We know you're busy and probably don't have the time to read all of our coverage each and every day. That's why we've put together The Week's Best. Here are some of the highlights produced in English by RFE/RL's vast team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days.
Interview: Writer Vladimir Sorokin Says Russia's Unresolved Historical Traumas Have Now 'Taken The Form Of War'
Prominent Russian novelist Vladimir Sorokin spoke with RFE/RL about Russia’s war against Ukraine, the hidden forces driving it, and its consequences for Russian society and culture. By Andrei Arkhangelsky
Fears And Concerns As Russia Frees Violent Criminals
He was 66 years old and had voiced concerns over his health -- yet it is claimed he killed seven Ukrainian soldiers single-handed while fighting for the Russian mercenary group Wagner. The case of Aleksandr Tyutin, whose 23-year jail sentence for ordering the contract killing of an entire family has been annulled by presidential order, is raising fears and doubts in Russia. By Olga Beshlei, Current Time, and Ray Furlong
Amid Worries Over Russian Forces In Belarus, Former Security Officer Says Belarusian Conscripts Won't Fight
Joint exercises this month between Belarusian and Russian armed forces renewed worries about a new offensive against Ukraine from the north. Even if that happens, a former Belarusian intelligence official says Belarusian conscripts aren't likely to fight. By Volodymyr Mykhaylov
Suspected Israeli Drone Strike In Iran Part Of New 'Containment Strategy'
Analysts say a suspected Israeli drone strike in Iran is part of a new effort to contain the Islamic republic as it escalates its nuclear activities and supplies combat drones to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. By Golnaz Esfandiari
Georgia's Drag Queens Step Out To Defy Homophobia
Tbilisi's drag scene has gone from humble beginnings a few years ago to regular events attended by hundreds of people. But the performers and organizers are defying widespread homophobia in Georgia. The LGBTQ community in the Caucasus country has often faced violence and intimidation, including brutal attacks on Pride marches. By Anastasia Slovinksaya, RFE/RL's Georgian Service, and Ray Furlong
The Talented 7-Year-Old Ukrainian Refugee Painting Her Way Through War
For months, Nika has mainly painted the war. The results are as dramatic as the upheaval that forced this promising 7-year-old talent and millions of other Ukrainians to flee their homeland. By Tatiana Christy
'Our Situation Is Terrible': Ex-Afghan Military Officers Stuck In Limbo In India
Hundreds of Afghan military officers were sent to India for training in 2021. But after the Taliban toppled the Afghan government, many remain stranded in India. Officers who spoke to RFE/RL's Radio Azadi said they fear returning to their homeland even as they live in dire conditions in India. By Sana Kakar, Fayeza Ibrahimi, and Abubakar Siddique
Denounced By Her Classmates, Anti-War Russian Teen Faces A Long Prison Term
A university student in Arkhangelsk has been listed as an “extremist” and could face more than a decade in prison after fellow students reported her anti-war social media posts. By RFE/RL's North.Realities
Five Months Of Hell In A Chechen Prison: A Survivor Describes His Ordeal
A comment on an Instagram post led to Muslim's descent into the hell of a prison in Chechnya, where he says he and other inmates were beaten and tortured. Five years after his ordeal, he describes what he went through and why. By Izabella Yevyoleva
Romance And Realism: The Former Banker Photographing Rural Romania
A Romanian who quit his corporate career has found his calling photographing life in his country's most isolated villages. By Amos Chapple
