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.
In A Whirlwind Of War And Repression, Putin Set To Secure Six More Years In Power
Since the last presidential election in 2018, President Vladimir Putin has marched Russia faster than ever into authoritarianism. In the March 15-17 vote set to hand Putin a fifth term, the question is not who will win but what it will mean for the country and beyond. By Robert Coalson
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5
What Happens In LGBT 'Conversion Therapy' In Russia
What Happens In LGBT 'Conversion Therapy' In Russia
Russians who underwent LGBT so-called "conversion therapy" in Russia have told RFE/RL about brutal treatment they experienced, amid an ongoing crackdown on sexual minorities in the country. One person who wanted to undergo gender confirmation surgery recalls being forced to castrate a pig. The interviews were recorded before the Russian authorities designated RFE/RL an "undesirable organization." By Svetlana Osipova, Systema, and Ray Furlong
'The Militarization Of Childhood': Russian Children Being Roped Into Country’s All-Out War Effort
Russian schoolchildren as young as nine are being organized into government-run programs to produce items for troops fighting in Ukraine. Whether they are knitting items for amputees or assembling drones, the war is increasingly being brought home to Russia's next generation. By RFE/RL’s Siberia.Realities
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5
'They Beat Us,' Say Migrants Trying To Cross Serbian-North Macedonia Border
'They Beat Us,' Say Migrants Trying To Cross Serbian-North Macedonia Border
Migrants trying to cross into Serbia from North Macedonia en route to the European Union told RFE/RL that Serbian police beat them with batons. The claims come after video footage was published of migrants who said they were forced to undress in near-freezing temperatures by Serbian police. By RFE/RL's Balkan Service, Iva Martinovic, and Pelagija Stojancova
Ukraine’s New War Strategy: Dig In, Hold On, Find More Soldiers, Hope For U.S. Weaponry
Russia is advancing. Ukraine is rushing to dig defenses. New U.S weapons aren’t expected soon. Ukraine’s military needs men. The government doesn’t want new mobilization. Things are looking grim on the battlefield these days. By Mike Eckel
'I Can't Tell': Sexual Abuse At Taliban-Run Madrasahs Fuels Fear, Drop Outs
Schoolboys are exposing sexual and physical abuse at Taliban-run madrasahs in southwestern Afghanistan. The Taliban has greatly expanded the number of madrasahs in an effort to promote religious-based education, but the abuses within the system are leading many boys to opt for no education at all. By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5
Bosnians Hope Centuries-Old Love Songs Can Win UNESCO Recognition
Bosnians Hope Centuries-Old Love Songs Can Win UNESCO Recognition
Officials in Bosnia-Herzegovina are campaigning to have Sevdalinka, a traditional genre of folk music, added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage by the end of this year. Musicians and listeners say the often mournful songs touch an emotional chord for them -- and represent a unifying element of Bosnian culture. By RFE/RL's Balkan Service and Sejla Ibrahimovic
Russia Goes NGO-Hunting In Central Asia, Where NGOs Have Enough Problems
Russia has set its sights on what it describes as “pro-Western” civic organizations trying to undo its influence in Central Asia, with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu saying Moscow has taken “preventative measures” against the phenomenon. While Kazakhstan responded to the statement with bemusement, a Russia-style law on “foreign representatives” is steaming through parliament in Kyrgyzstan, once Central Asia’s very own “NGO-land.” By Chris Rickleton
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5
Ukrainian Actor Turned Military Medic Draws Lessons From Real-Life Combat
Ukrainian Actor Turned Military Medic Draws Lessons From Real-Life Combat
Petro Konoplya, a celebrated Ukrainian stage and film actor, once just played soldiers onscreen. Now, after treating wounded fighters as a medic in scores of tense frontline situations, he confesses, "Today, I'd play it differently." By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, Kateryna Bankova, and Will Tizard
Belarusian Vacation Camps For Ukrainian Children: More About 'Reeducation' Than 'Recuperation'
Belarus’ vacations for children from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine promise fun without the dangers of war -- but there’s plenty of propaganda promoting the views of the Kremlin and the Belarusian state. The trips sparked Western sanctions for what a recent study called “systematic deportation.” By Maksym Savchuk and Andrey Shauliuha