PHOTOGALLERY
VIDEO REPORTS
Parades, Flags and Stalin -- Victory Day In Former U.S.S.R.
Parades were held, flags waved, and Stalin was celebrated as the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II was marked across the former Soviet Union.
Donetsk Parade May Violate Ukraine Peace Deal
A Victory Day parade in Donetsk by Russia-backed separatists featuring tanks, artillery, and rocket systems may violate the Minsk peace agreement.
Enlightening Moscow’s Masses Quietly
#quietpiquet refers to one woman and the one sign she holds while riding the Moscow metro to direct attention to political and social issues. (In Russian/Current Time TV)
Cheers Or Jeers? Pro-Kremlin Biker Club Rolls Through Prague
As the notorious Night Wolves rode through Prague, official Russian TV and activists from the opposition-supported Open Russia organization reported on the event.
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Russian And Latvian Communities Differ Over V-Day
Victory Day remains a subject of dispute in Latvia. As in many European countries, one part of the population marks the day on May 8 and memorializes those who died in the second World War. Members of the country’s Russian population celebrate victory on May 9, deny the post-war Soviet occupation of the Baltics, and laud the Soviet Union’s contribution to Latvia’s development. (In Russian/ Current Time TV)
Many Ukrainians say that Kremlin narratives of the second World War seek to link the battles “our [Russian] grandfathers fought” with Russia’s current campaign to make Crimea and Donbas “ours,” while ignoring the contributions of non-Russian soldiers to the Soviet Union’s war effort and attributing victory to Russia. (In Ukrainian)
Belarus’s history books assign the beginning of the war to June 1941 instead of September 1939, inflate the number of partisans who fought against Nazi Germany, and maintain that Soviet authorities were unaware of Germany’s imminent attack. (In Belarusian)
Ukraine Hackers Mark Victory Day
Ukrainian hackers prepared a Victory Day surprise for Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine on May 9, taking over nine of the militants' websites.
Russian Sochi Medalists Subject Of New Doping Allegations
The World Anti-Doping Agency is looking into new charges that four of Russia's gold-medal winners at the Sochi Olympics used steroids.
Russia To Expect A Decade Of Decline
Predicting a steady economic decline for the next 10 years, Moscow Carnegie Center economist Alexey Movchan told RFE/RL, “When the national reserve funds are exhausted, the government will be forced to switch to left-wing methods, which can extend the life of [authoritarian] regimes for decades.” (In Russian)
Alexievich Holds Master Class On Reporting
Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexievich held a master class on reporting at Belarus’s press club on May 8, and announced plans to open a club in Minsk this fall to host renowned public figures and events. (In Belarusian)
Prosecutors in Uzbekistan have detained the company’s general director and are investigating alleged fraud, money laundering, and embezzlement at the country’s GM plant.
COMMENTARY: Why Do We Celebrate The Wrong Heroes?
While every child in the former Yugoslavia knows about war criminal Radovan Karadzic, few will have ever heard of Vladimir Barovic or Jovan Divjak.
PODCAST: The Viability Of Central-South Asian Energy Projects
The CASA-1000 Central Asia-South Asia electricity transmission project and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline would bring rich benefits to the region, but obstacles may prevent either from being realized.
INFOGRAPHIC: How The Mafia And Politics Merge In Russia