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'Our Hero!': Lavish Praise For Turkmen President's Cutbacks
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The Turkmen President’s People’s Council

VISUAL REPORTS

BREAKING: Armenian President Fires Six Ministers Amid Political Crisis

Armenian President Armen Sarkisian has dismissed six government members representing the Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) parties amid an ongoing political crisis.

Macedonia’s Referendum And Its Message For The West

RFE/RL Balkan Service Director Arbana Vidishiqi says the result of the September 30 referendum poses a challenge to Macedonia’s deeply divided ruling party and opposition, but also to the West, which may be facing diminishing influence inside the country.

Brutalized Russian Prisoner Released Amid Torture Allegations

Yevgeny Makarov, a prisoner released from a Russian penal colony, has described conditions of slavery and torture. Video of him being beaten by guards went viral and triggered investigations and widespread criticism of prisons in the country.

INFOGRAPHIC: Live To See Your Pension?

In these 47 Russia regions, the average life expectancy for men is less than the proposed new retirement age of 65.

OTHER NEWS

Russia Says It Has Delivered Advanced Missile Defense System To Syria

In a meeting broadcast on state-run Rossiya-24 television on October 2 about the delivery of S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Syria, despite objections from Israel and the United States, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin, "The work was finished a day ago."

Kremlin Says Putin Will Seal $5 Billion Missile Defense Deal With India

A key achievement of Russian President Vladimir Putin on a trip to India this week will be the signing of a $5 billion deal to supply India with S-400 air-defense systems, a top Kremlin aide has said.

U.S. Envoy Clarifies Comments About Controversial Russian Weapon

Speaking to reporters in Brussels on October 2, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison clarified earlier comments and called on Russia to halt development of the 9M729 Russian missile system, which the United States says is in violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

Photo Adds To Evidence About Skripal Poisoning Suspect

A photograph on display at a Russian military academy, highlighted in an October 2 report published by RFE/RL's Russian Service and the open-source website Bellingcat, builds on other reporting that has used passport data, online photos, and military records to investigate a Russian man identified by British authorities as Ruslan Boshirov.

Yanukovych Security Chief Seeks To Testify About Chepiga

Following revelations about the identity of Skripal poisoning suspect Ruslan Boshirov, allegedly an alias for GRU colonel Anatoli Chepiga, Konstantin Kobzar, chief of security for former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, has asked that he be questioned in a Kyiv court about Chepiga’s role in the evacuation of Yanukovych from Ukraine in February 2014. (in Russian, Current Time TV)

Russia's Federation Council Approves Unpopular Bill On Retirement-Age Increase

The upper chamber of Russia's parliament has passed a bill that will raise the retirement age by five years, sending the unpopular legislation to President Vladimir Putin for his signature. A total of 149 members of the Federation Council voted in favor of the bill on October 3, while five voted against and three abstained.

Crimea Stops Press On Article Alleging Crimea Villa Belonging To Kiselyov

The print run of a Crimean newspaper that ran an article about a villa allegedly belonging to Russian state media boss Dmitry Kiselyov has been withdrawn, author Vladimir Mazurin says. Mazurin, who says he was a contractor involved in construction of the villa in 2016, is reportedly being sued by Kiselyov, who has called him "a swindler who is extorting money."

Putin Proposes Softening Sentences For First-Time Hate-Crime Offenders

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed softening the punishment in some cases for inciting hatred, apparently responding to concerns over prison terms handed down to people for "liking" or reposting memes on the Internet.

Serbia’s Vucic Expresses 'Deep Gratitude' To Putin At Kremlin

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has thanked his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for protecting Serbia's national interests and “protecting international law,” as the two leaders met for the second time in Moscow this year.

​Turkmenistan Mobilizes Army To Pick Cotton

RFE/RL’s correspondent reports that thousands of Infantry soldiers and border guards have been mobilized to pick cotton in the country’s northern Daşoguz region. Due to a drought, this year’s harvest is expected to be very small. (in Russian, Turkmen Service)

Gulnara Karimova Transferred From Prison To House Arrest

Gulnara Karimova, the oldest daughter of late Uzbek President Islam Karimov, has reportedly been transferred from prison to house arrest to complete a 5-year sentence for engaging in economic crimes, including accepting multimillion-dollar bribes from Western telecommunications companies. (in Russian, Uzbek Service)

PHOTO ESSAY: Who Was Who? The Key Players In Russia’s October 1993 Showdown

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