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Nur-Sultan Launches Probe Against Kazakh National Fighting For Ukraine In War With Russia
NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakhstan's Committee of National Security (KNB) says it has launched a probe against a Kazakh citizen for allegedly illegally taking part in military operations in Ukraine.
The KNB did not identify the suspect in a statement dated June 2, nor did it say for which side the Kazakh man fought.
Since Russia launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24, only one Kazakh national, Zhasulan Duisembin, has openly admitted to joining Ukrainian armed forces and fighting against the Russian Army.
Duisembin told RFE/RL on June 3 that the probe announced by KNB is most likely against him as media in Russia have been extensively reporting about him in recent weeks.
"The [KNB] is scared to mention my name because they consider me a threat. More and more people [in Kazakhstan] are supporting me while I am opening their eyes, and therefore if they openly mention my name, it will be a shame for them," Duisembin said.
It was reported on social media in late May that Duisembin had been killed in eastern Ukraine. However, he later issued a video statement saying he had been wounded but received medical assistance and has since recovered.
A close ally of Russia, Kazakhstan has not openly condemned Moscow's aggression against Ukraine, though it has stated several times that it respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and does not recognize pro-Russian separatist-controlled districts in Ukraine's east that Russia recognized as independent states shortly before launching the war.
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- By RFE/RL
No Breakthrough In Ukraine Talks After Trump, Zelenskyy Meet At Vatican
No breakthrough was reported after US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy met on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral at the Vatican on April 26.
The Trump-Zelenskyy talks represented the leaders' first face-to-face meeting since their explosive Oval Office shouting match in late February, which led to an unprecedented diplomatic crisis.
Steven Cheung, the White House's communications director, said Trump and Zelenskyy "met privately today and had a very productive discussion."
Zelenskyy wrote on X in a post shared after the funeral that he was "hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out.
"Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results," he added.
Their talk on the sidelines of the funeral came amid Trump's calls for a high-level summit between Russia and Ukraine "to finish it off" and get a peace deal.
Zelenskyy added that he thanked Trump for the "good meeting" at the Vatican, and his press secretary, Serhiy Nykyforov, said the two presidents talked for around 15 minutes. Nykyforov had said earlier that Trump and Zelenskyy would meet again the same day, but later said no second meeting took place due to a tight schedule for both leaders.
Trump had earlier claimed that a deal to end the war is "very close" in a social media post and he had previously warned both sides that Washington was prepared to walk away from US-led efforts to broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow if an agreement was not reached soon.
Trump and Zelenskyy also met with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the funeral. Zelenskyy's office said the meeting was "positive."
Macron's office also described the exchanges between leaders as "positive" and said he later met separately with Zelenskyy.
Starmer's office said he and Zelenskyy had "discussed positive progress made in recent days to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
“They agreed to maintain momentum and continue working intensively with international partners to drive forward the next stages of planning,” Downing Street added.
Trump and Zelenskyy were among more than 50 heads of state gathered for Pope Francis's funeral as Roman Catholics paid tribute to a pontiff who was a humble leader and a champion of the poor, migrants, and other marginalized people.
Following the funeral, attention now turns to the conclave -- the secretive meeting of cardinals that will elect the new head of the Catholic Church -- set to convene within days.
With reporting by AP and Reuters
- By RFE/RL
Russia Admits Use Of North Korean Troops Against Ukraine
Russia has admitted for the first time that it deployed North Korean soldiers in the battle to push Ukrainian forces out of its Kursk region following Kyiv's shock incursion into the border area last year.
General Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia’s general staff, told President Vladimir Putin in a video conference that North Korean soldiers had made a significant contribution to the "liberation" of the region from Ukrainian soldiers.
The comments confirmed what Ukrainian and Western officials have long said: that Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
US officials said more than 11,000 North Korean soldiers participated in the fight and had suffered massive losses.
Gerasimov said the Korean mission was in line with the partnership agreement between the two countries.
"The soldiers and officers of the Korean People's Army who fought shoulder to shoulder with Russian soldiers in repelling the Ukrainian invasion showed high professionalism, bravery, courage, and heroism in battle," Gerasimov told Putin.
Russia has claimed to have pushed Ukrainian forces out of most of Kursk, although Kyiv has said its forces are holding on in the Russian region.
In late March, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un paraded new military drones amid reports that he has sent an additional 3,000 troops to help Russia in its war on Ukraine.
Pyongyang released images on March 27 showing Kim inspecting tests of reconnaissance and attack drones at an undisclosed location. There has been international concern that Russia is providing North Korea with drone technology in return for substantial military aid.
The same day Kim inspected the new drones, South Korea’s publicly owned Yonhap news agency cited the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) in Seoul as saying that "it appears that some 3,000 or more [North Korean troop] have been additionally dispatched [to Russia] in January and February."
The reported new troop deployment follows an earlier 11,000-strong contingent Pyongyang sent that has seen action in Russia's Kursk region.
"We can say that Russia is already becoming dependent on North Korea in many ways, not only in terms of shells, but also in terms of other weapons...as well as in terms of soldiers," Ukrainian analyst Oleh Saakyan told RFE/RL’s Current Time.
There has been a substantial warming in relations between Moscow and Pyongyang since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
As well as sending troops, North Korea has also sent short-range missiles, self-propelled howitzers and rocket launchers, according to the South Korean military.
With reporting by Reuters and AP
- By RFE/RL
Trump Demands Free Passage For US Vessels Through Panama, Suez Canals
President Donald Trump on April 26 said US commercial and military vessels should be able to travel without charge through the Panama and Suez Canals, two of the world’s most important waterway shortcuts.
"American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
"Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America. I’ve asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately take care of, and memorialize, this situation!"
The remarks are the latest by the US leader regarding greater access -- or ownership -- of key global assets.
Earlier, he spoke of making Canada the 51st US state, annexing Greenland, controlling the Gaza Strip, and gaining ownership of Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals.
The Panama Canal was built by the United States from 1904-14, costing the lives of thousands of local workers. The waterway greatly reduces the time for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
The canal and surrounding Canal Zone remained under US control until they were handed back to Panama in 1999 following a treaty signed by US President Jimmy Carter in 1977.
Trump recently won a major concession from Panama as he demanded more US influence over the canal -- including allowing the US military to station troops around the waterway, alongside Panamanian forces, to help protect its sovereignty.
Trump has repeatedly said he wants to "take back" the canal, which he claims is being controlled by China. Prior to taking office in January, Trump told reporters he would not rule out using economic or military pressure to regain control.
While he has often spoken of his interest in the Panama Canal, his latest remarks on the Suez Cana appear to be a new focus for the US president.
Egypt controls the canal, which links the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. it accounted for some 10 percent of global maritime trade before Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels began attacking shipping routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The canal has been operational since 1869, built under French control.
With reporting by AP, AFP, dpa, and Reuters
25 Dead, 800 Injured In Iranian Port Blast Amid US-Iran Talks In Oman
A massive explosion purportedly linked to a shipment of a chemical ingredient used to make missile propellant killed at least 25 people and injured more than 800 others in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas.
The April 26 blast at the Shahid Rajaei port happened as Iran and the United States met in Oman for the third round of talks over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. A fourth round is scheduled for May 3, also in Oman.
While no Iranian officials have suggested the explosion was due to an attack, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who is leading Tehran's delegation in Oman, said earlier this week that "our security services are on high alert given past instances of attempted sabotage and assassination operations designed to provoke a legitimate response."
Authorities in Iran offered no clear explanation for what caused the blast. Some 10 hours after the initial explosion, state TV reported the fire was still intensifying and in danger of "spreading to other areas and containers."
Hossein Zafari, a spokesman for Iran's crisis management organization, appeared to blame the explosion on poor storage of chemicals in containers at the Shahid Rajaee port.
"The cause of the explosion was the chemicals inside the containers," he told Iran's ILNA news agency.
"Previously, the director general of crisis management had given warnings to this port during their visits and had pointed out the possibility of danger," Zafari said.
According to the private security firm Ambrey, the port had received a shipment of “sodium perchlorate rocket fuel” in March, which was going to be used to replenish Iran’s missile stocks after being depleted by its direct attacks on Israel during the war with Hamas -- which is designated as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union -- in the Gaza Strip.
Tehran has not acknowledged taking the shipment, but ship-tracking data obtained by the Associated Press shows vessels believed to be carrying the chemical in the vicinity of the port in March.
US-Iran Nuclear Talks In Oman
Meanwhile, Iran and the United States held negotiations in Oman over Tehran’s nuclear program on April 26.
The talks ran for several hours in Muscat, the Omani mediators said of the indirect sessions between Araghchi and Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East.
"The negotiations were conducted very seriously and professionally," Araqchi said without providing full details. "We are cautiously optimistic."
Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who has mediated the two previous round of US-Iran talks in Muscat and Rome, offered a positive note at the end of the negotiations.
Iran and the United States “identified a shared aspiration to reach agreement based on mutual respect and enduring commitments,” Busaidi posted on X after the conclusion of talks in Oman. “Core principles, objectives and technical concerns were all addressed. Talks will continue next week with a further high-level meeting provisionally scheduled for May 3.”
The talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the United States has imposed on the country.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.
Iran Launches Investigation After Port Explosion
Iran's Interior Ministry said it launched an investigation into the port explosion.
Deadly incidents have hit Iranian energy and industrial infrastructure in recent years -- such as gas explosions and oil refinery fires -- with many blamed on negligence.
Tehran, however, has also blamed some incidents on its arch-foe Israel, which has carried out attacks on Iranian soil targeting the country's nuclear program. Last year, Israel also bombed Iran's air defenses.
Iran accused Israel as being behind a February 2024 attack on Iranian gas pipelines, as well as a major cyberattack on the Shahid Rajaee port in May 2020, causing transport chaos for days after crashing the facility's computer system.
The Shahid Rajaei port is Iran's largest and it mainly handles large volumes of container traffic and also has oil tanks and other petrochemical facilities.
The port is some 1,050 kilometers southeast of the capital Tehran, on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf where 20 percent of all oil traded globally passes through.
Local officials said that all schools, universities, and offices in Bandar Abbas will be closed on April 27.
With reporting from Reuters and the AP.
- By RFE/RL
Trump, Zelenskyy Talk Peace Deal On Sidelines Of Pope Francis Funeral
US President Donald Trump met with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, as the two leaders look to make progress on high-stakes peace talks for the war in Ukraine.
Steven Cheung, the White House's communications director, said on April 26 that Trump and Zelenskyy "met privately today and had a very productive discussion."
This was the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy since their explosive Oval Office shouting match in late February, which led to an unprecedented diplomatic crisis. Their talk on the sidelines of the funeral comes amid Trump's calls for a high-level summit between Russia and Ukraine "to finish it off" and get a peace deal.
"Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out," Zelenskyy wrote on X in a post shared after the funeral. "Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results."
Zelenskyy added that he thanked Trump for the "good meeting" at the Vatican, and his press secretary, Serhiy Nykyforov, said the two presidents talked for around 15 minutes. Nykyforov had said earlier that Trump and Zelenskyy would meet again the same day, but later said no second meeting took place due to a tight schedule for both leaders.
Trump had earlier claimed that a deal to end the war is "very close" in a social media post and he had previously warned both sides that Washington was prepared to walk away from US-led efforts to broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow if an agreement was not reached soon.
The two presidents also met with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the funeral. Zelenskyy's office said that the meeting between the four leaders "was positive."
Trump presented a "final offer" to Ukraine and Russia last week to end the war. The US proposal was described to RFE/RL by a European diplomat familiar with the details and a former US diplomat familiar with the proposal also confirmed its contents.
It includes US recognition of Crimea as part of Russia and unofficial recognition of Russian control of nearly all areas occupied since the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.
That proposal has had led to differences between not only Washington and Kyiv, but also European governments who hold additional concerns on how quickly sanctions on Russia would be lifted if a peace deal was signed, what kind of security guarantees Ukraine would have, and how Ukraine would be financially compensated.
Whether those details were discussed at the Vatican is unclear, but Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin in a post on Truth Social after he left the pope's funeral, saying that recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian targets may require him to implement bank or secondary sanctions against Russia to achieve a lasting truce.
"There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along," Trump wrote.
On April 26, three people were killed and seven wounded in Russian shelling of the Donetsk region, local authorities said.
Eight bombs were air-dropped by Russian forces on the town of Kostyantynivka, said Vadym Filashkin, head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, via Telegram.
"Russians don't need peace -- they just want to destroy us all," Filashkin added.
Trump and Zelenskyy's talks on the sidelines of the funeral came after Trump envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Putin at the Kremlin on April 25.
As the funeral proceedings were under way, Putin said in a speech that Russia had regained control of Kursk, the border region where Ukraine launched a surprise offensive last year.
"The Kyiv regime's adventure has completely failed," Putin said.
The general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said Ukrainian troops are still operating in Kursk and called Putin's statement untrue.
RFE/RL was not able to independently verify the battlefield claims.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on April 26 that Putin told Witkoff during their meeting that the Kremlin is ready to talk with Ukraine without preconditions.
A High-Profile Funeral For Pope Francis
Trump and Zelenskyy were among more than 50 heads of state gathered for Pope Francis's funeral as Roman Catholics paid tribute to a pontiff who was a humble leader and a champion of the poor, migrants, and other marginalized people.
More than a dozen royals, including Britain's Prince William, and more than 150 country representatives were also present along with some 224 cardinals and 750 bishops and priests.
China, which does not have formal relations with the Vatican, did not send a representative due to presence of an high-ranking officials from Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own.
The Vatican is one of only a handful of nations to have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Israel, which was angered by Francis's criticism of its conduct in Gaza, sent its ambassador to the Vatican.
The pope died on April 21 -- Easter Monday -- at age 88 following a stroke. The Vatican said around 250,000 people filed past his body laid out in a wooden coffin in St. Peter's Basilica over the three days leading up to the funeral.
The pope’s body was dressed in red robes, a bishop’s pointed miter, and his well-worn black shoes, including scuff marks on the toe. After the service at the Vatican, his body was brought to the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome’s Esquilino neighborhood, which lies outside the Vatican, in a procession that was greeted by crowds of supporters.
During his papacy Francis, who was selected to lead the 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church in 2013, sought to create a more open-minded Church. He often advocated for the poor and marginalized, while challenging wealthy nations to help migrants and address climate change.
"He was a simple and much-loved pastor in his archdiocese, who traveled far and wide, also by subway and bus," read a one-page account of his papacy placed inside his coffin before it was sealed. "He lived in an apartment and he prepared dinner alone, so he could feel like an ordinary person."
The secretive conclave is unlikely to begin before May 6 to allow cardinals time to hold regular meetings, sum each other up, and assess the state of the church, including its financial problems and ideological divisions.
With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP
Indian, Pakistani Troops Exchange Fire In Kashmir Amid Mounting Tensions
Pakistani and Indian troops exchanged fire across the Line of Control in disputed Kashmir, officials said on April 25 as tensions between the two neighbors continued to increase following the killing of 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Syed Ashfaq Gilani, a government official in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, said troops exchanged gunfire overnight along the Line of Control separating the two countries. There were no reports of casualties and no “firing on the civilian population," Gilani was quoted by AFP as saying.
Indian military officers quoted by the Associated Press on condition of anonymity said that Pakistani troops had opened fire on an Indian military post.
The officials, who were not authorized to speak to the media, said Indian troops returned fire. They also said there were no reports of casualties in the incident.
India has called the killing of 26 people by gunmen at a Himalayan tourist attraction in Pahalgam a terrorist attack and accused Pakistan of supporting terrorists. Twenty-five of those killed were Indian nationals.
A little-known militant group called The Resistance Front claimed responsibility for the on April 22 attack.
Indian police say the gunmen in the attack are members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, a UN-designated terrorist organization. They offered a 2 million rupee ($23,500) bounty for information leading to each man's arrest.
Hundreds of security forces have been deployed to Pahlavi Valley and tight security measures have been put in place.
A day after the attack, New Delhi suspended a 6-decade-old water-sharing treaty, announced the closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic ties, and withdrew visas for Pakistanis.
Pakistan has denied any involvement and responded with countermeasures of its own on April 24, suspending visas for some Indian nationals and expelling certain Indian diplomats and defense officials from the country.
The Pakistani Senate on April 25 unanimously passed a resolution "against linking the Pahalgam attack to Pakistan."
US President Donald Trump on April 25 commented about the situation for the first time publicly.
"There have been tensions on that border for 1,500 years so, you know, it's the same as it has been. But they'll get it figured out, one way or another." Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis.
Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947, with both claiming the territory in full while governing separate portions of it.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for a "credible investigation" into the attack and said "India must resist the temptation to exploit such tragic incidents to its advantage."
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif was quoted on April 25 as saying Pakistan is “ready to cooperate” with “any investigation which is conducted by international inspectors.”
Asif told The New York Times in an interview that India had used the aftermath of the attack as a pretext to suspend the water treaty and for domestic political purposes. India is taking steps to punish Pakistan "without any proof, without any investigation," he added.
"We do not want this war to flare up, because flaring up of this war can cause disaster for this region," Asif told the newspaper.
With reporting by Reuters and AP
- By RFE/RL
Trump Calls For High-Level Talks After Envoy Meets With Putin At Kremlin
US President Donald Trump on April 25 called for Ukraine and Russia to meet for high-level talks to complete a deal to end the conflict between the two countries after White House envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Trump said it had been a "good day" of talks after Witkoff met with Putin for about three hours. A top Kremlin aide said the talks had been "productive" had and brought US-Russian positions on Ukraine and other issues closer.
"They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to 'finish it off,'" Trump wrote on Truth Social after arriving in Rome for Pope Francis's funeral. "Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW. We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war!"
Witkoff's meeting with Putin, the fourth since January, came as Trump's administration makes a major push for a resolution to the 38-month Russian war on Ukraine, with a peace proposal that would also mark a major shift in US policy: recognition of Russia's claim to Ukraine’s Crimea.
Trump said in an interview published earlier on April 25 that "Crimea will stay with Russia" and demanded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy immediately sign a long-delayed agreement giving the United States access to Ukraine's mineral resources.
It was not confirmed whether Crimea was discussed at the meeting -- or any of the other proposals that Washington has put forward -- though it had been widely expected to be a main topic of discussion.
Moscow occupied, then claimed to have annexed, Crimea in 2014. Aside from a small handful of countries, the annexation has not been recognized anywhere in the world. US policy since that time -- including during the first Trump administration -- rejected the Russian claim to Crimea.
Yuri Ushakov, who is Putin's lead foreign policy adviser, described the meeting between Putin and Witkoff as "constructive" and "useful."
"This conversation allowed Russia and the United States to further bring their positions closer together, not only on Ukraine but also on a number of other international issues," he told reporters.
"As for the Ukrainian crisis itself, the discussion focused in particular on the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between representatives of the Russian Federation and Ukraine," Ushakov said.
With Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine well into its fourth year, Washington is trying to break the logjam of negotiations and halt what has become Europe's largest land war since World War II. Combined, more than 1 million men have been either killed or wounded in the conflict.
After top-level talks in Paris last week, the US proposals began circulating among diplomats.
The US proposal was described to RFE/RL by a European diplomat familiar with the details. A former US diplomat also confirmed the substance of the proposal.
On Crimea, the US plan calls for the "de jure" -- essentially legal -- recognition of the Russian claim to the peninsula.
In addition to being a major shift for the United States, it would be a major victory for Putin, whose popularity surged among Russians after 2014 when he ordered the stealth invasion of Crimea and later its annexation.
US recognition would also be a major blow to Zelenskyy and most Ukrainians, who view the Russian claim as part of a larger campaign to undo Ukraine's sovereignty and independence.
Zelenskyy has made clear in private and public remarks that he would reject the Crimea recognition.
"There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people," Zelenskyy said on April 23.
In a post to social media on the same day, Trump, who has had a complicated relationship with Zelenskyy and a much warmer one with Putin, suggested there was flexibility for the Ukrainian government if the US proposal moves forward.
He also asserted that Ukrainians should have put up a fight when Russia sent troops into Crimea in 2014 to seize it.
In an interview with Time magazine published on April 25, Trump said, "Crimea will stay in Russia."
"Zelenskyy understands that," he was quoted as saying, "and everybody understands that it's been with them for a long time."
Trump also referred to Russia's naval presence on the Black Sea peninsula. Sevastopol, which was site to a famous World War II battle, was the home port for the Soviet Black Sea fleet and later was used jointly by both the Russian and Ukrainian fleets.
After Russia seized Crimea, it took complete control of Sevastopol. In recent years, however, Ukrainian forces have threatened and attacked Russian vessels there, forcing them to relocate elsewhere in the Black Sea.
"They've had their submarines there for long before any period that we're talking about, for many years. The people speak largely Russian in Crimea," Trump as quoted as saying.
Other elements of the US proposal include blocking Ukraine's aspiration to join the NATO alliance and "de facto" recognition of the Ukrainian territories that Russia currently occupies, including parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions.
It also calls for returning Russian-occupied parts of the Kharkiv region to Ukrainian control; guaranteeing unfettered Ukrainian access to the Dnieper River; and the return of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant to Ukraine control on the condition that the United States would then operate it and provide power to both Ukraine as well as Russian-occupied regions.
Ruling out NATO membership is also problematic for Ukraine, where that is a policy goal written into its constitution.
According to the European diplomat, one element of the US proposal that has not been widely circulated is the United States stepping back from insistence that Zelenskyy hold new presidential elections as soon as possible.
Zelenskyy was elected in 2019 by landslide.
But the Kremlin has asserted that his mandate is now illegitimate because martial law declared after the February 2022 election has precluded holding a new Ukrainian vote.
Amid a public clash earlier this year, Trump appeared to accept the Russian arguments, calling Zelenskyy a "dictator" and demanding he call a new vote.
Trump has since softened his rhetoric on the election question. Still, the Ukrainian government has taken quiet steps to prepare for the possibility of a vote later this year.
"Putin is being offered almost everything he wanted to take, while Ukraine is being offered practically nothing; there are no concessions," Oleksandr Khara, a Ukrainian military analyst, told Current Time.
"The fact that Russia is incapable of taking all of Ukraine or changing the government in Ukraine is absolutely obvious, and this is not going to change anytime soon," he said.
"The Russian advance in the east is coming at a high cost, and that doesn't mean there's any real prospect of a military victory over Ukraine. But there is a very different reality in Trump's mind."
With reporting by Reuters and AP
Russian General Killed In Car Bombing Near Moscow
A senior Russian military officer was killed when a car exploded on the street of a Moscow suburb as he was walking past, Russia's Investigative Committee said, the second high-ranking military official killed near their residence in the past four months.
The Investigative Committee said a criminal case has been opened into the murder of Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, who died on April 25 while on Nesterov Street as he neared a car which was detonated by remote control.
Systema, RFE/RL's Russian Investigative Unit, confirmed the site of the blast as 2 Nesterov Street. It added that according to leaked personal data, Moskalik resided at that address.
"According to preliminary information, the explosion killed Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation," the Investigative Committee said.
"According to available data, the explosion occurred as a result of the detonation of a homemade explosive device filled with shrapnel," it added.
Surveillance footage appeared to capture the moment of the explosion, and early reports from Baza Telegram channel suggest the device detonated as Moskalik approached or entered the vehicle.
Moskalik was a high-profile figure in Russia’s military command.
He played key roles in the Normandy Format negotiations on Ukraine in 2015 and 2019 and was part of the Russian delegation during 2018 talks with then Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. His potential involvement in the ongoing war in Ukraine has not been publicly confirmed.
This marks the second high-level assassination of a Russian general in recent months. In December 2024, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov was killed by a bomb planted in a scooter in Moscow -- an attack claimed by Ukrainian intelligence.
Ukrainian authorities have not commented on Moskalik's death.
- By Mike Eckel
Witkoff And Putin Hold Talks As Trump Says Crimea 'Will Stay With Russia'
Talks between President Vladimir Putin and the White House envoy Steve Witkoff were "productive" and brought US-Russian positions on Ukraine and other issues closer, a top Kremlin aide said, as U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview that “Crimea will stay with Russia."
There was no immediate comment from Witkoff or other US officials on the outcome of the April 25 talks in Moscow, which Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said lasted for more than three hours.
The Moscow meeting came as Trump's administration makes a major push for a resolution to the 38-month Russian war on Ukraine, with a peace proposal that would also mark a major shift in US policy: recognition of Russia's claim to Ukraine’s Crimea.
Ushakov, who is Putin's lead foreign policy adviser, described the meeting as "constructive" and "useful."
"This conversation allowed Russia and the United States to further bring their positions closer together, not only on Ukraine but also on a number of other international issues," he told reporters.
"As for the Ukrainian crisis itself, the discussion focused in particular on the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between representatives of the Russian Federation and Ukraine," Ushakov said.
It's the fourth time that Witkoff has met with Putin since January.
It was not confirmed that Crimea was discussed at the meeting -- or any of the other proposals that Washington has put forward -- though it was widely expected to be a main topic of discussion.
With Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine well into its fourth year, Washington is trying to break the logjam of negotiations and halt what has become Europe's largest land war since World War II. Combined, more than 1 million men have been either killed or wounded in the conflict.
After top-level talks in Paris last week, the US proposals began circulating among diplomats.
Recognizing Crimea as Russia would be a significant shift in US policy.
Moscow occupied then claimed to have annexed the Ukrainian region in 2014. Aside from a small handful of countries, the annexation has been not been recognized anywhere in the world. US policy since that time -- including during the first Trump administration -- rejected the Russian claim.
The US proposal was described to RFE/RL by a European diplomat familiar with the details. A former US diplomat also confirmed the substance of the proposal.
On Crimea, the US plan calls for the "de jure" -- essentially legal -- recognition of the Russian claim to the peninsula.
In addition to being a major shift for the United States, it would be a major victory for Putin, whose popularity surged among Russians after 2014 when he ordered the stealth invasion of Crimea and later its annexation.
US recognition would also be a major blow to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and most Ukrainians, for whom the Russian claim is part of a larger campaign to undo Ukraine's sovereignty and independence.
Zelenskyy has made clear in private and public remarks that he would reject the Crimea recognition.
"There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people," Zelenskyy said on April 23.
In a post to social media on the same day, Trump, who has had a complicated relationship with Zelenskyy and a much warmer one with Putin, suggested there was flexibility for the Ukrainian government if the US proposal moves forward.
He also asserted that Ukrainians should have put up a fight when Russia sent troops into Crimea in 2014 to seize it.
In an interview with Time magazine published on April 25, Trump asserted that "Crimea will stay in Russia."
"Zelenskyy understands that," he was quoted as saying, "and everybody understands that it's been with them for a long time."
Trump made similar comments to reporters as he departed the White House April 25, to travel to Italy to attend the funeral of Pope Francis.
"I think Russia and Ukraine, I think [the peace talks] are coming along; we hope. It's very fragile," he said, adding he wouldn't rule out meeting Zelenskyy while the two are in Rome for the pontiff's funeral.
Trump also referred to Russia's naval presence on the Black Sea peninsula. Sevastopol, which was site to a famous World War II battle, was the home port for the Soviet Black Sea fleet, and later was used jointly by both the Russian and Ukrainian fleets.
After Russia seized Crimea, it took complete control of Sevastopol. In recent years, however, Ukrainian forces have threatened and attacked Russian vessels there, forcing them to relocate elsewhere in the Black Sea.
"They've had their submarines there for long before any period that we're talking about, for many years. The people speak largely Russian in Crimea," Trump as quoted as saying.
Other elements of the US proposal include blocking Ukraine's aspiration to join the NATO alliance and "de facto" recognition of the Ukrainian territories that Russia currently occupies, including parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions.
It also calls for returning Russian-occupied parts of the Kharkiv region to Ukrainian control; guaranteeing unfettered Ukrainian access to the Dnieper River; and the return of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant to Ukraine control on the condition that the United States would then operate it and provide power to both Ukraine as well as Russian-occupied regions.
Ruling out NATO membership is also problematic for Ukraine, where that is a policy goal written into its constitution.
According to the European diplomat, one element of the US proposal that has not been widely circulated is the United States stepping back from insistence that Zelenskyy hold new presidential elections as soon as possible.
Zelenskyy was elected in 2019 by landslide.
But the Kremlin has asserted that his mandate is now illegitimate because martial law declared after the February 2022 election has precluded holding a new Ukrainian vote.
Amid a public clash earlier this year, Trump appeared to accept the Russian arguments, calling Zelenskyy a "dictator" and demanding he call a new vote.
Trump has since softened his rhetoric on the election question. Still, the Ukrainian government has taken quiet steps to prepare for the possibility of a vote later this year.
"Putin is being offered almost everything he wanted to take, while Ukraine is being offered practically nothing; there are no concessions," Oleksandr Khara, a Ukrainian military analyst, told Current Time.
"The fact that Russia is incapable of taking all of Ukraine or changing the government in Ukraine is absolutely obvious, and this is not going to change anytime soon," he said.
"The Russian advance in the east is coming at a high cost, and that doesn't mean there's any real prospect of a military victory over Ukraine. But there is a very different reality in Trump's mind."
Russian Attacks Kill 5 More As Kyiv Mourns Victims Of Air Strike
Russian attacks have killed five more people, including a child, across Ukraine on April 25 as Kyiv observes a day of mourning for the 12 people killed in Russian missile and drone strikes that hit the Ukrainian capital a day earlier and prompted US President Donald Trump to issue a rare rebuke of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Serhiy Lysak, governor of the central Dnipropetrovsk region, said three people, one of whom was a child, died in the city of Pavlohrad in a Russian drone strike that also left 14 wounded.
Regional prosecutors in Donetsk said that in a separate incident, two people were killed in an attack earlier on April 25 in the village of Yarova, where a Russian aerial bomb fell on a residential building.
The attacks come as the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions of Ukraine abroad said they will join Kyiv in mourning the victims of the April 24 attack by lowering flags to half-staff.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said while the citizens of Kyiv mourn the victims and clear away rubble, Ukraine's intelligence services are checking all details, including whether any of the missiles used were made in North Korea.
If this is found to be true, Zelenskyy said it would be more proof of the "criminality of the alliance" between Moscow and Pyongyang.
"They kill people and make a mockery of life together -- that's the only meaning of their cooperation," Zelenskyy said.
According to Zelenskyy, in exchange for assistance, Pyongyang receives the opportunity to "make its weapons more deadly" in real war conditions.
"Real pressure is needed on Russia to stop this," he said. "Even in the midst of international diplomatic efforts to stop this war, Russia continues to kill civilians. This means that Putin is not afraid."
Trump, who has been reluctant to criticize Russia, condemned the attack in a social media post addressed to Putin.
"I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv," he wrote. "Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let's get the Peace Deal Done!"
Zelenskyy, who cut short a visit to South Africa because of the attack, reiterated his call for a complete cessation of air strikes and said Ukraine needs to strengthen its air shield to guarantee the safety of its people.
Scores Wounded, 12 Dead In Russian Attack On Kyiv
Zelenskyy said early on April 25 that Russian forces had tried to use the air strikes as cover for intensified land-based attacks, but these were repelled.
"The Russians in fact tried, under cover of their mass air strikes, to make ground advances," Zelenskiy said on Telegram, referring to a report from top commander Oleksandr Syrskiy.
"When our forces were concentrating to the maximum on defending against missiles and drones, the Russians went ahead with intensified ground attacks. But they were repelled in worthy fashion."
While Kyiv bore the brunt of the massive attack -- authorities said 90 people were injured in the city in addition to the 12 killed -- the Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Poltava, Khmelnytskiy, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhya regions also were hit.
Ukrainian law enforcement officials said at least 25 residential buildings were seriously damaged in Kyiv, and public facilities, including a kindergarten and a school, were affected by the air strikes.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with US broadcaster CBS that Russia only targets Ukraine’s military or civilian sites used by the military. Asked if the attack was intentional, Lavrov said the minister of defense and commanders in the field have the right to attack targets used by the Ukrainian military.
What Is Trump's Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan?
Western efforts to try and resolve the Ukraine war, or even secure a temporary cease-fire, have sputtered as Russia shows no indication it will ease its assault and as Ukraine pushes back on US proposals.
The Kremlin reportedly is seeking a peace agreement that would allow Russia to keep control of Crimea as well as Ukrainian territory in the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson regions it has seized since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly said that recognizing occupied territory as Russia's is a red line for Ukraine. He noted on April 24 that Ukraine had agreed to a US cease-fire proposal 44 days ago as a first step to a negotiated peace but that Moscow's attacks continue.
Asked what Putin is doing now to help forge a peace deal, Trump said he was refraining from "taking the whole country," calling this a "pretty big concession."
Commenting on the diplomatic efforts, Lavrov told CBS News that the United States and Russia are moving in the right direction, but some specific elements of a deal remain to be agreed.
"The president of the United States believes -- and I think rightly so -- that we are moving in the right direction. The statement by [Trump] mentions a deal, and we are ready to reach a deal, but there are still some specific…elements of this deal which need to be fine-tuned, and we are busy with this exact process."
Trump did not spell out the elements of the deal, so Lavrov said it would not be appropriate for him to do so.
"We continue our contacts with the American side on the situation in Ukraine, there are several signs that we are moving in the right direction," Lavrov said.
Speaking at the White House after meeting with Trump, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said it was time for Russia to move forward in negotiations on the war.
"There is something on the table now, I think, where the Ukrainians are really playing ball," Rutte said. "And I think the balls are clearly in the Russian court now."
With reporting by Reuters, AP, and CBS
- By RFE/RL
Iran Foreign Minister Calls For Resumption Of Dialogue With E3
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi issued a public call for renewed diplomacy with the E3 -- France, Germany, and the UK -- amid mounting tensions and their exclusion from ongoing nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States.
In a post on X on April 24, Araqchi acknowledged that relations with the E3 are “currently down,” describing the status quo as “lose-lose” for both sides.
He emphasized that “placing blame is a futile exercise” and instead urged a return to dialogue and cooperation, not only on nuclear issues but across all areas of mutual interest.
Araqchi offered to visit Paris, Berlin, and London for direct talks.
“The ball is now in the E3's court,” the Iranian foreign minister wrote, “how we act at this critical junction is likely to define the foreseeable future.”
The foreign minister’s outreach comes as the E3 have been sidelined from the latest round of nuclear negotiations, which are being mediated by Oman rather than European powers.
The E3 were key players in earlier efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, but this time they've been sidelined.
The E3 have threatened to trigger the re-imposition of UN sanctions on Iran if no agreement is reached with the United States by the end of June. The “snapback” of UN sanctions is a provision under the effectively defunct 2015 nuclear deal, which formally expires in October.
Iranian state media have welcomed the E3’s exclusion, with The Tehran Times even accusing them -- without evidence -- of backing UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi for secretary-general in exchange for helping to “demonize” Iran and justify a return to UN sanctions.
India, Pakistan Tensions Rise After Tit-For-Tat Moves Following Deadly Kashmir Attack
ISLAMABAD -- Tensions between India and Pakistan are threatening to boil over as the two countries trade diplomatic and economic measures following a deadly attack in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir that has raised fears of another military escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals.
India downgraded its ties with Pakistan on April 23 and accused it of supporting "cross-border terrorism" a day after 26 people were killed by gunmen at a Himalayan tourist attraction in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir.
A little-known militant group called The Resistance Front claimed responsibility for the attack. Twenty-five of those killed were Indian nationals.
The attack and its fallout risk inflaming ties between India and Pakistan, which both claim authority over the region.
Among other punitive measures taken against Islamabad, New Delhi closed the main border crossing linking the two countries, expelled Pakistani diplomats, and ordered some Pakistani visa holders to leave within 48 hours.
India also announced the suspension of the six-decade old Indus Waters Treaty, which shares water between the two countries.
Pakistan has denied any involvement and responded with countermeasures of its own on April 24, suspending visas for some Indian nationals and expelling certain Indian diplomats and defense officials from the country.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also called for a "credible investigation" into the attack and said "India must resist the temptation to exploit such tragic incidents to its advantage."
He also hit back with a stern warning about New Delhi's suspension of the water-sharing treaty.
"Pakistan vehemently rejects the Indian announcement to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance," Sharif said in a statement following the convening of the country's National Security Council on April 24.
"Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan as per the Indus Waters Treaty…will be considered as an Act of War and responded with full force," the statement added.
The April 22 attack marks the area's worst assault on civilians in years and could bring a new wave of unrest to the region claimed by both Pakistan and India that has been the epicenter of an often-violent territorial struggle between the two countries.
"We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on April 24 as he vowed to track down and punish the attackers.
Modi did not refer to the attackers as being Pakistani, but police in Indian Kashmir claimed two of the three suspected militants were Pakistani nationals. They did not say how they identified the attackers.
Modi is expected to meet with other Indian officials on April 24 to discuss the attack and how to respond to the tit-for-tat moves with Pakistan.
India and Pakistan control separate parts of Kashmir, but both claim it in full. Since India's partition and the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the nuclear-armed neighbors have fought wars over the territory.
The Pahalgam attack now risks reigniting long-running tensions.
The water treaty, which was mediated by the World Bank and signed in 1960, regulates the sharing of waters of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan. It has withstood two wars between the neighbors since then and severe strains in ties at other times.
The treaty stipulates that India must, with few exceptions, allow water from the western rivers to flow downstream into Pakistan.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were already weak even before the latest measures and countermeasures announced by New Delhi and Islamabad.
Pakistan expelled India's envoy and has not posted its own ambassador in New Delhi since India revoked the semi-autonomous status of Kashmir in 2019.
India has often accused Pakistan of involvement in an insurgency in Kashmir, but Islamabad says it only offers diplomatic and moral support to a demand for self-determination.
Trump Rebukes Putin As Death Toll From Russian Strikes On Kyiv Hits 12
KYIV -- Rescue teams recovered two more bodies from the rubble of apartment buildings destroyed in a massive Russian missile-and-drone attack, prompting US President Donald Trump to issue a rare rebuke of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
The April 24 overnight barrage -- the largest in months -- came just hours after the White House gave what amounted to an ultimatum about a US proposal to end the 38-month-old Russian invasion.
Western efforts to try and resolve the Ukraine war, or even secure a temporary cease-fire, have sputtered in recent days as Russia shows no indication it will ease its assault and Ukraine pushes back on US proposals.
"If Russia says it wants a cease-fire, it should stop these massive attacks," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in South Africa, where he cut short an official visit due to the overnight assault.
Scores Wounded, 12 Dead In Russian Attack On Kyiv
Hours later, Trump, who lashed out at Zelenskyy a day earlier, condemned the Russian attack in a short social media post addressed to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
"I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv," he wrote. "Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, Stop! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let's get the Peace Deal Done!"
Is The US Open To Recognizing Crimea As Russian?
Foreign ministers and top diplomats had been scheduled to meet in London on April 23 for new talks. But they were effectively downgraded after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pulled out at the last minute.
Rubio's decision was reportedly prompted by Zelenskyy's rejection of a US proposal that Washington might formally recognize Russian control over the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.
That would be a major reversal of longstanding US policy. It is also seen as potential political suicide for any Ukrainian officials.
"There is nothing to talk about. This violated our constitution. This is our territory, the territory of Ukraine," Zelenskyy told reporters ahead of the London talks.
The US proposal also reportedly calls for blocking Ukraine's membership in the NATO alliance, an policy goal that is written into the country's constitution.
Hours after the London talks concluded, Trump criticized Zelenskyy directly, on social media and in remarks to reporters. He also suggested Putin was open to the US proposals.
"I think Russia is ready, and a lot of people said Russia wanted to go for the whole thing. And I think we have a deal with Russia. We have to get a deal with Zelenskyy," Trump told reporters.
"I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelenskyy," he said. "So far it's harder."
White House envoy Steve Witkoff is set to fly to Moscow on April 25 for expected meetings with Putin.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the US proposal on Crimea fit with Moscow's longstanding assertion that the peninsula is Russian.
"This fully corresponds to our understanding and what we have been saying for a long time," he told reporters.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy responded to Trump and included a copy of a 2018 US State Department statement calling on Russia to end its occupation of Crimea.
"We don't want this to be a frozen conflict, with war breaking out again in two to three years," he said on April 24, speaking alongside South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria. "We need a strong guarantor [of our security]. If you don't support [NATO membership], that's your decision...but Russia should have no power to veto it."
What Is the Biggest Obstacle to Ukraine Peace Deal?
Trump had vowed to end the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of taking office. But negotiations have proved difficult as Russia targets both civilian and military sites across the country while pressing its advantage on the battlefield.
Ukraine's military said more than 210 missiles and drones were launched in the overnight assault, including ballistic and cruise missiles launched by heavy bombers and Black Sea naval ships.
More than 100 missiles were downed or intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses, the military claimed.
"Kyiv and its region [and the] Zhytomyr, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Poltava, Khmelnytsky, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhya regions were under a massive combined Russian attack," Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko wrote on Telegram.
A number of residential buildings were damaged or destroyed in the capital, Kyiv, and officials said at least 12 people were killed and scores of people were wounded across the country.
Rescuers rushed to pull survivors from building debris, listening for mobile phones ringing to try and locate people.
"The first strike was loud; the glass shattered instantly. The second followed two to three minutes later," one man told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service. "We hid behind two walls. The doors and windows were blown down. Then we got dressed and ran down from the seventh floor over [broken] glass."
Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, was also hit by multiple missiles, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. It was no immediately clear if there were casualties.
Ukraine's foreign minister, who traveled to London despite the downgraded meetings, lashed out at Putin and criticized the Trump administration.
"Putin demonstrates through his actions, not words, that he does not respect any peace efforts and only wants to continue the war," Andrii Sybiha said on X.
"Russia, not Ukraine, is the obstacle to peace. Moscow, not Kyiv, is where pressure should be applied," he wrote.
The downgrading of the London meetings highlighted the divide between the countries in finding a path to peace talk amid Trump's complaints of a lack of progress in the negotiations.
Ukrainian and US officials were also set to sign a deal this week that would give US companies access to Ukraine's valuable mineral resources.
That agreement has also been the subject of difficult negotiations and resulted in an acrimonious Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in February.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Lithuania Accuses Russia, Belarus Of Plotting Violent Attacks On Belarusian Exiles
Lithuania’s State Security Department (VSD) says it has uncovered a covert operation by Russian and Belarusian intelligence services aimed at inciting violence against Belarusian exiles living in Lithuania.
The plot, involving staged provocations and disinformation campaigns, was revealed in a statement released by the VSD and reported by the Lithuanian national broadcaster LRT.
According to Lithuanian authorities, foreign intelligence services have been orchestrating increasingly dangerous incidents targeting the Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania, which numbered more than 57,000 people as of early 2025.
Authorities say foreign agents have attempted to simulate clashes between so-called "Litvinist" Belarusians -- followers of an ideology tying Belarusian identity to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania -- and fabricated Lithuanian nationalist groups.
"The organizers are trying to stage conflicts between opposing forces -- Belarusians who advocate for Litvinist ideas and so-called Lithuanian groups who appear to resist them,” the VSD said.
Recent Provocations
Officials stressed that no real extremist Litvinist groups have been identified in Lithuania, and that they believe the narrative is being manipulated in Belarusian and Russian propaganda to stir mistrust and division.
Recent provocations include fake video messages allegedly from Belarusian soldiers, anti-Belarusian graffiti, threats against Lithuanian lawmakers and Vilnius-based exiles, and social media campaigns spreading pseudohistorical claims about the region's past.
The VSD warned residents not to fall for such provocations, noting that "participation in these activities could lead to administrative or criminal liability."
Meanwhile, there has been growing scrutiny of Belarusian nationals living in Lithuania. Many face increasingly strict visa checks, difficulties extending residence permits, and even deportation due to past affiliations with Belarusian state institutions or the military.
Lithuanian media have labeled the disinformation campaign “Litvinism.” Authorities emphasize that the real danger lies not in the ideology itself, but in its exploitation to destabilize communities.
In recognition of its reporting on this issue, the Lithuanian government's Department of National Minorities recently presented an award to RFE/RL’s Belarus Service for an investigative piece that shed light on the actors behind the campaign and its broader geopolitical implications.
- By RFE/RL
Judge Orders Steps To Reverse Shutdown Of US Government Funded Broadcaster VOA
A federal court judge in Washington ordered the Trump administration to reverse its efforts aimed at forcing the closure of Voice of America (VOA), which was shut down last month in a move the broadcaster had called illegal.
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled late on April 22 to grant a preliminary injunction that says officials must "take all necessary steps" to restore employees and contractors to their positions at VOA and to restore Congress-approved funding to two other U.S.-government funded broadcasters -- Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks -- and resume radio, television and online news broadcasts.
Lamberth, who is overseeing six lawsuits from employees and contractors affected by the shutdown of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees the federal broadcasters, also ordered the media outlets to provide monthly status reports showing the USAGM was complying with the order to allow the outlets to "provide news which is consistently reliable and authoritative, accurate, objective, and comprehensive."
The USAGM has not responded publicly to the court decision.
VOA last month filed a lawsuit saying the Trump administration has taken “a chainsaw” approach to the USAGM through an executive order that directed it and six other federal agencies to “reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law.”
The USAGM subsequently placed more than 1,000 employees on leave and terminated some 600 contractors, forcing VOA to stop its broadcasts for the first time since it was founded in 1942.
The USAGM had argued in the case that no "final decision" on VOA's future had been made and that the lawsuits should be treated as "employment disputes" with those workers who had been terminated.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has also filed a lawsuit against the USAGM “to avoid irreparable harm” to the broadcaster over the withholding of its Congress-approved grant as part of the agency’s efforts to terminate RFE/RL’s funding.
RFE/RL's case continues to be pursued in court.
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