December 24, 2025 – Russia Headlines

Story gist: Russian officials reported the deaths of seven Saratov region residents during the Special Military Operation. Names of four additional Saratov residents killed in the operation were named.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets absent, omitting coverage that might criticize the war or highlight casualties critically. Center outlets (e.g., IA Versiya-Saratov) use neutral official phrasing ‘СВО’ and report factually without emphasis. Right-leaning outlets (e.g., Vzglyad-Info) personalize by naming four more victims, emphasizing human toll in pro-Russian tone.

Story gist: The head of Russia’s RSPP stated there are active informal contacts with US businesses. The announcement appeared in Interfax reporting.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets omitted the story entirely, showing no coverage. Center outlets like Interfax framed it neutrally as a direct statement from the RSPP head on informal US business contacts. Right-leaning NEWS.ru shifted emphasis to a political scientist predicting US entry into Russian energy projects, using speculative language to highlight potential cooperation.

Story gist: Russia’s Central Bank presented a regulatory concept for cryptocurrencies. It allows purchases and cross-border transfers with tax authority notifications for both qualified and non-qualified investors.

Bias summary: Left-leaning Meduza frames the story as the Central Bank developing rules permitting cryptocurrency purchases and foreign transfers, emphasizing regulatory caveats like tax notifications. Center outlet Interfax highlights proposals to allow access for both qualified and non-qualified investors. Right-leaning coverage is absent, omitting conservative or pro-government perspectives on the regulation.

Story gist: Russian lawmakers passed a law imposing fines up to 500,000 rubles for forcing additional services on consumers to protect citizens’ rights.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets offer no coverage, omitting any potentially critical viewpoint. Center sources like Interfax frame it neutrally, focusing on specific fines up to 500,000 rubles for imposing unwanted services. Right-leaning duma.gov.ru emphasizes positive intent of additional citizen rights protection, using protective language without mentioning penalties.

Story gist: The US dollar exchange rate against the Russian ruble fell below 80 rubles again.

Bias summary: No left- or right-leaning outlets covered the story, leaving pro-government economic optimism or nationalist currency strength perspectives absent. Center outlet BCS Express framed the drop with neutral analytical tone, highlighting recurrence (‘again’) and posing factual questions on causes (‘on what’) and duration (‘for how long?’), emphasizing financial analysis over implications.