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U.S. VP Candidate Vance Calls Putin 'Adversary' But Declines To Call Him An 'Enemy'

JD Vance (left) and Donald Trump (file photo)
JD Vance (left) and Donald Trump (file photo)

U.S. vice presidential nominee JD Vance -- Republican Donald Trump's running mate -- acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “clearly an adversary” of the United States, but he declined to call him an “enemy” during an interview with NBC News broadcast on October 27. “Just because we don’t like somebody doesn’t mean we can’t occasionally engage in conversations with him,” Vance said, adding that to end the Ukraine war, “we’re going to have to engage in some sort of negotiations” with Kyiv, Moscow, and NATO allies. Asked if he would call Putin an “enemy,” Vance responded: “We’re not in a war with him, and I don’t want to be in a war with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.”

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Belarus Releases Detained U.S. Citizen Anastasia Nufer, Says Washington

Belarus has faced international criticism for its treatment of political prisoners and suppression of dissent. (file photo)
Belarus has faced international criticism for its treatment of political prisoners and suppression of dissent. (file photo)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on January 26 that American citizen Anastasia Nufer was released from a Belarusian prison.

Without offering details, Rubio wrote on X that Nuhfer had been detained during the presidency of Joe Biden and had been "unilaterally released" by Belarus.

Details surrounding Nufer’s detention remain unclear, with her name previously absent from public discourse. Minsk never disclosed her name, and Washington does not release the names of detained Americans abroad without the consent of their families.

Lithuania-based Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed Nuhfer's release and highlighted the plight of political prisoners in Belarus under authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenko.

"Thank you to our [American] friends for your advocacy on [Nuhfer's] behalf and for all political prisoners in Belarus," she wrote on X. "Every one of them must be freed. We will continue to fight for the release of all unjustly detained."

Nufer’s release was announced on the same day that Belarus is holding a presidential election in which Lukashenka is set to secure a seventh term in office in a vote described as a "sham" by Western leaders.

Belarus has faced international criticism for its treatment of political prisoners and suppression of dissent.

Ahead of the January 26 election, state media aired propaganda films featuring detained RFE/RL journalists Andrey Kuznechyk and Ihar Losik, as well as Ihar Karney, who previously wrote for RFE/RL.

Another prominent figure imprisoned in Belarus is U.S. citizen Yuras Zyankovich, a Belarusian-American lawyer and opposition politician.

Lukashenko Poised To Extend Rule In Belarus Election Condemned As 'Sham' by EU

Belarusian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenko votes during the presidential election in Minsk on January 26.
Belarusian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenko votes during the presidential election in Minsk on January 26.

Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenko is set to secure his seventh term in office in a presidential election that European Union leaders have denounced as a "sham."

Polls opened in the early hours of January 26 as Lukashenko, a Russian ally who has been in power for three decades, told the media after casting his vote that Belarus has "a tough democracy."

But the opposition, rights groups, and the West disagree.

The Washington-based Freedom House advocacy group in its latest report has described Belarus as "an authoritarian state in which elections are openly rigged and civil liberties are severely restricted."

Lithuania-based opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya on January 26 wrote on X that rallies against the election were taking place in cities across Europe, adding: "Belarus demands freedom."

Ahead of the election, senior EU officials questioned the legitimacy of the vote and Lukashenko's expected victory.

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola called the election a "sham" and wrote on X, “My message to the people of Belarus is: keep strong, we have your back, the time of dictatorship will be over."

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas criticized Lukashenko for having "clung to power for 30 years" and said he would "reappoint himself in yet another sham election."

"This is a blatant affront to democracy," she posted on X.

However, Lukashenko dismissed the criticism and shrugged off remarks from Western leaders.

"Recognize these elections or not: It's a matter of taste. I don't care about it. The main thing for me is that Belarusians recognize these elections," he told reporters during a press conference in Minsk on January 26.

The election commission claimed that turnout had exceeded 66 percent by 2 p.m. local time.

Montenegrins Continue Protests Over Response To Mass Shooting

Students led protests in Podgorica over the government's response to a deadly mass shooting in Cetinje, on January 25.
Students led protests in Podgorica over the government's response to a deadly mass shooting in Cetinje, on January 25.

Thousands of protesters in the Montenegrin capital, Podgorica, staged a third rally this month to demand the resignation of senior security officials over the government’s response to a deadly mass shooting on January 1.

The rally on January 25, led by an informal student group, began with 13 minutes of silence for the victims before protesters marched from the Interior Ministry to the Parliament building. Students carried symbolic props, including a chair with a doll representing government officials, emphasizing the need for accountability.

The group blames police failures during the mass shooting in Cetinje, which left 13 people dead, and demands the resignations of Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic and Deputy Prime Minister for Security Aleksa Becic.

"If our demands are not met, we are prepared for civil disobedience led by students," said activist Itana Dragojevic.

Protesters In Montenegro Demand Resignations Over Mass Shooting
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Protesters In Montenegro Demand Resignations Over Mass Shooting

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The students also demand confiscation of illegal weapons, stricter gun permit reviews, improved police efficiency, and better mental health care. They have given Prime Minister Milojko Spajic until February 1 to respond.

In response to the shooting, the government on January 3 announced a raft of new gun-control measures following a seven-hour session of the National Security Council, which is chaired by the country's president.

The proposed law, announced by Prime Minister Milojko Spajic, will mandate the reverification of existing weapons licenses and impose severe penalties for those who fail to surrender illegal weapons within two months.

Spajic also said hunting clubs would be verified and the authorities would establish an anonymous hot line where citizens could report illegal weapons possession for a reward.

While estimates vary, Montenegro has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe. In the country of just over 620,000 people, there are about 245,000 firearms in use, according to the Swiss-based Small Arms Survey.

Other estimates suggest the figure is lower. According to 2022 police data provided to RFE/RL's Balkan Service, there are over 100,000 legally owned weapons in Montenegro, while illegal firearms are estimated to number between 40,000 and 80,000.

U.S. May Put Bounty On Taliban Leaders Over Hostages, Rubio Says

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (file photo)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (file photo)

The United States may place a bounty on the top leaders of the Taliban, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on January 25 after finding out that the group may be holding more American hostages in Afghanistan.

"Just hearing the Taliban is holding more American hostages than has been reported," Rubio said on X.

"If this is true, we will have to immediately place a very big bounty on their top leaders, maybe even bigger than the one we had on bin Laden," he added, referring to the Al-Qaeda leader and mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Bin Laden was killed in 2011 by the U.S. military in a nighttime raid in Pakistan.

U.S. officials and media confirmed earlier this week the release of two Americans held in Afghanistan in exchange for a Taliban man imprisoned for life in California on drug and terrorism charges.

The two Americans who were set free were not identified by the Afghan Foreign Ministry, but according to U.S. media reports and family members, they were Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

No mention was made of two other U.S. citizens -- George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi-- who have been held by the Taliban since 2022. It was unclear whether these were the hostages that Rubio referred to.

The member of the Taliban who was released was Khan Mohammed, who had been sentenced to two life terms in 2008. The Afghan Foreign Ministry said his release came “as a result of long and fruitful negotiations” between Afghanistan and the United States.

A member of the new administration of President Donald Trump told reporters in Washington that the deal was brokered by President Joe Biden’s team before he left office on January 20.

Details of the negotiations were not revealed. The United States, like most countries, does not recognize the Taliban -- which seized power in Kabul in mid-2021 -- as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan.

White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement on January 21 that the Trump administration "will continue to demand the release of all Americans held by the Taliban, especially in light of the billions of dollars in U.S. aid they’ve received in recent years."

Rubio's bounty comment came two days after the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) said that he has requested warrants for the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, and the head of Afghanistan's Supreme Court, Abdul Hakim Haqqani.

Karim Khan announced that he is seeking arrest warrants for the alleged persecution of Afghan women and girls, an accusation the Taliban-run Foreign Ministry called "baseless."

In a statement, Khan said based on evidence collected thus far in an investigation reopened in October 2022 there were grounds to believe Akhundzada and Haqqani "bear criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds."

Mir Abdul Wahid Sadat, head of the Afghan Lawyers Association, told RFE/RL, that the ICC decisions and actions "have strong consequences" and said Khan's announcement was "a big threat to the Taliban."

With reporting by Reuters

Protests Held Across Serbia As Students Continue To Demand Accountability In Deadly Canopy Collapse

Several thousand citizens protest in Zrenjanin, Serbia, in event organized by students to demand accountability in deadly canopy collapse at Novi Sad railway station.
Several thousand citizens protest in Zrenjanin, Serbia, in event organized by students to demand accountability in deadly canopy collapse at Novi Sad railway station.

Thousands of people took to the streets on January 25 in several cities in Serbia to demand political and criminal responsibility for the deaths of 15 people in the collapse of a canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad.

Marches and demonstrations took place in Belgrade, Novi Sad, and more than a dozen other cities across the country in the latest in a series of protests spearheaded by students, who continue to call for accountability in the deadly canopy collapse nearly three months ago.

The demonstrators carried banners calling for justice and emblazoned with slogans such as "Demands have not been met" and "We will pass this exam as well," according to an RFE/RL reporter.

During the protest in Zrenjanin participants observed 15 minutes of silence -- one minute for each of the people killed when the canopy collapsed on November 1.

More than 1,000 people gathered in the center of the Novi Sad, where marchers held a 15-minute memorial service for the victims. Marchers shouted, "They attacked students," referring to two attacks on students in Belgrade in recent days.

Two female students were injured in separate incidents when cars were driven into groups of protesters. Prosecutors have charged the drivers of the cars with attempted murder.

The protests on January 25 came a day after a general strike observed by tens of thousands of citizens across the country who stayed away from work and refrained from making purchases for the day.

The canopy collapse occurred after the railway station had been renovated twice in recent years by a Chinese-led consortium of four companies. Serbian Railways insisted that the renovation didn’t include the concrete overhang, but some experts disputed that, while many people blame corruption and poor construction oversight for the tragedy.

Protests have been taking place regularly since the incident as demonstrators demand the government take more robust action beyond an indictment announced last month naming the former transport minister, the former director of Serbian Railway, and 11 others.

Ten of the defendants are in custody, but the former minister, Goran Vesic, remains at large, while two others are under house arrest.

The students also have been holding more than 60 state universities in lockdown for the past two months. Their primary demand is that authorities release complete documentation on the railway station reconstruction projects.

The authorities claim that all their demands have been met and urge students to open the faculties.

Academics, on the other hand, say that the requirements have been only partially met and the suspension of work at the faculties will continue until further notice.

They insist that the documentation on the reconstruction of the train station published on the website of the government of Serbia and on the website of the prosecutor-general's office in Novi Sad is incomplete.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on January 25 urged all documents related to the canopy collapse to be made public.

"I am calling on the government, the investor, the contractor, and the prosecutor's office to submit absolutely everything that has been requested," said Vucic in a video message on Instagram.

Vucic also said he has demanded that police officers secure the area around protests to protect them from any further car-rammings.

The president announced that police would also protect protests planned for January 27 involving an expected day-long blockade of a major traffic intersection in Belgrade.

With reporting by AFP

U.S. Citizen Detained In Southern Russia Since November

A law enforcement officer closes a gate at a pretrial detention center in Russia. (file photo)
A law enforcement officer closes a gate at a pretrial detention center in Russia. (file photo)

The detention of a dual Russian-American citizen has come to light in southern Russia.

On January 25, court documents accessed by RFE/RL's Caucasus.Realities in Kabardino-Balkaria, a Russian republic in the North Caucuses, said an individual identified by the initials K.T.N. has been detained in the region since November.

The detained individual is accused of "participating in an illegal armed group, terrorist activities and undergoing appropriate training."

The accused has so far refused to testify. His lawyer said there is no evidence of his involvement in the crimes he is charged with.

A senior investigator of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) in Kabardino-Balkaria is investigating the case.

Human rights campaigners and legal experts in Russia say individuals passed on as militants by the country's security services often claim to have confessed to alleged crimes because of torture during the preliminary investigation.

Moscow and Washington exchanged dozens of prisoners in the largest swap since the Cold War in August. A few U.S. citizens are still believed to be imprisoned in Russia.

4 Sentenced To Death For 'Blasphemous' Posts In Pakistan

Smoke plumes from a police vehicle set on fire by supporters of Pakistan's blasphemy laws in the southern sea port city of Karachi in October 2024. (file photo)
Smoke plumes from a police vehicle set on fire by supporters of Pakistan's blasphemy laws in the southern sea port city of Karachi in October 2024. (file photo)

A court in northwestern Pakistan has sentenced four men to death for allegedly posting sacrilegious materials about the Koran and Islamic figures.

On January 25, Tariq Ayub, a judge in Rawalpindi, a city adjacent to the capital, Islamabad, sentenced the four to death by hanging. They were also fined more than $16,000.

Ayub said the contempt of figures sacred to Muslims and insulting the Koran were unforgivable offenses that don’t deserve clemency.

The men were identified as Rana Usman, Ashfaque Ali, Salman Sajjad, and Wajid Ali.

Under Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy laws, anyone found guilty of insulting Islam can be sentenced to death.

"The doubts and uncertainties that arise in such cases are ignored by the courts," said Manzoor Rahmani, a lawyer for the sentenced men. "[This is likely] due to the fear of religious backlash and potential mob violence against the judge if the accused is acquitted."

Rahmani said he would appeal against the ruling in the provincial High Court in the eastern province of Punjab.

According to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), "blasphemy accusations, whether true or false, often lead to lengthy prison sentences on death row and solitary confinement."

Critics say the laws are often abused to settle scores or used to target members of Pakistan's religious minorities.

Since 1987, more than 2,000 people have been accused of blasphemy laws. Nearly 100 people have been lynched to death while dozens remain on death row, according to USCIRF.

The defendants were first accused under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act in 2022. Rights campaigners have criticized the law for curtailing the freedom of expression in the country.

This week, human rights watchdogs criticized amendments to the law that were adopted by the National Assembly or lower house of the Pakistani parliament on January 23. The amendments grant the government sweeping powers to control social media.

With reporting by AP and Dawn.com

U.S. Senate Confirms Controversial Nominee Hegseth As Defense Secretary

Pete Hegseth (file photo)
Pete Hegseth (file photo)

The U.S. Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth to be the next defense secretary in a late-night vote that ended in a tie, requiring Vice President J.D. Vance to cast the deciding vote.

Hegseth was confirmed on January 24 after Vance broke a 50-50 tie in the Republican-led Senate that resulted when three Republicans joined every Democrat and independent in voting no.

Hegseth, 44, will lead an organization with nearly 2.1 million men and women in uniform, about 780,000 civilian employees, and a budget of $850 billion. The former Fox News host and combat veteran has vowed to bring a “warrior culture” to the Pentagon.

Questions about his qualifications and allegations of heavy drinking and aggressive behavior toward women had dogged his nomination, but President Donald Trump stood by him.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (Republican-South Dakota) said Hegseth, a veteran of the Army National Guard who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, “will bring a warrior's perspective" to the top military job.

“Gone will be the days of woke distractions,” Thune said, referring to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that Trump opposes. “The Pentagon's focus will be on war fighting.”

In his opening statement before the Senate Armed Service Committee on January 14, Hegseth said diversity, equity, and inclusion programs politicize the military.

Senator Roger Wicker (Republican-Mississippi), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement e-mailed to RFE/RL that he had found Hegseth to be “a true patriot, a top-shelf communicator, and a prospective change agent who will bring much-needed reform to the Pentagon.”

Hegseth will help bring back “peace through strength,” he said.

Hegseth denied allegations that he was abusive to women and promised not to drink on the job if confirmed. But Democrats remained skeptical and stayed united in their opposition.

“Is Pete Hegseth truly the best we have to offer?” said Senator Jack Reed (Democrat-Rhode Island), ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a speech before the vote.

The three Republican votes against confirming Hegseth were cast by Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, and Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Murkowski said in a statement that Hegseth’s behaviors “starkly contrast” with what is expected of the military.

“I remain concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and those aspiring to join,” Murkowski added.

Collins said that after a lengthy discussion with Hegseth she was “not convinced that his position on women serving in combat roles has changed.”

McConnell, the former Senate majority leader, had said earlier in a speech that he would vote to confirm nominees to senior national security roles “whose record and experience will make them immediate assets, not liabilities.”

With reporting by AP

U.S. Issues Broad Freeze On Foreign Aid Pending Reviews

Trump's order said current U.S. foreign aid is "not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values."
Trump's order said current U.S. foreign aid is "not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values."

The U.S. State Department on January 24 ordered a freeze on new funding for almost all U.S. foreign assistance programs as part of President Donald Trump's push to align the programs with his foreign policy goals.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a message to U.S. embassies worldwide spelling out the implementation of an executive order Trump signed on January 20 saying that "no further United States foreign assistance shall be disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the United States."

Trump's order said current U.S. foreign aid is "not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values." It said aid programs "serve to destabilize world peace" by promoting ideas that conflict with stable relations within the countries they serve and relations between those countries and others.

The executive order calls for a 90-day pause in U.S. foreign development assistance to assess efficiencies and "consistency with United States foreign policy." The sweeping order affects new disbursements of funds to foreign countries, NGOs, international organizations, and contractors pending reviews of the programs.

Trump and other Republicans had vowed to crackdown on U.S. foreign aid programs, and Rubio's memo justified the freeze by saying it was impossible for the new administration to assess whether existing foreign aid commitments "are not duplicated, are effective, and are consistent with President Trump's foreign policy."

The new chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Brian Mast (Republican-Florida), promised this week that Republicans would question "every dollar and every diplomat" in the State Department's budget to ensure it met their standards for strictly necessary.

Mast said in a press release after Rubio was confirmed as secretary of state that he intends to work with Rubio to “root out” waste at the State Department.

The ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee reacted to the move by saying it "undermines American leadership and credibility" around the world.

"United States foreign assistance programs promote stability in other countries to help stop crises from expanding directly to our doorstep," Representative Gregory Meeks (Democrat-New York) said in a letter to Rubio. "Foreign assistance is not a handout; it is a strategic investment in our future that is vital for U.S. global leadership and a more resilient world."

The letter said U.S. foreign aid directly serves U.S. interests and demonstrates the country's credibility to allies, partners, and vulnerable people who rely on American assistance for survival.

By pausing current programs and preventing new ones the United States would "cede this space" to its adversaries, said the letter, which was also signed by Representative Lois Frankel (Democrat-Florida), the ranking member on the House National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee.

Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Supports Trump's Efforts To End War
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Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Supports Trump's Efforts To End War

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"For years, Republicans in Congress have decried what they see as a lack of U.S. credibility vis-a-vis countries like China, Russia, and Iran. Now our credibility is on the line, and it appears we will cut and run from American commitments to our partners around the world," Meeks and Frankel said.

Rubio's order exempts emergency food programs, such as those helping to feed millions in Sudan. Trump's executive order does not mention military aid, but Rubio’s message specifies that military assistance to Israel and Egypt are exempt.

There was no indication of a similar waiver for U.S. military assistance to Ukraine; however, the Biden administration accelerated the disbursement of already approved aid for Ukraine before leaving office over concerns Trump would discontinue it. There is still about $3.85 billion in congressionally authorized funding for future arms shipments to Ukraine and it is up to Trump whether or not to spend it.

The United States is the world's biggest donor, providing tens of billions of dollars annually.

With reporting by AFP and AP

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Welcomes Trump's Message For Russia

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha‎ takes part in the panel discussion at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha‎ takes part in the panel discussion at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has welcome statements by U.S. President Donald Trump calling for a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia and threatening to impose sanctions against Russia if Moscow refuses.

Sybiha said at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on January 23 that Trump’s message was “really strong” and called for increased pressure on Russia to force Moscow to negotiate.

“We need U.S. leadership. We need greater U.S. involvement," Sybiha told the global business elite.

A day after he was inaugurated on January 20, Trump said he would impose more sanctions on Russia to get it to the table but didn’t say what exactly he would target.

Trump then called out Russian President Vladimir Putin by name, warning Moscow it faces new "high" tariffs, taxes, and sanctions if it doesn't quickly end its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on January 23 that Moscow "did not see any particularly new elements" in what Trump said. Analysts have said Putin believes he is winning the war and thus sees no reason to stop the fighting.

Later on January 23, Trump called on Saudi Arabia and its allies in OPEC to ramp up oil output, a move that would push down crude prices, choking a key revenue source for Moscow to fund its war.

If the price of oil came down, the war "would end immediately,” Trump said in a speech delivered by video link to the WEF.

Trump later told reporters at the White House that he would like to meet Putin immediately to secure an end to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"From what I hear, Putin would like to see me, and we'll leave as soon as we can. I'd meet immediately," Trump said. "Everyday we don't meet, soldiers are being killed in the battlefield."

Trump added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had told him he was ready to make a deal to end the war.

Sybiha noted the strengthening of Ukraine, which he said would allow stabilizing the situation at the front.

"We are ready to do our part,” he said. “So we really welcome such powerful messages from President Trump, and we believe that he will emerge victorious, and we believe that we have an additional chance to achieve new momentum in the diplomatic efforts to end this war and achieve a lasting and comprehensive peace."

Updated

Afghans Laud ICC Arrest Warrants Over Taliban's Repression Of Women

A Taliban fighter stands guard as women wait to receive food rations distributed by a humanitarian aid group in Kabul in May 2023. (file photo)
A Taliban fighter stands guard as women wait to receive food rations distributed by a humanitarian aid group in Kabul in May 2023. (file photo)

Afghan rights groups have applauded the International Criminal Court's announcement that it is seeking arrest warrants for two top Taliban officials for allegedly persecuting Afghan women and girls, an accusation the Taliban-run Foreign Ministry called "baseless."

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement on January 23 that he has requested warrants for the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, and the head of Afghanistan's Supreme Court, Abdul Hakim Haqqani.

Khan said based on evidence collected thus far in an investigation reopened in October 2022 there are reasonable grounds to believe Akhundzada and Haqqani "bear criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds."

He said his office had concluded that they are "criminally responsible for persecuting Afghan girls and women, as well as persons whom the Taliban perceived as not conforming with their ideological expectations of gender identity or expression, and persons whom the Taliban perceived as allies of girls and women."

"This is a prestigious international institution, and their decisions and actions have strong consequences.... This is a big threat to the Taliban," Mir Abdul Wahid Sadat, head of the Afghan Lawyers Association, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi.

Afghans Cleared For U.S. Evacuation Fear Trump Reversal Could Allow Taliban To 'Kill Us'
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The alleged crimes were committed from August 15, 2021, when the Taliban seized power as U.S.-led international forces withdrew from the country, until the present day.

The Taliban-run Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the arrest warrants lacked a "legal foundation" and that it "strongly condemns and rejects these baseless accusations."

"This is a major step. The people of Afghanistan have been facing a culture of impunity for over five decades," according to Shaharzad Akbar, an Afghan rights campaigner who headed the former Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and now runs the independent advocacy organization Rawadari.

The government has previously said it was working on a strategy and creating a suitable environment for girls' education. But it has not reported how much progress has been made or said when girls would be allowed to go to school beyond grade six.

After returning to power, the Taliban banned teenage girls from education. Since then, the Islamist group has imposed draconian bans on women's work, education, and mobility despite domestic opposition and a global outcry.

The arrest warrants came a day before International Education Day, which the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said should be noted with "a profound sense of regret and deep concern for the millions of Afghan girls who continue to be denied their fundamental right to education."

"It is a travesty and tragedy that millions of Afghan girls have been stripped of their right to education. No country has ever thrived by disempowering and leaving behind half its population. The de facto authorities must end this ban immediately and allow all Afghan girls to return to school," added Roza Otunbayeva, the UN secretary-general's special representative for Afghanistan.

Khan said in the statement that the applications for arrest warrants "recognize that Afghan women and girls as well as the LGBTQI+ community are facing an unprecedented, unconscionable, and ongoing persecution by the Taliban."

The alleged persecution entails "numerous severe deprivations of victims' fundamental rights" that are contrary to international law, the statement said. This includes the right to "physical integrity and autonomy," free movement, free expression, free assembly, and education.

Human rights groups applauded the ICC move.

Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said the Taliban's "systematic violations of women and girls' rights, including education bans, and the suppression of those speaking up for women's rights, have accelerated with complete impunity."

The warrant requests offer a pathway to accountability, Evenson said in a statement.

Khan said the requests were the first applications for arrest warrants to arise out of the investigation into the situation in Afghanistan, adding that his office soon will file further applications for other senior members of the Taliban.

A decision on whether to issue arrest warrants following requests from the prosecutor typically takes around four months.

Updated

Russian Refinery In Flames After Largest Ukrainian Air Attack This Year

People run from an explosion during what the governor of Russia's Ryazan region southeast of Moscow described as an air attack on January 24.
People run from an explosion during what the governor of Russia's Ryazan region southeast of Moscow described as an air attack on January 24.

An oil refinery in the Russian city of Ryazan was engulfed in flames after Kyiv launched a massive drone attack -- Ukraine's largest since the start of the year -- that targeted more than a dozen regions across the country, including Moscow.

Eyewitness accounts and verified video showed a massive fire at the Rosneft-operated oil refinery in Ryazan early on January 24.

One video posted on Telegram showed a massive fireball and people screaming before running away as fire engulfs an industrial site.

Fires were also reported in the vicinity of the nearby Novo-Ryazan Thermal Power Plant.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, while Russia's Defense Ministry only reported the interception and destruction of over 120 Ukrainian drones across Russian territory.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed the attacks on the Ryazan oil refinery in a statement on Telegram, adding that an oil pumping station in Ryazan was also struck.

Another key target, the statement said, was the Kremniy El microelectronics plant located in Bryansk, one of Russia's leading manufacturers in the microelectronics industry.

The plant produces a wide range of chips and components critical to Russia's strategic military systems, including the Topol-M and Bulava missile complexes, S-300 and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, and avionics for combat aircraft.

While the full extent of the damage is still being assessed, the Ukrainian military confirmed that the strikes had disrupted key components of Russia’s war machine.

The statement reiterated that such systematic and deliberate strikes on Russian military infrastructure will continue until Russia ceases its armed aggression against Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram that six drones were intercepted over the Russian capital, and several others were brought down in the nearby areas of Shchyolkovo, Kolomna, Ramenskoye, and Podolsk.

Sobyanin reported that there were no significant damages or injuries at the sites of the drone wreckage but the attack caused notable disruption to civilian air travel, with operations temporarily suspended at three major Moscow airports -- Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky.

According to the Defense Ministry, in the Bryansk region, 37 drones were intercepted, and other areas such as Kursk and Saratov saw 17 drones downed each. Smaller numbers of drones were intercepted in the Rostov, Belgorod, Voronezh, Tula, Oryol, and Lipetsk regions. The ministry also confirmed the interception of a drone over the annexed Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine.

Temporary restrictions were also placed on flight arrivals and departures at airports in Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Penza, Samara, and Saratov due to the ongoing drone threat.

The scale of the Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia coincided with a series of Russian air strikes on Ukrainian territory.

In Kyiv, a Russian attack resulted in the deaths of three civilians. Damage to residential areas was also reported, including significant destruction in the towns of Fastiv and Brovary near the Ukrainian capital.

Russian forces regularly use various types of weapons, including drones, missiles, and artillery, to target Ukrainian regions, frequently striking civilian infrastructure and residential areas.

While Russian authorities deny intentionally targeting civilian infrastructure, Ukraine and international organizations have condemned these actions as war crimes, pointing to the frequency and deliberate nature of the attacks on hospitals, schools, and energy facilities.

With reporting by Kommersant and ASTRA

Trump, Seeking To Coax Putin Into Peace Talks, Calls On OPEC To Boost Output 

During a January 23 speech to the global business elite gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump called on Saudi Arabia and its allies in OPEC to ramp up oil output.
During a January 23 speech to the global business elite gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump called on Saudi Arabia and its allies in OPEC to ramp up oil output.

U.S. President Donald Trump hasn’t been able to get Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin to agree to talks to end the war in Ukraine so he is turning to Saudi Arabia for help.

During a January 23 speech to the global business elite gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump called on Saudi Arabia and its allies in OPEC to ramp up oil output, a move that would push down crude prices, choking a key revenue source for Moscow to fund its war.

"I'm also going to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring down the cost of oil. You got to bring it down, which, frankly, I'm surprised they didn't do before the election. I was a little surprised by that. If the price came down, the Russia, Ukraine war would end immediately,” Trump said.

During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump made ending Russia's three-year full-scale invasion of Ukraine a priority and has been seeking to set up a meeting with Putin since winning election in November.

Addressing Davos, Trump Threatens Tariffs, Sanctions On Russia Unless War Ends
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However, the Kremlin has seemingly refrained from entering talks with analysts, saying Putin believes he is winning the war and thus sees no reason to stop the fighting.

Russia has been gaining territory in eastern Ukraine at the fastest clip since the start of the war as Ukraine struggles to recruit troops.

A day after he was inaugurated as president on January 20, Trump said he would impose more sanctions on Russia to get it to the table without saying what exactly he would target.

He reiterated the warning the next day, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on January 23 -- before Trump spoke in Davos -- that Moscow "did not see any particularly new elements here" in what Trump said.

Under Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, the United States imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia’s economy, including its oil industry.

Russia’s economy is heavily dependent on the export of oil, which accounts for more than 30 percent of its federal budget revenue. A decline in either Russian oil exports or the oil price would further strain the country’s already troubled economy.

However, further sanctioning Russia’s oil industry -- such as designating its largest oil company Rosneft or more of its ‘shadow’ oil fleet -- could lead to a jump in global energy prices unless other countries ramp up output.

Saudi Arabia and some of its allies in OPEC are capable of boosting oil output quickly. Saudi Arabia currently has spare capacity of about 3 million barrels a day while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has about 1 million barrels.

The spare capacity is the result of OPEC countries agreeing to crucial output to support high oil prices.

Russia, a member of OPEC+, exports about 6.6 million barrels of oil and oil products a day.

Prior to his speech to WEF participants, Trump spoke with Saudi Arabia's crown prince in his first call with a foreign leader since taking office earlier this week.

The two discussed Middle East stability, combating terrorism, and boosting trade, according to a White House read out of the call.

Chris Weafer, an oil industry expert and founder of the Macro-Advisory consulting firm, said he did not think Trump would be able to get the Saudis or other OPEC members to boost output to pressure the Kremlin on Ukraine.

"It is most unlikely that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or the other OPEC producers will either want to engage in such a political move against fellow OPEC+ member Russia or to take any action which would result in them losing export earnings and giving a bigger market share to U.S. producers," Weafer told RFE/RL.

"OPEC producers are still angry at the total disregard from Washington when the shale revolution boosted U.S. crude production and exports, taking market share from them," he said.

David Oxley, chief climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics, said that while Saudi Arabia "has drifted away" from the United States in recent years, Trump does have solid ties with the country's leadership.

"There have been signs of warming relations of late, and Trump is known to have good relations with Crown Prince MBS and also Saudi's Public Investment Fund," Oxley said in a January 23 note.

He added that Saudi Arabia has also expressed frustration with other OPEC members for producing more than their quota and could "open the floodgates" to regain global market share.

"This explicit invitation from Trump might be the cover that Saudi needs to open the spigots," he said.

Updated

Russian Strikes On Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Leave Dozens Injured, 1 Dead

Russian drone strikes on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya killed one person and injured dozens of others on January 23.
Russian drone strikes on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya killed one person and injured dozens of others on January 23.

Rescue workers combed through the rubble on January 23 after Russian air strikes on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhya overnight killed one and left at least 46 injured.

Ivan Fedorov, head of the regional military administration, wrote on Telegram that medical facilities were still receiving victims following the attacks, adding 22 persons, including a 2-month-old boy, had been hospitalized.

"There was a loud explosion and then everything fell on me," Serhiy, whose two-story house collapsed on him and his wife after the first explosion, told Current Time.

"I could hear screams, I tried to clear away debris and ran to my wife. She was screaming that she couldn't feel her legs. We had to carry her to the bomb shelter."

Serhiy said his wife is now in the hospital in moderate condition, while his neighbor died in the strike.

Aftermath Of Deadly Russian Strike On Zaporizhzhya
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The State Emergencies Service said four emergency workers who came under repeated shelling while responding to the initial air attack, which involved five drone strikes, are among the injured.

Video and eyewitness accounts revealed extent of the strikes with one residential building destroyed and 30 others damaged. Several private homes and non-residential facilities in the Shevchenko and Oleksandr districts of the city were also hit by the attacks.

"I was just sitting here when the explosion hit. If I hadn't jumped up and left immediately, I would no longer be here," another Zaporizhzhya resident, Tatyana Semenyuk, told Current Time.

Russian forces continue to target Ukrainian regions using drones, missiles, guided bombs, and rocket systems.

While Moscow denies deliberate strikes on civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian officials and international organizations have repeatedly accused Russia of targeting hospitals, schools, and other critical facilities and noncombatants.

Under Fire In Pokrovsk: Ukrainian City Burns As Attack Drones Stalk Residents
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The Ukrainian Parliament's Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, said on January 23 that he had called on international organizations, including the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to investigate a video purportedly showing Russian soldiers executing unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war.

The video, which has been widely circulated online, has not been independently verified.

The footage appears to show Russian soldiers shooting six unarmed Ukrainian POWs in the back while forcing others to watch. The fate of a seventh soldier shown in the footage remains unknown.

Russia has not commented on allegations that its soldiers executed the POWs.

Lubinets condemned the act, emphasizing Ukraine's urgent need for justice and accountability for such crimes.

"This crime must be documented and addressed. The lack of accountability has turned such atrocities into systemic behavior. We cannot turn a blind eye to this," Lubinets stated in a Telegram post.

Reports of torture, executions, and mistreatment of Ukrainian POWs have been frequent since Russia launched its ongoing invasion of Ukraine almost three years ago.

The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War said in October that it has "observed an increase in Russian forces executing Ukrainian POWs throughout the theater, and Russian commanders are likely writ large condoning, encouraging, or directly ordering the execution of Ukrainian POWs."

Ukrainian prosecutors say there is documented evidence indicating that Russian forces have executed 93 Ukrainian POWs on the battlefield since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, with more than three-quarters of those recorded cases occurring in 2024.

Trump Says He Would Meet Putin Immediately To End War In Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Oval Office of the White House on January 23.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Oval Office of the White House on January 23.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on January 23 that he would like to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin immediately to secure an end to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"From what I hear, Putin would like to see me, and we'll leave as soon as we can. I'd meet immediately," Trump told reporters at the White House. "Everyday we don't meet, soldiers are being killed in the battlefield."

Trump added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had told him he was ready to make a deal to end the war.

Earlier on January 23, Trump told the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, over video link that he would like to be able to meet with Putin soon. He added that U.S. efforts to secure a peace settlement were under way but gave no details.

During last year's presidential campaign Trump said repeatedly that he would quickly end the war, even within days of his inauguration. He now says it could take months but has mentioned ending the war multiple times.

Zelenskiy also spoke at the WEF, telling the gathering that a 200,000-strong European peacekeeping force would be necessary to secure any cease-fire in the conflict in Ukraine, but he insisted U.S. leadership in any such a venture would be crucial to its success.

Zelenskiy said during a January 22 panel discussion that such a contingent would be only a part of overall security guarantees Kyiv would need should cease-fire talks ever begin with Putin.

Separately, Zelenskiy told Bloomberg News that for any peace force to be effective, it must include U.S. troops.

"It can't be without the United States," he told Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait.

"First of all, no one will take risks without the United States. Second, it can divide NATO, divide the United States, and the European Union," he said. "It's Putin's dream to split this alliance."

A peacekeeping force of 200,000 would be an unprecedented effort for Europe. The NATO-led international mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina peaked in 1996 at 60,000 troops, about a third from the United States.

Addressing Davos, Trump Threatens Tariffs, Sanctions On Russia Unless War Ends
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Zelenskiy said such a massive international force would be required given Russia’s military numbered more than 1.5 million personnel while Ukraine had only half that figure.

The deployment of a foreign military contingent in Ukraine was being discussed with countries that might be willing to participate, Zelenskiy said during a news conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on January 16.

The British press also reported that Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed sending soldiers to Ukraine as a peacekeeping force after any deal to end the war.

Zelenskiy also echoed remarks by Trump that Chinese leader Xi Jinping could help "push" Russia to make peace.

"But not without us -- this is important," he added, referring to any peace settlement.

The new U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio, spoke by phone on January 23 with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and discussed the importance of ending the war in Ukraine. The State Department said Rubio also reinforced the U.S. commitment to NATO after Trump said he was "not sure" the United States should be spending anything on the alliance while pressing other member countries to increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP.

Zelenskiy said his team was "currently in the process" of setting up a face-to-face meeting with Trump, who resumed the U.S. presidency on January 20.

Zelenskiy's comments follow three days of some of the most critical public remarks made by Trump against Putin, who he has often spoken of in admiration.

Trump on January 22 called out his Russian counterpart by name, warning Moscow it faces new "high" tariffs, taxes, and sanctions if it doesn't quickly end its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A day earlier, he suggested he would hit Russia with additional sanctions if Putin didn't accept peace talks to end the war.

And on January 20 said Putin was "destroying" Russia by refusing to make a deal to end the war.

"I think Russia's going to be in big trouble.... Most people thought that war would have been over in one week,. Trump said."

Russia has burned through hundreds of billions of dollars on the war, suffered an estimated 700,000 casualties, and angered its neighbors, while also sacrificing the lucrative European gas market and access to Western financial markets as the ruble has tumbled in value.

The Kremlin is spending about 40 percent of its budget on the military and is struggling to contain inflation even with interest rates above 20 percent.

The war in Ukraine started in 2014 with the Kremlin's seizure and illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and intensified with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

U.S. Moves To Redesignate Iran-Backed Huthis As Foreign Terrorist Organization

Huthi rebels rally in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, on January 10.
Huthi rebels rally in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, on January 10.

The United States has begun the process to again declare the Iran-backed Huthi rebel group of Yemen as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), restoring the designation President Donald Trump set out during his first term.

"Supported by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, which arms and trains terrorist organizations worldwide, the Huthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times since 2023, endangering American men and women in uniform," a White House statement said on January 22.

The statement also referred to the Huthis as Ansar Allah, the name used by the extremist group that has since the 1990s battled the internationally recognized Yemeni government, which is supported by a Saudi-led military coalition.

Trump's declaration sets in motion a process that will likely conclude within 45 days to officially designate the Huthis as a foreign terrorist organization under U.S. legislation.

During his first term, Trump had designated the Huthis as an FTO, but the action was reversed by the Biden administration over concerns such a listing could prevent desperately needed aid from reaching Yemen.

President Joe Biden did later label the group as a specially designated global terrorist entity, a slightly lower level of sanctioning.

The latest move, one of Trump's first in his second term in the field of foreign relations, could be an initial step in the "maximum pressure" campaign his team has vowed to renew against Iran, which it blames for supporting extremist activity in the Middle East.

Huthi rebels in 2014 seized much of Yemen's northwest and its capital, Sanaa, leading to a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and created a humanitarian nightmare in the Arab world's poorest country.

Many observers described the hostilities as a "proxy war" between Saudi- and Iranian-led groups.

"Since seizing most Yemeni population centers by force from the legitimate Yemeni government in 2014-2015, the Huthis have launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure, including multiple attacks on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia, the deadly January 2022 attacks on the United Arab Emirates, and more than 300 projectiles fired at Israel since October 2023," the White House statement said.

"The Huthis have also attacked commercial vessels transiting Bab al-Mandeb more than 100 times, killing at least four civilian sailors and forcing some Red Sea maritime commercial traffic to reroute, which has contributed to global inflation."

The statement added that the rebel group’s activities "threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade."

The Huthis stepped up attacks on shipping in the Gulf region and fired missiles toward Israel, claiming it was in support of Gaza's Hamas movement, which has also been declared a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union.

The actions brought air strikes by the U.S. and Israeli militaries, but the rebels recently have appeared to pull back on their attacks since the cease-fire in Gaza was reached.

U.K. Warns Putin: 'We See You' After Ship Sails Through British Waters

A British warship (right) tracks the Russian vessel Yantar during a previous encounter. (file photo)
A British warship (right) tracks the Russian vessel Yantar during a previous encounter. (file photo)

Britain has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that "We know what you're doing" after the Royal Navy tracked what it called a "Russian spy ship" traveling through U.K. waters amid rising concerns of potential sabotage by Russia-linked vessels.

Defense Secretary John Healey on January 22 told British parliament that the vessel, the Yantar, was being "used for gathering intelligence and mapping the U.K.'s critical underwater infrastructure."

"I also wanted President Putin to hear this message: We see you, we know what you're doing, and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country," Healey said.

"We will continue to call out the malign activity that Putin directs, cracking down on the Russian shadow fleet to prevent funding for his illegal invasion of Ukraine," he added.

The incident comes as NATO is bolstering its presence in the Baltic Sea after undersea power lines and Internet cables were damaged by suspected sabotage believed to be carried out by vessels belonging to Russia's so-called shadow fleet.

The "shadow fleet" is a reference to old, uninsured oil vessels typically used to bypass Western sanctions on Russia and maintain a source of revenue.

The British government said it forces "will also contribute maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft to bolster a NATO response after damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea."

"The U.K. is playing a leading role in countering the growing Russian threat to offshore infrastructure in European seas," it added in a statement.

European governments and the United States have accused Russia of intensifying "hybrid attacks" following the reports of damage to Baltic Sea communications cables, although they have not yet directly tied Moscow to the damage.

The British defense chief said the Russian craft entered U.K. waters on January 20, prompting the Royal Navy to send two ships vessels to monitor it.

"It was detected loitering over U.K. critical undersea infrastructure," he said, adding that the Russian ship later left British waters and was now in the North Sea.

AFP quoted an official in Paris as saying French military assets had also been dispatched to observe the Yantar but that it did not indicate any “hostile intent."

The monitoring of Russian ships has become more frequent in recent months.

In December, a British frigate tracked a Russian naval group as it convoyed toward the English Channel, but it eventually remained in international waters. The Yantar also had been tracked near British waters in November.

With reporting by AFP

European Politicians Urge Belarusians Not To Lose Faith In Democracy On Eve Of 'Sham' Election

A man casts his ballot during early voting for Belarus' presidential election at a polling station in the village of Gubichi in the Gomel region on January 24, 2025. (Photo by Natalia KOLESNIKOVA / AFP)
A man casts his ballot during early voting for Belarus' presidential election at a polling station in the village of Gubichi in the Gomel region on January 24, 2025. (Photo by Natalia KOLESNIKOVA / AFP)

The president of the European Parliament said the presidential election in Belarus on January 26 is a "sham" and encouraged Belarusians to continue striving for democracy.

"My message to the people of Belarus is: keep strong, we have your back, the time of dictatorship will be over. Democracy will prevail," Roberta Metsola said on X in one of several messages of support for Belarus's democratic movement on the eve of the election.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also condemned the election, saying it would be an exercise in "faking democracy."

"Tomorrow we will witness a dictatorship trying to legitimize its rule through organising a charade that they call elections," Tsahkna said on X on January 25. "It’s simply faking democracy. Estonia continues to support the aspirations of the Belarusian people for a free & democratic future."

Belarusian opposition politician Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked Tsahkna, Metsola, and other EU leaders for "standing with the people of Belarus & sending a strong, united message denouncing the regime’s so-called 'election' -- a sham designed to tighten oppression," she said on X. "This is not democracy; it’s a farce built on fear, repression & lies."

In response to Metsola's message, she said on X: "Your solidarity reminds us that democracy will win, and Belarusians will take their rightful place in Europe’s family of free nations."

Earlier in the week, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhy said it was "obvious" that authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka will continue to be Russian President Vladimir Putin's "ally and accomplice" in the war against Ukraine and said Ukraine agreed with other democratic countries regarding the lack of basic conditions in Belarus for holding fair and transparent elections.

"We believe that the Belarusian people deserve the right to choose their government in truly democratic, free, competitive elections and to build their own future without Russia's dictates, without its imperial encroachments, and without Moscow's desire to impose the role of controlled puppets on its neighbors, as is currently happening," Tykhy said in response to a reporter's question on January 23.

The messages echoed the language used in a resolution overwhelmingly passed on January 22 by the European Parliament condemning the election and referring to the process as a "sham" while slamming Lukashenka's regime.

The resolution painted a grim picture of the political environment in Belarus, where the 70-year-old Lukashenka has been in power since 1994. The vote is the first presidential election since balloting in 2020 triggered mass unrest after Lukashenka was declared the winner despite claims by the opposition and many Western governments that the vote was rigged.

The resolution "reiterates its non-recognition of the [2020] election of Alyaksandr Lukashenka to the post of President of Belarus; considers the current regime in Belarus to be illegitimate, illegal and criminal; reaffirms its unwavering support for the Belarusian people in their pursuit of democracy, freedom and human rights."

It also noted that over 1,250 political prisoners are being held in custody in Belarus, many of whom face torture, life-threatening conditions, and denial of medical care.

Lawmakers also denounced "the lack of freedom, fairness, and transparency" ahead of the election and called for the EU and the international community to reject the election.

Last week, the United States said the vote in Belarus cannot be free or fair because of a "repressive environment" where only regime-approved candidates can appear on the ballot and members of the opposition are either imprisoned or in exile.

Long considered a pariah by Western Europe, Lukashenka has overseen a brutal crackdown on dissent and civil society since the 2020 vote, prompting a wave of international sanctions that have strangled the country's economy.

In the run up to the vote, Lukashenka appears to be seeking to signal to the West that he is easing off on the persistent clampdown that the state has imposed since the 2020 election.

Still, the crackdown continues, with frequent arrests and trials on what activists say are politically motivated charges. At least 1,253 people whom rights groups consider political prisoners remain behind bars, and the real number is believed to be higher.

Lukashenka has roped Belarus closely to Russia and has provided support for Russia's war on neighboring Ukraine, including by allowing Russian forces to invade from Belarusian territory, and he says Russian nuclear weapons have been deployed in Belarus.

But over 30 years in power, he has often tried to capitalize on Belarus’s position between Russia in the east and NATO and the European Union to the west and north.

Ukrainian Military Shoots Down 65 Shahed Drones Amid Russian Onslaught

Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze at a residential building hit by a Russian drone attack in Mykolayiv, Ukraine, early on January 22.
Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze at a residential building hit by a Russian drone attack in Mykolayiv, Ukraine, early on January 22.

KYIV -- Russia launched another massive attack on Ukraine overnight involving almost 100 drones at targets across the country while Russian troops continue to edge further into Ukrainian territory.

The Ukrainian Air Force on January 22 reported the downing of 65 Iranian Shahed drones as well as other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) overnight amid an enormous Russian aerial assault.

Another 30 drones disappeared from radar without reaching their targets, the Air Force added, saying the attacks hit areas in Mykolayiv, Sumy, Kyiv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Khmelnytskiy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Odesa.

The attack on Mykolayiv damaged a residential building, partially destroying the roof. Emergency teams evacuated some 200 residents from the building.

The impact of the explosions caused structural damage to surrounding buildings, including a family health clinic and the administrative office of a transport company.

Aftermath Of Russian Drone Attack On Mykolayiv
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In Sumy, a drone strike targeted a residential area, causing significant damage. A two-story house was partially destroyed and a fire broke out, requiring emergency responders to intervene. Three residents sustained minor injuries and were treated for stress-related symptoms. All declined hospitalization after receiving first aid.

In addition to the air attacks, Russia's Defense Ministry said its troops had taken control of the village of Zapadne in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

Analysts have looked at this week's inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump as a possible impetus for cease-fire talks between Moscow and Kyiv as the war nears its third anniversary next month.

In response to the continued escalation of attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reaffirmed Kyiv's stance on territorial integrity, saying the country will "never legally recognize the loss of its territories."

"Our borders are defined by international law, and no aggression or pressure from Russia will change that. We will fight for every region, every village, and every family affected by this war until full sovereignty is restored," Zelenskiy said at a meeting with media representatives at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort town of Davos on January 21.

Zelenskiy also called on the international community to help protect Ukraine's skies and rebuild affected areas through more sanctions against Russia and more military supplies from allies.

Ukrainian authorities and international organizations have condemned Russia's systematic strikes on civilian infrastructure as war crimes. Though Moscow denies the charges, repeated attacks on hospitals, schools, energy facilities, and residential buildings have been documented throughout the conflict.

In Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who oversees U.S. relations and arms control, said he sees a small window of opportunity to make deals with Trump, "albeit a small one."

While he said he would end the conflict quickly after taking office, Trump has since backed off such claims.

Late on January 21, Trump suggested he would hit Russia with additional sanctions if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not accept peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, while he also urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a phone call to help end the conflict.

Trump did not offer details on potential new measures -- which would come on top of a vast array of sanctions already targeting Russia for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

2 U.S. Men Freed In Afghanistan In Exchange For Taliban Serving Life In California

Photo shows now-released American Ryan Corbett and his family in 2022 before his arrest in Afghanistan.
Photo shows now-released American Ryan Corbett and his family in 2022 before his arrest in Afghanistan.

U.S. officials and media confirmed the release of two Americans held in Afghanistan in exchange for a Taliban man imprisoned for life in California on drug and terrorism charges.

Taliban leaders on January 21 identified Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008, as the man released from the U.S. prison “as a result of long and fruitful negotiations” between Afghanistan and the United States.

Afghanistan “views positively the actions taken by the United States that contribute to the normalization and development of relations between the two countries,” the Foreign Ministry said.

A 2008 U.S. Justice Department statement identified the released Afghan man as a member of the "Afghan Taliban sentenced to life in prison in nation’s first conviction on narco-terror charges.” He was convicted following a seven-day jury trial and sentenced to two life terms.

The Afghan ministry did not identify the two Americans set free, but CNN, AP, and family members identified them as Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

A member of the new administration of President Donald Trump told news agencies that the deal was brokered by President Joe Biden’s team before he left office on January 20.

No mention was made of two other U.S. citizens being held by Taliban -- George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi, both of whom have been held since 2022.

Details of the negotiations were not revealed. The United States, like most countries, does not recognize the Taliban -- which captured Kabul in mid-2021 -- as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan.

“The Trump administration will continue to demand the release of all Americans held by the Taliban, especially in light of the billions of dollars in U.S. aid they’ve received in recent years," White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement on January 21.

The Corbett family thanked both Biden and Trump in a statement and said, “Our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him back home after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives.”

The family also thanked officials in Qatar “for their vital role in facilitating" the release of Corbett. Qatar has often hosted negotiations between Washington and the Taliban.

On January 13, the White House said Biden had spoken to the families of three Americans held by the Taliban in Afghanistan since 2022 and promised to do everything possible to bring them home as he headed into the final days of his presidency.

Aid worker Corbett, 40, and Habibi, 37 -- who led the Afghan Aviation Authority under the previous Afghan government -- were detained separately in August 2022, a year after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan from the Western-backed government.

Glezmann, now 66, was detained later in 2022 while visiting as a tourist.

No information was immediately known about the reasons for McKenty’s presence in Afghanistan or how long he had been held there.

With reporting by AP, CNN, and The New York Times
Updated

Trump Warns Putin For Third Time To End 'Ridiculous' Ukraine War

U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a one-on-one-meeting in Helsinki in 2018.
U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a one-on-one-meeting in Helsinki in 2018.

U.S. President Donald Trump, calling out his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by name, warned Moscow it faces new "high" tariffs, taxes, and sanctions if it doesn't quickly end its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In a lengthy post on his Truth Social media site, Trump on January 22 said that if "we don't make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice" than to impose levies or sanctions "on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries."

"We can do it the easy way, or the hard way -- and the easy way is always better," Trump, who took office on January 20, said.

"Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE," he added.

Possible New Sanctions

Trump's post came just hours after he suggested he would hit Russia with additional sanctions if Putin doesn't accept peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, while at the same time he urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a phone call to help end the conflict.

Trump did not offer details on potential new measures -- which would come on top of a vast array of sanctions already targeting Russia for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Trump also restated his intention to speak with Putin in the near term, without providing a timeframe.

"We're talking to [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskiy. We're going to be talking with President Putin very soon. We're going to look at it," he said late on January 21.

The U.S. president on January 20 said Zelenskiy had told him he wanted a peace agreement to end the war.

Referring to Putin's close ally -- Chinese leader Xi -- Trump said he urged him in a call to help end the conflict.

"He's not done very much on that. He's got a lot of...power, like we have a lot of power. I said, 'You ought to get it settled.' We did discuss it," Trump said.

Trump also said his team was looking at the possibility of sending additional weapons to Ukraine. During his presidential campaign, Trump spoke out vigorously against the level of aid provided by President Joe Biden's administration.

However, Trump had at times said he was open to the idea of a lend-lease program that would see Ukraine pay back the United States for weapons shipments over time.

Trump also repeated his stance that other allies should increase their spending on Ukraine’s defense, calling on the European Union to “equalize” aid outlays to match U.S. assistance levels.

'He Should Make A Deal'

The remarks come on the third day of Trump’s new term in the White House and represent the third straight day he has appeared to put pressure on Putin -- who he has often praised -- to move forward with peace negotiations.

During the presidential campaign, Trump vowed to end the war within 24 hours after taking office. He has backed off those comments in recent weeks but has still pledged to end the war quickly.

Many analysts say it will be difficult to end the war in the near term because Putin believes he is winning and has no incentive to stop the fighting, even as Russia suffers devastating losses in men and equipment.

Just hours into his second stint as president, Trump said Putin is “destroying” Russia by refusing to make a deal to end the Ukraine war.

"He should make a deal. I think he's destroying Russia by not making a deal," Trump told reporters.

"I think Russia's going to be in big trouble."

“Most people thought that war would have been over in one week,” Trump said in what appeared to be his most critical public remarks about Putin's war.

"I think he’d be very well off to end that war.”

Russian foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov told reporters that Moscow was “taking into account” Trump’s remarks, but he declined to elaborate, saying the Kremlin was waiting for “concrete proposals that could form the basis for contacts.”

Putin on January 21 spoke with ally Xi in a video call as the two underlined their close ties and discussed their potential contacts with the Trump team.

Moscow's War On Ukraine: Where's The Russian Outrage?
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Russian media quoted Putin as telling Xi that “joint efforts by Russia and China play an important stabilizing role in global affairs.”

Russia and Ukraine have suffered major losses on the battlefield since Putin launched an unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Prior to that, Russia in 2014 invaded and illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and launched its support of separatists in eastern Ukraine, capturing and eventually claiming large portions of eastern Ukraine.

Sanctions already implemented by the United States and European Union have devastated Russia's economy.

In addition, Russia has burned through hundreds of billions of dollars on the war, suffered an estimated 700,000 casualties, and frightened its neighbors, while also sacrificing the lucrative European gas market and access to Western financial markets as the ruble has tumbled in value.

The Kremlin is spending about 40 percent of its budget on the military and is struggling to contain inflation even with interest rates above 20 percent. In return, it has seized territory in Ukraine that lays in waste.

With reporting by Reuters

Zelenskiy Counting On Trump For Peace Deal, Urges NATO Members To Hike Spending

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks at the World Economic Forum on January 21.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks at the World Economic Forum on January 21.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he hopes U.S. President Donald Trump will bring about a "just" end to Russia's war against his country and that he supports the new administration's push for increased defense spending by NATO nations.

"Trump, he told me, and he later publicly stated it, that he will be doing everything to end the war this year," Zelenskiy told gathered leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21.

"We want to end the war this year. But not only with the word 'rapidly,' but also 'justly,'" Zelenskiy stressed, adding that Ukrainians deserved the right to live in “security.”

Trump is expected to speak at the WEF by video on January 23, one of his first major foreign policy discussions since resuming the presidency on January 20, although he may focus on trade issues, such as potential tarrifs.

Organizers said the Davos event brings together some 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries, including 350 governmental officials and 60 heads of states and governments.

Zelenskiy, in his speech to the Forum, also offered support for Trump’s call that NATO members should increase defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), despite complaints from many members that it would destroy their national budgets.

Most nations struggled to reach the current stated goal of 2 percent of GDP, although 23 alliance members reached that level in 2024.

"They can all afford it, but they should be at 5 percent not 2 percent," Trump said prior to taking office for his second term.

The United States spends 3.38 percent of GDP on defense. Given the size of the U.S. economy, that accounts for more than 60 percent of NATO's total.

Zelenskiy told the Davos gathering that if 5 percent of GDP is the level needed for proper security, countries should commit to it without speculating on what they might have to give up regarding health care or pensions.

He warned that Europe cannot afford to fall behind its allies, saying, "If this happens, the world will move forward without Europe."

Zelenskiy's called for real energy independence for Europe, stressing the urgent need for nations to wean themselves from Russian gas while they seek guarantees of security from Washington.

"Europe must step up with long-term strategies for energy independence. It's wrong to keep buying gas from Moscow while expecting security from the Americans."

Zelenskiy called for the joint production of military technologies, including drones and air defense systems, citing the successful examples of cooperation between Ukraine and European partners in producing drones.

Afghans Cleared For U.S. Evacuation Fear Trump Reversal Could Allow Taliban To 'Kill Us'

Afghans Cleared For U.S. Evacuation Fear Trump Reversal Could Allow Taliban To 'Kill Us'
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Afghans cleared for resettlement in the United States are fearful that an executive order signed by President Donald Trump will put them at grave risk. Some 1,660 Afghan refugees have been pulled from scheduled flights, according to a resettlement organization. Afghans who helped U.S. forces before the Taliban seized control in 2021, along with family members of American soldiers, are among the group of refugees who were approved for immigration to the United States until Trump signed the order.

Trump Says Putin ‘Destroying’ Russia By Failing To Seek Ukraine Peace Deal

President Donald Trump signs orders in the Oval Office at the White House on January 2o.
President Donald Trump signs orders in the Oval Office at the White House on January 2o.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is “destroying” Russia by refusing to make a deal to end the Ukraine war, adding that he could speak to Putin soon, without stating a time frame.

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.

"He should make a deal. I think he's destroying Russia by not making a deal," Trump told reporters on January 20 upon his arrival at the White House following his inauguration.

"I think Russia's going to be in big trouble."

“Most people thought that war would have been over in one week,” Trump said in what appears to be his most critical public remarks about Putin's war.

"I think he’d be very well off to end that war.”

Russia has burned through hundreds of billions of dollars on the war, suffered an estimated 700,000 casualties, and frightened its neighbors, while also sacrificing the lucrative European gas market and access to Western financial markets as the ruble has tumbled in value.

The Kremlin is spending about 40 percent of its budget on the military and is struggling to contain inflation even with interest rates above 20 percent. In return, it has seized territory in Ukraine that lays in waste.

Trump said he would at some point speak with Putin -- for whom he has often expressed admiration -- without specifying a time. Western leaders with the exception of right-wing figures like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a Trump ally, have shunned meetings and --in most cases -- calls with Putin in an attempt to isolate him politically.

"I got along with [Putin] great. I would hope he wants to make a deal,” Trump said about a possible meeting.

The U.S. president also said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had told him he wanted a peace agreement to end the war.

During the presidential campaign, Trump vowed to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours after taking office. He has backed off those comments in recent weeks but has still pledged to end the war quickly.

Many analysts say it will be difficult to end the war in the near term because Putin believes he is winning and has no incentive to stop the fighting, even as Russia suffers devastating losses in men and equipment.

"When the Trump team starts engaging in these kinds of discussions, they will find that getting Putin to abandon his goal of subjugating all of Ukraine will be the hardest thing in this process," Mikhail Alexseev, a political science professor at San Diego State University who focuses on Russia and Ukraine, told RFE/RL on January 15

Alexseev said Trump will need to continue aid to Ukraine if he is serious about getting Putin to end the fighting.

Russian is gaining territory in eastern Ukraine at the fastest clip since the start of the war amid a Ukrainian manpower shortage.

Supporters of Ukraine have expressed concerns that Trump, who has criticized the amount of aid provided by the Biden administration, could pressure Kyiv to make concessions that it has so far rejected, such as surrendering territory currently occupied by Russian forces.

However, some experts doubt that Trump will abandon Ukraine, saying a Russian victory could hurt his image as much as the Taliban's seizure of Kabul in August 2021 damaged the Biden administration's reputation.

Prior to its full-scale invasion of February 2022, Russia initially invaded and illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and launched its support of separatists in eastern Ukraine, capturing and eventually claiming large portions of eastern Ukraine.

Alexseev said Trump may seek to change Putin's calculus on Ukraine by countering the Kremlin's interests in other regions like the Arctic, Middle East, and Africa, or targeting his allies like Iran and North Korea.

Ukrainians Skeptical Of Trump's Peace Promises
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"What we may see from Trump is a broadening of the bargaining game, taking it to other areas to send more and more messages to Putin," he said.

Trump’s latest remarks came hours after French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that the war will not end “tomorrow or the day after” and that it was crucial to leave Kyiv in a position of strength ahead of any potential peace talks.

"Let us not delude ourselves," Macron said in an address to the French military in northwestern France. "This conflict will not be resolved tomorrow or the day after."

With reporting by RFE/RL's Todd Prince and AFP

Russia Presses Attacks, Ukraine Shows New Video Of North Korean Soldier

Photo released by Ukrainian authorities shows cell where North Korean prisoners are being held.
Photo released by Ukrainian authorities shows cell where North Korean prisoners are being held.

Russia pressed its attacks near the eastern cities of Pokrovsk and Lyman, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted a new video purportedly showing a captured North Korean soldier speaking of heavy losses fighting alongside Russian forces.

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.

The developments on January 20 came as U.S. President Donald Trump, in his first day back in office, said President Vladimir Putin was “destroying Russia” by not seeking a peace deal with Ukraine and that he expected to speak to the Kremlin leader soon, although he didn’t give a time frame.

Zelenskiy released the new video purporting to show a wounded North Korean soldier following a similar release on January 11.

The latest video showed a young man lying in bed and speaking Korean saying that North Korean troops had suffered serious losses fighting alongside Kremlin forces in Russia's Kursk region.

Moscow and Pyongyang have not commented on the deployment of North Korean troops in the Kursk region. Kyiv and Western leaders say some 11,000 troops have been sent there and have suffered substantial casualties.

Separately, the Ukrainian military said in its evening update on January 20 that "the enemy is intensively attacking Ukrainian defenders in the Pokrovsk direction."

It said 65 of the attacks had been repulsed while seven more clashes were still under way.

Pokrovsk has been the target of a long, brutal offensive by Russian forces as they attempt to capture the vital logistics hub in Ukraine's Donetsk region.

Amid Russian Assault, Ukrainian Children Evacuated From Pokrovsk
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The DeepState open-source intelligence resource, meanwhile, said Russian forces appear to have broken through another defensive line in the Donbas region that had otherwise been stable in recent months.

A sustained breakthrough there could pose a threat to Lyman, a strategic city with a prewar population of around 20,000. With its closeness to the front line, the area has been regularly bombarded by Russian forces and been left mostly in ruins.

Russia's Kazan airport said for the second day in a row on January 21 that it was suspending all traffic to "ensure the safety of flights," without providing details.

A day earlier, authorities reported Ukrainian drone attacks in the city, the capital of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan.

Local officials said drones had targeted a defense industrial facility, but they said there were no casualties or significant damage.

The Kazan Aviation Plant, which manufactures strategic bombers used in Russia's war against Ukraine, was reportedly the main target, which if hit, could cause a major disruption to Russia's military operations in Ukraine.

Russia's Voronezh regional government said a falling Ukrainian drone sparked a fire at an oil depot in the Liski district, where a similar incident caused a blaze on January 16, as Kyiv maintains its campaign of attacks against Russian oil-storage sites.

And early on January 21, authorities in Russia's Smolensk region reported an ongoing attack of Ukrainian drones.

Hours after Trump’s inauguration and his remarks of a quick pace deal, French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that the war was not likely to end anytime soon.

"Let us not delude ourselves," Macron said in an address to the French military in northwestern France. "This conflict will not be resolved tomorrow or the day after."

Macron said Western partners must give Ukraine "the means to last and to enter any future negotiations from a position of strength."

Macron said that regardless of the outcome of the war, Russia will pose a security challenge for Europe and the wider world for the foreseeable future, and he urged Europe to bolster its defenses amid uncertainty coming out of the United States.

On January 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his embattled nation had been struck by more than 1,000 Russian projectiles over the past week, prompting him to renew his urgent plea for additional air defense weapons, particularly the U.S.-made Patriot missile system.

“More Patriots for Ukraine means more protection of life. More range for Ukraine means more guarantees that the Russian war can be stopped,” he added.

Ukraine is thought to have at least five of the $1 billion Patriot systems, although details have been kept mostly secret.

Zelenskiy is expected to speak at 2:30 p.m. at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21 as he presses his calls for additional economic and military aid.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service and AFP

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