Stand behind Ukrainian independent journalism when it’s needed most. Help us reach 20,000 members.

Skip to content
Russian politician Andrei Turchak seen during a meeting on the results of local elections at the headquaters of the United Russia party on September 11, 2022 in Moscow, Russia. (Contributor/Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Andrei Turchak, secretary of United Russia, the country's ruling political party, submitted his resignation on June 15, according to the Russian state-controlled media outlet TASS.

The move is regarded as a demotion initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who appointed Turchak earlier this month to serve as governor of the Altai Republic in southern Siberia.

Dmitry Medvedev, the chairperson of United Russia and deputy chair of Russia's Security Council, accepted Turchak's resignation. Medvedev appointed Vladimir Yakushev, presidential envoy in the Ural Federal District, to replace Turchak as acting secretary of the party.

Turchak, previously seen as a favorite of Putin's, vocally supported Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and visited occupied Ukrainian territories to organize illegal sham referendums on behalf of United Russia.

In recent weeks, Putin has dismissed or reshuffled several high-ranking officials, including those at the highest rungs of Moscow's military and security apparatus.

In April, now-former Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was detained on suspicion of bribery, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was reassigned as the head of the country's security council on May 13, replacing Nikolai Patrushev.

New Defense Minister Belousov to put Russia’s economy on war footing
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s appointment of a new defense minister, Andrey Belousov, is seen as an attempt to streamline Russia’s economy and mobilize it for the war effort. Russia’s military has faced numerous supply and logistics problems that thwarted its all-out war against Ukraine from t…

Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.

We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.

Our goal: reach 20,000 members to prove independent journalism can survive without paywalls, billionaires, or compromise. Will you help us do it?

Can we reach 20,000 members?

News Feed

10:13 AM  (Updated: )

Russian drone strike on civilian bus in Sumy kills 9, injures 7.

Russia launched a drone strike on Sumy Oblast in the early morning of May 17, killing nine people and injuring four more. The drone targeted a shuttle bus that was transporting civilians near the city of Bilopillia at 6:17 a.m. local time.
6:20 AM

Russian economic growth slowing down, Rosstat reports.

Russia's economy is experiencing a sharp slowdown in growth, according to a report released by the governmental statistics agency Rosstat on May 16. GDP only grew by 1.4% in the first quarter of 2025 – a notable decline from 4.5% growth in the previous quarter and 5.4% in the same period last year.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.