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.
How Viktor Orban Tried To Numb 10 Million Hungarians To Putin's War Next Door
Hungary's prime minister recovered from the initial shock of war in Ukraine to cement his hold on power and drive a further wedge between Hungarians and its European neighbors. All with the help of a pro-government media empire. By Andy Heil
Iranian Environmentalists, Archaeologists Warn New Dam Project Will Become Pillar Of Salt
As one of Iran's largest dam projects nears completion, archaeologists and environmentalists are warning that the Chinese-financed Chamshir Dam will be yet another towering example of the country's destructive history of water mismanagement. While the authorities see the project as an answer to electricity and water shortages in southwestern Iran, critics say the dam is a cultural and environmental threat and will turn agricultural lands into a salty dust bowl. By RFE/RL's Radio Farda
Surovikin's Down, Gerasimov's Up: Russia's War On Ukraine Pivots Into Politics
Three months ago, General Sergei Surovikin was charged with refocusing Russia's war on Ukraine. Now he's been demoted, and a rival general named the top commander. And with that, President Vladimir Putin has roiled the 11-month invasion, injecting Kremlin politics into the war with no end in sight. By Mike Eckel
'I Was Definitely Trafficked': Romanians Adopted As Kids Now Seek Justice, Answers As Adults
The horrors of Romania’s orphanages shocked the world after communism collapsed in 1989 when images emerged of emaciated children living in wretched conditions. Today, some of those adopted by families abroad are returning to Romania for answers and justice. By Ana Maria Ciobanu
A Journey Along Montenegro's $1 Billion Chinese-Built Highway
The controversial project has brought long-term economic risk by saddling Montenegro with debts to China, but many locals see potential in the highway. By Reid Standish and Amos Chapple
Marders, Leopards, Abrams, Bradleys: What's All This New Western Weaponry Being Sent (Or Not) To Ukraine?
For months, Ukraine has been calling on the West to supply heavy, advanced tanks to reinforce its fight against Russian troops. This week, France, Germany, and the US announced new weapons for Kyiv. But they're still not sending tanks. By Robert Coalson
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Homeless Afghan Drug Addicts Face Few Treatment Options, Harsh Winter
Homeless Afghan Drug Addicts Face Few Treatment Options, Harsh Winter
Huddled crowds of drug addicts in Afghanistan's southwestern Nimroz Province illustrate the country's growing opium and heroin crisis. International aid for fighting addiction has dried up since the Taliban seized power in 2021. And United Nations data shows addiction is rising alongside poverty with the country's economy largely frozen. By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and Will Tizard
Salt Of The Earth: Deep Inside Eastern Ukraine's Massive Soledar Mines
Russian forces in Ukraine are trying to capture the eastern salt-mining town of Soledar in a sustained offensive that Kyiv's Defense Ministry has described as "maniacal." Capturing Soledar and its salt mines would have symbolic, military, and commercial value for Russia. In 2019, RFE/RL visited Soledar as the salt-mining operation was hoping to crack Western markets after Russia blocked its imports. By Amos Chapple
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How Ukrainian Heart Surgeons Keep Operating Amid Blackouts
How Ukrainian Heart Surgeons Keep Operating Amid Blackouts
RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service was given access to the Kyiv Heart Institute, where surgeons continue to perform life-saving operations despite blackouts. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the institute has had to prepare for all kinds of disasters, including using multiple diesel-powered generators and digging a well to guarantee the supply of water for patients and essential medical services. Despite the challenges, the Kyiv Heart Institute says it performed a record number of surgeries in 2022. By Iryna Sisak, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, and Austin Malloy
Crimean Property Prices Crash As Ukraine War Hits Home
Russians who had been actively investing in Crimean properties after Moscow occupied the peninsula in 2014 abruptly stopped doing so following the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, with sales of residential real estate falling by 72 percent in just a year. By Nikolai Berg