11:45 (08:45)⇢Durov's Detention Fallout and Russian Elections Kickoff
⌨The Russian headlines focus heavily on Pavel Durov's recent detention in France and its aftermath (Interfax.ru, NTV.ru, Meduza, The Moscow Times). Durov, Telegram's founder, has reportedly refused diplomatic assistance from Russia and the UAE (Politico via Interfax.ru). In response to the incident, Telegram has updated its moderation policies (NTV.ru).
Concurrently, Russia's regional and municipal elections are underway, with voting open in 49 regions (Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Izvestia). Election commission head Pamfilova has commented on the start of voting.