RT

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Opposition Leader Emilia Slabunova Found Dead in Drowning Incident​

Emilia Slabunova, prominent opposition leader and former head of the Yabloko party, was found dead early this morning along the southern embankment of the Moskva River. Authorities have confirmed that her body was recovered by police near the Zamoskvoretsky Bridge at approximately 6:30 AM.

According to official reports from the Moscow Police Directorate, preliminary findings suggest an accidental fall resulting in drowning. "There are no immediate signs of foul play," stated Senior Inspector Dmitry Orlov. "Evidence at the scene is consistent with a tragic misstep near the bridge in the late hours of the night."

Slabunova, 68, was last seen leaving the Kremlin yesterday evening after a private meeting with President Vladimir Putin. Sources say no security detail accompanied her upon departure.

While investigators have not indicated suspicion of criminal involvement, political commentators and members of the opposition have expressed shock and skepticism over the sudden and unexplained death of one of Russia’s most vocal critics of government policy.

A full autopsy and toxicology report have been ordered. The Kremlin has not yet issued an official statement.

More updates to follow.

 

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"We Won’t Go Back" - Russian Youth Lead Protest March Amid Economic Breakdown​

In scenes not seen in over a generation, thousands of young Russians flooded the streets of central Moscow on Tuesday, demanding political change and economic accountability as the nation teeters on the edge of financial collapse once again.

Carrying homemade signs and wrapped in winter jackets against a seasonal December chill, students, first-time voters, and young professionals marched from Pushkin Square to the steps of the State Duma, chanting:
“No more cycles. No more silence. No more lies.”

The protest, largely spontaneous but rapidly organized online, was sparked by a worsening economic crisis. Inflation has surged once again, the ruble has plummeted to historic lows, and several regional governments have reportedly missed pension payments for the second month in a row. The Kremlin has remained largely silent, insisting the economy is under “external pressure” and remains “resilient.”

For many in the crowd, such language rang hollow.

“We were promised stability. Instead, we’re inheriting debt and fear,” said Lena Sokolova, a 22-year-old law student holding a Soviet-era jacket. “My parents survived the 1990s. They warned me this could happen again. I just never thought it would.”

This is the largest youth-led protest in the capital of recent memory, but the context now is more severe. Unemployment among young adults has reached 27% in urban centers. Several university programs in the regions have shut down due to federal funding cuts. Anxiety about returning to the chaos of the Russian financial crisis t lingers heavily.

“What we’re seeing is not just protest, it’s trauma resurfacing,” said political sociologist Andrei Lunev. “These young people were raised on the myth of post-Soviet stability. That illusion is cracking, and they’re responding before the concrete hardens again.”

Authorities monitored the march closely but refrained from dispersing the crowds. OMON riot police were visible near major intersections but remained in their vehicles. The Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a brief statement describing the protest as “unauthorized but under observation.”

Meanwhile, on social media, images of young protesters standing in front of riot shields holding up signs that read “We believed you” and “You said never again” quickly went viral, prompting solidarity marches in Kazan, Yekaterinburg, and Novosibirsk.

One particularly symbolic image shows a young protester holding a brick wrapped in newspaper dated back to the financial crisis, a clear nod to the last time Russia folded on its debt.

The Kremlin has not commented publicly on the demonstrations.

For many of the marchers, silence from the top only confirms what they already believe, that they are now the generation that must speak up, before history repeats itself.

More updates to follow.

 

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Dmitry Patrushev Appointed Russian Prime Minister, Cementing Security Elite’s Grip on Power​

In a move that underscores the tightening grip of Russia’s security elite on the machinery of state, President Vladimir Putin has appointed Dmitry Patrushev as the new Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, marking the most decisive generational shift within the Kremlin in over a decade.

At just 47, Patrushev becomes the youngest Prime Minister in post-Soviet history. But his rise is anything but unexpected. Long regarded as a member of Russia’s new ruling dynasty, Patrushev blends technocratic credentials with deep-rooted ties to the country's powerful security apparatus, a combination that aligns seamlessly with Putin’s long-term vision of centralized, stable, and loyal governance.

Though officially known for his tenure as Deputy Prime Minister for Agriculture, Ecology and Resources, Dmitry Patrushev’s background is closely tied to the Russian state’s security services. A graduate of the FSB Academy, he spent his early career working in state banking, notably at Vnesheconombank and Rosselkhozbank before being elevated to government ranks under the shadow of his father, Nikolai Patrushev, one of Putin’s most trusted security advisors and former director of the FSB.

Unlike other technocrats, Dmitry’s political ascent has always carried the implicit backing of the siloviki, the network of current and former intelligence and military officials who now dominate Russia’s political elite.

The appointment is being interpreted by analysts as a calculated choice by Putin to consolidate control within the security establishment, while also paving the way for a younger, loyal leadership cohort. “This is not a surprise; it’s a logical continuation of Putin’s strategy to secure the state beyond his own tenure,” said Tatiana Stanovaya, a political analyst with RT.

Although Medvedev, the outgoing Prime Minister who is leading the new Security Council, was seen as a capable technocrat, his lack of a security background made him an imperfect fit for a regime increasingly defined by militarization, wartime economy, and internal repression. Dmitry Patrushev, by contrast, checks all the right boxes: elite education, financial oversight experience, a proven record of administrative discipline, and crucially, a bloodline deeply embedded in the FSB’s institutional DNA.

While the role of Prime Minister is constitutionally second only to the presidency, its significance lies more in its potential than its powers. Should Putin step down or become incapacitated, the Prime Minister becomes acting president, pending elections. In this context, many view Patrushev’s elevation as a trial run if not an anointment for future leadership.

Some Kremlin watchers believe his appointment signals a long-term succession plan. Others see it as a hedge against instability, given the ongoing economic crisis affecting Russians, and Russia’s growing reliance on internal security.

More to follow.