Samantha Berkhead
@samberkhead.bsky.social
Editor-in-chief @themoscowtimes.com 🪆
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
St. Petersburg woman Lena Patyayeva, who has repeatedly called for answers about the fate of her friend Seda Suleimanova after she was forcibly returned to Chechnya, was arrested while staging a solo picket on Tuesday.
Photo: Slovo Zashchitye
Photo: Slovo Zashchitye
November 25, 2025 at 4:04 PM
St. Petersburg woman Lena Patyayeva, who has repeatedly called for answers about the fate of her friend Seda Suleimanova after she was forcibly returned to Chechnya, was arrested while staging a solo picket on Tuesday.
Photo: Slovo Zashchitye
Photo: Slovo Zashchitye
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
Opinion: To Putin, the Trump peace proposal proves that he has won. But there is much in its pages that he won’t agree to, argues former Russian diplomat Boris Bondarev.
Trump’s Peace Plan Favors Russia. Putin Still Won’t Accept It. - The Moscow Times
Opinion | The Ukraine war peace plan proposed by the Trump administration has, unsurprisingly, triggered a storm of reactions across the press, social media and among experts.
www.themoscowtimes.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Opinion: To Putin, the Trump peace proposal proves that he has won. But there is much in its pages that he won’t agree to, argues former Russian diplomat Boris Bondarev.
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
Activists and experts say the Kremlin's two new holidays are more for propaganda than a genuine expression of care for Indigenous communities.
Regions Calling: Kremlin’s New Holidays Offer a Hollow Embrace of Indigenous Peoples, Activists Say - The Moscow Times
Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of Regions Calling, your guide to developments beyond the Russian capital from The Moscow Times.
www.themoscowtimes.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Activists and experts say the Kremlin's two new holidays are more for propaganda than a genuine expression of care for Indigenous communities.
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
The band Stoptime rose to viral fame for performing anti-Putin and anti-war anthems in St. Petersburg — and were jailed for nearly two weeks as a result.
Here is a closer look at some of the songs they performed:
Here is a closer look at some of the songs they performed:
Singing These Songs in Russia Could Land You in Jail - The Moscow Times
A group of young street musicians from St.
www.themoscowtimes.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:02 PM
The band Stoptime rose to viral fame for performing anti-Putin and anti-war anthems in St. Petersburg — and were jailed for nearly two weeks as a result.
Here is a closer look at some of the songs they performed:
Here is a closer look at some of the songs they performed:
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
Diana Loginova was filmed earlier this week leading a crowd in central St. Petersburg in singing the lyrics to the exiled rapper Noize MC’s hit song “Swan Lake Cooperative.”
St. Petersburg Street Musician Arrested After Viral Anti-Putin Performance - The Moscow Times
Police in St.
www.themoscowtimes.com
October 15, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Diana Loginova was filmed earlier this week leading a crowd in central St. Petersburg in singing the lyrics to the exiled rapper Noize MC’s hit song “Swan Lake Cooperative.”
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The Moscow Times spoke to five residents of Russia’s second-largest city about how the war has transformed their everyday lives.
When Normal Life Becomes Impossible: Stories from St. Petersburg Nearly 4 Years Into War - The Moscow Times
Nearly four years after Russia launched a full-scale war on Ukraine, St.
www.themoscowtimes.com
October 14, 2025 at 3:19 PM
The Moscow Times spoke to five residents of Russia’s second-largest city about how the war has transformed their everyday lives.
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
The Central Bank asked Russians to choose the design of the new 500-ruble note.
It set off a spat between Chechen officials and pro-war bloggers, accusations of rupturing national unity and even claims of foreign meddling — not to mention all the memes.
It set off a spat between Chechen officials and pro-war bloggers, accusations of rupturing national unity and even claims of foreign meddling — not to mention all the memes.
Russians Were Asked to Vote on the New 500-Ruble Bill Design. It Became a Political Lightning Rod. - The Moscow Times
It started with an innocuous call by the Central Bank to choose the design of Russia’s new 500-ruble (about $5) note dedicated to the North Caucasus Federal District. It ended in a spat between Chech...
www.themoscowtimes.com
October 14, 2025 at 8:16 AM
The Central Bank asked Russians to choose the design of the new 500-ruble note.
It set off a spat between Chechen officials and pro-war bloggers, accusations of rupturing national unity and even claims of foreign meddling — not to mention all the memes.
It set off a spat between Chechen officials and pro-war bloggers, accusations of rupturing national unity and even claims of foreign meddling — not to mention all the memes.
How do age-old imperial myths still influence Russian politics, culture and the mindset of its citizens?
Join @debalie.bsky.social for a conversation on Russia's colonial legacy, ft. MT's @leylalatypova.bsky.social, this Friday at 19:30. Tickets still available:
Join @debalie.bsky.social for a conversation on Russia's colonial legacy, ft. MT's @leylalatypova.bsky.social, this Friday at 19:30. Tickets still available:
From the Tsars to Putin: the Colonial Legacy of Russia
How do age-old imperial myths still influence Russian politics, culture and the mindset of its citizens?
debalie.nl
September 24, 2025 at 1:09 PM
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#OpEd Jimmy Kimmel's removal from late night television resembles when the Kremlin attacked a television channel that satirized Putin — and even the liberal media rationalized what happened as if it was acceptable, warns Andrei Soldatov.
For Russians Like Me, Silencing Jimmy Kimmel Looks Dangerously Familiar - The Moscow Times
Opinion | The removal from the air of a second American comedian since President Donald Trump was elected in the United States should send chills down the spine of every journalist who worked in Mosco...
www.themoscowtimes.com
September 19, 2025 at 10:40 AM
#OpEd Jimmy Kimmel's removal from late night television resembles when the Kremlin attacked a television channel that satirized Putin — and even the liberal media rationalized what happened as if it was acceptable, warns Andrei Soldatov.
Russian pop icon Alla Pugacheva’s first interview since the invasion of Ukraine has been viewed 20m times since it premiered last week. It’s worth the watch (and has English subtitles)
Алла Пугачёва: большое интервью «Скажи Гордеевой»
YouTube video by Скажи Гордеевой
youtu.be
September 18, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Russian pop icon Alla Pugacheva’s first interview since the invasion of Ukraine has been viewed 20m times since it premiered last week. It’s worth the watch (and has English subtitles)
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
Russia has blocked voice and video calls on WhatsApp and Telegram.
Yet Russians who spoke to MT reported that the restrictions are far from foolproof — at least for now — and can vary based on one's mobile carrier and geographic location.
Yet Russians who spoke to MT reported that the restrictions are far from foolproof — at least for now — and can vary based on one's mobile carrier and geographic location.
Regions Calling: How Russians Are Adapting to WhatsApp and Telegram Throttling - The Moscow Times
Hello and welcome to Regions Calling, The Moscow Times’ weekly newsletter on developments beyond the Russian capital.
www.themoscowtimes.com
August 21, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Russia has blocked voice and video calls on WhatsApp and Telegram.
Yet Russians who spoke to MT reported that the restrictions are far from foolproof — at least for now — and can vary based on one's mobile carrier and geographic location.
Yet Russians who spoke to MT reported that the restrictions are far from foolproof — at least for now — and can vary based on one's mobile carrier and geographic location.
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
In this new two-part series, MT explores the political context that set the stage for the Kushtau protests — one of the few successful grassroots protests in Russia’s modern history — and how they unfolded.
From Rakhimov to Khabirov: How Bashkortostan Became the Seedbed of Russia’s Indigenous-Led Protests - The Moscow Times
This August marks five years since protests in defense of the Kushtau mountain in the republic of Bashkortostan, one of the few successful grassroots protests in Russia’s modern history. The Moscow T...
www.themoscowtimes.com
August 13, 2025 at 11:36 AM
In this new two-part series, MT explores the political context that set the stage for the Kushtau protests — one of the few successful grassroots protests in Russia’s modern history — and how they unfolded.
Powerful reporting from Donetsk, where Ukrainian soldiers struggled to protect a strategic road from Russia’s advance
“Contacted after our departure, Vitalii said the team had been ordered to abandon the road and fall back to Kharkiv. ‘It has become too dangerous. We are pulling back’.”
“Contacted after our departure, Vitalii said the team had been ordered to abandon the road and fall back to Kharkiv. ‘It has become too dangerous. We are pulling back’.”
As Putin and Trump prepare to meet and Russia presses forward in Donetsk, a team of Ukrainian soldiers works to protect the T05 highway — a strategic artery between Kramatorsk and Dobropillia — from Russian attacks.
In Ukraine’s Donbas, a Vital Highway Under Siege — And the Soldiers Trying to Shield It - The Moscow Times
DONETSK REGION, Ukraine — The road is silent, almost frozen in place.
www.themoscowtimes.com
August 12, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Powerful reporting from Donetsk, where Ukrainian soldiers struggled to protect a strategic road from Russia’s advance
“Contacted after our departure, Vitalii said the team had been ordered to abandon the road and fall back to Kharkiv. ‘It has become too dangerous. We are pulling back’.”
“Contacted after our departure, Vitalii said the team had been ordered to abandon the road and fall back to Kharkiv. ‘It has become too dangerous. We are pulling back’.”
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
#OpEd "The flame of independent journalism Derk lit 30 years ago has not been extinguished. And we will bring it back to Russia," writes Moscow Times publisher Alexander Gubsky.
Inform and Inspire. In memory of Derk Sauer. - The Moscow Times
Opinion | Yesterday, Derk Sauer, founder of The Moscow Times, passed away.
www.themoscowtimes.com
August 1, 2025 at 2:07 PM
#OpEd "The flame of independent journalism Derk lit 30 years ago has not been extinguished. And we will bring it back to Russia," writes Moscow Times publisher Alexander Gubsky.
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
Apakhonchich’s creative reports to the Justice Ministry chronicle both the absurdity and brutality of Russia’s “foreign agents” law.
They will be shown at Artists Against the Kremlin, an upcoming exhibition co-organized by MT in Amsterdam.
They will be shown at Artists Against the Kremlin, an upcoming exhibition co-organized by MT in Amsterdam.
Love Letters to the Justice Ministry: How Daria Apakhonchich Turned Her ‘Foreign Agent’ Reports Into Art - The Moscow Times
Artist and activist Daria Apakhonchich was one of the first people in Russia to be labeled a “foreign agent,” a status that forced her into exile and allowed her to turn routine government paperwork i...
www.themoscowtimes.com
July 24, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Apakhonchich’s creative reports to the Justice Ministry chronicle both the absurdity and brutality of Russia’s “foreign agents” law.
They will be shown at Artists Against the Kremlin, an upcoming exhibition co-organized by MT in Amsterdam.
They will be shown at Artists Against the Kremlin, an upcoming exhibition co-organized by MT in Amsterdam.
The latest round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks has ended after about 40 minutes. t.me/kommersant/8...
July 23, 2025 at 6:25 PM
The latest round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks has ended after about 40 minutes. t.me/kommersant/8...
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
Activists warn the planned mine at Kyrktytau could harm ecosystems as far away as Kazakhstan — and its copper could be shipped as far as the EU.
'Harmful by Nature': Bashkortostan's Controversial New Mining Project Could Have Global Impacts - The Moscow Times
“Whether perfect [in meeting ecological standards] or not…we simply don’t need…a mine.
www.themoscowtimes.com
July 22, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Activists warn the planned mine at Kyrktytau could harm ecosystems as far away as Kazakhstan — and its copper could be shipped as far as the EU.
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
The digital campaign, called Give Me a Choice, calls on doctors to take action against growing abortion restrictions inside the country.
‘Give Me a Choice’: Activists Urge Russian Doctors to Defend Women’s Right to Abortion - The Moscow Times
Activists are appealing to Russian doctors to protect abortion rights for women as authorities across Russia continue to clamp down on access to the procedure. “Don’t take part in propaganda.
www.themoscowtimes.com
July 17, 2025 at 11:40 AM
The digital campaign, called Give Me a Choice, calls on doctors to take action against growing abortion restrictions inside the country.
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
Trump has privately encouraged Ukraine to step up deep strikes on Russian territory, even asking Zelenskyy whether he could strike Moscow if the US provided long-range weapons, according to people briefed on the discussions.
w/ @henryjfoy.ft.com @maxseddon.bsky.social.
www.ft.com/content/b66f...
w/ @henryjfoy.ft.com @maxseddon.bsky.social.
www.ft.com/content/b66f...
Donald Trump asked Volodymyr Zelenskyy if Ukraine could hit Moscow, say people briefed on call
US president encouraged Ukrainian leader to step up deep strikes on Russia
www.ft.com
July 15, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Trump has privately encouraged Ukraine to step up deep strikes on Russian territory, even asking Zelenskyy whether he could strike Moscow if the US provided long-range weapons, according to people briefed on the discussions.
w/ @henryjfoy.ft.com @maxseddon.bsky.social.
www.ft.com/content/b66f...
w/ @henryjfoy.ft.com @maxseddon.bsky.social.
www.ft.com/content/b66f...
"The truth is that repression in Russia is still very selective and limited. Even if you're against the war, it's much more likely that you'll be hit by a car or killed by a falling brick than be repressed. But you don't get paranoid about bricks every time you go outside, do you?"
I'm Still Working as an Independent Journalist in Russia. Here's What It's Like. - The Moscow Times
Opinion | As I descended the steps of the plane that had landed in the southern resort town of Sochi, I saw an FSB officer standing in front of me.
www.themoscowtimes.com
July 10, 2025 at 12:03 PM
"The truth is that repression in Russia is still very selective and limited. Even if you're against the war, it's much more likely that you'll be hit by a car or killed by a falling brick than be repressed. But you don't get paranoid about bricks every time you go outside, do you?"
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
BREAKING: Pro-Kremlin media report that former Transportation Minister Roman Starovoit, who was dismissed by Putin earlier Monday, has been found dead at his home in an apparent suicide.
July 7, 2025 at 1:14 PM
BREAKING: Pro-Kremlin media report that former Transportation Minister Roman Starovoit, who was dismissed by Putin earlier Monday, has been found dead at his home in an apparent suicide.
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
In this week's edition of the Regions Calling newsletter, @leylalatypova.bsky.social explores how the latest hostilities in the Middle East have hit home for residents of Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Dagestan:
In Russia’s Dagestan, Iran-Israel Conflict Hits Close to Home - The Moscow Times
Opinion | Welcome to the latest edition of Regions Calling, a weekly newsletter by The Moscow Times bringing you insights and analysis on life and politics beyond Russia’s capital.
www.themoscowtimes.com
July 2, 2025 at 4:47 PM
In this week's edition of the Regions Calling newsletter, @leylalatypova.bsky.social explores how the latest hostilities in the Middle East have hit home for residents of Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Dagestan:
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
Can an ordinary person in Russia be imprisoned for sharing a book sold in bookstores?
Grigory Skvortsov, a photographer from Perm, was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday for doing just that.
Grigory Skvortsov, a photographer from Perm, was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday for doing just that.
A Russian Photographer Shared Public Info on Soviet Bunkers. He’s Now in Prison for Treason. - The Moscow Times
Can an ordinary person in Russia be imprisoned for sharing a book sold in bookstores?
www.themoscowtimes.com
June 26, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Can an ordinary person in Russia be imprisoned for sharing a book sold in bookstores?
Grigory Skvortsov, a photographer from Perm, was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday for doing just that.
Grigory Skvortsov, a photographer from Perm, was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday for doing just that.
Reposted by Samantha Berkhead
NEW: The Kremlin is struggling to respond to the Israel-Iran conflict after it failed to anticipate the outbreak of hostilities, leaving it powerless to support a key ally, four sources in Russia’s foreign policy establishment told MT.
Between Two Fires: Kremlin's Loss of Leverage Exposed By Israel-Iran Conflict - The Moscow Times
The Kremlin is struggling to respond to the Israel-Iran conflict after it failed to anticipate the outbreak of hostilities, leaving it powerless to support a key ally, four sources in Russia’s foreign...
www.themoscowtimes.com
June 20, 2025 at 3:48 PM
NEW: The Kremlin is struggling to respond to the Israel-Iran conflict after it failed to anticipate the outbreak of hostilities, leaving it powerless to support a key ally, four sources in Russia’s foreign policy establishment told MT.