Culture & Customs

The 2021 Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner auctioned his medal off to help displaced Ukrainian children.

Russian combatants occupying Melitopol, Ukraine, have fallen ill after eating poisoned cherries.

New material recognizing two Russia-friendly separatist regions in eastern Ukraine will soon be taught in Russian high schools. 

15,000 millionaires are predicted to flee Russia by the end of 2022. 

A round-up of some facts and figures regarding fleeing civilians and lost material from the Russian war on Ukraine. 

The citizenship of a well-known Armenian activist is at risk after speaking out against the war in Ukraine.

Children born in the Ukrainian city of Kherson will now receive Russian citizenship, whether they want it or not.

Ex-captain of the Russian national soccer team speaks out against the invasion of Ukraine despite potential consequences.

A St. Petersburg priest faces up to ten years in prison for speaking out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

A Russian independent journalist has published an exposé on Putin's "biomaterials."

Nadya Karpova demonstrated bravery in expressing both her sexuality and her stance on the war in Ukraine.

"The Committee against Torture has been protecting the rights of citizens who have suffered from torture and inhuman treatment by government officials all their lives. Despite the obvious benefits of this mission, the authorities have been trying for many years to give it an alien and harmful outline... Apparently, the authorities are giving a signal that torture is becoming (or has already become) part of state policy and is not a problem. Here I would like to remind you about the Constitution, where torture is prohibited (for the time being)."

– Sergey Babinets, chairman of the Committee against Torture