Moscow Calling – June 25

Sverdlovsk Regional Court keeps Ura.ru editor in custody

The Sverdlovsk Regional Court upheld the Leninsky District Court’s decision and kept Denis Allayarov, the editor of Ura.ru, in custody, TASS reports. Allayarov is accused of bribing a former official. Defense lawyer Anastasia Kharisanova said that the defense intends to appeal the court ruling again. According to her, the investigation’s arguments are unfounded, and the prosecution itself looks like pressure on the journalist. In addition, the defense criticized the closed nature of the court hearing, pointing out in its appeal that the principle of openness had been violated. Notably, Ura.ru and its editor Denis Allayarov have consistently taken a loyal stance toward Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, supporting the official rhetoric of the Russian authorities. The tone of the media outlet was predominantly pro-government, criticizing Ukraine and the West, while avoiding open radicalization (TASS).  

Two Moldovan citizens detained in Moscow on suspicion of spying

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) reported the detention of two Moldovan citizens in Moscow, suspected of collaborating with their country’s intelligence services. According to the agency, they arrived in Russia on forged documents and allegedly carried out tasks aimed at undermining the country’s security. A criminal case has been opened against the detainees under Article 275.1 of the Russian Criminal Code — “cooperation on a confidential basis with a foreign state.” The court sentenced them to custody. According to the FSB, the suspects have confessed and face up to eight years in prison (TASS).

“Drang nach Osten 2.0”: Sanctioned Nikiforova on Western plans to change power in Russia

Russian journalist Victoria Nikiforova, who has been under Western sanctions for spreading Russian disinformation since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, notes in her article on RIA Novosti that the NATO summit that began in The Hague is part of Europe’s preparations for war with Russia. The main threat, according to the author, is not Trump, but the EU’s course towards escalating the conflict. She mentions Europe’s economic problems related to spending on Ukraine and the break with Russian resources. According to Nikiforova, NATO is preparing for war: military exercises are being held, armies are being strengthened, and military logistics are being introduced. She also noted that the West is planning a new generation of hybrid warfare, combining cyberattacks, sanctions, sabotage, and internal destabilization of Russia. “The thesis of an ‘inevitable Russian attack’ on Europe is being thrown into the information field. This is not just a lie, it is the legalization of a new ‘Drang nach Osten’, another attack by European countries on us,” Nikiforova writes. She suggests that the ultimate goal is a change of power in Moscow and access to resources. Russia, she claims, is aware of the threat and is preparing to respond (ria.ru).

Kirill Strelnikov: Russia ready to rebuild Iran’s army, air defense based on its experience in Ukraine

In his article on RIA Novosti, Russian political commentator Kirill Strelnikov emphasizes that Russia is offering Iran to jointly create a new multimillion army from scratch and completely rebuild Iran’s air defense. Against the backdrop of the conflict with Israel and the weaknesses of Iran’s air defense, Russia is offering advanced S-400 and S-500 systems, as well as the experience gained during the military invasion of Ukraine. According to the author, this strategic cooperation is aimed at strengthening Iran’s defense capabilities and increasing its military potential. Strelnikov notes that the Russian side confirms its readiness to fulfill its obligations and support its allies, as reflected in official statements. According to him, such a large-scale military project will allow Iran to significantly increase the level of its armed forces and create a powerful defensive shield capable of effectively countering external threats (ria.ru).

Medvedev: EU has become a Russophobic military threat to Russia

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said that the modern European Union has lost its economic identity and turned into a politicized, globalist, and openly Russophobic structure. In his Telegram channel, he emphasized that in its current form, the EU poses no less of a threat to Russia than NATO. According to him, the European Union is actively militarizing, creating its own defense strategy, pumping Ukraine with weapons, building defense factories, and sending instructors to train militants fighting against Russia.  “Now its main ideology is brutal Russophobia, spawned by the imaginary ‘Russian threat’ that they themselves have inflated to resolve their petty problems,” Medvedev wrote. He also accused the EU of wanting revenge and trying to keep Kyiv as an anti-Russian springboard. He called for a rethink of the EU as a “peaceful” entity. Ukraine in the European Union, he said, is already a direct and systemic threat to Russia (Telegram).