The issue of control over the Strait of Hormuz remains a stumbling block at the US-Iran talks taking place on April 11 in Islamabad. The Financial Times writes about this, citing two sources familiar with the progress of the negotiations. According to one of the journalists' interlocutors, Tehran insists on its own control over the strait and the right to collect fees from ships passing through it. The Iranian side also rejects the US proposal for joint control of the strait.

Governor of the Kursk region Alexander Khinshtein accused the Ukrainian Armed Forces of violating the Easter truce. The official said that in the city of Lgov, a Ukrainian drone attacked a gas station, as a result of which three people were injured, including a one-year-old child. Khinshtein claims that the drone strike occurred after 16:00 on April 11, that is, when the Easter truce came into force at the front. He did not provide evidence of this.

The editors of Novaya Gazeta issued a statement regarding the criminal prosecution of their journalist Oleg Roldugin, who was arrested on April 10 as part of a case of illegal use of personal data. Journalists note that they do not understand the very essence of the criminal case, and the arrest of their colleague for a crime “that no one can name” looks like “absurdity.” “Oleg Roldugin was arrested not on any charge, but on suspicion of something. What exactly was not clear in court.

The US military has launched an operation to clear the Strait of Hormuz, which was blocked by Iran with the start of a new war in the Middle East. This was announced by US President Donald Trump. He claims that Iran's entire fleet, including 28 minelayers, has already been sunk by the US military.

Updated . In-person trilateral negotiations between the United States and Iran are being held in Islamabad with the mediation of Pakistan, a senior White House official told CNN. The American delegation is led by Vice President J.D. Vance, as well as special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner. According to the Tasnim agency, the Iranian delegation in Islamabad consists of 71 people, including negotiators, experts, media representatives and security officials.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov called on users in Russia to update their applications so that they can stay in touch despite the ban on the messenger. “We have updated the Telegram anti-censorship protocol,” Durov wrote in his Telegram channel. Some more tips: stock up on a few VPNs/proxies in advance, help your friends and family do the same, and avoid using Russian apps when connecting to a VPN (they may report your VPN to the authorities for blocking).

The BBC Russian Service published on its website and YouTube channel the documentary film “Mr. Nobody vs. Putin,” which won the 2026 Oscar Award. BBC News - Russian Service As the publication notes, due to licensing restrictions, the film is available for viewing only in 13 countries: Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Uzbekistan.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war on April 11. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the Ukrainian side handed over 175 Russian military personnel who were in captivity. In exchange, 175 prisoners of war of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were transferred to Kyiv. Also, seven residents of the Kursk region, who found themselves in Ukraine after the Ukrainian Armed Forces invaded this Russian region, returned to their homeland.

The criminal prosecution of Novaya Gazeta columnist Oleg Roldugin, who was arrested in a case of illegal collection of personal data, could have been initiated due to the anonymous telegram channel “More than a fact.” The BBC Russian Service writes about this with reference to an acquaintance of Roldugin and another knowledgeable source. More than 34 thousand users are subscribed to the Telegram channel “More Than a Fact”.

Day 1508. Russia and Ukraine exchanged drone strikes ahead of the Easter truce. Odessa, Sumy, Novorossiysk and Krymsk attacked Since February 24, 2022, Meduza has been broadcasting live about the Russian-Ukrainian war. We publish your letters every day because we are sure that we need to continue talking about the war. Share with us your thoughts about the war. What feelings are you experiencing? How does war affect your life and your attitude towards the world?

Now Putin retells his theories in his speeches In a fresh interview with Yuri Dud, Pavel Gubarev, one of the leaders of the Donbass separatists in 2014, repeatedly mentions some “Noviops” and Russia as a “crypto-colony” of the West. In his view, these are people deprived of “Russian identity” and acting against the national interests of the “Russian world.” Z-bloggers also like to talk about “noviops”.

They not only monitor whether the VPN is turned on, but also analyze almost everything you do Nikolas Kokovlis / NurPhoto / Getty Images Most Russian services—and not just the Max messenger, as previously thought—monitor the presence of VPN on users’ phones. RKS Global experts came to this conclusion after studying 30 popular Android applications. These include banking and payment services, marketplaces, delivery services, taxi ordering and navigation, social networks and video hosting.

Preserving the memory of repression and caring for political prisoners are at risk. What risks are important to be aware of? On April 9, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, at the request of the Ministry of Justice, declared the research and human rights organization Memorial “extremist” and banned its activities in the country.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is still recovering from severe injuries to his face and legs sustained in an airstrike on February 28. This was reported to Reuters by three anonymous sources from the inner circle of the new head of the Islamic republic.

The preliminary plans of the parties are directly opposite to each other Iranian Foreign Ministry / EPA / Scanpix / LETA Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (left) and Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammadbagher Ghalibaf (center) at Islamabad airport. April 11, 2026. Updated . Face-to-face negotiations between the US and Iranian delegations, with the mediation of Pakistan, started in the second half of April 11 in Islamabad.