Police officers walk in front of a shop window decorated for the upcoming Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, Russia, 18 April 2025. Photo: EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV Vladimir Putin signed a package of 18 new pieces of legislation into law on Monday, including an updated version of the military censorship law introduced shortly after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which toughens the existing penalties for “discrediting the military” and “calling for sanctions” against Russia.

Workers clean debris at the site of a Russian missile strike in Sumy, Ukraine, 15 April 2025. Photo: EPA-EFE/SERGEY KOZLOV Vladimir Putin has confirmed that the Russian military intentionally targeted a civilian building in a missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on 13 April, state-owned news agency TASS reported on Monday. Putin told reporters that Sumy State University was holding an award ceremony for Ukrainian servicemen at the time, and called the strike “retribution”.

On April 13, the Russian military really attacked a civilian object in the Sumy region, said Vladimir Putin. According to him, the Ukrainian military, who participated in battles in the Kursk region, took place at the Congress Center of Sumy University. He called the blow to the civilian object "retribution." “There was a rewarding of those who committed crimes in the Kursk region and units of the Armed Forces and nationalists.

Alexander Panasenko. Photo: social media A court in the Russian city of Kemerovo, in western Siberia, has sentenced a local man to four years and four months in prison for promising to “piss on” a St. George ribbon, a Russian military symbol, the regional Prosecutor’s Office said on Monday. Alexander Panasenko, 31, pleaded guilty to charges of publicly desecrating a symbol of military glory. He was also banned from posting online for three years.

Anton Belov left the post of director of the museum. What he managed to achieve in 15 years and in what condition does Daria Kotova accept the institution A press conference on the development plans of the Museum of Contemporary Art “Garage”, November 22, 2021. Photo: Sergey Kiselev / AGN "Moscow" On April 17, the Moscow Museum of Contemporary Art “Garage”, owned by Roman Abramovich and Daria Zhukova, announced the change of director.

Vadim Vaganov. Photo: Telegram The Russian Justice Ministry has named queer journalist Vadim Vaganov a member of the non-existent “international LGBT movement”, which was declared extremist in 2023, the first time it has labelled an individual an extremist due to their queer activism, human rights NGO First Department said on Monday.

Alexander Panasenko, photo: social networks The Kemerovo Regional Court sentenced the 31-year-old resident of Kemerovo, Alexander Panasenko, to the four years and four months of the colony for the promise to “piss” the St. George ribbon, the regional prosecutor's office reports . Panasenko was found guilty of public desecration of the symbol of military glory (part 4 of article 354.1 of the Criminal Code). He was also banned for three years to publish posts on the Internet.

Young Muscovites identified by facial recognition systems are increasingly being coerced into joining the army Police officers on duty outside a military conscription office in Moscow, 1 April 2025. Photo: Sergey Kiselev / AGN Moskva Last month, Vladimir Putin decreed the largest intake of conscripts by the Russian military in 14 years, ordering the Ministry of Defence to draft 160,000 new recruits this year alone.

Ukraine accuses Russia of more than three thousand shelling and other violations. Kyiv is ready to answer silence, Moscow does not make plans Military Capellan Sergey serves near the tank and its crew during the celebration of Easter near the front line in the Zaporizhzhya region, Ukraine, April 20, 2025. Photo: press service of the 65th separate mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces / EPA The Easter truce, announced by Russia unilaterally, ended.

The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the first time called the name of a participant in the non-existent "international public movement of LGBT", which was recognized as "extremist"-they became Quir-journalist Vadim Vaganov. The “First Department” was told by the lawyer of the rights of LGBT people, Maxim Olenichev, representing the interests of the journalist.

Pope Francis arrives to lead the weekly General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, 10 April 2013. Photo: EPA-EFE/ETTORE FERRARI Religious and political leaders in Russia have begun paying tributes to Pope Francis, whose death was announced by the Vatican on Monday morning.

Mikhail Khachaturian with daughters. Photo: social networks The Butyrsky District Court of Moscow found the murdered in 2018 by Mikhail Khachaturian guilty of causing bodily harm to daughters, sexualized violence and the spread of pornography. This was reported by RIA Novosti and "Caution, News." As the lawyer of one of the sisters Alexei Parshin told RBC, the criminal case was terminated due to the death of the accused.

The aftermath of Russian airstrikes in central Ukraine’s Dnipro region. Photo: Serhiy Lysak / Telegram Russia renewed its attacks on Ukraine overnight following the end of a hastily announced “Easter truce” on Monday, launching 96 drones and three missiles at targets in the country, the Ukrainian Air Force has announced .

Pope Francis died the day after Easter. He prayed for the world and believed in the power of dialogue - even when no one heard him Pope Francis. Photo: Fabio Frustaci / EPA April 21, on Easter Monday - the day when Christians celebrate the first morning after the resurrection of Christ, the pope of the Roman Francis died. The pontiff was 88 years old. "New Gazeta Europe" tells how he remembers. Papa Francis went down in history as a pontiff first-prosecutor, almost a revolutionary.

Photo: Angelo Carconi / EPA-EFE Photo: Angelo Carconi / EPA-EFE The Pope Francis (real name is Jorge Mario Bergolo) died at the age of 88, the Vatican press service said . “Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 in his residence in the Vatican, in Casa Santa Mart,” said Vatican News. According to Corriere Della Sera and La Repubblica , pontiff could die as a result of a stroke.