Recovery Process Could Take A Week Following Deadly Russia Crash
Difficult conditions mean the search-and-recovery operation at the snow-packed site of a plane crash outside Moscow that killed all 71 passengers and crew could take a week, Russian authorities say.
VISUAL REPORTS
THE POWER VERTICAL: A War Of Choice Continues
Three years ago today, the Minsk II cease-fire was signed.
Cargo 200: A Road Back Home
Current Time TV reports about the Ukrainian volunteer evacuation service Evacuation 200, which returns the bodies of soldiers killed fighting in the Russia-backed separatist-controlled areas of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region to their relatives. (over 56K views on Current Time TV Facebook)
Belarus’s Rap Wrap-Up 2017
ICYMI: RFE/RL journalist Ales Pilecki put a twist in his 2017 annual news wrap-up, composing a rap song to highlight the year’s main events. It attracted thousands of viewers, who shared, commented and re-posted the song on Facebook, Instagram and VKontakte networks.
OTHER NEWS
Abbas In Moscow To Seek Support On Jerusalem
Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas arrived in Moscow on February 12 for meetings with President Vladimir Putin as he seeks Russia’s support in the face of rising tensions with the United States.
Estonia, Russia Swap Convicted Spies After Presidential Pardons
Tallinn and Moscow have swapped two convicted spies after both men received presidential pardons, Estonian authorities said on February 10. Estonian businessman Raivo Susi was exchanged for Russian national Artyom Zinchenko at the Koidula border post in southeast Estonia.
Russian Media Regulator Moves To Block Navalny Exposé
Russia's media regulator has moved to prohibit material related to an investigation by opposition leader Aleksei Navalny that exposed a meeting between a Russian billionaire and a senior government official on a yacht.
Ukrainian Lawmakers Delay Key Bills To Attend Trump Prayer Breakfast
With relations between Russia and the United States at a low point, it was a big delegation from Moscow at the annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington to hear President Donald Trump speak that turned heads. Less focus was put on the large group of Ukrainian lawmakers who were also eager for a chance to get face time with the president.
Russian FSB Reports Detaining Ukrainian ‘Spy’ In Crimea
Russian Federal Security Service agents in Crimea have reportedly detained a Ukrainian citizen whom they accuse of gathering information about the activities of the agency and Russia’s National Guard on the peninsula for Ukraine’s security services. Officials in Kyiv have not yet commented about the detention of an alleged “spy.” (Russian Service)
Migration From Russia To Crimea Grows
Sevastopol, the capital city of Russia-annexed Crimea, is the seventh most popular destination for Russian migrants. The Russian Federal Statistics Service projects one migrant for every 27 local residents in 2018. Regions with the highest migrant outflows include Dagestan, Komi Republic, and the Arkhangelsk and Transbaikal regions. (Crimea Realities website)
Senior Official Accuses Russia Of Meddling In Moldovan Politics
A senior Moldovan lawmaker has accused Russia of meddling in his country's domestic politics ahead of parliamentary elections later this year.
Russian Historian Accused Of 'Religious Hatred' Over Account Of Solovki Gulag
Historian Yury Brodsky sees the far northern Solovki Archipelago as a kaleidoscopic microcosm of Russia -- its history, culture, nature, and spirit all brought together in one remote and windswept corner of a vast country.
Winter Olympics Debut A 10th Anniversary Gift For Kosovo
Skier Albin Tahiri will miss Kosovo's 10th-anniversary celebrations next week -- but as the country's first winter Olympian, he thinks his 1.8 million compatriots will forgive him while he competes in the Pyeongchang Games.
Stockholm Attacker Found To Have Link To Tajik IS Militants
The man charged with carrying out the deadly truck attack in Stockholm in April 2017 was in contact with alleged Islamic State (IS) militants from Tajikistan, a joint investigation by RFE/RL and a Swedish news agency has found.
HRW Blasts Tajik Journalist's Criminal Case As 'Travesty Of Justice'
Human Rights Watch has reiterated its calls on Tajik authorities to release prominent journalist Hairullo Mirsaidov, after his pretrial detention was extended by another two months.
Uzbek President Mirziyoev Purges Security Services Ranks
Several days before firing longtime National Security Service chief Rustam Inoyatov, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev dismissed 11 regional leaders of the service and three of his deputies, referring to some of the dismissed officials as “dogs” and “traitors.” (in Russian, Uzbek Service)
MAJLIS PODCAST: Academia In Peril In Tajikistan
POWER VERTICAL PODCAST
With the official kick-off of Russia’s presidential election campaign, PV’s Brian Whitmore and Current Time TV’s Kyril Sukhotski look at some of the weird scenes on the campaign trail, and what they signify.