Spy games: why ‘diplomat’ expulsions could hurt the West more than Russia
Former US intelligence officials tell VOA the West could end up on the losing end because Moscow runs far more sleeper agents and other spies under non-official cover.
Arctic tundra is slowly reclaiming this Russian city
Shells of former theaters and ice-bound playgrounds hint at happier times. Here’s why almost everyone left town.
Residents in Russia’s dying Arctic city are eager for a Putin lifeline
Eight of Vorkuta’s 13 coal mines closed in the 1990s, and two-thirds of its residents have left in the past 30 years.
US-Russia tensions don’t extend to outer space
Even when things get nasty between the US and Russia, experts say the space program rarely suffers.
Former Soviet scientist who developed killer poison says Moscow didn’t expect to get caught
VOA INTERVIEW: Russian emigre to the US Vil Mirzayanov tells VOA that Moscow was sure that no one would trace the substance used in the Britain attack back to Russia.
Britain’s May faces pressure to get tough after double agent poisoning
A former Russian intelligence officer who spied for the British and his adult daughter are believed to have ingested a nerve agent developed in Russia.
The latest Russian hero? Brutal dictator who killed millions
Millions of his countrymen died under Josef Stalin’s rule, which lasted from the 1930s until his death in 1953, yet a recent opinion poll crowned him the country’s most outstanding historical figure.
Young Russians who grew up under Putin demand fair elections
The upcoming presidential election is expected to extend Vladimir Putin’s grip on power through 2024 but thousands of protesters across Russia want the Russian leader to allow fair competitive elections.
Russia-linked Twitter bots weigh in on US government shutdown
Twitter accounts linked to Russia are posting hashtags that seem to be aimed at amplifying the country’s political divisions.
The ‘Russian Paris Hilton’ is running for president
Critics say Ksenia Sobchak’s candidacy is a ploy to split the liberal opposition by planting a Kremlin-approved spoiler candidate.
