VISUAL REPORTS
Police Detain Hundreds As Protesters In Moscow Maintain Pressure Following Journalist's Release
Police detained several hundred people as demonstrators marched through central Moscow to maintain pressure on the authorities following the release of Ivan Golunov, an investigative reporter who had been arrested on a drug charge supporters said was fabricated.
Dozens More Detained After Kazakhstan Presidential Vote
Kazakh police detained more than 100 people in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, on June 12 amid ongoing discontent following the country's June 10 presidential election.
Emirati Money Funds Female-only Taxi Service In Chechnya
In Russia's conservative Muslim republic of Chechnya, women have launched their own taxi service to avoid the discomfort and cultural pitfalls of riding with male drivers. An Emirates-based fund hopes the service will promote Islamic "norms and traditions."
Chernobyl For Sale
The popularity of the HBO miniseries Chernobyl has bolstered a niche market within an online cottage industry -- the sale of Soviet-era memorabilia linked to the infamous 1986 nuclear power-plant disaster.
OTHER NEWS
‘Moldovans Have Nowhere Left To Fall, And Maybe That’s A Good Thing’
RFE/RL spoke with Vladislav Kulminski, executive director of the Institute for Strategic Initiatives in Chisinau, about how the crisis evolved, what's at stake, and what the future might hold.
Russia Plans To Deliver S-400 Missiles To Turkey In July, Says Kremlin Aide
Russia said on June 11 that it plans to deliver its S-400 missile defense systems to Turkey in July, just days after Washington gave Ankara a deadline of July 31 to reverse the purchase or face the loss of subcontracting work on the U.S.-led F-35 fighter-jet project.
Trump Plans To Meet Putin At G20, But Kremlin Says Meeting Not Yet Confirmed
U.S. President Donald Trump says he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Group of 20 (G20) gathering in Japan later this month, but the Kremlin says it has “no such confirmations" about a face-to-face meeting at the summit, scheduled for June 28-29 in Osaka.
Russia’s Article 228 And The Various Uses Of ‘Drug-Related’ Offenses
The narcotics case against Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov has been dismissed, and police have admitted that no evidence against him exists. Activists say the notorious Article 228 of Russia's Criminal Code originally brought against Golunov has become one of the authorities' preferred weapons in an ongoing war against political opponents, civil-society activists, and inconvenient journalists.
Russia Mulls Fines For Foreign Satellite Use As Musk Launches Global Satellite System
Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development has proposed fining entities and entrepreneurs that connect to foreign satellite networks, thereby bypassing Russian regulations and state-controlled stations. The proposal coincides with the launch of Elon Musk’s Starlink global Internet access system, which saw the release of the first 60 mini-satellites, of 12,000 planned, in May. (Russian Service)
Next Up For Ukraine: U.S. - Supplied Surface-To-Air Missiles?
Over the five years of war pitting Ukrainian forces against Russia-backed fighters, the United States has provided Kyiv with hundreds of millions of dollars in military gear, and starting last year, sophisticated anti-tank missiles. Now, U.S. lawmakers are moving to up the ante again, with legislation that would authorize supplying Kyiv with surface-to-air missiles.
Eight Crimean Tatars Jailed On Extremism Charges
A court in Russia-controlled Crimea has sent eight Crimean Tatars to pretrial detention until August 5 on extremism charges. Since Russia seized the peninsula in 2014, dozens of Crimean Tatars have been prosecuted for allegedly belonging to Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Moldovan Police Chief Fires Six Officers Amid Political Standoff
Moldova's police chief has fired six officers for publicly backing a rival government amid a dramatic political standoff in this divided country. In recent days, a court declared the new cabinet led by Maia Sandu unconstitutional, dismissed President Igor Dodon, dissolved parliament, and called snap elections for September 6. Despite Dodon’s dismissal, Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged him his support.
Tusk Says EU Should Start North Macedonia, Albania Talks
In a joint press conference with North Macedonia’s President Stevo Pendarovski in Brussels on June 12, European Council President Donald Tusk said that the EU should launch accession talks with both North Macedonia and Albania, but warned there will be no quick decision.
Kosovo Marks 20 Years Since NATO Intervention
Kosovo is marking 20 years since NATO troops were deployed to help stop a bloody Serb crackdown on ethnic Albanian nationalists in the then-Serbian province.
UN Criticizes Kazakhstan Crackdown On Protesters
The United Nations Human Rights Office has called on Kazakh authorities "to respect freedoms of peaceful assembly, expression and right to political participation" following the detention of hundreds of protesters during rallies since Kazakhstan's June 9 presidential election.
IRAN: More Than 1 Million Demand Lawyer Sotoudeh’s Release
PRESSROOM: RFE/RL Formally Relaunches Bulgarian Service