We know you're busy and probably don't have the time to read all of our coverage each and every day. That's why we've put together The Week's Best. Here are some of the highlights produced in English by RFE/RL's vast team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days.
Caucasus Transformed: The Artist Who Captured Armenia As Soviet Rule Began
Drawings by Chisinau-born artist Pavel Shillingovsky show Armenia being reshaped at the beginning of the communist period. By Amos Chapple
The Russian Orthodox Priest Preaching For War
Andrei Tkachev has become known for fiery sermons in which he says death in war is the best way to go. He's just one of many pro-war Russian Orthodox priests in a church that, according to one senior former member, has lost its way. Some Russian clergymen have gone as far as to reinterpret the Christian commandments to give grounds for Moscow's brutal war in Ukraine. By RFE/RL's Russian Service
'Someday The Darkness Will Pass': Russian Couple Flees Putin's War Machine For Life At Sea
Journalist Arseny Vesnin and his girlfriend, Ksenia, escaped repression in Russia and now live, work, and protest their country’s war from a small yacht in the Mediterranean Sea. By Yulia Paramonova
Exclusive: Leaked Files Show China And Russia Sharing Tactics On Internet Control, Censorship
A window into the level of cooperation between China and Russia in censoring their respective Internets and monitoring dissent was unveiled in files from closed-door meetings in 2017 and 2019 between officials from the Cyberspace Administration of China and Roskomnadzor that were obtained by RFE/RL. By Daniil Belovodyev, Andrei Soshnikov, and Reid Standish
Praying In The 'Gray Zone': Ukraine's Frontline Sappers
Ukrainian assault brigade sappers risk everything to clear the front line of mines laid by Russian forces -- and lay their own. They often work a few hundred meters from Russian positions, leaving them vulnerable to attack. As one sapper told Current Time correspondent Oleksiy Prodayvoda about a recent mission: "I thought I wasn't coming back." By Oleksiy Prodayvoda, Current Time, and Austin Malloy
Thousands Mobilized In Impoverished Turkmenistan For State-Led 'Health Day'
Turkmen officials have ordered thousands of workers and students to take part in nationwide events, including a mass bike ride, for World Health Day on April 7. The cash-strapped country is known for its lavish events, but critics call it a waste of state funds when people are struggling to deal with the country’s decimated economy and low standard of living. By RFE/RL's Turkmen Service
'Empty Promises': Wives Of Russian Soldiers Fighting In Ukraine Say Pay Is Not What Was Promised
More and more Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine are complaining of not receiving their salaries on time, in full, or at all, leaving their wives at home to struggle with getting by and, in many cases, raising kids. Some blame it on bungled Russian bureaucracy, but the pay woes come as the Kremlin struggles with shrinking revenues as Western sanctions for its unprovoked invasion appear to bite. By Oleg Artyushenko
Ukrainian Photographer Turns War Wounds Into Works Of Art
A new photo project by Ukrainian photographer Marta Syrko captures stunning images of soldiers and civilians wounded during Russia's war on the country. In the project's first 2 1/2 months, Syrko has photographed seven Ukrainians who were seriously injured during the war. As casualties continue to grow, Syrko says the project focuses on body diversity and body positivity for those who have been maimed during fighting. By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Austin Malloy
Jakov Milatovic, The Man Who Unseated Montenegro's Longtime Leader
Thirty-six-year-old Jakov Milatovic on April 2 slammed the door on three decades of political domination by Montenegro's first postindependence president. Montenegrins have taken a big leap of faith. By Andy Heil and RFE/RL's Balkan Service
Riding To Victory: Kyrgyz Boys Give Their All In Ancient Sport Of Kok-Boru
In the high horse country of Kyrgyzstan's Jumgal region, boys compete fiercely every day after school at kok-boru. The traditional sport involves capturing a goat's carcass, or "ulak," and maneuvering it on horseback into the opposing team's goal. Boys who dream of playing when they're adults polish their skills on donkeys. By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, Mirlan Kadyrov, and Will Tizard
