The Moscow Times
January 2026
Russian Negotiator in Talks With U.S. Officials in Florida: AFP
The meeting came just a day before Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi to discuss a U.S.-backed plan to end the nearly four-year Ukraine war
The talks started early, at 8 a.m. EST,
Russian Figure Skater Kamila Valieva Set for Comeback -- But Not at Olympics
Aged just 15 years she propelled Russia to team gold at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, becoming the first female skater to land a quadruple jump in an Olympic competition
I am returning to the big ice,
Kamila Valieva is a strong, courageous, and talented girl,
It's only just beginning."
Why did you let everything go like that?"
Don't Forget the Many Ways Russia Tried To Justify Invading Ukraine
As negotiations continue to drag on between Washington, Kyiv and Moscow, the Kremlin’s narrative about the war has centered on one potential solution: evicting Ukrainian forces from the Donbas
Donbas withdrawal is the path to peace for Ukraine.”
The purpose of this operation is to protect people who, for eight years now, have been facing humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kiev [sic] regime” and that it was Moscow’s mission to “demilitarize and denazify Ukraine.”
Justice Ministry Labels Exiled News Website Novaya Vkladka ‘Foreign Agent’
Inside the Dark Humor of Russia’s Wartime Memes
Many of the most widely shared memes mock the patriotic spectacle, bureaucratic jargon and propaganda tropes of the war, often using a fair dose of dark humor
Epic disaster. The Kyiv regime is shelling the Krusty Krab.”
I'm blown away because this messenger even works in the parking lot,
Our elephant is going to sign a decree on bringing Coca-Cola and Kit-Kat back to Russia.”
Canada Suspends Visa Processing in Russia
Events such as FIFA tournaments are not an avenue to seek asylum,
Kremlin Says It Agreed to Pause Attacks on Kyiv Until Feb. 1
Kremlin Agrees to Pause Airstrikes on Kyiv Until Sunday
I can say that President Trump did indeed make a personal request to President Putin to refrain from striking Kyiv for a week, until Feb. 1, as a way to create more hospitable conditions for negotiations,
Yes, of course. It was a personal request from President Trump.”
Kazakhstan Moves to Extradite Kadyrov Critic to Russia
Head of Mental Health Facility in Kemerovo Region Placed on Leave After 9 Patients Die
Sheremetyevo Buys Domodedovo Airport at Auction After Price Cut to $880M
Sheremetyevo is controlled by a company linked to Arkady Rotenberg, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin
Harassment Is a Daily Reality for Foreign Diplomats in Moscow
There were unpleasant scenes outside the Russian Foreign Ministry as the British charge d’affaires, Danae Dholakia, left the building on January 15
Yury Ushakov: The Quiet Power Broker in Russia’s Talks With Team Trump
He was not spouting the line about the ‘illegal coup’ in Ukraine in 2014, and he just wasn’t saying things that were part of the Kremlin talking points about the Ukraine war,
My understanding then was that he had pretty good access to people,
[The... The] more time he spent there … the more I watched his view of the United States evolve, increasingly influenced not only by a distinctly darker view of America, but also by domestic concerns, particularly as Russia entered a period of turmoil around parliamentary elections in 2011,
I know that at some level, he’s very disappointed with what’s happened with U.S.-Russia relations,
He was viewed as someone who certainly played his cards close to his vest, but was someone who was approachable,
Ushakov has been key to the backchannel communication between Russia and the United States during the war in Ukraine,
They were not concerned about the political substance of the visit,
There were considerably more restrictions on, I think, what he felt comfortable to say,
We can transition investment trust into a political role,
He is known for being extremely rude, capricious and unpredictable,
Kremlin Believes U.S. and Iran Still Have Time to Negotiate
It is clear that the potential for negotiations is not exhausted,
A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm and purpose,
Migrant Crackdown Leads to 10% Drop in Foreigners Residing in Russia
Russian Business Optimism Plunges Amid Tax Hike and Rising Costs
Indicators have declined across nearly all categories, and the share of firms forced to raise prices has grown,
Russia Returns Bodies of 1K Ukrainian Soldiers in First Exchange of 2026
Russia and Ukraine returned bodies of their soldiers on Thursday, marking the first such exchange between the two warring countries this year
Repatriation efforts took place today, resulting in the return to Ukraine of 1,000 bodies, which the Russian side claims belong to Ukrainian defenders,
Law enforcement investigators, in collaboration with Ukrainian forensic experts, will now carry out all necessary measures to identify the repatriated deceased,
Moscow Gets Last Brunt of Winter Storm Ahead of Coldsnap
It’s better to leave the car and take the metro because of the snow today. It will save you time,
U.S. Carlyle Group Agrees to Buy Most of Lukoil’s Foreign Assets
Lukoil, Russia's second-largest oil producer, said in a statement that it "signed an agreement with U.S. investment company Carlyle on the sale of LUKOIL International GmbH." It did not disclose the value of the deal
Kremlin Dismisses U.S. Study on Ukraine War Casualties
No major power has suffered anywhere near these numbers of casualties or fatalities since World War II,
I don’t think such reports can and should be viewed as reliable information,
Putin Meets With Syrian President at Kremlin Amid Uncertainty Over Russian Bases
We have closely monitored your efforts to restore Syria's territorial integrity, and I want to congratulate you on the momentum this process is gaining,
Much has been accomplished in terms of restoring our interstate relations,
IOC Clears 13 Russian Athletes to Compete as Neutrals at 2026 Winter Games
Fire Engulfs Former Volkswagen Factory in Kaluga Region
Ukraine War Veteran Kills Woman After Taking Her Hostage in Irkutsk, Local Charity Says
Local law enforcement authorities have not commented on the incident
A serious problem is emerging in our society,
This is a deeply alarming trend. Society must honor heroes, but it must not grant impunity to criminals,
Freeing the Historian Yury Dmitriyev Is a Matter of Life and Death
The liberation of people persecuted by totalitarian regimes must remain one of the most important tasks of international diplomacy, even if it cannot be fully achieved by such means