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 Situation Is Critical': What The Looming Fall Of Avdiyivka Says About Ukraine's Battlefield Mood
Along the 1,200-kilometer-long front line, Ukraine’s wintry discontent is turning into despondency as Russia forces close in on the capture of Avdiyivka, U.S. political infighting stalls a $60 billion weapons package, and Ukrainians brace for the expected ouster of country’s top military commander. By Mike Eckel
Battlefield Woes Mounting, Ukraine Gets A New Top General. Who Is He?
(TEASE) Ukraine's new top commander is a Soviet-trained artillery officer known for his role in thwarting the Russian thrust to capture Kyiv in 2022. Oleksandr Syrskiy is also known for his command during the disastrous retreat in 2015 in Debaltseve, and what some say was the costly defense of Bakhmut. By Mike Eckel and Todd Prince
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Argentina Serves As Safe Haven For Russia's LGBT Refugees
Argentina Serves As Safe Haven For Russia's LGBT Refugees
Persecuted and prosecuted in their home country, some members of Russia's LGBT community have been driven abroad -- and hundreds have moved to Argentina, where their civil rights are legally recognized. But some worry that Argentina's new president, Javier Milei, may roll back legal protections. By Current Time, Yekaterina Bazenova, and Will Tizard
American Porn Star's Trip To Iran Triggers Outrage, Accusations Of Hypocrisy
American porn star Whitney Wright’s trip to Tehran has caused outrage among Iranians, who accuse her of promoting the Islamic republic despite the authorities’ crackdown on women. Wright, who is pro-Palestinian, defended her visit. By Kian Sharifi
Two Years Into EU Ban, Russia's RT And Sputnik Are Still Accessible Across The EU
EU-wide sanctions should have blocked easy access to the websites of two key Kremlin media outlets that the bloc says are spreading propaganda and disinformation. But RFE/RL's Balkan Service discovers that the websites are still accessible. By Gjeraqina Tuhina
A 'Never-Healing Wound': The Koreans Who Made A Russian Island Their Home
Tens of thousands of Koreans were brought over to Sakhalin as conscripted labor by the Japanese during World War II to work on the part of the island that Tokyo controlled. Many of them never saw their homeland again. By RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities
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Kyrgyzstan Cracks Down Hard On Independent Journalists, Raising Alarm Bells
Kyrgyzstan Cracks Down Hard On Independent Journalists, Raising Alarm Bells
Kyrgyzstan has never experienced the mass arrests of journalists before. Currently, 11 media members have been detained. The Central Asian country is undergoing a crackdown on civil society and independent media. International human rights organizations view this as an attack on freedom of speech. By Toktosun Shambetov and Baktygul Chynybaeva
Turkmen Ordered To Play Ex-President’s Songs At Weddings, With Foreign Music Banned
Officials in western Turkmenistan have ordered locals to play ex-President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov's songs at their wedding receptions and to banish foreign music from the playlists. The area is home to many ethnic minorities, such as Russians, Armenians, and Azeris the new regulation means they can no longer enjoy songs in their mother tongue at their weddings. By RFE/RL's Turkmen Service
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A Boat To Alaska: How Two Russians Dodged The Draft
A Boat To Alaska: How Two Russians Dodged The Draft
When officers came to mobilize men for Russia's war effort, Maksim Teyunaut refused to open his door. Instead, he and a friend quickly made plans to leave their homes in the Far Northeastern Chukotka region by boat. Risking capture by the coast guard and the dangers of the open sea, they made it to an Alaskan island, where the two men began the process of seeking asylum, later enlisting the help of a Ukrainian-born minister. By RFE/RL's Russian Service and Yulia Vishnevetskaya
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When Tucker Met Vlad: Lies, Omissions, And Baseless Claims
When Tucker Met Vlad: Lies, Omissions, And Baseless Claims
Tucker Carlson's marathon interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin produced little new. Instead, it was a rehash of Kremlin lies and baseless claims, in which Carlson neglected to mention many inconvenient truths. By Ray Furlong