Week-ending 5 September 2025
“After capturing Ukrainian journalist Heorhiy Levchenko two years ago in retaliation for his brave reporting on the war from the occupied territories, Russian forces have now sentenced him to 16 years in jail in yet another example of their ruthless treatment of independent media. Russian authorities should immediately release Levchenko and all other Ukrainian journalists.”
– Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator.
Source: ‘Russian court jails Ukrainian journalist Heorhiy Levchenko for 16 years,’ CPJ, 4 September 2025
Background from the Committee to Protect Journalists: The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Russian authorities to free Ukrainian journalist Heorhiy Levchenko, who has been sentenced to 16 years in a high security penal colony for treason and extremism. […] On September 2, a court in Ukraine’s Russian-occupied city of Melitopol, in Zaporizhzhia region, found Levchenko guilty of high treason and of calling for extremist activity online, on the grounds that he used a Telegram channel to give Ukrainian forces the location of Russian units. Levchenko, who was the administrator of the Ukrainian news site RIA-Melitopol’s Telegram channel, also organized a network of correspondents who sent him information “containing calls for terrorism and violence against military personnel and representatives of the Russian authorities in the Zaporizhzhia region,” the court said. Russian authorities detained Levchenko in August 2023, but this was not made public until Russian state-owned TV channel Rossiya 1’s Vesti Nedeli program broke the news two months later.
“The most popular genre in Russian cinema today is fairytales, They adapt all the stories we grew up with. There’s no single social drama, no movie reflecting life during the war. The only source of financing is the state. If you want to make a movie about the war itself, the only option is propaganda. Movies about ‘Nazi Ukrainians’ killing decent Russians, about the Russian army entering Ukraine to save the people of Donbas from these fascists and nationalists. It’s the most stupid bullshit you can ever see.”
– Alexander Rodnyansky, Ukrainian filmmaker
Source: Nadia Khomami, ‘Russian cinema has shifted to fairytales and propaganda, says Ukrainian film-maker,’ The Guardian, 3 September 2025
Background from The Guardian: The Ukrainian film-maker Alexander Rodnyansky was once at the very centre of Russia’s cultural life. Over two decades he ran one of Russia’s biggest media conglomerates, produced some of the most celebrated films in recent Russian history – including the Oscar nominees Leviathan and Loveless – and helped bring Russian cinema to international prominence. But since the invasion of Ukraine, Rodnyansky said, he has witnessed a huge shift in Russian cinema. “The most popular genre in Russian cinema today is fairytales,” the 64-year-old told the Guardian. “They adapt all the stories we grew up with. There’s no single social drama, no movie reflecting life during the war.
“Biotechnology is continuously developing. […] Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and [you can] even achieve immortality.”
– Vladimir Putin, president of Russia
Source: Oliver Holmes & Pjotr Sauer, ‘Hot mic catches Putin and Xi discussing organ transplants and immortality,’ The Guardian, 3 September 2025
Background from The Guardian: Putin confirmed later to reporters he had discussed prospects for significantly increasing human life expectancy with Xi. Both leaders have shown little intention of relinquishing power in their lifetimes. In 2018, Xi abolished presidential term limits, paving the way for him to rule indefinitely. Putin has also changed Russian law to allow him to remain in high office.
