Kevin Rothrock

Led by Macron and Meloni, EU members are "pressuring" to appoint a "Putin negotiator role." Probably not a great sign, though, when one of Europe's "red lines" is "Ukraine’s *potential* future membership in NATO." It's a red line, okay?? **Potentially.**

EU eyes creation of Putin negotiator role – POLITICO

I'm reminded of another autocrat who was heckled by factory workers. Things ended up fine for Lukashenko after he was shouted at while addressing an MZKT assembly line in August 2020, but then again, he at least pretended to care, and he didn't flip anybody off.

Ukraine's NABU (I still think of the Phantom Menace every time I hear it) anti-corruption squad reportedly raided Yulia Tymoshenko's office today on bribery allegations. Cash in envelopes and everything. Classic.

РБК

Украинские силовики пришли с обысками в офис партии Тимошенко

НАБУ подозревает лидера фракции Верховной Рады в подкупе депутатов за голоса по...

Funny to watch Katerina Gordeeva and Mikhail Zygar strolling down Hillhouse Ave. I lived in New Haven for a decade, and parking on that street was always a pain in the neck. I hope they walked over to Chapel and got some Arethusa Farm Dairy ice cream.

The Larisa Dolina controversy was probably the biggest Russia story last year that most foreigners ignored. (I'm guessing — maybe you read about it, relax, okay.) I wrote about an investigation that nicely captures how widespread this scheme has been in Russian real estate.

Meduza

This was Russia today Monday, January 12, 2026 — Meduza

Dang, mobile Internet outages in Russia's Far East (yes, way out there, at the very edge of the Risk™ board) have become so bad that the region's governor has publicly announced that he's beseeched Moscow to lift the restrictions (imposed for military reasons).

Telegram

7х7 — Горизонтальная Россия

Глава Камчатки попросил федеральные власти перестать отключать мобильный инте�...

enemies of america, your children are about to be groked. also, allies of america. americans, you too.

if you spy a Boeing from the ground, there's a non-zero chance that it's headed straight for you

there's one trick the Russians will never fall for