(C) Meduza This story was originally published by Meduza and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Real Russia. Today. Friday, May 31, 2024 — Meduza [1] [] Date: 2024-06-01 Like many independent media outlets, Meduza does a lot of work with very limited resources. Our English-language edition is no exception: every day, our editors decide which news stories and reported features to prioritize and which ones we have to skip. But despite this, we want to keep growing and expand our reach. That's why we're asking for your help: we’ve prepared a short, anonymous survey that will allow us to better understand who reads Meduza and why — and inform our growth strategy. The survey is available here (and it only takes five minutes). For the past two months, millions of Kazakhstanis have been glued to their screens, witnessing a landmark moment in the nation’s history: a murder trial live-streamed on YouTube. This was the trial of Kuandyk Bishimbayev, Kazakhstan’s former economic minister, who was convicted of torturing and killing his wife, Saltanat Nukenova, on November 9, 2023. The brutal CCTV footage of the incident went viral, not just within Kazakhstan but internationally as well. This trial not only highlighted Saltanat Nukenova’s tragic case but also shined a glaring spotlight on Kazakhstan’s chronic issues with domestic violence. To learn more about the case and its wider significance, Meduza intern Ekaterina Rahr-Bohr and Meduza senior news editor Sam Breazeale spoke to Century College political scientist Dr. Colleen Wood, human rights activist and NeMolchiKZ founder Dinara Smailova, and The Village Kazakhstan editor-in-chief Aleksandra Akanaeva. After returning home from the war in Ukraine, many Russian soldiers end up in court on domestic violence charges. However, even if convicted, they usually receive little more than a slap on the wrist. According to a new report from the independent outlet Verstka, Russian courts routinely give combat veterans the minimum sentence for crimes, often letting them off with small fines — equivalent to as little as $55 — for offenses like assault. We got The Beet. Don’t miss Meduza’s weekly newsletter (separate from the one you’re reading here)! 🇦🇲 Catch the latest edition → Border disorder: The return of four villages to Azerbaijan sparks turmoil at Armenia’s political and literal frontiers (13-min read) 💥 Neptune missiles hit Russian port: RFE/RL journalists report that satellite images show the results of Ukrainian missile strikes on May 31 against Russia’s “Kavkaz” port in the Krasnodar region. The attack appears to have damaged the facility’s oil terminal, potentially disrupting Russia’s ability to supply fuel to occupied territories in Ukraine. The strikes could also complicate the Russian military’s logistics in Crimea and on the southern fronts of the war in Ukraine. RFE/RL journalists report that satellite images show the results of Ukrainian missile strikes on May 31 against Russia’s “Kavkaz” port in the Krasnodar region. The attack appears to have damaged the facility’s oil terminal, potentially disrupting Russia’s ability to supply fuel to occupied territories in Ukraine. The strikes could also complicate the Russian military’s logistics in Crimea and on the southern fronts of the war in Ukraine. 🕵️ Russia’s latest ‘foreign agents’ album drops: The Russian Justice Ministry’s update to its list of “foreign agents” includes, among others, former presidential hopeful Ekaterina Duntsova, journalist Marina Litvinovich, and the online news outlets Sota and Republic. The Russian Justice Ministry’s update to its list of “foreign agents” includes, among others, former presidential hopeful Ekaterina Duntsova, journalist Marina Litvinovich, and the online news outlets Sota and Republic. 🛂 Handsy border guards: Artur Muradyan, the vice president of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, says Russian border guards are increasingly confiscating passports, citing paperwork errors, and refusing to let citizens leave the country. Last December, new legislation took effect empowering the FSB’s border service to seize passports on the spot if they find technical or spelling errors, or even if the document is frayed or tattered. Artur Muradyan, the vice president of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, says Russian border guards are increasingly confiscating passports, citing paperwork errors, and refusing to let citizens leave the country. Last December, new legislation took effect empowering the FSB’s border service to seize passports on the spot if they find technical or spelling errors, or even if the document is frayed or tattered. 🎖️ A truly safe city if you don’t mind air raids: Russia’s Federal Emergency Management Agency has inexplicably given one of its “My Safe City” awards to Belgorod, despite the fact that the borderland city has been under regular Ukrainian shelling for months. Belogord reportedly won first place in the agency’s competition for “disaster prevention.” Nikolai Lebedev, who heads the city’s Civil Defense and Emergency Situations Department, accepted the honor at an official ceremony on May 30, though Belgorod officials have been reluctant to say the prize’s name aloud, perhaps fearing an overdose of irony. The mayor announced the award on his Telegram channel in a post sandwiched between two messages about the danger of missile attacks in the region. Russia’s Federal Emergency Management Agency has inexplicably given one of its “My Safe City” awards to Belgorod, despite the fact that the borderland city has been under regular Ukrainian shelling for months. Belogord reportedly won first place in the agency’s competition for “disaster prevention.” Nikolai Lebedev, who heads the city’s Civil Defense and Emergency Situations Department, accepted the honor at an official ceremony on May 30, though Belgorod officials have been reluctant to say the prize’s name aloud, perhaps fearing an overdose of irony. The mayor announced the award on his Telegram channel in a post sandwiched between two messages about the danger of missile attacks in the region. 🇫🇷 Alleged Chechen terrorist arrested in France: The French authorities arrested an 18-year-old Chechen native on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium during a soccer game in the upcoming Paris Summer Olympics. Officials haven’t released the suspect’s name but say he was “actively preparing” for an attack motivated by “Islamist ideology.” The French authorities arrested an 18-year-old Chechen native on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium during a soccer game in the upcoming Paris Summer Olympics. Officials haven’t released the suspect’s name but say he was “actively preparing” for an attack motivated by “Islamist ideology.” 🇦🇲 Channel One returns to Armenian boob tubes: Armenian TV regulators have returned the Russian state television network Channel One to the nation’s airwaves after the channel’s local subsidiary paid its outstanding debt of $6,400. Access to the network disappeared in Armenia for three days during the dispute, which coincided with deteriorating relations between Yerevan and Moscow. No country can be free without independent media. In January 2023, the Russian authorities outlawed Meduza, banning our work in the country our colleagues call home. Just supporting Meduza carries the risk of criminal prosecution for Russian nationals, which is why we’re turning to our international audience for help. Your assistance makes it possible for thousands of people in Russia to read Meduza and stay informed. Consider a small but recurring contribution to provide the most effective support. Donate here. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.meduza.io/en/brief/2024/06/01/the-real-russia-today Published and (C) by Meduza Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/meduza/