Shoigu is ready to suffer, tourists are running from Crimea, 'I killed'
Horrible News with Kirill Martynov
A Russian soldier confessed to murder and looting while stationed near Kyiv in a conversation with IStories*. Another row of explosions hit Crimea where the air defence system had to be activated several times, however, the authorities are claiming the events to be accidents and diversions. Two people were murdered over arguments about war in the Rostov region; Russian regional journalists’ places are being searched by the police.
The UK's Defence Minister came to Moscow in February to try to convince the Russian government not to start the war in Ukraine. Russia’s Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu replied: “We can withstand suffering like no others”.
The Russian propaganda proposes Russia invade the Baltic countries and organises formulaic events.
Every Saturday, Kirill Martynov, editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta. Europe, comments on last week’s news from Russia and the world.
Faith in victory
How Ukrainians can still win as they fight to defend Western democracy
Zelensky’s perfect storm
Washington’s new national security strategy adds to Ukraine’s woes and exacerbates Europe’s dilemmas
No end in sight
No amount of external pressure can force peace on two parties with fundamentally incompatible objectives
Ctrl-alt-defy
How Ukrainians have used memes to counter Russia’s propaganda machine
Trump’s crony diplomacy
The US president is entrusting inexperienced loyalists with complex foreign policy issues, and it shows
Imperishable
A corruption investigation into Zelensky’s inner circle shows Kyiv is on the right path
Doom mongers
A corruption scandal has left Zelensky vulnerable to US and Russian moves to impose an indefensible peace deal on Ukraine
Margaritaville
Would the departure of RT’s longtime head sound the death knell for Russia’s notorious propaganda network?
Buying time
As Europe debates how to keep funds flowing to Ukraine, the outlook on the battlefield is grim
