VIDEO REPORTS
Pope Francis Hails Armenia’s ‘Christian Identity’
Pope Francis met with the supreme leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Garegin II on June 24 and praised Armenia for making Christianity an “essential part of its identity.”
Ukrainian Forces Shelled In Attack Near Donetsk
An RFE/RL correspondent embedded with Ukrainian government troops in Avdiyivka, near the city of Donetsk, captured footage of heavy fire on the night of June 22.
Violence Threatens Russians With Household Debt
Tatyana Lyakhova, a single mother, is one of a growing number of Russians who face constant harassment, vandalism, and threats from debt collectors demanding repayment of their loans.
Banksy Inspires High-Rise Art In Ukraine
Yuriy Gagarin, Taras Shevchenko, and a goldfinch are the subjects of an effort by artists in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv to turn residential high-rises into art objects and attract tourists. (In Russian/Current Time TV)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Moscow Warns U.S. Against Diplomatic Restrictions
Citing legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate, Russia's Foreign Ministry has warned Washington against imposing new rules on the movements of Russian diplomats in the United States, and threatened retaliation.
Russian politicians, journalists, and nationalists are reveling in the United Kingdom's historic vote to leave the European Union, banking on a Brussels more amenable to Moscow, and casting Brexit both as a sign of Europe’s deterioration and waning U.S. influence.
Russia, China Boost Energy Ties During Beijing Visit
In meetings in the Chinese capital on June 25, the country’s leaders agreed that Rosneft, Russia's top oil producer, would sell 20 percent of its Verkhnechonskneftegaz unit to Beijing Enterprises Group, and that China would receive a 40 percent stake in a petrochemical plant in Russia’s Far East built jointly with China National Chemical.
Former Ukrainian Official Questions Validity Of Minsk Process
Former Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk says that the Minsk agreements are not authentic since, unlike the Budapest Memorandum, they lack the signatures of the German chancellor and the presidents of Ukraine, Russia, and France. (In Ukrainian)
Italian Probe Implicates Azerbaijan In Bribe For Silencing Human Rights Report
Italian police are investigating Luca Giuseppe Valente, honorary president of the European People’s Party in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council Of Europe and a former Italian deputy, for involvement in organizing a €2.39 million bribe in exchange for halting a report on political prisoners in Azerbaijan. (In Russian/Current Time TV)
COMMENTARY: Russia's Unhelpful Game In Syria
A little-reported airstrike by a group of Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers on June 16 against a camp of soldiers who are central to U.S.and U.K. efforts against the Islamic State terrorist group suggests that Russia is intent on preserving the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, even if that means drawing out the conflict.
PODCAST: Turkmenistan's 'Body Count' On The Rise
An expert panel discussed the reasons behind the unprecedented number of firings and warnings for “shortcomings” targeting officials in Turkmenistan.
TURKEY NOTEBOOK: The World Is Waiting For Turkey’s Leadership
MOST READ/RUSSIA: Recollections Of Putin’s Connections With Organized Crime
Controversial self-exiled businessman Maxim Freidzon provided new recollections of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s St. Petersburg days, claiming that Putin was able to climb high because of his “ability to serve well and betray on time.” (over 120k views on Russian Service website)