Latest news with #Kremlin-led
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Putin's love of Stalin should terrify us all
When Britain released the satirical film the Death of Stalin in 2017, Russia accused the British Government of waging a psychological war by seeking to insult Soviet history, and banned it almost immediately. Ironically, the Kremlin itself is now engaging in a psychological campaign against its own citizens using Stalin's legacy. Last week, a statue honouring Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin was unveiled in Moscow's metro station. This is not the first time that Vladimir Putin has sought to glorify the authoritarian leader. More than 100 such statues have been erected across Russia. These monuments are emblematic of a decades-long Kremlin-led effort to rehabilitate Stalin's image. In 2015, for example, when his government took over Russia's last intact Gulag, the 'Perm-36' memorial complex, it replaced content about the lives and struggles of prisoners with content honouring the guards and the camp's role in World War II timber production. Likewise, since 2020, Moscow law enforcement has prevented demonstrations commemorating victims of the Great Terror. In 2021, the government forcibly shut down Memorial, an organisation which documented Soviet human rights abuses, arguing that 'Memorial besmirches our history [by making] us – a generation of victors and the heirs of victors – to justify our history.' In 2023, Putin introduced new mandatory high school textbooks that effectively absolved Stalin of blame for the effects of Stalinism while unequivocally praising his successes. As Stalin himself stated: 'education is a weapon whose effects depend on who holds it.' In 2024, the government even began rescinding symbolic acquittals granted under Gorbachev and Yeltsin to millions of falsely accused defendants whom Stalin's regime tortured and killed These moves collectively reveal the regime's effort to rehabilitate a totalitarian dictator – one who orchestrated mass attacks and deliberate starvation against his own citizens, condemned millions to death in Gulag labour camps, and perpetrated atrocities across multiple countries during World War II – as a national hero. This makes perfect sense for Putin, who is capitalising on and amplifying Stalin's popularity to justify his own imperial ambitions in Ukraine. The two leaders have much in common. Both have committed horrific war crimes, both seek the subjugation of Ukraine, both demonise and persecute internal opposition, both control the information space entirely, and both see their citizens as replaceable pawns to be manipulated and taken advantage of. This overlap is no accident. Putin has shaped his rule in the shadow of Stalin's, and it is thus imperative that he reinforces positive public opinion about his reign. It seems to be working, with 39 per cent of Russians naming Stalin as 'the most outstanding figure of all times and nations' in 2021. Through these domestic information operations, nationalism has steadily risen in Russia as well, with 70 per cent of citizens regarding Stalin as a 'great leader' in 2019. To effectively respond to Putin's orchestrations, the UK must confront the realities of public opinion. Sending tales about Western democracy will not resonate with the Russians – London must instead appeal to nationalism by portraying Putin as a weak leader who destroyed Russian glory with his war in Ukraine. As the Kremlin basks in the glow of its recent Victory Day celebrations, the UK should revive old jokes about Stalin, unsettling the image of power and historical legitimacy that Putin seeks to construct. Effective information operations could show Russians how their country went from a nation of international respect and prestige to a global pariah. The UK should demonstrate that instead of 'Making Russia Great Again,' Putin has 'Made Russia Weak Again.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
British courts flooded with record number of Russian lawsuits
Britain's legal system was inundated with an influx of Russian cases last year as City law firms softened their stance against acting for some of the country's oligarchs. The High Court saw a record 60 cases involving Russian companies and individuals in the 12 months to March 2025, up from just 27 in the previous year, according to figures collated by Portland Communications. Experts said the surge likely includes many cases that were delayed or postponed because of sanctions in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The latest figures also revealed 80pc of the Russians involved in High Court cases last year were represented by British lawyers, compared to just 30pc in the year prior. The situation suggests law firms are now more willing to work for Russian clients than they were in the immediate aftermath of Russia's invasion, the report says. Lawyers are now taking a more 'nuanced' approach to working with Russian clients, the report said, adding that City law firms now appear less willing to 'over comply'. The British Government's decision to lift the cap on the sums of money sanctioned individuals are allowed to pay out in legal fees, from £500,000 to £2m, has also let Russian clients bring forward more 'heavyweight commercial disputes'. Ziyavudin Magomedov, a jailed Russian oligarch, was one of the many Russians litigating in London last year, as he has sued a whole host of companies over claims that he was subject to a Kremlin-led plot to seize ports that he owned. 'The data suggests a strong presence of Russian high-net-worth individuals seeking resolution in London,' the report says. Of the cases linked to Russian parties, 32 involved Russian companies while 27 were related to Russian individuals. By contrast, just 320 of all cases in the High Court involved individuals last year, compared to 1,025 involving companies. All in all, 93 nationalities were represented in Britain's High Court last year, the research showed, with British claimants the most commonly represented, ahead of Emiratis, Americans, Russians and Cypriots. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russian journalist blown up by mine on Ukrainian border
A Russian TV war correspondent has been killed by a mine while working near the Ukrainian border. Anna Prokofieva, who worked for Russia's state-run Channel One, was travelling in a car that hit an 'enemy mine' in Russia's western Belgorod region, her employer said. She 'died while performing her professional duty', the TV channel wrote in a statement, adding that the blast also wounded her colleague, cameraman Dmitry Volkov. Ms Prokofieva, 35, joined the channel in 2023 and had frequently reported from inside occupied Ukraine. She had also recently covered Ukraine's retreat from Suzha, the main settlement captured by Kyiv during its incursion into Russia's Kursk region. Her last online post was dated Tuesday and showed her smiling in a forest, wearing military fatigues and a head-mounted camera. 'Somewhere on the border with country 404', she captioned the photo, in a derogatory reference to the '404 file not found' internet error that pro-Kremlin military bloggers use to refer to Ukraine. Several Russian journalists have been killed in the three-year conflict, with their deaths highly publicised back home. Confirming Ms Prokofieva's death, Maria Zakharova, the Kremlin's foreign ministry spokesman, accused Ukraine of frequently and deliberately targeting Russian media workers. 'Journalists could die en masse in connection with a natural disaster. Today this natural disaster is called the 'terrorist Kiev regime',' Ms Zakharova said. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's press secretary, was reported by the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper to have emphasised that Ms Prokofieva's death was yet another loss of a Russian journalist. 'Our condolences go first and foremost to Anna's family', Peskov was quoted as saying. He was also said to have expressed his condolences to the entire staff of the television channel that employed her. The Izvestia newspaper reported that the Brics Journalists Association, representing media workers in the Kremlin-led intergovernmental organisation, had appealed to Unesco over what it claimed was the 'murder' of Russian correspondents. 'One cannot pretend because of political differences that there is no problem with the murders of journalists from Russia and it is necessary to prevent discrimination against Russian journalists,' Ivan Melnikov, director of the department for journalists' rights at the Brics association, was quoted as saying in an address to Audrey Azoulay, the Unesco director-general. Ms Prokofieva's death comes two days after the Kremlin accused Ukraine of killing Russian journalists in a 'targeted' Himars missile strike in occupied eastern Ukraine. The attack killed Alexander Fedorchak, a war correspondent from Izvestia, a major Russian newspaper, as well as cameraman Andrei Panov and their driver Alexander Sirkeli. The strike in Luhansk killed six in total, according to Russian authorities, including a 14-year-old child. Another correspondent from Russia's Zvezda state news channel, Nikita Goldin, is reported to be in critical condition. Kyiv has not yet commented on the reports, which have not been independently verified. The attack was 'systematic and planned', Ms Zakharova claimed, without providing evidence. Russia's investigative committee said it had opened a criminal case. It came the same day Ukraine destroyed four Russian helicopters using US-supplied Himars missiles in Belgorod. Unconfirmed reports also suggested it used the launchers to destroy two key bridges close to the border. Ukrainian forces have launched small-scale attacks inside Belgorod over the past week, in what are thought to be attempts to relieve pressure on neighbouring Kursk, where a Russian counter-offensive has pushed Kyiv's troops back to a sliver of territory on the border. Kyiv has also repeatedly accused Moscow of deliberately targeting journalists reporting on the conflict. At least 21 journalists have been killed in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). However, other estimates put the number higher. It comes amid growing uncertainty about the fate of a ceasefire agreed in the Black Sea between Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday after both sides accused each other of breaching the fragile terms. The United States reached separate deals on Tuesday with Ukraine and Russia to cease fighting in the Black Sea and pause attacks against energy targets, with Washington agreeing to push to lift some sanctions against Moscow. While Kyiv agreed to start the truce immediately, the Kremlin said on Wednesday that a number of conditions must be met before it comes into force, which involve the lifting of international sanctions. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Russian journalist blown up by mine on Ukrainian border
A Russian TV war correspondent has been killed by a mine while working near the Ukrainian border. Anna Prokofieva, who worked for Russia's state-run Channel One, was travelling in a car that hit an 'enemy mine' in Russia's western Belgorod region, her employer said. She 'died while performing her professional duty', the TV channel wrote in a statement, adding that the blast also wounded her colleague, cameraman Dmitry Volkov. Ms Prokofieva, 35, joined the channel in 2023 and had frequently reported from inside occupied Ukraine. She had also recently covered Ukraine's retreat from Suzha, the main settlement captured by Kyiv during its incursion into Russia's Kursk region. Her last online post was dated Tuesday and showed her smiling in a forest, wearing military fatigues and a head-mounted camera. 'Somewhere on the border with country 404', she captioned the photo, in a derogatory reference to the '404 file not found' internet error that pro-Kremlin military bloggers use to refer to Ukraine. Several Russian journalists have been killed in the three-year conflict, with their deaths highly publicised back home. Confirming Ms Prokofieva's death, Maria Zakharova, the Kremlin's foreign ministry spokesman, accused Ukraine of frequently and deliberately targeting Russian media workers. 'Journalists could die en masse in connection with a natural disaster. Today this natural disaster is called the 'terrorist Kiev regime',' Ms Zakharova said. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's press secretary, was reported by the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper to have emphasised that Ms Prokofieva's death was yet another loss of a Russian journalist. 'Our condolences go first and foremost to Anna's family', Peskov was quoted as saying. He was also said to have expressed his condolences to the entire staff of the television channel that employed her. The Izvestia newspaper reported that the Brics Journalists Association, representing media workers in the Kremlin-led intergovernmental organisation, had appealed to Unesco over what it claimed was the 'murder' of Russian correspondents. 'One cannot pretend because of political differences that there is no problem with the murders of journalists from Russia and it is necessary to prevent discrimination against Russian journalists,' Ivan Melnikov, director of the department for journalists' rights at the Brics association, was quoted as saying in an address to Audrey Azoulay, the Unesco director-general. Ms Prokofieva's death comes two days after the Kremlin accused Ukraine of killing Russian journalists in a 'targeted' Himars missile strike in occupied eastern Ukraine. The attack killed Alexander Fedorchak, a war correspondent from Izvestia, a major Russian newspaper, as well as cameraman Andrei Panov and their driver Alexander Sirkeli. 'Systematic and planned' attack The strike in Luhansk killed six in total, according to Russian authorities, including a 14-year-old child. Another correspondent from Russia's Zvezda state news channel, Nikita Goldin, is reported to be in critical condition. Kyiv has not yet commented on the reports, which have not been independently verified. The attack was 'systematic and planned', Ms Zakharova claimed, without providing evidence. Russia's investigative committee said it had opened a criminal case. It came the same day Ukraine destroyed four Russian helicopters using US-supplied Himars missiles in Belgorod. Unconfirmed reports also suggested it used the launchers to destroy two key bridges close to the border. Ukrainian forces have launched small-scale attacks inside Belgorod over the past week, in what are thought to be attempts to relieve pressure on neighbouring Kursk, where a Russian counter-offensive has pushed Kyiv's troops back to a sliver of territory on the border. Kyiv has also repeatedly accused Moscow of deliberately targeting journalists reporting on the conflict. At least 21 journalists have been killed in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). However, other estimates put the number higher. It comes amid growing uncertainty about the fate of a ceasefire agreed in the Black Sea between Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday after both sides accused each other of breaching the fragile terms. The United States reached separate deals on Tuesday with Ukraine and Russia to cease fighting in the Black Sea and pause attacks against energy targets, with Washington agreeing to push to lift some sanctions against Moscow. While Kyiv agreed to start the truce immediately, the Kremlin said on Wednesday that a number of conditions must be met before it comes into force, which involve the lifting of international sanctions.
