VISUAL REPORTS
Commemorations Of Slain Kremlin Critic Boris Nemtsov Held In Russian Cities
Events marking the memory of former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, shot dead on February 27, 2015, took place over the weekend in numerous cities, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Saratov. (RFE/RL's Russian Service and Current Time TV)
Bridging The Divide -- Where Russia Meets The EU
This is where Russia and the European Union meet: the twin towns of Narva, in Estonia, and Ivangorod, in Russia, separated by a short bridge, but united by ties of blood and language. (Current Time TV).
Migrants And Minorities Take Lead Roles At Russian Theater
At St. Petersburg’s Alexandrinsky Theatre, actors are rehearsing a new play that brings together Russians, immigrants, and Russian-born minorities on stage.
'LGBT Special Forces' Fight For Rights In Russia
A group of activists calling themselves "LGBT Special Forces" performed street theater in St. Petersburg to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights.
Belarusians In Four Cities Protest Against Special Tax On Unemployed
More than 3,000 people have demonstrated in regional centers across Belarus against an unpopular new law that targets the unemployed.
OTHER NEWS
THE POWER VERTICAL: The Tao Of Lavrov
After nearly 13 years as Russia's top diplomat, Sergei Lavrov is the incredible shrinking foreign minister, marginalized and excluded from the decision-making process in Moscow.
Thousands March In Moscow To Remember Slain Kremlin Critic Nemtsov
Thousands have marched in Moscow to commemorate slain Kremlin critic and former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, who was killed on a bridge steps from the Kremlin two years ago.
Six Detained At Nemtsov Memorial After March
Police have reportedly detained six activists at an improvised memorial near the Kremlin where Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was gunned down two years ago.
Putin Begins Central Asian Tour With Kazakhstan Visit
Russian President Vladimir Putin began a two-day, three-nation tour of Central Asia on February 27, seeking to shore up ties with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
U.S. Demands Russia Observe Cease-Fire
The United States has called on Russia to "immediately" observe a cease-fire deal in eastern Ukraine, saying that a combined force from Russia’s military and pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine had been targeting international monitors.
Russian Activist Ildar Dadin Released From Prison
Russian political activist Ildar Dadin has been released from prison, days after the Supreme Court overturned his conviction.
Rosneft To Sell Majority Stake In Chechen Oil Company
In an asset transfer process that began two years ago, Russian state oil company Rosneft is planning to sell a 51 percent stake in Grozneftegaz, together with other assets in the region, to Chechnya for approximately $216.5 million. (RFE/RL Caucasus Reality regional website)
PM Medvedev Says No Unemployment In Russia
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told the Russian Investment Forum in Sochi on February 27 that “the situation in the labor market is stable,” adding that the next five years will not be easy for the labor market, but because of the lack of skilled workers, not unemployment. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Russia Mulls Moves To Ground Unruliness On Airliners
Since the beginning of 2017, Russia’s Duma has reviewed numerous new legislative initiatives to rein in potentially dangerous actions by airline passengers.
Ukraine’s Security Service Discloses Finances Of So-Called Luhansk Separatist Republic
A spokesperson for Ukraine’s Security Service has told Ukrainian media that the budget for the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic for the first quarter of 2017 is approximately $190.5 million, of which $34.6 million is funded by regional authorities with the remainder financed by the Foundation for the Support of International Humanitarian Projects, a charity financed by a bank in Moscow. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Savchenko Visits Separatist Areas In Bid To Free Prisoners
Ukrainian lawmaker Nadia Savchenko met with Ukrainian prisoners in areas of eastern Ukraine held by Russia-backed separatists on February 24, irking many of her compatriots in Kyiv.
EU Prolongs Arms Embargo On Belarus
The European Union decided on February 27 to prolong its weapons embargo on Belarus by another year and to leave a visa ban and asset freezes on four Belarusian citizens in place.
Armenians, Azerbaijanis Trade Accusations Over Karabakh Fighting
Azerbaijan and the separatists controlling the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region have traded accusations over armed clashes along the heavily militarized line of contact.
Romanians Revive Antigovernment Protests In Bucharest
Thousands of Romanians revived antigovernment protests in Bucharest during the weekend, renewing demands that the government step down amid accusations it sought to weaken laws against official corruption.
MOST READ/RUSSIA: Be Careful, You Are Being Bugged
Roman Zakharov, a civic activist who left Russia because of political pressure, says that Russia’s telephone surveillance system surpasses that used during the Soviet period, and recent laws provide no legal mechanism to enable citizens to prove their phones are tapped. He told RFE/RL that a law passed in the 1990s “requires all operators to connect to the SORM system [System for Operative Investigative Activities] and allows for the use of a black-box that even telecom operators are unaware of.” (over 40k views on Russian Service website)