Here are some of the highlights produced by RFE/RL's vast team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days.

Protecting The Skies: How Does Ukraine Defend Against Russian Missiles?

Over the past several months, Russia has launched multiple waves of missiles and drone attacks across Ukraine. The heaviest attack so far came on November 15, when more than 100 missiles targeted a dozen cities and districts, as well as the country’s critical energy infrastructure. Ukraine had relied mostly on Soviet-era defense systems such as the S-300. But now that air defense is Ukraine’s top priority, Western countries have been pushed to provide more sophisticated devices. Here are some of the systems that are helping to defend Ukrainian skies. By Kristyna Foltynova

'We Fight With Our Brains. They Fight With Numbers': Ukrainian Paratroopers On The Battle For The Donbas City of Kreminna

Amid relentless fighting, one official claims that Ukrainian forces are closing in on recapturing Kreminna, which would disrupt Russian supply lines in the Donbas and deal Moscow another setback. Here’s what Ukrainian paratroopers say about the situation on the ground. By Borys Sachalko

U.S.-Trained Afghan Soldiers Angry Over Their Plight Are Ready To Join Russia’s War Against Ukraine

Thousands of Afghan soldiers are living a desperate existence in Iran, where they sought refuge after the Taliban returned to power in Kabul. Many describe having to resort to manual labor and even rifling through garbage to make ends meet, while others say they have no choice but to put their fighting skills to work for a private Russian mercenary group that has sought to recruit them to join the Kremlin's war in Ukraine. By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and Michael Scollon

Ukraine's Orthodox Church Conflict: A Wartime Struggle For ‘Spiritual Independence’ And Security

The state security service has raided facilities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in what it calls a counterintelligence operation, piling pressure on a Moscow-linked institution that now claims complete independence. Meanwhile, priests and parishioners struggle to come to grips with the changes. By Aleksander Palikot

Amid Intense Fighting, Ukrainian Forces Advance On Kreminna In Luhansk Region

Ukrainian troops battling in the eastern Luhansk region -- one of four provinces Russia announced it was annexing after sham referendums -- are focusing on Kreminna and nearby settlements. Seizing control of these key logistics points would solidify advances that began in the fall in Kharkiv, observers say. Ukrainian troops say Russia, despite larger numbers, is burning through its infantry by sending in inexperienced soldiers with "no tactics at all." By Borys Sachalko and Will Tizard

How It Started: Russia Amid The Birth Of The U.S.S.R.

Photos capture life on the ground and in the corridors of power as the Soviet Union was formed, amid turmoil and hunger, a century ago. By Amos Chapple

'Teach Everyone Or No One': Afghan Men Join In Protests Against Taliban's Ban On Women's Education

Hundreds of Afghan men -- professors, fellow students, husbands, and fathers -- are publicly voicing their opposition to the Taliban's decision to ban women from universities. The rare show of support from men in the deeply patriarchal society speaks volumes about public discontent with the Taliban's draconian steps against women and girls. By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi

A New Marshall Plan? How Ukraine Will Be Rebuilt

Eventually Ukraine must be rebuilt and that will cost billions. Depending on the outcome of the war, there are demands that Russia foot the bill, by way of reparations or perhaps by selling off Russian assets currently frozen abroad. To many that might sound like a good plan, but is it practical, or even legal? If Russia won't pay, the rebuilding might be left to the United States and the European Union, a process with historical precedents and one likely fraught with problems. By Tony Wesolowsky

Afghan Women Weep And Protest Ban From University Education

Women in Afghanistan have been reacting with shock and anger since the Taliban banned them from universities. Current and future female students across the nation feel their futures are being erased. Countries and human rights groups around the world have harshly criticized the Taliban's decision. By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and Austin Malloy

'Propaganda Is Almost Everywhere': Grassroots Campaigners Take On The Kremlin War Machine

For years, Vladimir Putin's government has waged war against dissent at home -- efforts that have been significantly stepped up since the Kremlin launched its massive invasion of Ukraine in February. But some Russians are using social media to fight against propaganda and fear. By Idel.Realities