1/ In a further sign of an economic slump in Russia, the giant vehicle manufacturer AvtoVAZ will shut down production entirely for 17 days due to falling demand and overcrowded warehouses. Its vehicles aren't selling and storage facilities are overflowing. ⬇️
2/ The Russian news outlet Mash reports that AvtoVAZ will shut down its assembly lines for almost the entire period from 27 April to 17 May, with the workforce sent on mandatory leave.
3/ Workers will be sent to do maintenance work between 27-30 April, 12-13 May will be covered by a postponement of vacation days from December, and staff will be paid at two-thirds their normal salary on 14-15 May.
4/ Those who refuse will remain on the job with reduced pay (2,648 rubles ($33) per day instead of 4,000 ($50)).
AvtoVaz has already moved to a four-day week, cut wages, and implement mass lay-offs, but it is still producing too many vehicles to sell.
5/ The company claims that the shutdown is needed to adjust production lines in advance of the new LADA Azimut vehicle, which is scheduled to launch in September 2026. /end
1/ As more Wildberries warehouses burn following Ukrainian drone attacks, here's a handy guide to the top 10 e-commerce warehouses in Russia – which should also help to serve as an indicator of where Ukrainian drones are likely to fly next.
2/ The Russian Telegram channel 'ZaTelekom' writes:
"The largest distribution and fulfillment centers of Russian companies (taking into account the queues introduced) form the following top ten (I marked with emoticons where already [attacked]):
3/ "1. 💥 Wildberries Koledino Distribution Centre (Podolsk, Moscow Region)
Area: ~250,000–280,000 sq. m.
1/ The 'SVOshnik' – a drunk, traumatised, violent veteran of the Ukraine war – has become a figure of fear in Russia. Russian journalist and activist Anastasia Kashevarova, who has fought for soldiers' rights, admits that some veterans are out of control. ⬇️
2/ Many participants in the Ukraine war have been discharged, usually through ill-health or in some lucky cases, having completed contracts. They have brought with them a wave of violence and crime, with even prostitutes avoiding them.
3/ A large part of the problem, as Kashevarova notes, is that participants in the 'Special Military Operation' (SVO) are often treated with deference by law enforcement agencies, leaving ordinary people vulnerable to their violent behaviour. She writes:
1/ Claims by a senior Russian military official that the Russian army's tactical medicine system is efficient and rapid are greeted with incredulity by Russian commentators. They point out that wounded soldiers are often not evacuated for days or weeks. ⬇️
2/ Deputy Minister of Defence Anna Tsivileva – a relative of Putin's who was controversially appointed a lieutenant general despite no previous military experience – has given an upbeat assessment of the performance of Russian tactical medicine.
3/ At a board meeting of the Russian MOD, Tsilvileva said that since December 2025, work has been undertaken as a high priority to improve the speed of evacuations and the quality of primary care on the front lines.
1/ The Russian-appointed governor of the occupied part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region has told Vladimir Putin in person that the R-280 highway to Crimea is under total Russian control. Russian warbloggers dispute this and suggest that he's lying. ⬇️
2/ In a meeting at the Kremlin, Yevgeny Balitsky said:
"The R-280 road, which supplies Crimea, is currently under complete control, the effectiveness of Ukrainian drones has significantly decreased. The means used are constantly being improved."
3/ "There are new methods being used. There are new means being used by the Russian Armed Forces. At your direction, the road was placed under special control."
1/ The arrest in Miami of Andrew and Tristan Tate is being celebrated in Russia, where a few weeks ago they were guests of honour at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. Now they're seen as too scummy for Russia; one Russian blogger calls them "genetic garbage". ⬇️
2/ The fact that the Tates were invited to Russia in the first place attracted criticism at the time, given their reputation. Russian nationalist bloggers saw it as a degrading display of subservience to the 'decadent' West. They now see themselves as vindicated by the arrests:
3/ 'Leib-Hussar' isn't mincing words: "This utterly "uncivilised" subservience to the West has been an unquestionable fetish of the domestic authorities for about 40 years. They constantly import and promote all sorts of genetic "garbage" into the country, which,…
1/ The destruction by Ukrainian drones of two of Wildberries' massive warehouses near Moscow is a huge disaster for the Russian economy, which will inflict far more damage than the headline $1.2 billion loss of stock. Here's why. ⬇️
2/ While Wildberries itself can absorb the loss of two of its biggest warehouses – it will not need to compensate sellers as it has very recently disclaimed responsibility for losses caused by enemy action – the impact of the strikes on the wider economy will be significant.
3/ Wildberries is frequently called the 'Russian Amazon', but it has a far more dominant role in the Russian economy than Amazon does in Western economies. Since it was founded in 2004, it's become one of the most structurally important companies in the Russian economy.