Carl Schreck

In February, we at RFE/RL obtained leaked Russian military hospital records showing the huge toll the Kremlin's war has inflicted on its forces.

We contacted a Chinese national listed as wounded in the database. He confirmed he'd fought for Russia in Ukraine: www.rferl.org/a/russia-war...

Much appreciated, Kolya!

Exclusive: Washington Autopsy Files Reveal Lesin Sustained Broken Bone In Neck Since Mikhail Lesin’s body was found in a Washington, D.C., hotel room more than three years ago, the exact circumstances surrounding his death, and the final days leading up to it, have been under qu...

One last thing, for now: RFE/RL have a great track record of important investigative journalism on the Kremlin. Here, for example, is a 2019 exclusive by @mikeeckel.bsky.social and
@carlschreck.bsky.social on Mikhail Lesin's death in a Washington hotel room www.rferl.org/a/lesin-auto...

Exclusive: Suspected Russian Spy Seeks Top Security Post In Serbia, Central Asia A Russian diplomat, quietly pressured to leave Brussels amid espionage allegations, has been nominated for a leadership role in the OSCE.

A Russian diplomat suspected of espionage was pressured to leave Belgium while 19 of his colleagues were expelled in a spy purge. Now Moscow has nominated him for top OSCE posts in Serbia, Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan: www.rferl.org/a/russian-sp...

Ekaterina Barabash, a journalist and film critic, has been detained in Moscow and charged with spreading “fake news” about the Russian military. Her son Yuriy, who broke the news about her detention, lives in Kyiv.

Photo: Yuriy Barabash / Facebook

90,000 Russian privates. 4,000 lieutenants. 3,000 captains. 2,700 warrant officers. 24 lieutenant captains. 34 major generals: Inside the Russian military hospitalization database, obtained exclusively by @RFE/RL.
www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukr...

Сводка антивоенных репрессий. Три года полномасштабного вторжения России в Украину. Февраль 2025 Независимый правозащитный медиапроект ОВД-Инфо

Russian authorities made more than 20,000 detentions for anti-war activities in the three years since the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to data from the Russian rights monitor OVD-Info: data.ovd.info/antiwar_3_ye...

Remember Igor Kirillov, head of Russia's nuclear defenses, assassinated in Dec. by an exploding scooter that Ukrainian intelligence took credit for?

Well, leaked Ru military hospital records show he'd actually been shot 9 months earlier & spent a month recovering. www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukr...

YouTube video by Financial Times 'Film me!’: Russia's executions of Ukrainian POWs points to a policy | FT Film

In a new investigation FT reveals evidence that Russian executions of Ukrainian POWs are likely part of a systematic policy. They uncover the identity of a Russian soldier likely involved in filming and carrying out the mass execution of 6 POWs. @christopherjm.ft.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Muw...

Russia's War On Ukraine Fuels Kyrgyz Passport Boom A burgeoning market for Kyrgyz passports has sprouted in Russia, offering greater travel and other freedoms amid international sanctions and domestic repressions since President Vladimir Putin launche...

RFE/RL examines the bustling online market offering Russians help in securing Kyrgyz citizenship. www.rferl.org/a/russia-war...

For more background on new(ish) Kyrgyz citizen Ilya Gambashidze and his disinfo ops, see the internal Social Design Agency docs my brilliant @cxemu colleagues & their European partners got their hands on:
Eng: www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukr...
Ukr: www.radiosvoboda.org/a/skhemy-kre...

The Ukrainian mineral riches in Trump’s sights [FREE TO READ] Vast estimated deposits of lithium, titanium and rare earths such as gallium have yet to be significantly developed

Donald Trump’s “minerals-for-aid” offer to Ukraine last week has put the spotlight on the country’s vast and rare mineral resources, to which Washington wants rights as payback for past military support.

Our explainer, and a free link: on.ft.com/3X88ybv

Russia's War On Ukraine Fuels Kyrgyz Passport Boom A burgeoning market for Kyrgyz passports has sprouted in Russia, offering greater travel and other freedoms amid international sanctions and domestic repressions since President Vladimir Putin launche...

Among the newly minted Kyrgyz citizens my colleagues found is Ilya Gambashidze, a Russian sanctioned by the US for heading a massive Kremlin-linked influence op of fake stories and news sites, and forged docs, targeting Ukraine and European elections.

www.rferl.org/a/russia-war...

Spanish Authorities Uncover 13 Tons Of Chemicals Destined For Russia’s War Machine, RFE/RL Learns A shipment of 13,000 tons of chemicals bound for Russia that Spain seized last year included a restricted solvent that plays a key role in weapons production for the Kremlin’s war machine, an RFE/RL i...

I marvel at the talents of my RFE/RL colleagues. This time they analyzed Spanish police video & found that Russia-bound sanctioned chemicals seized in Barcelona included a solvent Russia sources for its military (and other things, ofc): www.rferl.org/a/33313478.h...

Russian Musician's Fatal Plunge During Police Raid Triggers Doubt About Suicide A Russian musician who opposed the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine plunged to his death from his 10th-story apartment during a police raid reportedly linked to his support for Kyiv. Those who knew him doubt ...

A Russian musician leapt/fell/was pushed (we may never know for sure) to his death from his 10th floor window during a police raid on suspicion of donating to Ukraine's army.

(And no, not every fatal fall from a window in Russia means foul play.)

www.rferl.org/a/russia-mus...

Really hope I'll finally be able to dunk.

The purge workshopped by Kadyrov in Chechnya going federal.

Six years ago, we used cell records to reveal the kidnapping & likely killing of Andrei Kobyshev, a gay Russian man, by Kadyrov's goons in Grozny: www.rferl.org/a/chechnya-m...

I just checked, and Russian feds still list him as "missing."

Мы теперь всех вас знаем Российские силовики собирают данные об ЛГБТК-людях по всей стране. И это вряд ли хорошие новости. Расследование «Медузы» — Meduza После того как в ноябре 2023 года Верховный суд России объявил несуществующее «международное общественное движение ЛГБТ» «экстремистской организацией», МВД устроило настоящую охоту на квир-людей. По в...

Russian security forces have begun collecting data on LGBTQ Russians after the Russian Supreme Court declared the non-existent “LGBT movement” extremist and banned it. Such a database would create unlimited opportunities for blackmail and persecution of queer people.

meduza.io/feature/2025...

Възможно е корабът „Вежен“ да е скъсал кабел в Балтийско море, но изключвам саботаж, каза директорът на БМФ кап. Александър Калчев Възможно е корабът „Вежен“ да е причинил скъсването на кабела между Готланд и Латвия, но в никакъв случай, аз лично, не допускам, че става дума за саботаж или каквото и да е друго действие от страна н...

The director of the Bulgarian shipping company that owns the ship-- the "Vezhen"-- says it is possible the ship responsible for the damage, but says he doesn't think it was sabotage. The ship may be flying Maltese flag. (h/t Ivan Bedrov; @carlschreck.bsky.social)
www.bta.bg/bg/news/bulg...

Putin offers (deliberately timed) comments and congratulations to Donald Trump. "We are open for dialogue with the new U.S. administration on the Ukrainian conflict. The most important thing here is to eliminate the root causes of the crisis...."

Pro baseball players Bob Uecker and Bob Gibson holding hands in a team photo

RIP Bob Uecker. Never forget the time he and Bob Gibson got in trouble for holding hands during the team photo.

Belvedere was an underrated sitcom - Wesley an underrated TV rapscallion.

His collabing with the brilliant Stephen Duffy from @thelilactime.bsky.social tilted it to full-on positive for me. Plus, that "Let Me Entertain You" song is a banger.

Still can't believe I managed to see Wild At Heart in the theater at age 14. Then had the movie poster hanging on my bedroom wall.

Museum of Moscow reportedly removed section on Soviet repressions from city history exhibition at last minute — Meduza The Museum of Moscow removed a planned section on Soviet repressions from its “History of Moscow” exhibition due to external pressure, journalist Ksenia Basilashvili reported on Tuesday.

The Museum of Moscow removed a planned section on Soviet repressions from its city history exhibition in response to a "demand" from outside the museum, according to journalist Ksenia Basilashvili.

Carlos The Spanish Air Traffic Controller right now

A Wagner Mercenary Who Crossed U.S.-Mexican Border Was Honored In Russia Weeks Before Arrest A man who illegally crossed the Rio Grande River into the United States reportedly admitted to having worked with the notorious Russian mercenary group Wagner. His arrest came just weeks after he appe...

Father of Timur Praliev - the ex-Wagner fighter who illegally crossed into US from Mexico just weeks after getting combat veteran's ID at an event in Russia - tells us in Kazakhstan he hopes his son stays in the US:

"If he came here, he would be arrested."

www.rferl.org/a/russia-wag...

Walter Harris, America's 1st Black Chess Master, dead at 83 Yesterday, I learned that Walter Harris, America's first Black National Master, had passed away on October 12th, 2024.

This is a wonderful obituary for Walter Harris, whose passing might have gone unnoticed by the chess community if not for Daaim Shabazz, of the Chess Drum. Some great stories, photos and games, including holding Bobby Fischer to a draw in a 1958 simul

thechessdrum.net/blog/2024/12...

The Many Faces Of Europe Invasion, The Anonymous X Account Stoking Anti-Immigrant Narratives An RFE/RL investigation reveals that an influential X account called Europe Invasion concocted fake personas to push xenophobic narratives and fuel anti-immigrant sentiment in the EU.

We looked into Europe Invasion, one of the more influential anti-immigration X accounts that have flourished there over the past 2 years. We found a hall of mirrors driven likely by commercial engagement-baiting rather than ideology: www.rferl.org/a/europe-inv...

I take it back