The Rundown -- April 17

# AL.com cites RFE/RL's coverage of Ukraine crisis

# VKontakte founder says FSB asked him to turn over Euromaidan account information

# U.S. says toughest sanctions will only come if Russia invades

# "The U.S. Is Being Routed by Russia in the Information War Over Ukraine" - Kevin Rothrock, "New Republic"

# "Five Reasons Obama Won't Push Harsher Russia Sanctions—Yet"- Bloomberg

# "Playing Putin's Game" - Walter Russell Mead, "The American Interest"

# Duma passes first reading of bill that would end direct mayoral elections

# How McDonalds went from zero to hero in Russia

# Anti- terrorist operation "a spectacular debacle"

# Leonid Ragozin: people in Donbas really hate instability

# "What Drives the Hate in Eastern Ukraine" - Oksana Grytsenko, "Kyiv Post"

# "Ukraine is Not Ready for the Consequences of Taking Russia's Military Bait" - Simon Shuster, "Time"

# "Why Ukraine's May 25 Election Is So Important" - George Liber, "Moscow Times"

# Gagauzia's "tough choice" between Russia and the EU

# Deep corruption at Afghanistan's border crossings

# Do Afghan election results increase chance U.S. will stay?

# Women of Afghanistan "stand to be counted"

# Pakistan Taliban end ceasefire

# A solar solution to Pakistan's gas crisis

# Pakistan publishes list to embarrass tax cheats

# Mother of victim halts Iranian's execution at last minute

# Iran "ready to help Europe" with natural gas

# Could Israel carry out a surprise attack on Iran?

# Azerbaijan and Iran seeking closer military ties

# Kazakhstan considers Aral Sea cooperation with Uzbekistan

# "A Greener Development Path for Kazakhstan" - World Bank

# Armenian said to be first person killed in eastern Ukraine violence

# Azerbaijan clamping down on Facebook activists

# Azerbaijan to build Olympic complex

# The pitfalls of media partnerships

# Relationship advice