The Moscow Times (EN)

Russian Journalist Kevorkova Placed in Pre-Trial Detention for ‘Justifying Terrorism’ A Moscow court has placed journalist Nadezhda Kevorkova in pre-trial detention for two months on charges of “justifying terrorism” over posts she made on social, the Russian capital’s court system announced Tuesday. Kevorkova, 65, is a Russian war correspondent, author, and filmmaker who has written about the Middle East and Russia’s North Caucasus for both independent and state-funded media. She currently runs a Telegram channel mainly dedicated to news about the Israel-Hamas war. Read more | Subscribe to our channel

With Georgia Gripped By Political Turmoil, Officials in Moscow Take Hands-Off Approach Georgia’s controversial “foreign influence” bill has sharply divided Georgian politics and stirred accusations that the ruling coalition seeks to draw the country closer to Russia, as the draft law’s critics argue that it is a facsimile of repressive legislation adopted by Moscow more than a decade ago. In Russia, officials are observing from the sidelines with cautious anticipation as tens of thousands of protesters rally against what they call a “Russian law,” and some believe the political showdown could play out in Moscow’s favor. Read more | Subscribe to our channel

Wife of Exiled Russian Journalist Martynov Jailed 9 Years for Attempted Murder A Russian court has sentenced the wife of exiled journalist Kirill Martynov to nine years in prison for the attempted murder of her daughter almost two decades ago, Russian media reported Tuesday. Antonina Martynova, whose maiden name is Fyodorova, had evaded criminal punishment for 16 years after a Russian jury in 2008 found her guilty of attempting to throw her toddler-aged daughter down a stairwell. She was found and detained by police on April 3. Read more | Subscribe to our channel

Belarus Holds Snap Inspection of Nuclear Arms Carriers Belarus said Tuesday it had started a surprise inspection of its non-strategic nuclear weapon carriers on the orders of President Alexander Lukashenko. The announcement comes a day after his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin ordered nuclear drills in Russia, raising fears that the powerful weapons could be used in Ukraine. Read more | Subscribe to our channel

Ukraine Says Thwarted Russian Plot to Kill Zelensky Authorities in Kyiv announced Tuesday that they detained two Ukrainian security officials involved in a plot coordinated by Russia to assassinate senior Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said in a statement that it had exposed a network of agents run by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), whose aim was to assassinate Zelensky, SBU head Vasyl Malyuk, Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) chief Kyrylo Budanov, and other senior Ukrainian political and military officials. Read more | Subscribe to our channel

Opinion | Why Russian Propaganda Isn’t as Sophisticated as You Think By Jon Roozenbeek It is widely assumed that Russia possesses unparalleled powers of manipulation, and that its ubiquitous propaganda is wreaking havoc on public opinion around the world.  In reality, however, Russian propaganda is far from the sophisticated machine it is made out to be. To see why, it is useful to look back on how its two proxies in Ukraine, the so-called People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, botched every opportunity to justify their existence. The views expressed in opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the position of The Moscow Times. Read more | Subscribe to our channel

Gallery | In Photos: Putin Inaugurated as President for Fifth Term Vladimir Putin was sworn in as President of Russia for a fifth term in a lavish inauguration ceremony Tuesday, which included a military procession, columns of armed guards, and a cavalry parade, as well as an Orthodox prayer service. Putin took the oath of office in the Kremlin’s gilded Saint Andrew’s Hall, where he was greeted by Russian officials and military brass. While Putin was constitutionally mandated to step down in 2024, changes made to Russia’s Constitution in 2020 “reset” his presidential term limits, thus allowing him to stay in power until 2030. In March, the longtime Kremlin chief secured a six-year term after winning an election marred by widespread reports of fraud and where no real opposition was given the chance to run. View gallery | Subscribe to our channel

Armenian PM Threatens to Ban Russian TV Channels Armenia could ban Russian television broadcasts if Moscow continues ignoring Yerevan’s requests for more balanced coverage, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Tuesday. “We expect the broadcasts of Russian TV channels to respect the citizens and the state system of Armenia,” Pashinyan said during a marathon press conference, according to the Russian news agency Interfax. “We ask for a respectful attitude toward Armenia and its interests.” Read more | Subscribe to our channel

Putin Sworn in for Fifth Term as President Vladimir Putin was sworn in as President of Russia for a fifth time on Tuesday, setting the stage for another six years in power as he leads the country in its war against neighboring Ukraine and increasing isolation from the West over the full-scale invasion. This is a developing news story. Read more | Subscribe to our channel

Russian Shelling Kills 1 in Ukraine's Sumy region Ukraine said Tuesday that one person was killed by Russian artillery fire in the northeastern Sumy region. Sumy and the neighboring region of Kharkiv, where the country's second-largest city is located, have come under increasing aerial bombardments in recent weeks. Read more | Subscribe to our channel