This split is not at all between Ukrainians and Russians, not between East and West, this is a deeper modern split. Zelensky - 72.7%, Poroshenko - 27.3% (latest data). I note that Zelensky has already approached Putin’s percentage in the 2018 elections, and is moving towards obtaining a mandate of such strength, in which it’s even scary to say how it can be reasonably disposed of ... I would say: this will be a “catastrophic mandate” ...

The work of employees of the Moscow office of the Rosbalt news agency was disrupted by a group of people in plain clothes who introduced themselves as employees of the Moscow Criminal Investigation Department. As reported in the editorial office, according to the senior group, who introduced himself as Colonel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Akimov, as part of a criminal case, the police need to inspect one of the workplaces in the Rosbalt office.

The GAZ Group of Oleg Deripaska is asking for 29.5 billion rubles in state support. Vadim Sorokin, general director of the GAZ group, asked Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak for help, Kommersant writes . Without these funds, the concern, which is under US sanctions, sees the risk of default and negative socio-economic consequences. The company complains that because of the sanctions they were forced to increase the loan portfolio and working capital.

The share of Russians who consider themselves to be middle class decreased from 60% in 2014 to 47% in 2018, according to the results of a survey commissioned by Sberbank CIB. As Vedomosti writes, the share of those who believe that their income is below average increased from 35% to 48%. A sharp decline in the middle class occurred in 2015–2017; in the last 15 months, its share has remained stable, said Yaroslav Lisovolik, head of the analytical department of Sberbank CIB.

Most films funded by the Cinema Fund fail at the box office. Only 19 out of 160 films that received subsidies in 2012-2017 made a profit, writes The Project . “The Cinema Fund strangely distributes state money: from year to year it is received by the same producers, who are often themselves members of the Fund's expert council and influence the distribution of funds.

Russia down in Reporters Without Borders' press freedom rankings The non-governmental human rights organization Reporters Without Borders published its annual report on violations of freedom of speech in the world. In the global rankings, Russia dropped one position last year to 149 out of 180. The country is adopting new laws that restrict freedom on the Internet, and the authorities are increasing pressure on international platforms.

Nikolai Ulyanov, editor-in-chief of the news agency Rosbalt, whose Moscow office is being raided by police, said it was linked to a criminal case filed in December last year over information discrediting the name of billionaire Alisher Usmanov.

Writer and journalist Dmitry Bykov, who was hospitalized in Ufa on Tuesday, will be transported to Moscow for further treatment. This was announced by the publisher of Novaya Gazeta Dmitry Muratov. The decision to transfer was made by the Russian Ministry of Health, the attending physicians and Bykov's relatives. It is assumed that it can be delivered to Moscow today. Dmitry Bykov was hospitalized on April 16 in Ufa, where he was supposed to give a lecture.

The current chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko is not close enough to Vladimir Putin to stay in the first posts in 2024, said political scientist Alexei Makarkin NT: Kommersant writes that in the coming months Valentina Matvienko can leave the post of chairman of the Federation Council. This was reported by a number of sources in government agencies. As a person who can replace it, they call the head of the foreign intelligence service (SVR) Sergey Naryshkin. Alexey Makarkin.

The euro exchange rate at the Moscow Exchange trading on April 18 dropped below 72 rubles. The last time the European currency traded below 72 rubles was on May 25 last year, Vedomosti notes. The Central Bank also lowered the official euro exchange rate on April 19, it was set at 72.2 rubles. (-12 kopecks). The dollar exchange rate, on the contrary, increased by 12 kopecks. up to 64 rub./$.

A second round may be required in six of the 16 regions where gubernatorial elections will be held in September, Vedomosti writes, based on the results of the first pre-election polls by VTsIOM (conducted in 10 regions) and FOM (in six regions). According to VTsIOM, the acting head of the Altai Republic Oleg Khorokhordin (42%), the acting governor of St.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un before the end of April. According to the Kremlin website, the visit will take place at the invitation of the Russian side. “At the invitation of Vladimir Putin, Chairman of the State Council of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong-un will pay a visit to the Russian Federation in the second half of April,” the report says .

U.S. Attorney General William Barr has released the full version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The full version of the report consists of 400 pages. The Attorney General said that no one from the Trump campaign or other US citizens had any contact with either the Internet Research Agency or the Russian intelligence services, reports Current Time .

On the popular gathering against the construction of the garbage training ground, which was held at the ShiES station, on the border of the Arkhangelsk region and Komi - especially for NT, journalist Elena Solovyova Since February 22, work for Moscow garbage is being built at ShiES station, where work has been stopped. Opponents of the future landfill installed checkpoints to prevent fuel trucks and deprive the builders of fuel.

Russia establishes a ban on the export of oil and petroleum products to Ukraine. This was reported by TASS with reference to a statement by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. In addition, Russia is expanding the ban on the import of certain Ukrainian goods . “This measure will affect Ukrainian products of mechanical engineering, light industry, metalworking, the cost of which last year amounted to almost $250 million,” Medvedev said at a government meeting.