Russia

Crime news

Former Trump adviser—and Russian state TV commentator—charged with money laundering through art and antiques

Dimitri Simes and his wife Anastasia have been charged with three counts of violating US sanctions, including money laundering through the acquisition of art

Sasha Skochilenko: I just happened to be the winner of the ‘Hunger Games’

The Russian artist, who was freed in a prison swap, on life under President Putin and spending more than two years in prison for an art intervention opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Release of Olena Pekh highlights plight of other Ukrainian cultural workers languishing in Russian prisons

Through Vatican mediation, the museum researcher was freed alongside nine others earlier this summer

Ukraine calls for UN to intervene after ancient Crimean heritage site transformed into cultural complex

Tauric Chersonese, a Unesco World Heritage Site, has been transformed by Russia into a “historical and archaeological park”

Russian dissident artist released as part of historic prisoner swap

Sasha Skochilenko, who was arrested in 2022 for an art intervention opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was freed along with Wall Street Journal writer Evan Gershkovich and 15 others

Russian security forces search Moscow’s Garage Museum

The raid was reportedly related to an investigation into dissident artist Pyotr Verzilov

Russianews

Head of New Holland art centre in St Petersburg resigns after husband's social post

Roxana Shatunovskaya stepped down from the space founded by Dasha Zhukova and Roman Abramovich after her husband posted about the Moscow terrorist attack on Facebook

Russian authorities interrogate and detain artists on eve of presidential election

The homes and studios of more than 30 artists in at least seven cities across the country have been raided

Russia opens up new museum front in its war against Ukraine

“Liberation museum” and propaganda-rich displays aim to rewrite history and legitimise war.

Russian artist charged with showing ‘extremist imagery’ faces four years in prison

In a recent hearing the artist, Vasily Slonov, likened his treatment to that of Aleksei Navalny, the opposition leader who died on 16 February

What's behind Russia’s new-found love of African art?

As Russia’s cultural venues are cut off from exchanges with Europe and the US—and in the wake of President Putin’s Russia-Africa summit—museums are filling the gaps with exhibitions of African art

Stalin religious icon splattered with paint in Georgia

The work in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi depicts St Matrona of Moscow, a visionary and healer, blessing the Soviet dictator

Russianews

President Putin boosts presidential bid at two prime Moscow culture spots

Run for fifth term held against backdrop of nationalist exhibitions while clampdown continues on artists and writers

Fears for artistic expression in Russia as ministry files motion to classify 'the international LGBT public movement' as 'extremist'

Members of the country's cultural sector are among those concerned about harsh punishments for perceived violations should the declaration be signed off

Cosmoscow, once Russia’s premier international art fair, opens in building reportedly struck by drone last month

Only one of over 75 participating galleries this year is from abroad—but Russian dealers remain determined to continue business

Oligarch Files investigation reveals $963m art collection of Roman Abramovich and Dasha Zhukova

Mondrian, Magritte and Freud are among the masterpieces acquired by the sanctioned Russian billionaire, according to a report by The Guardian

Russia’s boycotted Hermitage Museum inks culture deal with Iranian research institute

Cooperation agreement follows Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy strategy to forge closer ties with Iran

Crimean museum director sanctioned by EU and Switzerland

Andrei Vitalievich Maglin is holding thousands of works from the Ukrainian city of Kherson

'Cancelled' St Petersburg show honouring Timur Novikov finally opens—with censorship

Artists accuse the Russian Museum—which blames technical issues for the delay—of covering up parts of their works

Russia's 'Trinity' icon to stay at Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral for another month

Andrei Rublev’s 15th-century work, which was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church last month, will also no longer be restored at the State Tretyakov Gallery

Russian authorities confirm that famous 'Trinity' icon will be transferred to church despite protests from restorers and art historians

The announcement that President Putin will return Andrei Rublev’s masterpiece has sparked criticism from experts due to its fragile condition

Hermitage returns monumental silver sarcophagus of Saint Alexander Nevsky to the Russian Orthodox Church

The move is described as "a striking event of world significance" by the director of the St Petersburg museum

Fire damages Russian cultural centre in Cyprus

Moscow officials describe that blaze as a "terrorist attack"

The Georgian artists at the forefront of anti-government protests

When Georgia’s government tried to impose a Russian-style ‘foreign agent’ law, the cultural community hit back hard

Pro-Putin Hermitage director Mikhail Piotrovsky speaks out again in support of war in Ukraine

The veteran Russian museum chief tells Kremlin newspaper that war is “a means of cultural exchange”

‘Glad to see they are scared’: Pussy Riot founder Nadya Tolokonnikova added to Russia’s wanted list for criminals

A performance in which she burns an effigy of Vladimir Putin, and an NFT of a vagina-shaped Virgin Mary are thought to be behind new charges

What has happened to visitor numbers at Russian museums since the start of the war?

As Russia leaves the world cultural stage following its invasion of Ukraine, we look at how its art institutions have reacted

Marina Loshak steps down as director of Moscow’s Pushkin Museum in latest high-level Russian departure

The well-respected director has been replaced by Elizaveta Likhacheva, the current head of the Shchusev State Museum of Architecture

Putin visits heritage site in Crimea on ninth anniversary of annexation

Tauric Chersonese, a Unesco World Heritage Site, will boast multiple museums—and a humanitarian centre

How one year of Russian sanctions have shaped the art market

Businesses urged to tighten approach to client background checks as US subpoenas auction houses for sales records