Week-ending 5 June 2026
Russia’s War against Ukraine
The UN has added Israel and Russia to a blacklist for sexual violence in conflict, citing abuse by security forces, including the rape of male detainees. (The Guardian, 29/5/26)
A new Russian propaganda film has been released about Ukrainian children being brainwashed during so-called ‘integration sessions’ in ‘children’s camps’. (Human Rights in Ukraine, 1/6/26)
Nursultan Mussagaleyev, accused of killing civilians in Bucha, finished second in a United Russia primary for the party’s regional list in the Orenburg region. (Meduza, 1/6/26)
To mark Children’s Day, rights advocates and researchers are drawing attention to the mounting political indoctrination and criminal prosecution of children in Russia. (The Moscow Times, 1/6/26)
Senior Finance Ministry and central bank officials have warned Vladimir Putin that defense spending is driving the federal budget deficit to unsustainable levels. (Meduza, 1/6/26)
A court in Kirov sentenced Alexandra Pugach, 28, to six years in prison in absentia on charges of spreading “false information” about the Russian military. (Meduza, 2/6/26)
Police in Syktyvkar have sought to remove three schoolchildren from their families after the children climbed on a Victory Day installation. (Meduza, 2/6/26)
Playgrounds recently installed across Russia are being constructed with an overtly militarized theme amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. (RFE/RL, 3/6/26)
Some gas stations in Moscow and regions in northern Russia have introduced limits on fuel purchases following months of Ukrainian drone attacks against oil refineries. (The Moscow Times, 3/6/26)
A judge in Siberia sentenced Maria Ponomarenko serving two years for ‘discrediting’ the Russian army to serve 22 extra months for allegedly assaulting a prison guard. (The Moscow Times, 3/6/26)
Only 4% of the people and organizations designated as “foreign agents” in Russia in 2025 actually receive foreign funding, Deputy Justice Minister Oleg Sviridenko said. (Meduza, 4/6/26)
The Russian military is returning men to fight in the war despite severe injuries and, in some cases, medical reports saying they are not fit for further service in combat. (RFE/RL, 4/6/26)
Russia’s national postal service said that it is once again receiving regular mail and package deliveries from the United States. (The Moscow Times, 4/6/26)
Authorities in annexed Crimea halted gasoline sales and distribution of fuel vouchers, as the peninsula faces a worsening shortage. (The Moscow Times, 4/6/26)
The Centre for Journalist Investigations identified five Ukrainians abducted and tortured into ‘confessing’ to the killing of Volodymyr Leontiev, (Human Rights in Ukraine, 4/6/26)
Mikhail Loshchinin, who went to Russia to see his ill father, was convicted of treason for donating $245 to a Ukrainian and sentenced to 16 years in prison. (RFE/RL, 5/6/26)
Russia added the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, the ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ project, and OVD.info to its list of ‘terrorists and extremists’. (Human Rights in Ukraine, 5/6/26)
Other news
A Moscow region judge sentenced Jugal Daterao, a manager from The Walt Disney Company, to 2.5 years in prison on charges of drug possession and smuggling. (The Moscow Times, 29/5/26)
A judge in Novosibirsk region sentenced activist Aruna Arna from the republic of Altai to five years in prison on a charge of inciting terrorism. (The Moscow Times, 1/6/26)
Rafael Mamedov, creator of the Telegram channel “Svobodnaya Laplandiya,” was given 15 years in prison on charges of treason and participation in a terrorist organization. (Meduza, 1/6/26)
The Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) found more than 500 million rubles’ worth of property and valuables belonging to the family of Valery Fedorov, director of VTsIOM. (Meduza, 1/6/26)
A United Russia deputy on the Nizhny Tagil city council has unveiled a bust of Felix Dzerzhinsky at a settlement outside the city. (Meduza, 3/6/26)
Apple removed Russia’s state-backed messaging app Max from its App Store and cut off push notifications for calls and messages to iPhone users. (The Moscow Times, 4/6/26)
Roskomnadzor may be behind the attack DDoS attack on one of the largest VPN services, Amnezia VPN, that has been nearly non-functional for several days. (Meduza, 4/6/26)
