Russians were promised a high-tech future. What they got instead is a form of total control, not authoritarian, but totalitarian, reflecting the Kremlin's definition of “the sum of technologies”, namely missiles and drones, as well as surveillance and monitoring equipment.
Following the Holy Week celebrations of the Latin Rite Churches, Saturday the 11th will mark the lighting of the Paschal flame, which Orthodox Churches spread throughout the world from the Holy Sepulchre. There is tension over the restrictions imposed on places of worship by the Israeli government. A situation viewed with apocalyptic tones even in Moscow, where in recent years this rite has become central to asserting its primacy.
A Russian online platform is currently broadcasting a series of documentaries entitled ‘The Living Word’, dedicated to great figures of Orthodoxy who were killed in the years following the Bolshevik Revolution. These figures remind us that one can give one’s life for ideals that unite religious faith, evangelical charity and love for one’s homeland – not to destroy the enemy, but to build a new world.
For the first time, in the upcoming elections on 12 April, Viktor Orbán appears at risk of defeat by his opponent, Peter Magyar. This is drawing particular attention from Moscow, which has so far regarded him as its main ally amongst the countries of the European Union. And Putin has tasked his most trusted adviser with closely monitoring this election.
Russia’s “foreign agents” register currently contains over 1,200 individuals and more than 1,500 projects, organisations and titles of various initiatives. Some have managed to have their names removed by striking deals with the authorities to save their businesses and reputations. But there are also those who find themselves on the list without even knowing why.
Earlier this month, a series of laws came into effect aimed at changing not only the behaviour but also the outlook on life of Russians. Works such as Pushkin's The Bronze Horseman, Gogol's Dead Souls, and Chekhov's satirical tales have been banned from schools because they are "unacceptable for a correct understanding of traditional values."
