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Putin’s ‘Swine’ Swipe: A Bid To Divide The West And Blame Europe If Peace Efforts Fail

The Kremlin Really Wants Russians To Switch To A New State-Backed Messenger App. Russians Really Don’t Want To.

Authorities are pushing hard to get Russians to switch the daily digital lives to Max, a new, state-backed national messenger app that was rolled out in June. Russians are finding creative ways to resist the switch—but it’s getting harder.
What Happens To A Shadow Fleet Ship When It’s Sanctioned?

The story of the Mikati, an aging tanker currently passing through the English Channel, illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of the European Union sanctions regime that now includes some 600 ships.
German Police Investigate Belarusian Ex-Prison Guard Accused Of Beating Inmates

German police are investigating allegations of beatings and abuse at a Belarusian prison, after a former guard appeared to have settled in a provincial German town.
Washington And Brussels Play Good Cop, Bad Cop On Belarus

Recent moves by Washington and Brussels show diplomatic tracks heading in opposite directions with regard to Belarus, highlighting a growing divide between the allies on how to deal with Europe's security.
Ales Byalyatski: Prison, Principle, And The Price Of Dissent In Belarus

Prominent Belarus human rights defender Ales Byalyatski knew it was coming. His activist colleagues were being harassed and arrested. He just didn't know when. In an interview with RFE/RL days after his release, the Nobel laureate recounted his ordeal in a Belarusian prison.
EU Sanctions Envoy Says Measures Steadily And Increasingly Choking Russia Of Key Revenues

European Union sanctions are “slowly but surely” choking Russia’s oil exports -- and are also stepping up in speed and scope, EU Sanctions Envoy David O’Sullivan tells RFE/RL in an interview.
Wider Europe Briefing: Ukraine's Claims Commission And An EU-Balkans Summit

A box-ticking EU-Western Balkans summit
Ukraine Pushes On War Reparations With New Claims Commission

Ukraine will on December 16 move a little closer toward getting compensation for the damage caused by Russia since its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Putin Decree Forces Foreigners Seeking Russian Residency To Sign Army Contracts

President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree that requires many foreign men who seek permanent residency or citizenship to join the Russian military, RFE/RL has found. The unusual measure is pushing migrants who have built lives in Russia to choose between conscription and leaving the country.
Brussels Pushes Plan To Use Frozen Russian Assets For Ukraine Financing

The European Union is pushing for a way to finance support Ukraine for the next two years. A key component of this is a so-called reparations loan for Kyiv. RFE/RL looks at how the loan would work, what the main sticking points are, and what the alternatives may be in case there's no agreement.
Is Russia Hunting For Fighters In Iran?

This edition of the Farda Briefing looks at a mysterious recruitment flyer that appeared near Russia's embassy in Tehran, offering Iranians cash to fight in Ukraine. Is it real, a scam, or something else entirely?
Russian Fears Being Sent To Fight In Native Ukraine If Extradited From Serbia

A Ukrainian-born Russian man who fled with his family in 2022 could soon be extradited to Russia, where he fears authorities will send him to the front in Ukraine. "Our friends are there, my wife's parents. It would be a disaster if I went to war against Ukraine," he told RFE/RL.
Peaky Blinders Lookalikes Arrested By Afghan Taliban

The Taliban has arrested four young Afghan men for "promoting alien culture” because they wore outfits like those of the leading male characters in the British historical crime drama Peaky Blinders.
Is Russia Recruiting Iranians For War In Ukraine?

Is Russia attempting to recruit fighters from Iran for its war in Russia? A mysterious advertisement has appeared in Tehran offering money, training, and air tickets to Iranian men between the ages of 18 and 45.
The Iranian Border Is Increasingly Deadly For Afghans

Iranian border guards shot and killed at least 10 Afghans who entered Iran illegally in early December, according to Taliban officials. The incident underscored how dangerous the Iranian border has become for Afghans.

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