https://www.rferl.org/z/666 RFE/RL's latest news, features, commentary, and multimedia content on Russia https://www.rferl.org/Content/responsive/RFE/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.rferl.org/z/666 en Copyright 2026 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Sat, 20 Jun 2026 20:35:03 +0200 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL A soldier who goes by the call sign "Kiwi" was still a teenager in Wellington, New Zealand, when he saw Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on the news in February 2022. As the war dragged on, he learned he could enlist and fight alongside the forces defending Ukraine. RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service spoke to the young drone operator about what motivated him to join the war effort halfway around the world. https://www.rferl.org/a/new-zealand-volunteer-ukraine-military/33783528.html https://www.rferl.org/a/new-zealand-volunteer-ukraine-military/33783528.html Sat, 20 Jun 2026 10:33:15 +0200 Ukraine Ukrainian ‌President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned neighboring Belarus -- a close ally of Russia – to remove signaling equipment used by the Kremlin to target Ukraine or, he said, Kyiv would do the job itself. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-belarus-zelenskyy-lukashenko-russia-signal-relay/33784778.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-belarus-zelenskyy-lukashenko-russia-signal-relay/33784778.html Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:12:12 +0200 News Pulling up at a gas station with no fuel for sale, a Russian woman is aghast: “What’s going on in this country?” What’s going on is that in the fifth year of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine is fighting back with strikes on oil refineries, part of a bid to bring the war to citizens across Russia. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-gasoline-fuel-crisis-refinery-attacks-ukraine/33784529.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-gasoline-fuel-crisis-refinery-attacks-ukraine/33784529.html Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:19:30 +0200 Russia When he launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many warned Vladimir Putin that the offensive he claimed was meant to bolster Russia’s security would instead put it in jeopardy. Now, in a country steeped in war, analysts say peace could pose major risks – not least for Putin himself. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-invasion-peace-risks-putin/33783105.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-invasion-peace-risks-putin/33783105.html Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:49:32 +0200 News Analysis Ukrainian workers are conducting emergency repairs to the historic Dormition Cathedral, part of the UNESCO-protected Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery that was damaged in an Russian strike on June 15. While priceless items were moved to safety, experts warn that soot from the fire and seeping moisture continue to threaten other historic artifacts. A full restoration could take up to a year. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-cathedral-monastery-damaged-air-strikes/33783975.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-cathedral-monastery-damaged-air-strikes/33783975.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:42:42 +0200 Ukraine A massive Ukrainian strike on a Moscow oil refinery on June 18 is set to exacerbate a worsening fuel shortage that is spreading throughout Russia. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fuel-crisis-ukraine-war-drone-campaign-oil/33783797.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fuel-crisis-ukraine-war-drone-campaign-oil/33783797.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:52:06 +0200 Russia Multiple Ukrainian drones hit a Moscow oil refinery on the morning of June 18, according to Russian officials, in what was the second attack this week on the largest fuel supplier to the Moscow region. At least 16 people were injured in the attack, according to authorities. https://www.rferl.org/a/massive-ukrainian-drone-strike-targets-moscow-region-s-largest-fuel-supplier/33783664.html https://www.rferl.org/a/massive-ukrainian-drone-strike-targets-moscow-region-s-largest-fuel-supplier/33783664.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:52:30 +0200 Videos Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on the morning of June 18 that drones had attacked the Moscow Oil Refinery, the largest fuel supplier to the Moscow region. https://www.rferl.org/a/moscow-oil-refinery-ukraine-drones-strikes-sobyanin/33783593.html https://www.rferl.org/a/moscow-oil-refinery-ukraine-drones-strikes-sobyanin/33783593.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 08:53:35 +0200 News Russian authorities said a Ukrainian drone hit a bus carrying a Belarusian children's football team in Russia's Bryansk region, a claim Kyiv said was "false." https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-ukraine-russia-drone-strike-bus-children/33783067.html https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-ukraine-russia-drone-strike-bus-children/33783067.html Wed, 17 Jun 2026 18:38:55 +0200 News Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations have pledged their "unwavering support" for Ukraine and agreed to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions and weapons supplies to Kyiv amid signs Washington is turning its focus back toward ending Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. https://www.rferl.org/a/g7-support-ukraine-us-pressure-kremlin-russia-trump-putin/33782886.html https://www.rferl.org/a/g7-support-ukraine-us-pressure-kremlin-russia-trump-putin/33782886.html Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:18:47 +0200 News In an interview with RFE/RL in Washington on June 16, Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zurabishvili, warned that the West risks “giving away” Georgia to Moscow’s interests through inattention, even as Tbilisi becomes increasingly central to the wider strategic balance across the Caucasus. https://www.rferl.org/a/with-georgia-sliding-toward-russia-former-president-appeals-for-renewed-us-attention/33782876.html https://www.rferl.org/a/with-georgia-sliding-toward-russia-former-president-appeals-for-renewed-us-attention/33782876.html Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:00:05 +0200 Georgia Verified videos posted online captured a coordinated drone attack on sites in Moscow and the surrounding region early on June 16. Among the targets was the Kapotnya oil refinery, which was seen in flames. Kyiv has intensified its attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure as it attempts to disrupt the flow of funds driving Russia's war effort. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian-drones-strike-moscow-refinery/33782393.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian-drones-strike-moscow-refinery/33782393.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:37:07 +0200 Russia Despite Russian drone and missile attacks from the Black Sea, real estate agents say Odesa’s property market is surging past prewar levels. Luxury seaside homes and new apartments are selling fast, driven by locals, Kyiv buyers, and displaced Ukrainians. For many in the city, life by the sea continues -- guarded by air defenses. https://www.rferl.org/a/odesa-s-property-boom-defies-war-as-buyers-return-to-black-sea/33782169.html https://www.rferl.org/a/odesa-s-property-boom-defies-war-as-buyers-return-to-black-sea/33782169.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:56:14 +0200 Videos US President Donald Trump held a “very good meeting” with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the G7 summit in France, adding that “Russia should make a deal” while hinting that Europe’s largest conflict since World War II might be moving up his priority list. https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-ukraine-focus-iran-russia/33782190.html https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-ukraine-focus-iran-russia/33782190.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:57:38 +0200 News Locals evacuated paintings and other artworks from the Kharkiv Art Museum after it was struck by a Russian drone on June 14. The attack started a fire in the building, which houses thousands of works by prominent Ukrainian artists. https://www.rferl.org/a/kharkiv-art-museum-struck-by-russia/33781501.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kharkiv-art-museum-struck-by-russia/33781501.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:31:35 +0200 Videos The UNESCO-protected Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Ukraine's most important Orthodox monastery, was set ablaze during a massive overnight missile and drone barrage that killed at least 11 people and injured dozens across the country. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-trump-putin-zelenskyy-kyiv-lavra/33780576.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-trump-putin-zelenskyy-kyiv-lavra/33780576.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 05:46:06 +0200 News Russia and Ukraine continued to exchange air attacks on June 14, as indefinitely paused peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv appear to be overshadowed by developments on the battlefield. https://www.rferl.org/a/33780158.html https://www.rferl.org/a/33780158.html Sun, 14 Jun 2026 15:38:21 +0200 News This year, Serbia granted citizenship to four times as many Russians as people of all other nationalities combined, and some of them were under international sanctions, an RFE/RL analysis shows. This is a red flag for the EU. Because Serbia has visa-free access to the bloc, these passports give blacklisted individuals an all-access pass to Europe. https://www.rferl.org/a/loophole-blacklisted-travel-eu/33780138.html https://www.rferl.org/a/loophole-blacklisted-travel-eu/33780138.html Sun, 14 Jun 2026 15:17:00 +0200 Videos Ukraine’s ramped-up attacks on Russia's oil sector this year have led to production cuts and shortages, highlighting improved tactics and successes for Kyiv. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fuel-crunch-ukraine-refineries-strikes/33778225.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fuel-crunch-ukraine-refineries-strikes/33778225.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 09:39:11 +0200 Ukraine A Russian woman who pleaded guilty to lying about her contacts with Russia's main intelligence agency -- and was later accused of sending drunken harassing messages to the FBI -- was sentenced to 14 months in prison. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fsb-nomma-zarubina-espionage-foreign-agent/33779322.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fsb-nomma-zarubina-espionage-foreign-agent/33779322.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 22:54:35 +0200 News The director of US National Intelligence (DNI) has released evidence that her office says shows "longstanding" United States government funding for more than 120 biolabs in over 30 countries where research on biological pathogens, some dangerous, is conducted. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-biolabs-ukraine-funding-evidence-gabbard-dni/33779274.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-biolabs-ukraine-funding-evidence-gabbard-dni/33779274.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 19:46:06 +0200 News The Russia Day concert, an annual tub-thumping Red Square performance, is canceled for the first time in 23 years. The marquee annual air show is canceled. The Victory Day parade was notably lower key. Ukraine’s expanding drone campaign is taking its toll on big, splashy Kremlin-backed events. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-drone-psychological-warfare-russia-day/33779219.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-drone-psychological-warfare-russia-day/33779219.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 18:40:25 +0200 Russia Data compiled by RFE/RL reveals how a surge in high-level diplomacy, economic engagement, and regional initiatives has elevated Beijing from a neighboring power to Central Asia’s leading economic partner. https://www.rferl.org/a/china-xi-jinping-central-asia-trade-russia/33777593.html https://www.rferl.org/a/china-xi-jinping-central-asia-trade-russia/33777593.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:19:22 +0200 China Despite warnings from the EU, Serbia’s government has granted citizenship to four times as many Russian nationals as to all other foreign citizens combined this year -- including individuals under international sanctions, an RFE/RL investigation has found. https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-passports-citizenship-sanctioned-russians/33778410.html https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-passports-citizenship-sanctioned-russians/33778410.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:25:52 +0200 Features A massive panorama depicting a battle in the 1853-1856 Crimean War has been heavily damaged by what Russian-occupation authorities in Sevastopol say was a Ukrainian drone attack. https://www.rferl.org/a/crimea-sevastopol-panorama-drone-strike-russia-ukraine-war-artwork-destroyed/33778268.html https://www.rferl.org/a/crimea-sevastopol-panorama-drone-strike-russia-ukraine-war-artwork-destroyed/33778268.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 15:11:01 +0200 Russia Invades Ukraine A Russian woman who pleaded guilty to lying about her contacts with Russia’s main intelligence agency -- and was later accused of sending drunken harassing messages to the FBI -- was set to be sentenced in a Manhattan federal court. https://www.rferl.org/a/zarubina-russia-woman-text-lying-fsb-fbi-drunk/33778254.html https://www.rferl.org/a/zarubina-russia-woman-text-lying-fsb-fbi-drunk/33778254.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:22:30 +0200 News Russian drone attacks are a daily reality in Kherson, a frontline city in southern Ukraine. Residents say the threat is growing, with drones increasingly targeting residential neighborhoods and forcing people to seek cover. Yet many refuse to leave. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-drone-attack-kherson-civilian-homes-frontline-residents/33777734.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-drone-attack-kherson-civilian-homes-frontline-residents/33777734.html Wed, 10 Jun 2026 20:46:18 +0200 Ukraine The US House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation aimed at preventing American and allied technology from ending up in Iranian-made drones used in conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-house-bill-western-technology-iranian-drones/33777736.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-house-bill-western-technology-iranian-drones/33777736.html Wed, 10 Jun 2026 19:36:31 +0200 Iran What’s the latest brick in Russia’s effort to build its Great Internet Firewall? A proposal to create a government-run Virtual Private Network, co-opting a tool that has been widely embraced by Russians trying to avoid government censorship. Industry insiders are reportedly unimpressed. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-tech-internet-vpn-super-app-digital/33777612.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-tech-internet-vpn-super-app-digital/33777612.html Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:36:41 +0200 Russia The European Union is calling for financial sanctions on the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Russian head of the world chess federation, a historian who is a close adviser to President Vladimir Putin, and other top officials. https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-russia-sanctions-kirill-patriarch/33776981.html https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-russia-sanctions-kirill-patriarch/33776981.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 22:22:05 +0200 News China has overtaken Russia as the largest source of foreign direct investment in Central Asia, according to the Eurasian Development Bank. China’s accumulated investment in the region exceeded $35 billion in 2025, it said. https://www.rferl.org/a/china-russia-investment-central-asia-kazakhstan-uzbekistan-turkmnistan-kyrgyzstan-tajikstan/33776911.html https://www.rferl.org/a/china-russia-investment-central-asia-kazakhstan-uzbekistan-turkmnistan-kyrgyzstan-tajikstan/33776911.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 20:52:43 +0200 China Residents of Russian-occupied Crimea are reporting empty shelves in grocery stores and purchase limits on a number of basic goods. Russian authorities deny panic buying on the peninsula amid a regional transportation collapse and fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries and on the so-called land corridor to Crimea. https://www.rferl.org/a/panic-buying-in-russian-occupied-crimea-amid-transportation-crisis-fuel-shortages/33776828.html https://www.rferl.org/a/panic-buying-in-russian-occupied-crimea-amid-transportation-crisis-fuel-shortages/33776828.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:49:34 +0200 Videos The US House of Representatives has passed legislation requiring the administration to produce a detailed assessment of Russian and Chinese intelligence activities in Georgia https://www.rferl.org/a/us-house-passes-georgia-bill-targeting-russian-chinese-influence-amid-deepening-rift-with-tbilisi/33776729.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-house-passes-georgia-bill-targeting-russian-chinese-influence-amid-deepening-rift-with-tbilisi/33776729.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:25:16 +0200 Georgia In this week's briefing, RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak is drilling down on two issues: a damning rule-of-law assessment for Serbia and the latest Franco-German EU enlargement proposal. https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-rule-of-law-eu-enlargement-french-german-plan/33776111.html https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-rule-of-law-eu-enlargement-french-german-plan/33776111.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:14:28 +0200 Wider Europe Residents of the Ukrainian capital have mixed reactions over the removal of a statue of Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov, author of The Master And Margarita. Born in Kyiv when it was part of the Russian Empire, the novelist and playwright penned sharp satire and criticized Soviet society. But the statue has now been taken down after Ukraine's Institute of National Remembrance determined that Bulgakov also symbolized Russian imperial thinking -- under which Ukraine was seen as a Russian... https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-kyiv-bulgakov-master-margarita-statue-removal-russia-empire/33776091.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-kyiv-bulgakov-master-margarita-statue-removal-russia-empire/33776091.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:24:03 +0200 Ukraine The summer tourist season is starting in Russian-occupied Crimea, but with Ukrainian drone attacks, Internet outages, and fuel shortages, just how many people will visit the peninsula? As Current Time correspondent Andrey Cherkasov explains, tour operators are trying to put a positive spin on the crisis, but it's being met with skepticism. https://www.rferl.org/a/oil-on-the-beach-but-no-fuel-for-cars-tourist-season-opens-in-crimea/33776035.html https://www.rferl.org/a/oil-on-the-beach-but-no-fuel-for-cars-tourist-season-opens-in-crimea/33776035.html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:17:29 +0200 Videos Victory for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in parliamentary elections marks a firm slap down of Russian efforts to derail his pro-Western policy moves, although failure to win a two-thirds majority in parliament will complicate the ongoing US-brokered peace process with Azerbaijan. https://www.rferl.org/a/pashinian-armenia-victory-election-russia-rejection/33775876.html https://www.rferl.org/a/pashinian-armenia-victory-election-russia-rejection/33775876.html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:38 +0200 News Analysis Russian authorities suspended train service for Crimea after a Ukrainian drone knocked out a locomotive, further squeezing commerce to the occupied Black Sea peninsula struggling with fuel shortages. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-crimea-drone-train-fuel-shortages/33775808.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-crimea-drone-train-fuel-shortages/33775808.html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:19:07 +0200 News Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian early on June 8 declared victory for his Civil Contract party over several pro-Russia groupings, with his party hovering around 50 percent as votes are counted, higher than pre-vote surveys suggested. https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-pashinian--parliament-assembly-election/33774709.html https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-pashinian--parliament-assembly-election/33774709.html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 01:28:39 +0200 News Russian forces hit a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel near Ukraine's Chernobyl power plant, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said June 7. He called the strike an "extremely vile" attack as international atomic energy monitors announced it did not lead to a spike in radiation. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-chernobyl-strike-nuclear-radiation-russia-iaea/33774622.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-chernobyl-strike-nuclear-radiation-russia-iaea/33774622.html Sun, 07 Jun 2026 17:40:05 +0200 Ukraine The ruling Civil Contract party of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has taken a big lead in a crucial parliamentary election, gaining 51.4 percent of the vote as initial ballots are counted. https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-election-parliament-pashinian-russia-eu/33774157.html https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-election-parliament-pashinian-russia-eu/33774157.html Sun, 07 Jun 2026 06:00:51 +0200 News Ukraine launched hundreds of drones at targets across Russia, including the St. Petersburg region, around 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Residents filmed drones overhead and smoke rising from military sites. The attack came on the final day of Russia’s flagship investment forum. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-launches-scores-of-drones-on-russian-regions/33774079.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-launches-scores-of-drones-on-russian-regions/33774079.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 14:31:34 +0200 Russia Crimea, the Ukrainian Black Sea region occupied by Russia, is heavily dependent on Russian visitors for its economy. This summer, it faces major gasoline shortages, as Ukraine’s military drone campaign squeezes transport routes, making life even more difficult for vacationers. https://www.rferl.org/a/crimea-ukraine-drones-gasoline-crisis-summer/33773507.html https://www.rferl.org/a/crimea-ukraine-drones-gasoline-crisis-summer/33773507.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 11:43:08 +0200 Ukraine Ukraine launched hundreds of drones at targets across Russia, including scores over the St. Petersburg region, on the final day of Russia’s most important investment forum. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-drones-investment-forum-attacks-petersburg/33773988.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-drones-investment-forum-attacks-petersburg/33773988.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 09:56:20 +0200 News Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a proposal by his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to meet for talks to end the war as senseless, calling for the country's military to "do the job." https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-zelenskyy-ukraine-russia-war/33773619.html https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-zelenskyy-ukraine-russia-war/33773619.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 20:07:55 +0200 News The United States has reaffirmed its support for Armenia's sovereignty and democratic institutions amid growing concerns over what Western officials describe as an intensifying Russian campaign to weaken Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian ahead of the country's upcoming elections. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-support-armenia-election-rubio-trump-pashinian-russia/33773349.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-support-armenia-election-rubio-trump-pashinian-russia/33773349.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:14:03 +0200 Armenia Armenians go to the polls on June 7 in parliamentary elections in which the country’s basic foreign policy orientation is at stake. While Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has pulled the country towards the West, Russia has responded with multiple moves aimed at halting the shift. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-economy-armenia-westward-tilt-elections/33773229.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-economy-armenia-westward-tilt-elections/33773229.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:49:41 +0200 Features Riding into Russia on a motorcycle to see his ailing father, Mikhail Loshchinin was detained at the border, tortured, and tried on a treason charge over a $245 transfer to a Ukrainian ex-girlfriend, he and relatives and supporters say. This week, he was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-prison-belgian-sentenced-treason-claim/33772656.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-prison-belgian-sentenced-treason-claim/33772656.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:00:07 +0200 Russia From Ukraine to Tehran, asymmetric warfare is redefining the modern battlefield. Superiority is no longer measured solely by jets and naval fleets, but by inexpensive unmanned drones. https://www.rferl.org/a/drones-iran-ukraine-russia-houthis-hezbollah/33772693.html https://www.rferl.org/a/drones-iran-ukraine-russia-houthis-hezbollah/33772693.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:52:16 +0200 Iran WASHINGTON -- In a rare display of bipartisan cooperation and a rebuke to the administration's approach toward Ukraine, the US House of Representatives approved a sweeping Ukraine aid and Russia sanctions package, with 18 Republicans joining Democrats to pass the legislation. https://www.rferl.org/a/house-vote-ukraine-support-russia-sanctions-trump/33773123.html https://www.rferl.org/a/house-vote-ukraine-support-russia-sanctions-trump/33773123.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 05:49:11 +0200 News