Several Russian developers lose kernel maintainership status Perhaps one of the more surprising changes in the 6.12-rc4 development kernel was <a href="https://git.kernel.org/linus/6e90b675cf94" rel="nofollow">the removal of several entries</a> from the kernel's MAINTAINERS file. The https://lore.kernel.org/all/2024101835-tiptop-blip-09ed@gregkh/ performing the removal was sent (by Greg Kroah-Hartman) only to the patches@lists.linux.dev mailing list; the change was included in <a href="https://lwn.net/ml/linux-kernel/ZxUH2J0BL3FCV6Hr@kroah.com/" rel="nofollow">a char-misc drivers pull request</a> with no particular mention. The explanation for the removal is simply "various compliance requirements". Given that the developers involved all appear to be of Russian origin, it is not too hard to imagine what sort of compliance is involved here. There has, however, been no public posting of the policy that required the removal of these entries. https://lwn.net/Articles/995186/