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.
'A Turning Point': A Decade After Euromaidan, Ukraine's Fight For Freedom Continues
Ukraine marks the 10th anniversary of the Euromaidan protest movement that erupted after then-President Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign an EU Association Agreement. Massive crowds of pro-European demonstrators occupied Kyiv's central square for months to oppose Yanukovych's plan for closer economic ties with Russia. In mid-February 2014, more than 100 people were killed as security forces opened fire on protesters. Ten years later, journalist Andriy Dubchak recalls the intense days and weeks of Euromaidan that led to the ousting of Moscow-friendly Yanukovych and set the country on a new, independent course. By Iryna Sysak, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, and Austin Malloy
See also: The Maidan Generation: Activists Reflect On A Turbulent Decade In Ukraine
Twenty Years After Rose Revolution, Georgia's Political Parties Hate Each Other. But They Also Largely Agree.
Twenty years ago, Georgia's Rose Revolution applied a radical jolt to the country's politics, economy, and foreign policy. For many in Georgia and abroad, the revolution and the man it brought to the presidency, Mikheil Saakashvili, represented a new hope for the Caucasus country. But as the anniversary of the momentous events approaches, many in Georgia won't be celebrating. Especially the current leadership. By Joshua Kucera
In Western Ukraine, Ethnic Hungarians Refuse To Play 'Hostage' To Hungary's EU Policy
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has pledged to veto EU membership talks with Ukraine over an education law he claims will shutter Hungarian-language schools. But some ethnic Hungarians in the country’s Zakarpattya region say they see this stance as a political ploy. By Yulia Zhukova
'Catastrophic Situation': How Lukashenka's Government Subjugated Belarus's Already Weak Judiciary
Lawyers say the last vestiges of judicial independence and defense advocacy have been destroyed since the brutal crackdown on dissent by Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka following pro-democracy protests in 2020. By RFE/RL's Belarus Service and Alena Shalayeva
Widowed While Pregnant: These Ukrainian Moms Lost Their Husbands In Combat
Kateryna Ukrayinets was four months pregnant when she found out that her husband had been killed while defending Ukraine against Russian forces. Speaking to RFE/RL, the 21-year-old widow said she had no idea how she would live without the father of her child. Russia's war on Ukraine has cost tens of thousands of lives and left many young women to care for their children alone. By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Austin Malloy
'That's How My Days Are Spent': RFE/RL Journalist Alsu Kurmasheva Writes From Jail
RFE/RL’s Alsu Kurmasheva has now spent more than a month in a Russian jail on suspicion that she failed to voluntarily register under the country's "foreign agent" laws. In her first messages from jail, Kurmasheva describes her conditions and expresses gratitude for the support she has received. By Robert Coalson and RFE/RL's Idel.Realities
In Ukraine, Russia's Military Has A Manpower Problem. Now It's Becoming A Political Problem
Russian officials are resorting to creative tools to keep military manpower in Ukraine at strength. That's causing grumbling, and public dissent, from relatives of exhausted soldiers. But if the Kremlin wants to decisively change the battlefield, they'll need a second mobilization. By Mike Eckel
Afghan Bodybuilder Breaks Down Over His Hungry Family's Sacrifices
Afghan Ali Reza Asahi says his path to the gold medal in the World Bodybuilding Championships in Seoul on November 9 was paved with pain. The 50-year-old father and husband, who won in the over-40 category, says in order to win he had to eat what little protein his family could afford while his family did without. By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and Will Tizard
Amid War In Israel, Jerusalem Armenians Enter Standoff Over Holy Land
Amid the ongoing war in Israel, a disputed land deal has reached crisis point after bulldozers began tearing up a contested section of Jerusalem's Armenian Quarter. By Amos Chapple
Mackerel And Pearl Barley: Michelin Chef Cooks For Troops While Fighting Mice In Donetsk Trenches
Ukrainian soldier Kostyantyn is a renowned chef who has cooked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe for many years. Now he's running an army field kitchen in the Donetsk region, feeding troops fighting off the Russian invasion. He improvises to create impressive menus for the entire 22nd Brigade while fighting an epic mouse-population boom. By Current Time and Will Tizard
