This was Russia today Monday, January 12, 2026

Howdy, folks. Welcome to a new week and to a look at a new Bereg investigation into the real-estate phenomenon that supercharged last year’s controversy involving Larisa Dolina. Keep reading for news about Venezuela’s disappointing S-300s, high-stakes oil tanker standoffs, and Medvedev’s Greenland trolling. Yours, Kevin.

Investigating the ruin and marketwide panic caused by Russia’s scamming home sellers

In a new investigation, the journalist cooperative Bereg explores the fallout of a high-profile legal battle over the Moscow apartment of singer Larisa Dolina. The scandal exposed a surprisingly widespread real estate scheme in which a property seller — typically an elderly woman — sells her home, only to turn around and sue for its return, claiming she was coerced by scam artists posing as state officials. In Dolina’s case, she refused to vacate a 236-square-meter (2,540-square-foot) residence sold to a woman named Polina Lurie for 112 million rubles ($1.4 million). The dispute has come to represent the plight of hundreds of Russians currently trapped in similar litigation.

Bereg’s sources indicate that this phenomenon has grown nationwide, with 349 such cases documented between 2023 and 2025, up from just 19 in 2022. The scheme relies heavily on Article 177 of the Civil Code, which allows a court to void a contract if the seller was supposedly unable to understand their actions at the time of the transaction, even if they remain legally competent. In many instances, sellers have admitted in court that they never intended to transfer the property, invoking the narrative of “mysterious voices” and scammers to exploit judicial sympathy and keep their homes after the buyer’s money has ostensibly been transferred to unknown third parties. Many buyers suspect that sellers are lying entirely about the existence of scammers, and evidence of their existence presented in court is often scant.

The consequences for buyers are often catastrophic, as court-ordered “restitution” frequently results in a legal dead end, with the apartment returning to the seller while the buyer is left with a judgment for funds that may never be recovered. For example, one buyer in Tula discovered that his seller intended to repay 1.6 million rubles ($20,430) in monthly 3,000-ruble ($40) increments from her pension. He is fighting the arrangement by filing fraud charges against the seller and her family, accusing them of acting as an organized crime group and exploiting local government connections. Some buyers have started purposefully avoiding elderly sellers to minimize the risk of the “Dolina effect,” but this strategy is not foolproof. A woman in Arkhangelsk told Bereg that she now finds herself trapped in a “communal apartment” with her sellers. Having purchased the home with a large sum of borrowed money, she is now forced to share it with a “scammed” couple who refuse to leave.

Ivan Pavlov, founder of the Russian lawyers’ association First Department, told Bereg that the Supreme Court’s December 2025 ruling, which finally ordered Dolina to vacate the premises, has provided “hope for justice” for hundreds of affected families. Until now, buyers victimized by these schemes have had to rely on winning the authorities’ support through exposure in the national press and on network television. While the December ruling will likely shift future judicial practice toward protecting “good faith buyers,” the instability caused by the “Dolina Effect” has already damaged Russia’s real estate market. For example, secondary market transactions in Moscow dropped by one-third in late 2025 as buyers began to fear the legal volatility surrounding any purchase involving potentially “vulnerable” sellers.

Get your Meduza merch!

We have a tradition here at Meduza: every year on our birthday, we update the merch in our online store, Magaz. In 2026, we’ll turn 12. 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

🇻🇪 Russian missiles fail in Venezuela during U.S. operation 🇷🇺🇺🇸

The Kremlin’s advanced air defense systems proved ineffective during a U.S. mission to capture Nicolas Maduro, as many units were reportedly not operational, unlinked to radar, or left in storage.

• A collapse of deterrence: While systems like the S-300 and Buk-M2 were intended to symbolize Moscow’s influence in the Western Hemisphere, poor maintenance and a lack of technical support have revealed the limits of Russia’s strategic reach. | The New York Times

🚢 Russian flags proliferate over shadow fleet as U.S. seizures intensify 🇷🇺🇺🇸

Moscow is increasingly allowing sanctioned oil tankers to fly the Russian tricolor, hoping a “great power” flag will deter U.S. interceptions of Venezuelan and Iranian crude.

• A high-seas flashpoint: Despite the new flags, the U.S. military has recently seized five tankers — including the Bella 1 — forcing standoffs between the American Coast Guard and Russian military vessels. | The Wall Street Journal

🇷🇺 Russia hints at Greenland annexation as Trump eyes Arctic 🇬🇱🇺🇸

Dmitry Medvedev has “suggested” that Greenland could hold a sudden referendum to join Russia if U.S. President Donald Trump does not hurry his renewed push to acquire the territory.

• A strategic trolling: As the Trump administration eyes Greenland, ostensibly to bolster U.S. national security and deter Russian influence, Medvedev’s remarks underscore Moscow’s apparent glee at the intensifying friction within the NATO alliance. | Reuters

❄️ Blizzards leave cities from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok buried in snow | Record-shattering accumulations paralyzed major transportation hubs like Sheremetyevo Airport and forced residents to navigate significant logistical chaos following a historic 50-year weather event.

🕊️ Newly declassified transcripts show a chummy Putin and Bush Jr. at the height of U.S.–Russia cooperation | The two presidents utilized a first-name basis to navigate complex disputes over NATO’s eastward expansion, the conflict in Chechnya, and the legalities of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

🔌 Hundreds of apartment buildings still without heat after massive Russian attack on Kyiv | Emergency crews are working to restore water and power services after the January 9 offensive killed four people and inflicted the most significant damage to the energy grid since the war began, with a full recovery not projected until January 15.

🧭 CEO Vladislav Baumgertner is missing: Cypriot police search for missing executive while Russian embassy reports diplomat suicide | The veteran manager previously spearheaded the modernization of the industrial giant Uralkali and became a central figure in a high-stakes 2013 geopolitical conflict with Belarus that resulted in his months-long detention in Minsk.

No country can be free without independent media. In January 2023, the Russian authorities outlawed Meduza, banning our work in the country our colleagues call home. Just supporting Meduza carries the risk of criminal prosecution for Russian nationals, which is why we’re turning to our international audience for help. Your assistance makes it possible for thousands of people in Russia to read Meduza and stay informed. Consider a small but recurring contribution to provide the most effective support. Donate here.