Dozhd Journalist Valeria Ratnikova Sentenced In Absentia to 7.5 Years for "Fakes"
A Moscow court has sentenced Valeria Ratnikova, a journalist for the "Dozhd" (Rain) TV channel, in absentia to 7.5 years in prison. She was found guilty of disseminating "fake news" regarding the actions of the Russian armed forces during the special military operation in Ukraine. The Golovinsky Court announced its decision on Tuesday, March 24, also imposing a three-year ban on Ratnikova from administering online pages.
A criminal case against the journalist was initiated in July of last year. Several months later, Ratnikova was placed on a wanted list. The Investigative Committee subsequently requested her in absentia arrest. Law enforcement officials concluded the investigation into the case last December.
Fresh materials — Society News

Karina Cross and Hockey Player Mark Rudakovsky Exchange Vows
Blogger and TV presenter Karina Lazaryants, widely known as Karina Cross, has taken vows with hockey player Mark Rudakovsky. The ceremony was a private affair, with only the couple's closest family and friends in attendance. Karina Cross wore a white gown, while Mark Rudakovsky opted for

Russian Duma Temporarily Exempts Some Entrepreneurs from VAT
The State Duma of the Russian Federation has approved a bill in its second and third readings that will exempt entrepreneurs operating under the simplified tax system (USN) and patent tax system (PSN) from paying VAT until the end of 2026. This was announced on Tuesday, April 14. The initia

Court Finds Pichugin Guilty in Case of Two Deaths in Sea of Okhotsk
A court in Ulan-Ude has found Mikhail Pichugin, who spent 67 days drifting on a catamaran in the Sea of Okhotsk, guilty in a case concerning the deaths of two individuals. The verdict was announced by the judge of the court on Tuesday, April 14th. "Ultimately, Pichugin is sentenced to three

Deputy Panesh Reveals Who Can Receive a Lump Sum Pension of 440,000
Many Russians have the opportunity to receive their pension savings as a single lump sum payment rather than as a monthly addition. This was announced on Tuesday, April 14, by Kaplan Panesh, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes. He clarified that in 2026, ci

Russia Updates Pensionable Service Calculation Rules
The Russian government has modified the rules for calculating pensionable service when determining insurance pensions. These changes, which came into effect recently, specifically impact parents of twins, large families, and individuals with rural work experience. Previously, periods of childca

Sergey Rost Explains Why "Ostrozhno, Modern!" Was Canceled: "It Became Unbearable"
The popular 1990s comedy show "Ostrozhno, Modern!" ceased to exist due to the personal ambitions of its host, Dmitry Nagiyev, according to his former co-star Sergey Rost. Rost explained that the discord stemmed from Nagiyev's unwillingness to share the success of the show with his on-scre