoscowtimes.com
December 29, 2025 at 2:06 PM
#OpEd Russia is used to being the dominant player in the region. While it remains an important economic partner, the political priorities of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are taking different paths, writes Nicholas Castillo.
Russian forces captured more than 5,600 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory last year, according to an AFP analysis.
Russian Army Makes Biggest Territorial Gains in 2025 Since First Year of Full-Scale Invasion - The Moscow Times
Russia made its largest territorial gains in Ukraine last year since the early months of the full-scale invasion in 2022, according to an AFP analysis.
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 2, 2026 at 4:46 PM
Russian forces captured more than 5,600 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory last year, according to an AFP analysis.
Russia is likely to slide from a phase of “managed cooling” into outright stagnation in 2026, with any meaningful recovery unlikely before 2027.
Russia’s Economy in 2026: More War, Slower Growth and Higher Taxes - The Moscow Times
With Western sanctions tightening and military demands on the budget due to the war in Ukraine showing little sign of easing, Russia is likely to slide from a phase of “managed cooling” into outright ...
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 2, 2026 at 3:59 PM
Russia is likely to slide from a phase of “managed cooling” into outright stagnation in 2026, with any meaningful recovery unlikely before 2027.
For Russians who went abroad after the invasion of Ukraine, the classic Russian New Year’s traditions offer a way to feel connected to home from afar and to share a bit of their culture with their new communities.
For Russia’s Wartime Diaspora, New Year’s Traditions Become a Tether to Home - The Moscow Times
Ahead of New Year’s Eve, the biggest holiday in Russia, Sergei, 30, a Russian IT specialist based in Romania, said he would try to watch “The Irony of Fate,” the 1975 romantic comedy that is a New Yea...
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 1, 2026 at 4:53 PM
For Russians who went abroad after the invasion of Ukraine, the classic Russian New Year’s traditions offer a way to feel connected to home from afar and to share a bit of their culture with their new communities.
Ukrainian officials said they carried out a counterintelligence operation that thwarted an alleged Russian assassination plot against far-right nationalist Denis Kapustin.
Russian Volunteer Corps Leader Is Still Alive, Ukraine’s GUR Says - The Moscow Times
The founder and leader of the Russian Volunteer Corps, a far-right paramilitary group fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, is alive, Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency said Thursday, days afte...
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January 1, 2026 at 2:27 PM
Ukrainian officials said they carried out a counterintelligence operation that thwarted an alleged Russian assassination plot against far-right nationalist Denis Kapustin.
Fourteen crew members from Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan were detained for questioning, police said.
Finland Seizes Cargo Ship Suspected of Damaging Undersea Cable - The Moscow Times
Finnish police said Wednesday that they had seized a cargo vessel suspected of damaging a telecommunications cable linking Helsinki and Tallinn earlier in the Gulf of Finland.
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January 1, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Fourteen crew members from Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan were detained for questioning, police said.
“For Russia, I wish for a true miracle, because in my opinion, only that could help achieve peace or at least a pause [in fighting],” one Moscow resident said.
‘Hoping for an End to the War’: Russians Share Their New Year’s Wishes for 2026 - The Moscow Times
As 2025 draws to a close, many Russians are looking to the new year in the hope it might bring an end to the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, which has killed tens of thousands on both sides and displaced mi...
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January 1, 2026 at 12:04 PM
“For Russia, I wish for a true miracle, because in my opinion, only that could help achieve peace or at least a pause [in fighting],” one Moscow resident said.
Trump also appeared to play down Moscow’s claims by sharing an editorial article that is critical of the Russian president.
U.S. Finds Ukraine Did Not Attack Putin’s Valdai Residence – WSJ - The Moscow Times
U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that Ukraine did not attack one of President Vladimir Putin’s residences earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 1, 2026 at 9:51 AM
Trump also appeared to play down Moscow’s claims by sharing an editorial article that is critical of the Russian president.
Moscow-backed officials accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilians during New Year’s Eve celebrations at a hotel and restaurant.
Ukrainian Drones Killed 24 in Occupied Kherson Resort Town, Pro-Kremlin Governor Says - The Moscow Times
At least 24 people were killed and dozens more wounded in a Ukrainian drone attack on a town in occupied southern Ukraine, Kremlin-installed authorities said early Thursday, accusing Kyiv of deliberat...
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 1, 2026 at 8:52 AM
Moscow-backed officials accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilians during New Year’s Eve celebrations at a hotel and restaurant.
#OpEd Whoever succeeds Trump will struggle to undo the damage dealt to Washington's alliances and the advantages he has granted Russia, argues Ruth Deyermond.
2025 Saw the Biggest Change in U.S.–Russia Relations Since the October Revolution - The Moscow Times
Opinion | 2025 saw the greatest and fastest change in United States-Russia relations since the 1917 Russian Revolution.
www.themoscowtimes.com
December 31, 2025 at 3:29 PM
#OpEd Whoever succeeds Trump will struggle to undo the damage dealt to Washington's alliances and the advantages he has granted Russia, argues Ruth Deyermond.