Former political prisoners tell you what to do if you find yourself behind bars, something they do not renounce in Russia In Russia, as of September of this year, there are more than 313,000 people behind bars. People are increasingly being arrested for everyday things: reposts and comments on social networks, street performances, poetry readings, for earrings and sweaters of “wrong” colors, cakes with “wrong” inscriptions, reading books on the subway, talking on the phone.

Results of the year of the renewed Union of Writers of Russia - from one extraordinary congress to another Congress of the Russian Writers' Union. Photo: social networks The renewed Union of Writers of Russia, headed by Presidential Assistant Vladimir Medinsky, began the year with an extraordinary congress and ends it with an extraordinary congress. Extraordinary means haste, and for the February event it was completely justified. Serious changes were expected then.

“Greatness” by Sergei Mostovshchikov, illustrations by Pyotr Sarukhanov Drawing: Pyotr Sarukhanov / Novaya Gazeta One morning at half past six I came from Rostov. My country is great Sorry, I don't remember a damn thing.

A popular revolt opens the way for Moscow to control power in Sofia. The country was left without a government at a historical moment December 10, 2025. Anti-government protest in Sofia. Photo: AP / TASS The resignation of the cabinet of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov on December 11 was the culmination of a process that had been brewing in Bulgaria for some time. The formal reason was mass protests against the failed 2026 budget, which included increased taxes and social security contributions.

Over the past six months, more than a hundred high- and medium-sized officials have been arrested in Russia. Preventive trial for ex-official of the Ministry of Education Gribov in the case of theft of 54 million rubles. Photo: Igor Ivanko / Kommersant The trend of arrests and detentions of major regional officials that emerged in the spring of 2025 has now become something completely common.

The Kremlin does not know what is really going on in the minds of those who make up the “deep state.” And that's why I started to scare Illustration: Petr Sarukhanov / Novaya Gazeta This year, similar news came in an intermittent weekly stream, making up a fair share of the total volume of crime chronicles: “In Chelyabinsk, police caught a SVO soldier who brutally dealt with his wife,” “The former mayor of Ivanovo was detained on suspicion of a scam involving home renovations worth half a

The Moscow City Court announced the verdict: ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, who once arrested Russian President Vladimir Putin and children's ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova in absentia in the case of the removal of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation, received 15 years in a maximum security colony - naturally, in absentia. Moreover, he will have to spend the first few years in prison.

Good news: the court of first instance protected the business reputation of the publishing house "CompassGuide" and rejected the serial informer Informer Irina Lisova. Photo: social networks On December 8, the Arbitration Court of St. Petersburg ruled in favor of the children's book publishing house KompasGid, which sought protection of business reputation in its claim against children's writer Irina Lisova. The claim was fully satisfied.

The Vyvozhuk project, which was involved in the evacuation of Russians from vulnerable groups and politically persecuted activists, announced the completion of work in 2025 in the form in which it existed. The reason is lack of funding. “We can no longer provide direct assistance to persecuted Russians... 2025 has been a difficult year for us, as for everyone in the sector.

When the first chords of the song “Eagle, Taurus and Lion” sounded, a woman of about sixty took out a small bottle of Ararat. December 8th. Concert on Northern Avenue. Photo: screenshot from Anton Senko’s video 18+ THIS MATERIAL (INFORMATION) WAS PRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED AND (OR) SENT BY FOREIGN AGENT BORIS BORISOVICH GREBENSHIKOV OR CONCERNES THE ACTIVITIES OF FOREIGN AGENT BORIS BORISOVICH GREBENSHIKOV.

The law on the integrated development of the territories of St. Petersburg was adopted by deputies, but will it be accepted by the people? Photo: Alexander Koryakov / Kommersant It took the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg three and a half years to finalize the legislation on integrated development of territories (CRT). Next year, the CRT freeze (which has been in effect almost all this time) will not be extended.

Seven people, including one child, were hospitalized after a night attack by Ukrainian drones on Tver on the night of December 12. As a result, a high-rise building on Osnabrück Street was damaged. Moreover, the first, second and third floors of the 14-story building were damaged; it was at this level that detonation occurred. Most of the victims refused hospitalization after examination. As a result, there are now three adults and one child in hospitals; there is no threat to their lives.

Who and why is lobbying for clear-cutting of forests on the main lake of the world - Baikal Irkutsk region. View of Lake Baikal from Olkhon Island. Photo: A. Belkin / Business Online / TASS On December 9, the State Duma adopted in two readings a bill allowing clear-cutting of forests on Lake Baikal. The very next day it was approved by the Federation Council.