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russia Imports Labor, but Is Not Ready to Embrace People

Faced with a chronic labor shortage after restricting migration from Central Asia, russia is rapidly expanding its importation of people from remote and poorer countries, from India to Afghanistan. Formally, this is presented as an economic necessity, but in reality, it is the exploitation of migrants in a country where xenophobia and everyday racism are the social norm.
2/13/2026
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Emergency Housing As a Business: russia’s Authorities Monetize Resettlement

russian authorities are preparing a new large-scale scam against their citizens: houses in good condition on attractive land will be declared unsafe, residents will be forced to move to densely built-up areas on the outskirts, while the vacated plots will be transferred to loyal developers. In addition, people will be billed for “improved conditions” for which they did not ask.
2/13/2026
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Increasing Supervision of Teenagers in russia: Schools Monitoring Social Media, Responsibility Being Shifted to Teachers

Formally, the initiative is explained by the need to “detect the influence of destructive communities in a timely manner”. The parents’ participation is called voluntary. At the same time, teachers and parents themselves admit that in reality, teachers have been monitoring the pages of individual students they consider “problematic” for some time.
2/13/2026
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Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey has said that London is allocating additional £500 million for urgent support to Ukraine’s air defense.
2/13/2026
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The Russians Must Not Get Used to Believing That Their Missiles and “Shaheds” Help Them in Any Way – Address by the President

I also expect active involvement from the entire system of Ukrainian diplomacy. This applies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and every Ukrainian embassy. If an embassy remains silent, that means its work is unsatisfactory. Ukraine must be heard – heard everywhere in the world. Ukraine must be supported. I expect relevant results in support of Ukraine as early as this week.
2/13/2026
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Unpaid Leave Has Become the New Norm for 4 Million Workers in the rf

The growth affected all categories of underemployment. The largest group consists of workers sent on unpaid leave – 4 million people (+9%). Another 1.3 million people work part-time by agreement of the parties (+13%).
2/12/2026
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A Ticket to the Pre-Digital Era: How Blocking Telegram Is Causing Degradation of Small Businesses in the rf

In a situation where there is virtually no choice and state media remain the only “permitted” reality, the restrictions on Telegram are yet another step by the rf towards the complete digital isolation of its society and the systemic curtailment of civil liberties.
2/12/2026
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Power Through Family Ties: How “Career Ladders” Really Work in russia

In russia, official statements about “equal opportunities” and open career ladders are increasingly at odds with reality. Recent comments by first deputy head of the russian presidential administration sergey kiriyenko that the joke about “the colonel’s son and the general’s children” no longer applies are disingenuous, to say the least, given specific personnel decisions.
2/12/2026
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Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

The European Parliament has supported the European Commission’s proposal to provide Ukraine with a EUR 90 billion loan to finance military and budgetary expenditures.
2/12/2026
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France Is Integrating Cyberspace into Its National Defense System

The strategy marks France’s switching from a fragmented response to incidents to a systemic model of cyber deterrence and preventive risk management, while establishing cyberspace as a full-fledged dimension of national defense. The focus on a large personnel reserve and European mobility of specialists also has a geopolitical dimension aimed at reducing Europe’s technological dependence.
2/11/2026
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russia Continues Losing Its Brains

The consequences of the kremlin’s policy are reflected in global rankings. In Leiden University’s 2025 ranking of scientific activity, no russian university made it into the top 200. The highest position was taken by moscow state university, which ranked only 227th.
2/11/2026
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Dependence on russia May Ruin belarus’ Real Estate Market

The current market configuration is a direct consequence of external shock, not internal development. International sanctions have forced belarusians to urgently seek ways to preserve their savings. Real estate became a forced substitute for financial assets, causing frenzied demand in 2022–2024 and pushing prices up by about 20%.
2/11/2026
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Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

The Netherlands has announced an additional contribution of EUR 35 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, bringing the total amount to EUR 100 million. EUR 35 million of the new contribution from Dutch partners will be used to install solar power systems on building roofs through the Ray of Hope initiative.
2/11/2026
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Many Changes Are Underway in Our Air Defense Operations – Address by the President

We are preparing for two systemic security events that will take place this week. The first is a defense ministers’ format involving countries standing with Ukraine. New support packages for our defense will be announced. The second is the Munich Security Conference, in which Ukraine will take part. It is important that Ukraine’s signals are heard by Europe, heard by America, and by all our partners.
2/11/2026
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VDD: russia Remains an Existential Threat to Latvia’s National Security

russia is classified as an existential threat in the report. The VDD records espionage, sabotage, and psychological influence operations, predicting an increase in their intensity in 2026. The practice of involving local individuals from the criminal milieu in subversive activities is pointed out separately.
2/10/2026
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“russian Railways” Recording Decline in Key Sectors and Entering Debt Market

The deepest decline was recorded in the transportation of scrap metal (-43.2%), cement (-30%), ferrous metals (-14.5%), and coal (-8.7%). These segments traditionally form the basis of the “russian railways”’s freight base, and their decline directly reflects the downturn in the coal and metallurgical sectors, as well as stagnation in the construction industry.
2/10/2026
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russia’s Economy Is Repeating the Scenario of the Late ussr

Analysts are increasingly comparing the current situation to the delayed crisis of the late ussr, when economic problems were masked by debt for a long time. Although the scale of the current challenges is not comparable to the catastrophe of the 1990s yet, russia is inevitably facing a prolonged period of economic turbulence.
2/10/2026
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There Will Be Significant International Events This Week – on Defense and Security. In Europe, Our Position Will Be Sufficiently Represented, and the Same Applies to the United States – Address by the President

There are no countries left in Europe that do not know what Russian interference is and what Russian destabilization operations can look like. Everyone also sees what Russian murderers, Russian missiles, and Russian drones are doing. Protection from this and ensuring security must be tangible and lay the groundwork for a lasting peace. The documents on guarantees are ready.
2/10/2026
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Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

“These systematic strikes on (Ukraine’s) energy infrastructure, in particular on facilities related to nuclear energy, are war crimes under international law and must be punished with real measures, not just statements of concern, up to and including actions in the International Criminal Court. Those who order and carry out these attacks must be held criminally responsible,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Kęstutis Budrys.
2/10/2026
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Oslo Observes Increasing Risks of Sabotage and Cyberattacks Against NATO and Support for Ukraine

In the document, the special services note an increase in hybrid threats from the rf, China, and Iran. Those states are increasingly combining intelligence and cyber operations, influence operations, sabotage, recruitment, and economic pressure. According to Norway, this approach is systemic and aimed at undermining the stability of state institutions in the long term.
2/9/2026