Current Time

The Rise And Fall Of Rambler

Born in a former Soviet research institute, Rambler was Russia's most popular website in the 1990s and was sold for more than $230 million in 2004. But the site was eclipsed by a dynamic new search engine, and its creator counted his profits in the tens of thousands of dollars.

How Leonid Met Aleksandr And Together They Took A Stand

Leonid was born in a small town in Russia's Far East, where his mother beat him for being gay. When he finished school, he left home and met Aleksandr, with whom he now campaigns for LGBT rights.

Former National Guardsman At Moscow Protest Faces Possible Prison Sentence

A former Russian National Guardsman could face a 6-year prison sentence for resisting arrest during a crackdown on a Moscow protest.

MH17 Disaster Witness Volodymyr Tsemakh Returns To Separatist-Controlled Ukraine

Election Observer Sucker Punched In St. Petersburg

A Russian election observer was assaulted at a polling station after raising concerns about potential fraud during the September 8 vote for governor of St. Petersburg.

Freed Ukrainian Navy Captain: ‘God Led Me’ Not To Fire On Russian Ships

Costumes And Chaperones: How Russia Tried To Get Voters To The Polls

After nearly two months of protests over rejected candidate registrations in Moscow, Russian officials had a stake in making sure voters turned out for the country’s September 8 local and regional elections. Some opted for entertainment, others for a military escort. This is how a strange day of contrasts unfolded.

Elections Update-Draft

Ukraine's Sentsov, Kolchenko Hold First Presser After Release From Russian Custody

Ukrainian director Oleh Sentsov and activist Oleksandr Kolchenko have thanked all those who supported them while they were in Russian custody.

Russian Government Loses Seats In Moscow, But Maintains The National Status Quo

Russians On Social Media Report Steady Stream Of Election Violations

Ukrainian President Zelenskiy On Prisoners' Return: Need Further Steps 'To Finish This Horrible War'

Ukraine, Russia Begin Prisoner Exchange

Vox Pop: Ahead Of Sept. 8 Vote, Russians Divided On Protests

As Russia heads into national local and regional elections on September 8, what do ordinary voters make of the country's 2019 summer of protest? Journalist Vadim Kondakov, host of Current Time’s Unknown Russia series, took to the streets in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg to find out.

Release Of MH17 Witness Raises Questions For Ukraine

A Ukrainian court has released Volodymyr Tsemakh, a "person of interest" to investigators in the 2014 shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. The release came as Russian President Vladimir Putin said a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine was nearing completion.

InterNYET Creator Andrey Loshak: Putin Sees Internet As Part Of 'Ideological Warfare'

Ukraine Releases From Prison MH17 Crash Witness Volodymyr Tsemakh

Secret Code: How Soviet Computer Geeks Built The Russian Web With Stolen U.S. Software

In the 1980s, a Soviet computer scientist headed for Moscow with U.S. software tapes hidden under his clothes. Three decades later, his colleagues gathered at a California dinner party to reminisce about how they built the first internet in the U.S.S.R. Their story is part of a new seven-part documentary series, InterNYET: A History Of The Russian Internet, by Current Time TV exploring the history of the Russian web.

Russian Blogger's Sentence A Warning To Opposition, Says His Mother

The mother of a Russian blogger sentenced to five years in prison for extremism related to a social media posting has expressed shock at the punishment meted out to her son, suggesting it was meant to send a warning to Russia’s opposition.

'I Wanted To Apologize': Russian Kneels In Contrition To Ukrainians

A Ukrainian-born Russian citizen has been shown on video apologizing for the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine. He says his acts of contrition have cost him jobs as a teacher in Russia.