Yelizaveta Surnacheva is journalist for Systema, RFE/RL's Russian Investigative Unit. Focused on political and social issues, she previously worked as an editor for the Russian investigative outlet Proyekt and BBC News.
A Russian ultranationalist’s digital campaign for “chaos” in Ukraine may explain the photos of mysterious crosses on roads, rooftops, and other locations -- described as missile markers -- that appeared on Ukrainian social media as Russian soldiers stormed toward Kyiv in February 2022.
Russia maintains manpower and avoids a politically risky call-up by offering contract soldiers what the Kremlin calls “very, very attractive” terms for signing up to fight in Ukraine. But RFE/RL’s Russian investigative unit, Systema, found numerous cases in which the promised benefits never came.
Amid venomous outbursts from his father in support of the war on Ukraine, former President Dmitry Medvedev’s 27-year-old son joined the ruling United Russia party this summer. Current Time and Meduza take a look at Ilya Medvedev as he emerges from the shadows.