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There Was No Interference In The Elections Of Any Kind (RFE/RL Ukrainian Service)

VIDEO REPORTS

THE POWER VERTICAL: The Return Of Navalny

Is Russia about to get its very own anti-establishment leader who channels the anger of those whom globalization has left behind?

Black Sea Foreign Ministers Meet In Belgrade

Foreign ministers of the 12-nation Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation met in Belgrade on December 13 to discuss a series of issues.

VOX POP: Are The Leaders Of The Donetsk And Luhansk ‘People’s Republics’ Terrorists?

Most respondents replied negatively to the street poll, describing the separatists as people who wanted change, or are protecting Russians and Russian interests, or are exercising the liberties that democracy offers. One said that the real terrorists are the Ukrainian forces who, sponsored by the U.S., destroyed hospitals and schools. (in Russian)

OTHER NEWS

Putin Warns Merkel Of Threats To European Gas Supplies

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned German Chancellor Angela Merkel of a threat to the gas supplies that Russia sends to Europe via Ukraine, the Kremlin said on December 13.

Ukraine's Defense Ministry Says Website Targeted By Cyberattacks

Following upon the heels of cyberattacks that recently targeted Ukraine’s Finance Ministry, new attacks reportedly disabled the Defense Ministry’s website on December 13.

Savchenko Quits Ukrainian Party

Ukraine's Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) Party said on December 13 that lawmaker Nadia Savchenko resigned from the political party at the end of October.

After Year Without Russian Market, Ukraine Agribusiness Rebounds

Ukraine reduced its production of livestock and milk in response to Russia’s import ban, but increased exports of grains and oilseeds have yielded growth in the country’s agricultural sector. (in Ukrainian)

Dutch Court Rules To Return Crimean Treasures To Ukraine

A Dutch court has ruled that a collection of gold artifacts from Crimea that were on loan to a Dutch museum when Russia occupied the peninsula must be returned to Ukraine.

Western Sanctions Hit Russia In An Unlikely Place

In one manifestation of the impact of Western sanctions on Russia, the Russian company RusBitTech says it has scrambled to write code for a Kremlin-contracted operating system after it was denied license to use some of the most common computer fonts in the world.

Perm Residents Protest City Mosque

Authorities in Perm withdrew a building permit for a mosque in the city center after residents, supported by Cossack anti-migrant protesters, challenged the plan, calling it “a brazen challenge to our Russian Orthodox society.” (in Russian, Current Time TV)

10 Belarusians Suspected Of Fighting In Ukraine

Belarus authorities have launched investigations of about 10 citizens suspected of fighting as mercenaries in eastern Ukraine, the country's foreign minister says.

Macedonian Opposition Challenges Conservatives’ Election Win

Macedonia's opposition Social Democratic Union has challenged the results of the country's parliamentary elections in a bid to overturn a narrow win by the conservative ruling party.

Netanyahu, Nazarbaev Discuss Israel-Kazakhstan Ties

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has held talks in Astana with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Prisoner Amnesty Approved In Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s President has approved an amnesty for some 28,000 people who are behind bars in the Central Asian nation.

Mirziyaev Sworn In As Uzbekistan's President

Shavkat Mirziyaev has been sworn in as president of Uzbekistan, becoming the second person to hold the post since Central Asia's most populous country gained independence from the Soviet Union 25 years ago.

COMMENTARY: The Post-Putin Era Begins

Alexey Navalny’s announcement that he will run for president in 2018 is the beginning of a post-Putin agenda in Russia, says political analyst Gleb Pavlovsky. “Of course the Kremlin can deprive Navalny of the ability to participate in the elections,” but politically, this demonstrates that “we are not inside the Kremlin's Kingdom anymore, but we are in a transitional period, from the end of Putin’s era to something different.” (in Russian)

INFOGRAPHIC: Muzzling The Media

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