VISUAL REPORTS
Russian YouTuber Tours The Legacy Of Stalin
Russian YouTuber Yri Dud has released In Kolyma -- The Home Of Our Fear, an extended documentary about the legacy of Stalinist repressions in Russia, told through the stories of people living among the ruins of forced-labor camps in one of the most inhospitable regions in the world.
On The Front Line: Shells Continue To Fall In Eastern Ukraine
Four years after the cease-fire signed in Minsk, intermittent shelling continues on the front line between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists.
Serbian Protesters March For 21st Time
Antigovernment marches continued in Belgrade on April 27 for the 21st straight Saturday since December 8. Demonstrators have called for the resignation of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and balanced reporting by the public radio and television broadcaster, RTS.
Armenia Celebrates First Citizen's Day Holiday
Armenia is celebrating its newest holiday, Citizen's Day, marking the anniversary of the nationwide protest movement in April 2018 that ousted longtime leader Serzh Sarkisian and swept Nikol Pashinian to power.
Yak Yogurt Fuels Hard Work Of Kyrgyz Herders
In the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, herders who raise yaks say the rugged animals are valued for their healthy meat and rich milk.
OTHER NEWS
Report Finds Military Spending Increases In Europe Amid Russia Fears
A new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute finds that military spending in Ukraine and several other Central and Eastern European countries rose by about 20 percent in 2018, largely in reaction to perceived threats from Russia.
Russia Utilizes 'Ever-Increasing Array of Laws' To Repress Citizens
The number of political prisoners in Russia has surpassed 230, as President Vladimir Putin's government implements an "ever-increasing array of laws specifically designed to criminalize acts of everyday life," according to a new report created with input from the Moscow-based rights group Memorial.
USCIRF Report Cites Russia, Uzbekistan As 'Countries Of Particular Concern'
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom reports that China’s Uyghur Muslim population continues to be subject to "egregious abuses," and recommends that Russia and Uzbekistan be added to a list along with Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and other countries of the worst violators of religious freedom.
Putin Suggests That Ukraine Return Passport To Saakashvili
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine should return former Georgian President and Odesa Governor Mikheil Saakashvili’s Ukrainian passport to him, saying “it would only be fair” for a person “who was Georgian in the past and now considers himself Ukrainian.” He also said that Russians and Ukrainians would benefit from common citizenship, and expressed hope that he and Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy might agree in this regard. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Relatives Disown Dissident Blogger In Chechnya
Relatives of Chechen blogger Tumso Abdurakhmanov, a critic of the region’s authorities, including its first President Akhmat Kadyrov, have reportedly disowned him. Abdurakhmanov himself has published a video clip in which he says his relatives were forced to disown him and pledge not to seek revenge should he be killed. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Russian Police Search Homes Of Crimean Tatar Activists
Police on April 30 searched the Simferopol homes of Rolan Osmanov and Delyaver Bekirov, two Crimean Tatar activists, in Ukraine's Russia-controlled Crimea region. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) detained 20 Crimean Tatars in March following house-to-house searches in Simferopol and nearby districts on suspicion of being members of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamic group that is banned in Russia but legal in Ukraine.
Beluga Whale With Russian Harness Raises Alarm In Norway
Norwegian officials say they are concerned that a harnessed beluga whale found in the Arctic Sea may have come from a Russian military facility.
Kosovo Leader Calls For U.S. Participation In Talks With Serbia
Following a meeting in Berlin with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Kosovar President Hashim Thaci called the EU "too weak" to resolve differences between Serbia and Kosovo, and urged that the United States be included in subsequent talks.
Eight Nominees Submit Applications To Run For Kazakh President
Eight nominees, including interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, who is expected to win, have submitted applications to run for president of Kazakhstan in the June snap election.
POLL: Russians Prefer Zelenskiy, Sort Of
The latest Levada Center poll has found that 31% of Russian respondents believe that Vladimir Zelenskiy’s victory in Ukraine’s presidential election is beneficial for Russia, while 55% said it doesn’t matter who won. Two percent said a Poroshenko win would have been preferable. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
PHOTO ESSAY: What’s Changed? Armenia One Year After Revolution