VISUAL REPORTS
What Would You Ask Putin?
Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold his annual Direct Line live, televised question-and-answer event on June 15. RFE/RL's Current Time TV spoke to people across Russia to find out what questions they want answered by their country's leader.
Yashin Sentenced To 15 Days After Arrest At Moscow Protest
Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin has been sentenced to 15 days in prison following his arrest at an anticorruption protest in Moscow.
Protesters Detained As Duma Approves Moscow Demolitions
Russian police arrested protesters outside the State Duma on June 14 as deputies gave final approval to plans for mass demolitions of privately-owned housing in Moscow.
OTHER NEWS
LIVE BLOG: Putin's Call-In Show
RFE/RL is live-blogging Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Direct Line show, a lavish and heavily stage-managed three-hour production during which he takes questions from Russians across the country for live broadcast on Russian state television networks.
Ukraine's Poroshenko To Meet Trump In Washington
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is reportedly planning to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington sometime before next month’s G20 summit.
Russian Elections Chief Says 'Practically No Chance' Of Navalny Getting On Presidential Ballot
Russia's top election official says Aleksei Navalny is almost certain to be barred from running in the country’s March 2018 presidential election, citing a criminal conviction the opposition leader says is politically motivated.
After Moscow Protest Crackdown, Kremlin Critics Question Navalny Tactics
Fresh fissures have emerged among Russia’s liberal opposition over Kremlin foe Aleksei Navalny's decision to move last weekend’s anticorruption protest in Moscow to the city center, where hundreds were detained by police.
U.S. Prolongs Sanctions Against Lukashenka, Allies In Belarus
U.S. President Donald Trump has prolonged sanctions against Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka and members of his ruling apparatus for another year.
Fire Hits 2018 FIFA World Cup Stadium In Volgograd, Russia
A June 14 fire sent clouds of smoke into the air at a stadium that is being built to host 2018 FIFA World Cup soccer matches in the Russian city of Volgograd.
HRW 'Red Cards' Russia, FIFA For Treatment Of World Cup Venue Builders
Workers building venues in Russia for the upcoming Confederations Cup and the 2018 World Cup face "exploitation and labor abuses," Human Rights Watch says.
European Court Upholds Sanctions Against Chief Russian Propagandist
In a June 15 decision, the European Court of General Jurisdiction overturned a lawsuit by Russia Today agency head Dmitry Kiselyov challenging European sanctions imposed on him following the March 2014 annexation of Crimea. The court upheld the sanctions and ordered Kiselyov to pay court costs, a ruling that Kiselyov has called a “shame.” (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Russian Court Rejects Request To Mitigate Navalny Brother’s Sentence
A request by Oleg Navalny, Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny's jailed brother, to have his sentence mitigated has been rejected by a court.
'Extremists' In The Kremlin: Jehovah's Witnesses Honored By Putin As 'Model Family'
Russian President Vladimir Putin has bestowed the Family Glory award on a family of Jehovah's Witnesses, just one month after the Russian Supreme Court declared the group an "extremist" organization.
Kyiv Mayor Klitschko Terminates Deputy Following RFE/RL Investigation
Following a report by RFE/RL Ukrainian Service’s investigative program “Schemes” disclosing that Kyiv city administration chief Volodymyr Bondarenko has a fake university diploma, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko dismissed him on June 7 from his official duties pending further investigation. (Ukrainian Service)
Belarusian Killed On Kyiv's Maidan Honored As Hero Of Ukraine
A Belarusian man who was among the the first protesters killed during the 2014 Euromaidan protests in Kyiv has been posthumously awarded a Hero of Ukraine medal.
European Parliament Urges Azerbaijan To Release Detained Journalist Muxtarli
European lawmakers passed a resolution on June 15 calling on Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release journalist Afqan Muxtarli and drop all charges against him.
Kazakhstan Brings Theologians To Penitentiaries To Curb Radicalization
Kazakhstan’s state corrections service said on June 13 that the service was introduced to curb the spread of radical Islamist ideology, extremism, and terrorism among inmates.
THE POWER VERTICAL: The Battle For Russia
BLOGGING THE BALKANS: ‘Lynching Atmosphere’ Threats Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue
BLOGGING CENTRAL ASIA: Kygyzz Journalist Flees Country After Writing About Hate Speech