VISUAL REPORTS
THE POWER VERTICAL: Targeting The Good Guys
Russian media is reporting that WADA President Craig Reedie and U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller are on a Russian sanctions list.
Moscow Court Extends Serebrennikov’s Arrest
A Moscow court has declared its investigation closed, and extended the detention of prominent filmmaker Kirill Serebrennikov and two colleagues until April 19. Serebrennikov, who is charged with extortion of 133 million rubles, (roughly $2.3 million) according to the investigating committee, has rejected the charges as “absurd.” (Russian Service Facebook)
VOX POP: Does Russia’s Information Stream Influence The West’s Elections?
Most respondents to an informal street poll in Moscow doubted any effect. One respondent said “it depends on the electorate” and whether people trust Russian media. Another said that people in the West are “freedom thinkers” and are able to separate “propagandist lies” from facts. (Russian Service)
Ukraine Parliament Passes Contentious Donbas 'Reintegration' Bill
A bill that labels Russia an "aggressor" and the separatist-held parts of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces "temporarily occupied territories" has been passed by the Ukrainian parliament.
At Least 52 Uzbeks Killed In Kazakh Bus Fire
At least 52 citizens of Uzbekistan were killed in a fire that broke out on a bus in Kazakhstan’s northwestern Aqtobe region.
OTHER NEWS
NATO Notes Russia's 'Resurgence,' Urges Vigilance
U.S. General Curtis Scaparrotti, NATO's supreme allied commander in Europe, has warned that the alliance will lose its dominance in certain areas in five years if it fails to modernize and adapt to the growing threat from Russia
EU Issues Call To Combat Russian 'Propaganda'
The European Commission and lawmakers have accused Russia of orchestrating a “disinformation campaign” aimed at destabilizing the bloc and called for increased measures in response.
50 Ways To Love Your Putin: Russian TV Fawns Over Election Drive
An independent Russian election monitoring group has accused television networks of violating election laws by delivering free campaign advertising for President Vladimir Putin ahead of the March presidential election.
Looking Beyond Extraction In Siberia
Distinguished Russian economist Vyatcheslav Inozemtsev told RFE/RL he is “absolutely convinced that Siberia is an attractive region in terms of investment and relocation,” but that current investment is directed primarily toward mining. “We haven't learned to produce anything more serious and necessary for the world.” (Siberia Realities website)
Kyiv Says Two Government Soldiers Killed In Eastern Ukraine
Ukraine's military says two of its soldiers were killed and five wounded after an explosive device damaged a military vehicle in the eastern part of the country, despite a cease-fire deal.
Ukraine’s Largest University Cancels Classes To Save On Heat And Electricity
Kyiv’s Taras Shevchenko National University has cancelled lectures and seminars for its 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students until spring in response to new tariffs on heat and electricity. Arrangements for some courses to be conducted remotely are being made.(in Russian, Current Time TV)
New Footage Shows Final Hours Of Slain Lawyer
Iryna Nozdrovska's trip home on December 29 should have been routine: a short walk from her Kyiv office to a subway station, then a 31-minute ride north before taking a bus to the village of Demydiv, where it stops 150 meters from her home.
Belarus Activist's Son Convicted Of Auschwitz Desecration
A Polish court has convicted the son of prominent Belarus human rights activist Ales Byalyatski, and 11 other people, on charges of desecrating the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp memorial by staging a protest involving nudity and animal slaughter at the camp’s infamous main gate.
U.S. Warns Kosovo Against Scrapping War Crimes Court
The U.S. ambassador to Kosovo has warned the country's politicians that they will bear “specific and harsh consequences” should their efforts to abolish a new war crimes court succeed.
Macedonian President Vetoes Albanian Language Legislation
Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov has vetoed legislation extending the official use of the Albanian language to the entire country, saying it could endanger Macedonia’s unity and sovereignty.
Uzbek Foreign Minister Meets Top U.S. Security Adviser
Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov has met in Washington with top U.S. officials including White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster, the Central Asian country’s Foreign Ministry says.
Uzbek Man Offers Guilty Plea In New York Truck Attack
An Uzbek man charged with ramming a truck down a New York City bike path and killing eight is willing to plead guilty and accept a life sentence in prison to avoid the death penalty.
7.40am -- Good Morning!
[Excerpt from Current Time TV’s daily, first-read for Russian-speaking audiences.]
Russia’s Federal Security Service has published a draft presidential decree titled "Fundamentals of the State Border Policy of Russia," which explicitly cites Russian concern over the territorial claims of "a number of foreign states" and the destabilization of the socio-political situation in the territories bordering Russia. For their part, several foreign countries are concerned with a Russian threat, as was stated at the NATO defense chiefs meeting in Brussels.