The Insider

Russian Groza combat drones are made by firms linked to gardening equipment brands, Systema reports The investigation, centered on the family of Vladimir Podchufarov, reveals a network of entities linked to sellers of gardening equipment and power tools. theins.press/en/news/292620

Russian activist ordered to leave Germany despite pending asylum application Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s crackdown on migrants has often been compared with the Trump administration’s policies in the United States. theins.press/en/news/292618

U.S. pushes to restart Belarusian potash exports through Lithuania, foreign minister says While U.S. sanctions on the product were lifted in March 2026 after Minsk released 250 political prisoners, EU restrictions are in force until February 2027. theins.press/en/news/292617

Death toll from Russian strike on Kyiv rises to 24, including 3 children, as rescuers complete search at apartment building Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia has launched more than 1,560 drones at Ukrainian cities since Wednesday. theins.press/en/news/292604

Kremlin-linked Matryoshka bot network spreads disinfo about a looming hantavirus pandemic in Europe, despite scientists pointing to low risk The latest campaign includes content posing as @FRANCE24, @dwnews and @libe, according to @antibot4navalny. theins.press/en/news/292601

Kremlin-style colonialism: Russian propaganda is actively preparing Africans for military service in Ukraine Exploiting extreme poverty in parts of the continent, the Kremlin is luring Africans to Russia to use them as cannon fodder on the battlefield. theins.press/en/politics/29…

Russia’s penitentiary system admits inmate numbers are falling due to military recruitment for the invasion of Ukraine Federal Penitentiary Service Director Arkady Gostev mentioned the “effort to recruit contract soldiers” as one reason for the decline. theins.press/en/news/292576

Russian forces launch record 1,400 drones at Ukraine over 24 hours At least 1,428 drones attacked the country over 24 hours from May 13 and overnight into May 14, with 1,362 of them shot down or radar-lost under the influence of electronic warfare tools. theins.press/en/news/292578

Canadian intelligence met with Quebec firearms manufacturer Cadex after The Insider and @globalnews found its rifles reached Russian snipers Cadex rifles are used by at least three Russian army units and may be routed through the U.S. and Kazakhstan. theins.press/en/news/292575

Hungarian Foreign Ministry condemns Russian attack on Ukraine’s Zakarpattia, summons Russian ambassador for the first time Péter Szijjártó, foreign minister in Viktor Orbán’s government, frequently summoned ambassadors — all apart from Moscow's envoy. theins.press/en/news/292574

Russian oil product shipments by sea hit one-year high in April as overall crude exports rise Shipments of oil-derived products like diesel, fuel oil and naphtha hit 4.4 million barrels last month, including 2.8 million from Russia, per @MarineTraffic. theins.press/en/news/292559

Taxes, costly credit, and labor shortages: Why private businesses in Russia are shutting down en masse Experts expect the number of SMEs in Russia to soon fall by a third, weighed down by taxes, expensive credit, rising prices and labor shortages. theins.press/en/economics/2…

The ripple effect: How the U.S. operation against Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz strengthen China, Ukraine, and Turkey A major distortion in the declining relations between America and the Gulf states is pushing them to seek new allies. theins.press/en/politics/29…

Russia’s State Duma passes bill allowing Putin to send troops to “protect” Russians arrested abroad The amendments will apply to Russians who are prosecuted by foreign courts or international judicial bodies whose jurisdiction the Kremlin rejects. theins.press/en/news/292539

Russia’s ruling party proposes citizenship for foreigners convicted over support for Moscow The amendments will apply to foreigners who were “illegally convicted for supporting Russia’s policy of countering neo-Nazism” and the war against Ukraine. theins.press/en/news/292538

Where there is political will, there is a way: Ukraine can help Europe build a unified missile defense system Sam Lair @sam_lair of @JamesMartinCNS explores initiatives aimed at strengthening both Ukrainian and pan-European defense. theins.press/en/opinion/lai…

BBC reports first known death of Russian college student recruited into drone forces Valery Averin, a 23-year-old student from Buryatia, was killed by mortar fire near Luhansk in eastern Ukraine on April 6, just days after being sent to the front. theins.press/en/news/292524

Russia’s Ursa Major, which sank in 2024, was likely targeted by Western forces to prevent transfer of nuclear technology to North Korea The cargo may have included VM-4SG reactors, commonly used in Russian Project 667 nuclear submarines, CNN reports. theins.press/en/news/292492

Neither Pandora’s box nor a panacea: The main danger of military AI is human incompetence The consequences of AI’s arrival on the battlefield will ultimately be determined by military officials’ choices, writes @JackieGSchneid of @HooverInst. theins.press/en/opinion/sch…

Professor Igor Efimov, who helped develop one of TIME’s best inventions of 2025, declared “foreign agent” in Russia The Northwestern University scientist co-created the world’s smallest pacemaker for newborns with congenital heart defects. theins.press/en/news/292479