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.
'The State Will Eat You': Russia Enters The Era Of The Treason Verdict
As Russia’s war against Ukraine drags on with no sign of any resolution in sight, Putin’s government has unleashed the Federal Security Service (FSB), which this year has opened a number of treason cases that is unprecedented in modern Russian history. By Robert Coalson
Sudan Slips Into Chaos. Russia Lurks In The Background.
The warring factions that are tipping Sudan into civil war are once-allied military adversaries -- both with ties to Moscow and the notorious mercenary company Wagner. Here’s what you need to know about the situation in Sudan and Russia’s potential role. By Mike Eckel
Russian Mother Of Lost Moskva Sailor Refuses To Accept Official 'Story'
Olga Dubinina says she still cannot accept the Kremlin version of events surrounding the sinking of the Moskva in the Black Sea on April 14, 2022. The day before, two Ukraine-launched Neptune rockets were reportedly fired at the Russian missile cruiser, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet. Witnesses said the heavily armed ship took a hit below the water line, began to burn, and finally sank -- a major early victory for Ukraine following Russia's February invasion. By Current Time, Timofei Rozhanskiy, and Will Tizard
Food Colorants And The 'Red Lines' For Uzbek Bloggers
A court's punishment for a popular blogger who called a food additive based on beetle extract "haram" highlights the limits of religious debate in Uzbekistan, as well as authorities' fear of bloggers whose audiences have boomed in recent years. By Chris Rickleton
Digital Dragnet: In Search Of Soldiers For Its War Against Ukraine, Russia Takes Draft Notices Online
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed legislation allowing for electronic conscription notices, a bid to cut down on draft dodging as the Kremlin seeks more soldiers for what is expected to be a long war in Ukraine. It’s a “law on hidden mobilization,” an attorney and activist says. By RFE/RL's Idel.Realities, Current Time, and Todd Prince
Center Offers Hope And Healing For Female Afghan Refugees In Tajikistan
For Afghan women struggling with the pressures of living in Tajikistan as refugees, the Ariana Learning Center is a source of hope and healing. Located in the city of Vahdat, some 20 kilometers east of the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, the center offers computer, language, and art training while providing psychological counseling. The UNHCR, the United Nations' refugee agency, says most of the 7,000 refugees in Tajikistan are Afghans who fled their country after the Taliban took power in 2021. By Sarvinoz Ruholloh, Nigorai Fazliddin, RFE/RL's Tajik Service, and Austin Malloy
Who Is Vladimir Kara-Murza, The Russian Activist Jailed For Condemning The Ukraine War?
Vladimir Kara-Murza is a Russian opposition leader and outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin. Alongside his late mentor Boris Nemtsov, he played a key role in persuading U.S. Congress to pass groundbreaking sanctions legislation targeting corrupt Russian officials and human rights abusers. By Todd Prince
Soviet-Afghan War Veteran Uses U.S. Stinger Missiles Against Russian Jets In Ukraine
During the Soviet war in Afghanistan in 1979-1989, Serhiy Titunov's job as a soldier was finding and seizing U.S.-made Stinger missiles that were being used by Afghan mujahedin resistance. The then-new technology was wreaking havoc against Soviet aircraft. Now Titunov is fighting on the side of Ukraine, using his experience with shoulder-fired rockets to target Russian aircraft himself. A volunteer for Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, he is training a new generation in using the Stingers effectively. By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, Yevhenia Nazarova, and Will Tizard
'Leave As Soon As Possible': New Conscription Law Raises Fresh Fears Of Mobilization At Home And Abroad
More than seven months after the first mobilization drive, anxiety is rising over speculation of a second wave and Russians looking to avoid getting caught up in the fight of Ukraine at home – and abroad -- are facing a new set of obstacles. By Marina Aronova, Aleksei Aleksandrov, and Reid Standish
Southern Afghan City Becomes De Facto Capital As Taliban Chief Tightens Grip On Power
The southern Afghan city of Kandahar, known as the birthplace of the Taliban, has become the de facto capital under the militant group’s rule. It comes as the Taliban chief, who resides in Kandahar, tightens his grip on power. By Ikramullah Ikram and Abubakar Siddique
