Analytics, interviews, articles, photos, top reports and breaking news | Бабель

“They wiretapped my car.” Arsen Zhumadilov — about drones, meeting with Fedorov, problems with fiber optics and “our boys” from NABU. A long interview with the head of the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA)

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“They wiretapped my car.” Arsen Zhumadilov — about drones, meeting with Fedorov, problems with fiber optics and “our boys” from NABU. A long interview with the head of the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA)

Author:: Kateryna Kobernyk
Date:: 7 hours ago

Since January, assaults on the Slovyansk direction have intensified. Is there a direct threat to Slovyansk now? We tell and show on maps

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Since January, assaults on the Slovyansk direction have intensified. Is there a direct threat to Slovyansk now? We tell and show on maps

Author:: Valeriia Tsuba
Date:: a day ago

“My mother thought that a girl was worse for me than Russian army.” Bohdan Bezkorovaynyi lived in occupied Crimea as a teenager, not hiding his pro-Ukrainian views, and in 2026 he left for Ukraine. An interview

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“My mother thought that a girl was worse for me than Russian army.” Bohdan Bezkorovaynyi lived in occupied Crimea as a teenager, not hiding his pro-Ukrainian views, and in 2026 he left for Ukraine. An interview

Author:: Valeriia Tsuba
Date:: three days ago

Two Ukrainian model agencies — “L-Models” and “Linea 12” — appear in the “Epstein files”. We spoke with the head of “L12” and former models of these agencies (spoiler: sex trafficking do exist, but there are nuances)

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Two Ukrainian model agencies — “L-Models” and “Linea 12” — appear in the “Epstein files”. We spoke with the head of “L12” and former models of these agencies (spoiler: sex trafficking do exist, but there are nuances)

Author:: Yuliia Hyra
Date:: 7 days ago

Cold! We filmed street life in Kyiv during the worst January frosts — as well as blackouts, water and heat cuts. Photo report

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Cold! We filmed street life in Kyiv during the worst January frosts — as well as blackouts, water and heat cuts. Photo report

Author:: Liza Bukreeva
Date:: 8 days ago

The 2026 Winter Olympics will start in Italy on February 6. Belarusians, who are in any way loyal to Russia, will compete for medals. We tell you about them

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The 2026 Winter Olympics will start in Italy on February 6. Belarusians, who are in any way loyal to Russia, will compete for medals. We tell you about them

Author:: Valeriia Tsuba
Date:: 10 days ago

Journalist and author Peter Pomerantsev shares how to win the information war against Putin. The role model is the Briton who outwitted Hitler

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Journalist and author Peter Pomerantsev shares how to win the information war against Putin. The role model is the Briton who outwitted Hitler

Author:: Yuliia Hyra
Date:: 15 days ago

Combat commanders argue over why the front is faltering: Ryan OʼLeary says that Ukraine is fixated on enemy infantry but is losing “depth”. Robert Brovdi answers that the problem is resources. Who is right?

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Combat commanders argue over why the front is faltering: Ryan OʼLeary says that Ukraine is fixated on enemy infantry but is losing “depth”. Robert Brovdi answers that the problem is resources. Who is right?

Author:: Glib Gusiev
Date:: 15 days ago

Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin spent 12 years excavating in occupied Crimea and lecturing in Europe. Now he is in a pre-trial detention center in Poland, awaiting extradition to Ukraine — a big story

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Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin spent 12 years excavating in occupied Crimea and lecturing in Europe. Now he is in a pre-trial detention center in Poland, awaiting extradition to Ukraine — a big story

Author:: Ghanna Mamonova
Date:: 17 days ago

Volodymyr Zelensky and GUR warn that Russia wants to strike nuclear power plants. Could there really be a “second Chornobyl”? (No, but the situation is still bad)

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Volodymyr Zelensky and GUR warn that Russia wants to strike nuclear power plants. Could there really be a “second Chornobyl”? (No, but the situation is still bad)

Author:: Yuliia Hyra
Date:: 21 days ago

RUSI: Russian Aerospace Forces Threaten NATO More Than in 2022. Here are the main data of the study — in infographics

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RUSI: Russian Aerospace Forces Threaten NATO More Than in 2022. Here are the main data of the study — in infographics

Author:: Valeriia Tsuba
Date:: 22 days ago

NABU and SAPO accuse Yulia Tymoshenko of bribing MPs. She says she is protecting the country from external control. What is known about the case, and what questions remain unanswered. We explain

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NABU and SAPO accuse Yulia Tymoshenko of bribing MPs. She says she is protecting the country from external control. What is known about the case, and what questions remain unanswered. We explain

Author:: Oksana Kovalenko
Date:: 24 days ago

“A guy Iʼd like to be in the same trench with.” The US declassified conversations between Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush. We recall the most interesting from the archives of 2001-2008

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“A guy Iʼd like to be in the same trench with.” The US declassified conversations between Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush. We recall the most interesting from the archives of 2001-2008

Author:: Yuliia Hyra
Date:: 27 days ago

How Western partners one by one buried Ukraineʼs hopes for a reparations loan — behind the scenes of the negotiations, which were not without surprises and threats from the Russians. Negotiator Mykola Yurlov tells the story

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How Western partners one by one buried Ukraineʼs hopes for a reparations loan — behind the scenes of the negotiations, which were not without surprises and threats from the Russians. Negotiator Mykola Yurlov tells the story

Author:: Oksana Kovalenko
Date:: 29 days ago

Ukrainian Saba Yamani was born in Saudi Arabia, raised in Kyiv, baptized, came out, and narrowly escaped deportation and death. Hereʼs her story

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Ukrainian Saba Yamani was born in Saudi Arabia, raised in Kyiv, baptized, came out, and narrowly escaped deportation and death. Hereʼs her story

Author:: Oksana Forostyna
Date:: 29 days ago

35 years ago in Vilnius, Soviet troops killed and crushed protesters with tanks. We remember how the Kremlin tried to forcefully return Lithuania to the USSR — in 15 archival photos (archive material)

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35 years ago in Vilnius, Soviet troops killed and crushed protesters with tanks. We remember how the Kremlin tried to forcefully return Lithuania to the USSR — in 15 archival photos (archive material)

Author:: Serhii Pyvovarov
Date:: a month ago

Ukraine harshly punishes collaborators. Sometimes too much harshly. How to change the law so that people in the occupied territories do not become criminals by default

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Ukraine harshly punishes collaborators. Sometimes too much harshly. How to change the law so that people in the occupied territories do not become criminals by default

Author:: Oksana Kovalenko
Date:: a month ago

Siversk was occupied, and the brigade commanders responsible for its defense were dismissed. What is happening in this direction?

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Siversk was occupied, and the brigade commanders responsible for its defense were dismissed. What is happening in this direction?

Author:: Valeriia Tsuba
Date:: a month ago

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Read our 8 long reads for every taste: about the memorial on the Maidan, quarrels in the Ministry of Defense, a billionaire prodigy, a Ukrainian bomber, “Nord Stream”, and Leonid Kuchma. Results-2025

Author:: Glib Gusiev
Date:: a month ago

In 2019, someone planned an operation that resulted in the “Yermak recordings”. The scandal died down, but the question of his ideologue remained. Meet this “someone” — Roman Chervinsky, and this is his version of events

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In 2019, someone planned an operation that resulted in the “Yermak recordings”. The scandal died down, but the question of his ideologue remained. Meet this “someone” — Roman Chervinsky, and this is his version of events

Author:: Oksana Kovalenko
Date:: a month ago

Kadyrovʼs right-hand man has access to critical German infrastructure, posing a direct risk to supplies to Ukraine. We are reprinting materials from The Insider and Der Spiegel

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Kadyrovʼs right-hand man has access to critical German infrastructure, posing a direct risk to supplies to Ukraine. We are reprinting materials from The Insider and Der Spiegel

Author:: Valeriia Tsuba
Date:: a month ago

If Russia maintains the pace of its offensive, in 6 months it will be on the edge of the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration. What will this mean for the front?

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If Russia maintains the pace of its offensive, in 6 months it will be on the edge of the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration. What will this mean for the front?

Author:: Valeriia Tsuba
Date:: a month ago

Ex-PM of Crimea Valerii Horbatov, who was accused of collaborating with the Russians, has reached a deal with investigators. He donated a unique archaeological collection to the state and returns home. The story in detail

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Ex-PM of Crimea Valerii Horbatov, who was accused of collaborating with the Russians, has reached a deal with investigators. He donated a unique archaeological collection to the state and returns home. The story in detail

Author:: Ghanna Mamonova
Date:: a month ago

German students have shown a connection between mass drone flights in Germany and two ships — they were being repaired in Russia and are connected to “Rosatom”. Hereʼs what the students found out

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German students have shown a connection between mass drone flights in Germany and two ships — they were being repaired in Russia and are connected to “Rosatom”. Hereʼs what the students found out

Author:: Valeriia Tsuba
Date:: a month ago

Babel is watching the case of the NABU detective Viktor Husarov, who was detained in the summer during a big SBU tour of anti-corruption agencies. Hereʼs what we know about it — from both sides

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Babel is watching the case of the NABU detective Viktor Husarov, who was detained in the summer during a big SBU tour of anti-corruption agencies. Hereʼs what we know about it — from both sides

Author:: Oksana Kovalenko
Date:: a month ago

Ukrainian European diving champion Sofia Lyskun has changed her citizenship to Russian and is already posting photos from Moscow. Babel recreated the events that preceded her move to Russia

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Ukrainian European diving champion Sofia Lyskun has changed her citizenship to Russian and is already posting photos from Moscow. Babel recreated the events that preceded her move to Russia

Author:: Valeriia Tsuba
Date:: two months ago

NABU and SAPO say that Mindich created a criminal organization, laundered money, and put pressure on Umerov. How they prove it — an analysis of suspicion

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NABU and SAPO say that Mindich created a criminal organization, laundered money, and put pressure on Umerov. How they prove it — an analysis of suspicion

Author:: Oksana Kovalenko
Date:: two months ago

When and why did Vladimir Putin decide to start a major war? The former French ambassador to Russia answers — we read and retell his memoirs

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When and why did Vladimir Putin decide to start a major war? The former French ambassador to Russia answers — we read and retell his memoirs

Author:: Yuliia Hyra
Date:: two months ago

The head of the “Come Back Alive” foundation Taras Chmut says that the front is heading towards collapse (a year ago he said that “we will not win”). Here are the main points of his three latest interviews

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The head of the “Come Back Alive” foundation Taras Chmut says that the front is heading towards collapse (a year ago he said that “we will not win”). Here are the main points of his three latest interviews

Author:: Valeriia Tsuba
Date:: two months ago

The Russians are advancing on Kupyansk both above ground and underground. What does this mean and what the situation in and around the city looks like now — we show on maps

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The Russians are advancing on Kupyansk both above ground and underground. What does this mean and what the situation in and around the city looks like now — we show on maps

Author:: Valeriia Tsuba
Date:: two months ago