VISUAL REPORTS
VOX POP: Do You Feel Threatened By NATO?
A majority of respondents to an informal street poll in Moscow said they felt no threat and do not expect military conflict with the alliance. One man said there is ongoing confrontation. Another person said the current situation is normal, and that one needs to be prepared but not panic, and one said he has enough other problems to worry about.
Ukraine Bids Farewell To Soviet Dissident Lukyanenko
Ukrainian dissident Levko Lukyanenko served 26 years in prison for “anti-Soviet propaganda” before being released in the 1980s, and was a co-author of Ukraine’s declaration of independence in 1991.
Keeping An Eye On The Sarkisians
Armenian authorities seized valuable artwork, coins, cash, and jewelry in a raid on a house owned by relatives of former President Serzh Sarkisian. Members of the family are facing criminal charges including attempted murder, corruption, and illegal possession of weapons and drugs.
Shepherd Pleads Not Guilty In Murders Of American Family In Georgia
A shepherd in the republic of Georgia has pleaded not guilty to the murders of an American-born couple and their son. The killing has shocked friends and neighbors who knew the dual-nationals as a great help to the community.
Afghan Peace Activists Call On Russia To Stop Backing Taliban
A group of activists in Afghanistan has staged a sit-in outside the Russian embassy in Kabul as part of a campaign to persuade world powers to find peaceful ways to end the country’s decades-long bloody conflict.
OTHER NEWS
Trump Says NATO Allies Agree To Raise Defense Spending
U.S. President Donald Trump says members of the NATO alliance have agreed to increase their defense spending following criticisms he made at the NATO summit in Brussels on July 12.
NATO Formally Invites Macedonia To Begin Membership Talks
NATO formally invited Macedonia to begin membership talks on joining the North Atlantic alliance after a July 11 summit meeting in Brussels of heads of states from the 29 members.
Anxious Ukraine Holds Its Breath Ahead Of Trump-Putin Summit
U.S. President Donald Trump made comments aboard Air Force One on June 29 that he may consider recognizing Russia's claim to Crimea. "We're going to have to see," Trump told reporters. In Kyiv, the comments were met with a collective gasp -- and the Ukrainian capital has been holding its breath ever since.
Capital Outflows From Russia Up 32 Percent, Direct Investment Down In 2018
Russia’s Central bank reports that capital outflows by the private sector in the first six months of 2018 amounted to $17.3 billion, a 32 percent increase over $14.4 billion for the same period in 2017. About $30 billion of capital outflows is expected for the year. Direct investment in the non-banking sector by non-Russian residents fell by more than 50 percent, totaling $7.3 billion in the first six months of 2018, down from $17.5 billion over the same period in 2017. (Russian Service)
Russia Detains Over 100 Ukrainian Ships In Azov Sea Since April
Ukraine’s Minister of Infrastructure has said that Russia’s coast guard detained more than 100 Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov since the end of April, describing the interference as a “deliberate policy” by Moscow to block access to ports in Berdyansk and Mariupol and “escalate instability in the region.” (Ukrainian Service)
Russian 'Novichok' Beer Has Some Belarusian Drinkers Hopping Mad
A kerfuffle is brewing in Belarus after a Russian beer named for the nerve agent that British authorities say was used to poison a Russian ex-spy hit the shelves in Minsk.
Pussy Riot's Alyokhina Fined For Evading Community Service
A court in Moscow on July 11 ordered Maria Alyokhina, a leading member of the Russian punk protest band Pussy Riot, to pay a fine of 400,000 rubles ($6,500).
Azerbaijan Jails 14 Over Online Discussions Of Power Outage
Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry says 14 people have been sentenced to jail terms ranging from 10 to 30 days for "illegal calls [issued] on social networks" about a massive power outage and a high-profile shooting last week. Also,a suspect was arrested in the stabbing deaths of two police officers during a protest, with a top government official warning against attempts to "destabilize" the country.
Dream-Weavers’ Deaths Leave Georgian Town At A Loss
Residents of Marneuli speak of their shock and horror at the deaths of the Smiths, an American-turned-Georgian family that had called the Georgian town home for more than six years.
Nazarbaev Becomes Security Council's Chairman For Life
A July 12 presidential decree has established Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev as the head of the Central Asian country’s Security Council for life.
Prominent Tajik Journalist Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison
A court in Tajikistan has sentenced prominent journalist Hairullo Mirsaidov to 12 years in prison on charges of embezzling and misusing state funds, and false reporting to police.
MOST READ/RUSSIA: Salty Land: Crimea’s Agricultural Emergency
A continuing drought has created an emergency situation in Russia-annexed Crimea, adding to agricultural strain resulting from a decision by Kyiv to block water transfers from the North-Crimea channel, which used to supply the Dnipro river. Authorities on the peninsula are expecting a poor grain harvest and are requesting compensation from the Russian federal government. (over 84k views on Russian Service website)
POLL: Majority Of Russians View The West As A Partner
A recent Levada Center poll found that the West is regarded by 61 percent of Russian respondents as a partner, and by only 5 percent as an enemy. Eight percent view the West as a friend, while 16 percent view it as a rival, down from 31 percent in 2017. (Russian Service)
PRESSROOM: Current Time Brings Lauded Putin Film To Russian Audiences