According to the Kremlin-controlled media, the overwhelming majority of Russians support the war against Ukraine. There is no mass movement against the invasion, the state's propagandists argue, and yet the authorities tirelessly track down and prosecute ordinary people for criticizing the "special operation" on social media and at small protests with banners that read, "No to the war!" But can these statements against the invasion change anything? Are they worth the risks? What's the point of such actions if the war continues regardless? Maria Sereda at the Greenhouse of Social Technologies (Teplitsa) discussed these questions with Croatian-Bosnian human rights activist Igor Blazhevich, who's assisted with deliveries of humanitarian aid to conflict zones and helped found the charity group People in Need. With Teplitsa's kind permission, Meduza republishes Blazhevich's remarks in full.

Since mid-April, Russia has focused its invasion of Ukraine on capturing the eastern region known as the Donbas. According to military reports, the fighting here has been largely positional battles without significant advancements by either side. Both Russia and Ukraine have built up their forces, regrouped, and continued artillery fire. In the last week, however, statements by officials in Kyiv have become more alarming, as if Ukraine's leadership is preparing the nation for a major defeat: the loss of Severodonetsk (one of the last big cities in the region still under Ukrainian control) and a "new Mariupol."

Dmytro Kozatsky is a soldier from Ukraine's Azov regiment and the photographer behind a now-famous collection of photos showing the defenders of the besieged Azovstal steel plant. On May 16, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces ordered the commanders of the units in Azovstal to "save the lives of the personnel" there. Four days later, on May 20, Kozatsky reported that he had surrendered. Meduza spoke to his sister, Darya Yurchenko, about why Kozatsky originally decided to join Azov, his life during the siege, and his family's main concerns at the moment.

Days after launching its full-fledged invasion of Ukraine, Russia outlawed the spread of "knowingly false information" about the country's armed forces. The new law, which came into force on March 4, carries punishments of up to 15 years in prison -- and it has so far been used to persecute those who openly condemn Russia's war against Ukraine. Meduza looks into how state investigators are building criminal cases against anti-war Russians for sharing facts and opinions that stray from the Kremlin line.

Moscow's Alexander Kudryashov Theater Company is an independent troupe staging low-cost plays for intimate audiences. Inside the company, Alexander Kudryashov plays the "roles" of playwright, director, and actor. His new play, "Bye, Dad," tells the story of his late father, a veteran of the Second Chechen War. And it's a rare example of theater that feels appropriate in wartime. It's also a remarkably candid work, even though the author himself avoids speaking of his feelings. Theater critic Anton Khitrov shares his thoughts about the play.

Before Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, Ukraine's state railroad company, Ukrainian Railways, was often criticized for being ineffective and suspected of corruption. Now, Ukrainian Railways is providing shelter for millions of refugees, transporting foreign leaders on official visits to Kyiv, and delivering humanitarian and military cargo to towns throughout Ukraine. Even Russian propagandists have marveled at the efficiency with which the company has mobilized its railroads. Meduza spoke to Ukrainian Railways head Oleksandr Kamyshin about the changes the company has made since the start of the war, the fight against Russian collaborators in the company, and the task of storing Russian soldiers' bodies in refrigerator cars.

Since the start of the war, St. Petersburg resident Alexey Lakhov has been sending complaints to various government agencies requesting that they remove pro-war symbols from public spaces. St. Petersburg news outlet Bumaga recently published a story about Lakhov and his small acts of protest. With their permission, Meduza is publishing a translation below.

Twenty-four-year-old Dmitry Paramoshkin signed a contract with the Russian army in 2020, near the end of his conscription term. "It just sort of happened that way. They said there'd be exercises, [parachute] jumps, we'd ride around, and do that kind of stuff. So, I went ahead and did it," he told the news website Fontanka. On February 25, 2022, Dmitry and his fellow soldiers were told that they were headed to Crimea to join planned military drills. When they arrived, they were given new orders: go to Kherson and then Mykolaiv. Paramoshkin was later captured after invading Ukraine, held prisoner for several weeks, and returned home to St. Petersburg in a prisoner exchange. Now he says he plans to return to the fight, confident that Russia will prevail.

For several days now, Russian forces have been trying to capture Lyman -- a strategic railway hub in Ukraine's Donetsk region. Russia is seeking to gain a foothold in Lyman in the hopes of pushing its offensive towards the cities of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. Russian troops began storming Lyman on May 24, and Denis Pushilin -- the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) -- claimed full control of the town on the morning of May 27. In turn, Ukrainian officials said that Lyman is "mostly controlled" by Russian troops and fighting is ongoing. To find out what life is like for Lyman's remaining residents, Meduza spoke to their relatives who left the town before it came under occupation.

Despite failing to capture Kyiv at the outset of the war, the Kremlin is reportedly considering a second assault on Ukraine's capital, as Russian troops appear to be on the verge of seizing the entire Donbas region. Sources tell Meduza that advances in the east and expectations that Moscow can win a war of attrition against Kyiv and its Western allies have revived hopes in the Putin administration that a full-scale victory is possible in Ukraine before the end of the year.