Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Meduza received 33,000 donations each month — and we’re still grateful for each and every one. But today, because the Russian government has outlawed Meduza as “undesirable,” it’s unsafe for our readers in Russia to support us financially. That might not seem like the end of the world: after all, we have more than three million readers abroad, in both Russian and English. However, only 0.2 percent of them make regular donations to our crowdfunding campaign. If that number doesn’t rise to at least 0.5 percent soon, Meduza’s future is at serious risk. To be honest, we’re scared — both for our newsroom and for our readers inside Russia who desperately need independent media. If you live outside Russia and read Meduza, please consider signing up for a monthly donation. Choose whatever amount feels right for you. Meanwhile, we’ll keep working hard to bring you honest, engaging coverage of Russia, Ukraine, and the wider region.

U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders to the White House on Monday to discuss the Russia–Ukraine war. The meeting comes just three days after Trump met with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where the Russian president made a series of maximalist demands, including that Ukraine cede territory not currently under Russian control.

In 2025, regional authorities across Russia have continued to tighten restrictions on the kinds of jobs foreigners can hold. One of the latest bans came in August in St. Petersburg, where foreigners are now barred from working as couriers. The Russian authorities have been introducing such measures since 2015, applying them to foreigners working under work permits. More recently, the list of banned jobs has expanded as part of the country’s broader crackdown on foreigners following the 2024 Crocus City Hall terrorist attack.