https://www.rferl.org Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is an international news organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries https://www.rferl.org/Content/responsive/RFE/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.rferl.org en Copyright 2026 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Sun, 02 Aug 2026 03:04:40 +0200 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL In the wake of the latest deadly Russian air strikes on Kyiv and other cities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed frustration with his Western allies, urging speedier delivery of urgently needed Patriot air defense missiles and other weapons. https://www.rferl.org/a/kyiv-kherson-ukraine-patriot-ballistic-missiles-zelenskyy/33819849.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kyiv-kherson-ukraine-patriot-ballistic-missiles-zelenskyy/33819849.html Sun, 02 Aug 2026 00:03:14 +0200 News The United Arab Emirates is trying to keep channels open with Tehran while strengthening its military ties with Washington and Israel, a delicate balancing act shaped by security concerns and deep economic links with Iran. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-uae-war-usa-israel-sheikh-mohamed-bin-zayed-al-nahyan/33819782.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-uae-war-usa-israel-sheikh-mohamed-bin-zayed-al-nahyan/33819782.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 22:01:28 +0200 Iran Russia launched dozens of ballistic missiles at Kyiv, killing at least nine people and injuring 23, according to emergency services. Zelenskyy said a shortage of air defense missiles limited Ukraine's ability to intercept the attack. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-launches-deadly-ballistic-missile-attack-on-kyiv/33819745.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-launches-deadly-ballistic-missile-attack-on-kyiv/33819745.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 12:30:23 +0200 Ukraine A renewed exchange of military strikes and threats between the US and Iran has raised fresh fears of a wider Middle East war. But Jacob Stoil, research professor of Middle East security studies at the US Army War College, argues the more important story may be what has not happened. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-stoil-army-war-college-interview/33819707.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-stoil-army-war-college-interview/33819707.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 10:25:00 +0200 Iran In 2022, Oleksandra Paskal lost her leg following a Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s Odesa region. She was just six years old. Following months of intense rehabilitation, she learned to walk with a prosthesis -- and made a remarkable return to rhythmic gymnastics. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian-gymnast-wins-gold-after-losing-leg-in-russian-strike/33819012.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian-gymnast-wins-gold-after-losing-leg-in-russian-strike/33819012.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 09:21:28 +0200 Ukraine As the conflict in the Persian Gulf continues to impact and shape the region, journalists from RFE/RL's Central Newsroom and Iranian service, Radio Farda, deliver ongoing updates and analysis. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-live-blog-trump-middle-east/33803414.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-live-blog-trump-middle-east/33803414.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0200 Iran US President Donald Trump's decision to step back from his earlier pledge to allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors has prompted renewed debate in Washington over the future direction of US military support for Kyiv. https://www.rferl.org/a/patriot-missile-trump-bacon-republicans-ukraine-zelenskyy/33819653.html https://www.rferl.org/a/patriot-missile-trump-bacon-republicans-ukraine-zelenskyy/33819653.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 06:41:57 +0200 News Russia targeted the Ukrainian capital with ballistic missiles early on August 1 as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed for the Washington to grant licenses for Kyiv to produce its own Patriot air defense missiles amid apparent renewed reluctance by US President Donald Trump. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-kyiv-ballistic-missiles-trump-patriot-missiles/33819648.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-kyiv-ballistic-missiles-trump-patriot-missiles/33819648.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 03:01:04 +0200 News Mourners made a makeshift memorial to members of the Voronov family, which was almost entirely wiped out by a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian village of Radushne. Six out of the 10 family members were killed in the July 30 attack when the missile destroyed their home. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said preliminary findings indicated that Russia used a North Korean missile in the attack. https://www.rferl.org/a/memorial-held-for-ukrainian-family-destroyed-by-russian-missile-/33819261.html https://www.rferl.org/a/memorial-held-for-ukrainian-family-destroyed-by-russian-missile-/33819261.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:38:30 +0200 Videos Afghanistan's Badakhshan Province has been the scene of a spate of attacks in recent weeks carried out by armed opposition groups that have waged a low-level insurgency against the Taliban in recent years. https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-badakhshan-opposition-attacks/33819192.html https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-badakhshan-opposition-attacks/33819192.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:08:31 +0200 Afghanistan US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will send his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to Kyiv in the coming weeks. RFE/RL spoke with Kurt Volker about the significance of their visit. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-war-russia-kyiv-visit-us-envoys-witkoff-kushner/33819200.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-war-russia-kyiv-visit-us-envoys-witkoff-kushner/33819200.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:34:20 +0200 Ukraine A Ukrainian drone attack targeted another Wildberries facility ⁠in Russia, this time in the southern city of Volgograd. Russia's largest online retailer said on July 31 that a logistics hub had been hit. The strike is the latest in a series of attacks that have damaged at least 13 Wildberries warehouses since mid-July, reportedly destroying about 10 percent of the company's storage capacity. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-drone-wildberries-volgograd-refinery-strike/33819070.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-drone-wildberries-volgograd-refinery-strike/33819070.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:49:57 +0200 Ukraine President Donald Trump said the United States should be "very careful" about granting Kyiv a license to produce Patriot missiles as Ukraine seeks greater air defense capabilities to protect itself against Russia's daily air attacks. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-drone-attack-wildberries-patriot-missile-license/33819054.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-drone-attack-wildberries-patriot-missile-license/33819054.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:07:03 +0200 News Russia said it had designated Telegram founder Pavel Durov a “terrorist” and “extremist,” further tightening the screws on the popular messenger app ahead of parliamentary elections in September. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-telegram-durov-terrorist-extremist-internet-crackdown/33818974.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-telegram-durov-terrorist-extremist-internet-crackdown/33818974.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 11:45:17 +0200 News Young Russians hoping to attend university are finding they have poor odds of getting in this year, even with outstanding exam scores. One reason is a government quota system that favors veterans of the war in Ukraine and their children for coveted state-funded university spots. At the same time, officials have slashed the number of options for a privately paid education. Both policies have been put into place just as children born during a 2008 baby boom are reaching high-school graduation age. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-university-students-veterans-war-ukraine/33818603.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-university-students-veterans-war-ukraine/33818603.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:40:37 +0200 Russia Former Trump White House official Allison Minor says Iran's latest attacks exposed the limits of the traditional US security guarantee in the Gulf. She argues Washington should shift toward a regional security model built on shared capabilities, integration, and stronger partnerships. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-gulf-security-us-role-allison-minor-interview/33818576.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-gulf-security-us-role-allison-minor-interview/33818576.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:08:49 +0200 Iran When Human Rights Watch's Georgi Gogia heard that several independent journalists were handed lengthy sentences this week by a court in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, he didn't know what motivated the judge. But he does know the message is an "unmistakable warning." https://www.rferl.org/a/azerbaijan-independent-journalists-court-sentencing-crackdown/33818515.html https://www.rferl.org/a/azerbaijan-independent-journalists-court-sentencing-crackdown/33818515.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 19:58:56 +0200 News Ukrainians who've taken refuge in Poland from the Russian invasion say they’re increasingly under threat, targeted by xenophobic, racist attacks. The fears come as tensions between Kyiv and Warsaw fester due to grievances dating back to World War II. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-poland-war-refugees-hate-crimes/33818435.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-poland-war-refugees-hate-crimes/33818435.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 18:42:47 +0200 Ukraine Russia launched dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, along with hundreds of drones, at Ukraine in the early hours of July 30 in another large-scale attack. Damage was reported in several cities, including Kyiv and Lviv. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-launches-massive-missile-and-drone-attack-on-ukraine/33818362.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-launches-massive-missile-and-drone-attack-on-ukraine/33818362.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:44:02 +0200 Ukraine The US military said it launched dozens of strikes against targets linked to Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in response to Iranian attacks on American troops in Jordan after President Donald Trump had vowed to retaliate and "hit them very hard." https://www.rferl.org/a/us-strikes-target-iran-revolutionary-guards-corps/33818316.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-strikes-target-iran-revolutionary-guards-corps/33818316.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 12:59:30 +0200 Iran