This was Russia today Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Howdy, folks. Today, I’m looking at a People of Baikal report on 3D-printing farms sprouting up in St. Petersburg — makeshift production lines that may be churning out plastic trinkets needed by Russian troops in Ukraine. If you’re enjoying the newsletter’s new approach (or want to complain), please let me know. Yours, Kevin.

P.S. This newsletter will return on Monday, December 1, after the Thanksgiving holidays in the United States.

Inside the hidden 3D-printing farms suspected of supplying Russian troops in Ukraine

A new report from the independent news outlet People of Baikal details the operations of a 3D-printing “farm” hidden inside a high-rise office building in downtown St. Petersburg. Round-the-clock work crews endure stifling, sauna-like conditions to keep hundreds of cheap home printers running, and staff suspect that they may be making parts for Russian troops in Ukraine.

Most operators cycle through temporary jobs, attracted by wages averaging $45 for a 12-hour shift (with a small bonus for overnight work). They spend their shifts restarting printers on one-hour cycles, eating beside the machines, and fixing frequent breakdowns caused by nonstop use. The farm runs on low-cost printers meant for home hobbyists, which are pushed to failure and replaced rather than being properly repaired. Many small-time “farms” appear and disappear just as quickly. People of Baikal’s sources described a business life cycle in which any expansion triggers tax inspections, jeopardizing paychecks.

Workers are told nothing about the purpose of the plastic parts they produce. Sources described small black components that resembled tubes and arches. Managers told staff the products were designed for hotel lamps, but employees suspected they were intended for a defense contract. One woman said this suspicion made it easier on her conscience to hand in defective work.

The St. Petersburg operation fits into a wider boom in makeshift 3D-printing workshops across Russia, made possible by cheaper printers and easy-to-learn software. Many small setups are run by families out of their homes, printing drone parts and other gear for relatives fighting in Ukraine. People of Baikal found that online job listings for 3D-printer operators usually disclose what’s being made — except for a small cluster of offers that mirror the secrecy typical of military contracts.

The Archive Collection: Nothing can stop Meduza from releasing anniversary merch — even if we have to make it ourselves. Check out our latest drop now!

We have a new tradition here at Meduza: every year on our birthday, we update the merch in our online store, Magaz. In 2025, we turned 11 — and despite the considerable challenges we’ve faced this year, we’ve found a pretty original way to bring you a new collection. Here’s a look at the latest clothing and accessories you can buy to rep Meduza and support our work.

News you don’t want to miss today

🕊️ Russia rejects peace plan concessions amid U.S. envoy leak uproar 🇷🇺

Moscow will make “no big concessions” on a Ukraine peace plan, even as U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff prepares to visit Moscow next week for talks. An unnamed “senior Russian diplomat” made this statement on Wednesday, a day after Bloomberg published leaked transcripts of phone calls between top Kremlin and White House officials.

• The plan’s flaw: Kyiv and European allies fear the proposal aligns too closely with Moscow’s demands — blocking Ukraine’s NATO entry, formalizing Russian control of occupied territory, and limiting Ukraine’s military — despite Zelensky saying he is ready to advance the U.S.-supported framework.
• The uproar: The leaked transcripts triggered unusually sharp criticism from Trump-aligned Republicans, who warned against rewarding Russia and questioned Witkoff’s secret negotiations. Moscow, meanwhile, denounced the leak as an attempt to undermine peace efforts and as a form of hybrid warfare.
• The status: Witkoff is set to meet Russian leaders next week, alongside figures involved in past diplomacy, though the Kremlin says it is “premature” to suggest a deal is near. Russia maintains it will not compromise on core issues even as Trump claims progress is being made. | Reuters

📞 What do the Witkoff–Ushakov and Ushakov–Dmitriev transcripts reveal about U.S.–Russian negotiations? Who leaked them — and why? | Meduza reviews how the leaked transcripts detail how Trump’s envoy offered messaging advice to a senior Kremlin aide and show Moscow feeding Washington its preferred terms for a Ukraine peace deal, while leaving the origin and motive of Tuesday’s leak unresolved.

📞 Leaked calls between Steve Witkoff and Putin’s advisers raise new questions about Trump’s ‘peace plan.’ Here’s how the world is reacting. | Global officials, journalists, and politicians are split between outrage, defensiveness, and conspiracy-tinged speculation over the motivations behind the leaked transcripts, their authenticity, and who stands to gain from their disclosure.

🐦 Russian neurotechnology company says it can steer pigeon flocks with implanted brain chips | A company called Neiry claims its chip-equipped “biodrones” can be remotely guided via brain stimulation to perform tasks like infrastructure monitoring, with the birds’ movements tracked by GPS and powered by solar modules.

⚖️ Russian prosecutors seeking 25-year prison sentence for physicist who donated to Ukrainian charities | Officials allege that Artyom Khoroshilov aided Ukraine’s military with donations, tested DDoS software linked to an attack on Russian Post, and possessed household chemicals they claim indicate plans for sabotage.

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