Спецвыпуск подкаста к годовщине теракта в Норд-осте23 октября 2002 года террористы захватили театральный центр на Дубровке, взяв в заложники 916 человек, включая почти 100 детей. Террористы требовали вывести войска из Чечни и были готовы отпустить часть заложников, если к ним придёт тогдашний глава Чечни Ахмад Кадыров (тот отказался). Через два дня они потребовали прислать на переговоры журналистку «Новой газеты» Анну Политковскую. Репортаж о том, как Политковская отправилась на помощь заложникам, сегодня прочтёт народная артистка России Чулпан Хаматова. Из него вы узнаете, что происходило в здании менее чем за 10 часов до штурма и какие еще требования выдвигали террористы.Напомним, что в результате действий спецслужб и спасателей во время операции по освобождению погибло 125 человек, а пострадали 700, (пять человек были ранее расстреляны террористами). Причиной гибели людей стала асфиксия - при эвакуации спящих под действием газа заложников не были обеспечены условия для их безопасной транспортировки в больницы, многие люди задохнулись в автобусах, куда их складывали друг на друга. Название использованного во время штурма «усыпляющего газа» правительство и спецслужбы отказываются назвать до сих пор.

Russia, Explained by Novaya Gazeta

"10 часов до штурма" — репортаж Анны Политковской о ее походе к террористам на Дубровке

The head of Russia’s most repressive region, Chechnya, continues to bully our newsroom and the government joins in, too; we tell the story of millions of foreign migrant workers who are now trapped in Russia with little or no protection against the COVID-19 outbreak; plus, what a ‘negative oil price’ mean for the future of the fossil fuel-dependent Russian economy and the story of the Russia’s Easter Inequality – Kremlin elites flout isolation orders in order to attend a VIP gathering, while the government forces everyone else to celebrate at home. 

We’re under attack — ‘Negative’ oil fallout — VIP quarantine

Moscow deploys more digital tools to discourage folks from breaking mass at home self-isolation, while Putin rolls out lackluster benefits for the country’s rising number of unemployed; Russia’s most repressive region strengths its COVID-19 crackdown, leaving intimidated people to die at home; and the government isolates a massive provincial hospital dealing with its own outbreak of the novel coronavirus — without warning the staff or patients.

Moscow deploys more digital tools to discourage folks from breaking mass at home self-isolation, while Putin rolls out lackluster benefits for the country’s rising number of unemployed; Russia’s most repressive region strengths its COVID-19 crackdown, leaving intimidated people to die at home; and the government isolates a massive provincial hospital dealing with its own outbreak of the novel coronavirus — without warning the staff or patients. 

QR quarantine — Rising unemployment — Botched hospital lockdown

Putin shifts responsibility for handling the coronavirus pandemic to the regional authorities; the Kremlin focuses on saving its key oil and gas sector following the price crash; the coronavirus outbreak threatens the few freedoms Russia has left; plus growing calls to save Russia’s prison population from the spread of COVID-19.

Virus vs ‘Strong Arm’ — Virus vs Freedoms — Virus vs Prisons

Putin rolls out the first stimulus package to battle the economic downturn following the oil wars and the COVID-19 outbreak; meanwhile, our correspondent struggles to get tested for the disease; robust international trade is possible even during a pandemic — Moscow and Beijing show how it’s done; plus, a Russian oil-producing giant dumping its assets in Venezuela proves that the Kremlin’s geopolitical alliances don’t always go hand in hand with economic benefits.

Anti-crisis stimulus — Struggle for tests — Downplaying the outbreak

Russia’s battle to contain the coronavirus outbreak is complicated by lack of testing facilities, allegedly poor quality tests and porous borders; our columnist discusses the high-cost of fighting COVID-19 for ordinary Russians; the first woman in space causes a small-town controversy; and China leaves Russia’s largest oil company without its biggest client.

Questionable testing — Quarantining the poor — China dumps Rosneft

The proposed amendments on “zeroing” Putin’s presidential terms get fast-tracked towards approval while the authorities block the opposition; Orthodox churchgoers show little regard for the coronavirus pandemic, and the Russian authorities begin raider attacks against a prolific Crimean businessman and early backer of the annexation.

‘Zeroing’ pushback — Coronavirus skyrockets — Crimea annexation backers betrayed

Putin’s makes a surprise speech at the Russian Parliament that changes the face of the ongoing Constitutional reforms; the ruble goes into free fall after Russia quits the OPEC+ deal; Putin and Erdogan agree on a ceasefire in northwestern Syria; plus Russian feminists try to restore the real meaning of International Women’s Day and coverage of the MH17 trial from our correspondent on the ground in the Hague.

Putin 2036— Ruble’s free fall — Embattled feminism

Putin tries to salvage his relationship with Turkey’s President as the Syria standoff escalates; Russian law-enforcement prevents another school shooting as online coordination between shooter-wannabes rises; our readers rally to help an indebted village librarian, and Russians push back against the mass murder of stray dogs in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Putin’s Syria mess — School shootings — Crowdfunded libraries

Russia marks five years since the murder of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov without justice being served; a mercenary known as “Black Lenin,” who’s fighting for the Russian annexation of Eastern Ukraine, turns up at ground zero of Russia’s environmental movement; we analyze Russia’s growing poverty problem; plus — the Kremlin’s collapsing plan to pressure neighboring Belarus into “integration.”

Remembering Nemtsov – ‘Black Lenin’ – Russia’s poverty problem

We’ve uncovered the use of forced labor at building sites funded by the Russian government, the Kremlin doubles-down on Soviet nostalgia as a smokescreen for the ongoing power-grab, escalating hostilities complicate Moscow’s involvement in Syria, HIV-positive migrants are facing deportation and other top stories that Russia has been reading this week.

State-linked forced labor — Messy Syrian campaign — HIV+ migrants deported

Russia sees its first confirmed cases of the coronavirus and as panic sets in, the country cuts itself off from China. We traveled to Vladivostok, Russia’s largest city near the Chinese border, where cutting connections is proving to be a challenge. Plus, the thirtieth anniversary of capitalism arriving in Russia, signs of the Kremlin’s repressive machine putting on the brakes and, please, scroll down to the end to check out our campaign to help a couple of young kids in great need.

Coronavirus hits Russia, panic spreads

Russia has a new government, but does it really matter? Prolific political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya breaks down the new cabinet for us. Plus, Russia forces pre-installed software on all smartphones sold in the country; pictures of long lines for fish in the Russian Arctic go viral (for all the wrong reasons), and other top stories that Russia has been reading this week.

New government — Wuhan virus — Child sex abuse in Siberia

Our latest investigation reveals that Putin’s fixer has ties to major new oil deals in Syria, the relatives of three Russian journalists murdered in the Central African Republic cast doubts on the official investigation, an inside look at food insecurity in Siberia and the country’s leading opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, takes an unexpected stance on the controversial changes to the Russian Constitution, designed to keep Putin in power past 2024.

Russians taking over Syrian oil – Starving pensioners – Divided opposition

This Week’s Highlights A Russian missile system was used to down the Ukrainian passenger plane in Tehran — we talk to one of its creators. Plus, environmental activism in northern Russia inspires anti-landfill protesters in the South, high-profile cases shed light on the widespread use of torture in the Russian criminal justice system and a suspicious death sparks a popular protest in Omsk.

More Iranian lies exposed — Eco-protests spread — “Anti-Putin” coup

This is a weekly overview of Novaya Gazeta’s finest journalism covering and explaining key stories and developments across Russia. We bring you everything you need to know about Russia, courtesy of a legacy independent newspaper. To keep up with Novaya Gazeta’s reporting visit our website www.novayagazeta.ru

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Russia, Explained by Novaya Gazeta

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