#Russia

If you’re in Russia or occupied Ukraine, you’re about to get a spy in your pocket. Starting September 1, every new phone will come with Max Messenger—a Russian app that can watch, track, and control its users.

Ukraine received the remains of 6,057 fallen soldiers in June 2025—the largest return of bodies since the full-scale Russian invasion began. Many arrived without names, just numbers. Behind each one may be a family, still waiting and hoping. Across the country, DNA specialists are racing against time to restore identities.