Here are some of the highlights produced by RFE/RL's vast team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days, including content from Gandhara, the RFE/RL website focusing exclusively on developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Killing In Kherson: A Self-Made Partisan Describes His Role In The Resistance To Russia’s Occupation
“If a year ago somebody had told me I’d become a partisan or kill somebody, I’d have laughed at them. But here we are,” says Vladyslav Nedostup, a sociology graduate and car parts dealer who sought “bloody revenge” after a former classmate and her daughter were killed by a Russian missile. By Aleksander Palikot
Afghans Struggle For Survival As Country Braces For Second Winter Under Taliban Rule
Afghans are preparing for another brutal winter under the rule of the Taliban. Aid groups fear that this winter could even be worse than the last as hunger and disease continue to rise. With food and energy prices surging, many Afghans face a choice between buying firewood to warm themselves or food to feed themselves. By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi and Abubakar Siddique
'Only The Dead Are Not Afraid': Civilians Evacuate As New Battle lines Emerge In Ukraine's East, South
With fighting raging in eastern Ukraine as winter sets in, attention is also shifting to the war’s southern front in Zaporizhzhya, where Ukrainian forces are eager to cut Russian forces off from the so-called “land bridge” connecting the Crimean Peninsula to the mainland. By Ivan Grebenyuk, Aleksei Aleksandrov, and Reid Standish
Who Are The Americans Still In Jail In Russia And Who Could They Be Swapped For?
The United States has secured the release of Brittney Griner, a woman’s basketball star, from a prison in Russia, swapping her for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. While the Biden administration cheered her release, they are still fighting to get other Americans out of Russian jails. By Todd Prince
Winter Soldier, Winter Misery: Will Cold Weather Hand An Advantage To Ukraine? Or Russia?
Nearly 10 months in, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is now shifting to yet another phase: winter, with the misery it inflicts on troops and the difficulties it inflicts on weaponry. So, what will change in frigid conditions – and which side will have the advantage? By Mike Eckel
Gepard Antiaircraft Systems From Germany Target Iranian Drones Over Ukraine
Ukrainian troops say Gepard mobile antiaircraft systems donated by Germany have proven effective at stopping Russian-operated drones made in Iran. The Ukrainian crews say they can detect the drones at a distance of 16 kilometers. But they add that they must use the Swiss-made ammunition judiciously because Bern bans its export to Ukraine. By Yaroslav Krechko and Will Tizard
The Communist-Era Mausoleum Dividing Montenegrins
Fifty years after Yugoslavian authorities demolished a chapel atop Montenegro's Mount Lovcen, the memorial that stands in its place has become a lightning rod for debate over national identity. By Amos Chapple
Tens Of Thousands Of Dead Dolphins Among Environmental Casualties Of Ukraine War
A Ukrainian marine biologist estimates that at least 50,000 Black Sea dolphins have been killed as a result of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Ivan Rusev says he's shocked by the number of dolphin carcasses that have washed up on the shores of his nature reserve in Ukraine's Odesa region. Mines, underwater explosions, and power sonar from Russian submarines have caused an environmental catastrophe for marine wildlife. By Stuart Greer
Georgia's Dukhobors: An Orthodox Sect That Believes In Pacifism And Gender Equality
The Dukhobors, an Orthodox-Protestant sect originating in Russia, have been living in Javakheti, Georgia, since they were exiled in the 1840s. An egalitarian spiritual community, the Dukhobors stand apart from other religious sects with their beliefs in pacifism and gender equality. By Nadia Beard and Natela Grigalashvili
Ukrainian Partisans Describe Their Fight Against Russian Forces In Kherson
After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, underground resistance movements found ways to fight back. Some locals sent information about Russian troop movements to the Ukrainian military. Others painted the Ukrainian flag on buildings and monuments. Current Time correspondent Borys Sachalko spoke with locals in the recently liberated city of Kherson about their partisan activities under Russian occupation. By Borys Sachalko and Austin Malloy
Investigation Finds Bulgaria Detaining Migrants In Foul-Smelling Shack
An investigation by RFE/RL and other media has raised serious questions about alleged abuses of migrants and refugees arriving in Bulgaria. Secretly shot videos showed people being held in a foul-smelling wooden building with barred windows. People claiming to be refugees told reporters that they were denied the right to claim asylum, mistreated, and returned to Turkey. By RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service and Ray Furlong