Section: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (USA)
Ukraine, Separatists Announce Fresh Truce
Ukraine and the pro-Russian rebels say they have agreed to halt fire across the eastern war zone on December 9 under the terms of a September truce agreement. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
Putin’s Religious Claims On Crimea Seen Cutting Both Ways
Russian President Vladimir Putin defended Moscow’s annexation of Crimea on December 4 by invoking Kievan Rus leader Vladimir the Great, who is said to have been baptized on the peninsula in the 10th century and converted the medieval Slavic state to Orthodox Christianity. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
Former Soviets Charged With Insurance Fraud In New York
Ten New York residents, including five former Soviet citizens, have been charged in a $70 million scheme to defraud Medicaid and Medicare at health clinics in New York. Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced on December 3 that the suspects were arrested earlier that day. Five of the suspects: Victor...
Putin: Crimea Is Russia’s Jerusalem
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Crimea had a sacred meaning for Russia, like the Temple Mount in Jerusalem for Jews and Muslims, during his state of the nation speech on December 4. Putin also said Western sanctions were a response to Russia’s growing strength, not it’s stance on the Ukraine crisis. (Reuters)...
Watchdog Says World Internet Freedom In Decline
A U.S.-based rights watchdog says Internet freedom around the world has deteriorated for the fourth consecutive year, with the steepest declines in Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
Kerry, Lavrov Expected To Discuss Ukraine Crisis
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are scheduled to meet on December 4 with the crisis in Ukraine expected to be among the topics up for discussion. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
Ukraine’s New Foreign-Born Ministers. Who Are They?
Ukraine has taken the unusual decision to hand key government posts to three foreigners. The new ministers, who hail from the United States, Georgia, and Lithuania, received Ukrainian citizenship hours before the government was approved. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
‘No Big Brother!’ Ukrainian Journalists Oppose Kyiv’s New Ministry Of Information
Ukrainian journalists are protesting the government’s creation of a new Ministry of Information that Kyiv says is needed to confront Russian propaganda. Some journalists fear their own efforts to gather truth could become subject to oversight. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
The Battle For Pisky – The Village That’s Key To Controlling Donetsk Airport
Despite the announcement of a new cease-fire around Donetsk, there have been reports of continued fighting around the airport and the nearby village of Pisky. Here, a mix of Ukrainian government forces, volunteer battalions, and Right Sector nationalists have been fighting artillery duels with Russian-backed separatists. RFE/RL visited the...
U.S. Firm Eyes Lawsuit Over Russian TV’s ‘Hateful’ Antigay Report
The Detroit-based company said in a statement to RFE/RL responding to the Russian state broadcaster’s actions that it would “not tolerate the reconstruction of one of our family friendly TV spots into a hateful, bigoted, and outrageous attack on the gay community as well as children.” …read more Source: Radio Free...
