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Confession

“There is no such thing as a ‘sense of humor’ in the Criminal Code”: Russian stand-up comedians on surviving war and censorship

“There is no such thing as a ‘sense of humor’ in the Criminal Code”: Russian stand-up comedians on surviving war and censorship

Valentina Matrenina

“Damn this kind of life”: The inside story of life in Gaza

“Damn this kind of life”: The inside story of life in Gaza

“Many won’t make it through the year”: Fuel shortages are hitting businesses across Russia

“Many won’t make it through the year”: Fuel shortages are hitting businesses across Russia

Valentina Matrenina

“He saw a document — 19,500 losses from the Airborne Forces”: Confessions of a Russian headquarters sergeant who fled the front

“He saw a document — 19,500 losses from the Airborne Forces”: Confessions of a Russian headquarters sergeant who fled the front

Viktoriia Ponomareva

“He was burning in the hallway, and they laughed”: Inside Russia’s systematic torture apparatus for Ukrainian POWs

“He was burning in the hallway, and they laughed”: Inside Russia’s systematic torture apparatus for Ukrainian POWs

“Trying to change Russia from within gets you nowhere”: Former TV Rain journalist Pyotr Ruzavin on serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine

“Trying to change Russia from within gets you nowhere”: Former TV Rain journalist Pyotr Ruzavin on serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine

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

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

Mikhail Kalinin

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

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

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

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

Mikhail Kalinin

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

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

Viktoriia Ponomareva

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

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

Viktoriia Ponomareva

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

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

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

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

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

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

Viktoriia Ponomareva

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

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

Valentina Matrenina

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

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

Anastasia Mikhaylova

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

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

Mikhail Kalinin

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

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

Alexander Leonidovich

“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.

“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.

Anna Rudnitskaya

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

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

Valentina Matrenina

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

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

Mikhail Kalinin

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anastasia Ulyanova

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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

“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

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

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

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

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

Anastasia Ulyanova

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

“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

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

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

Mikhail Kalinin

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

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

Vasily Krestyaninov

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

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

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

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

Viktoriia Ponomareva

“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

“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

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