What do Russia and Iran have in common? Quite a lot lately. But one thing, in particular, stands out. Let me bring to your attention two seemingly unrelated developments. Iran has been largely cut off from the global internet pretty much since January, weeks before the U.S. operation started. In a matter of days after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader was confirmed, and reports followed with details of how the operation was carried out, Moscow plunged into its own partial mobile services blackout — without warning and on a scale never seen before. From payment terminals to taxi services, from elevators to public toilets, entire layers of daily life suddenly became inaccessible. Businesses suffered millions of rubles in losses. One can only speculate about the reasons behind such a drastic measure. While Muscovites are trying to make sense of these harsh restrictions and authorities have framed them as a response to “increasingly sophisticated” Ukrainian attacks, experts say this could be just the beginning. I spoke to people inside Russia about their growing sense of unease, and to experts about whether a ful Iran-style blackout is possible. Here’s my latest on daily life in Russia, co-written with the great @nohodge edition.cnn.com/2026/03/21/e…

If the decision to lift/ not impose new U.S. sanctions on Russia is directly linked to the talks about the release of American citizens, I’d venture to guess there are enough foreign nationals on the Russian soil to keep it sanction-free for the foreseeable future

Me: I need a sign from the universe. Random lady on a podcast in the first five minutes: If you would like any sort of gratification or satisfaction in your work life don’t become a writer.

Потому что не может быть по-другому в мире, где не все дома у всех

I was thinking what it reminds me of. Petrol is the new bread. Russian citizens are fighting for gas like their parents and grandparents struggled for food. I was too little to remember but my mom spent her days in those queues in the 90s. When the state-controlled distribution system started to collapse, rationing, hoarding, queues and wartime-style bartering came back. At the end of the soviet era, instead of universal national allowances, regions issued their own booklets of ration coupons for basic items. Same as we are seeing with different types of measures and restrictions on the local level today.

Путин: Будущие поколения будут к стране относиться так, как страна относится к ним. И ведь не поспоришь…