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.
The Day War Arrived: Ukrainians From The Front Recall The Russian Invasion
Two months before the full-scale Russian invasion, we spoke to several Ukrainian soldiers at positions that would soon be overrun by Russian forces. Those who survived recall what happened on February 24, 2022. By Amos Chapple
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5
Ukrainian Women Overcome Fear And Prejudice To Keep The Mines Open
Ukrainian Women Overcome Fear And Prejudice To Keep The Mines Open
Six hundred miners were conscripted into the Ukrainian Army from a mine 370 meters underground near Pavlohrad in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region. Women have filled many of the gaps after the government changed the law to allow women to work underground in a bid to keep the mines working. By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5
'Aware Of The Risks': A Crimean Tatar Woman Defies Russia's Occupation Authorities
'Aware Of The Risks': A Crimean Tatar Woman Defies Russia's Occupation Authorities
From her home in Russian-occupied Crimea, Mumine Salieva continues to fight for human rights while also raising four children single-handedly after her husband was imprisoned. The 38-year-old PhD student helps families of people detained since Russian forces seized control of the peninsula 10 years ago, saying, "It is nothing else than the repression of the entire Crimean Tatar people." This report is from a full-length documentary, Silent Deportation, by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that can be viewed with English subtitles here. By Anzhelika Rudenko, Dmytro Dzhulay, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, and Ray Furlong
Made In Macedonia: Americans Lose Millions Buying Fake Donald Trump Debit Cards
In a city in North Macedonia notorious for its online scams, there is a new get-rich-quick scheme: Donald Trump-themed debit cards. By Biljana Nikolovska, Milos Katic, Jelena Jankovic, Natalija Jovanovic, and Mirjana Jevtovic
Hard Time: Navalny Not The Only Russian Dissident For Whom A Prison Term Could Be A Death Sentence
The number of Russians in custody over political stances or religious faith has been rising steadily, particularly since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Activists say the authorities use harsh conditions, the deprivation of medical treatment, and isolation to ruthlessly erode their health. By Robert Coalson
Paying Twice: Kazakhs Say Mandatory Payments Haven't Solved Health Care 'Hell'
A Kazakh draft law would require residents and their employers to pay a higher rate of medical insurance for those earning more than $1,900 per month. But Kazakhstan’s underfunded, corruption-ridden health system has not improved since mandatory health system was first introduced four years ago, and anger is growing at the possibility of having to pay more for a failing system. By Khadisha Akaeva and Chris Rickleton
Crosses For Chaos: How Russian Ultranationalists Used 'Missile Markers' To Sow Panic In Ukraine As Russia Invaded
A Russian ultranationalist’s digital campaign for “chaos” in Ukraine may explain the photos of mysterious crosses on roads, rooftops, and other locations -- described as missile markers -- that appeared on Ukrainian social media as Russian soldiers stormed toward Kyiv in February 2022. By Yelizaveta Surnacheva
Though Fading In Turkmenistan, The Russian Language Is Still In Demand
Over more than three decades of "Turkmenization", the Russian language has taken a back seat in Turkmenistan. But it is still a popular choice as a second language for the political elite and their children, as well as for television viewers. By Chris Rickleton
Demand For Exorcisms On The Rise In Tajikistan And Central Asia, Despite Crackdown, Scandals
Demand for centuries-old practice of exorcism is on the rise in Tajikistan, despite a government crackdown and scandals surrounding several exorcists who were accused of fraud and molestation. By Farangis Najibullah and Mullorajab Yusufzoda
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5
The Endangered Duduk: How War In Nagorno-Karabakh Changed The Tone Of Armenian Music
The Endangered Duduk: How War In Nagorno-Karabakh Changed The Tone Of Armenian Music
The vibration of a specific reed that grows around the Nagorno-Karabakh region has provided the haunting sound of Armenia’s duduk, a wind instrument, for centuries. Azerbaijan’s recent military takeover of the disputed territory means duduk makers are now looking to Europe for imported reeds, but some fear the traditional sound might change forever. By Amos Chapple, Margot Buff, Robert Zargarian