VISUAL REPORTS
TRAILER: Putin. Witnesses
This trailer previews a new documentary by prominent Russian filmmaker Vitaly Mansky that Current Time will explore and discuss on March 15. The film, containing exclusive footage from Boris Yeltsin's home and at Vladimir Putin’s campaign headquarters on the night of his electoral victory in 2000, provides a personal perspective on the events that made Putin president. (over 246k views on Current Time TV Facebook)
VOX POP: Is It Time For Russia To Get Out Of The War In Syria?
Respondents to an informal street poll in Moscow were evenly divided in their views as to whether Russia should withdraw its military from Syria. Some said the campaign is “strategically important for the country” and that Russia is protecting its interests as well as the Syrian people. Others said that Russia should not have been there in the first place, and it should take care of its own citizens first. One respondent said Russia has done enough and now it’s time to leave. (Russian Service)
Ukraine’s Illegal Trade Across The Frontline
RFE/RL’s Donbas Realities program has uncovered an illegal trade scheme allowing the Russia-backed separatist territories in eastern Ukraine to bypass an official Ukrainian ban on trade with the region and receive tons of goods from the Ukraine-controlled side of the contact line. (Donbas Realities, Ukrainian Service)
Women Of The World Unite - The Soviet Union’s Posters
Although it arose from the women's movement in several countries over 100 years ago, International Women's Day took on a life of its own in the Soviet Union. March 8 evolved from a day of action for equal rights into an occasion when men were expected (and often obligated) to show their appreciation with flowers and gifts.
OTHER NEWS
KREMLIN COUNTDOWN:
RFE/RL’s election live blog reports today that Russia’s Central Election Commission has refused to accredit some 4,500 election monitors from opposition politician Aleksei Navalny’s Leviafan group. In Krasnodar, Navalny supporters have been holding signs telling drivers, "Honk If You Are Against Putin." And outside the Duma building in Moscow, candidate Ksenia Sobchak conducted a one-woman protest against senior lawmaker Leonid Slutsky and other legislators accused of sexual harassment.
British Police Work To Identify Nerve Agent Used Against Russian Ex-Spy
British police are seeking to identify the type of nerve agent used to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, as doctors fight to save their lives and that of a policeman who fell ill after coming to their aid.
Weeks Before Skripal, Litvinenko’s Wife Warned Of Russia’s Reach
Marina Litvinenko, the wife of murdered former Russian security agent Aleksandr Litvinenko, whose death in 2006 by radioactive poisoning in London was likely to have been ordered by the Kremlin, recently told Current Time TV that such incidents remain "quite possible."
'My Father Wrote Putin's Dissertation'
Olga Litvinenko says she spent the summer of 1997 helping her father, Vladimir Litvinenko, the newly installed rector of the National Mineral Resources University, write a candidate's dissertation for a political up-and-comer, Vladimir Putin.
Furor In Tatarstan Over 'Poor Jew' Ice Cream
The Jewish community in Russia's Tatarstan region has expressed outrage about the name and packaging design of a new ice cream called Poor Jew. The Slavitsa company in Tatarstan's second-largest city, Naberezhnye Chelny, announced the new ice-cream product on February 28. The ice cream's wrapper features an image of Israel's flag.
Duma Speaker Tells Women Journalists To 'Change Jobs' To Avoid Harassment
The speaker of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, has told women journalists who report from the legislature to change their jobs if they face sexual harassment from lawmakers.
Ukraine Not Doing Enough To Combat Russian Cyberwarfare
During the televised trial of ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in February, Deputy Head of President Petro Poroshenko’s administration Dmytro Shymkiv feared his boss’s video testimony could be disabled by a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack.
Armenia's Ruling Party 'Open' To Opposition Candidates For PM
A senior member of Armenia’s ruling party on March 6 challenged other political groups to name their own candidates to be prime minister, which will be the country's top post after constitutional reform is completed next month.
Six Minutes Late: Balkan Bickering Slowing Clocks Across Europe
European power operators say a dispute between Serbia and Kosovo is sapping energy from the continent's electricity grid and causing electronic clocks to run several minutes late across Europe.
Members Of Macedonia’s Anticorruption Body Resign Amid Spending Scandal
Three more members of Macedonia's state anticorruption commission have resigned amid a scandal over alleged lavish spending. (Balkan Service)
Uzbek Court To Investigate Journalist’s Allegations Of Torture
An Uzbek court agreed to look into allegations of torture by journalist Bobomurod Abdullaev, as his trial got under way in Tashkent on March 7. The trial was adjourned on the first day after Abdullaev was asked to remove his shirt to display traces of torture he claims to have suffered while in detention.
MOST READ/UKRAINE: Ukrainian Women Condemn President Poroshenko’s Remarks
Women media workers in Ukraine have accused President Petro Poroshenko of using sexist language when he responded to journalist Maryna Baranovska during a recent press conference, calling her “my dear.” On the eve of International Women's Day, several prominent women Ukrainian journalists wore t-shirts with the slogan, “I Am Not Your Dear.” (Ukrainian Service)
MOST READ/RUSSIA: Confessions Of Russian Mercenaries In Syria
RFE/RL has interviewed three commanders of the Wagner group, the private Russian military company that is alleged to have recruited Russian mercenaries to fight in Syria. Each of them trained in the Soviet military, and took an active part in fighting in Donbas and Syria. They report that mercenaries are paid on average $2,600 per month; if they finish a 3-month stint, their pay is doubled, amounting to approximately $17,000. Company commanders receive up to $52,600 for a 3-month stint. Mercenaries who sign up but then refuse to fight are deployed to “pull boxes” and supplies for $17 per day. (over 275K views on Russian Service website)