At least we have each other

Edward's weekly news roundup & open thread (November 6, 2023)

Welcome to a long-overdue Edward link dump and open thread. Allow me to wish you a very happy Russian National Unity Day (November 4).

Enjoy the below sampling of Russia-related news stories, and don’t forget to say hello and share your own spicy URLs in the comments section.

News from Russian media

• 79% of Muscovites think November “Black Friday” sales are a scam. [moskvichmag.ru]

• Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet announced his nomination for a new presidential term, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS. [TASS]

• A “Made in Russia” exhibition recently opened in Shanghai. The exhibition—the largest of its kind to date—includes products made by 66 Russian companies. [RIA Novosti]

• Russia is facing an acute shortage of teachers of mathematics and foreign languages. [Nakanune]

• Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko said she was in favor of creating a “Ministry of Happiness” in Russia. [RIA Novosti]

• Carlsberg has accused the Russian government of stealing its beer business. [Kommersant]

• “15% is a powerful blow to import-substitution”: how Russian business leaders responded to the Bank of Russia’s key rate hike. [partyadela.ru]

• Western media outlets spread “Putin died of a heart attack” meme, citing sketchy LARPer on Telegram. [RT]

• Governor of the Zaporozhye region Evgeniy Balitsky told reporters about the start of construction in the region of a new railway line that will connect Rostov-on-Don with Crimea. [Gazeta.ru]

• Washington’s decision to provide Kiev with long-range weapons makes discussions about resuming the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) impossible, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. [Free Press]

• Poverty and dissatisfaction with their financial situation push Russian pensioners to remain in the workforce, according to a study published by the Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. [Nakanune]

• Reports have emerged of “voluntary-compulsory” biometric data collection in Russia. [Anna Rudneva]

• Putin is expected to visit Kazakhstan in the coming days, although his trip hasn’t yet been confirmed by the Kremlin. [Vedomosti]

Edward’s dispatches in foreign languages

I am humbled and honored to announce that a group of volunteers headed by friend and blog-colleague Modeste Schwartz has created Slavsquat en français, which will satisfy all of your French-language Edward cravings. And don’t forget to follow SlavsquatFR on Telegram.

Thank you again to the SlavsquatFR team for helping this blog reach the Francophone World!

And here are a selection of Edward stories in Russian:

• Спутник: от 100% эффективности к обновлению на 50 добровольцах под прикрытием коммерческой тайны [Anna Rudneva]

• Москва присоединяется к глобальной войне с углеродом [Anna Rudneva]

Until next time,

— Riley