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The Indian authorities have asked Russia to allow Indian citizens who have entered into contracts with the Russian army to retire early, The Hindu writes, citing the country's Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal. “We are aware that several Indian citizens have signed up for auxiliary work in the Russian army. The Indian Embassy is discussing the issue of their early release with the responsible authorities of the Russian Federation.

The administration of US President Joe Biden will continue to impose new sanctions against Russia in connection with the death of politician Alexei Navalny, CNN writes, citing US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. "You can expect more from the administration in terms of holding the Kremlin accountable for Navalny's death," Kirby told reporters.

One week after Navalny’s death, his mother refuses to cave to the Russian authorities’ intimidation tactics One week after Alexey Navalny’s death, the Russian authorities have yet to release his body to his family. While state investigators did allow his mother to see the body in person, they used the occasion to try to pressure her into agreeing to a secret funeral, openly admitting that they fear the situation’s potential to mobilize protesters.

The Ukrainian military shot down a Russian A-50 reconnaissance aircraft in the Sea of ​​Azov region, RBC-Ukraine reports, citing sources in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to the publication’s interlocutors, the plane was shot down as part of a joint operation of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Main Intelligence Directorate. “The chances of saving the aircraft are minimal,” one of the publication’s sources said.

One year after ‘earthquake diplomacy’ opened the Armenian-Turkish border, a newly rebuilt checkpoint remains closed Sona Hovsepyan Story by Sona Hovsepyan for The Beet . Edited by Eilish Hart . This story first appeared in The Beet , a weekly email dispatch from Meduza covering Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Sign up here to get the next issue delivered directly to your inbox. In the Armenian village of Margara, Kima Karapetyan has her radio tuned to the news.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly announced the introduction of new sanctions against Russia, timed to coincide with the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops, the press service of the Canadian Foreign Ministry reports. “Today we send a clear message to Russian officials and the organizations they govern: we stand with the people of Ukraine as they bravely defend their rights in the face of Putin’s inexcusable and aggressive actions.

Ministry of Education: Pictures could see the children - "And there the bed, dark, kisses" On February 22, Baza and Mash telegram channels reported that the Ministry of Education of the Novosibirsk Region received an anonymous complaint against a 25-year-old teacher of the Russian language, literature and history from Kuibysheva Marina Lvova, who allegedly posted on his social networks “intimate photographs”.

Lawyers for the mother of Alexei Navalny filed an application addressed to the head of the Investigative Committee for the Yamalo-Nenets District. They demanded that a criminal case be opened against local investigators who are not handing over the body of their son to Lyudmila Navalnaya. It is proposed to initiate a case under Article 244 of the Criminal Code (“Desecration of the bodies of the dead and their burial places”). A copy of the statement was published by FBK director Ivan Zhdanov.

Update. The reward amount for “full information about Navalny’s murder” was raised to 100 thousand euros, Ivan Zhdanov said . Shortly before this, the remuneration amount was increased from 20 to 50 thousand euros. FBK director Ivan Zhdanov recorded an appeal to Russian security forces, in which he called on them to share any information about the death of Alexei Navalny. The video was published on the Navalny Live YouTube channel. “If you feel the same pain as us, write to us.

The Ocean Yelzy group released the new song “Vidpovіd” (“Answer”) on the eve of the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine The Ukrainian rock band Ocean Yelzy released a video for the new song “Vidpovіd” (“Answer”). The description says that this is a special composition for the team. ““ Vidpovіd ” - she is about pain and memory,“ vidpovіd ” - she is about life gratitude,“ vidpovіd ” - she is about a complex and long path to victory.

The Bundestag (German parliament) adopted a bill that partially legalizes the cultivation and possession of marijuana in Germany, writes Deutsche Welle. The draft law was supported by 407 parliamentarians, 226 deputies voted against the document, and two more people abstained. As the publication clarifies, from April 1, people over 18 years of age will be allowed to grow up to three cannabis bushes at home for personal use, as well as store up to 50 grams of marijuana for personal use.

Alexey Navalny’s investigative team reported on Friday that Russian state investigators called Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, and gave her an ultimatum: if she didn’t agree within three hours to let them bury him in secret, with no public ceremony, her son would be buried at the penal colony where he died.

The investigator delivered an ultimatum to the mother of Alexei Navalny, demanding that within three hours she agree to the politician’s secret funeral without a public farewell. This was reported by Navalny's associates Kira Yarmysh and Ivan Zhdanov . If Navalny’s mother does not agree to this condition, the politician “will be buried in a colony,” the investigator said.

Workers at the “Polar Wolf” prison in Russia’s Far North where Alexey Navalny died once tried to pass off another inmate’s death as a suicide when he actually died as a result of torture , the investigative outlet Holod reported on Friday. According to the outlet’s sources, Bakhrombek Sharifov suffocated to death in 2022 after prison employees forced him to wear a straightjacket and taped him to a mattress, a common torture method at the facility.