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Opposition Party, Rights Groups Assail Serbian Government's Move To Cancel EuroPride Event
Opposition parties and global rights groups on August 28 blasted the Serbian government’s decision to cancel an international LGBTQ EuroPride event scheduled for next month.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on August 27 acknowledged that the rights of sexual minorities are threatened in Serbia but said the government had come under intense pressure from right-wing groups and representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church to cancel the event.
“It is not a question of whether [those pressures] are stronger,” Vucic said. “It’s just that at some point you can’t achieve everything, and that’s it.”
Vucic allowed for the possibility that the event could be held at a later date.
EuroPride promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex pride at the pan-European level and is hosted by a different European city each year. The event includes a Pride Parade.
The UN’s Belgrade office said it was concerned about the cancellation, saying it would jeopardize “the right to freedom of assembly as guaranteed by the Serbian Constitution.”
Serbia's Orthodox Christians March Against EuroPride Event
“The EuroPride is also an opportunity to celebrate the foundations of a strong and progressive society based on social equity, equality of all rights, solidarity, friendship, and love,” UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia Francoise Jacob said.
The Civic Democratic Forum opposition party accused Vucic of “playing dictator” and modeling himself after Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Forum leader Zoran Vuletic said Vucic “cannot cancel an event that he did not schedule and he cannot, according to the constitution, prohibit the gathering of people.”
Kristine Garina, president of the European Pride Organizers Association which licenses EuroPride, issued a statement saying the event would not be canceled despite Vucic’s remarks.
“The right to hold Pride has been ruled by the European Court of Human Rights to be a fundamental human right,” Garina said.
European Pride Organizers Association three years ago chose Belgrade to host the annual event, hoping it would represent a major breakthrough for a Slavic country that is traditionally conservative and under strong influence from the Orthodox Church.
Also on August 28, right-wing groups and political parties, church representatives, and others gathered in Belgrade in support of the cancellation of the EuroPride parade.
Many carried crosses, icons, and church symbols, with some displaying banners supporting Putin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On the same day that Vucic announced the cancellation of the parade, he also proposed extending the term of Serbia’s prime minister, Ana Brnabic, who is a lesbian but who has been accused by Serbia’s gay rights groups of not doing enough to help their status in the country. She joined Vucic in supporting the canceling of the EuroPride event.
“No matter how you turn it, from any angle you look at it, the first inviolable thing is to ensure peace and stability in the country,” Brnabic said.
Serbia held its first gay-pride parade in 2001 and the event was met by violence and angry counterprotests by far-right and nationalist groups. At the next Belgrade pride parade, in 2010, more than 100 people were injured.
However, a third gay-pride parade was organized in 2014 and the event passed without serious incident. Since then, annual pride parades have been held peacefully in Belgrade each year, except for 2020 when the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan Service and AP
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Russian Court Sends Bashkir Activist To 9 Years In Prison Amid Crackdown
A court in Russia's Republic of Bashkortostan on November 19 sentenced activist Marat Sharafutdinov, the final defendant in the high-profile Karmaskaly case, to nine years in prison.
The court found Sharafutdinov guilty of preparing to commit hooliganism on ethnic grounds and organizing an extremist organization's activities.
Investigators said the defendant was affiliated with the Bashqort organization that for decades promoted Bashkir language and culture but was banned in Russia and designated as extremist in May 2020.
The case dates back to November 7, 2020, when police and special forces detained about 50 Bashkir activists in the Karmaskaly district.
The reasons for the detentions remain disputed: Some sources claim the activists were attempting to mediate a conflict with the local Armenian community, while others suggest they were traveling to celebrate a holiday.
While in detention, several activists filed complaints with the Investigative Committee, alleging illegal actions by police and special forces.
However, in December 2020, the Investigative Committee declined to open a case, citing a lack of evidence of police wrongdoing.
Following additional complaints to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the case materials were sent for further review, but no substantive action was taken.
In January 2021, authorities conducted additional searches and detentions. Law enforcement alleged that weapons and ammunition, including a sawed-off shotgun and gunpowder, were found during the raids. Activists and their families claimed these items were planted by the authorities.
Sharafutdinov was detained on January 13, 2021. His lawyers later stated he had been subjected to violence during interrogations, including blows to the head. In August 2021, Sharafutdinov was reportedly sent to a psychiatric hospital in Bashkortostan for "treatment" due to an alleged "exacerbation of illness."
His case was separated into individual proceedings in August 2021 and subsequently suspended. It was reopened by early 2023, with the trial beginning in August of that year. The hearings were delayed multiple times for various reasons, including Sharafutdinov's health issues.
Other defendants in the Karmaskaly case previously received suspended sentences. However, Sharafutdinov's trial ended with a nine-year prison sentence. His defense team has said it will appeal.
Sharafutdinov’s relatives and supporters have described the sentence as unjust.
Bashkir activists fear the case, along with other high-profile prosecutions, could pave the way for broader crackdowns on former members of Bashqort.
The case has drawn significant public attention, highlighting ongoing tensions between activists and authorities in Bashkortostan.
No Charges Filed Against Iranian Woman Who Disrobed In Apparent Protest
No charges have been brought against the Iranian woman who disrobed in an apparent protest outside her Tehran university, a spokesman for the judiciary said, adding that she had been released from the hospital to her family.
"Given that she has been sent to the hospital and it has been determined that she is sick, she has been handed over to the family and they are currently taking care of her," Iranian judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir told a news conference on November 19.
The spokesman added that "no judicial case has been filed against this student." It wasn't immediately clear if the comments meant that the case had been permanently closed.
The woman was identified as Ahoo Bahari, a student from the science and research department of Tehran Azad University.
She took off her clothes in public on November 3 in an apparent protest at the university and was arrested shortly afterward.
The circumstances that led to her taking off her clothes remain unclear, but witnesses say she was harassed by the university's security officers over what she had been wearing. One video showed officers violently forcing the unidentified woman into a car.
Reports in Iranian media later alleged she was suffering from mental illness and that she was taken to a psychiatric hospital.
Video footage posted online raised concerns of the woman's safety from international rights groups, who condemned her treatment and demanded her immediate release.
Amnesty International said it had previously published evidence of the government's crackdown on protesters under the pretext of "mental disorders" that needed to be "treated."
Rights groups and Iranian activists have long assailed the government of the conservative Muslim nation for attacks on protesters, often targeting those who challenge strict laws governing women’s dress in public.
New laws increase prison terms and fines for women and girls who breach the dress code in the wake of the mass Women, Life, Freedom protests that followed the death of a young woman while in police custody for an alleged head-scarf violation.
Serbia, Kazakhstan Strengthen Economic Ties Amid Toqaev's Visit To Belgrade
BELGRADE -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev have pledged to strengthen economic cooperation between their countries during Toqaev's first visit to Serbia as the Central Asian country's president. At a joint press conference on November 19, Toqaev highlighted the commitment of both nations to expand their bilateral relations, focusing on key sectors such as industry, mining, and health care. Vucic emphasized the deep political and historical bonds between the two countries, pointing to Kazakhstan's longstanding support for Serbia, referencing Kazakhstan’s non-recognition of Kosovo's independence declared in 2008. The two sides signed 10 agreements and memorandums, aiming to foster cooperation in various fields. These include readmission, defense collaboration, and the peaceful exploration and use of outer space. Serbia and Kazakhstan already share a military-technical cooperation agreement, signed in November 2013 and in effect since July 2021. However, the deal has drawn criticism from the European Union, as Serbia’s agreements with third countries will need to be reevaluated if it joins the EU. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here.
Jailed Tajik MMA Fighter, Blogger Chorshanbiev's Sentence Extended
Popular Tajik MMA fighter and blogger Chorshanbe Chorshanbiev, who was sentenced in 2022 to 8 1/2 years in prison on charges he and his supporters call politically motivated, has received an additional four-year term for his involvement in a prison fight.
Chorhsanbiev was convicted in a closed trial for "actions disrupting prison operations," Tajik journalist Anora Sarkorova and two sources close to Tajik law enforcement structures told RFE/RL on November 18.
With the new sentence, part of which will be served concurrently, Chorhsanbiev now faces a total of 12 1/2 years behind bars, of which more than two years have been served.
Sarkorova cited her sources in the Justice Ministry as saying that prison officials were instructed to provoke Chorhsanbiev, allegedly to justify extending his sentence. Reports also detail his repeated solitary confinement and physical abuse, including punishment for speaking his native Pamiri dialect of Persian during family visits.
Chorhsanbiev was initially convicted for alleged calls for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order.
The primary evidence was a November 2021 video in which he discussed events in Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). Authorities deemed the video an incitement to protests against the state. Chorhsanbiev denied the charges, asserting that his statements were misinterpreted.
In December 2021, Chorhsanbiev was deported from Russia for alleged traffic violations. Upon arrival in Dushanbe, he was detained by military personnel at the airport.
The case is rooted in the November 2021 unrest in GBAO that was sparked by the death of 29-year-old Gulbiddin Ziyobekov during a security operation.
Mass protests erupted, with demonstrators bringing Ziyobekov’s body to government offices, demanding accountability. The protests, which lasted four days, turned violent at times, resulting in three deaths and injuries to around 10 protesters and five security personnel.
Tensions between the government and residents of the restive GBAO have simmered ever since a five-year civil war broke out shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Gorno-Badakhshan, a linguistically and ethnically distinct region, was home to rebels who opposed government forces during the conflict.
While it occupies almost half of the entire country, its population is a mere 250,000. The region is difficult to travel around because of the mountainous terrain, while its economy is wracked by unemployment, difficult living conditions, and high food prices.
- By RFE/RL
North Macedonia's Sekerinska Becomes NATO Deputy Chief
NATO on November 19 said that former North Macedonian Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska has become the alliance's new deputy secretary-general. Former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte became the alliance's secretary-general on October 1. Officials familiar with the decision about who would be his deputy told RFE/RL that a candidate from Central or Eastern Europe had been sought, preferably a woman. Other candidates, the officials said on condition of anonymity, included former Bulgarian Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel, former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kititarovic, and former Montenegrin Defense Minister Olivera Injac, currently the mayor of Podgorica. Sekerinska, who was North Macedonia’s defense minister from 2017 to 2022, oversaw her country’s accession to NATO in 2020. She will replace acting Deputy Secretary-General Boris Ruge, who temporarily took over the position earlier this fall following Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoana's resignation in order to run in this month's presidential election in Romania.
Four Belarusian Families Face Trial As Crackdown On 2020 Protesters Continues
Four years after mass protests erupted against Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s authoritarian rule in Belarus, trials against those who took to the streets continue.
Multiple proceedings targeting families accused of taking part in the 2020 demonstrations are currently under way in Minsk courts.
On November 19, Hanna, Inna, and Raman Usmanau, along with Kiryl Selyaznyou are going on trial in the Zavod district court. They are charged with "active participation in actions grossly violating public order."
Simultaneously, the Frunze district court has begun proceedings against Katsyaryna and Ihar Gramovich on the same charge.
Further trials involving families are scheduled in the coming days.
On November 21, the case of a couple -- Mark Kunitsky and Iryna Pratazanova-Kunitskaya -- will be heard in the Kastrychnik District Court.
On November 22, Anna, Tatsyana, and Andrey Vashchyshyn will be tried in the Frunze District Court.
The cases stem from the 2020 protests that followed the disputed presidential election that extended Lukashenka's longstanding rule for another term.
The election was widely condemned as fraudulent by the United States, the European Union, and other international actors.
The protests, which demanded Lukashenka’s resignation, were met with mass arrests, alleged torture, and violent crackdowns that left several people dead.
Many opposition leaders remain imprisoned or in exile, while Lukashenka refuses dialogue with his critics. The trials reflect ongoing repression as the Belarusian regime continues its efforts to stifle dissent and consolidate power.
- By Current Time
Ex-Moscow Lawmaker Sentenced In Absentia To 8 Years In Prison
A Moscow court sentenced former municipal lawmaker Anastasia Bryukhanova in absentia to eight years in prison on November 19 on charges of spreading "fake news" about the Russian military. The court also imposed a four-year ban on Bryukhanova’s use of social media. The case was initiated in April 2023 over a video posted on the Obyektiv YouTube channel in December 2022 that discussed alleged civilian killings by invading Russian troops in the Ukrainian city of Bucha. Bryukhanova, currently outside Russia, called the prosecution illegal and described her video as a near-verbatim repetition of a New York Times investigation. Her written statement was read in court by her defense lawyer. Bryukhanova's sentencing underscores the ongoing crackdown on dissent and independent reporting in Russia amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.
Russia Says Ukraine Used ATACMS Against Military Target In Bryansk
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on November 19 that Ukraine used six U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles in its attack on the Bryansk region overnight, claiming Russian forces managed to shoot down five of the missiles and damage one.
According to the ministry, fragments from the damaged ATACMS fell on a military target, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished. The ministry also said there were no casualties.
Hours earlier, the Russian RBK news agency quoted an informed source within Ukraine's military as saying Kyiv had used ATACMS missiles for the first time, targeting an object in the city of Karachev in Russia's southwestern Bryansk region, successfully damaging the facility.
The timing of this operation, coinciding with the 1,000th day of Russia's invasion, carries symbolic weight. By demonstrating its capacity to retaliate with precision and range, observers believe Ukraine seeks to shift the strategic calculus of the war, showing Russian territory is not immune from direct attacks.
The same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an updated nuclear doctrine. This revision allows for the consideration of nuclear weapons use if Russia faces a conventional missile assault supported by a nuclear power.
The doctrine now includes attacks with conventional missiles, drones, or other aircraft as potential triggers for a nuclear response. Additionally, any aggression against Russia by a state allied with a nuclear power will be viewed as aggression by the entire coalition.
Ukrainians awoke on November 19 to news of yet another deadly Russian drone strike on a residential building.
Ukrainian authorities said that six people were killed, including one child, in the early morning attack that hit a five-story building in the city of Hlukhiv, in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region.
Twelve people were injured, two of them children, and one section of the building collapsed.
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Rescue workers were on the scene and officials expressed fears that the casualty count could rise.
Just two days earlier, Russian forces targeted an apartment building in the regional capital, Sumy, killing 11 people, including two children, and injuring more than 50.
The Sumy region, which borders Russia, has been a frequent target of artillery and drone strikes, with attacks intensifying in recent months.
Local authorities in Sumy have ordered the evacuation of 23 towns and villages, affecting around 6,000 people, as the region remains under near-constant threat.
Russia's Defense Ministry continues to claim that it targets only military facilities, yet reports from Ukrainian officials and independent media document widespread civilian casualties and destruction of nonmilitary infrastructure.
Russia's full-scale invasion, which began on February 24, 2022, has evolved into a prolonged conflict with significant losses on both sides.
For Ukraine, the war has meant widespread destruction, over 20,000 civilian deaths according to international estimates, and millions displaced. For Russia, the conflict has brought economic isolation, military losses, and growing internal dissent.
The use of ATACMS by Ukraine would reflect both the maturation of its military strategy and the increasing support from Western allies, who have progressively provided more advanced weaponry to counter Russian aggression.
However, it also raises questions about the potential for further escalation, as attacks on Russian soil may provoke a harsher response from Moscow.
With reporting by RBK, TASS, Interfax, dpa, and AP
Bosnia To Expel Russian Man Suspected Of Training Moldovans To Foment Unrest
Authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina will expel a Russian citizen who was arrested on suspicion of instructing Moldovan nationals how to foment unrest in Moldova, Bosnia's Foreign Ministry confirmed to RFE/RL on November 19. The Russian man, Aleksandr Bezrukavy, was arrested in the city of Bosanska Krupa on November 16, The police chief of Bosnia's northwestern Una-Sana Canton, Adnan Habibija, told RFE/RL on November 18. According to Habibija, the arrested man is suspected of having links with training camps near the city of Banja Luka. Last month, media reported about the existence of camps in Bosnia and Serbia associated with Russia's Wagner mercenary group where instructors trained young people to cause unrest in Moldova ahead of and during a presidential election. Moldova's pro-Western incumbent President Maia Sandu defeated Russia-friendly challenger Alexandr Stoianoglo in a November 3 runoff vote in balloting marred by accusations of Russian interference and voter fraud. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here.
Putin Signs New Doctrine Widening Rules On Nuclear Weapons Use
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on November 19 updating and expanding Moscow's nuclear doctrine to allow for the use of atomic weapons in case of an attack on Russia by a nonnuclear actor that is backed by a nuclear power.
The move comes just days after President Joe Biden reportedly gave Ukraine permission to use U.S.-supplied long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, to strike deep inside Russia. ATACMS have a range of some 300 kilometers.
The updated doctrine says Russia would consider using nuclear weapons after receiving “reliable information about the launching of a massive attack against it and missiles crossing the Russian border."
Moscow will consider "aggression by a nonnuclear state -- but with the participation or support of a nuclear-armed state -- as a joint attack on the Russian Federation," the document says, without clarifying whether such an aggression would automatically trigger a nuclear response.
Experts highlighted that one key change is that the aggression would not need to pose an existential threat to Russia, with the threshold for a response lowered to aggression that presents a "critical threat to the sovereignty and/or territorial integrity" of the country.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, when asked if a conventional Ukrainian attack using U.S. missiles could potentially trigger a nuclear response, said that it could, pointing out that the revised passage also included threats to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Russia's ally Belarus.
The document also expands the list of states and military alliances against which nuclear "deterrence" can be carried out, as well as the “list of military threats for the neutralization of which nuclear deterrence measures are carried out.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov downplayed the significance of the changes to the nuclear doctrine, saying in Brazil on November 19 that Moscow is "determined to do everything possible to prevent a nuclear war."
However, the European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, described the changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine as "completely irresponsible."
"It is not the first time that Putin plays the nuclear gamble," he said in Brussels, saying "any call for nuclear warfare is an irresponsibility."
In Washington, a National Security Council spokesperson said that the White House was "not surprised by Russia's announcement" and that the United States did not plan to adjust its own nuclear doctrine in response.
The review of Russia's nuclear doctrine was first mentioned by Putin on September 25, 2024, at a meeting of the Russian Security Council amid discussions around allowing Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia.
Peskov, asked whether the change in doctrine -- which was announced as Russia's war on Ukraine marked its 1,000th day -- was linked to the reported move by Biden, said the update was released “in a timely manner” based on the "current situation."
The reported U.S. decision, which has yet to be officially confirmed by the White House, comes after months of insistence by Kyiv to be allowed to use Western-donated long-range systems to strike military targets deep inside Russia.
Britain and France have also supplied Ukraine with their jointly-made Storm Shadow missiles which have a 250-kilometer range, but have so far refrained from giving Kyiv approval to use them against targets farther into Russia.
Meanwhile, on November 18, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said once again that Germany will not send its Taurus missiles, which have a 500-kilometer range, to Ukraine.
Georgian Police Violently Disperse Protesters Calling For Fresh Elections
TBILISI -- Georgian police violently dispersed a days-long protest at the State University in Tbilisi, arresting several people and taking down the tents where demonstrators calling for fresh elections had taken shelter from the cold during the night.
The opposition protesters have been demanding a repeat of parliamentary elections amid claims of widespread fraud and Russian influence during the October 26 polls that were won by the Moscow-friendly Georgian Dream party, which has been in power since 2012.
Video footage by RFE/RL correspondents in Tbilisi showed police dragging people to the ground, including women, and beating them before taking them away. Among those detained was Sergi Baramidze,a cameraman for the opposition channel Mtavari, who was beaten and had his camera smashed.
Reports said many people were injured during the police raid.
Tbilisi has been rocked by protests since the elections, including on November 17-18, when demonstrators marched through the center of Tbilisi, blocking one of the main avenues, then set up tents and sleeping bags at central sites.
Some of those detained on November 19 and taken to the Interior Ministry were later released. Among them was Maya Gogidze, from the opposition's political group Lelo.
She described her ordeal to RFE/RL.
"Suddenly I heard a scream as they started dragging and taking away the participants in the rally one by one...Law enforcement officers acted in groups, grabbing one demonstrator, dragging him away, then moving on to another," Gogidze said.
"I saw that they were dragging a young boy on the asphalt and I ran to help him. They dragged me from there and suddenly I found myself facing a protester whose face was covered in blood. The police...lifted me up in the air and took me to the car."
President Salome Zurabishvili, who backs the protesters and has refused to recognize the results, said she will file a lawsuit in the Constitutional Court on November 19 to challenge the reported voting results.
"Tomorrow morning, I will file a lawsuit in the Constitutional Court for violation” of election principles,” Zurabishvili told a told a news conference on November 18, although she acknowledged little hope of success.
"This is not because I believe in the Constitutional Court -- we all know that no institution in this country is independent any longer and we have received evidence of this repeatedly.
"But this should be as a sign that no legal dispute in the country should go uncontested" and that justices should have a chance to openly demonstrate their "conscience," she added.
She reiterated that he did not recognize the elections as legitimate and considered it necessary to hold a new vote -- but only with a new election administration chosen with the help of international partners.
Student groups also issued a manifesto condemning the disputed October 26 elections.
The November 17 manifesto stated that the government's "systematic rigging of elections reveals a gross attempt by the Georgian Dream party to seize control of the state."
The latest protests broke out after Georgia's Central Election Commission (CEC) on November 16 validated the results of last month's disputed elections, despite accusations of widespread fraud and Russian interference.
According to the official results, Georgian Dream won 53.93 percent of the vote against 37.79 percent garnered by an opposition alliance.
The Central Election Commission announced the result during an acrimonious session that was briefly interrupted after opposition representative Davit Kirtadze splashed a black liquid on CEC chief Giorgi Kalandarishvili and called him a "dark spot."
Kirtadze's protest was intended to refer to the ink from voters' pens that was visible through the thin paper on the other side of some ballots. The opposition says this compromised confidentiality in the disputed voting on October 26.
Georgia's pro-European opposition has boycotted the new parliament, renouncing its mandates from the October 26 vote, alleging widespread fraud and Russian interference.
EU and other Western officials have expressed serious doubts about the elections and perceived irregularities.
Georgia has been a candidate for EU membership since last year, but a "foreign influence" law and anti-LGBT measures have stalled that effort.
The United States in July announced that it would pause more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, warning it that it was backsliding on democracy.
Separatist Leader Of Georgia's Breakaway Abkhazia Resigns Amid Protests
The de facto leader of Georgia's Moscow-backed breakaway Abkhazia region has signed his resignation amid ongoing protests by opposition supporters against a property deal with Russia.
“In order to maintain stability and constitutional order in the country, in accordance with Article 65 of the Constitution of the Republic of Abkhazia, I resign,” Aslan Bzhania said in a statement on November 19 after hours of negotiations between the breakaway region's authorities and the opposition.
Opposition leaders have demanded not only the permanent abandonment of the proposed agreement with Russia that opponents say would unfairly open the property market to wealthy Russians, but also Bzhania's resignation and those of his vice president and the breakaway leadership's prime minister.
Bzhania agreed to submit his resignation letter in exchange for the protesters’ leaving government buildings they had occupied, but his statement added that he would withdraw his resignation if those gathered on the premises failed to leave.
The local parliament is due to discuss Bzhania's resignation on November 19 while his deputy, Badra Gunba will be the acting leader of the separatist region. Valery Bganba, a former speaker of parliament, will be appointed prime minister, according to the agreement.
It said the current government will remain in an acting capacity until a newly elected leader takes office.
Bzhania has already said that he planned to run for office again. The next elections were supposed to be held in the spring of 2025, but under the current situation, there may be an early vote.
On November 15, protesters stormed the parliament building in Sukhumi, the regional capital, to force the legislature to vote on dropping the real-estate deal completely. They later entered the government building and the presidential compound that are all located in the same complex, forcing Bzhania to flee to his native village outside Sukhumi.
On November 12, opposition protesters blocked a highway and three access bridges into Sukhumi, a picturesque coastal city on the shores of the Black Sea, forcing authorities to release several activists who had been arrested for protesting the real-estate deal.
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.
6 People, Including 1 Child, Killed In Fresh Russian Strike On Sumy
Six people, including one child, were killed and 12 others were wounded overnight in a fresh Russian strike in the city of Hlukhiv in Ukraine's Sumy region, the region's military administration reported early on November 19, adding that the strike targeted a dormitory in the city. Authorities said that rescue operations are under way and there might still be people under the rubble. On November 18, a missile strike devastated a residential building in the city of Sumy, 40 kilometers from the Russian border, killing 11 people, including two children, and wounding 89, according to authorities. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
- By RFE/RL
Iranian Activist Ronaghi Temporarily Detained After Tehran Protest, Family Says
Iranian rights activist Hossein Ronaghi was held for several hours after being detained following a sit-in protest in central Tehran, his family said on November 18. "Ronaghi was violently arrested by a large number of armed officers at 5 p.m. at Vali-e Asr Square" before being released at his front door at 9 p.m., his brother Hassan said on Telegram. Ronaghi had announced the protest on Telegram, saying it was to honor Kianoosh Sanjari, a journalist and political activist who jumped to his death from a Tehran building on November 13 to protest the numerous arrests and interrogations of himself and other political activists.
- By RFE/RL
PEN Urges UN Rights Council To Aid Imprisoned Iranian Nobel Laureate
The U.S.-based PEN America free-speech watchdog has asked the UN Human Rights Council to intervene in the case of imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who it said is in "urgent need of medical care." In an open letter, PEN urged the UN “to call on the Iranian authorities to grant Mohammadi a medical furlough on humanitarian grounds so that she is able to receive comprehensive and essential care for a range of serious medical conditions." Mohammadi, 52, has been in and out of prison for the past 20 years. She is currently serving a 12-year sentence in Tehran's Evin prison for "spreading propaganda," allegations that she, her family, and supporters reject.
Gunmen Abduct 7 Police In Pakistan's Volatile Northwest
Armed men kidnapped seven police officers in Pakistan's northwest on November 18, residents and police officials told Radio Mashaal. The police chief of Bannu district, where the incident took place, told reporters a search mission had been launched for the abducted officers. Local sources told Radio Mashaal the attackers disarmed the policemen after surrounding the security post and then abducted them. No group has claimed responsibility. The incident follows an attack on October 14 in which four Pakistani police officers and five insurgents were killed when militants stormed a Bannu police headquarters in the volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The Islamist militant group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for that attack.
- By RFE/RL
EU Widens Sanctions On Iran For Supporting Russia's War On Ukraine
The EU has widened its sanctions against Iran over the country's support of the Kremlin in its war against Ukraine, the European Commission said on November 18, targeting firms, ports, and individuals involved in the transfer of ballistic missiles and drones to Russia for use on the battlefield.
Included in the new sanctions are the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) -- which will see its assets frozen -- and measures targeting the activities of Iranian ports on the Caspian Sea linked to listed entities and individuals.
The EU said it decided to "widen the scope of the EU framework for restrictive measures in view of Iran's military support to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and to armed groups and entities in the Middle East and the Red Sea region."
It said the new measures target "the use of vessels and ports for the transfer of Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), missiles, and related technologies and components."
The United States, Britain, France, and Germany have accused Iran of sending ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia for use against Ukraine, sparking consultations among European allies on the matter.
Ali Safaei, chief of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization, rejected the "European accusations," calling them "baseless," according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
"It is regrettable that some delegations, including the U.S., have once again disseminated false and misleading information to advance their political agendas," Safaei said.
The IRISL headlined the list of the newly sanctioned entities.
"IRISL is Iran's national maritime carrier, and for years its ships have been involved in shipping drones on behalf of the EU-listed Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy," the EU said.
IRISL director Mohammad Reza Khiabani is also targeted in the sanctions.
The measures include "access to facilities of the ports and locks, such as Amirabad and Anzali, and the provision of any services to vessels," it said, adding that exceptions will be made for vessels in need of assistance for safety for humanitarian purposes.
The EU also listed three Russian shipping companies -- MG Flot, VTS Broker, and Arapax -- whose vessels are involved in transporting Iranian-made weapons and ammunition, including UAV components, across the Caspian Sea to resupply Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.
The November 18 announcement is a continuing of a wide-ranging strategy by the West of targeting Iranian entities and individuals over rights abuses, aid to extremist allies and proxies in the region, and weapons transfer.
EU foreign ministers on October 14 approved new sanctions against seven individuals and seven entities linked to Iran after Kyiv's Western allies accused Tehran of sending ballistic missiles to Russia to aid in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Those sanctions, first reported in an exclusive by Radio Farda, targeted companies and individuals accused of being involved in the transfer of the weapons to Russia, including the country's flagship carrier Iran Air, as well as airlines Saha Airlines and Mahan Air.
Those targeted are subject to an asset freeze and travel ban to the European Union. Additionally, the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, with those listed is prohibited.
Iran Air has direct flights to several cities in Europe, including Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Paris, and Milan.
Overall, the EU said sanctions have been imposed on 227 individuals and 42 entities in Iran in response to "human rights abuses, nuclear proliferation activities, and military support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine."
- By Current Time
Two Russians Jailed For Damaging Memorial To Ukraine War Dead
A Moscow court on November 18 sentenced Daniil Golikov, 28, and Andrei Kozlovsky, 26, to 2 1/2 and three years in a "colony settlement" for vandalizing an informal memorial to participants in the war in Ukraine.
A colony settlement is a less restrictive form of imprisonment near an industrial facility, where convicts work alongside other convicts and regular employees.
The Tver district court found the men guilty of vandalism and destroying memorial structures commemorating those killed in Ukraine.
The charges stemmed from an incident on March 11, when Golikov and Kozlovsky scattered flowers and damaged items at a makeshift memorial in Moscow dedicated to "all those who died during the Russian Spring and Special Military Operation"-- the Kremlin's official term for its invasion of Ukraine.
According to investigators, the men caused damage worth 55,730 rubles ($557), including the destruction of wreaths, flower vases, and artificial carnations. The memorial honored members of the Wagner mercenary group killed in Ukraine.
A 40-second video, shared on pro-war Telegram channels and used as evidence in court, showed one of the men kicking a flower vase. The prosecution presented expert studies claiming the memorial had cultural and historical significance.
Golikov and Kozlovsky pleaded guilty, apologized, and paid restitution. They claimed to have been drunk and unable to recall the events.
The case highlights Russia's growing trend of memorializing soldiers killed in Ukraine through plaques, the renaming of streets, and other dedications.
Historian Maksim Kuzakhmetov noted this is unprecedented, even compared to Stalin-era practices, arguing that the government uses "fallen heroes" to justify the full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022.
- By RFE/RL
Kosovo Coach Backs Players After Walkout In Romania
The coach of the Kosovo men’s national soccer team has given his backing to his players after they left the field during a recent game in Bucharest against Romania.
The players walked off the field in extra time on November 15 amid chants from home fans of "Serbia," from which Kosovo seceded back in 2008.
The Kosovo team walked off for the same reason during a match between the two teams in September 2023 but eventually returned.
UEFA, European soccer's governing body, is due to issue a ruling on the matter. Romania could be declared 3-0 winners of the Nations League match. It was 0-0 at the time the match was abandoned.
Franco Foda, Kosovo's manager, said in comments published on November 18 that any UEFA ruling was secondary to backing his players.
"It's all about our message that this kind of thing has no place in the stadium. It's about respectful cooperation, that's more important than the result," Foda told the German soccer magazine Kicker.
He said Romanian players tried to calm down the fans but that the atmosphere did not change and there were also no official announcements in the stadium.
"As a German, I am the coach in Kosovo and I accept the culture. I understand them and my players, so I am 100 percent behind this decision," Foda said.
"The most important thing is to treat each other with respect. And that respect was no longer there after, what I was told, was chanted there."
The Kosovar players headed for the dressing room in the 92nd minute with the game heading for a goalless draw after some spectators chanted, "Serbia! Serbia!" during a scuffle between Kosovo captain Amir Rrahmani and Romanian striker Denis Alibec.
The Football Federation of Kosovo on November 16 warned that it will submit a complaint to UEFA for what it said were "provocations and racist behavior" of Romanian fans during the match.
Rrahmani said that Romanian fans chanted, "Serbia, Serbia," and, "Kosovo is Serbia," and that he had informed Danish referee Morten Krogh "at least three times" that his team would leave the field.
The Romanian team remained on the pitch for about an hour before the referee decided to abandon the match after the Kosovar players refused to return.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has been recognized by more than 100 countries, but not Romania and other four EU states -- Spain, Cyprus, Greece, and Slovakia.
The Romanian Gendarmerie said 13 spectators were fined after the game and another nine were banned from entering a sports competition for a period of up to one year.
The game is not the first one between the two teams to be marred by incidents.
During a previous game in Bucharest in September 2023, Romanian fans shouted chants at Kosovo players and unfurled a huge banner with the inscription "Kosovo is Serbia" in Romanian and Serbian.
The game was interrupted for 50 minutes, the Romanian Football Federation was fined by UEFA, and Romania played the next match with only children under 14 allowed in the stands.
Kosovar fans responded in kind during the first leg of the League of Nations played in Pristina this fall, which was won by Romania 3-0. They whistled during the Romanian anthem, chanted racist slogans, and even invaded the pitch. The incidents led to the Kosovar Federation also being fined by UEFA.
UEFA said it would communicate "further information in due course."
with reporting by dpa
Georgian Protesters Camp Out In Tbilisi For Night, Vow To Stay
TBILISI – After 30 hours, pro-EU demonstrators continue to camp out in the streets of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, vowing not to budge until new parliamentary elections are held, with the country’s president -- who backs the protesters -- saying she will file suit in the Constitutional Court to challenge the reported voting results.
At a gathering near Tbilisi State University as midnight closed in on November 18, organizers said the action would continue until at least 8 p.m. the next day. Protesters prepared hot food and drinks and lit fires to keep warm in their makeshift camps.
President Salome Zurabishvili, students, and opposition groups claim the parliamentary elections on October 26 were rigged. Official results showed the Russian-friendly Georgian Dream party won a majority and a fourth term.
"Tomorrow morning, I will file a lawsuit in the Constitution Court for violation” of election principles,” Zurabishvili told a told a news conference on November 18, although she acknowledged little hope of success.
"This is not because I believe in the Constitutional Court -- we all know that no institution in this country is independent any longer and we have received evidence of this repeatedly.
"But this should be as a sign that no legal dispute in the country should go uncontested" and that justices should have a chance to openly demonstrate their "conscience," she added.
She reiterated that he did not recognize the elections as legitimate and considered it necessary to hold a new vote -- but only with a new election administration chosen with the help of international partners.
Tbilisi has been rocked by protests since the elections, including on November 17-18, when demonstrators marched through the center of Tbilisi, blocking one of the main avenues, then set up tents and sleeping bags at central sites.
Student groups also issued a manifesto condemning the disputed October 26 elections.
The November 17 manifesto stated that the government's "systematic rigging of elections reveals a gross attempt by the Georgian Dream party to seize control of the state."
The manifesto also cited what it said were attacks on the educational system through "discriminatory and selective decisions in the process of granting" entry to educational institutions and "the imposition of censorship on the part of the teaching."
It was signed by 13 groups, including students from at least 13 Georgian universities.
Georgia's Central Election Commission (CEC) on November 16 validated the results of last month's disputed elections, despite weeks of protests by the opposition and accusations of widespread fraud and Russian interference.
The ruling Georgian Dream party won 53.93 percent of the vote against 37.79 percent garnered by an opposition alliance, the CEC announced during an unruly session that was briefly interrupted after opposition representative Davit Kirtadze splashed a black liquid on CEC chief Giorgi Kalandarishvili and called him a "dark spot."
Kirtadze's protest was intended to refer to the ink from voters' pens that was visible through the thin paper on the other side of some ballots. The opposition says this compromised confidemtiality in the disputed voting on October 26.
Georgian Dream, in power since 2012, is the only party that recognized the election results, with pro-European President Zurabishvili still refusing to acknowledge the outcome, which she said was heavily influenced by Russia.
Georgia's pro-European opposition has boycotted the new parliament, renouncing its mandates from the October 26 vote, alleging widespread fraud and Russian interference.
EU and other Western officials have expressed serious doubts about the elections and perceived irregularities.
Georgia has been a candidate for EU membership since last year, but the "foreign influence" law and anti-LGBT measures have stalled that effort.
The United States in July announced that it would pause more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, warning it that it was backsliding on democracy.
With reporting by AP
At Least 21 Dead In Russian Missile Strikes In Ukraine's Odesa, Sumy
Russian missile strikes on November 18 left at least 21 people dead and more than 100 injured in Ukraine, as strikes targeted the cities of Odesa and Sumy, according to Ukrainian officials.
In Odesa, a midday strike left 10 people dead and 39 injured, including a child, with four in critical condition, Oleh Kiper, the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, wrote on Telegram.
The strike damaged residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, with the city's center among the hardest-hit areas.
Hours earlier, a late-night missile strike devastated a residential building in Sumy, a city 40 kilometers from the Russian border, leaving 11 dead, including two children, and 89 wounded, according to Ukraine's Emergencies Ministry.
Rescuers evacuated over 400 residents and continue to search for survivors. The attack also left Sumy’s administrative center without power, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. More than 400 people were evacuated from the building.
The rescuers were checking every apartment looking for people who might be still in the damaged building.
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"Every life destroyed by Russia is a big tragedy," Klymenko said.
In an effort to boost morale, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on November 18 visited the key frontline regions of Donetsk and Kharkiv.
In the embattled Donetsk city of Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian leader thanked troops, telling them that "only through your strength is the east [of Ukraine] not totally occupied" by Russian forces.
Zelenskiy also stopped in Kupyansk, which has been subject to relentless Russian shelling and is the target of the latest offensive by the Kremlin's troops.
"I received briefings from our commanders and updates on the security and social situation in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions," he said in a Telegram post.
The late-night attack on Sumy followed what Kyiv said was a "massive" attack on Ukraine's power grid with 120 missiles and 90 drones that killed at least seven people.
Moscow routinely denies targeting civilian infrastructure. Such strikes are widely considered a war crime.
Russian strikes have hammered Ukraine's power infrastructure since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022, prompting repeated emergency power shutdowns and nationwide rolling blackouts.
The massive Russian attack also came as U.S. President Joe Biden had reportedly authorized the use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine to strike inside Russia, after lobbying by Ukrainian officials.
The weapons are likely to be used in response to North Korea's decision to send thousands of troops to support Russia in the Kursk region where Ukraine mounted a military incursion over the summer.
"Today, much is being said in the media about us receiving permission for the relevant actions. But strikes are not made with words. Such things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.
In the overnight attack on Sumy, the Ukrainian Air Force said the Russian military used two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and a Kh-59 guided missile.
Photographs posted on Telegram by the Ukrainian State Emergency Service showed firefighters battling a blaze consuming cars with rescuers carrying people out of a building. One image showed a building with nearly all windows blown out and its facade damaged.
Sumy regional prosecutors said the attack damaged 90 apartments, 28 cars, two educational institutions, and 13 buildings.
With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
- By RFE/RL
Kremlin Says Washington Adding 'Fuel To Fire' As Biden Presses G20 To Support Ukraine
The Kremlin has accused U.S. President Joe Biden of seeking to escalate the conflict in Ukraine by lifting restrictions on long-range weapons, while the U.S. leader urged G20 states to support Ukraine's sovereignty.
The remarks on November 18 come a day after multiple media reports said Biden had granted Ukraine permission to use U.S. weapons to strike deeper into Russia. The White House has not commented officially on the reports.
Biden, while not mentioning the reported missile agreement, urged leaders at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro -- which is being attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov -- to step up support for Kyiv.
"The United States strongly supports Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Everyone around this table in my view should as well," Biden said.
The developments come after months of lobbying by Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, for Western states to give Kyiv the green light to use donated weapons to their full potential to hit targets currently out of range.
The United States, along with other NATO states, has to this point imposed a limit on the distance U.S. missiles could strike into Russian territory.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a move to alter that limit would usher in a new round of tensions and deepen U.S. involvement in Russia's war on Ukraine.
"It's obvious that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps in order to continue fueling the fire and provoking further escalation of tensions," Peskov said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in September warned the West that Russia could respond with nuclear weapons if it was struck with conventional missiles, and that Moscow would consider any assault supported by a nuclear power to be a joint attack.
Russian lawmaker Leonid Slutsky said such a move would lead to escalation.
"U.S. missile strikes deep into Russian territory will inevitably lead to a major escalation that threatens to have far more serious consequences," said Slutsky, the chairman of the State Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee, in an interview with the state-run news agency TASS.
The weapons are likely to be used in response to North Korea's decision to send thousands of troops to support Russia in the Kursk region, where Ukraine mounted a military incursion over the summer. Reports have suggested that Ukraine would still be limited to striking that southwestern Russian region.
The move also opens the door for the United Kingdom and France to follow suit, potentially enabling Ukraine to deal Russia a blow at a critical moment in the war. Ukraine is seeking to hold onto territorial gains in Russia's Kursk region that could be crucial to any future negotiation.
Still, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the G20 summit that Berlin was "sticking with" his decision not to send Ukraine long-range Taurus cruise missiles, one of the most powerful weapons in its arsenal.
However, Zelenskiy's reaction to the news was somewhat reserved.
"Today, much is being said in the media about us receiving permission for the relevant actions. But strikes are not made with words. Such things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.
David Silbey, a Cornell University professor specializing in military history, defense policy, and battlefield analysis, told RFE/RL that the White House was likely attempting to give Ukraine everything it can before the administration changes from Biden to Donald Trump, who has criticized the level of U.S. aid to Kyiv.
He cautioned, however, that the move might not be a major game-changer.
Allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles "now will mean that Ukraine can hit targets deeper in Russia, both military and civilian, and will likely do some damage and force the Russians to pull military assets out of range."
"In larger terms of the war, however, it's unlikely to have much effect, just like the previous weapons systems -- the Abrams tank, the F-16 fighter -- that the U.S. hesitated and then finally sent. There's no magical war-winning weapon that will reverse the tide, which has been in Russia's favor for a while.
"The war's being decided in the east of Ukraine. It's being decided by firepower and human capital. On both of those, Ukraine is at a disadvantage -- giving them the ability to strike deeper into Russia is not going to help against mass attacks in the east."
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Meanwhile, Kyiv's European allies have been more upbeat in their reaction to the news.
Polish President Andrzej Duda said Biden's action could be a decisive moment in the war.
"This decision was very necessary.... Russia sees that Ukraine enjoys strong support and that the West's position is unyielding and determined. It's a very important, potentially decisive moment in this war," Duda told journalists.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Washington's move was important in terms of military support for Ukraine but stressed it did not signal a shift in strategy by the West.
"The decision from the American side, and I would like to emphasize that this is not a rethink but an intensification of what has already been delivered by other partners, is so important at this moment," Baerbock said in Brussels ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
Germany's top diplomat also issued a warning to supporters of Russian President Putin, and said the European Union was preparing new sanctions against Iran as well as looking at the issue of Chinese drone support.
Also speaking in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell expressed hope that the bloc's members would follow Washington's lead.
"I've been saying once and again that Ukraine should be able to use the arms we provided to them, in order to not only stop the arrows but also to be able to hit the archers," Borrell said.
Also speaking ahead of the meeting, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said he thought Biden's decision was an "adequate response" to Russia deploying North Korean troops.
However, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico -- who has criticized Western policies on Ukraine and has opposed EU sanctions on Russia – denounced the reported U.S. decision, saying it would endanger any potential talks.
"This is an unprecedented escalation of tensions, a decision that thwarts hopes for the start of any peace talks and an end to the mutual killing of Slavs in Ukraine," Fico said.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Attack From Afghanistan Kills Chinese National In Tajikistan, Sources Say
One Chinese national was killed and five others, four of them Chinese, were injured in a cross-border attack in Tajikistan's Zarbuzi Gorge, two sources close to a Tajik investigation told RFE/RL's Tajik Service on November 18.
The incident, which occurred in the southeastern Shamsiddin Shohin district, bordering Afghanistan, has not yet been officially addressed by the Tajik authorities.
According to the sources, the attack was carried out by armed individuals who crossed the border from Afghanistan. It remains unclear whether the attackers were criminals possibly involved in drug trafficking, a crime that is common in the area, or members of a militant group.
"Among the five injured, four are Chinese nationals and one is a local resident. All have been hospitalized in the Shamsiddin Shohin district," one of the sources said.
The Chinese nationals were reportedly working at a gold mine in the Zarbuzi Gorge. The attack marks the first known incident resulting in the death of a Chinese national in the volatile region.
The Shamsiddin Shohin district shares a porous border with Afghanistan that is often crossed by smugglers and militant groups.
Although the Taliban has assured neighboring countries that Afghan territory will not serve as a base for terrorist activities, Tajik authorities have been on high alert in recent years.
The deadly attack underscores persistent security concerns along Tajikistan's southern frontier.
In August 2023, Tajikistan's State Committee for National Security reported killing three members of the banned Ansarullah militant group and seizing weapons in a separate cross-border operation.
These incidents highlight the ongoing threats posed by instability in Afghanistan, despite regional efforts to secure the border.
Russia Jails Former Sakharov Center Director In Absentia For Anti-War Posts
A Russian court on November 18 sentenced Sergei Lukashevsky, the former director of the Sakharov Center in Moscow, to eight years in prison. The conviction, handed down in absentia, accuses Lukashevsky of spreading "fake news" about the Russian military. The Sakharov Center was a museum and cultural center opened in 1996 to preserve the legacy of prominent Russian physicist and Nobel Prize-winning human rights defender Andrei Sakharov. In August 2023, a Moscow court liquidated the museum, which also focused on human rights in Russia. Lukashevsky, who left Russia following the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, faced charges over five Facebook posts condemning war crimes allegedly committed by Russian troops in Ukraine. The charges emerged in March 2023, while Lukashevsky still led the Sakharov Center. The case highlights Russia’s crackdown on dissent, where accusations of "fake news" often target criticism of the war in Ukraine. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Reportedly Allows Ukraine To Strike Russia With Long-Range Weapons
U.S. media are reporting that President Joe Biden's administration has lifted restrictions that have prevented Ukraine from using American-provided weapons to strike deeper inside Russian territory.
Reports on November 17 by The New York Times, The Washington Post, AP, Reuters, and others cited sources familiar with the matter.
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The White House has not commented on the reports and did not immediately respond to requests for comment from RFE/RL. The National Security Council (NSC) also declined to comment.
It was not immediately clear how far-reaching such permission would be. Biden, in remarks made during a trip to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, did not respond to shouted questions about the matter from journalists.
If confirmed, it would represent a major shift in U.S. policy amid long-standing pleas by Kyiv to allow such actions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy did not directly confirm the reports but said that one of the main points of his "victory plan" presented to allies included the use of long-range weapons by his military.
"Today, many people in the media are saying that we have received permission for appropriate actions. But [militaries] do not strike with words. Such things are not announced. Rockets will speak for themselves," he said on Telegram.
Reuters, citing its sources, reported that Kyiv plans to conduct the first of such long-range attacks in the next few days, but it did not disclose specifics.
Ukraine would likely utilize ATACMS rockets -- which have a range of up to 300 kilometers -- Reuters said, citing three sources familiar with the issue.
The U.S. administration has been seeking ways to shore up support for Ukraine ahead of Biden’s departure on January 20, when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Trump has criticized the strong support Biden has given to Kyiv and has said he will seek an end to the war as quickly as possible, but with terms that would likely be unacceptable to Ukraine.
There was no immediate comment from the Trump transition team, but a key adviser attacked the move in a post on X.
"Escalating the wars before he leaves office," Richard Grenell wrote.
However, Ben Hodges, a retired U.S. lieutenant general and former commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe, told RFE/RL that such a move would send “a message to the Kremlin that the [the United States] is not just folding up our tents and waiting for Trump.”
Hodges said it would be a “good thing because this policy would be in effect as the Trump administration takes over and, frankly, it’s a good thing for Donald Trump.”
He said the priority for Ukraine in the use of the weapons will likely be in Russia’s Kursk region, using them to strike command-and-control sites, arms depots, and artillery batteries.
The next priority would likely be to target airfields that Russia uses to launch strikes against Ukrainian cities.
Phillips O'Brien, a professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, said he believes the move was long overdue, but that the concern now was whether Trump would reverse the move once he takes office.
He and other observers said the U.S. move would likely lead other allies -- including Britain and France -- to make similar moves.
Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied long-range weapons has dividend many of Kyiv’s allies, with some fearing it could provoke Russian counter-responses and lead to a wider European war.
Biden himself had been reluctant to allow such actions, although the White House in May granted permission for the use of ATACMS for limited hits just across the Russian border to deter imminent strikes against Ukraine.
AP and other outlets cited sources as saying the latest decision by Biden is likely in response to North Korea sending thousands of troops to Russia amid reports that some have already engaged in fighting in Russia’s Kursk region.
The Kremlin has warned that the allowance by the United States or other Western allies to use long-range weapons targeting Russia would be seen as a major escalation.
Since its February 2022 full-scale invasion, Russia has used its long-range weapons and warplanes to attack deep inside Ukraine, hitting civilian and infrastructure sites along with military targets.
After Russia launched one of its largest air strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure on November 17, Ukraine’s energy authority said all Ukrainian regions will experience temporary restrictions on power consumption on November 18.
The latest Russian attacks were condemned by the European Union, NATO, and other Western allies.
"NATO strongly condemns Russia's large-scale attack against Ukraine that has killed and terrorized civilians and targeted critical energy infrastructure," a spokeswoman said.
"We stand by Ukraine and allies continue to make unprecedented contributions to Ukraine's defenses," she said.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Todd Prince in Washington.
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