VISUAL REPORTS
Ukrainian Activists Confront Russian Blogger, With Violent Results
Ukrainian activist Leonid Ovcharenko faced abuse from a crowd that had turned out to see a Russian blogger he had confronted with questions over Crimea. The blogger, Aleksandra Mitroshina, had visited the peninsula that Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014. The confrontation, which turned violent, took place in Kyiv.
Doctors Decry 'Terrible' Conditions At Moscow Children's Cancer Center
Doctors who quit a Moscow cancer center for children in late September say they still have the support of parents. Twenty-one staff members resigned from the N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center over poor conditions and low pay.
Wheelchairs In Siberia: Disabled Activists Fight For Better Access
Navigating a Russian city in a wheelchair is incredibly difficult -- and the challenge is even greater in the middle of winter. One disability activist in the Siberian city of Tomsk says government projects intended to improve accessibility have largely failed to deliver on their promises.
INFOGRAPHIC: Iran And Its Missiles
Iran boasts one of the largest and most varied arsenals of rockets and missiles in the Middle East, including both cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as launch vehicles capable of sending satellites into space.
OTHER NEWS
Ukrainian Security Council Considers Missile Hit As Cause Of Tehran Plane Crash
Speaking on January 9, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danylov said there are seven theories currently being considered to explain the crash of a Ukrainian airliner on January 8 in Tehran, including that it was hit by a Russian-made air defense missile. Danylov said that Ukrainian experts who earlier investigated the crash of MH17 have arrived in Iran and are coordinating with local authorities. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Ukrainians Mourn As Zelenskiy Calls For 'Patience' With Plane Crash Investigation
Ukraine observed a day of national mourning on January 9 as aviation authorities frantically searched for answers after the crash of a Ukrainian airliner southwest of Tehran that killed all 176 on board. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy cautioned that the disaster was "not a topic for social media hype, sensationalism or conspiracy theories."
Hungary’s Orban Wants EU Stance On Iran Aligned With U.S., Israel
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that the European Union's position on the U.S.-Iran dispute should be more closely aligned with the United States and Israel. Orban also said Budapest will keep its troops stationed in Iraq as long as the government in Baghdad stands by the agreement between the two countries.
Ukrainian Police Detain Alleged Georgia-Born Russian Kingpin Known As Moskovsky
An alleged Russian organized crime kingpin, nicknamed Kamo Moskovsky, has been arrested in Ukraine on suspicion of illegal border-crossing and planning to obtain control over criminal groups in the country.
EU, Belarus Ink Visa Deals
The European Union and Belarus have signed two agreements that will make it easier and cheaper for Belarusian citizens to enter most EU countries, marking "an important step in EU-Belarus relations," the European Council said in a statement on January 8.
Belgrade Protesters Rally Against Montenegro's New Religion Law
Thousands of people have rallied through Serbia's capital to protest against the alleged suppression of religious and other rights of Serbian minorities in neighboring countries. The January 8 march to Belgrade's St. Sava Church was led by Serbian Orthodox priests and was attended by right-wing groups and soccer fans, among others.
Ahead Of Elections In Tajikistan, Senior U.S. State Department Official Says Journalists Should Be Accredited
In an interview with RFE/RL’s Tajik Service on January 7 in Dushanbe, U.S. State Department Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Alice Wells declared that authorities “should accredit” RFE/RL Tajik Service journalists and support staff, and that accreditation should be used “to support the professional rights of journalists.” Wells drew special attention to the importance of media freedom ahead of dual elections expected to take place in Tajikistan this year. (Tajik Service)
Kyrgyz Investigative Website Editor Attacked In Bishkek
Bolot Temirov, the editor in chief of the Kyrgyz investigative website FactCheck, was attacked by unidentified assailants on January 9, colleagues told RFE/RL. Temirov's site and the investigative organization Bellingcat have recently investigated the family and former deputy chief of Kyrgyz customs Raimbek Matraimov, who are at the center of a $700 million corruption scandal in Kyrgyzstan.
Court Acquits Kazakh Journalist Sentenced On Libel Charges
A court in Kazakhstan’s southern city of Turkistan has acquitted journalist Amangeldy Batyrbekov of libel charges. The judge on January 9 accepted Batyrbekov's appeal, ordered him released from detention, and offered apologies to the journalist "on behalf of the state and the court."
IRAN: Three Decades Of Iran’s Secretive Quds Force