Published in: oDR
A Soldier’s Tale (5): a new life? Not b… likely!

Published on: 1 February 2010

Written by: Tolya's Letters All articles by Tolya's Letters

Our conscript, Tolya, has left basic training. He hopes that things will be different, but his hopes are soon dashed...
Published in: oDR
A Soldier’s Tale (4): the army paradox

Published on: 25 January 2010

Written by: Tolya's Letters All articles by Tolya's Letters

Letters are a life-line for Tolya. The army’s a mysterious entity, unknowable by anyone outside it, the conscript...
Published in: oDR
In memoriam Nastya and Stas

Published on: 18 January 2010

Written by: Andrei Loshak All articles by Andrei Loshak

Anastasia Baburova and Stanislav Markelov were gunned down in a neo-Nazi contract killing a year ago. In this moving...
Published in: oDR
A soldier’s tale (3): hospital, then what?

Published on: 18 January 2010

Written by: Tolya's Letters All articles by Tolya's Letters

In this third excerpt from his letters, our Russian conscript ends up in hospital, with time to reflect on what lies...
Published in: oDR
A soldier’s tale (2): trying to blend in

Published on: 15 January 2010

Written by: Tolya's Letters All articles by Tolya's Letters

In this second letter home our new conscript Tolya is starting to settle in to his two-year stint in Russia’s army....
Published in: oDR
A soldier’s tale (1)

Published on: 2 January 2010

Written by: Tolya's Letters All articles by Tolya's Letters

A new Russian army recruit writes home about life at a parachute regiment basic training camp
Published in: oDR
Kremlin hand hovers over Russia's internet

Published on: 18 December 2009

Written by: Mikhail Zygar All articles by Mikhail Zygar

So far the Russian government has resisted the temptation of controlling the Russian internet, but this may be about...