Yurii Marchenko

After Russia seized Crimea, the peninsula has been transformed from a tourist haven into a tightly controlled military zone. Repression has deepened, dissent is criminalized, and daily life unfolds under surveillance.

What do time travel, nuclear weapons, and world domination have in common? In Russia’s bestselling science fiction novels, they serve as tools for rewriting the past and advancing a vision of national strength.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) disqualified Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych on February 12. The reason was his intention to compete in a special helmet honoring athletes who were killed as a result of Russia’s war.

He left Nigeria for Russia in search of work. Weeks later, he was standing in a frozen trench in eastern Ukraine.

Russia is banned from the Olympics—but its athletes are still competing. Labeled “neutral,” their presence and affiliations raise questions about accountability.

At just 21, Canadian volunteer Cooper came to Ukraine to fight. Wounded but undeterred, he’s already taken part in historic battles—including Kupiansk, where his unit’s strength and Russia’s lies were laid bare.