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AGENTS MEDIA
Agents Media was created after the 2021 crackdown by Russian authorities on the staff of independent publication Proekt. Some of the journalists decided to launch a new media outlet "the Agency" and, having been forced to leave Russia, operate it from abroad.
Photo of a Ukrainian soldier walking past a destroyed building
FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War
Agenstvo

Report: Wagner Group Is Back Fighting In Ukraine For First Time Since Aborted Coup

After a sighting by a Ukrainian drone operator, details emerge of how the Russian mercenary group has been redeployed in the strategic Ukrainian city of Bakhmut it had helped conquer earlier this year. That was followed by the dramatic coup and departure from Ukraine led by Wagner's now late leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Fighters affiliated with the Wagner Group have once again been spotted on the battlefield near Bakhmut in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region, according to a Ukrainian drone operator. This confirmation supports earlier reports from Russian sources regarding the resurgence of Wagner mercenaries near the strategic city in eastern Ukraine.

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“Wagner is here,” the drone operator said, adding that the Wagnerites had “quickly changed commanders and returned.”

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image of a ballet performance
FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War
Agentsvo

Lifting The Curtain: Bolshoi Ballet Admits Pro-Putin Censorship

Censoring art because of creators' political views is nothing new in Russia — but it's rarely acknowledged. Now, the director of the Bolshoi ballet is saying the quiet part aloud.

MOSCOW — Vladimir Urin, the General Director of Russia's iconic Bolshoi Theater, has admitted to censoring the theater’s repertoire for political reasons.

In a rare revelation, Urin disclosed that creators of performances who publicly criticized the invasion of Ukraine had their names removed from the Bolshoi Theater's promotional materials. The admission marks a significant departure from the usual practice of Russian theaters, where such censorship is typically concealed.

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In an interview with the Russian state-published newspaper Rossiskaya Gazeta, Urin stated, "When certain creators of performances spoke unequivocally against the special military operation, their names were omitted from the posters."

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photo of putin and kim jong-un at a space center
Geopolitics
Cameron Manley

What Kim Wants From Putin: Hardware And Know-How For North Korea's Space Program

Vladimir Putin was eager to welcome Kim Jong-un for a rare visit to Russia in order to replenish depleting supplies of shells and ammunition. But North Korea has its own demands help to build satellites as part of an advanced space program.

-Analysis-

Much of the focus from Wednesday's highly anticipated Putin-Kim summit has been on the weapons that North Korea will be sending to Russia, which is short on ammunition for its war against Ukraine.

But since every bilateral summit is a give-and-take, what will North Korean leader Kim Jong-un take home to Pyongyang?

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed during the summit at a Cosmodrome in Russia's far east that Moscow is ready to assist North Korea in the construction of satellites.

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This announcement comes as North Korea aims to transform itself into a "world-class space power."

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Photo of a hand holding a copy of the "History of russia 1945 - the start of 21st century" textbook
Russia
Cameron Manley

Report: Russia's New National High School Exam To Include Ukraine War Justification

High school students will now need to know details of the Russian annexation of territories in eastern Ukraine and "reunification" of Crimea with Russia. Regular topics in the past, such as democracy and human rights, will no longer be part of the high school exam.

In a draft of a new Unified State Examination in Social Studies paper seen by independent Russian news site Agenstvo, graduating high school students must now demonstrate an understanding of the causes and consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union, but also how the Russian Federation has been “revived” as a leading world power, as well as the necessity both for Crimea’s “reunification” with Russia and the invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Reuters confirmed the publication of four new history textbooks for schoolchildren aged 16-18. Among the co-authors was presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. These textbooks entirely reinterpreted the fall of the Soviet Union, the rule of President Vladimir Putin and added a chapter especially devoted to the causes of what is referred to as the "special military operation" in Ukraine.

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The newly published exam syllabus states that candidates must “be able to defend historical truth” and must “not allow the feat of the people in defending the Fatherland to be diminished.”

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Tape guarded by russian offiials blocks off the street next to a drone damaged building
FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War
Cameron Manley

How The Moscow Drone Attacks Are Quietly Targeting Putin's Inner Circle

Drone air attacks continue in Russia's capital, with evidence that Ukraine has figured out how to target certain buildings belonging to Vladimir Putin's entourage. It's a clear message from Kyiv.

Another drone attack rocked central Moscow on Wednesday — and again the significance of Ukraine striking anywhere in the Russian capital should not be underestimated. It’s the sixth attack of its kind since July 30. Yet the importance of the summer barrage may go even further: the target Wednesday was a building known to belong to an important member of the entourage of President Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin appears to want to downplay and obfuscate information about the actual targets. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported no casualties,but said that several windows had been blown in on a neighboring five-story building. The Defense Ministry said the drone had been suppressed by electronic warfare and collided with the building after losing control.

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Photo of Russian National Guard officers, with face covered
FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War

After Wagner? How The Russian National Guard Could Become Putin's True "Personal Army"

A bill introduced to the Russian State Duma this week would allow the National Guard of Russia to receive tanks and other heavy military equipment and could turn the structure directly under Putin's command into a second army.

MOSCOW — For months, the Wagner Private Military Company was referred to as Putin's "private army." But after last month's Wagner uprising, the moniker might now be bestowed upon Russia's internal military force — the Rosgvardiya.

Established in 2016, the Russian National Guard, or Rosgvardiya, is the youngest military branch to be added to Russia’s security apparatus. Celebrated annually since 2017 on March 27 as National Guard Day, the distinct military unit acts independently from the regular military and consistently participates in Moscow’s Victory Day parades.

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Rather than a fully equipped battle force, it is entrusted with protecting Russia's borders, controlling arms trafficking, combating terrorism and organized crime, protecting public order, and guarding state facilities.

But it is also under the direct command of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who critics claim founded it as a personal army to deal with internal tensions.

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image of a  helicopter extinguishing a fire on a bridge linking Crimea to mainland Russia.​
FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War
agents.media

A Closer Look At The Special Sea Drones Used To Pull Off The Crimea Bridge Attack

The Crimean bridge was attacked in the pre-dawn hours by two Ukrainian sea drones, the Russian National Anti-Terrorist Committee reported. The attack has impressed military analysts who spoke with Russian independent media agents.media (Agenstvo) about the weapons used and the potential next target.

Ukrainian sources were quick to claim responsibility for a deadly overnight attack on the Kerch bridge, which connects Crimea to the mainland, a crucial transport and supplies hub for Russian troops in Ukraine. This is the second attack on the bridge in less than a year, following an explosion in October that killed five and caused damage to key sections of the bridge.

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According to Russia's National Anti-Terrorist Committee, the strike early Monday was carried out by Ukrainian sea drones, unmanned weapons also known as surface drones. Multiple Russian Telegram channels, Ukrainian sources in the special services, and analysts interviewed by Agenstvo all corroborate the use of these weapons.

The Ukraine war has already seen extensive use of drones. But the use of these these obscure unmanned "sea drones," used to attack the symbol of Russia's annexation of Crimea, is a taking the tactic to another level.

To military experts Kirill Mikhailov and Yuri Fedorov, the attack on the Kerch bridge shows that Ukrainian sea drones can now hit any target in the Black Sea. They believe that the drones were launched from the Ukrainian-controlled part of the Black Sea coast. This means that the drones traveled about 700 kilometers.

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Long shot of Putin
FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War
agents.media

Prigozhin And Coup-Related News Are Vanishing From Russian TV

After relatively in-depth coverage beginning last weekend, Russian state-owned TV channels have suddenly stopped reporting on the consequences of the Wagner mutiny.

The Wagner Group insurrection, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, continues to captivate the attention of Western and Russian independent media. The whereabouts of Prigozhin are being talked about, the status of top Russian general Sergey Surovikin is analyzed, after reports that he may have had prior knowledge of Wagner’s plans, and may even be under arrest.

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Earlier this week, the rebellion was also still getting plenty of attention on established Russian media, with coverage of Russian President Vladimir Putin's televised addresses on Saturday and Monday, where he expressed gratitude to the Russians for their “patriotism” after the Wagnerites aborted their march on Moscow.

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