3658 Books The Insider October 26, 2026 Freedom Letters publishing house has published Vladislav Inozemtsev’s book “Deathonomics. Monetization of life in Putin's Russia" . “Putin tried to solve an unimaginable problem: to ensure economic growth and prosperity by slaughtering his own people,” the author explains.

Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development has approved recommendations for protecting data centers from drone attacks, including a proposal to place particularly important strategic facilities underground or in bunkers, the Kremlin-aligned newspaper Kommersant reported on Oct. 25.

The Bank of Russia advised banks to control the sources of funds when depositing large amounts of cash into accounts in order to prevent money laundering. Methodological recommendations are published on the regulator’s website.

Filmmakers from Russia and the DPRK are negotiating about joint projects and about filming Russian films on North Korean territory. Roskino General Director Elsa Antonova spoke about this following the visit of the Russian delegation to Pyongyang, TASS reports . According to her, during the trip the parties determined in which areas they would work further. She said: “As a result of the visit, the foundations have been laid.

Already 10 European countries have joined the French initiative to deter Russia nuclearly amid doubts about the reliability of American security guarantees, The Wall Street Journal reports . President Emmanuel Macron's plan calls for French nuclear-capable Rafale fighter jets to be stationed in various European countries, as well as intelligence sharing and a common early warning infrastructure.

The U.S.-based think tank Middle East Forum has recommended that the U.S. Treasury Department treat cryptocurrency platforms used by Russia and Iran as a single interconnected system, according to a report published by the organization on Oct. 25.

The European Union is going to use protective mechanisms to reduce the import of chemical, furniture and engineering products from China. Restrictions could take the form of quotas or duties, and they will most likely be introduced in the first quarter of 2027. Bloomberg writes about this with reference to interlocutors familiar with the situation.

Roscosmos, at the request of NASA, decided to mothball the transition chamber on the Zvezda module, one of the modules of the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS). Georgy Trishkin, a rocket launch analyst and popularizer of space and rocket science, reported this on his Telegram channel, citing his own sources. “It was confirmed from Houston that NASA pressured Roscosmos to make an unpopular decision due to growing leaks on the ISS.

Russia has sharply increased its recruitment of Africans to fight in the war against Ukraine, targeting states with lower incomes and weak democratic institutions. Bloomberg writes about this with reference to a presentation of Ukrainian intelligence, which was received from sources familiar with its contents.

Germany is preparing to purchase Ukrainian inexpensive Bars drone missiles for its own army. The Financial Times writes about this, citing sources familiar with the plans. According to them, an agreement to purchase the first batch for testing in the Bundeswehr will be concluded in the coming weeks. This is the first known purchase of Ukrainian-developed offensive weapons for the needs of the German army.

The Federal Tax Service demanded that Trassa GSM LLC, a legal entity of the Trassa gas station network, one of the largest independent fuel sellers in the Moscow region, be declared bankrupt. Interdistrict Inspectorate of the Federal Tax Service No. 20 for the Saratov Region sent an application to the Arbitration Court of the Moscow Region. Two weeks earlier, Sberbank went to court with a demand to bankrupt the parent company of the network, EuroTrans PJSC.

The 2nd Western District Military Court in Moscow has sentenced 49-year-old IT specialist Yuri Belenky, who was accused of “financing terrorism,” to 13 years in prison, reports the Pervy Otdel human rights group. According to the sentence, Belenky must spend the first three years in prison and the rest of the term in a maximum-security penal colony. The court also imposed a fine of 500,000 rubles ($6,200) and ordered the confiscation of another 126,000 rubles ($1,560).

Russian banks have proposed making it mandatory to install government security certificates on Russian smartphones when downloading and updating applications. The Association of Banks of Russia sent a corresponding letter to the head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Maksut Shadayev, writes RBC. Banks explain the initiative by problems with access to Russian sites after the revocation of international certificates.

A high alert regime was reintroduced in North Ossetia, just 12 days after the previous one was lifted. The head of the republic, Sergei Menyailo, signed a decree banning public mass events and the operation of cafes and restaurants from midnight to seven in the morning. Establishments were also required to install video surveillance, warning and evacuation systems and hire licensed security. The restrictions came into force on October 24, and their end date has not been set.

According to estimates by the publication Beware, News, on October 23, at least 210 flights were delayed or canceled at Moscow airports, most of them to Sheremetyevo. In the evening, all restrictions at Sheremetyevo were lifted. Vnukovo and Domodedovo received and dispatched flights at night by agreement, and on the morning of October 24, these restrictions were also lifted.