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On 25 September at a public square in Moscow, Artyom Kamardin participated in a poetry reading to protest Russia’s war in Ukraine. Kamardin, 32, began by saying: “Don’t follow illegal orders [to take part in the invasion] … Freedom for Russia, peace for Ukraine!” He then read his poem, which criticised the war. The police response was swift, brutal and demonstrative. It was also consistent with other police abuse against people who publicly object to Russia’s war. That night, police arrested five people who had allegedly been at the reading. The next day, police raided Kamardin’s home, with a camera...

The foreign ministers of France, Great Britain, and the United States published a joint statement in which they once again confirmed their continued support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. This is reported by Censor.NET with reference to ZN.UA. "The defense ministers of each of our countries spoke with the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu at his request. Our countries have made it clear that we all reject Russia's blatantly false claims that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its territory. The world will consider any attempt to use this accusation as a pretext for...

The soldiers, who say they are from Krasnodar in southern Russia, claim that after a month of being transported between different locations, they were dropped off "somewhere in the fields of Ukraine" with no radio, no ammunition and no medicine. They say they do not even know where they are. The men add that they are living in holes dug out of the ground with their bare hands as temperatures drop to zero at night time. Two people are so sick they need to be hospitalised, the men say. "There is no information, no command. We sit like on [tenterhooks],...

VELYKYI BURLUK, Kharkiv Oblast — War veteran Serhii Chepurnyi recently turned 40. This year, he didn't celebrate his birthday. His hands shaking as he took a cigarette from its pack, Chepurnyi carefully chose his words as he recalled what Russian soldiers did to him when occupying his native village, Velykyi Burluk. Velykyi Burluk, located roughly 50 kilometers from the Russian border, was swiftly occupied when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. The small settlement was officially liberated on Sept. 12. A few days earlier, Chepurnyi was freed from a torture chamber in Vovchansk, located within just...

Putin's troops moaned that they have been issued with plastic paintball masks, children's gloves and rubber boots to fight in Ukraine. Footage taken in Stavropol region in southern Russia reveals a man complaining about the pitiful resources he has for fighting, showing his paintball mask. The man said: 'Thank you for these warm gifts for mobilised fighters. The clips are more examples of the chaos that has ensued amid the scramble to mobilise Russian men after Putin's conscription order on September 21. Scores of men have headed to the frontline in the last few weeks hugely under-equipped and under-prepared. It...

The Institute for the Study of War said in its latest update that Russian forces will likely attempt to blow up the dam at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant to cover their withdrawal and prevent Ukraine's forces from pursuing Russian forces deeper into Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast. According to the ISW, Russia "has every reason to attempt to provide cover to its retreating forces and to widen the Dnipro River, which Ukrainian forces would need to cross to continue their counteroffensive." The ISW said Russian authorities may believe that blowing up the dam will provide a buffer zone around eastern Kherson...

More than 140,000 people signed a petition opposing Vladimir Putin's announcement of a partial mobilization in Russia. The Russian-language petition against conscription, titled 'Against partial and total mobilization,' was created on Change.org petition site by a user with pseudonym 'Soft Power.' It says: "On September 21, 2022, Vladimir Putin announced the start of partial mobilization throughout Russia. Only those citizens who are in the reserve and, above all, those who served in ranks of the armed forces, have certain military specialties, will be subject to conscription for military service. "We, the citizens of Russia, women and men, oppose general and...