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Russia's International Youth Festival, organized by Rosmolodezh, concluded in Yekaterinburg after running from September 11 to 17, with representatives reportedly attending from 191 countries — nearly the entire membership of the United Nations. The event was intended to showcase Russia's international standing and soft power amid its ongoing war and diplomatic isolation from much of the West. Foreign attendees were reportedly given unrestricted internet access during the festival, while Russian attendees were not, highlighting the Kremlin's continued internal information controls even as it sought to project openness to international guests.