Reports
Analytics
Investigations

OIL

97.22

USD

73.36

EUR

85.03

Donate
We depend on contributions from readers like youSign up for regular contributions.
Not-so-secret services: One of Russia’s most highly classified officials has a social media problem

Not-so-secret services: One of Russia’s most highly classified officials has a social media problem

“Media training was part of the program”: The Gaza aid flotilla has sparked controversy, just as it was intended to

“Media training was part of the program”: The Gaza aid flotilla has sparked controversy, just as it was intended to

The tail wags the dictator: How the Kremlin uses Lukashenko in talks with the West

The tail wags the dictator: How the Kremlin uses Lukashenko in talks with the West

Not-so-secret services: One of Russia’s most highly classified officials has a social media problem

Not-so-secret services: One of Russia’s most highly classified officials has a social media problem

“Media training was part of the program”: The Gaza aid flotilla has sparked controversy, just as it was intended to

“Media training was part of the program”: The Gaza aid flotilla has sparked controversy, just as it was intended to

The tail wags the dictator: How the Kremlin uses Lukashenko in talks with the West

The tail wags the dictator: How the Kremlin uses Lukashenko in talks with the West

News

All news
Confession

“We were told we were developing antidotes”: The inner workings of the St. Petersburg lab where Novichok was tested

MK
Mikhail Kalinin
“We were told we were developing antidotes”: The inner workings of the St. Petersburg lab where Novichok was tested
Confession

“I delivered bags of money from Mogilevich to the police chief, and more for Orbán": Former Budapest gang member László Kovács tells all

The Insider
The Insider
“I delivered bags of money from Mogilevich to the police chief, and more for Orbán": Former Budapest gang member László Kovács tells all
Confession

“In Russia, you will atone for your guilt before Putin”: Stories of three Russians deported from the United States

MK
Mikhail Kalinin
“In Russia, you will atone for your guilt before Putin”: Stories of three Russians deported from the United States
Confession

“Programs about Christ followed by beatings half to death”: Kherson’s ex-mayor Volodymyr Mykolaienko on his years in Russian captivity

Viktoriia Ponomareva
Viktoriia Ponomareva
“Programs about Christ followed by beatings half to death”: Kherson’s ex-mayor Volodymyr Mykolaienko on his years in Russian captivity
Confession

“You must not show that you are afraid”: Tales of captivity in the Kremlin-controlled “People’s Republics”

Viktoriia Ponomareva
Viktoriia Ponomareva
“You must not show that you are afraid”: Tales of captivity in the Kremlin-controlled “People’s Republics”
Confession

“They forced me to cook, clean, and fulfill their sexual whims”: Testimony of a Ukrainian woman enslaved by Russian soldiers

DN
Daria Nilova
“They forced me to cook, clean, and fulfill their sexual whims”: Testimony of a Ukrainian woman enslaved by Russian soldiers
Confession

“This isn’t the Middle Ages, and we aren’t serfs”: Locals in Ukrainian-controlled parts of Donbas react to Putin’s territorial demands

AA
Arden Arkman
“This isn’t the Middle Ages, and we aren’t serfs”: Locals in Ukrainian-controlled parts of Donbas react to Putin’s territorial demands
Confession

Tracked down, coerced, threatened: How Russia hunts down deserters and forces them back to the front lines in Ukraine

Viktoriia Ponomareva
Viktoriia Ponomareva
Tracked down, coerced, threatened: How Russia hunts down deserters and forces them back to the front lines in Ukraine
Confession

“Thou shalt not idolize your motherland”: Russian Orthodox priests on the war in Ukraine and the degradation of their church

VM
Valentina Matrenina
“Thou shalt not idolize your motherland”: Russian Orthodox priests on the war in Ukraine and the degradation of their church
Confession

The Kremlin’s missionary: A former aide shares the secrets of the Russian Orthodox Church in Hungary

Anastasia Mikhaylova
Anastasia Mikhaylova
The Kremlin’s missionary: A former aide shares the secrets of the Russian Orthodox Church in Hungary
Confession

“Our people poisoned Navalny”: Former FSB officer on surveilling opposition figures and running black ops in Russia and Ukraine

MK
Mikhail Kalinin
“Our people poisoned Navalny”: Former FSB officer on surveilling opposition figures and running black ops in Russia and Ukraine
Confession

“We tried to leave as few buildings intact as possible”: Russian-speaking IDF soldiers on their service in Gaza

AL
Alexander Leonidovich
“We tried to leave as few buildings intact as possible”: Russian-speaking IDF soldiers on their service in Gaza
Confession

“Even if the war in Gaza ends, this hatred isn’t going anywhere”: Soviet-born émigré Jews speak out on the rise of antisemitism in the U.S.

AR
Anna Rudnitskaya
“Even if the war in Gaza ends, this hatred isn’t going anywhere”: Soviet-born émigré Jews speak out on the rise of antisemitism in the U.S.
Confession

“Nobody wants to help the army anymore”: Confessions from Russian pro-war volunteers

VM
Valentina Matrenina
“Nobody wants to help the army anymore”: Confessions from Russian pro-war volunteers
Confession

“If a colonel couldn’t do anything, what could I do?”: A Belarusian border guard’s confession

MK
Mikhail Kalinin
“If a colonel couldn’t do anything, what could I do?”: A Belarusian border guard’s confession
Confession

Those who stayed: Stories of Ukrainians who refuse to leave their war-torn towns and villages

DN
Daria Nilova
Those who stayed: Stories of Ukrainians who refuse to leave their war-torn towns and villages
Confession

“GRU officers do time for drugs, the police for protection rackets”: Inside Russia’s prison colony for crooked cops and spooks

Sergey Kanev
Sergey Kanev
“GRU officers do time for drugs, the police for protection rackets”: Inside Russia’s prison colony for crooked cops and spooks
Confession

“The president lives in his own reality”: Confessions of police officers and government officials in Russia’s borderlands

AU
Anastasia Ulyanova
“The president lives in his own reality”: Confessions of police officers and government officials in Russia’s borderlands
Confession

“Everyone wants me to pick a fight with my cousin”: Nate Vance on war, family politics, and the fight for Ukraine

The Insider
The Insider
“Everyone wants me to pick a fight with my cousin”: Nate Vance on war, family politics, and the fight for Ukraine
Confession

“They tied me to a chair with duct tape and started torturing me with electricity”: Testimonies of Ukrainian women abducted by Russia

The Insider
The Insider
“They tied me to a chair with duct tape and started torturing me with electricity”: Testimonies of Ukrainian women abducted by Russia
Confession

“If we got captured, we’d probably be executed”: Confessions of three foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine

The Insider
The Insider
“If we got captured, we’d probably be executed”: Confessions of three foreign volunteers fighting for Ukraine
Confession

“In emigration, the war was all we ever talked about. In Russia, it’s bad form.” The life of activists who returned to their home country

Iva Tsoy
Iva Tsoy
“In emigration, the war was all we ever talked about. In Russia, it’s bad form.” The life of activists who returned to their home country
Confession

“The officer made it clear we were being deported”: How Trump’s anti-immigration policies impacted Russian asylum seekers

AK
Alex Kreyn
“The officer made it clear we were being deported”: How Trump’s anti-immigration policies impacted Russian asylum seekers
Confession

“Even if you feel opposition inside, you have to demonstrate support”: Confessions of teachers in Belgorod schools

AU
Anastasia Ulyanova
“Even if you feel opposition inside, you have to demonstrate support”: Confessions of teachers in Belgorod schools
Confession

“Photos of Putin and Kadyrov were in the dean’s office, like icons”: Russian students expelled for their anti-war views share their stories

Viktoriia Ponomareva
Viktoriia Ponomareva
“Photos of Putin and Kadyrov were in the dean’s office, like icons”: Russian students expelled for their anti-war views share their stories
Confession

“We ditched our uniforms and hid in a swamp”: Chechen POWs from “Akhmat” share their accounts from Kursk

MK
Mikhail Kalinin
“We ditched our uniforms and hid in a swamp”: Chechen POWs from “Akhmat” share their accounts from Kursk
Confession

“The only way to wash away the shame is with weapons”: Why Russian volunteers choose to fight for Ukraine

VK
Vasily Krestyaninov
“The only way to wash away the shame is with weapons”: Why Russian volunteers choose to fight for Ukraine
Confession

“Their shouts of ‘Allahu Akbar’ drowned out our footsteps as we approached from the back”: Confessions of Ukrainian scouts

MA
Maxim Akimov
“Their shouts of ‘Allahu Akbar’ drowned out our footsteps as we approached from the back”: Confessions of Ukrainian scouts
Confession

“For 72 days I was electrocuted, beaten, not allowed to eat or sleep”: how Russian convicts are driven to “meat-grinder assaults”

Viktoriia Ponomareva
Viktoriia Ponomareva
“For 72 days I was electrocuted, beaten, not allowed to eat or sleep”: how Russian convicts are driven to “meat-grinder assaults”
Confession

“They tied me to a tree and said: ‘We’re gonna put you down now.’ There were 30 bodies in a ditch nearby”: Confessions of a Russian deserter

The Insider
The Insider
“They tied me to a tree and said: ‘We’re gonna put you down now.’ There were 30 bodies in a ditch nearby”: Confessions of a Russian deserter
Confession

“Shreds of bodies hung from the branches”: Confessions of “meat grinder” assault veterans

Viktoriia Ponomareva
Viktoriia Ponomareva
“Shreds of bodies hung from the branches”: Confessions of “meat grinder” assault veterans
Confession

“Dying isn’t as bad as being a Russian POW”: Freed Ukrainian soldiers speak out about their time in Russian captivity

Viktoriia Ponomareva
Viktoriia Ponomareva
“Dying isn’t as bad as being a Russian POW”: Freed Ukrainian soldiers speak out about their time in Russian captivity
Confession

“We were handed envelopes with 'incentives' for delivering favorable results”: A Russian election official's confession

NK
Nadezhda Kolobaeva
“We were handed envelopes with 'incentives' for delivering favorable results”: A Russian election official's confession
Confession

“It’s gut-wrenching to read accounts of torture and not be able to offer any comfort”: Confessions of Russian political prisoners’ wives

EP
Ekaterina Pachikova
NK
Nadezhda Kolobaeva
“It’s gut-wrenching to read accounts of torture and not be able to offer any comfort”: Confessions of Russian political prisoners’ wives
Confession

“I know that my hands are elbow-deep in blood”: Confessions of Russian deserters

The Insider
The Insider
“I know that my hands are elbow-deep in blood”: Confessions of Russian deserters
Confession

“Terrorists looked for children by following the sound of their screams”: How Russian-speaking families in Israel are surviving the war

NA
Nikita Aronov
“Terrorists looked for children by following the sound of their screams”: How Russian-speaking families in Israel are surviving the war
Investigation Topics
Fakesperts
Subscribe to our Sunday Digest
Subscribe to RSS Feed
About the project