We know that rferl.org isn't the only website you read, and it's possible that you may have missed some of our most interesting journalism from the past week. To make sure you're up-to-date, here are some of the highlights produced by RFE/RL's team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days. Share this story on social media using the buttons on this page if you liked what you read.
Angry Villagers, Beached Pontoons, Irradiated Flotsam: More Clues To Mysterious Russian Explosion
Weeks after a mysterious explosion at a Russian naval test range on the White Sea, villagers are increasingly angry at the lack of information about what happened, and about potential health hazards. New photographs of pontoons used during the incident offer fleeting details of what exactly may have transpired on August 8. By Mike Eckel, Mark Krutov, and Sergei Dobrynin
Fifteen Years On, Beslan Victims Still Demand 'A Worthy Investigation'
In September 2004, a heavily armed group of Chechen separatists stormed a school in North Ossetia and took over 1,000 hostages. A three-day siege ended with a bungled rescue operation by Russian special forces and over 334 dead, including 186 children. Fifteen years on, survivors and relatives of the victims are still battling to learn the truth about what happened. By Matthew Luxmoore
'A Sniper Will Kill You': Mother And Son Recall Terror Of Beslan Siege
Fifteen years ago, militants with ties to the insurgency in Chechnya stormed a school in Beslan, southern Russia, taking more than 1,200 children and adults hostage. For a brief moment, a mother and her young son were at the center of the crisis, as she volunteered to act as a messenger between the militants and Russian forces. By Current Time, AP, and Reuters
After The Orphanage: Russian NGO Provides Lifeline For Orphans Finding Their Way
According to activists, only 10 percent of the young people released from Russian orphanages live to the age of 40. An NGO in Novosibirsk says what these people need is not only material aid, but life skills and someone who will be there for them. By Yelena Sycheva and Tony Wesolowsky
Secret Code: How Soviet Computer Geeks Built The Russian Web With Stolen U.S. Software
In the 1980s, a Soviet computer scientist headed for Moscow with U.S. software tapes hidden under his clothes. Three decades later, his colleagues gathered at a California dinner party to reminisce about how they built the first internet in the U.S.S.R. By Ray Furlong and Current Time
Child Bride: 11-Year-Old Iranian Girl's Marriage Annulled After Public Outcry
A temporary marriage between an 11-year-old girl and a 22-year-old man in a remote Iranian province has been annulled following public outrage after a video of the ceremony was posted online. By Golnaz Esfandiari
A 'Professional' Hit: Victim's Wife On Berlin Killing Of Chechen Fighter
The common-law wife of a former Chechen fighter gunned down in Berlin says his killing bears the hallmarks of a professional hit job amid claims the suspect worked for Russian military intelligence. The killing has raised concerns about the safety of other Chechens seeking asylum in Germany. By Okropir Rukhadze, Ray Furlong, Kazbek Muzajev, and RFE/RL's Georgian Service
A Primer On Moscow Protests
The Russian capital has seen a lot of protests this summer. Ostensibly, they're about the City Duma election, where opposition candidates were kept off the ballot for various contrived reasons. But there's a bigger issue at stake here: the Russian political system. Unless you're paying close attention, it can be a bit confusing. Here's a guide to some key elements of the Summer of Protests to help you understand what's going on. By Mike Eckel and Carlos Coelho
Release Of MH17 Witness Raises Questions For Ukraine
A Ukrainian court has released Volodymyr Tsemakh, a "person of interest" to investigators in the 2014 shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. The release came as Russian President Vladimir Putin said a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine was nearing completion. By Ray Furlong
