Russia Marks WWII Victory Day
Russia on May 9 commemorated the 74th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. An estimated 27 million Soviet civilians died in the war.
VISUAL REPORTS
Kazakh Protesters Detained As Websites Go Dark
Police in Kazakhstan detained several anti-government protesters who staged demonstrations during ceremonies marking the Allied victory in World War II. Many social-media apps and news websites were inaccessible in Kazakhstan for most of the day on May 9, including the website of RFE/RL's Kazakh Service.
Several Detained At Rival Victory Day Demonstrations In Georgia
Victory Day celebrations in Georgia were marred by shouting matches between rival demonstrators and the heckling of President Salome Zurabishvili, who was called a "Traitor!" by anti-Russia protesters as she laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Tbilisi.
Alleged Russian Agents Among 14 Convicted For Montenegro Coup Plot
Among 14 people convicted in Montenegro for a plot to overthrow the government in 2018, two are alleged to be agents of Russian military intelligence. Prosecutors believe they were trying to stop the Balkan country's membership in NATO.
A Cathedral For Russia's Armed Forces Merges Militarism With Faith
Valery Anisimov is one of hundreds of entrepreneurs, artists, and designers participating in the construction of the vast Main Cathedral Of Russian Armed Forces, a military-themed complex announced by the Defense Ministry in 2016 combining symbols of religion and military pride.
OTHER NEWS
Lavrov Cites 'Extremely Significant' Differences With Japan Over Islands
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, following a meeting with his Japanese counterpart in Moscow on May 10, said "extremely significant" differences remain between the two countries over a territorial dispute over four islands -- known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kuriles in Russia -- that has prevented Moscow and Tokyo from formally ending WWII hostilities.
Aeroflot Cancels More Than 10 Additional Flights Of Sukhoi Superjet
The Russian state airline Aeroflot has cancelled more than 10 additional flights using its Sukhoi superjet following a fatal crash of the aircraft in Moscow on May 5. No decision to ground all Sukhoi flights has been made. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Monument To 'Generalissimo Of The Great Victory' Unveiled In Siberia
Communists in the Russian city of Novosibirsk have erected a bust of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in the courtyard of their regional headquarters. Communist Mayor Anatoly Lokot said at the unveiling on May 9, "We will not allow so-called liberals to distort our history."
His Blog About Putin's Russia Is Biting, Witty, And Acerbic. The Authorities Don't Seem To Get It.
Twenty-seven-year-old Aleksandr Gorbunov has no idea why journalists from the RBK news agency decided to out him as the author of one of Russia's most popular and acerbic social-media blogs.
Russian Journalist Sergei Dorenko, Who Covered Kursk Disaster, Dead At 59
Russian journalist Sergei Dorenko has died in Moscow, although the cause of his death -- reports have variously claimed a heart attack or a motorcycle collision -- is unconfirmed. His weekly news program was canceled in 2000 shortly after he criticized the government's handling of the sinking of the Kursk nuclear submarine.
Vandals Smash New Monument To Crimean Tatar WWII Victims
Vandals on May 9 desecrated a monument outside the city of Sevastopol in Ukraine's Crimea region memorializing Crimean Tatars who died during World War II. The memorial was erected just three days earlier in the village of Orlovka by the Crimean Tatar community.
Estonia Hints At Territorial Claims Towards Russia
Estonia’s interior minister has reportedly accused Russia of failing to return, or provide compensation for, 5.2% of Estonian territories that it alleges Moscow controls, but has said Tallinn will submit to international law and does not wish to fight Russia. The minister did not specify the territories, but Russian media speculates that they may include Ivangorod and parts of the Pechora region. (Russian Service)
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