VISUAL REPORTS
THE POWER VERTICAL: An Unusually Unpredictable Trial
In the Ulyukayev extortion trial, the verdict does not appear to be foreordained.
Pro-Russia Separatists ISO Local Recruits In Donbas
Local authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics have launched a campaign to recruit residents to join local militias. Unconfirmed reports suggest the effort, which makes use of leaflets, ads, and local military committees, is supervised by Russia. (Donbas Realities website)
Ukraine’s High Profile Killings
For more than a year, Ukraine has been plagued by a wave of high-profile killings. Most of the cases remain unsolved. (Ukrainian Service, Current Time TV)
DIY Wine In Georgia
This winery in Kakheti, in eastern Georgia, lets tourists kick off their shoes and help make the wine.
OTHER NEWS
Russian Duma Approves Restrictions On Foreign Media
The lower house of Russia's parliament has unanimously approved legislation that would authorize the government to designate media outlets receiving funding from abroad as "foreign agents."
Duma Approves Bill To Block ’Undesirable’ Websites
In a third and final reading on November 15, Russia’s State Duma adopted a bill authorizing Roskomnadzor, Russia’s media regulator, to block websites of organizations labeled “undesirable” in Russia upon request of the Prosecutor General’s office, without a court order. (Russian Service)
About 15 Percent Of U.S. Agencies Have Kaspersky Software On Computers
About 15 percent of U.S. government agencies have detected Kaspersky Lab's software on their systems in a review prompted by concerns that the Russian antivirus firm is vulnerable to Kremlin influence.
Medvedev Says EU Trying To Force Russia To Abort Nord Stream 2
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says the European Union's attempts to regulate the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project are aimed at complicating its implementation, or forcing Moscow to abandon it.
Unclear If Rosneft Chief Sechin Will Testify In Ulyukayev Extortion Trial
It is not known if Rosneft chief Igor Sechin will will respond to a second summons to appear in a Moscow court to testify in a high-profile extortion trial on November 15.
Protesters Demand Bashkir Language In Schools
Dozens of activists across Russia's region of Bashkortostan picketed various sites in the region's capital on November 14, demanding that mandatory Bashkir language classes be continued in schools.
Ukraine's Anticorruption Agency Launches Probe Into Sister Bureau
Ukrainian investigators have opened a criminal probe into suspected extortion by members of a sister anticorruption body, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention, (NAZK) which is a keystone of Western-backed reforms.
Attitudes Differ Over Protest Mood In Crimea
The public relations department of the Russian-backed government of Sevastopol reported on November 7 that protest activity in the city fell two and a half times compared to 2016, citing “constructive dialogue” between local officials and the public. Local activists disagree, claiming their complaints are not being addressed, and that the protest mood is growing. (Crimea Realities website)
Armenian Lawmakers Adopt Military-Service Bill Amid Student Protests
Armenia’s parliament has passed in its second and final reading a controversial bill that would restrict draft deferments.
Georgian Relics Reveal Earliest Evidence Of Winemaking
The world's earliest evidence of grape winemaking has been detected in 8,000-year-old pottery jars unearthed in Georgia, making the tradition almost 1,000 years older than previously thought, researchers said on November 13.
Serbia Hosts Joint Military Drills With U.S. As Bosnia Hosts NATO Delegation
At the invitation of the Serbian government, U.S. Army paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, will conduct a bilateral Serbian and U.S. airborne exercise this week.
ANALYSIS: Chechnya's Interior Ministry Goes To Court To Defend Its Reputation
INFOGRAPHIC: When Putin Met POTUS