The debate over sex and gender in sports has intensified. Vladimir Putin weighed in on the Paris Olympics, claiming that “any man could declare himself a woman and compete, leaving …
Category:
Society
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Society
Theater of Anti-War: How Russia failed to conquer the stage for pro-war propaganda
by Alex Johnsonby Alex JohnsonAs the new theatrical season approaches, the director of the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg has been replaced — just one of many leadership changes sweeping through Russian theaters. Those …
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Society
War games: Russia’s push to militarize youth through summer camps
by Alex Johnsonby Alex JohnsonThis summer saw a surge in Russia of children’s “military-patriotic camps.” At these camps, children hear speeches from well-known propagandists and other figures involved in the invasion of Ukraine, learn …
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Society
On thin ice: Russia’s unfolding climate catastrophe and the road ahead
by Alex Johnsonby Alex JohnsonOn the night of August 26-27, heavy rains led to flooding in Sochi, Russia, affecting the city hospital and several residential buildings. Power lines were damaged by fallen trees. Just …
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Society
“A month later my prosthesis fell apart”: Russia’s war veterans are much worse off than Israel’s — and somewhat worse off than Ukraine’s
by Alex Johnsonby Alex JohnsonThe Russian Ministry of Defense has classified the number of its soldiers disabled during the “Special Military Operation” (SMO), but the count is all but certainly in the tens of …
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Society
Soaring above sanctions: Miller, Timchenko, Deripaska, Rotenberg, and other Russian oligarchs buy parts for their private jets in the West
by Alex Johnsonby Alex JohnsonWhile Russia’s largest airline, Aeroflot, is cannibalizing its fleet for spare parts in order to compensate for the shortage caused by international sanctions, Vladimir Putin’s oligarchs continue to maintain their …
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Society
“I wish everyone in the Kremlin would drop dead”: Testimonies from war-torn Kursk Oblast, where locals have been left to their own devices
by Alex Johnsonby Alex JohnsonFor the first time since World War II, parts of Russia’s Kursk Oblast have fallen under the control of foreign armed forces. Locals feel abandoned by their government, and even …
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Society
Poor man’s lend-lease: Russia continues to import U.S. microchips needed for missile navigation and Internet censorship despite sanctions
by Alex Johnsonby Alex JohnsonDespite international sanctions, Russia continues to import unique microchips essential for missile and drone navigation, internet content filtering, and facial recognition. These semiconductor devices, called FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays), are …
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Society
No country for Tajiks: How the EU extradites refugees to Emomali Rahmon’s dictatorship over false accusations of links to ISIS
by Alex Johnsonby Alex JohnsonBelgian authorities are expected to make a decision soon regarding the extradition of Sitoramo Ibrohimova, a refugee from Tajikistan. There is growing concern that she may face the same fate …
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Society
The Kremlin’s war on streaming: How Russia is moving to block YouTube and why its efforts may bring down the entire Runet
by Alex Johnsonby Alex JohnsonRussian users are once again experiencing widespread disruptions on YouTube, with many providers of the service operating slowly or not at all. Although YouTube is not officially banned in Russia, …
