Georgy Chentemirov

“State for the people, not cogs for the empire.” A Murmansk politician ran for office under anti-war slogans

Maxim Kirilenko, a Communist Party candidate to the municipal council of Kildinstroy, Murmansk region, spoke out against war, imperialism and censorship in his election campaign. The Barents Observer spoke with the politician who is not afraid to speak his mind, despite repression and pressure from the authorities.
September 28, 2023

Military commissar threatens local opposition lawmaker to “get things straight” about why her husband is not at the front

Chief draft officer Andrei Artemiev does not like Olga Tuzhikova's human rights activities. Tuzhikova, a member of the Petrozavodsk City Council, is trying to help mobilized and volunteer soldiers to return home.
January 26, 2023

Shots were fired by FSB, Wagner defector escaping to Norway is willing to testify

FSB border guards opened fire after the man running the polar night in the snow across the Pasvik River from Russia to Norway. The man, allegedly a defector from the Wagner mercenary group, says he is willing to testify against war criminal Yevgeny Prigozhin.
January 15, 2023

“This initiative begins and ends with the state." How political propaganda is being introduced into Russian schools

“Discussions of Importance", “Courage lessons" and meetings with the military and Cossacks. From their first classes, Russian schoolchildren are being “taught" patriotism. A heavy hand has introduced political agitation and militarism into the educational process but not everyone wants to play by the state's new rules.
November 30, 2022

“This month was hell!” Russian sailors are called off their vessels because of mobilization

Civilian sailors cannot get to sea, some are taken off their ships right in ports, and others flee while they are abroad.
November 16, 2022

A fiend in need. Will Norwegian towns give up twinning ties with Russia?

There are discussions in Finnmark's municipalities about severing ties with sister cities in Russia. The municipality of Sør-Varanger has rejected the proposal.
November 10, 2022

Mobilization and the economy: “Russia faces a quiet, incessant and slow degradation”

Russian men are being mobilized for the war with Ukraine, and those who do not want this are fleeing the country. The Barents Observer tried to understand how these processes will affect the Russian economy. According to experts, the consequences will be catastrophic.
October 12, 2022