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Police Secure Area After Mystery Drone Crash Near Tajik Capital
Police and security officials have cordoned off a large area near Dusanbe after a drone resembling a military unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed in a nearby town in an area where there are both Tajik and Russian military bases.
Officials have not given any details on the drone, which went down on December 3 in the town of Sharora, just 5 kilometers from Tajikistan's capital.
Eyewitness footage from the site, obtained exclusively by RFE/RL's Tajik Service, indicated that the drone struck a utility pole before crashing to the ground. The video shows flames at the crash site, which was quickly cordoned off by police and military personnel.
The incident occurred near a residential area, but no injuries or damage to homes was reported, according to local residents.
Tajikistan's Defense Ministry did not respond to RFE/RL's attempts to get comments from its representatives.
The crash site is located near significant military facilities, raising questions about the drone’s origin and purpose.
The Aini Military Airbase, controlled by the Defense Ministry, is situated just outside Dushanbe. A Russian military base, part of the 201st Military Division, is also nearby. Both facilities play strategic roles in the regional security infrastructure.
Given the size and apparent military design of the drone, some analysts have speculated whether it could also have been a UAV from a third country.
Tajikistan has increasingly relied on drone technology in recent years, acquiring UAVs from various sources, including Turkey and China. The presence of advanced drone technology also highlights the increasing militarization of Central Asia, as nations modernize their arsenals.
The Russian military base nearby, which accounts for Moscow's largest military presence outside of Russia, also regularly conducts drone operations as part of its regional activities.
The region around Dushanbe, including the Hisor district where Sharora is located, is critical to Tajikistan’s national security.
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'Foreign Agents' Bill Puts Serbia's EU Aspirations Under Question
Serbian lawmakers have begun deliberating a bill submitted to parliament that would establish a "foreign agents" registry, a move that may alienate Serbia from its EU ambitions.
Initiated by members of the Movement of Socialists, led by pro-Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin, the bill aims to regulate organizations and individuals receiving more than 50 percent of their funding from foreign sources.
Supporters of the law argue that it aims to ensure greater transparency in the NGO sector. They claim that some foreign-funded organizations work against Serbia's national interests.
However, critics -- both within Serbia and internationally -- warn that such a law could stigmatize civil society organizations, hinder their operations, and limit freedom of expression.
"This draft law poses a serious and direct threat to civil society organizations, jeopardizing their role in safeguarding democratic values, human rights, and European integration," the EU's Economic and Social Committee said in a statement.
"As with similar initiatives in other candidate countries, such as in the case of Georgia, the EESC reiterates that such legislation is incompatible with the fundamental values of the European Union, which Serbia, as an EU candidate country, is expected to uphold."
The regional trend toward adopting such laws, legislation that mirrors Russian law and is often driven by pro-Russian political forces, highlights a broader geopolitical struggle in the Balkans.
Several countries in the region find themselves in a situation where they try to balance historic ties with Russia and their aspirations for European integration.
Serbia, alongside Montenegro, is considered a front-runner in the EU accession process. However, to achieve membership, candidate countries must harmonize their laws, policies, institutions, and practices with EU standards.
Any legislation perceived as suppressing civil liberties, the EU has said, could jeopardize this progress.
In Montenegro, a comparable draft law was introduced in October by the coalition For the Future of Montenegro, which includes pro-Russian parties such as the New Serbian Democracy and the Democratic People's Party.
The bill in Serbia is also steeped in further controversy because of its origins.
Deputy Prime Minister Vulin, a staunch ally of Russia, has positioned the bill as a transparency measure, comparing it to the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). However, Serbian opposition figures and international observers argue that the draft law more closely resembles the restrictive legislation seen in Russia.
Vulin's close ties to Moscow -- underscored by frequent visits and his role in coordinating Serbia's BRICS-related activities -- have drawn international attention.
In 2023, he was placed under U.S. sanctions for allegedly facilitating Russian activities in the Balkans. Critics view the proposed law as aligning with Moscow’s pattern to muzzle independent civil society organizations and limit dissent.
With reporting by Kommersant
Pashinian Suggests Armenian Rift With Russia Widening
YEREVAN -- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian declared on December 4 in parliament that Yerevan had effectively passed the "point of no return" regarding its reintegration into a Russian-led military alliance.
His remarks came in response to recent statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who argued that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) could not intervene in the 2020 war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh because it did not occur on Armenian territory.
"With all due respect to the Russian president, this statement highlights the fundamental issues within the CSTO," Pashinian said. His comments underscored the growing tensions between Armenia and the CSTO, marking a pivotal shift in the region's security dynamics.
The relationship between Armenia and the CSTO has been strained for some time, particularly since the 2022 incursion by Azerbaijani forces into Armenia's sovereign territory.
Yerevan accused the CSTO of failing to uphold its commitment to defend a member state, even as Armenia flagged the imminent threat to its allies. According to Pashinian, initial assurances from CSTO allies that Armenia's borders were a "red line" were later dismissed as ambiguous claims of undefined boundaries.
"When the aggression occurred, we said that the red line had been crossed. They responded by saying, 'Well, the border isn't officially delimited,'" Pashinian said, stressing the lack of a clear response from the alliance.
Armenian authorities have also criticized Russian peacekeepers for failing to prevent Azerbaijan's rapid offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, which ultimately resulted in Azerbaijan regaining control over the region after nearly three decades of ethnic Armenian rule.
This lack of action led to Yerevan's decision to freeze its participation in CSTO activities. Armenia did not attend the CSTO Collective Security Council meeting on November 28 in Kazakhstan and has skipped joint military exercises and other meetings. However, it has stopped short of officially withdrawing from the organization.
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are also CSTO member states.
CSTO Secretary-General Imanghali Tasmaghambetov of Kazakhstan has downplayed Armenia's absence, stating that it does not affect the alliance’s overall efficiency.
He reiterated on December 4 that Armenia remained a formal ally and that all CSTO commitments to Armenia were intact. Tasmaghambetov also emphasized that Armenia could resume full participation at any time, noting that there are no objections or obstacles from other member states.
Despite these reassurances, Armenia's criticisms of the CSTO's inaction in the face of Azerbaijani military moves have fueled a broader debate about the alliance's reliability. Many in Armenia see the CSTO’s hesitancy as a sign of its weakening relevance in addressing the region's security challenges.
The deepening divide between Armenia and the CSTO also reflects a broader realignment in Yerevan's foreign policy. Armenia’s growing criticism of the CSTO and its strategic turn toward other international partners suggest a waning dependence on Russian-led security structures.
This shift is particularly significant as regional powers, including Turkey and Azerbaijan, assert greater influence in the South Caucasus.
While Armenia has not formally initiated the process of leaving the CSTO, Pashinian's remarks signal that such a move may not be far off. The longer Yerevan remains at odds with the alliance, the more its security policies are likely to diverge from the CSTO framework.
- By Mike Eckel
Report: Putin, Other Russian Officials Directly Involved In Transfer, Deportation of Ukrainian Children
Senior Russian authorities, including President Vladimir Putin, were directly involved in ordering the forcible transfer, fostering, and later adoption of Ukrainian children moved out of war zones and occupied regions of Ukraine, U.S. researchers found.
In a report released on December 3, investigators from Yale University said at least 314 children from Ukraine were subject to a "systematic program of coerced adoption and fostering" by Russian individuals and families.
"The Russian Federation engaged in systematic, deliberate, and widespread forced adoption and transfer of children from Ukraine," the report says. "The operation...was initiated by Putin and his subordinates with the intent to 'Russify' children from Ukraine."
The findings add to a growing body of evidence pointing to possible culpability for war crimes by Putin and other top officials.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023 for the "war crime of unlawful deportation" and "unlawful transfer" of children from Ukrainian territory to Russia. The Kremlin's commissioner for children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, was also charged.
Researchers at Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab, whose work is partially supported by the U.S. State Department, said they had documented since 2022:
- Planes registered to the Russian Air Force and the presidential office were used to fly children to Russia;
- Ukrainian children were taken to Russia for months, enrolled in Russian schools, then listed in child-placement databases;
- Some Ukrainian children appear in Russian databases as if they were Russian-born, not Ukrainian-born;
- Russian citizens who took on legal guardianship of Ukrainian minors were "empowered" to apply for Russian citizenship for the children in their
custody; - Ukrainian children were subjected to "pro-Russian reeducation" at Russian state-run institutions.
The majority of the children from Ukraine who are listed in Russian databases, the report says, were taken from Donetsk, an eastern Ukrainian region that has been partially occupied by Russian and Russian-allied forces since 2014.
The Kremlin has declared the annexation of the Donetsk region, and three other Ukrainian regions -- Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson -- plus the Crimean Peninsula. Only Syria and North Korea have recognized the move.
Russian officials frequently portray their efforts as a humanitarian gesture, sheltering, feeding, or protecting children from war or the breakdown of services in occupied regions. However, in many cases, Russian authorities did little to identify parents or relatives or legal guardians of the Ukrainian children.
Ukrainian officials, journalists, and civil society activists, meanwhile, have also compiled substantial evidence of state support for transferring and deporting children out of Ukraine.
In many cases, the effort strained Russia's already overburdened social welfare infrastructure. Hundreds of Ukrainian children were transferred from occupied Ukrainian regions and sent to a network of summer and holiday camps in Belarus, where they were exposed to pro-Russian education and propaganda, RFE/RL found.
According to official Ukrainian figures, as of July 24, 2024, 19,546 children had been deported from Ukraine to Russia since the start of Russia's all-out invasion in February 2022.
Ukraine’s human rights commissioner last month said 1,012 children had been returned from Russia to date.
The U.S. State Department said in a statement on December 4 that it was pursuing visa restrictions for five Russian officials backed or installed by Russia in response to their involvement in human rights abuses in Ukraine, including the forced deportation of children.
"Many of these children have had their identities changed and origins obscured, have been subjected to pro-Russian indoctrination and militarization, or have been adopted by Russian families," the State Department said.
It did not identify the five Russian officials but added that Kremlin authorities had created obstacles preventing the return of the children to Ukraine.
"Russia's continued contempt for its international legal obligations to report the locations of these children makes securing their safe return nearly impossible," the State Department said.
With reporting by Current Time and RFE/RL's Ukrainian and Belarus services
Ukrainian Official Says Regional Mayor Died After Torture In Russian Captivity
The head of the Zaporizhzhya region's military administration, Ivan Fedorov, has alleged that the mayor of the Ukrainian town of Dniproprudne died after being tortured while in Russian custody.
Fedorov said in a statement on Telegram on December 4 that the body of Yevhen Matveyev was recently returned to Ukraine during a prisoner exchange with Russia, which has occupied Dniproprudne since the early days of the February 2022 full-scale invasion.
Matveyev was captured by Russian forces on March 13, 2022. Last month, Ukraine recovered the bodies of 502 fallen soldiers and civilians, including 17 from morgues in Russia, as part of an exchange of prisoners of war between the two countries.
"He was held captive by the occupiers for two years and eight months and tortured to death. During the last exchange, his body was returned to Ukraine," Fedorov said. He gave no further details.
Russian officials have not commented publicly on the allegations.
Despite the occupation, Matveyev refused to abandon his town and worked to ensure the functioning of essential services and kept the population informed about ongoing events, Federov noted.
Matveyev's death underscores the brutal conditions under which Ukrainian officials and civilians have been held while in Russian captivity.
In October 2023, a UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine found "continued war crimes and human rights violations gravely impacting civilians," including confirmation that "Russian authorities have used torture in a widespread and systematic way in various types of detention facilities."
Ukraine has also been accused of committing war crimes during the conflict, though to a far lesser extent.
- By RFE/RL
Syrian Troops Reportedly Thwart Rebel Advance Near Russian Air Base
A war monitor and state media say that Syrian government forces have launched a counterattack against Islamist-led rebels who were getting close to a Russian-operated airbase after capturing a string of towns and closing in on the key city of Hama.
The government forces' counteroffensive came after a blitz advance over the past several days by the rebels led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). They have captured Aleppo, the country's largest city, as well as 14 central villages and towns, and gotten as close as 35 kilometers from Khmeimim Airbase.
President Bashar al-Assad's regime turned over the air base to Russia in 2015 as Moscow moved in to help Damascus turn the tide of a four-year civil was in its favor.
The Syrian state news agency SANA said rebels on December 4 retreated some 20 kilometers from government-held Hama, Syria's fourth largest city, after government troops backed by Russian air strikes repelled the rebels from the city's outskirts.
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the rebels only withdrew some 10 kilometers.
Hama, which is key to the defense of Damascus, is the gateway to the coastal cities of Tartus and Latakia, the former being home to a strategic Russian naval base.
Besides HTS, the rebels also include an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army.
UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen, said on December 3 that tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced by the fighting.
With reporting by AFP and AP
Jailed Iranian Nobel Laureate Mohammadi Temporarily Released On Medical Grounds
Imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has been temporarily released for at least three weeks after receiving urgent medical care, her lawyer said on December 4.
"According to the medical examiner's opinion, the Tehran Prosecutor's Office suspended the execution of Ms. Narges Mohammadi's sentence for three weeks and she was released from prison. The reason for this is her physical condition after tumor removal and bone grafting, which was done 21 days ago," human rights lawyer Mostafa Nili said in a post on X.
Sources confirmed to RFE/RL's Radio Farda that Mohammadi, 52, had been released.
Analysts said that by suspending Mohammadi's sentence instead of granting her a medical furlough, the time she spends outside of prison will be added to her sentence. A medical furlough would have meant time spent outside of prison would be considered the same as time spent incarcerated.
A United Nations spokesman told AFP it was important that Mohammadi was released temporarily for health reasons in order to receive adequate treatment. The spokesman said the UN reiterated its call for her immediate and unconditional release.
Mohammadi has been campaigning for human rights in Iran for decades and has been in and out of prison for the last 20 years. She has been convicted five times since March 2021 and is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for "spreading propaganda" against the Islamic republic.
Last month, her husband, Taghi Rahmani, said his wife had been moved to a Tehran hospital after suffering health issues for more than two months.
"She had an operation, and the operation was on the right leg, and even moving in the prison, sitting, and doing simple things became impossible for her, and even some prisoners went on hunger strike demanding her release," Rahmani told Radio Farda.
"Although prison is not a place for Narges, there is no place for human rights activists in prison at all. She should not go back to prison and all human rights activists and civil activists should be released from prison," he added.
Despite being nearly continuously incarcerated since 2010, Mohammadi has often tried to raise awareness about prison conditions and alleged abuses faced by female prisoners. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023.
Her teenage children accepted the award in Oslo on her behalf and read out a statement by Mohammadi in which she criticized Iran's "tyrannical" government.
"Weeks of enduring excruciating pain in prison, despite tireless advocacy from human rights organizations, and international figures, highlights the persistent disregard for Narges Mohammadi’s basic human rights and the inhumane treatment she endures -- even after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize," the Narges Foundation said in a statement.
"The Narges Foundation asserts that a 21-day suspension of Narges Mohammadi's sentence is inadequate. After over a decade of imprisonment, Narges requires specialized medical care in a safe, sanitary environment -- a basic human right. As doctors have emphasized, a minimum of three months' recovery is crucial for her healing."
With reporting by AFP
- By RFE/RL
NATO Agrees To Prioritize Protecting Ukraine's Infrastructure
NATO members have agreed to make protecting Ukraine's infrastructure a top priority, alliance chief Mark Rutte said on December 4, as Russia continues to pound Ukrainian cities and towns with drone and missile strikes.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the second day of a meeting of foreign ministers from the 32-member military alliance, Rutte said the gathering discussed providing Ukraine with enough air defenses to protect its infrastructure from Russian attacks.
"There was a clear agreement around the table last night that to help Ukraine, particularly with its infrastructure, has to be a priority," Rutte said.
"I'm confident that allies will follow up in the coming days and weeks in making sure that whatever they can supply to Ukraine will be supplied."
Russia has been targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure for the third winter in a row, causing casualties and hampering the supply of electricity to thousands of civilians.
Early on December 4, Russian drones attacked the northern Cernihiv region, damaging several houses in a village, regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus said on Telegram.
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In the central region of Vinnytsya, debris from a falling drone set a house on fire in the Haysyn district, partially destroying it, the State Emergencies Service said on December 4.
Separately, the Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched a guided air missile and 50 drones at targets in Ukraine.
Ukrainian air defenses shot down 29 drones in nine regions -- Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Khmelnytskiy, Ternopil, Mykolayiv, and Donetsk -- the air force said, adding that 18 drones were neutralized after their navigation systems were jammed using Ukraine's electronic-warfare capabilities.
Separately, strong explosions were reported overnight in Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, one of the main hubs for Russian oil exports and an important military port that hosts part of Russia's Black Sea fleet.
An air alert was announced and Novorossiisk Mayor Andrei Kravchenko called on residents to take shelter because of a drone attack.
Neither Ukraine nor Russia have so far commented on the explosions.
U.S. Urges 'Dignity' After Georgian Protests Marred By Police Brutality
TBILISI -- The United States has urged the Georgian government to treat protesters with dignity after several days of a brutal crackdown in Tbilisi and accusation of excessive use of force and even torture by riot police.
Early on December 4 security forces again used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters taking part in the sixth consecutive night of protests in the Georgian capital triggered by the ruling Georgian Dream party's announced that it would halt accession talks with the European Union.
The U.S. Embassy to Georgia posted a laconic message on its Facebook page on December 4, reading only three words: "Leadership with dignity?"
The U.S. message came a day after a similarly curt sentence told the Georgian government "Don't blame others" in a post on Facebook, noting it was Georgian Dream that stopped the EU membership process and the party was to blame for a decision by Washington to halt a strategic partnership between the two countries.
On December 4, demonstrators moved from the central Rustaveli Avenue to a nearby subway station after security forces blocked their access to the parliament building and arrested several protesters.
Later in the day, law enforcement authorities conducted raids on the offices of several Georgian opposition parties. Offices targeted include those of the United National Movement and the Coalition for Change.
Notably, Nika Gvaramia, founder of the Mtavari television network and leader of the opposition party Akhali under the Coalition for Change, was detained by police near the offices of allied parties Girchi -- More Freedom and Droa following searches at those locations.
Another prominent member of the Coalition for Change, activist Gela Khasaia, was also taken into custody during the police operation.
The crackdown extended beyond party offices. Law enforcement entered the home of Ilia Glonti, administrator of the Facebook platform Daitove. The platform is known for facilitating the coordination of protest activities, where organizers and participants share logistical details and updates about rallies.
Despite the growing protests, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has refused to back down and threatened to punish political opponents, whom he accuses of being behind violence that has occurred at the protests.
Security forces started dispersing demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament building after the Interior Ministry said some of them had insulted law enforcement officers and thrown various blunt objects, fireworks, and inflammable items in their direction.
Three influential U.S. senators -- U.S. Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Ben Cardin (Democrat-Maryland), Roger Wicker (Republican- Mississippi), and John Cornyn (Republican-Texas) issued a joint statement in support of the Georgian protesters and condemning the excessive use of violence by the government.
"The Georgian Dream's move to abandon European Union membership negotiations is a profound betrayal of the Georgian people’s clear and overwhelming desire to embrace European values and institutions," the three senators said in their statement.
"This is not the conduct of a government committed to democratic reforms and pluralism but of an insecure regime dragging Georgia toward Russian-style autocracy. These actions flagrantly violate international democratic norms and undermine the legitimate aspirations of the Georgian people," the statement said, adding, "We strongly condemn the violence unleashed against peaceful protesters – tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons, beatings, and mass arrests have no place on the streets of Tbilisi."
Georgia's ombudsman accused police of torturing pro-EU protesters.
Levan Ioseliani, whose role is to defend citizens' rights, said he and his officials had met people subjected to "the harshest treatment" by police.
"In most cases, they have received serious injuries in the face, eye and head area, which practically excludes even the possibility that the police used the necessary, proportional force against them every time," he said in a statement.
Protesters have described to RFE/RL the brutality employed by security forces against them.
"They were hitting us in the head," protester Salome Zandukeli said, describing how she and a friend had been chased on the night of December 2 by some 25 riot police into a building in downtown Tbilisi before taking refuge in a cafe.
Activist Gia Jvarsheishvili told RFE/RL that he was thrown to the ground by charging officers and beaten before being shoved into a police van where police pushed detainees to the floor and began stomping on them.
"Suddenly, I was in unbearable pain and I realized that I had been injured. I didn't know it then, but I had a broken rib," Jvarsheishvili said.
Georgia's pro-European president, Salome Zurabishvili, who has sided with the demnstrators, said on X that many of the arrested protesters had injuries to their heads and faces. Some people were subjected to systematic beatings between arrest and transportation to detention facilities, she added.
Georgia has been thrown into turmoil since parliamentary elections in October in which Georgian Dream secured 54 percent of the vote. The opposition and Western governments argued that the poll was marred by violations and Russian influence.
Kobakhidze has blamed the unrest on foreign "instructors" and tried to explain the decision to halt EU accession talks through 2028 by saying Georgia is ready for the talks, "but only with dignity and justice and without blackmail."
A majority of Georgians support EU membership, and efforts to join the bloc are mandated in the Georgian Constitution.
Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023 but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, beginning with the adoption of a Russian-style "foreign agent" law, which critics say threatens media outlets and civil society groups. accusing them of "serving" outside powers.
- By RFE/RL
Erdogan Calls For More Diplomacy In Talks With Putin On Revived Conflict In Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed the need for diplomacy to resolve the conflict in northern Syria in a phone call on December 3 to discuss the renewed fighting.
A statement from Erdogan’s office after the call said Syria should not become a source of greater instability.
"President Erdogan emphasized that while Turkey continues to support the territorial integrity of Syria, it also strives for a just and permanent solution in Syria," Erdogan told Putin in their conversation on December 3, according to the statement from Erdogan's office posted on X.
He also said it is important to open more space for diplomacy in the region and the Syrian regime must engage in the political solution process, according to the statement.
Erdogan vowed Turkey will maintain its determined stance on the fight against the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been designated as a terrorist group by Turkey and the United States, and its "extensions,” who are trying to take advantage of the recent developments in Syria, the statement said.
Erdogan and Putin spoke as Syrian rebels advanced against government forces after capturing Aleppo last week. The rebels pushed close on December 3 to the major city of Hama, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the rebels said.
The Syrian Observatory said on December 3 that the toll from the rebel offensive in the north had risen to 602 dead, including 104 civilians.
An attack on Hama would ramp up pressure on Assad, whose Russian and Iranian allies have scrambled to support him against the revived rebellion. The city has remained in government hands since civil war erupted in 2011.
A statement from Syria's army command said its forces were striking "terrorist organizations" in north Hama and Idlib provinces with Russian air support.
The Kremlin said Putin stressed the need for a "speedy end to the terrorist aggression against the Syrian state by radical groups." Both leaders noted the importance of further close coordination between Russia, Turkey, and Iran on the matter, a Kremlin statement said.
"The two presidents will continue to be in contact with each other in the context of seeking steps to de-escalate the crisis," the statement said.
The Syrian civil war had been mostly dormant for years until a major offensive by militants in northwestern Syria revived the conflict.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies last week seized control of most of Aleppo and the surrounding countryside, marking the biggest offensive in years.
HTS is a militant Islamist group that seeks to establish a state in Syria governed by Islamic law. The U.S.-designated terrorist organization has between 5,000 and 10,000 fighters, according to U.S. intelligence estimates.
The conflict has pitted Moscow and Tehran against Turkey, which supports armed groups involved in the HTS-led offensive.
Russia's ambassador to the United Nations late on December 3 accused Ukrainian intelligence services of aiding the HTS.
Rebels fighting with HTS are "openly flaunting" that they are supported by Ukraine, Vasily Nebenzya told the UN Security Council.
The envoy said there was an "identifiable trail" showing Ukraine's GUR military intelligence service was "providing weapons to fighters" and claimed Ukrainian military instructors from the GUR are training HTS fighters for combat operations, including against Russian troops in Syria.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said earlier that Russia and Iran "bear the main responsibility" for the recent escalation in fighting. It also noted Ukrainians were being targeted on a nightly basis by Iranian-designed drones.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies in Iran "continue to make every effort not to lose control over the puppet Syrian regime, which is associated by the majority of Syrians with inhuman cruelty, tyranny, and crimes," the ministry said on December 2.
There are indications the conflict could escalate.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on December 3 in an interview with a Qatari news outlet that Tehran would consider sending troops to Syria if Damascus asked.
Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani said Baghdad would not be "a mere spectator" in Syria and blamed Israeli military strikes on the Syrian government for the rebel advance, his office said.
Compounding Assad's problems, fighters from a U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led coalition battled government forces in the northeast, both sides said, opening a new front along a vital supply route.
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa
Georgia's Abkhazia Lawmakers Reject 'Enslaving' Investment Deal With Russia
SUKHUMI, Georgia -- De facto lawmakers of Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia on December 3 rejected an investment deal with Russia, a document that has caused political turmoil and mass protests, highlighting the region’s fraught relationship with Moscow.
The extraordinary parliamentary session, convened at the request of 19 deputies, saw 23 members in attendance, while 12 did not show up. The majority voted against the agreement. There were two abstentions and no votes in favor.
The investment agreement, signed on October 30 in Moscow, aimed to strengthen economic ties between the breakaway region and Russia but was met with widespread opposition. Critics, including opposition figures and civil society groups, labeled the deal "exploitative," claiming it would give undue advantages to Russian investors while undermining Abkhazia’s sovereignty.
The backlash against the agreement intensified, ultimately leading to the resignation of Abkhazia’s de facto leader, Aslan Bzhania, on November 19.
During the parliamentary session on December 3, lawmaker Kan Kvarchia talked to opposition activists who gathered in front of the parliament building describing the agreement as "enslaving for Abkhazia" and lambasting the breakaway region's executive branch for pushing it forward despite widespread opposition.
Kvarchia highlighted internal resistance to the agreement, including warnings from parliamentary leaders to delay its signing, which were reportedly ignored by the Economy Ministry.
The opposition supporters demanded accountability from acting leader Badra Gunba and called for Bzhania to publicly address allegations of deceit regarding the agreement. The protesters also urged swift action against government officials involved in the controversial deal.
Bzhania resigned to maintain "stability and constitutional order," a move he negotiated with opposition leaders to end the occupation of government buildings by protesters at the time. However, Bzhania signaled his intention to contest the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for February 15, 2025.
In the interim Gunba has assumed leadership, while Valery Bganba, a former parliamentary speaker, has been appointed de facto prime minister. The current administration will remain in a caretaker capacity until a new leader is elected.
The rejection of the agreement and the overall political crisis underscore the delicate balancing act Abkhazia faces in its relationship with Russia. While Moscow provides essential economic and military support, the opposition and segments of the public are wary of overreliance on Russia, fearing it could erode Abkhazia's "independence."
Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgia's rule after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.
Moscow recognized the independence of the two regions after Russian forces repelled a Georgian attempt to retake South Ossetia in a five-day war in the summer of 2008 that ended with Georgia's defeat.
Most countries still recognize Abkhazia as part of Georgia.
The ongoing political crisis also highlights internal divisions within Abkhaz leadership. The opposition’s success in mobilizing public dissent and forcing Bzhania’s resignation suggests growing discontent with the current de facto administration’s handling of governance and external policies.
The events could serve as a turning point, potentially reshaping the region’s political landscape ahead of the February 2025 elections.
Russian Woman Arrested In U.S. For Alleged Ties To Russian Intelligence
A Russian national, Nomma Zarubina, has been arrested on possible charges of providing false information to U.S. law enforcement and maintaining connections with Russian intelligence services, linking her to another suspected spy who fled the United States while being pursued by authorities.
According to FBI allegations presented in a New York Southern District Court hearing in late November, Zarubina was recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in 2020 and operated under the codename "Alyssa."
She allegedly worked to build a network of contacts among journalists and experts while carrying out tasks for an FSB officer from her native city of Tomsk in Siberia.
The FBI claims that Zarubina deliberately misled agents in 2021, denying any connection with Russian intelligence. Contrary to her statements, she allegedly attended forums and meetings in Europe and the United States to fulfill assignments from the FSB.
Notably, Russian opposition figure in exile Leonid Volkov said on Facebook on December 2 that he saw Zarubina at a Washington gathering with his supporters in January 2023.
The case also links Zarubina to Elena Branson (aka Chernykh), the head of the Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in the United States, who was charged in 2022 for illegal activities on behalf of Russian intelligence.
Branson, who fled the United States after police searched her New York apartment at the time and is believed to be currently in Russia, has reportedly mentored Zarubina since 2016.
Zarubina has been released on $25,000 bail, with restrictions barring her from leaving New York, contacting Russian officials, and surrendering her passport. She said her bail was guaranteed by a third party, but did not say who the party was.
Zarubina has maintained an active public profile, often participating as an expert at conferences, such as the Forum of Free States of Post-Russia.
On social media, she speculated about Siberia's political future, advocating for a United States of Siberia.
Despite her public statements denying espionage, her online activity suggests a more complex narrative.
For instance, until September 2023, her profile on VKontakte included posts supporting Kremlin policies, including President Vladimir Putin's 2014 speech on the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region, a move the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union have all called illegal.
Blurred Lines
In an interview with RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities, Zarubina denied working as an FSB agent but admitted to being contacted by Russian intelligence in late 2020.
She described being coerced into a meeting with FSB officers in Tomsk, where she discussed her personal background and was subsequently monitored by them. Zarubina asserts that she also contacted the FBI in April 2021 to cooperate, sharing insights on various topics, including Ukraine, and has continued to meet with them.
Zarubina says she did not expect that FBI would arrest her, stating: "I thought we had good relations; I was helping them. I didn't expect them to use my information against me."
She fears reprisal from Russian intelligence, which she believes was unaware of her cooperation with U.S. authorities. "This is no longer about false testimony -- it’s treason in their eyes," she said.
Zarubina's case underscores the complexities of modern espionage and influence operations.
Her alleged dual involvement with Russian and U.S. intelligence highlights the blurred lines between cooperation and subversion. The mention of her internship at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies and her outreach to opposition activists adds to her narrative.
While Zarubina downplays the risk of deportation, citing her American-born daughter, the case is a test of the U.S. judicial system's ability to handle allegations involving foreign intelligence activities.
Ukraine Again Calls For Full Membership As NATO Ministers Meet In Brussels
Ukraine has again called for membership in NATO, saying that only joining the alliance in full would guarantee its future security as it fights to stave off Russia's nearly three-year-old full-scale assault.
"We are convinced that the only such real guarantee of security for Ukraine, as well as a deterrent factor for further Russian aggression against Ukraine and other states, is only Ukraine's full membership in NATO," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said in a statement released ahead of a December 3 meeting of the alliance's foreign ministers in Brussels.
Ukraine Invasion: News & Analysis
RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.
In reaction to the ministry's statement, Kremlin spokesman Dimtry Peskov said on December 3 that Ukraine's joining NATO would be "unacceptable" and a "threat" to Russia.
The statement comes just days after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Sky News that Ukraine's NATO admittance could end what he described as the “hot phase of the war” triggered by Russia when it launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Zelenskiy told Sky News on November 30 that he would be willing to consider a cease-fire if Ukraine’s unoccupied territories fell under NATO's protection, as long as an invitation to join the alliance recognized Ukraine's international borders.
"If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control," Zelenskiy said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha is set to brief his NATO counterparts in Brussels on the current situation on the eastern front, where Russian troops have been making incremental but steady advances against Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned forces.
The meeting in Brussels is to focus on NATO's continued military support for Ukraine, examine Kyiv's air-defense needs, and also discuss Russia's launching last month of an experimental ballistic missile against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
Russia has said that the new medium-range missile, called Oreshnik, can also strike targets across Europe and cannot be stopped by air defenses.
On December 3, Zelenskiy announced that Ukraine had conducted a test on new, domestically developed missiles.
"We thank our Ukrainian missile developers. We're speeding up production," Zelenskiy said on Telegram after a meeting with the leadership of the Ukrainian military.
Russian hybrid attacks and sabotage incidents against NATO members is also due to be discussed in Brussels.
Early on December 3, Russia launched yet another drone attack on Ukraine that was largely repelled by Ukrainian air defenses, which shot down 22 out of the 28 incoming drones over nine regions -- Kyiv, Chernihiv, Vinnytsya, Khmelnytskiy, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Odesa, Mykolayiv, and Dnipropetrovsk.
Russian shelling also killed a woman early on December 3 in the Dnipro district of the southern region of Kherson, local officials reported.
Police Force Protesters From Parliament On Sixth Night Of Tbilisi Protests
TBILISI -- Riot police used water cannons and tear gas against protesters taking part in the sixth consecutive night of protests in Tbilisi after the the Georgian Interior Ministry warned protesters against committing violent acts.
The ministry said on December 3 that "aggressive members" of the protest started illegal and violent actions shortly after gathering in central Tbilisi.
Special forces started dispersing demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament building after the ministry said some of them had insulted law enforcement officers and thrown various blunt objects, pyrotechnics, and inflammable items in their direction.
At around 11:30 p.m. local time, police used water cannons to move protesters away from the parliament building, pushing them in the direction of the Marriott hotel as they had done on previous nights. The special forces periodically also shot tear gas canisters.
Police officers responded by directing water cannons at the protesters, some of whom danced in the stream of water while others sheltered under umbrellas.
The Caucasus country has been rocked by demonstrations since the ruling Georgian Dream party announced last week it would halt accession talks on Georgia's application to join the European Union.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has refused to back down and threatened to punish political opponents, whom he accuses of being behind violence that has occurred at the protests.
The U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi earlier on December 3 blasted the Georgian Dream party for taking decisions that have cost the country Western support and sparked the demonstrations.
Georgia has been thrown into turmoil since parliamentary elections in October in which Georgian Dream secured 54 percent of the vote. The opposition and Western governments argued that the poll was marred by violations and Russian influence.
Kobakhidze has blamed the unrest on foreign "instructors" and tried to explain the decision to halt EU accession talks through 2028 by saying Georgia is ready for the talks, "but only with dignity and justice and without blackmail."
The U.S. Embassy responded by saying, "Don't blame others" in a post on Facebook, noting it was Georgian Dream that stopped the EU membership process and that the party was to blame for a decision by Washington to halt a strategic partnership between the two countries.
The embassy statement came hours after security forces dispersed demonstrators on the fifth night of protests in Tbilisi using tear gas and water cannons.
In a change of tactics, several hundred protesters on December 3 left Tbilisi's Chavchavadze Avenue near the state university as police in balaclavas massed in the area following nightlong clashes with demonstrators outside the parliament building, where they have gathered each night since November 28, when the ruling Georgian Dream party declared its decision on EU talks.
Georgian security forces' use of excessive violence against protesters has prompted a wave of outrage in the country and abroad, with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte calling it "deeply concerning."
At a news conference in Brussels ahead of a meeting of the alliance's foreign ministers, Rutte said NATO members "urge the Georgian government to stay on the path" toward "more EU and NATO integration."
"The reports of violence are deeply concerning, and I condemn them unequivocally," he said.
Twenty-six people, including 23 protesters and three members of the security forces needed hospitalization after the clashes on the night of December 1, Georgia's Health Ministry said on December 3.
"None of the injuries are life threatening," the ministry added in a statement.
The Interior Ministry said 224 protesters were detained on administrative charges and three on criminal charges. In addition, three police officers were hospitalized and 113 others have required medical treatment, the ministry said on December 2.
Georgian pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili, who has sided with the protesters, said on X that many of the arrested protesters had injuries to their heads and faces. Some people were subjected to systematic beatings between arrest and transportation to detention facilities, she added.
Writing on X on December 3, she said force had been used "disproportionately" against the protesters, while Georgia's ombudsman accused police of torturing pro-EU protesters.
Levan Ioseliani, whose role is to defend citizens’ rights, said he and his officials had met people subjected to “the harshest treatment” by police.
“In most cases, they have received serious injuries in the face, eye and head area, which practically excludes even the possibility that the police used the necessary, proportional force against them every time,” he said in a statement.
“The location, character, and degree of the injuries create a credible impression that the police use violent methods against citizens in order to punish them. Intentional, severe violence for the purpose of punishment constitutes an act of torture.”
Kobakhidze has claimed that protests were "funded from abroad" and vowed "there will be no revolution in Georgia."
Western governments have questioned Georgia's parliamentary elections in October in which Georgian Dream claimed 54 percent of the vote, arguing the elections were marred by violations and Russian influence.
Zurabishvili says people wanted free elections, not revolutions.
Kobakhidze said earlier that Zurabishvili must leave office at the end of her term later this month. His announcement came despite her pledge to stay in office "until a president is legitimately elected."
Zurabishvili and the opposition have alleged fraud and other improprieties and refuse to recognize the new parliament, which last week scheduled an indirect election for a new president for December 14 despite ongoing legal challenges.
One of those challenges suffered a setback on December 3 when Georgia's Constitutional Court declined to hear a lawsuit seeking to annul the election results.
The case was brought forward by the pro-EU Zurabishvili, whose powers are mostly ceremonial. Her term ends next month.
A majority of Georgians support EU membership, and efforts to join the bloc are mandated in the Georgian Constitution.
But the ruling Georgian Dream's enactment this year of what Zurabishvili and critics call a "Russian law" clamping down on NGOs and media financed from abroad, as well as a controversial bill on LGBT rights and public attacks on the West by Kobakhidze and other officials, have raised fears the current government is leading the country back into Russia's orbit.
Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023 but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, beginning with the adoption of the controversial "foreign agent" law, which critics say threatens to publicly discredit thousands of media outlets and civil society groups as "serving" outside powers.
With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
U.S. Announces $725 Million Aid Package For Ukraine
The United States on December 2 announced a new $725 million military aid package for Ukraine that includes another shipment of landmines and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and other artillery systems, Stinger missiles, and drones. The United States announced a first shipment of land mines last month in a move that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said was necessary because Russian forces were using dismounted infantry units instead of vehicles to lead their advances. The Ukrainian defenders "have a need for things that can help slow down that effort," Austin said. The Biden administration is working to provide more aid to Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has repeatedly criticized U.S. assistance to Kyiv. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement called the new aid a “significant package of urgently needed weapons and equipment.”
Taliban Orders Further Restrictions On Medical Education For Women -- Sources
The Taliban has ordered all private educational institutions in Afghanistan to cease female medical education starting December 3, according to two informed sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. The directive from the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, was announced on December 2 during a meeting of the extremist group's Public Health Ministry in Kabul. The two sources told RFE/RL that the heads of the private medical institutions affected by the order were summoned to the ministry for the announcement. As a result of the order, all institutions offering training in midwifery, dental prosthetics, nursing, and laboratory sciences are now barred from enrolling or teaching female students, the sources said. Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment.
Polish Authorities Arrest Russian Activist's Wife
Polish authorities have arrested Irina Rogova, the wife of the former coordinator of the now defunct Open Russia project, on charges of espionage.
Rogova (aka Moseikina) will remain in custody for three months, according to a report by the Vot Tak online channel citing the Polish Prosecutor-General's Office. The primary charge is espionage linked to aiding an attempt to commit a crime, Polish officials said but gave no further details.
The case appears to be part of a broader investigation. Poland’s Internal Security Agency on November 27 conducted a search of the residence of Danila Buzanov, a Russian acquaintance of Rogova and her husband, Igor Rogov.
According to Buzanov, agents inquired about possible ties between Igor Rogov and Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
"They asked questions like, 'Do you know this man?' and 'Did Irina ever mention Igor’s connections to the FSB?'" Buzanov told journalists.
Igor Rogov was arrested in late July in the Polish city of Katowice. He faces charges of making a direct threat to the lives and health of numerous individuals as well as significant property damage through sabotage.
Despite these allegations, no charges of espionage have been brought against him.
Open Russia was a Russian pro-democracy organization established by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a self-exiled former oil magnate and outspoken critic of the Kremlin.
The group aimed to promote civil society, democracy, and human rights in Russia. Over the years, it became a platform for opposition figures, activists, and independent journalists.
The Russian government labeled Open Russia as an "undesirable organization" in 2017, effectively banning its activities in the country. Members and affiliates faced harassment, legal persecution, and accusations of extremism or foreign collaboration.
The group's coordination efforts extended across Europe, engaging with Russian diaspora communities and advocating against the Kremlin’s authoritarian policies.
Igor Rogov’s role as a coordinator for Open Russia suggests his work may have included organizing opposition activities or disseminating critical information about Russian governance, potentially putting him under the scrutiny of Russian intelligence agencies.
Polish authorities have not confirmed whether Rogov’s involvement with Open Russia is directly linked to the charges of espionage against his wife.
Azerbaijani Court Fines Opposition Leader In Defamation Case
BAKU -- A district court in the Azerbaijani capital on December 2 fined the chairman of the opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (AXCP), Ali Karimli, over accusations that he defamed a bitter rival in connection with his expulsion from the party five years ago.
Tempers flared outside the Nasimi District courthouse before Judge Babek Panahov handed down the fine of 1,500 manats ($882) against Karimli, who announced his intention to appeal the decision.
AXCP representatives said police detained multiple people after ordering Karimli supporters gathered outside to disperse and to move their vehicles before the court session began.
Karimli tweeted that "Using force, the police detained six activists of the [AXCP]."
RFE/RL efforts to learn details of the detentions from the Interior Ministry were unsuccessful.
The case has drawn criticism from domestic observers and international human rights organizations, further highlighting concerns about judicial independence in Azerbaijan.
The accusation stems from a complaint filed as a special indictment against Karimli.
Aydin Aliyev, a former AXCP member expelled five years ago but subsequently reinstated by court order, accused Karimli of slandering him in television appearances by alleging that Aliyev was collaborating with government authorities.
He has sought Karimli's prosecution under a defamation article of the Criminal Code.
Karimli denies the accusation, arguing that Aliyev’s actions were inconsistent with AXCP’s political agenda, thus justifying his expulsion.
He and his lawyer said the ruling -- after a monthslong delay -- appeared to lack legal reasoning.
"The Azerbaijani authorities dragged this case on for four months, despite knowing that neither the Azerbaijani public nor the international community took it seriously," Karimli said.
"Arresting a political opponent on such an absurd charge would have been indefensible, so they chose this measure instead."
President Aliyev has ruled the oil-rich South Caucasus state with an iron fist since 2003 after taking over from his father, Heydar, who was president for a decade.
Belarusian Authorities Raid Home of Grandmother Of Former Belsat Journalist
Belarus law enforcement officers have raided the home of the 85-year-old grandmother of Syarhey Skulavets, a former journalist for the opposition media outlet Belsat, in another sign of the government's continued crackdown against independent media.
Skulavets, who fled Belarus in the summer of 2023 due to growing fears of being arrested for his journalism, said in a post on Facebook on December 1 that officers, who identified themselves as investigators and KGB agents, searched his grandmother's home and asked questions about his activities.
Belsat is a Belarusian-language television channel that operates from Poland, broadcasting critical news and analysis about the government of the authoritarian ruler of Belarus Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
Since its launch in 2007, Belsat has become one of the most prominent independent media outlets for Belarusian audiences.
The channel's outspoken coverage of political events, including the disputed 2020 presidential election and the violent crackdown on protests that followed, has made it a target for the authoritarian government.
Journalists working for Belsat have faced harassment, intimidation, and arrests both within Belarus and abroad.
Skulavets's account of the raid underscores the regime's strategy of targeting family members of dissidents.
Although the search's precise motivations remain unclear, the authorities appeared to be focused on finding information about Skulavets and his work.
The officers reportedly examined mobile phones, posed questions, and took notes, with Skulavets's father informing him that the officers showed no interest in his personal belongings, only in his association with the journalist.
Skulavets also shared that his family had recently received phone calls from individuals claiming to be from the Department of Financial Security.
The callers expressed concern about not being able to reach Skulavets, hinting the government may be using additional methods to intimidate and pressure him and his loved ones.
This incident also underscores the broader context of Belarusian media censorship since a disputed 2020 election sparked massive protests amid claims the vote was rigged to hand Lukashenka a sixth consecutive term in power.
Belsat, along with other independent outlets, has been a particular focus of these efforts, with its journalists being branded as enemies of the state.
The international community, including human rights groups, has repeatedly condemned the actions, calling for an end to the harassment of journalists and their families.
- By AFP
Germany's Baerbock Warns China's Russia Support Will 'Impact' Ties
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on December 2 warned her Chinese counterpart that Beijing's support for Russia would "impact" ties, according to her office. Germany's top diplomat met in Beijing with her counterpart Wang Yi for a "strategic dialogue," as Berlin seeks to build better ties with China while engaging on key differences. Baerbock told Wang that "increasing Chinese support for Russia's war against Ukraine has an impact on our relations," according to a readout by the German Foreign Ministry. "Core German and European security interests are affected," she said. China presents itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine war and says it is not sending lethal assistance to either side, unlike the United States and other Western nations. But it remains a close political and economic ally of Russia and NATO members have branded Beijing a "decisive enabler" of the war, which it has never condemned.
- By RFE/RL
Baltic States To Punish Georgians Suppressing 'Legitimate Protests'
Estonia says that it has jointly agreed along with Latvia and Lithuania to introduce national sanctions against "those who suppressed legitimate protests in Georgia" amid the ongoing turmoil in that Black Sea post-Soviet republic. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced the move via social media on December 2, adding, "Opponents of democracy & violators of human rights are not welcome in our countries." Georgian authorities have acknowledged detaining at least 224 people in the four days since Georgian Dream party Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said Tbilisi was suspending its EU membership talks through 2028. The decision sparked protests and a harsh crackdown in an already tense post-election atmosphere with constitutional challenges mounting between outgoing President Salome Zurabishvili and the government.
- By AFP
Iran Says To Keep 'Military Advisers' In Syria
Iran said on December 2 that it plans to keep military advisers in Syria after its ally's second city, Aleppo, was overrun by rebels in a surprise offensive. The Islamic republic, which has backed President Bashar al-Assad since Syria's civil war broke out in 2011, says it only deploys military advisers in the country at the invitation of Damascus. "We entered Syria many years ago at the official invitation of the Syrian government, when the Syrian people faced the threat of terrorism," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaeil. "Our military advisers were present in Syria, and they are still present" and would remain in the country "in accordance with the wishes" of its government, he told a news conference in Tehran. Baqaeil did not specify whether or not Iran would be increasing its forces in Syria in the wake of the lightning rebel offensive. His remarks come a day after Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Assad in Damascus to show support for the Syrian president.
Germany's Scholz Visits Kyiv Pledging New Weapons
KYIV -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit on December 2 vowing to deliver hundreds of millions of euros in additional weapons for Ukraine's defense this month, with questions mounting among Kyiv's allies and signs of a possible diplomatic shift around the 3-year-old full-scale Russian invasion.
Scholz's visit follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's suggestion that an invitation of NATO membership even limited to territory under Kyiv's control could put an end to "the hot stage of the war."
It also comes ahead of a U.S. presidential transition in January and a German election expected in February.
After arriving by train on December 2, Scholz met in Kyiv with Zelenskiy for the first time since the Ukrainian president publicly accused Scholz of opening a "Pandora's box" and easing Moscow's isolation by speaking by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month. Scholz has also been among the more cautious NATO leaders concerning possible alliance membership for Ukraine.
It is also Scholz's first Ukraine visit since the months following Russia's nearly full-scale invasion, which started in February 2022.
In a post on X, he pledged that "Germany will remain Ukraine's strongest supporter in Europe."
"At the meeting with President Zelenskiy, I will announce additional weapons worth 650 million euros, which are to be delivered in December," he added.
Scholz and Zelenskiy jointly visited wounded Ukrainian soldiers.
Dpa quoted Scholz as lauding the Ukrainian people's defense of their country "in a heroic manner against Russia's merciless war of aggression" for more than 1,000 days. "Ukraine can rely on Germany. We say what we do. And we do what we say."
A German Defense Ministry spokesperson said the aid bound for Ukraine this month includes IRIS-T air-defense systems, Leopard 1 tanks, and weaponized drones. It will also include winter equipment and handheld weapons, the spokesperson said.
Scholz's main conservative rival in the upcoming German elections, Friedrich Merz, has accused him and his Greens partners of being slow and overly cautious in their government's supply of aid to Ukraine.
Western supporters led by Washington last month gave permission for Ukraine to use their weapons for long-range strikes even deeper inside Russia, adding a new wrinkle to the conflict that Kyiv had long desired.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of Scholz's visit that it had no "expectations" and it was part of Berlin's "continuing...line of unconditional support to Ukraine."
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to take swift and dramatic action to end the Ukraine war but provided no details.
Sources told RFE/RL's Hungarian Service last week that Trump had held multiple conversations with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban since winning the U.S. presidential election in early November and the two had discussed possible routes toward ending the conflict.
Orban has consistently criticized EU and U.S. policies since Russia's unprovoked invasion began in February 2024, and launched his own uncoordinated "peace mission" with visits to Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing in July -- a move that infuriated Brussels.
With reporting by Reuters
NATO Rejects Pristina's Request For Kosovar Deployment To North
NATO's mission in Kosovo says it has withheld authorization for a request by Pristina to deploy the ethnically fractured country's national security body, the Kosovo Security Force (KSF), to the Serb-majority northern region where an explosion last week damaged a water canal and ratcheted up tensions.
Kosovar officials have accused neighboring Serbia of involvement, without providing evidence -- a charge Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic rejected before vowing to conduct an investigation and hinting cryptically, "We have information about who might be the perpetrator."
NATO's KFOR mission confirmed to RFE/RL's Kosovo Service on December 1 that Kosovar authorities had asked to deploy the KSF to the northern area of Zubin Potok, a region where the transatlantic alliance and European civilian mission EULEX have helped keep the peace for years.
“The KFOR Commander has not given such authorization, based on his security assessment and the actions already undertaken by KFOR," the NATO force said in a written response.
Serbia rejects independence for its former province, and decade-old talks facilitated by the European Union to normalize relations between Pristina and Belgrade have largely stalled.
Belgrade has long maintained parallel institutions in northern Kosovo that serve the tens of thousands of Serbs there who mostly reject Kosovar central authority.
Pristina has essentially pledged since a 2013 agreement not to deploy its mostly ethnically Albanian forces to the northern region without KFOR's prior consent.
Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti called the November 29 blast that damaged the canal supplying water to his country's two main coal power plants a "criminal and terrorist attack" by northern neighbor and bitter rival Serbia.
The attack did not cause any casualties but threatened power disruption as the region hunkers down for the onset of winter.
Drinking water supplies to Pristina were also said to be at risk.
"KFOR has deployed units to secure the Zobin Potok area of the damaged water canal," KFOR told RFE/RL. "KFOR has also offered additional assistance to the Institutions in Kosovo, including logistical and explosive ordnance disposal support."
It said it was in contact with all key partners and was monitoring events.
At a press conference late on December 1, Kurti avoided saying whether he had sought KFOR permission for a deployment but acknowledged Pristina was "constrained" by the 2013 deal.
The next day, Kurti invited foreign envoys for a meeting to discuss the situation.
Afterward, U.S. Ambassador to Pristina Jeffrey Hovenier said Washington doesn't know who was behind the attack. But, he added, "Once it is...determined who is responsible, we will work with the proper authorities to ensure that they are held accountable."
Kurti, whose ruling Self-Determination Movement (Vetëvendosje) is facing national elections next year, has spent much of the past year squeezing out dinar payments, Serbian postal and banking ties, and other Serbian-dominated aspects of everyday life in northern Kosovo.
EU and U.S. officials have repeatedly warned his government to refrain from unilateral and potentially provocative steps.
The explosion in the village of Varrage, in the Zubin Potok municipality, created a large crack in the Iber-Lepenc canal.
The waterway, which originates at Ujman (Gazivoda) Lake, supplies water to the entire northern region of Kosovo, the Mitrovica regions, and Pristina and its surroundings, including the Kosovo Energy Corporation for cooling its power plants.
Police Use Tear Gas Against Pro-EU Protesters In Georgia As Political Crisis Escalates
TBILISI -- Police again moved to disperse thousands of demonstrators in Tbilisi on December 2 after more than 200 people were detained during four previous nights of protests amid anger over government plans to suspend EU accession talks through 2028.
Police in ski masks used water cannons and tear gas to drive protesters away from the parliament building, where they have gathered each night since November 28 when the ruling Georgian Dream party declared its decision on EU talks.
Protesters continued marching even amid clouds of tear gas released in the streets in the early hours of December 3.
Police in Tbilisi used similar tactics the night before to prevent a protest near parliament and made dozens of arrests. RFE/RL journalists said police arrested and beat several demonstrators after they were dispersed around 2 a.m. on December 2.
The brother of an RFE/RL producer described the scene inside a police minivan after he and his sibling were arrested. There was a pool of blood on the floor of the vehicle, which was filled with protesters who had been beaten, Tornike Beradze told RFE/RL.
Tornike Beradze was taken to a clinic to be treated for a concussion, while his brother, Beka, was placed in a pretrial detention facility. Both are scheduled to be released on December 3.
Tornike Beradze said riot police aggressively questioned his brother, who was walking in front of him and a friend. They told the police officers that, if the street was blocked, they would take a different route, but the police started throwing punches.
"I tried to call my brother, be careful, but when I looked back to say that, I had a few more fists in my face,” he told RFE/RL. “As many times as I lifted my head up, there were so many fists, all the special forces who met us were hitting me.”
The Interior Ministry said that 224 protesters were detained on administrative charges and three on criminal charges. In addition, three police officers were hospitalized and 113 others have required medical treatment, the ministry said on December 2.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili said on X that many of the arrested protesters had injuries to their heads and faces. Some people were subjected to systematic beatings between arrest and transportation to detention facilities, she added.
"It's everything but a revolution. This is a huge, I would say, national movement that has truly spread across the entire country, geographically and socially, encompassing all segments of the population," Zurabishvili said earlier on December 2 in an interview with Reuters.
Special forces wearing masks are part of the "violent repression on protesters" taking place on the night of December 2-3, she told CNN, calling it "a step further...against freedom of expression."
The government is carrying out a policy to try to limit the expression of the Georgian people not to go toward Russia, she said.
The response follows Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's "outrageous decision" on EU membership talks, she said.
Kobakhidze warned the opposition that “any violation of the law will be met with the full rigor of the law.”
Politicians who "hide in their offices and sacrifice members of their violent groups" also will not escape "severe punishment,” he said.
Kobakhidze said earlier that Zurabishvili must leave office at the end of her term later this month. His announcement came despite her pledge to stay in office "until a president is legitimately elected" after Georgian Dream, which has ruled the country for over a decade, claimed national elections last month.
Zurabishvili and the opposition have alleged fraud and other improprieties and refuse to recognize the new parliament, which last week scheduled an indirect election for a new president for December 14 despite ongoing legal challenges.
"There is no legitimate parliament, and therefore, an illegitimate parliament cannot elect a new president," she said on November 30.
A majority of Georgians support EU membership, and efforts to join the bloc are mandated in the Georgian Constitution.
But the ruling Georgian Dream's enactment this year of what Zurabishvili and critics call a "Russian law" clamping down on NGOs and media financed from abroad, as well as a controversial bill on LGBT rights and public attacks on the West by Kobakhidze and other officials, have raised fears the current government is leading the country back into Russia's orbit.
Western governments have questioned the October parliamentary elections -- in which Georgian Dream claimed 54 percent of the vote -- arguing the elections were marred by violations and Russian influence.
Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023 but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, beginning with the adoption of the controversial "foreign agent" law, which critics say threatens to publicly discredit thousands of media outlets and civil society groups as "serving" outside powers.
Germany said on December 2 that it still supported Georgia's bid for EU membership, while the Baltic states threatened to impose sanctions on Georgian leaders who oppose the country's move toward joining the group.
"The door to Europe remains open for Georgia. But what is important is that Georgia decides to take this path, and the people we see protesting want to take this path," said German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced on December 2 that Tallinn had jointly agreed with Latvia and Lithuania to introduce sanctions against "those who suppressed legitimate protests in Georgia."
"Opponents of democracy & violators of human rights are not welcome in our countries," Tsahkna said on social media.
The United States in July announced it would pause more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, warning that it was backsliding on democracy.
With reporting by AP, Reuters, and CNN
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