VISUAL REPORTS
New Ukrainian MPs Get Crash Course In Legislating
After snap elections in July, Ukraine's parliament will open its doors to a fresh crop of legislators, many of whom are new to politics. The president's ruling party has sent them to school.
Serbia Receives 10 Russian Armored Vehicles
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic inspected a shipment of 10 armored vehicles donated to his country by Russia on July 29.
'You Look Asian': Russian Activist Seeks Justice For Racial Profiling
Aleksandr Kim, a Russian rights activist who refused to comply when officers demanded to see his documents based solely on his appearance, is trying to shed light on police officers' use of racial profiling.
Kazakh Prison Officials Fired After Gruesome Videos Emerge
Kazakh authorities have detained five prison officials and dismissed seven others after videos posted online showed guards apparently torturing inmates. An investigation has been launched into the incidents at the Zarechny prison near Almaty.
INFOGRAPHIC: Do Svidanya, Vlad?
Nearly 40 percent of Russian respondents say they want to see a fresh face after President Vladimir Putin’s term ends in 2024.
OTHER NEWS
Russia Launches Criminal Case Into 'Mass Unrest' At Moscow Election Protest
Russia’s Investigative Committee has announced it has opened a criminal investigation into the July 27 protests in Moscow where police detained almost 1,400 people. The potential charges include organizing or participating in mass disorder, which could carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
Analysis: Moscow’s Response To Last Weekend’s Moscow Protests May Be About What Comes Next
By some accounts, the official response to Moscow demonstrations on July 27 was the worst political violence since a wave of protests in 2011-12. Political analyst Liliya Shevtsova told Ekho Moskvy,"The Kremlin remembers the Gorbachev era perfectly: Open the window a bit, and they will open the entire door...and thus it begins." At issue is President Vladimir Putin's nearly 20 years as the country's preeminent political figure and what comes after his term finishes in 2024.
Russia To Ban Use Of Foreign Shipping And Equipment
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has told members of his government that Russian companies will soon be required to use only Russian-made carriers for water transport of passengers and cargo, and that any company, whether it is Russian or foreign, will have to use “localized” vessels and equipment for such business. (in Russian, Current Time TV)
Moscow Challenges Human Rights Court Ruling On Navalny Ally
Russia’s Justice Ministry said it is challenging am April 30 European Court of Human Rights ruling in favor of Elvira Dmitriyeva, an ally of Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny, who coordinated Navalny's attempted presidential campaign in Tatarstan in 2017.
Ukrainian Court Approves Seizure Of Detained Russian Tanker
A Ukrainian court has approved the July 25 seizure of a Russian tanker by Ukrainian authorities at the Danube River port of Izmail. Ukraine's security service claims it was involved in Russia’s seizure of Ukrainian ships and crew off the coast of Ukraine's Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula in 2018, and that it is material evidence in the case.
Ukraine To Launch Russian-Language TV
A senior aide to Ukraine's president says Kyiv plans to launch a Russian-language television channel to counter Russian state-controlled media broadcasts to people living in separatist-controlled parts of eastern Ukraine and in Russia.
Naftogaz Seeks $5.2 Billion Compensation From Russia
Ukraine’s state-owned energy giant has filed suit against Russia in The Hague Tribunal's Permanent Court of Arbitration demanding $5.2 billion compensation for losses caused by the expropriation of its assets during Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. (Ukrainian Service)
Bulgaria Approves Biggest Military Acquisition Since Fall Of Communism
The deal, published July 30, is a $1.67 billion package to purchase eight F-16 fighter multirole jets from the United States.
Black Sea Has Twice As Much Trash As Mediterranean
Citing surveys conducted since 2017, an EU delegation to Ukraine has said that the Black Sea contains almost twice the amount of marine litter as the Mediterranean Sea, and that 83 percent of the refuse is plastic, "namely bottles, candy wrappers, and bags."
Former Senior Kyrgyz Transport Official Sentenced In Bribery Case
Kyrgyzstan's former Deputy Minister of Transport Azimkan Jusubaliev has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for his role in a bribery scandal for a road reconstruction project.