The repatriation of a Russian surveyor who had swum to safety after opposing the war has caused a stir in Riga. It serves as a reminder that, in the post-Soviet space, simply fleeing is not enough: one must contend with a web of mistrust, mutual contempt and control that outweighs any shared ideas.
A traditionally multicultural land, the peninsula seized by Moscow from Kiev in 2014 is now seeing everything that is not Russian systematically targeted. Although even the Moscow-linked authorities recognise three ‘state languages’ on paper - Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar - education in native languages has almost completely disappeared from schools.
From the 2026/2027 school year, the ‘Fundamentals of Russia's moral and spiritual culture’ will be introduced as a new subject in Russian schools. The drafting of the textbook has been entrusted to the Metropolitan of Crimea, known as Putin's ‘spiritual father’.
According to various estimates, at least 200,000 Chechens now live in European countries, and from Belgium to Norway, passing through France, Austria and Germany, the mosques of this diaspora fuelled by war are not only places of worship but also important centres where the language and traditions of this people are handed down.
In a new essay, Aleksandr Šipkov goes so far as to point the finger at the philologist who, in the 1990s, helped Russia rediscover both Eastern and Western Christian traditions through his lectures. Why does today's Russia reject any convergence with the Christian culture of Eastern and Western Europe, presenting itself as the only true Church entrusted with a universal mission?
Protests erupt during the visit of Moscow’s Foreign Minister, whom many Armenians blame for failing to support them against Azerbaijan. Russia offers reassurances on the importance of "allied relations" between the two nations, also aimed at countering Armenia’s rapprochement with Europe. Yerevan, however, has no plans to withdraw from the CSTO.
"The work of God knows how to transform even the most senseless human actions into something good," said Patriarch Kirill in recent days, during the celebration of the feast of Saint Nicholas, who traditionally in May is associated with the promise of a good harvest for the agricultural season. And never more than today is such a blessing needed, as people hope for a new season of peace for the fields and lands ravaged by war.
Leo XIV, the first American pope, has somewhat overshadowed the popularity of the American emperor in Russia, acting in some ways as an alternative in the image of the "Anglo-Saxon" West so reviled by the Kremlin. After all, today the Russian Church has split from almost all the other Orthodox Churches, starting with the Patriarchate of Constantinople, while dialogue with Rome has never been interrupted.
The government in Tbilisi is proudly touting Georgia’s buoyant GDP figures, claiming that the economy has tripled in recent years thanks to its own policies. However, the real driving force behind this surge has been the indirect effects of the war in Ukraine. Around 100,000 Russians have fled to Georgia to escape Putin’s mobilisation, and the boom in less visible sectors of the economy—such as trade triangulation to bypass sanctions against Moscow and surrogacy clinics—has fuelled further growth.
The effects of climate change are becoming more pronounced year after year on the Crimean Peninsula, intertwining with a worsening water shortage following the halt in the flow of Dnipro River water after the region's separation from Ukraine. This has had serious consequences for local agriculture, which blames the water usage in swimming pools and tourist resorts—an attempt to support a tourism sector in deep crisis due to the ongoing war.
The 16th edition of the Kazan Forum, a platform for cooperation between Moscow and the countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), was held in the capital of the Russian republic of Tatarstan. Topics discussed included digital financial systems to promote the use of national currencies in Islamic banking, and the use of technology to spread Islamic culture.
During the official visit of the Malaysian prime minister, the two countries rebooted their historic economic, technological and cultural cooperation. Malaysia remains non-aligned in global power politics. Anwar said he raised the issue of flight MH17 shot down in 2014, after a UN body recently blamed Russia for the incident.
The breakdown in relations with Europe was portrayed by Russian propaganda as a bright new horizon for the Eurasian space. But sanctions have enabled Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to grow in their role as intermediaries in trade with third countries. And today, many migrants are looking more to the West than to Moscow.
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