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Spokesman: Libya Open To Reforms, But Qaddafi To Stay

A spokesman said Muammar Qaddafi's regime will not accept conditions being imposed on the country from abroad.
A spokesman said Muammar Qaddafi's regime will not accept conditions being imposed on the country from abroad.

A spokesman for Muammar Qaddafi says Qaddafi is open to the idea of Libya holding elections and reforming its political system -- but he says that only the Libyan people can decide whether Qaddafi should stay as ruler of the country.


Spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said Libya will not accept conditions being imposed from abroad. Western nations, for example, have called on Qaddafi to leave power.


But, faced with an armed rebellion from the east of the country, the spokesman said Qaddafi's regime is now ready to discuss proposals aimed at bringing more democracy, transparency, press freedom and anti-corruption laws to the North African country.


Ibrahim described Qaddafi as a "safety valve" and unifying figure whom many Libyans believe can prevent the country from turning into another Iraq, Somalia or Afghanistan.


"He (Qaddafi) has this symbolic significance for the Libyan people. How Libya is governed is a different matter,” Ibrahim told reporters. “What kind of political system is implemented in the country is a different matter. This is negotiable. We can talk about it -- we can have anything, elections, referenda, anything."


The comments came as Qaddafi's forces remain locked in conflict in eastern Libya with rebels trying to topple Qaddafi's more than 40-year rule.


In a boost for the rebel side, Italy has offered diplomatic recognition to the Libyan opposition council -- becoming the third country to do so after France and Qatar.


The United States, meanwhile, has announced that its fighter planes have now withdrawn from the international air campaign against Qaddafi's forces, with jets from other NATO countries now taking over.

compiled from agency reports


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Former Leader Of Independent Labor Union In Belarus On Trial

Volha Brytsikava
Volha Brytsikava

The former chairwoman of an independent labor union at the Naftan oil refinery in Belarus went on trial in the northeastern city of Vitsebsk on March 11 on a charge of inciting hatred. Volha Brytsikava was arrested in August. Before that, she was sentenced to jail terms multiple times for openly speaking out against the government of authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. In all, Brytsikava has spent 105 days behind bars. Human rights groups in Belarus recognized her as a political prisoner. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, click here.

Moscow Court Cancels Conviction Of Former Mediazona Publisher Pyotr Verzilov

Pyotr Verzilov announced that he had joined the Ukrainian armed forces. (file photo)
Pyotr Verzilov announced that he had joined the Ukrainian armed forces. (file photo)

The Moscow City Court on March 11 canceled the verdict and sentence of Pyotr Verzilov, the former publisher of the independent media website Mediazona, citing procedural violations, and sent the case back for retrial. A lower court in Moscow sentenced Verzilov in absentia to 8 1/2 years in prison in November on a charge of distributing via the Internet fake news about Russia's armed forces involved in the invasion of Ukraine. In October last year, Verzilov, who holds Russian and Canadian citizenship, announced that he had joined the Ukrainian armed forces and he later left Mediazona. To read the original story from RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.

U.S. Ambassador Calls On Tajik Authorities To 'Support Journalists' Rights'

The U.S. ambassador to Tajikistan, Manuel Micaller
The U.S. ambassador to Tajikistan, Manuel Micaller

The U.S. ambassador to Tajikistan, Manuel Micaller, called on Tajik authorities on March 11 -- the Day Of Press in the Central Asian nation -- "to support the rights of journalists and to respect their freedom of expression," stressing that "an independent press is a key element of building democracy." In recent years, several Tajik journalists, rights activists, and opposition politicians have been handed lengthy prison terms on charges seen by rights groups as trumped up and politically motivated. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Tajik Service, click here.

Belarus Begins 'Comprehensive' Check Of Combat Preparedness

Belarusian military exercises in March 2023
Belarusian military exercises in March 2023

The armed forces of Belarus have begun a "comprehensive" checkup of combat readiness, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on March 11 on Telegram. Authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka has been supportive of Russia's war in Ukraine and allowed its territory, military infrastructure, and airspace to be used for the February 2022 invasion and for launching attacks against Ukraine. "️The inspection is comprehensive," the statement said, adding that the series of exercises and training will include live fire and the movement of military equipment that could temporarily restrict civilian movement on public roads. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, click here.

Hungary's Orban Says Trump's Plan To End Ukraine War Is To Cut Funding

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (left) and former U.S. President Donald Trump during their meeting in Florida on March 8.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (left) and former U.S. President Donald Trump during their meeting in Florida on March 8.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, back in the country after a private meeting in the United States with Donald Trump, said the former president has "quite detailed plans" about how to end Russia's war against Ukraine and won't give Kyiv any further funding to hasten an end to the conflict.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine

RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.

Speaking in an interview with state-run M1 television late on March 10, Orban, whose government has refused to send weapons to Kyiv while maintaining ties with Moscow, said after his meeting with Trump that "it is obvious that Ukraine on its own cannot stand on its feet."

The Hungarian prime minister's trip came as a $60 billion aid package is being held up by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, who are insisting border security measures be enacted if they are to support money being sent to Kyiv. The U.S. Senate has already approved the package, much of which is for Ukraine to buy U.S. weapons and military equipment.

U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat who is the party's presumptive candidate for the presidential election in November, has backed the aid package, but Trump, who has a more isolationist streak, has criticized the bill.

"He will not give a penny into the Ukraine-Russia war and therefore the war will end," Orban said in the interview of Trump, who is on the verge of becoming the Republic Party's candidate for the election.

"If the Americans do not give money and weapons, and also the Europeans, then this war will be over. And if the Americans do not give money, the Europeans are unable to finance this war on their own, and then the war will end," he added.

Orban has stood out in the European Union for breaking with most of the bloc's leaders by maintaining ties with autocratic leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Orban traveled to the United States last week, where he spoke at the conservative Heritage Foundation and later met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, while forgoing any meetings with the White House during the trip.

Trump's campaign said in a statement on the March 8 meeting that the two men discussed "a wide range of issues affecting Hungary and the United States, including the paramount importance of strong and secure borders to protect the sovereignty of each nation."

The statement made no further comment on the discussions, nor did it mention Ukraine.

Orban said peace in Ukraine must be achieved first through a truce and then a complete peace agreement, which Trump "has the means" to do. He gave no further details.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on March 11 that the Kremlin was aware of Orban's statement, but it had no comment.

"We have seen it, but we have nothing to say, since no details are offered and it is unclear what kind of [what] plan this might be," Peskov said.

Report: Ukraine May Get F-16s By July, But Only 6 Out Of 45

A U.S.-made F-16 fighter jet
A U.S.-made F-16 fighter jet

Ukraine may only receive six out of some 45 U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets promised by its Western allies by July, according to The New York Times. The main cause for the delay, the newspaper reported, is the delay in the training of Ukrainian pilots at Fetesti Air Base in Romania. Although the training is on a faster track compared to normal standards, it still is slower than Ukraine and its allies had hoped, as the pilots had to master English-language skills and Western military practices to effectively use the F-16, it writes.

Belarusian Court Liquidates Banned BelaPAN News Agency

In late 2020, several BelaPAN journalists fled Belarus following another wave of searches by police of the homes of independent journalists.
In late 2020, several BelaPAN journalists fled Belarus following another wave of searches by police of the homes of independent journalists.

A court in Minsk has ordered the liquidation of the banned independent news agency BelaPAN, which was declared an extremist organization in 2021 amid an intensified crackdown on media and civil society in Belarus following the 2020 disputed presidential election that handed victory to authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

The Economic Court of Minsk on March 11 ruled to liquidate BelaPAN following a request by the prosecutor's office of the Pervomaisky district of Minsk, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

The Crisis In Belarus

Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.

Four BelaPAN journalists were sentenced to long prison terms in October 2022 after being accused of of treason, extremism, and organizing riots -- charges that they have rejected as politically motivated.

The case against them was launched in 2021 after police searched BelaPAN's headquarters.

BelaPAN's former deputy director, Andrey Alyaksandrau, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after being found guilty of high treason, the organization of illegal rallies, and tax evasion.

Alyaksadrau's wife, journalist Iryna Zlobina, was found guilty of high treason and organizing illegal rallies and sentenced to nine years in prison.

BelaPAN's former director, Dzmitry Navazhylau, and chief editor Iryna Leushyna were sentenced to six and four years in prison, respectively, on tax evasion changes.

In late 2020, several BelaPAN journalists fled Belarus following another wave of searches by police of the homes of independent journalists.

Lukashenka, who has been in power since 1994, has tightened his grip on the country since the August 2020 election by arresting -- sometimes violently -- more than 35,000 people. Fearing for their safety, most opposition members have fled the country.

The West has refused to recognize the results of the election and does not consider Lukashenka to be the country's legitimate leader.

Many countries have imposed sanctions against Lukashenka's regime in response to the suppression of dissent in the country.

Lukashenka, who is 69, has said he will run again for a new term in 2025.

Ukraine Downs 15 Out Of 25 Russian Drones; Damage Reported In Kharkiv

Relatives and friends of Ukrainian prisoners of war from the Azov Brigade hold placards during a rally in the center of Kyiv on March 10 calling for an exchange with Russian prisoners.
Relatives and friends of Ukrainian prisoners of war from the Azov Brigade hold placards during a rally in the center of Kyiv on March 10 calling for an exchange with Russian prisoners.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 15 out of the 25 drones that Russia launched at Ukraine's territory on March 11, the military said, adding that Russian shelling caused victims among civilians as well as material damage. Civil infrastructure was hit in Kharkiv, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram, adding that nearby residential buildings were also damaged, but that there were no casualties. The Odesa and Sumy regions were also targeted by drones, the military said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. To read the original stories by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here and here.

Updated

'20 Days In Mariupol' Wins Oscar For Best Documentary; Navalny Remembered

Director Hopes Ukrainians Will Be 'Inspired' By Oscar Win For Mariupol Film
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Mstyslav Chernov’s 20 Days In Mariupol, a harrowing first-person account of the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, won the best documentary Oscar on March 10. A production of AP and PBS, statuettes were awarded to Chernov, producer and editor Michelle Mizner, and producer Raney Aronson-Rath. The Oscar was a first for Chernov, an AP video journalist, and the 178-year-old news organization. “This is the first Oscar in Ukrainian history, and I’m honored,” Chernov said. “Probably, I will be the first director on this stage to say I wish I’d never made this film. I wish to be able to exchange this to Russia never attacking Ukraine.” There was also a brief tribute paid to the late Russian opposition figure Aleksei Navalny, the subject of last year's Oscar-winning documentary, Navalny.

Updated

Kremlin Declines To Comment On Report That Russia Has New Navy Chief

The Fontanka report said that Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev, 61, currently commander of the Northern Fleet, will soon be appointed as naval chief on a permanent basis.
The Fontanka report said that Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev, 61, currently commander of the Northern Fleet, will soon be appointed as naval chief on a permanent basis.

Russia has appointed Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev as acting commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy, replacing Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, the Fontanka news outlet and the Izvestia newspaper reported on March 10, citing unidentified sources. Yevmenov has been in the post since 2019. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on March 11 declined to comment on the report. Ukraine has damaged or destroyed numerous Russian vessels in the Black Sea since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion, embarrassing the Kremlin and the military. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.

Updated

Operations Resume At St. Petersburg's Airport After Drone Shot Down In Nearby Region

Passengers wait at service desks at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo airport. (file photo)
Passengers wait at service desks at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo airport. (file photo)

Russian authorities said a Ukrainian drone was shot down on March 10 in the Leningrad region near the village of Fornosovo after operations were suspended at the nearby Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city. The airport resumed operations after about a two-hour pause. Three planes were forced to land at backup airfields during that time, the Federal Air Transport Agency said. Aleksandr Drozdenko, governor of the Leningrad region -- which is adjacent to St. Petersburg -- said airspace was sealed off due to the drone. Kyiv does not generally comment on possible strikes inside Russia. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.

2 Killed As Motorcycle Loaded With Explosives Detonates In Peshawar

A motorcycle packed with explosives detonated in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar on the morning of March 10, killing two people and severely injuring another, police said. The motorcycle carried between 4 and 5 kilograms of explosives when it detonated, said Kashif Abbasi, senior superintendent of police operations in Peshawar. The explosives detonated prematurely, Abbasi added. He did not say what was the intended target. Peshawar is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, which is a former stronghold of the militant Tehrik-e Taliban group, also known as the Pakistani Taliban. The city has seen several deadly attacks in recent years.

Imprisoned Iranian Cleric Says Under Pressure To Confess To Crimes He Didn't Commit

Mohammad Taghi Akbarnejad, a cleric and vocal opponent of Iran's leadership, was arrested on February 17 by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' intelligence service.
Mohammad Taghi Akbarnejad, a cleric and vocal opponent of Iran's leadership, was arrested on February 17 by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' intelligence service.

In a rare phone call from Qom prison, Mohammad Taghi Akbarnejad, an Iranian cleric and seminary professor known for his outspoken criticism of Supreme Leader Ali Ayatollah Khamenei's policies, said he has been pressured to make false confessions and faces constant attempts by the authorities to discredit him.

Akbarnejad, who has been a vocal opponent of the Islamic republic's leadership, was arrested on February 17 by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' intelligence service.

During the call, Akbarnejad revealed he spent 14 days in solitary confinement at security detention centers where officers pressured him to confess.

"They pressured me to make false confessions for release without trial. They wanted me to appear on camera and express regret for my words and actions," he said, adding that he was being pressured to confess to crimes he did not commit.

When he refused, he said officials began fabricating cases against him and then pressuring needy families to file complaints against him claiming he misled them as a representative of the leadership.

Akbarnejad's criticism has not been limited to the current leadership. He has also targeted the foundational rhetoric and strategies of the Islamic republic, including those of its founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

In a widely shared social media video, he accused Khomeini of misunderstanding the world and leading the country astray, notably referring to the eight-year Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s as an example of misguided leadership.

The cleric has also critiqued the establishment's shift in rhetoric pre-and post-revolution, suggesting their current claims would not gain significant public support if put to a referendum.

Akbarnejad's situation appears to be part of a pattern of repression against clerics critical of Iran's supreme leadership.

In a related case, the Special Clerical Court of Shiraz recently sentenced Shahabeddin Haeri Shirazi to three years in prison, highlighting tensions within the clerical community and the authorities' efforts to suppress dissent.

Criticism of Khamenei, who has the last say on almost every decision in Iran, is considered a red line in Iran, and his critics often land in prison, where political prisoners are routinely held in solitary confinement and subjected to various forms of torture.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

Rights Groups Say Hundreds Of Iranian Women Detained Last Year, Dozens Still Held

Iranian security officers patrol the streets for alleged head-scarf violations on March 4.
Iranian security officers patrol the streets for alleged head-scarf violations on March 4.

The human rights organization Hengaw said Iranian security agencies detained over 300 women for political or ideological reasons last year, with more than 100 still facing imprisonment for various charges.

According to a report released on March 8 by Hengaw, which closely tracks human rights violations in Iran, at least 325 women were apprehended by security forces across Iran in 2023. The detainees include a diverse group including at least 18 students, 17 journalists and media activists, 10 artists and actors, and seven teachers.

The same day, which was International Women's Day, the human rights monitor HRANA revealed the identities of 113 women who currently are imprisoned for their beliefs.

The charges laid against the women primarily encompass accusations of propaganda against the system, assembly and collusion, "corruption on Earth," and espionage. The allegations have led to severe penalties, including life prison sentences and multiple years of incarceration.

Hengaw's findings also highlighted the judicial proceedings against female activists in Iran during 2023.

It said at least 147 women activists were subjected to trials in Iran's judiciary system. The sentences handed down included imprisonment, lashing, and in one instance capital punishment.

In total, 139 female activists were condemned to a total of 553 years and 10 months of punitive imprisonment. Additionally, 10 individuals, apart from their prison sentences, were collectively sentenced to 557 lashes, underlining the harsh penalties faced by female activists in Iran.

Since September 2022, when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died while in police custody for an alleged head-scarf violation, thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets to demand more freedoms and women's rights, with the judiciary, backed by lawmakers, responding to the biggest threat to the Islamic government since the 1979 revolution with a brutal crackdown.

Several thousand have been arrested, including many protesters, as well as journalists, lawyers, activists, digital rights defenders, and others. At least nine protesters have been executed after what rights groups and several Western governments have called "sham" trials.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

St. Petersburg Resident Sent To Pretrial Detention For Writing 'Putin Killed Navalny'

People lay flowers at the grave of Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny following his funeral at the Borisovskoye cemetery in Moscow on March 1.
People lay flowers at the grave of Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny following his funeral at the Borisovskoye cemetery in Moscow on March 1.

A district court in St. Petersburg has sent Yevgeny Smirnov, a local resident accused of painting the words "Putin killed Navalny," to serve a month in pretrial detention on hooliganism charges. Investigators determined that Smirnov painted the message accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of responsibility for the death of opposition politician and activist Aleksei Navalny on February 16. Navalny died on February 16 at a remote Arctic prison of what the Russian authorities claim was natural causes. Navalny's supporters and Western leaders have said Putin was ultimately responsible for his main political adversary's death. Following the painting incident, Smirnov's house was searched and his computer and bank cards were confiscated, his mother told OVD-Info. Smirnov's defense team has called for him to be released. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.

Updated

Ukraine, Allies Hit Back At Pope's Remarks On Peace Talks, Need For 'White Flag'

Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer from his window at the Vatican on March 10.
Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer from his window at the Vatican on March 10.

Ukraine and its regional allies on March 10 assailed reported comments by Pope Francis in which the pontiff suggested opening negotiations with Moscow and used the term "white flag," while the Vatican later appeared to back off some of the remarks, saying Francis was not speaking about "capitulation."

Francis was quoted on March 9 in a partially released interview suggesting Ukraine, facing possible defeat, should have the "courage" to sit down with Russia for peace negotiations, saying there is no shame in waving the "white flag."

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine

RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hit out in a Telegram post and in his nightly video address, saying -- without mentioning the pope -- that "the church should be among the people. And not 2,500 kilometers away, somewhere, to mediate virtually between someone who wants to live and someone who wants to destroy you."

Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reacted more directly on social media, saying, “When it comes to the 'white flag,' we know this Vatican strategy from the first half of the 20th century."

Many historians have been critical of the Vatican during World War II, saying Pope Pius XII remained silent as the Holocaust raged. The Vatican has long argued that, at the time, it couldn't verify diplomatic reports of Nazi atrocities and therefore could not denounce them.

Kuleba, in his social media post, wrote: "I urge the avoidance of repeating the mistakes of the past and to support Ukraine and its people in their just struggle for their lives.

"The strongest is the one who, in the battle between good and evil, stands on the side of good rather than attempting to put them on the same footing and call it 'negotiations,'" Kuleba said.

"Our flag is a yellow-and-blue one. This is the flag by which we live, die, and prevail. We shall never raise any other flags," added Kuleba, who also thanked Francis for his "constant prayers for peace" and said he hoped the pontiff will visit Ukraine, home of some 1 million Catholics.

Zelenskiy has remained firm in not speaking directly to Russia unless terms of his "peace formula" are reached.

Ukraine's terms call for the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine, restoring the country's 1991 post-Soviet borders, and holding Russia accountable for its actions. The Kremlin has rejected such conditions.

Following criticism of the pope’s reported comments, the head of the Vatican press service, Matteo Bruni, explained that with his words regarding Ukraine, Francis intended to "call for a cease-fire and restore the courage of negotiations," but did not mean capitulation.

"The pope uses the image of the white flag proposed by the interviewer to imply an end to hostilities, a truce that is achieved through the courage to begin negotiations," Bruni said.

"Elsewhere in the interview…referring to any situation of war, the pope clearly stated: 'Negotiations are never capitulations,'" Bruni added.

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk, said Ukraine was "wounded but unconquered."

"Believe me, no one would think of giving up. Even where hostilities are taking place today; listen to our people in Kherson, Zaporizhzhya, Odesa, Kharkiv, Sumy! Because we know that if Ukraine, God forbid, was at least partially conquered, the line of death would spread," Shevchuk said at St. George's Church in New York.

Ukrainian Army Units Launch Recruitment Campaigns Amid Mobilization Problems
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Andriy Yurash, Ukraine's ambassador to the Vatican, told RAI News that "you don't negotiate with terrorists, with those who are recognized as criminals," referring to the Russian leadership and President Vladimir Putin. "No one tried to put Hitler at ease."

Ukraine's regional allies also expressed anger about the pope's remarks.

"How about, for balance, encouraging Putin to have the courage to withdraw his army from Ukraine? Peace would immediately ensue without the need for negotiations," Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski wrote on social media.

Lithuanian President Edgars Rinkevichs wrote on social media: "My Sunday morning conclusion: You can't capitulate to evil, you have to fight it and defeat it, so that evil raises the white flag and surrenders."

Alexandra Valkenburg, ambassador and head of the EU Delegation to the Holy See, wrote "Russia...can end this war immediately by respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. EU supports Ukraine and its peace plan."

With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
Updated

Kyiv Reports Deadly Russian Strikes As Ukrainian Drone Reportedly Sets Fire To Oil Depot In Russia

A war crimes prosecutor stands next to destroyed cars in the courtyard of a damaged residential building following a missile attack in Myrnohrad, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on March 10.
A war crimes prosecutor stands next to destroyed cars in the courtyard of a damaged residential building following a missile attack in Myrnohrad, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on March 10.

The governor of Russia's southwestern Kursk region has said that one person had been killed as a result of Ukrainian shelling and a fire broke out at a local oil depot due to a Ukrainian drone strike.

"As a result of a direct hit from a shell, a residential building caught fire and a local woman died," Governor Roman Starovoit wrote on Telegram on March 10. "Her husband had extensive burns and is now receiving qualified medical care."

Starovoit later wrote that a "Ukrainian drone fell and caught fire on the grounds of the oil depot" and that fire and emergency services were at the scene."

The SHOT Telegram channel reported that the drone had damaged a 3,000-ton capacity tank at the oil terminal but suggested the tank was empty when it was struck.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine

RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.

Last week, Starovoit claimed a gasoline-storage depot had been set alight by a Ukrainian drone. And in February it was reported that a large fire at an oil depot near Kursk was caused by a Ukrainian drone.

The governor of the Belgorod region announced shortly after reports of the oil-depot fire in the neighboring Kursk region emerged on March 10 that his region had come under attack by two Ukrainian drones.

Vyacheslav Gladkov said the strikes had set fire to a vehicle but no injuries were reported. In a separate Telegram post on March 10, Gladkov said Ukrainian forces had heavily targeted the Belgorod region -- including with mortar rounds and drone strikes -- over the previous 24 hours.

The Russian Defense Ministry said two drones had been shot down over the Belgorod region but did not report any drone attack in the Kursk region.

The Ukrainian military did not comment on the claims of drone attacks against Russian territory.

Russian attacks, meanwhile, were reported across Ukrainian territory.

Vadym Filashkin, the head of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, said on March 10 that three people were killed and a dozen wounded due to Russian shelling that struck a residential building in the town of Myrnograd.

Ukraine's air force said on March 10 that its air-defense systems had destroyed 35 of 39 drones it said were launched against Ukraine overnight.

Most of the drones were destroyed over Ukraine's eastern and southern regions, the air force said.

Missile strikes in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv and Donetsk regions were also reported.

Kosovo OKs Referendums In 4 Serbian-Majority Municipalities On Whether To Oust Ethnic-Albanian Mayors

Citizens in Zvecan, Kosovo, sign a petition to remove ethnic Albanian mayors on January 18.
Citizens in Zvecan, Kosovo, sign a petition to remove ethnic Albanian mayors on January 18.

Kosovo’s Central Electoral Commission on March 9 approved referendums in four Serbian-majority municipalities to be held on April 21 on whether to oust their ethnic-Albanian mayors whose election last year raised tensions between Serbia and Kosovo. The commission's decision passed with an 8-2 vote and two abstentions. The commission also confirmed a petition held in January in which about one-fourth of around 45,000 eligible voters in four municipalities in northern Kosovo -- North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok, and Leposavic -- where most of Kosovo’s ethnic Serbian minority lives, were in favor of the new vote. At least 20 percent of eligible voters was needed.

Two More Individuals Arrested In Move Against Azerbaijan TV Station

Police in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, during a raid of the Toplum TV offices on March 6.
Police in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, during a raid of the Toplum TV offices on March 6.

Two more individuals linked to an independent Azerbaijani television station were arrested on March 9 and pleaded not guilty in court in connection with a probe into smuggling, one of their lawyers said. The latest detentions brought to nine the total number facing charges connected to Toplum TV. Arrested on March 9 in Baku were Alesker Mammadli, co-founder of the station, and Ruslan Izzetli, from the Platform III Republic civil society group. The case against Toplum TV founder Akif Gurbanov, one of those arrested earlier, and his staff is the latest in a series of prosecutions that have prompted Western concern about press freedom in the South Caucasus country.

Russian Student Gets Jail Term After Naming WiFi Network 'Glory To Ukraine'

Russian authorities have stepped up actions against any signs of dissent since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Russian authorities have stepped up actions against any signs of dissent since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

A Russian university student received a 10-day jail term after naming his WiFi network "Slava Ukraini" (Glory to Ukraine), according to the Moscow court system website. "The Moscow State University student replaced the name of the network from his WiFi router with 'Slava Ukraini,' the rallying cry of Ukraine forces," a filing stated. Moscow's Nikulinsky Court identified the student as Oleg Tarasov, who it said was found guilty of "displaying extremist symbols." The court also ordered the confiscation of his router. Russian authorities have stepped up actions against any signs of dissent since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.

Kazakhstan Confirms Two Citizens Killed In Russia In What FSB Calls Antiterror Operation

Russian state-run news agency TASS quoted the FSB as saying it had shot dead two suspects of the Wilayat Khorasan terrorist group “whose members were planning to commit a terrorist act against one of the Jewish religious institutions in Moscow." (file photo)
Russian state-run news agency TASS quoted the FSB as saying it had shot dead two suspects of the Wilayat Khorasan terrorist group “whose members were planning to commit a terrorist act against one of the Jewish religious institutions in Moscow." (file photo)

ASTANA -- Kazakhstan on March 9 confirmed that two of its citizens were shot dead in Russia in what the Kremlin said was an antiterrorism operation that prevented an attack against a synagogue in the Moscow area.

“The media published reports about the killing of two Kazakh citizens by Russian law-enforcement agencies during an attempt to organize a terrorist attack in the Russian Federation,” the Kazakh Committee of National Security (KNB) said in a statement.

“We can confirm the Kazakh citizenship and the deaths in Russia,” it added.

The independent Astra news outlet reported that two men, aged 32 and 35, entered Russia on February 28 and allegedly intended to commit a terrorist act.

Astra identified them as adherents of the Wilayat Khorasan group, a branch of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, which is recognized by Kazakhstan as a terrorist organization.

Russian state-run news agency TASS quoted the Federal Security Service (FSB) on March 7 as saying it had shot dead two suspects of the Wilayat Khorasan terrorist group “whose members were planning to commit a terrorist act against one of the Jewish religious institutions in Moscow."

"During an operation to detain them, the terrorists put up armed resistance to Russian FSB staff and as a result were neutralized by return fire," the FSB said.

The FSB said the Wilayat Khorasan group is an offshoot of Islamic State from that is mostly active in Afghanistan.

The FSB, which did not identify the nationality of the suspects, said the shootings took place in the viillage Koryakovo in the Kaluga region, about 120 kilometers southwest of Moscow.

Russian media identified the two suspects as Kazakh nationals and said they had arrived in Russia in February.

The KNB said it was working “closely” with the FSB to investigation the matter.

The incident came as the U.S. Embassy, along with those of other nations, on March 7 advised citizens to avoid large groupings in Moscow, warning that "extremists" were planning an operation within the next 48 hours and ahead of Russia's March 15-17 presidential election.

Armenia Considering EU Membership, Foreign Minister Says

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said his nation is considering applying for EU membership, a further sign of Yerevan's attempts to distance itself from traditional ally Russia. "Many new opportunities are largely being discussed in Armenia nowadays, and it will not be a secret if I say [there is] an idea that includes membership in the European Union," Mirzoyan told Turkey's TRT World television on the sidelines of the March 1-3 Antalya Diplomatic Forum. "The people of Armenia do have European aspirations…we are passing through a process…and no one can be sure or predict the end of this process," he said. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, click here.


Updated

Western Defense Chiefs To Hold New Ukraine Meeting In Germany

Representatives of Ukraine take part in a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Kyiv on January 23.
Representatives of Ukraine take part in a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Kyiv on January 23.

The 20th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) is set for March 19 at the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany, the U.S. Air Force said on March 9. "U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin...again invited defense ministers and senior military officials around the world to discuss the crisis in Ukraine and the various security challenges facing U.S. allies and partners," it said. The UDCG consists of the 32 NATO member nations, now inducing Sweden. The previous meeting took place online on February 14 and discussed the strengthening air defenses, artillery systems, and drones, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov reported. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, click here.

German, Polish, And Czech Farmers Protest Ukrainian Imports, EU Agriculture Policy

A drone view of farmers' tractors blocking a speedway from Lublin to Warsaw as they protest against the European Union's Green Deal and imports of Ukrainian agricultural products, on the outskirts of Warsaw in Wiazowna, Poland, on March 6.
A drone view of farmers' tractors blocking a speedway from Lublin to Warsaw as they protest against the European Union's Green Deal and imports of Ukrainian agricultural products, on the outskirts of Warsaw in Wiazowna, Poland, on March 6.

Farmers from Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic demonstrated on March 9 at the intersection of their countries against EU agricultural policy and imports of cheap produce from Ukraine. Around 400 farmers with 150 tractors took part in the joint action in the Polish village of Bogatynia at the shared border crossing, the initiative Land Creates Connection reported. The farmers called for a revision of the common EU agricultural policy. They also demanded that imports such as Ukrainian grain should not be allowed to enter the EU uncontrolled, saying these imports would destroy the markets in all three countries.

Updated

Pakistan's Zardari Sworn In As President For Five-Year Term

Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa (front right) administers an oath to newly sworn-in Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari (front left) at the President House in Islamabad on March 10.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa (front right) administers an oath to newly sworn-in Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari (front left) at the President House in Islamabad on March 10.

Asif Zardari, the widower of Pakistan's slain first female leader, Benazir Bhutto, was sworn in on March 10 as president following his election by the National Assembly a day earlier. Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath at the presidential palace before civil and military leaders. Zardari, 68, served as president from 2008-13, had the backing of the country’s ruling bloc, which includes the party of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Pakistan's presidency, a five-year term, largely became a ceremonial position after a 2010 constitutional amendment curtailed its authority. Over the years, Zardari has faced various criminal charges, including fraud and money-laundering, and has served prison time. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal, click here.

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