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Four Belarusian Families Face Trial As Crackdown On 2020 Protesters Continues

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ruled Belarus with an iron fist since 1994.
Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ruled Belarus with an iron fist since 1994.

Four years after mass protests erupted against Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s authoritarian rule in Belarus, trials against those who took to the streets continue.

Multiple proceedings targeting families accused of taking part in the 2020 demonstrations are currently under way in Minsk courts.

On November 19, Hanna, Inna, and Raman Usmanau, along with Kiryl Selyaznyou are going on trial in the Zavod district court. They are charged with "active participation in actions grossly violating public order."

Simultaneously, the Frunze district court has begun proceedings against Katsyaryna and Ihar Gramovich on the same charge.

Further trials involving families are scheduled in the coming days.

On November 21, the case of a couple -- Mark Kunitsky and Iryna Pratazanova-Kunitskaya -- will be heard in the Kastrychnik District Court.

On November 22, Anna, Tatsyana, and Andrey Vashchyshyn will be tried in the Frunze District Court.

The cases stem from the 2020 protests that followed the disputed presidential election that extended Lukashenka's longstanding rule for another term.

The election was widely condemned as fraudulent by the United States, the European Union, and other international actors.

The protests, which demanded Lukashenka’s resignation, were met with mass arrests, alleged torture, and violent crackdowns that left several people dead.

Many opposition leaders remain imprisoned or in exile, while Lukashenka refuses dialogue with his critics. The trials reflect ongoing repression as the Belarusian regime continues its efforts to stifle dissent and consolidate power.

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Syrian Troops Reportedly Thwart Rebel Advance Near Russian Air Base

Russian Tu-22M3 bombers at the Russian-operated Khmeimim air base in western Syria (file photo)
Russian Tu-22M3 bombers at the Russian-operated Khmeimim air base in western Syria (file photo)

A war monitor and state media say that Syrian government forces have launched a counterattack against Islamist-led rebels who were getting close to a Russian-operated airbase after capturing a string of towns and closing in on the key city of Hama.

The government forces' counteroffensive came after a blitz advance over the past several days by the rebels led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). They have captured Aleppo, the country's largest city, as well as 14 central villages and towns, and gotten as close as 35 kilometers from Khmeimim Airbase.

President Bashar al-Assad's regime turned over the air base to Russia in 2015 as Moscow moved in to help Damascus turn the tide of a four-year civil was in its favor.

The Syrian state news agency SANA said rebels on December 4 retreated some 20 kilometers from government-held Hama, Syria's fourth largest city, after government troops backed by Russian air strikes repelled the rebels from the city's outskirts.

Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the rebels only withdrew some 10 kilometers.

Hama, which is key to the defense of Damascus, is the gateway to the coastal cities of Tartus and Latakia, the former being home to a strategic Russian naval base.

Besides HTS, the rebels also include an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen, said on December 3 that tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced by the fighting.

With reporting by AFP and AP

Police Secure Area After Mystery Drone Crash Near Tajik Capital

The drone crashed just five kilometers outside the Tajik capital, Dushanbe.
The drone crashed just five kilometers outside the Tajik capital, Dushanbe.

Police and security officials have cordoned off a large area near Dusanbe after a drone resembling a military unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed in a nearby town in a region where there are both Tajik and Russian military bases.

Officials have not given any details on the drone, which went down on December 3 in the town of Sharora, just five kilometers from Tajikistan’s capital.

Eyewitness footage from the site, obtained exclusively by RFE/RL's Tajik Service, indicated that the drone struck a utility pole before crashing to the ground. The video shows flames at the crash site, which was quickly cordoned off by police and military personnel.

The incident occurred near a residential area, but no injuries or damage to homes was reported, according to local residents.

Tajikistan’s Defense Ministry did not respond to RFE/RL's attempts to get comments from its representatives.

The crash site is located near significant military facilities, raising questions about the drone’s origin and purpose.

The Aini Military Airbase, controlled by the Tajik Ministry of Defense, is situated just outside Dushanbe. A Russian military base, part of the 201st Military Division, is also nearby. Both facilities play strategic roles in the regional security infrastructure.

Given the size and apparent military design of the drone, some analysts have speculated whether it could also have been a UAV from a third country.

Tajikistan has increasingly relied on drone technology in recent years, acquiring UAVs from various sources, including Turkey and China. The presence of advanced drone technology also highlights the increasing militarization of Central Asia, as nations modernize their arsenals.

The Russian military base nearby, which accounts for Moscow's largest military presence outside of Russia, also regularly conducts drone operations as part of its regional activities.

The region around Dushanbe, including the Hisor District where Sharora is located, is critical to Tajikistan’s national security.

Updated

Jailed Iranian Nobel Laureate Temporarily Released On Medical Grounds

Nobel Peace Prize winner and political prisoner Narges Mohammadi (file photo)
Nobel Peace Prize winner and political prisoner Narges Mohammadi (file photo)

Imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has been released on furlough for at least three weeks after receiving urgent medical care, her lawyer said on December 4.

"According to the medical examiner's opinion, the Tehran Prosecutor's Office suspended the execution of Ms. Narges Mohammadi's sentence for three weeks and she was released from prison. The reason for this is her physical condition after tumor removal and bone grafting, which was done 21 days ago," human rights lawyer Mostafa Nili said in a post on X.

Sources confirmed to RFE/RL's Radio Farda that Mohammadi, 52, had been released.

Mohammadi has been campaigning for human rights in Iran for decades and has been in and out of prison for the last 20 years. She has been convicted five times since March 2021 and is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for "spreading propaganda" against the Islamic republic.

Last month, her husband, Taghi Rahmani, said his wife had been moved to a Tehran hospital after suffering health issues for more than two months.

"She had an operation, and the operation was on the right leg, and even moving in the prison, sitting, and doing simple things became impossible for her, and even some prisoners went on hunger strike demanding her release," Rahmani told Radio Farda.

"Although prison is not a place for Narges, there is no place for human rights activists in prison at all. She should not go back to prison and all human rights activists and civil activists should be released from prison," he added.

Despite being nearly continuously incarcerated since 2010, Mohammadi has often tried to raise awareness about prison conditions and alleged abuses faced by female prisoners. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023.

Her teenage children accepted the award in Oslo on her behalf and read out a statement by Mohammadi in which she criticized Iran's "tyrannical" government.

NATO Agrees To Prioritize Protecting Ukraine's Infrastructure

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte taking questions from reporters on December 3 in Brussels.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte taking questions from reporters on December 3 in Brussels.

NATO members have agreed to make protecting Ukraine's infrastructure a top priority, alliance chief Mark Rutte said on December 4, as Russia continues to pound Ukrainian cities and towns with drone and missile strikes.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the second day of a meeting of foreign ministers from the 32-member military alliance, Rutte said the gathering discussed providing Ukraine with enough air defense systems to protect its infrastructure against Russian attacks.

"There was a clear agreement around the table last night that to help Ukraine, particularly with its infrastructure, has to be a priority," Rutte said.

"I'm confident that allies will follow up in the coming days and weeks in making sure that whatever they can supply to Ukraine will be supplied."

Tensions High At NATO Meeting: Support For Ukraine Top Of Agenda
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Russia has been targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure for the third winter in a row, causing casualties and hampering the supply of electricity to thousands of civilians.

Early on December 4, Russian drones attacked the northern Cernihiv region, damaging several houses in a village, regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus said on Telegram.

Ukraine Invasion: News & Analysis

RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

In the central region of Vinnytsya, debris from a falling drone set a house on fire in the Haysyn district, partially destroying it, Ukraine's State Emergencies Service said on December 4.

Separately, the Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched a guided air missile and 50 drones at targets in Ukraine.

Ukrainian air defense systems shot down 29 drones in nine regions -- Kyiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Khmelnytskiy, Ternopil, Mykolayiv, and Donetsk -- the air force said, adding that 18 drones were neutralized after their navigation systems were jammed using Ukraine's electronic warfare capabilities.

Separately, strong explosions were reported overnight in Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, one of the main hubs for Russian oil exports and an important military port that hosts part of Russia's Black Sea fleet.

An air alert was announced and Novorossiisk Mayor Andrei Kravchenko called on residents to take shelter because of a drone attack.

Neither Ukraine nor Russia have so far commented on the explosions.

Georgia Tense After A Sixth Night Of Protests Marred By Police Brutality

A protester launches a firework amid clashes with police in central Tbilisi in the early hours of December 4.
A protester launches a firework amid clashes with police in central Tbilisi in the early hours of December 4.

TBILISI -- A standoff between pro-EU Georgian protesters and security forces continues in Tbilisi amid accusations of excessive use of force by police that have prompted international condemnation including from a group of influential U.S. lawmakers.

Early on the morning of December 4 riot police again used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters taking part in the sixth consecutive night of protests in the Georgian capital.

Demonstrators moved from the central Rustaveli Avenue to a nearby subway station after security forces blocked their access to the parliament building and arrested several protesters.

Georgia has been rocked by protests since the ruling Georgian Dream party announced last week that it would halt accession talks on the Caucasus country's application to join the European Union.

Georgian Students, Seniors Show Solidarity At Pro-European Protests
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Despite the growing protests, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has refused to back down and threatened to punish political opponents, whom he accuses of being behind violence that has occurred at the protests.

Security forces started dispersing demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament building after the Interior Ministry said some of them had insulted law enforcement officers and thrown various blunt objects, fireworks, and inflammable items in their direction.

Three influential U.S. senators -- U.S. Helsinki Commission Co-Chair Senator Ben Cardin (Democrat-Maryland), Roger Wicker (Republican- Mississippi), and John Cornyn (Republican-Texas) issued a joint statement in support of the Georgian protesters and condemning the excessive use of violence by the government.

“The Georgian Dream’s move to abandon European Union membership negotiations is a profound betrayal of the Georgian people’s clear and overwhelming desire to embrace European values and institutions," the three senators said in their statement.

"This is not the conduct of a government committed to democratic reforms and pluralism but of an insecure regime dragging Georgia toward Russian-style autocracy. These actions flagrantly violate international democratic norms and undermine the legitimate aspirations of the Georgian people," the statement said, adding, "We strongly condemn the violence unleashed against peaceful protesters – tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons, beatings, and mass arrests have no place on the streets of Tbilisi."

What's Next For Georgia? Four Possible Scenarios: From Snap Elections To Bigger Protests
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Earlier. on December 3, the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi blasted the Georgian Dream party for taking decisions that have cost the country Western support and sparked the demonstrations.

Protesters have described to RFE/RL the brutality employed by security forces against them.

"They were hitting us in the head," protester Salome Zandukeli said, describing how she and a friend had been chased on the night of December 2 by some 25 riot police into a building in downtown Tbilisi before taking refuge in a cafe.

Activist Gia Jvarsheishvili told RFE/RL that he was thrown to the ground by charging officers and beaten before being shoved into a police van where police pushed detainees to the floor and began stomping on them.

"Suddenly, I was in unbearable pain and I realized that I had been injured. I didn't know it then, but I had a broken rib," Jvarsheishvili said.

Georgia's pro-European president, Salome Zurabishvili, who has sided with the demnstrators, said on X that many of the arrested protesters had injuries to their heads and faces. Some people were subjected to systematic beatings between arrest and transportation to detention facilities, she added.

Georgia's ombudsman accused police of torturing pro-EU protesters.

Levan Ioseliani, whose role is to defend citizens’ rights, said he and his officials had met people subjected to “the harshest treatment” by police.

“In most cases, they have received serious injuries in the face, eye and head area, which practically excludes even the possibility that the police used the necessary, proportional force against them every time,” he said in a statement.

Georgia has been thrown into turmoil since parliamentary elections in October in which Georgian Dream secured 54 percent of the vote. The opposition and Western governments argued that the poll was marred by violations and Russian influence.

Kobakhidze has blamed the unrest on foreign "instructors" and tried to explain the decision to halt EU accession talks through 2028 by saying Georgia is ready for the talks, "but only with dignity and justice and without blackmail."

The U.S. Embassy responded by saying, "Don't blame others" in a post on Facebook, noting it was Georgian Dream that stopped the EU membership process and that the party was to blame for a decision by Washington to halt a strategic partnership between the two countries.

Georgian security forces' use of excessive violence against protesters was described as "deeply concerning" by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who on December 3 said the alliance's members "urge the Georgian government to stay on the path" toward "more EU and NATO integration."

"The reports of violence are deeply concerning, and I condemn them unequivocally," he said.

Twenty-six people, including 23 protesters and three members of the security forces needed hospitalization after the clashes on the night of December 1, Georgia's Health Ministry said on December 3.

"None of the injuries are life threatening," the ministry added in a statement.

A majority of Georgians support EU membership, and efforts to join the bloc are mandated in the Georgian Constitution.

Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023 but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, beginning with the adoption of a Russian-style "foreign agent" law, which critics say threatens media outlets and civil society groups. accusing them of "serving" outside powers.


With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
Updated

Erdogan Calls For More Diplomacy In Talks With Putin On Revived Conflict In Syria

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (file photo)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (file photo)

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed the need for diplomacy to resolve the conflict in northern Syria in a phone call on December 3 to discuss the renewed fighting.

A statement from Erdogan’s office after the call said Syria should not become a source of greater instability.

"President Erdogan emphasized that while Turkey continues to support the territorial integrity of Syria, it also strives for a just and permanent solution in Syria," Erdogan told Putin in their conversation on December 3, according to the statement from Erdogan's office posted on X.

He also said it is important to open more space for diplomacy in the region and the Syrian regime must engage in the political solution process, according to the statement.

Erdogan vowed Turkey will maintain its determined stance on the fight against the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been designated as a terrorist group by Turkey and the United States, and its "extensions,” who are trying to take advantage of the recent developments in Syria, the statement said.

Erdogan and Putin spoke as Syrian rebels advanced against government forces after capturing Aleppo last week. The rebels pushed close on December 3 to the major city of Hama, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the rebels said.

The Syrian Observatory said on December 3 that the toll from the rebel offensive in the north had risen to 602 dead, including 104 civilians.

An attack on Hama would ramp up pressure on Assad, whose Russian and Iranian allies have scrambled to support him against the revived rebellion. The city has remained in government hands since civil war erupted in 2011.

A statement from Syria's army command said its forces were striking "terrorist organizations" in north Hama and Idlib provinces with Russian air support.

The Kremlin said Putin stressed the need for a "speedy end to the terrorist aggression against the Syrian state by radical groups." Both leaders noted the importance of further close coordination between Russia, Turkey, and Iran on the matter, a Kremlin statement said.

"The two presidents will continue to be in contact with each other in the context of seeking steps to de-escalate the crisis," the statement said.

The Syrian civil war had been mostly dormant for years until a major offensive by militants in northwestern Syria revived the conflict.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies last week seized control of most of Aleppo and the surrounding countryside, marking the biggest offensive in years.

HTS is a militant Islamist group that seeks to establish a state in Syria governed by Islamic law. The U.S.-designated terrorist organization has between 5,000 and 10,000 fighters, according to U.S. intelligence estimates.

The conflict has pitted Moscow and Tehran against Turkey, which supports armed groups involved in the HTS-led offensive.

Russia's ambassador to the United Nations late on December 3 accused Ukrainian intelligence services of aiding the HTS.

Rebels fighting with HTS are "openly flaunting" that they are supported by Ukraine, Vasily Nebenzya told the UN Security Council.

The envoy said there was an "identifiable trail" showing Ukraine's GUR military intelligence service was "providing weapons to fighters" and claimed Ukrainian military instructors from the GUR are training HTS fighters for combat operations, including against Russian troops in Syria.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said earlier that Russia and Iran "bear the main responsibility" for the recent escalation in fighting. It also noted Ukrainians were being targeted on a nightly basis by Iranian-designed drones.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies in Iran "continue to make every effort not to lose control over the puppet Syrian regime, which is associated by the majority of Syrians with inhuman cruelty, tyranny, and crimes," the ministry said on December 2.

There are indications the conflict could escalate.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on December 3 in an interview with a Qatari news outlet that Tehran would consider sending troops to Syria if Damascus asked.

Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani said Baghdad would not be "a mere spectator" in Syria and blamed Israeli military strikes on the Syrian government for the rebel advance, his office said.

Compounding Assad's problems, fighters from a U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led coalition battled government forces in the northeast, both sides said, opening a new front along a vital supply route.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa

Georgia's Abkhazia Lawmakers Reject 'Enslaving' Investment Deal With Russia

The de facto parliament of Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia meets in Sukhumi on December 2.
The de facto parliament of Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia meets in Sukhumi on December 2.

SUKHUMI, Georgia -- De facto lawmakers of Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia on December 3 rejected an investment deal with Russia, a document that has caused political turmoil and mass protests, highlighting the region’s fraught relationship with Moscow.

The extraordinary parliamentary session, convened at the request of 19 deputies, saw 23 members in attendance, while 12 did not show up. The majority voted against the agreement. There were two abstentions and no votes in favor.

The investment agreement, signed on October 30 in Moscow, aimed to strengthen economic ties between the breakaway region and Russia but was met with widespread opposition. Critics, including opposition figures and civil society groups, labeled the deal "exploitative," claiming it would give undue advantages to Russian investors while undermining Abkhazia’s sovereignty.

The backlash against the agreement intensified, ultimately leading to the resignation of Abkhazia’s de facto leader, Aslan Bzhania, on November 19.

During the parliamentary session on December 3, lawmaker Kan Kvarchia talked to opposition activists who gathered in front of the parliament building describing the agreement as "enslaving for Abkhazia" and lambasting the breakaway region's executive branch for pushing it forward despite widespread opposition.

Kvarchia highlighted internal resistance to the agreement, including warnings from parliamentary leaders to delay its signing, which were reportedly ignored by the Economy Ministry.

The opposition supporters demanded accountability from acting leader Badra Gunba and called for Bzhania to publicly address allegations of deceit regarding the agreement. The protesters also urged swift action against government officials involved in the controversial deal.

Bzhania resigned to maintain "stability and constitutional order," a move he negotiated with opposition leaders to end the occupation of government buildings by protesters at the time. However, Bzhania signaled his intention to contest the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for February 15, 2025.

In the interim Gunba has assumed leadership, while Valery Bganba, a former parliamentary speaker, has been appointed de facto prime minister. The current administration will remain in a caretaker capacity until a new leader is elected.

The rejection of the agreement and the overall political crisis underscore the delicate balancing act Abkhazia faces in its relationship with Russia. While Moscow provides essential economic and military support, the opposition and segments of the public are wary of overreliance on Russia, fearing it could erode Abkhazia's "independence."

Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgia's rule after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

Moscow recognized the independence of the two regions after Russian forces repelled a Georgian attempt to retake South Ossetia in a five-day war in the summer of 2008 that ended with Georgia's defeat.

Most countries still recognize Abkhazia as part of Georgia.

The ongoing political crisis also highlights internal divisions within Abkhaz leadership. The opposition’s success in mobilizing public dissent and forcing Bzhania’s resignation suggests growing discontent with the current de facto administration’s handling of governance and external policies.

The events could serve as a turning point, potentially reshaping the region’s political landscape ahead of the February 2025 elections.

Russian Woman Arrested In U.S. For Alleged Ties To Russian Intelligence

The FBI says Nomma Zarubina was recruited by the Russian Federal Security Service in 2020. (file photo)
The FBI says Nomma Zarubina was recruited by the Russian Federal Security Service in 2020. (file photo)

A Russian national, Nomma Zarubina, has been arrested on possible charges of providing false information to U.S. law enforcement and maintaining connections with Russian intelligence services, linking her to another suspected spy who fled the United States while being pursued by authorities.

According to FBI allegations presented in a New York Southern District Court hearing in late November, Zarubina was recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in 2020 and operated under the codename "Alyssa."

She allegedly worked to build a network of contacts among journalists and experts while carrying out tasks for an FSB officer from her native city of Tomsk in Siberia.

The FBI claims that Zarubina deliberately misled agents in 2021, denying any connection with Russian intelligence. Contrary to her statements, she allegedly attended forums and meetings in Europe and the United States to fulfill assignments from the FSB.

Notably, self-exiled Russian opposition figure Leonid Volkov said on Facebook on December 2 that he saw Zarubina at a Washington gathering with his supporters in January 2023.

The case also links Zarubina to Elena Branson (aka Chernykh), the head of the Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in the United States, who was charged in 2022 for illegal activities on behalf of Russian intelligence.

Branson, who fled the United States after police searched her New York apartment at the time and is believed to be currently in Russia, has reportedly mentored Zarubina since 2016.

Zarubina has been released on $25,000 bail, with restrictions barring her from leaving New York, contacting Russian officials, and surrendering her passport. She said her bail was guaranteed by a third party, but did not say who the party was.

Zarubina has maintained an active public profile, often participating as an expert at conferences, such as the Forum of Free States of Post-Russia.

In social media posts, she speculated about Siberia’s political future, advocating for a United States of Siberia.

Despite her public statements denying espionage, her online activity suggests a more complex narrative.

For instance, until September 2023, her profile on VKontakte included posts supporting Kremlin policies, including President Vladimir Putin’s 2014 speech on the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea, a move the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union have all called illegal.

Blurred Lines

In an interview with RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities, Zarubina denied working as an FSB agent but admitted to being contacted by Russian intelligence in late 2020.

She described being coerced into a meeting with FSB officers in Tomsk, where she discussed her personal background and was subsequently monitored by them. Zarubina asserts that she also contacted the FBI in April 2021 to cooperate, sharing insights on various topics, including Ukraine, and has continued to meet with them.

Zarubina says she did not expect that FBI would arrest her, stating, "I thought we had good relations; I was helping them. I didn’t expect them to use my information against me."

She fears reprisal from Russian intelligence, which she believes was unaware of her cooperation with U.S. authorities. "This is no longer about false testimony -- it’s treason in their eyes," she said.

Zarubina’s case underscores the complexities of modern espionage and influence operations.

Her alleged dual involvement with Russian and U.S. intelligence highlights the blurred lines between cooperation and subversion. The mention of her internship at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and her outreach to opposition activists adds to her narrative.

While Zarubina downplays the risk of deportation, citing her American-born daughter, the case is a test of the U.S. judicial system’s ability to handle allegations involving foreign intelligence activities.

Ukraine Again Calls For Full Membership As NATO Ministers Meet In Brussels

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha will brief his NATO counterparts in Brussels on the current situation on the eastern front. (file photo)
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha will brief his NATO counterparts in Brussels on the current situation on the eastern front. (file photo)

Ukraine has again called for membership in NATO, saying that only joining the alliance in full would guarantee its future security as it fights to stave off Russia's nearly three-year-old full-scale assault.

"We are convinced that the only such real guarantee of security for Ukraine, as well as a deterrent factor for further Russian aggression against Ukraine and other states, is only Ukraine's full membership in NATO," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said in a statement released ahead of a December 3 meeting of the alliance's foreign ministers in Brussels.

Ukraine Invasion: News & Analysis

RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

In reaction to the ministry's statement, Kremlin spokesman Dimtry Peskov said on December 3 that Ukraine's joining NATO would be "unacceptable" and a "threat" to Russia.

The statement comes just days after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Sky News that Ukraine's NATO admittance could end what he described as the “hot phase of the war” triggered by Russia when it launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Zelenskiy told Sky News on November 30 that he would be willing to consider a cease-fire if Ukraine’s unoccupied territories fell under NATO's protection, as long as an invitation to join the alliance recognized Ukraine's international borders.

"If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control," Zelenskiy said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha is set to brief his NATO counterparts in Brussels on the current situation on the eastern front, where Russian troops have been making incremental but steady advances against Kyiv's outnumbered and outgunned forces.

The meeting in Brussels is to focus on NATO's continued military support for Ukraine, examine Kyiv's air-defense needs, and also discuss Russia's launching last month of an experimental ballistic missile against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.

Russia has said that the new medium-range missile, called Oreshnik, can also strike targets across Europe and cannot be stopped by air defenses.

On December 3, Zelenskiy announced that Ukraine had conducted a test on new, domestically developed missiles.

"We thank our Ukrainian missile developers. We're speeding up production," Zelenskiy said on Telegram after a meeting with the leadership of the Ukrainian military.

Russian hybrid attacks and sabotage incidents against NATO members is also due to be discussed in Brussels.

Early on December 3, Russia launched yet another drone attack on Ukraine that was largely repelled by Ukrainian air defenses, which shot down 22 out of the 28 incoming drones over nine regions -- Kyiv, Chernihiv, Vinnytsya, Khmelnytskiy, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Odesa, Mykolayiv, and Dnipropetrovsk.

Russian shelling also killed a woman early on December 3 in the Dnipro district of the southern region of Kherson, local officials reported.

Updated

Police Force Protesters From Parliament On Sixth Night Of Tbilisi Protests

Pro-EU protesters gather on Tbilisi's Chavchavadze Avenue early on December 3.
Pro-EU protesters gather on Tbilisi's Chavchavadze Avenue early on December 3.

TBILISI -- Riot police used water cannons and tear gas against protesters taking part in the sixth consecutive night of protests in Tbilisi after the the Georgian Interior Ministry warned protesters against committing violent acts.

The ministry said on December 3 that "aggressive members" of the protest started illegal and violent actions shortly after gathering in central Tbilisi.

Special forces started dispersing demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament building after the ministry said some of them had insulted law enforcement officers and thrown various blunt objects, pyrotechnics, and inflammable items in their direction.

Georgian Students, Seniors Show Solidarity At Pro-European Protests
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At around 11:30 p.m. local time, police used water cannons to move protesters away from the parliament building, pushing them in the direction of the Marriott hotel as they had done on previous nights. The special forces periodically also shot tear gas canisters.

Police officers responded by directing water cannons at the protesters, some of whom danced in the stream of water while others sheltered under umbrellas.

The Caucasus country has been rocked by demonstrations since the ruling Georgian Dream party announced last week it would halt accession talks on Georgia's application to join the European Union.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has refused to back down and threatened to punish political opponents, whom he accuses of being behind violence that has occurred at the protests.

The U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi earlier on December 3 blasted the Georgian Dream party for taking decisions that have cost the country Western support and sparked the demonstrations.

Georgia has been thrown into turmoil since parliamentary elections in October in which Georgian Dream secured 54 percent of the vote. The opposition and Western governments argued that the poll was marred by violations and Russian influence.

Kobakhidze has blamed the unrest on foreign "instructors" and tried to explain the decision to halt EU accession talks through 2028 by saying Georgia is ready for the talks, "but only with dignity and justice and without blackmail."

The U.S. Embassy responded by saying, "Don't blame others" in a post on Facebook, noting it was Georgian Dream that stopped the EU membership process and that the party was to blame for a decision by Washington to halt a strategic partnership between the two countries.

The embassy statement came hours after security forces dispersed demonstrators on the fifth night of protests in Tbilisi using tear gas and water cannons.

'Here For My Future': Georgian Students Protest EU Delay
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In a change of tactics, several hundred protesters on December 3 left Tbilisi's Chavchavadze Avenue near the state university as police in balaclavas massed in the area following nightlong clashes with demonstrators outside the parliament building, where they have gathered each night since November 28, when the ruling Georgian Dream party declared its decision on EU talks.

Georgian security forces' use of excessive violence against protesters has prompted a wave of outrage in the country and abroad, with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte calling it "deeply concerning."

At a news conference in Brussels ahead of a meeting of the alliance's foreign ministers, Rutte said NATO members "urge the Georgian government to stay on the path" toward "more EU and NATO integration."

"The reports of violence are deeply concerning, and I condemn them unequivocally," he said.

Twenty-six people, including 23 protesters and three members of the security forces needed hospitalization after the clashes on the night of December 1, Georgia's Health Ministry said on December 3.

"None of the injuries are life threatening," the ministry added in a statement.

RFE/RL Journalist Released In Georgia Describes Police Beatings
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The Interior Ministry said 224 protesters were detained on administrative charges and three on criminal charges. In addition, three police officers were hospitalized and 113 others have required medical treatment, the ministry said on December 2.

Georgian pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili, who has sided with the protesters, said on X that many of the arrested protesters had injuries to their heads and faces. Some people were subjected to systematic beatings between arrest and transportation to detention facilities, she added.

Writing on X on December 3, she said force had been used "disproportionately" against the protesters, while Georgia's ombudsman accused police of torturing pro-EU protesters.

Levan Ioseliani, whose role is to defend citizens’ rights, said he and his officials had met people subjected to “the harshest treatment” by police.

“In most cases, they have received serious injuries in the face, eye and head area, which practically excludes even the possibility that the police used the necessary, proportional force against them every time,” he said in a statement.

“The location, character, and degree of the injuries create a credible impression that the police use violent methods against citizens in order to punish them. Intentional, severe violence for the purpose of punishment constitutes an act of torture.”

Kobakhidze has claimed that protests were "funded from abroad" and vowed "there will be no revolution in Georgia."

Western governments have questioned Georgia's parliamentary elections in October in which Georgian Dream claimed 54 percent of the vote, arguing the elections were marred by violations and Russian influence.

Zurabishvili says people wanted free elections, not revolutions.

Kobakhidze said earlier that Zurabishvili must leave office at the end of her term later this month. His announcement came despite her pledge to stay in office "until a president is legitimately elected."

Zurabishvili and the opposition have alleged fraud and other improprieties and refuse to recognize the new parliament, which last week scheduled an indirect election for a new president for December 14 despite ongoing legal challenges.

One of those challenges suffered a setback on December 3 when Georgia's Constitutional Court declined to hear a lawsuit seeking to annul the election results.

The case was brought forward by the pro-EU Zurabishvili, whose powers are mostly ceremonial. Her term ends next month.

A majority of Georgians support EU membership, and efforts to join the bloc are mandated in the Georgian Constitution.

But the ruling Georgian Dream's enactment this year of what Zurabishvili and critics call a "Russian law" clamping down on NGOs and media financed from abroad, as well as a controversial bill on LGBT rights and public attacks on the West by Kobakhidze and other officials, have raised fears the current government is leading the country back into Russia's orbit.

Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023 but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, beginning with the adoption of the controversial "foreign agent" law, which critics say threatens to publicly discredit thousands of media outlets and civil society groups as "serving" outside powers.

With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters

U.S. Announces $725 Million Aid Package For Ukraine

A Ukrainian officer inspects ammunition in a shelter on the front line in the Kharkiv region. (file photo)
A Ukrainian officer inspects ammunition in a shelter on the front line in the Kharkiv region. (file photo)

The United States on December 2 announced a new $725 million military aid package for Ukraine that includes another shipment of landmines and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and other artillery systems, Stinger missiles, and drones. The United States announced a first shipment of land mines last month in a move that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said was necessary because Russian forces were using dismounted infantry units instead of vehicles to lead their advances. The Ukrainian defenders "have a need for things that can help slow down that effort," Austin said. The Biden administration is working to provide more aid to Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has repeatedly criticized U.S. assistance to Kyiv. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement called the new aid a “significant package of urgently needed weapons and equipment.”

Taliban Orders Further Restrictions On Medical Education For Women -- Sources

A group of Afghan girls who were trained as midwives take the oath of their profession in 2009.
A group of Afghan girls who were trained as midwives take the oath of their profession in 2009.

The Taliban has ordered all private educational institutions in Afghanistan to cease female medical education starting December 3, according to two informed sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. The directive from the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, was announced on December 2 during a meeting of the extremist group's Public Health Ministry in Kabul. The two sources told RFE/RL that the heads of the private medical institutions affected by the order were summoned to the ministry for the announcement. As a result of the order, all institutions offering training in midwifery, dental prosthetics, nursing, and laboratory sciences are now barred from enrolling or teaching female students, the sources said. Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment.

Polish Authorities Arrest Russian Activist's Wife

Russian activist Igor Rogov (file photo)
Russian activist Igor Rogov (file photo)

Polish authorities have arrested Irina Rogova, the wife of the former coordinator of the now defunct Open Russia project, on charges of espionage.

Rogova (aka Moseikina) will remain in custody for three months, according to a report by the Vot Tak online channel citing the Polish Prosecutor-General's Office. The primary charge is espionage linked to aiding an attempt to commit a crime, Polish officials said but gave no further details.

The case appears to be part of a broader investigation. Poland’s Internal Security Agency on November 27 conducted a search of the residence of Danila Buzanov, a Russian acquaintance of Rogova and her husband, Igor Rogov.

According to Buzanov, agents inquired about possible ties between Igor Rogov and Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

"They asked questions like, 'Do you know this man?' and 'Did Irina ever mention Igor’s connections to the FSB?'" Buzanov told journalists.

Igor Rogov was arrested in late July in the Polish city of Katowice. He faces charges of making a direct threat to the lives and health of numerous individuals as well as significant property damage through sabotage.

Despite these allegations, no charges of espionage have been brought against him.

Open Russia was a Russian pro-democracy organization established by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a self-exiled former oil magnate and outspoken critic of the Kremlin.

The group aimed to promote civil society, democracy, and human rights in Russia. Over the years, it became a platform for opposition figures, activists, and independent journalists.

The Russian government labeled Open Russia as an "undesirable organization" in 2017, effectively banning its activities in the country. Members and affiliates faced harassment, legal persecution, and accusations of extremism or foreign collaboration.

The group's coordination efforts extended across Europe, engaging with Russian diaspora communities and advocating against the Kremlin’s authoritarian policies.

Igor Rogov’s role as a coordinator for Open Russia suggests his work may have included organizing opposition activities or disseminating critical information about Russian governance, potentially putting him under the scrutiny of Russian intelligence agencies.

Polish authorities have not confirmed whether Rogov’s involvement with Open Russia is directly linked to the charges of espionage against his wife.

Azerbaijani Court Fines Opposition Leader In Defamation Case

Azerbaijani opposition leader Ali Karimli (right) outside the Nasimi District Court in Baku on December 2.
Azerbaijani opposition leader Ali Karimli (right) outside the Nasimi District Court in Baku on December 2.

BAKU -- A district court in the Azerbaijani capital on December 2 fined the chairman of the opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (AXCP), Ali Karimli, over accusations that he defamed a bitter rival in connection with his expulsion from the party five years ago.

Tempers flared outside the Nasimi District courthouse before Judge Babek Panahov handed down the fine of 1,500 manats ($882) against Karimli, who announced his intention to appeal the decision.

AXCP representatives said police detained multiple people after ordering Karimli supporters gathered outside to disperse and to move their vehicles before the court session began.

Karimli tweeted that "Using force, the police detained six activists of the [AXCP]."

RFE/RL efforts to learn details of the detentions from the Interior Ministry were unsuccessful.

The case has drawn criticism from domestic observers and international human rights organizations, further highlighting concerns about judicial independence in Azerbaijan.

The accusation stems from a complaint filed as a special indictment against Karimli.

Aydin Aliyev, a former AXCP member expelled five years ago but subsequently reinstated by court order, accused Karimli of slandering him in television appearances by alleging that Aliyev was collaborating with government authorities.

He has sought Karimli's prosecution under a defamation article of the Criminal Code.

Karimli denies the accusation, arguing that Aliyev’s actions were inconsistent with AXCP’s political agenda, thus justifying his expulsion.

He and his lawyer said the ruling -- after a monthslong delay -- appeared to lack legal reasoning.

"The Azerbaijani authorities dragged this case on for four months, despite knowing that neither the Azerbaijani public nor the international community took it seriously," Karimli said.

"Arresting a political opponent on such an absurd charge would have been indefensible, so they chose this measure instead."

President Aliyev has ruled the oil-rich South Caucasus state with an iron fist since 2003 after taking over from his father, Heydar, who was president for a decade.

Belarusian Authorities Raid Home of Grandmother Of Former Belsat Journalist

(file photo)
(file photo)

Belarus law enforcement officers have raided the home of the 85-year-old grandmother of Syarhey Skulavets, a former journalist for the opposition media outlet Belsat, in another sign of the government's continued crackdown against independent media.

Skulavets, who fled Belarus in the summer of 2023 due to growing fears of being arrested for his journalism, said in a post on Facebook on December 1 that officers, who identified themselves as investigators and KGB agents, searched his grandmother's home and asked questions about his activities.

Belsat is a Belarusian-language television channel that operates from Poland, broadcasting critical news and analysis about the government of the authoritarian ruler of Belarus Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

Since its launch in 2007, Belsat has become one of the most prominent independent media outlets for Belarusian audiences.

The channel's outspoken coverage of political events, including the disputed 2020 presidential election and the violent crackdown on protests that followed, has made it a target for the authoritarian government.

Journalists working for Belsat have faced harassment, intimidation, and arrests both within Belarus and abroad.

Skulavets's account of the raid underscores the regime's strategy of targeting family members of dissidents.

Although the search's precise motivations remain unclear, the authorities appeared to be focused on finding information about Skulavets and his work.

The officers reportedly examined mobile phones, posed questions, and took notes, with Skulavets's father informing him that the officers showed no interest in his personal belongings, only in his association with the journalist.

Skulavets also shared that his family had recently received phone calls from individuals claiming to be from the Department of Financial Security.

The callers expressed concern about not being able to reach Skulavets, hinting the government may be using additional methods to intimidate and pressure him and his loved ones.

This incident also underscores the broader context of Belarusian media censorship since a disputed 2020 election sparked massive protests amid claims the vote was rigged to hand Lukashenka a sixth consecutive term in power.

Belsat, along with other independent outlets, has been a particular focus of these efforts, with its journalists being branded as enemies of the state.

The international community, including human rights groups, has repeatedly condemned the actions, calling for an end to the harassment of journalists and their families.

Germany's Baerbock Warns China's Russia Support Will 'Impact' Ties

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (file photo)
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (file photo)

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on December 2 warned her Chinese counterpart that Beijing's support for Russia would "impact" ties, according to her office. Germany's top diplomat met in Beijing with her counterpart Wang Yi for a "strategic dialogue," as Berlin seeks to build better ties with China while engaging on key differences. Baerbock told Wang that "increasing Chinese support for Russia's war against Ukraine has an impact on our relations," according to a readout by the German Foreign Ministry. "Core German and European security interests are affected," she said. China presents itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine war and says it is not sending lethal assistance to either side, unlike the United States and other Western nations. But it remains a close political and economic ally of Russia and NATO members have branded Beijing a "decisive enabler" of the war, which it has never condemned.

Baltic States To Punish Georgians Suppressing 'Legitimate Protests'

Protesters donned Georgian and EU flags outside the Georgian Foreign Ministry building in Tbilisi on December 2.
Protesters donned Georgian and EU flags outside the Georgian Foreign Ministry building in Tbilisi on December 2.

Estonia says that it has jointly agreed along with Latvia and Lithuania to introduce national sanctions against "those who suppressed legitimate protests in Georgia" amid the ongoing turmoil in that Black Sea post-Soviet republic. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced the move via social media on December 2, adding, "Opponents of democracy & violators of human rights are not welcome in our countries." Georgian authorities have acknowledged detaining at least 224 people in the four days since Georgian Dream party Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said Tbilisi was suspending its EU membership talks through 2028. The decision sparked protests and a harsh crackdown in an already tense post-election atmosphere with constitutional challenges mounting between outgoing President Salome Zurabishvili and the government.

Iran Says To Keep 'Military Advisers' In Syria

Anti-government fighters brandish their guns as they ride a vehicle in Syria's northern city of Aleppo on November 30.
Anti-government fighters brandish their guns as they ride a vehicle in Syria's northern city of Aleppo on November 30.

Iran said on December 2 that it plans to keep military advisers in Syria after its ally's second city, Aleppo, was overrun by rebels in a surprise offensive. The Islamic republic, which has backed President Bashar al-Assad since Syria's civil war broke out in 2011, says it only deploys military advisers in the country at the invitation of Damascus. "We entered Syria many years ago at the official invitation of the Syrian government, when the Syrian people faced the threat of terrorism," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaeil. "Our military advisers were present in Syria, and they are still present" and would remain in the country "in accordance with the wishes" of its government, he told a news conference in Tehran. Baqaeil did not specify whether or not Iran would be increasing its forces in Syria in the wake of the lightning rebel offensive. His remarks come a day after Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Assad in Damascus to show support for the Syrian president.

Updated

Germany's Scholz Visits Kyiv Pledging New Weapons

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (right) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visit a makeshift memorial to fallen soldiers on Independence Square in Kyiv on December 2.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (right) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visit a makeshift memorial to fallen soldiers on Independence Square in Kyiv on December 2.

KYIV -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit on December 2 vowing to deliver hundreds of millions of euros in additional weapons for Ukraine's defense this month, with questions mounting among Kyiv's allies and signs of a possible diplomatic shift around the 3-year-old full-scale Russian invasion.

Scholz's visit follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's suggestion that an invitation of NATO membership even limited to territory under Kyiv's control could put an end to "the hot stage of the war."

It also comes ahead of a U.S. presidential transition in January and a German election expected in February.


After arriving by train on December 2, Scholz met in Kyiv with Zelenskiy for the first time since the Ukrainian president publicly accused Scholz of opening a "Pandora's box" and easing Moscow's isolation by speaking by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month. Scholz has also been among the more cautious NATO leaders concerning possible alliance membership for Ukraine.

It is also Scholz's first Ukraine visit since the months following Russia's nearly full-scale invasion, which started in February 2022.

In a post on X, he pledged that "Germany will remain Ukraine's strongest supporter in Europe."

"At the meeting with President Zelenskiy, I will announce additional weapons worth 650 million euros, which are to be delivered in December," he added.

Scholz and Zelenskiy jointly visited wounded Ukrainian soldiers.

Dpa quoted Scholz as lauding the Ukrainian people's defense of their country "in a heroic manner against Russia's merciless war of aggression" for more than 1,000 days. "Ukraine can rely on Germany. We say what we do. And we do what we say."

A German Defense Ministry spokesperson said the aid bound for Ukraine this month includes IRIS-T air-defense systems, Leopard 1 tanks, and weaponized drones. It will also include winter equipment and handheld weapons, the spokesperson said.

Scholz's main conservative rival in the upcoming German elections, Friedrich Merz, has accused him and his Greens partners of being slow and overly cautious in their government's supply of aid to Ukraine.

Western supporters led by Washington last month gave permission for Ukraine to use their weapons for long-range strikes even deeper inside Russia, adding a new wrinkle to the conflict that Kyiv had long desired.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of Scholz's visit that it had no "expectations" and it was part of Berlin's "continuing...line of unconditional support to Ukraine."

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to take swift and dramatic action to end the Ukraine war but provided no details.

Sources told RFE/RL's Hungarian Service last week that Trump had held multiple conversations with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban since winning the U.S. presidential election in early November and the two had discussed possible routes toward ending the conflict.

Orban has consistently criticized EU and U.S. policies since Russia's unprovoked invasion began in February 2024, and launched his own uncoordinated "peace mission" with visits to Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing in July -- a move that infuriated Brussels.

With reporting by Reuters
Updated

NATO Rejects Pristina's Request For Kosovar Deployment To North

Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti has accused Serbia of involvement in the canal blast but provided no evidence.
Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti has accused Serbia of involvement in the canal blast but provided no evidence.

NATO's mission in Kosovo says it has withheld authorization for a request by Pristina to deploy the ethnically fractured country's national security body, the Kosovo Security Force (KSF), to the Serb-majority northern region where an explosion last week damaged a water canal and ratcheted up tensions.

Kosovar officials have accused neighboring Serbia of involvement, without providing evidence -- a charge Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic rejected before vowing to conduct an investigation and hinting cryptically, "We have information about who might be the perpetrator."

NATO's KFOR mission confirmed to RFE/RL's Kosovo Service on December 1 that Kosovar authorities had asked to deploy the KSF to the northern area of Zubin Potok, a region where the transatlantic alliance and European civilian mission EULEX have helped keep the peace for years.

“The KFOR Commander has not given such authorization, based on his security assessment and the actions already undertaken by KFOR," the NATO force said in a written response.

Serbia rejects independence for its former province, and decade-old talks facilitated by the European Union to normalize relations between Pristina and Belgrade have largely stalled.

Belgrade has long maintained parallel institutions in northern Kosovo that serve the tens of thousands of Serbs there who mostly reject Kosovar central authority.

Pristina has essentially pledged since a 2013 agreement not to deploy its mostly ethnically Albanian forces to the northern region without KFOR's prior consent.

Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti called the November 29 blast that damaged the canal supplying water to his country's two main coal power plants a "criminal and terrorist attack" by northern neighbor and bitter rival Serbia.

The attack did not cause any casualties but threatened power disruption as the region hunkers down for the onset of winter.

Drinking water supplies to Pristina were also said to be at risk.

Officials inspect the damaged section of the canal in Varrage village, in the Zubin Potok municipality, after the November 29 explosion.
Officials inspect the damaged section of the canal in Varrage village, in the Zubin Potok municipality, after the November 29 explosion.

"KFOR has deployed units to secure the Zobin Potok area of the damaged water canal," KFOR told RFE/RL. "KFOR has also offered additional assistance to the Institutions in Kosovo, including logistical and explosive ordnance disposal support."

It said it was in contact with all key partners and was monitoring events.

At a press conference late on December 1, Kurti avoided saying whether he had sought KFOR permission for a deployment but acknowledged Pristina was "constrained" by the 2013 deal.

The next day, Kurti invited foreign envoys for a meeting to discuss the situation.

Afterward, U.S. Ambassador to Pristina Jeffrey Hovenier said Washington doesn't know who was behind the attack. But, he added, "Once it is...determined who is responsible, we will work with the proper authorities to ensure that they are held accountable."

Kurti, whose ruling Self-Determination Movement (Vetëvendosje) is facing national elections next year, has spent much of the past year squeezing out dinar payments, Serbian postal and banking ties, and other Serbian-dominated aspects of everyday life in northern Kosovo.

EU and U.S. officials have repeatedly warned his government to refrain from unilateral and potentially provocative steps.

The explosion in the village of Varrage, in the Zubin Potok municipality, created a large crack in the Iber-Lepenc canal.

The waterway, which originates at Ujman (Gazivoda) Lake, supplies water to the entire northern region of Kosovo, the Mitrovica regions, and Pristina and its surroundings, including the Kosovo Energy Corporation for cooling its power plants.

Updated

Police Use Tear Gas Against Pro-EU Protesters In Georgia As Political Crisis Escalates

Supporters of Georgia's opposition parties protest in Tbilisi on December 2 against the government's decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union.
Supporters of Georgia's opposition parties protest in Tbilisi on December 2 against the government's decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union.

TBILISI -- Police again moved to disperse thousands of demonstrators in Tbilisi on December 2 after more than 200 people were detained during four previous nights of protests amid anger over government plans to suspend EU accession talks through 2028.

Police in ski masks used water cannons and tear gas to drive protesters away from the parliament building, where they have gathered each night since November 28 when the ruling Georgian Dream party declared its decision on EU talks.

Protesters continued marching even amid clouds of tear gas released in the streets in the early hours of December 3.

'Here For My Future': Georgian Students Protest EU Delay
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Police in Tbilisi used similar tactics the night before to prevent a protest near parliament and made dozens of arrests. RFE/RL journalists said police arrested and beat several demonstrators after they were dispersed around 2 a.m. on December 2.

The brother of an RFE/RL producer described the scene inside a police minivan after he and his sibling were arrested. There was a pool of blood on the floor of the vehicle, which was filled with protesters who had been beaten, Tornike Beradze told RFE/RL.

Tornike Beradze was taken to a clinic to be treated for a concussion, while his brother, Beka, was placed in a pretrial detention facility. Both are scheduled to be released on December 3.

Tornike Beradze said riot police aggressively questioned his brother, who was walking in front of him and a friend. They told the police officers that, if the street was blocked, they would take a different route, but the police started throwing punches.

"I tried to call my brother, be careful, but when I looked back to say that, I had a few more fists in my face,” he told RFE/RL. “As many times as I lifted my head up, there were so many fists, all the special forces who met us were hitting me.”

Georgian Protests Continue With Overnight Clashes In Tbilisi
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Georgian Protests Continue With Overnight Clashes In Tbilisi

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The Interior Ministry said that 224 protesters were detained on administrative charges and three on criminal charges. In addition, three police officers were hospitalized and 113 others have required medical treatment, the ministry said on December 2.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili said on X that many of the arrested protesters had injuries to their heads and faces. Some people were subjected to systematic beatings between arrest and transportation to detention facilities, she added.

"It's everything but a revolution. This is a huge, I would say, national movement that has truly spread across the entire country, geographically and socially, encompassing all segments of the population," Zurabishvili said earlier on December 2 in an interview with Reuters.

Special forces wearing masks are part of the "violent repression on protesters" taking place on the night of December 2-3, she told CNN, calling it "a step further...against freedom of expression."

Police In Tbilisi Use Tear Gas To Disperse Pro-EU Protesters
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Police In Tbilisi Use Tear Gas To Disperse Pro-EU Protesters

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The government is carrying out a policy to try to limit the expression of the Georgian people not to go toward Russia, she said.

The response follows Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's "outrageous decision" on EU membership talks, she said.

Kobakhidze warned the opposition that “any violation of the law will be met with the full rigor of the law.”

Politicians who "hide in their offices and sacrifice members of their violent groups" also will not escape "severe punishment,” he said.

Kobakhidze said earlier that Zurabishvili must leave office at the end of her term later this month. His announcement came despite her pledge to stay in office "until a president is legitimately elected" after Georgian Dream, which has ruled the country for over a decade, claimed national elections last month.

Zurabishvili and the opposition have alleged fraud and other improprieties and refuse to recognize the new parliament, which last week scheduled an indirect election for a new president for December 14 despite ongoing legal challenges.

"There is no legitimate parliament, and therefore, an illegitimate parliament cannot elect a new president," she said on November 30.

A majority of Georgians support EU membership, and efforts to join the bloc are mandated in the Georgian Constitution.

But the ruling Georgian Dream's enactment this year of what Zurabishvili and critics call a "Russian law" clamping down on NGOs and media financed from abroad, as well as a controversial bill on LGBT rights and public attacks on the West by Kobakhidze and other officials, have raised fears the current government is leading the country back into Russia's orbit.

Western governments have questioned the October parliamentary elections -- in which Georgian Dream claimed 54 percent of the vote -- arguing the elections were marred by violations and Russian influence.

Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023 but relations with Brussels have soured in recent months, beginning with the adoption of the controversial "foreign agent" law, which critics say threatens to publicly discredit thousands of media outlets and civil society groups as "serving" outside powers.

Germany said on December 2 that it still supported Georgia's bid for EU membership, while the Baltic states threatened to impose sanctions on Georgian leaders who oppose the country's move toward joining the group.

"The door to Europe remains open for Georgia. But what is important is that Georgia decides to take this path, and the people we see protesting want to take this path," said German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced on December 2 that Tallinn had jointly agreed with Latvia and Lithuania to introduce sanctions against "those who suppressed legitimate protests in Georgia."

"Opponents of democracy & violators of human rights are not welcome in our countries," Tsahkna said on social media.

The United States in July announced it would pause more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, warning that it was backsliding on democracy.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and CNN
Updated

Romanian Court Recognizes Presidential Election Result, Confirms December 8 Runoff

A man and a woman post their votes in the country's parliamentary elections, in Bucharest.
A man and a woman post their votes in the country's parliamentary elections, in Bucharest.

BUCHAREST -- Romania's Constitutional Court has recognized the results of the first round of the presidential election and confirmed that the second round will be held on December 8.

The runoff will see far-right and pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu face off against the pro-Western Elena Lasconi, who immediately announced the start of her second-round campaign after the court's decision.

“Thank you for not playing Russian roulette with the right to vote," Lasconi said after the court's decision, which followed a recount ordered by the court.

"I am a supporter of the law and the constitution. God will help us again this time to fight for democracy and keep Russia away from our country," she added, pledging to "unite all Romanians" if elected president.

Romania's president has significant decision-making powers, including on matters of national security and foreign policy. Elected for a five-year term, the president can also reject party nominees for prime minister and government nominees for judicial appointments.

After a recount of ballots cast in the first round, the Constitutional Court unanimously rejected a request to challenge the election.

The ruling came after Romania's ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) won pivotal parliamentary elections held on December 1, preliminary results show, setting the stage for talks to form a pro-Western coalition that could prove to be difficult.

Preliminary figures gave the PSD the lead over the far-right, ultranationalist Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR).

With all polling stations reporting, the PSD had 22.3 percent of the vote to the AUR’s 18.3 percent.

The center-right Liberal Party (PNL) -- a junior coalition partner to the PSD -- had 14.3 percent, while another center-right party, the Save Romania Union (USR), followed with 12.3 percent.

With no party -- as expected -- reaching a parliamentary majority, hard negotiations are expected to follow on forming a government and could depend on the outcome of next week's presidential runoff. As the party that gained the most votes, the PSD will likely be asked to nominate a prime minister.

Analysts have suggested a tenuous coalition could develop with the left-leaning PSD and the center-right PNL and USR combining forces. Such a development would help ensure Romania's pro-Western policies against the emerging far-right -- and often Russian-friendly -- parties.

Turnout was reported at 52.36 percent, or about 9.43 million voters, the highest in parliamentary elections in 12 years, according to officials.

Voter turnout in the 2020 parliamentary election was about 32 percent.

No major irregularities were reported during the balloting.

More than three dozen parties and coalitions, along with independent candidates, competed for seats in the bicameral legislature: 329 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 136 in the Senate.

Senate results were similar to the results of the vote for the Chamber of Deputies.

Along with the divide between the East and West, Romanians have expressed concerns about the country's ailing economy and rampant corruption.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Moldovan Service

Iranian Rapper Previously Sentenced To Death Released From Prison

Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi was released from custody, a judiciary-linked news agency said on December 1.
Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi was released from custody, a judiciary-linked news agency said on December 1.

Toomaj Salehi, an Iranian rapper who was acquitted in court after being sentenced to death over his protest songs against the Islamic republic, was released from custody on December 1, a news agency linked to the judiciary reported. Mizan quoted the Isfahan judiciary as saying that “Salehi, sentenced to one year in prison for the crime of propaganda against the state, was released from prison after serving his sentence.” Salehi was sentenced to death by the Isfahan Revolutionary Court in May on a "corruption on Earth” charge, but the Supreme Court overturned the punishment. Salehi was arrested in October 2022 after making statements in support of protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died in police custody for allegedly wearing her head scarf improperly. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here.

Serbia's Vucic Says Probe Launched Into Explosion Kosovo Blames On Belgrade

A key infrastructure canal was damaged in a blast on November 29 in Kosovo.
A key infrastructure canal was damaged in a blast on November 29 in Kosovo.

BELGRADE -- Serbia is conducting a "serious investigation" into the explosion on the Ibar-Lepenac Canal in Kosovo, President Aleksandar Vucic said as he again rejected accusations by Pristina that his government was involved in the attack.

"Belgrade and Serbia had no knowledge [of the incident], nor would it ever occur to us to do that, and we will prove it,” Vucic said in a public address on December 1, without providing details.

“We have some suspicions, but we will not talk about them. We have information about who might be the perpetrator," he added.

Vucic emphasized that he "does not want to say that [Kosovo Prime Minister Albin] Kurti organized everything" but said the investigation "will show everything."

He also accused Kurti of using the incident to bolster his grip on the north of Kosovo, where a local Serbian majority refuses to recognize the government in Pristina and looks to Belgrade as their capital.

Vucic said Serbia is ready to work with the European Union, NATO-led KFOR, and even Pristina in the investigation.

The explosion on November 29 struck a canal that sends water to Kosovo's two coal-fired power plants -- which account for most of the country's power output -- and provides much of Kosovo's water supply.

Kurti called the blast a "criminal and terrorist attack" by northern neighbor and bitter rival Serbia, without providing evidence, and said the attack aimed to "damage perhaps the most important infrastructure" in the country.

On November 30, Kosovo said it had arrested eight people on charges related to the blast. Police alleged that most of those detained belonged the ethnic-Serbian group Civilna Zastita (Civil Protection), which Kosovo has declared a terrorist organization.

The EU, without placing blame, on November 30 denounced the explosion at the Kosovo canal as a "terrorist act."

"It is a despicable act of sabotage on Kosovo's critical civilian infrastructure, which provides drinking water for considerable part of Kosovo's population and is a vital component of Kosovo's energy system," the bloc's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said in a statement.

Washington also condemned the attack, with spokesman Matthew Miller saying, “We will support efforts to find and punish those responsible and appreciate all offers of support to that effort.”

Tensions are habitually high between the two Balkan neighbors. Serbia has not recognized Kosovo's independence, which it declared in 2008.

Kosovo has an ethnic Serbian majority in several districts, while ethnic Albanians overwhelmingly populate the rest of the Balkan country.

With reporting by Reuters

RFE/RL Journalist Arrested, Beaten During Protests In Georgian Capital, Lawyer Says

Beka Beradze was walking in the vicinity of an anti-government rally early on December 1 when he was seized by security personnel, his lawyer said.
Beka Beradze was walking in the vicinity of an anti-government rally early on December 1 when he was seized by security personnel, his lawyer said.

TBILISI -- An RFE/RL journalist says he was beaten and arrested by security forces as he walked near Georgia's parliament in Tbilisi.

Jano Chkadua, a lawyer for Beka Beradze, told RFE/RL that his client said he was walking in the vicinity of an anti-government rally early on December 1 when he was seized by security personnel.

Details remain scarce, but Beradze told his lawyer he was not working at the time and was walking with friends near his home in the area of the protests sparked by a government decision this week to halt the country's European Union membership drive until 2028.

After being seen by a doctor, Beradze was transferred to a temporary detention center, Chkadua said.

Chkadua told RFE/RL that Beradze had noticeable injuries on the right side of his forehead.

"When they discovered he was a journalist at RFE/RL, they became more aggressive and began beating him. He was then thrown into a minivan with other detainees and beaten for about an hour," Chkadua alleged.

The allegations could not immediately be confirmed.

The Ministry of Health said 44 people had been injured overnight on November 30-December 1.

More than 100 people have been arrested in the past three days, according to authorities, as Georgia has been thrown into turmoil since the Russian-friendly Georgian Dream party claimed victory in disputed parliamentary elections in October.

Pro-Europe Georgians have also been angered by an announcement from Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze that his government was suspending EU accession talks and would reject budgetary grants from Brussels "until the end of 2028."

Georgia's Interior Ministry has claimed that protesters have “verbally and physically” assaulted police officers and had thrown various objects at security forces.

However, various videos from the rally showed police beating protesters.

Georgian Police Use Water Cannons, Tear Gas To Disperse Protesters (Video)
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Reacting to the crackdown, Kobakhidze suggested on November 30 that there were "isolated" incidents of police brutality but "systemic violence" against security forces by protesters.

The United States, meanwhile, on November 30 condemned Georgian authorities for what it called "the excessive use of force by police against Georgians seeking to exercise their rights to assembly and expression."

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