We know that rferl.org isn't the only website you read, and it's possible that you may have missed some of our most interesting journalism from the past week. To make sure you're up-to-date, here are some of the highlights produced by RFE/RL's team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days.
The Putin Constitution: How Will It Change Russia?
July 1 was the final day of voting on constitutional changes initiated by President Vladimir Putin, and few see its conclusion as anything but foregone. But how will the new, overhauled constitution alter Russia and its political course, as well as the status of a longtime leader poised to win the option of securing several more years at the helm? By Matthew Luxmoore
Apparent Ballot Stuffer Is Caught Red-Handed (And Blue-Gloved) At Russian Polling Station
The social-media reaction was swift when eagle-eyed viewers of Mordovian public television spotted a gloved hand appearing to stuff ballots during coverage of Russia's nationwide vote on constitutional amendments enabling Putin to seek 12 more years in office. By Michael Scollon
Radio Silence: The Bulgarian Who Jammed RFE/RL During The Cold War
On July 4, 1950, Radio Free Europe made its first broadcast, transmitting a program to communist Czechoslovakia. But over the decades that followed, the news organization's broadcasts were not always heard loud and clear by audiences in communist-controlled Central and Eastern Europe. Ahead of the 70th anniversary of that first broadcast, RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service was given a tour of a Cold War-era jamming station by an engineer who once worked there. By RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service
What Does Russia Want In Afghanistan?
Amid major controversy over allegations that Russia offered incentives to Taliban fighters to kill U.S. soldiers, we take a look at Russian-Taliban relations through the years and the Kremlin's motives in Afghanistan. By Abubakar Siddique
The Mystery Of The Missing 5.6 Million Pounds
One of the last claims made by Aierken Saimaiti, a self-confessed money launderer who was murdered in Istanbul last November, was that he sent millions of pounds to London for a powerful former Kyrgyz official. What happened to the money? Here's where the evidence leads. By RFE/RL, OCCRP, Kloop, and Bellingcat
Bunkers, Bones, And Booze: The Eerie Mysteries Of Odesa's Catacombs
Deep below the Ukrainian port city of Odesa lies one of the largest underground labyrinths in the world. The Odesa catacombs date back to the early 1800s when limestone was mined for the city's grand buildings. Through the years, the vast subterranean maze has served as a Cold War bunker, a World War II refuge for Soviet fighters, and a hideout for smugglers. Today, local explorers are still mapping the vast tunnel system and discovering new insights into the past. By Stuart Greer and Mykhaylo Shtekel
Mean Streets: Serbian PM Says Getting 'Hit By A Bus' Can Make You A COVID-19 Victim
After Serbia's official COVID-19 death count is challenged, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic suggests it's actually inflated and includes "XY" accident victims. By Dusan Komarcevic and Andy Heil
Surge In COVID-19 Cases Forces Central Asian Countries To Reverse Reopenings
A spike in new coronavirus infections in Central Asia has forced authorities to reimpose restrictions just weeks after starting to reopen their economies. But not all governments acknowledge the coronavirus reality. By Farangis Najibullah
Kyrgyz App Aims To Educate On The Evils Of Bride Kidnapping
A game for mobile phones has appeared in Kyrgyzstan designed to deal with bride abductions, which are illegal but have strong cultural roots in the country and still regularly occur. Each player becomes the protagonist of the story and chooses how the story will turn out. By Ray Furlong and Current Time
Nyet In Nenets: A Northern Russian Region Just Said No To Putin's Constitution
According to official results, only one region in Russia recorded a majority vote against the constitutional amendments that give President Vladimir Putin the option of seeking two more terms. Kremlin allies swiftly suggested that it was a protest vote over a local issue and not a rebuke to Putin, and the elections chief claimed the result proved that the vote count was credible. By Michael Scollon
