MEDUZA/EN/VHF

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, 23 men from Selenduma, a village in Buryatia, have joined the war; that's about one percent of the village's population. In late March, the village buried Andrey Dandarov, the first resident to return from the war in a body bag. A week later, residents held a patriotic motor rally, lining up their cars to form the Z symbol. In early May, the local magazine Lyudi Baikala (LB; "People of the Baikal") published a report about how young men from Selenduma have been dying in Russia's wars for four decades now -- in Chechnya, Afghanistan, and Ukraine -- and how residents nonetheless continue to support the ongoing "special military operation." With their permission, Meduza has translated the article in full. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/11/we-want-to-die-for-the-motherland-too

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, 23 men from Selenduma, a village in Buryatia, have joined the war; that's about one percent of the village's population. In late March, the village buried Andrey Dandarov, the first resident to return from the war in a body bag. A week later, residents held a patriotic motor rally, lining up their cars to form the Z symbol. In early May, the local magazine Lyudi Baikala (LB; "People of the Baikal") published a report about how young men from Selenduma have been dying in Russia's wars for four decades now -- in Chechnya, Afghanistan, and Ukraine -- and how residents nonetheless continue to support the ongoing "special military operation." With their permission, Meduza has translated the article in full. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/11/we-want-to-die-for-the-motherland-too

On May 10, a spontaneous protest broke out in Riga's Victory Park after city officials used a bulldozer to remove the flowers left at the park's Monument to the Liberators of Riga. Residents who were upset by the authorities' actions started bringing new flowers to the monument, and a crowd formed. The impromptu gathering, which included demonstrations of Russian symbols and Soviet songs, spurred outrage among other residents -- and the country's leaders. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/11/after-declaring-may-9-a-day-of-commemoration-of-the-victims-in-ukraine-latvian-officials-removed-flowers-from-a-soviet-era-wwii-memorial-outraged-pro-russian-residents-staged-a-protest-in-response

According to Russian officials, roughly 1 million people have been forced to evacuate from Ukraine into Russia since Moscow began its full-scale invasion on February 24. In many areas, evacuating civilians into Ukrainian-controlled territory is simply impossible due to Russian shelling. Left with no other way to safety, refugees are being forcibly deported to Russia via the Kremlin-controlled "Donetsk People's Republic" (DNR) and occupied Crimea. Along the way, they are subjected to a lengthy "filtration" process run by Russian troops, which often involves spending several days in camps. In interviews with Meduza, Ukrainian refugees gave firsthand accounts of how this system works. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/13/i-ve-never-been-so-scared

On May 9, when Russia celebrates the USSR's victory against Nazi Germany, several regions across the country announced that they were renaming local streets in honor of soldiers and political figures from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR). For example, the cities of Grozny, Yakutsk, and Omsk dedicated streets to Alexander Zakharchenko, the DNR's leader until his assassination in August 2018. Other cities announced streets named after Vladimir Zhoga, also known by his nom de guerre "Vokha," who commanded the Sparta Battalion, a pro-Russian separatist force in Donetsk, until his death in March 2022 in combat with the Ukrainian military. Also on May 9, Zhoga's father met personally with Russia's president. Meduza has learned that these dedications and Vladimir Putin's sit-down with Artem Zhoga are parts of a strategy developed by the Kremlin to "prime public opinion" for Russia's annexation of the separatist "republics" in Donetsk and Luhansk. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/13/russians-meet-your-new-heroes

On the eve of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky's rating was less than 25 percent. Moscow waging an all-out war turned Zelensky into a national hero -- one who now enjoys more than 90 percent support among Ukrainians. For Meduza, journalist Konstantin Skorkin breaks down how Zelensky and his team are running the country, managing Ukraine's defense, and cultivating the president's image as a wartime leader. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/13/the-collective-zelensky

In early May, both Russian and Ukrainian troops launched offensives on eastern Ukraine across different parts of the less-than-mighty Siverskyi Donets river (which crosses from Russia into Ukraine before flowing parallel to the Ukrainian-Russian border). Since then, it's been the same story over and over again: one side's troops try to cross the river to launch an attack, but enemy artillery thwarts their attempts, destroying whatever bridge they've built and their forward guard. Every kilometer gained is paid for in blood, and the key question right now is whether the Russian army will manage to use the advantage it has before Ukrainian forces begin widely applying precision weapons obtained from the West. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/13/deadlock-in-the-donbas

The Azovstal steel plant remains the sole point of resistance against the Russian invaders in Mariupol. Though fighting has been ongoing outside of the plant for almost two months, none of the civilians hiding inside were evacuated until April 30. Azovstal workers Ilya and Pavlo (names changed) were some of the first civilians to escape the plant; they're now safe in Zaporozhye. They spoke to Meduza along with Azovstal HR director Ivan Goltvenko, who left the city on March 9 and has been helping others escape ever since. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/13/we-comforted-the-kids-crossed-ourselves-and-bid-our-lives-farewell

Up until the end of April, a group of volunteers were working in Penza to help Ukrainian refugees get to St. Petersburg and, from there, to Estonia. However, threats from anonymous Telegram channels and direct pressure from unknown parties -- graffitied doors, slashed tires -- forced the Penza volunteers to shut down their efforts. Journalist Vladimir Sevrinovsky spent several days with the last group of refugees from Mariupol whom the Penza group was able to help get out of Russia. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/14/penza-volunteers-helped-ukrainian-refugees-leave-for-estonia-now-they-are-being-harassed-in-anonymous-russian-telegram-channels-and-called-ukronazis

Since the first days of the war, Russia's Belgorod region has been on the frontline. The regional center is located just 39 kilometers (24 miles) from the Ukrainian border, and its suburbs are even closer. Uniformed men and military equipment patrol the streets of Belgorod, where tent hospitals now stand alongside coffee shops and parking lots. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov regularly reports incidents of shelling, but life goes on. In this joint report, Meduza and Russian news outlet 7x7 explore how everyday life has changed in the Belgorod region, and whether local residents are afraid of war. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/04/28/the-trenches-mean-we-re-being-protected

For more than two months now, many Russians have openly supported the Kremlin's "special military operation" in Ukraine -- choosing to close their eyes to executions and rapes, the shelling of peaceful cities, unthinkable destruction, and millions of people losing their homes. Journalist Shura Burtin spent several weeks talking to Russian citizens about their thoughts and feelings about the war. For Meduza, Burtin recounts how fear and a sense of humiliation defeated Russians' humanity. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/03/feeling-around-for-something-human

As Russia's military casualties in Ukraine continue to mount, Buryatia has emerged as the country's second-hardest hit region in terms of losses. The only place losing more men is Dagestan. Nevertheless, the speeches at the near daily funerals in Ulan-Ude and other Buryatian cities still resound with support for Russia's war against "Nazis" and gratitude for the fallen soldiers not being "left behind," but shipped home for burial. At the end of April, the local magazine People of the Baikal published a report about how Buryatia is burying their dead soldiers, and what their loved ones and the regional authorities think about these losses. With their permission, Meduza has translated their article in full. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/05/everything-here-smells-like-the-dead-now

Russia's war propaganda has begun co-opting Soviet symbols with increasing frequency. Monuments to the "grandmother with the Soviet flag," for example, have popped up across the country. And both Kremlin officials and propaganda narratives continue to frame Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine as an extension of the "Great Patriotic War." Meduza special correspondent Andrey Pertsev looked into the Kremlin's "Soviet" agitprop and learned how it's connected to Moscow's drive to annex new territories. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/05/it-s-a-reference-to-the-ussr-to-its-return

On May 13, the St. Petersburg news outlet Bumaga published an in-depth investigation into a new method the city's police have devised for suppressing protests: shortly before planned protest rallies, security officials use bomb threat charges to detain large groups of activists and hold them in detention facilities for 48 hours, causing them to miss the protests. On March 5, just one day before a nationwide protest rally against the war, St. Petersburg police used this method to arrest dozens of people; the same technique was used to curtail protests on Victory Day. Read Meduza's summary of the investigation in English below. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/16/telephone-terrorism

Moscow has yet to confirm the exact number of Russian soldiers currently fighting in Ukraine. According to various estimates, Russia's full-scale invasion has involved up to 100,000 troops. In interviews with Meduza, several relatives of contract soldiers said that it's impossible for them to resign from military service -- those that attempt to quit are threatened with criminal charges of desertion and treason. Meduza correspondent Sasha Sivtsova reports on how Russian soldiers are being sent into Ukraine and how they're forced to stay there. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/16/we-have-no-idea-who-we-re-fighting-for

Since early April, Kremlin propaganda has celebrated "Granny Anya" as a symbol of supposed Ukrainian popular support for Russia's "special military operation." Anna Ivanovna Ivanova, a 69-year-old woman who lives in Velyka Danylivka (a town outside Kharkiv), became an icon in Russia after appearing in a viral Internet video where she greeted a group of soldiers with a Soviet flag and said she was praying for Vladimir Putin. More recently, however, Ukrainian officials released an interview with Ivanova, revealing that the war had forced her and her husband to flee their home. Correspondents from BBC Russia met with Ivanova (who's returned to Velyka Danylivka) and learned that she opposes Russia's invasion and wishes only for peace. Meduza summarizes what Anna Ivanova told the BBC. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/16/maybe-the-lord-himself-sent-me

The first step of Putin's "special military operation" against Ukraine ended with the creation of an occupied bridgehead in the south of the country that's adjacent to Russian-annexed Crimea on one side and to the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic on the other. Russia's military has captured the majority of the Kherson region and part of the Zaporizhzhia region. In the occupied cities, Russian occupants and their collaborators have set up "civilian-military administrations," hiding the imperial nature of the new regime. Now, the Kremlin is trying to engineer a repeat of what happened in Crimea and the Donbas in 2014 -- but whether it succeeds will depend on what happens on the battlefield. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/16/meet-the-collaborators

A month has passed since a Ukrainian missile strike sank the Russian warship Moskva. In total, there were around 500 people aboard the vessel, which was the Black Sea Fleet's flagship. The Russian Defense Ministry has only acknowledged that one sailor was killed, while claiming that another 27 are missing. On condition of anonymity, the mother of a conscripted sailor who disappeared aboard the Moskva told Meduza about her month-long battle with the Russian authorities for information about her son. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/17/apparently-our-guys-have-been-forgotten

Bohdan is an airfield service employee at Hostomel Airport, which was the site of heavy fighting at the very start of the war. For three weeks, he and his family lived in the basement of their apartment building, right across from the occupied airport. The building, which came under heavy fire at times, was occupied first by Chechen riot police, then by an airborne assault unit from Omsk. In mid-March, all of the basement's inhabitants were forcibly taken to Belarus. Bohdan told Meduza his story. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/20/you-re-lucky-it-was-us-chechens-who-found-you

Bohdan is an airfield service employee at Hostomel Airport, which was the site of heavy fighting at the very start of the war. For three weeks, he and his family lived in the basement of their apartment building, right across from the occupied airport. The building, which came under heavy fire at times, was occupied first by Chechen riot police, then by an airborne assault unit from Omsk. In mid-March, all of the basement's inhabitants were forcibly taken to Belarus. Bohdan told Meduza his story. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/20/you-re-lucky-it-was-us-chechens-who-found-you

On May 15, Western military experts declared that Ukraine had won the "battle for Kharkiv." Analysts pointed to the retreat of Russian detachments around Kharkiv in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks. Russian troops had been fighting to take control of the city, which lies about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the Russian border, since the beginning of the war. Residential areas on the city's outskirts were torn apart, and on March 2, a missile strike hit the city's central square. Thousands of civilians took cover in basements and in the city's metro station. Now, Kharkivites are sorting through the rubble, repairing the public transport system, restoring the electricity and gas supply, and preparing their beauty salons and cafes to open up again. Larisa Kalik went to Kharkiv to talk to the residents bringing the city back to life. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/20/we-weren-t-afraid-of-them-but-they-were-very-afraid-of-us

On May 15, Western military experts declared that Ukraine had won the "battle for Kharkiv." Analysts pointed to the retreat of Russian detachments around Kharkiv in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks. Russian troops had been fighting to take control of the city, which lies about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the Russian border, since the beginning of the war. Residential areas on the city's outskirts were torn apart, and on March 2, a missile strike hit the city's central square. Thousands of civilians took cover in basements and in the city's metro station. Now, Kharkivites are sorting through the rubble, repairing the public transport system, restoring the electricity and gas supply, and preparing their beauty salons and cafes to open up again. Larisa Kalik went to Kharkiv to talk to the residents bringing the city back to life. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/20/we-weren-t-afraid-of-them-but-they-were-very-afraid-of-us

On May 17, lawmakers in the State Duma discussed the possibility of cancelling both gubernatorial and regional and municipal elections scheduled for September 11, 2022. The stated reason is the need to support the president unanimously during Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine. Meduza special correspondent Andrey Pertsev learned that Vladimir Putin has yet to reach a final decision about postponing the elections, but the Federal Security Service and National Security Council are lobbying hard to convince him that it's crucial. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/17/we-re-flying-blind-now

Internet giant Yandex is looking for buyers for its Russian assets Yandex Search, Yandex.Mail, and the movie database Kinopoisk, a source close to the company's co-founder Arkady Volozh told Meduza. This was corroborated by another source close to the company's management. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/17/deal-or-no-deal

Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Georgian citizens have enthusiastically supported Ukraine: thousands of people have attended anti-war rallies in Tbilisi, the city is covered in Ukrainian flags, and some Georgians have even chosen to fight alongside Ukrainians as volunteers. Despite all that, official relations between the two countries remain strained. Ukraine withdrew its ambassador from Georgia a month ago and has criticized the country for imposing insufficient sanctions against Russia, while the Georgian government has rejected Ukraine's calls for it to open a "second front" and reclaim its occupied territories from Russia. The conflict has started to affect Georgia's domestic politics as well -- its ruling party is facing accusations of cowardice and of supporting Russia. At Meduza's request, Georgian journalist Iya Barateli reports on how her country is trying to walk the line between Ukraine and Russia. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/18/russia-would-do-here-what-it-did-in-mariupol

Russia has been waging a full-scale war against Ukraine for nearly three months. Photographer Petr Kamanin has spent this time taking pictures of Moscow and Muscovites, in an attempt to capture how ordinary, everyday scenes have changed since February 24. Meduza shares these snapshots of the Russian capital along with the photographer's commentary. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/18/moscow-has-changed-for-me

A Kyiv court began the first war crimes trial for a Russian soldier on May 13. On Wednesday, May 18, the accused, 21-year-old Vadim Shishimarin, pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a civilian in Ukraine's Sumy region. Meduza interviewed Shishimarin's mother Lyubov, who lives in the town of Ust-Ilimsk in Russia's Irkutsk region (she asked that her surname, which isn't the same as her son's, not be disclosed). Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/19/they-won-t-turn-him-over

For three weeks, more than 300 refugees from Mariupol have been living in the town of Vrangel in Russia's Far Eastern Primorsky Krai. During Russia's weeks-long siege of Mariupol, which is now under occupation, many residents were unable to safely escape to territory controlled by Kyiv. Instead, some civilians seeking evacuation were forcibly deported to the Russian city of Taganrog. Upon arriving at the local train station, these refugees were talked into going to the country's Far East, where they were promised free housing, reduced mortgage rates, relocation support, and jobs. As a result, some 300 refugees from Ukraine ended up in a small town on the shores of the Nakhodka Bay. In interviews with Meduza, refugees living in Vrangel recounted what has happened to them since arriving in Russia. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/19/i-don-t-know-what-to-do

Vladimir Putin's eldest known daughter, Maria Vorontsova, is reportedly active in a Telegram chat group used by alumni of Moscow State University's Medical Department, where she sometimes writes about current events. Dmitry Kolezev, the editor-in-chief of the website Republic, shared this information on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, posting several screenshots received from a member of that chat group showing Vorontsova's comments. The messages, if authentic, offer a rare glance at the political thinking of one of the Russian president's closest relatives. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/19/how-putin-s-eldest-daughter-sees-it

After weeks of defending the Azovstal steel plant as Ukraine's last stronghold in Mariupol, soldiers from the Azov Battalion began leaving the site on May 16. The troops were evacuated into Russian-controlled territory as part of what Kyiv describes as an ongoing "rescue operation." However, officials in Russia and the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) have cast doubt on the possibility of swapping these soldiers in a prisoner exchange, calling instead for Azov troops to face a "tribunal" and even capital punishment. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/19/it-was-the-only-option

On Thursday, the second court hearing of 21-year-old Russian Sergeant Vadim Shishimarin took place in Kyiv. Shishimarin is the first Russian soldier to face formal charges for war crimes in Ukraine. He is accused of murdering a 62-year-old man in the Sumy region named Oleksandr Shelipov. According to prosecutors, on February 28, Shishimarin and four other Russian servicemen ended up in the village of Chupakhivka after their convoy was attacked and dispersed. The soldiers then fired on and commandeered a private vehicle. While driving away, they saw a civilian with a bicycle who was speaking on a cell phone. On orders from his commanding officer, Shishimarin shot the man using his assault rifle. Not long thereafter, Ukrainian troops captured the sergeant and later charged him with violating the laws and customs of warfare, as well as committing a premeditated murder. Under these statutes, Shishimarin faces between 10 years in prison and life imprisonment. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/20/i-fired-so-they-d-leave-me-alone

McDonalds has announced that it is leaving the Russian market after 32 years of doing business there. Since mid-March, operations have been suspended at McDonalds' 850 restaurants across Russia. On May 16, the company confirmed that it will sell its Russian business. Existing locations will be rebranded, and the iconic Golden Arches will vanish. According to the state news agency TASS, the new restaurants could open as soon as mid-June. Before the invasion, McDonalds employed 62,000 people at its franchises. The company continued to pay these staff even after suspending business in Russia. Meduza spoke to a handful of McDonalds workers to learn their thoughts about the chain's departure from Russia, and to find out what they plan to do next. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/24/it-would-really-suck-to-lose-everyone

The investigative news website Proekt has published a database of information about Russian military units currently fighting in Ukraine. In total, the database names 166 commanding officers, offering varying degrees of detail about each individual's activities and biography, as well as information about their income, property, debts, and any recorded fines. Nearly two dozen of the officials identified were born or raised in Ukraine. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/23/166-names

Russian ballet master Igor Zelensky may share a last name with Ukraine's current president -- but he's actually the father of Vladimir Putin's granddaughter. A joint investigation by Meduza, Current Time TV, and the Dossier Center has revealed that Zelensky has been in a years-long relationship with Putin's purported second daughter, Katerina Tikhonova. Until recently, Zelensky was based in Munich, where he worked as the director of the Bavarian State Ballet. And Tikhonova, who heads the Moscow-based nonprofit "Innopraktika," divided her time between Russia and Germany. Zelensky resigned from his position in Munich in early April, reportedly in connection with his refusal to publicly condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Now, there's speculation that Zelensky will take on a leadership role at a new state theater the Russian authorities are constructing in Crimea -- a project announced by Putin himself in 2018. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/21/meet-putin-s-new-son-in-law

On February 23, four members of an Orthodox youth movement in Kharkiv set out on a four-day pilgrimage. Their plan was to return home on February 28. At 5:00 a.m on February 24, they got off their train in Kyiv and learned that Russia's invasion had begun. Ever since then, they've been living in a Ukrainian Orthodox monastery in the Kyiv region. Some of them have nowhere else to go because their homes have been destroyed; others have made the decision not to leave for religious reasons. Meduza asked Iryna, a journalist from Kyiv who found herself living in the same monastery, to write about the new lives these young people are building in the monastery. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/23/the-monks-prayers-are-an-anti-aircraft-defense-system

On May 11, the online newspaper Ukrayinska Pravda released a short documentary called "The Occupant" ("Okupant," in Ukrainian), which tells the story of a Russian lieutenant named Yury Shalaev. According to the newspaper, 24-year-old Shalaev served as the commander of a motorized rifle platoon in a military unit based in Shali, Chechnya. He was deployed to Ukraine on March 3, as part of Russia's full-scale invasion -- and he recorded his wartime experiences on his phone. Shalaev was taken prisoner in early April and the videos he recorded ended up in the hands of Ukrayinska Pravda. The newspaper's journalists turned the recordings into a 24-minute documentary that offers a window into Shalaev's life before and after his arrival in Ukraine. To find out more about the making of the film, Meduza sat down with journalist Mykhailo Tkach, the head of Ukrayinska Pravda's investigations department. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/20/it-was-hard-to-watch

On May 20, Azov regiment member and Mariupol defender Dmytro Kozatsky posted two farewell photos on social media as he left the Azovstal steel plant, where he had been living under siege for over two months. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/25/azovstal-s-ears-and-eyes

As of today, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been underway for exactly three months. Throughout Moscow's "special military operation," representatives of the Russian elite have repeatedly changed their positions on the war in Ukraine and the crisis at home. Moderate optimism replaced what was initially extreme pessimism, only to be ousted by a wave of moderate pessimism. Sources close to the Kremlin told Meduza that these moods have shifted again, as more elites express dissatisfaction with Vladimir Putin directly. Frustration with the president, moreover, is rising among both supporters and opponents of the invasion. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/24/almost-nobody-is-happy-with-putin

Mariupol's Azovstal steel plant was under continuous siege by Russian troops from early March until May 17. The last place unoccupied by Russian troops in the city, the plant was completely cut off from the outside world. Ukrainians managed to defend it up until May 16, when the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces ordered the commanders of the units in Azovstal to "save the lives of the personnel." The soldiers (the majority of whom belong to the Azov regiment, which was using the plant as a base) laid down their weapons and surrendered. Meduza spoke to the wives of two of the Azov soldiers who were taken prisoner, and to the mother of one who died, about what it was like to follow the siege from afar as their loved ones were under siege inside the plant. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/25/he-dedicated-his-youth-to-ukraine

Since the start of the war, the Russian government has repeatedly violated even the most basic rights of Russian soldiers. Those who don't want to join the war have been forced to sign contracts and sent into battle against their will. Meanwhile, families have been given little to no information about the fates of their missing husbands and sons -- nor, often, have they been given their dead loved ones' bodies. With the official system either overwhelmed by the sheer number of victims or invested in remaining opaque, the task of helping relatives get answers has fallen to human rights lawyers. Meduza spoke to Soldiers' Mothers Committee Executive Secretary Valentina Melnikova about the new role the organization has taken on since February 24. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/25/chaos-like-we-ve-never-seen-before

According to the Kremlin-controlled media, the overwhelming majority of Russians support the war against Ukraine. There is no mass movement against the invasion, the state's propagandists argue, and yet the authorities tirelessly track down and prosecute ordinary people for criticizing the "special operation" on social media and at small protests with banners that read, "No to the war!" But can these statements against the invasion change anything? Are they worth the risks? What's the point of such actions if the war continues regardless? Maria Sereda at the Greenhouse of Social Technologies (Teplitsa) discussed these questions with Croatian-Bosnian human rights activist Igor Blazhevich, who's assisted with deliveries of humanitarian aid to conflict zones and helped found the charity group People in Need. With Teplitsa's kind permission, Meduza republishes Blazhevich's remarks in full. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/26/you-can-t-end-wars-with-antiwar-movements-but-you-can-hasten-the-end

Since mid-April, Russia has focused its invasion of Ukraine on capturing the eastern region known as the Donbas. According to military reports, the fighting here has been largely positional battles without significant advancements by either side. Both Russia and Ukraine have built up their forces, regrouped, and continued artillery fire. In the last week, however, statements by officials in Kyiv have become more alarming, as if Ukraine's leadership is preparing the nation for a major defeat: the loss of Severodonetsk (one of the last big cities in the region still under Ukrainian control) and a "new Mariupol." Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/26/we-re-barely-afloat

Dmytro Kozatsky is a soldier from Ukraine's Azov regiment and the photographer behind a now-famous collection of photos showing the defenders of the besieged Azovstal steel plant. On May 16, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces ordered the commanders of the units in Azovstal to "save the lives of the personnel" there. Four days later, on May 20, Kozatsky reported that he had surrendered. Meduza spoke to his sister, Darya Yurchenko, about why Kozatsky originally decided to join Azov, his life during the siege, and his family's main concerns at the moment. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/25/he-said-he-was-fine-but-what-else-would-a-brother-tell-his-sister

Days after launching its full-fledged invasion of Ukraine, Russia outlawed the spread of "knowingly false information" about the country's armed forces. The new law, which came into force on March 4, carries punishments of up to 15 years in prison -- and it has so far been used to persecute those who openly condemn Russia's war against Ukraine. Meduza looks into how state investigators are building criminal cases against anti-war Russians for sharing facts and opinions that stray from the Kremlin line. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/26/holding-people-liable-for-stating-the-facts

Moscow's Alexander Kudryashov Theater Company is an independent troupe staging low-cost plays for intimate audiences. Inside the company, Alexander Kudryashov plays the "roles" of playwright, director, and actor. His new play, "Bye, Dad," tells the story of his late father, a veteran of the Second Chechen War. And it's a rare example of theater that feels appropriate in wartime. It's also a remarkably candid work, even though the author himself avoids speaking of his feelings. Theater critic Anton Khitrov shares his thoughts about the play. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/27/bye-dad

Before Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, Ukraine's state railroad company, Ukrainian Railways, was often criticized for being ineffective and suspected of corruption. Now, Ukrainian Railways is providing shelter for millions of refugees, transporting foreign leaders on official visits to Kyiv, and delivering humanitarian and military cargo to towns throughout Ukraine. Even Russian propagandists have marveled at the efficiency with which the company has mobilized its railroads. Meduza spoke to Ukrainian Railways head Oleksandr Kamyshin about the changes the company has made since the start of the war, the fight against Russian collaborators in the company, and the task of storing Russian soldiers' bodies in refrigerator cars. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/27/we-treat-the-russian-dead-better-than-they-treat-living-ukrainians

Since the start of the war, St. Petersburg resident Alexey Lakhov has been sending complaints to various government agencies requesting that they remove pro-war symbols from public spaces. St. Petersburg news outlet Bumaga recently published a story about Lakhov and his small acts of protest. With their permission, Meduza is publishing a translation below. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/27/it-s-a-small-way-for-me-to-channel-my-pain-and-rage

Twenty-four-year-old Dmitry Paramoshkin signed a contract with the Russian army in 2020, near the end of his conscription term. "It just sort of happened that way. They said there'd be exercises, [parachute] jumps, we'd ride around, and do that kind of stuff. So, I went ahead and did it," he told the news website Fontanka. On February 25, 2022, Dmitry and his fellow soldiers were told that they were headed to Crimea to join planned military drills. When they arrived, they were given new orders: go to Kherson and then Mykolaiv. Paramoshkin was later captured after invading Ukraine, held prisoner for several weeks, and returned home to St. Petersburg in a prisoner exchange. Now he says he plans to return to the fight, confident that Russia will prevail. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/27/i-m-a-military-man-a-simple-man

For several days now, Russian forces have been trying to capture Lyman -- a strategic railway hub in Ukraine's Donetsk region. Russia is seeking to gain a foothold in Lyman in the hopes of pushing its offensive towards the cities of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. Russian troops began storming Lyman on May 24, and Denis Pushilin -- the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) -- claimed full control of the town on the morning of May 27. In turn, Ukrainian officials said that Lyman is "mostly controlled" by Russian troops and fighting is ongoing. To find out what life is like for Lyman's remaining residents, Meduza spoke to their relatives who left the town before it came under occupation. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/27/my-mom-says-the-town-is-in-ruins

Despite failing to capture Kyiv at the outset of the war, the Kremlin is reportedly considering a second assault on Ukraine's capital, as Russian troops appear to be on the verge of seizing the entire Donbas region. Sources tell Meduza that advances in the east and expectations that Moscow can win a war of attrition against Kyiv and its Western allies have revived hopes in the Putin administration that a full-scale victory is possible in Ukraine before the end of the year. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/27/we-ll-grind-them-down-in-the-end

Russia's already overcrowded remand prisons are struggling to accommodate growing numbers of detainees, due in part to an influx of Ukrainians taken prisoner during the war, the newspaper Kommersant reported on May 30. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/05/30/the-whole-system-is-collapsing