They hid together from Russian bombs in a Mariupol basement. Then they saw their neighbors’ kids hugging a Russian soldier at Putin’s propaganda concert. “I don’t know what happened to Kostya’s family… they were good people. We shared food with them.” theguardian.com/world/2023/feb… I spoke to two neighbors who recall Kostya’s family from the basement of a Mariupol district administration in mid-March, some of the worst days of the siege. Bombs were falling outside. Men would venture out for food or water together, stepping over bodies and puddles of blood.

“What am I, some loser to run away from this? My fate is to be a soldier.” Soon he died in a Himars strike. I went to Samara to talk to dead soldiers’ families about the deep well of war support. “If society hadn’t exploded yet, why would this set it off?” theguardian.com/world/2023/feb… One thing I kept hearing while reporting was “that’s what a military wife is supposed to do” or “that’s the life of a military family.” Including those whose husbands had had just been mobilized and died. There’s a strong effort to establish a code of silence around the war.

Who came to Putin's fake meeting with soldier's moms?
- An ex-government official from Khakassia
- Mother of a Chechen police commander personally recognised by Kadyrov
- An ultra-conservative Russian poet who is "radically pro-government"
w/@PjotrSauer
theguardian.com/world/2022/nov… Olesya Shigina, an ultra-conservative poet, film-maker and activist, recently said: “At the front, no one is angry at the government … They have one goal there... to win." An acquaintance called her “radically pro-government”. “Ideologically, she holds the same views as Dugin,”

The Crimean Bridge has been hit, either by a missile or a sabotage attack. Strikes at the heart of Vladimir Putin’s prestige. He went to war to take Kyiv only to find that he can’t even protect Crimea. He’ll be looking for some way to respond. twitter.com/i/web/status/1… Russian anti-terror committee says a truck exploded on the bridge, both destroying a section of the motorway and also igniting railway cars filled with fuel. Honestly raises a ton of questions, including how that attack could be timed so perfectly and could a single bomb do it?

“Don’t worry. Sobyanin will fix it.” How Russia’s technocrats and propagandists think they can salvage Putin’s mobilization by trashing the military and bringing in managers to paper over a simple problem: no one asked for a draft. theguardian.com/world/2022/oct… In big cities, Russia’s government has sought to replace free and fair elections with technocratic solutions to the problems of daily life. Most people know they did not choose the mayor but feel it’s ok if life gets better. Russia is now trying the same trick with mobilization.

Kremlin bringing in a big crowd to show support for today’s annexations. A lot of convoys of buses heading by the Kremlin already. Employees of state companies have also been told to attend. Dozens of men clutching identical army ponchos getting off minibuses headed for Red Square for annexation event. Hundreds of riot police out, police and military vehicles in front of the Bolshoy Theater. In other words, everything as it always is.

Video of a Russian man opening fire and killing the military commandant in a draft centre in the city of Úst-Ilimsk in Irkutsk region. The military commandant was the head of the local draft committee. He has died, according to reports. Some reports from local Irkutsk media that the commandant is still alive. This is video of him being carried to a stretcher.

All looking good for my vacation starting on Wednesday strongly considering the aviasales option "куда можно"

“How the fuck did this happen?”
say Russian border guards now in sight of Ukrainian troops. My second dispatch from Belgorod, where retreating soldiers roam streets. Fear and apathy too. “Until someone brings a coffin to your home, nobody cares.” theguardian.com/world/2022/sep… In first dispatch from Belgorod, I spoke with pro-Kremlin Ukrainians, including one who collaborated in occupation administration in Kupiansk, and others fleeing fighting. Russian vowed until end it would “be here forever,” then fled. “What was the point?” theguardian.com/world/2022/sep…