Editor's Note: The people who spoke with the author of this article requested that they be referred to only by their first names since they remain in Russia and are scared to share sensetive information with the media fearing retribution by the people or the state. Adam, a Tajik migrant, navigates daily life in Moscow amidst growing scrutiny and suspicion: since the Crocus City Hall attack, he's been taken to the police station every other day. He also faced discrimination from common people:

In the vast expanse of Russia, a country where the rigid chill of societal norms and legal strictures often bites more painful than the harshest winter frost, unfolds the poignant story of Ada Blakewell, a 23-year-old trans woman. Her journey is a mirror, reflecting the trials and tribulations faced by many within the Russian LGBTQ+ community, now officially outlawed by the state. Born into a setting that was steeped in conservative and deeply Orthodox traditions, Blakewell’s mere existence wa