News
Son Of Putin Ally Lands Top KHL Post Despite No Ice Hockey Coaching Experience
The son of a Russian billionaire close to President Vladimir Putin has landed the head coaching job at one of the country’s top ice hockey teams despite little, if any, experience.
Roman Rotenberg, who has never served as a coach or played the game professionally, was named to the top post at SKA St. Petersburg, one of the premium teams in the largely Russian Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Roman Rotenberg is the son of Boris Rotenberg, one of Russia’s richest businessmen and a childhood friend of Putin. He was sanctioned along with other members of Russia’s inner circle by the EU and the United States in 2014 after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.
Owned by the Russian state-controlled energy giant Gazprom, SKA is one of the KHL’s wealthiest teams. SKA’s president is Gennady Timchenko, another Russian tycoon with ties to Putin.
In a statement posted to its website on January 4, SKA described Rotenberg’s appointment as “improving staff management.”
The man he replaced, Valery Bragin, will remain at SKA in another role.
Roman Rotenberg has never played or coached professional ice hockey. In 2019, he did receive a coaching license from a state-run university in Siberia.
Last September, the 40-year-old told the sports channel Match TV that he’d watched 800 hockey games since 2014 and considers this to be “serious experience.”
Roman Rotenberg also serves as the vice president of Russia’s Ice Hockey Federation, where his uncle Arkady Rotenberg chairs the board of directors.
With reporting by Meduza
People Detained During Kazakh Fuel Protests
Kazakh police and collaborators in plain clothes detained men gathering in the streets of the city of Shymkent as protests against a fuel price increase continued on January 4. In the cities of Aqtobe and Oral, police tried to prevent demonstrators from marching in the streets. The crowd in Aqtobe chanted "Old man, go away!" in reference to the country's longtime leader, Nursultan Nazarbaev, who stepped down as president in 2019 but has retained influence. Protests have spread across Kazakhstan since January 2 after the prices of liquefied natural gas -- widely used as fuel for vehicles -- more than doubled.
Czech Ex-Soldier Sentenced For Fighting With Russia-Backed Separatists In Ukraine
A former member of the Czech Army has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for fighting on the side of pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Martin Sukup, 49, was found guilty on January 4 by the Prague City Court on charges linked to terrorism, Czech media reported.
His lawyers said they would appeal the ruling, maintaining their client is innocent.
Sukup was tried in absentia as he is believed to be in eastern Ukraine.
Sukup is reported to have traveled to eastern Ukraine in 2014 when Russia seized control of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and began backing separatists in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. At least 13,200 people have died in the conflict.
Moscow has consistently rejected accusations that it is actively involved in the eastern Ukrainian conflict despite years of evidence to the contrary, including Russian troops being captured in the war zone.
Prosecutors said Sukup had joined separatists in the Donetsk region, and was active from June 2014 until at least May 2018, including taking part in especially bloody fighting against Ukrainian forces in Kramatorsk and Horlivka.
Prosecutors said Sukup left an incriminating trail on social media, including posing with so-called medals for his role in “liberating Donbas,” as the industrial heartland of eastern Ukraine is also called.
Centerra In Talks With Kyrgyzstan Over Out-Of-Court Settlement In Mine Dispute
BISHKEK -- Centerra Gold has confirmed it was in talks with Kyrgyzstan’s government about an out-of-court settlement over a dispute related to the Canadian company's Kumtor gold mine.
The mine has been at the center of financial and environmental disagreements for years and is currently the subject of an ongoing battle for control between the Kyrgyz state and Centerra.
In a statement on January 3, Centerra laid out a framework for any resolution of the dispute, saying it should receive approximately 26.1 percent of its common stock held by the state-owned company Kyrgyzaltyn.
Among other things, it said the Kyrgyz state should also assume "all responsibility" for Centerra’s two Kyrgyz subsidiaries, as well as the Kumtor mine.
The previous day, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said that "good progress has been made in the negotiation process" with Centerra.
“The parties are finalizing the discussion of an amicable agreement, including...the condition for the full transfer of the Kumtor Gold Company to the Kyrgyz Republic," he said.
Last year, Centerra kicked off arbitration against the Central Asian country after it took over the country's biggest mine in May for allegedly endangering human lives, the environment, and causing other significant damage -- which the company denies.
Many Kyrgyz lawmakers have expressed concern about an alleged lack of transparency at Kumtor since the Kyrgyz government took control of the gold mine.
U.S. Slams Georgia's Ruling Party For 'Undermining' Government Accountability, Judiciary
TBILISI -- The United States has sharply criticized Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, for rushing legislation last week that Washington says “undermined” government accountability, the independence of judges, and overall faith in the judiciary.
“No credible reasons were provided to the public for why these actions needed to be rushed through without appropriate consultations,” the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi said in a strongly worded statement on January 3.
“The lack of transparent discussion or analysis of the amendments is particularly troubling,” it added.
On December 30, the Georgian Dream-led parliament voted to dissolve the State Inspector’s Service, an independent agency responsible for monitoring personal data protection and abuse of power, despite local and international concerns that the move is politically motivated.
Under the new bill, two new separate bodies tasked with monitoring data privacy and investigating abuse of power by officials will be created.
Georgian Dream leader Irakli Kobakhidze rejected the criticism as “unfair” on January 4 and said such statements undermined the Georgians’ “trust” in the South Caucasus’s Western partners.
But in its statement, the U.S. Embassy said the move “undermined government accountability.”
The ruling party also “undermined the independence of individual judges by amending the Law on Common Courts, and undermined faith in the judiciary by appointing yet another Supreme Court judge using a flawed selection process.”
“Strong democratic institutions and adherence to the rule of law are Georgia’s best defenses against Russian aggression,” it said, referring to Moscow’s support to separatists in Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The embassy also warned that “steps that weaken democratic institutions, such as the judiciary or independent oversight agencies, damage Georgia’s aspirations for NATO and European Union membership, and undermine the basic freedoms that are the foundation of Georgian culture and society.”
But Kobakhidze claimed that the diplomatic mission had made "factual mistakes."
"We have 30 years of very successful cooperation with our partners. Very often we often take advice from them and take it into account. But there are, unfortunately, such exceptional cases when we hear unfair and incorrect assessments,” according to Georgian Dream’s leader.
U.S. Ambassador Kelly Degnan had previously called on Georgia’s parliament to pause what she called “a strange process rushing through legislation when there’s no need to rush it through,” and for lawmakers to conduct transparent consultations with all stakeholders.
Georgia’s State Inspector Londa Toloraia accused the government of trying to retaliate against the agency for its investigations and for its decisions against state bodies.
Public Defender Nino Lomjaria said the bill violated the constitution and the country’s human rights commitments and aimed to “interfere with the activities of an independent institution.”
The UN Human Rights Office said it had “deep concern” over the proposal to abolish an independent office with a key role in torture prevention and privacy protection.
- By RFE/RL
Serbia's Djokovic To Play Australian Open After Vaccination Exemption
Serbia's Novak Djokovic, the top-ranked men's tennis player, says he will play in the upcoming Australian Open after receiving a medical exemption over his coronavirus vaccination status, ending months of speculation over whether he would defend his title.
"I’ve spent fantastic quality time with loved ones over break & today I’m heading Down Under with an exemption permission. Let’s go 2022!" he said in a tweet on January 4, 13 days before the start of the tennis season's first Grand Slam tournament.
Djokovic's status for the tournament, which he has won a record nine times, was in doubt as government officials said only those with proof of vaccination against COVID-19 could participate in the event.
The 34-year-old Serb, who is looking for a record 21st Grand Slam title in Melbourne, has previously signalled his opposition to the vaccine and has never revealed his innoculation status.
He applied to an independent panel of experts for a medical exemption, but has never said what his medical issues are. He did not elaborate on the exemption in his tweet.
Djokovic, Spain's Rafael Nadal, and Switzerland's Roger Federer are all tied with 20 Grand Slam titles each. Nadal will compete in Melbourne after recovering from COVID-19. Federer will not be at the tournament as he continues to recover from knee surgery.
Kazakh Police Fire Stun Grenades On Protesters In Almaty As President Issues Warning
ALMATY -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev warned protesters on January 4 that calls to attack government and military buildings were illegal, as he issued a video address to the nation amid protests in several cities.
"The government will not fall, but we want mutual trust and dialogue rather than conflict," he said.
His appeal came shortly after reports of security forces using stun grenades as hundreds of protesters tried to storm the mayor's office in the country's biggest city, Almaty, late on January 4.
Explosions could be heard coming from the vicinity of the city's main square where the mayor's office is located, video uploaded to social media indicated.
Republic Square had been closed to the public and access to mobile Internet connection was limited in Almaty.
Despite the security crackdown, crowds continued to gather and march down the streets of Almaty into the late hours of January 4.
Earlier, Kazakh police detained a second RFE/RL journalist covering the protests in the Central Asian nation as unrest grows over a steep rise in energy prices.
Darkhan Umirbekov, an editor with RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, was detained in the capital Nur-Sultan on January 4 by police at a demonstration just hours after officers briefly held, without explanation, Kasym Amanzhol, the acting Almaty bureau chief of RFE/RL’s Kazakh language service, known locally as Azattyk, as he filmed the third consecutive day of protests over a sudden, dramatic hike in prices for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is used in vehicles.
RFE/RL President Jamie Fly called for Umirbekov and any other detained journalists to be released.
"RFE/RL journalists in Kazakhstan are providing an important public service by covering their fellow citizens’ demands. The Kazakh government must immediately release Darkhan Umirbekov and any other detained journalists. It is outrageous that reporters would be arrested for just doing their jobs," Fly said in a statement.
Umirbekov was later released after being interrogated by police for 4 1/2 hours.
Protests erupted in the western Kazakh region of Mangystau on January 2 over the spike in LPG prices and have since spread to cities and towns across the country.
In the evening on January 4, the government announced it was restoring the price cap of 50 tenge ($0.11) per liter, or less than half the market price, in Mangystau.
Toqaev also signed a decree to institute a state of emergency in the Almaty and Mangystau regions.
Earlier, hundreds of people calling for lower gas prices and for the government to resign gathered in the central squares of the town of Zhanaozen and Aqtau, the regional administrative center for Mangystau, after demonstrators had spent their second night in the area.
Smaller rallies were held in the northern city of Aqtobe, Shymkent in the south, Oral in the west, Almaty in the southeast, and Nur-Sultan, the capital, in support of the protesters in Mangystau and voice discontent over issues such as corruption, unemployment, and low wages.
More than 20 people were detained by police in the protests.
In an attempt to calm demonstrators, President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev announced that a government commission that includes members of his administration has started working in Aqtau to “find a mutually acceptable solution to the problem that has arisen in the interests of stability in our country.”
“Law enforcement agencies were instructed to prevent violations of public order. Demonstrators must be responsible and ready for dialogue,” he wrote in a separate tweet.
The government has said it would “implement a package of measures to regulate” LPG prices.
The price per liter of LPG jumped to 120 tenge (28 U.S. cents) at gas stations in Mangystau at the start of this year, compared with a price of 50-60 tenge (12-14 cents) in 2021.
Zhanaozen was the scene of a 2011 police crackdown against oil workers protesting over pay and working conditions that claimed the lives of at least 16 of them.
Aqtau resident Esberdy Asauov told RFE/RL that about 6,000 mainly young protesters were on the city’s Yntymak Square in the evening of January 3, demanding the resignation of the government and calling on the authorities to fight against unemployment and corruption.
A tent and a yurt were set up on the square. Police did not allow the demonstrators to install stoves and cook hot meals, but locals and businessmen brought them hot food, according to Asauov.
Roads leading to the city have been closed by the authorities.
In Nur-Sultan, police detained at least three people protesting outside the city government building, while mobile Internet connections were disabled in the area.
At least three protesters were held in the city the previous day.
Police carried out at least 10 "preventive arrests" ahead of a planned protest called by fugitive businessman and former Energy Minister Mukhtar Ablyazov, leader of the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK).
In Shymkent, police forcefully removed more than 10 people gathered in front of the local government building, while unidentified men in civilian clothes prevented an RFE/RL correspondent from filming.
Human rights groups have said Kazakhstan’s law on public gatherings contradicts international standards as it requires preliminary permission from authorities to hold rallies. It also envisions prosecution for organizing and participating in unsanctioned rallies even though the nation’s constitution guarantees its citizens the right of free assembly.
Many activists across the Central Asian nation have been handed lengthy prison terms or parole-like restricted freedom sentences in recent years for their involvement in the activities of DVK, as well as for taking part in the rallies organized by the group.
Kazakhstan Rocked By Third Day Of Protests Over Energy Price Hike
ZHANAOZEN/NUR-SULTAN/ALMATY/SHYMKENT/ORAL -- Hundreds of people in the western Kazakh region of Mangystau are protesting for a third straight day on January 4 over a sudden, dramatic hike in prices for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used in vehicles.
Demonstrators calling for lower gas prices and for the government to resign spent their second night in the open in the central squares of the town of Zhanaozen and Aqtau, the regional administrative center.
Smaller rallies were held in the northern city of Aqtobe, Shymkent in the south, Oral in the west, Almaty in the southeast, and Nur-Sultan, the capital, in support of the protesters in Mangystau and voice discontent over issues such as corruption, unemployment, and low wages.
More than 20 people were detained by police in the protests.
In an attempt to calm demonstrators, President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev announced that a government commission that includes members of his administration has started working in Aqtau to “find a mutually acceptable solution to the problem that has arisen in the interests of stability in our country.”
“Law enforcement agencies were instructed to prevent violations of public order. Demonstrators must be responsible and ready for dialogue,” he wrote in a separate tweet.
The government has said it would “implement a package of measures to regulate” LPG prices.
The price per liter of LPG jumped to 120 tenge (28 U.S. cents) at gas stations in Mangystau at the start of this year, compared with a price of 50-60 tenge (12-14 cents) in 2021.
Zhanaozen was the scene of a 2011 police crackdown against oil workers protesting over pay and working conditions that claimed the lives of at least 16 of them.
Aqtau resident Esberdy Asauov told RFE/RL that about 6,000 mainly young protesters were on the city’s Yntymak Square in the evening of January 3, demanding the resignation of the government and calling on the authorities to fight against unemployment and corruption.
A tent and a yurt were set up on the square. Police did not allow the demonstrators to install stoves and cook hot meals, but locals and businessmen brought them hot food, according to Asauov.
Roads leading to the city have been closed by the authorities.
In Nur-Sultan, police detained at least three people protesting outside the city government building, while mobile Internet connections were disabled in the area.
At least three protesters were held in the city the previous day.
In Almaty, Kazakhstan’s biggest city, Republic Square was closed to the public and access to mobile Internet connection was limited.
Police carry out at least 10 "preventive arrests" ahead of a planned protest called by fugitive businessman and former Energy Minister Mukhtar Ablyazov, leader of the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK).
In Shymkent, police forcefully removed more than 10 people gathered in front of the local government building, while unidentified men in civilian clothes prevented an RFE/RL correspondent from filming.
Human rights groups have said Kazakhstan’s law on public gatherings contradicts international standards as it requires preliminary permission from authorities to hold rallies. It also envisions prosecution for organizing and participating in unsanctioned rallies even though the nation’s constitution guarantees its citizens the right of free assembly.
Many activists across the Central Asian nation have been handed lengthy prison terms or parole-like restricted freedom sentences in recent years for their involvement in the activities of DVK, as well as for taking part in the rallies organized by the group.
EU Foreign Policy Chief To Begin Ukraine Visit Amid Russia Tensions
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell will begin a visit to Ukraine on January 4 in a show of support for Kyiv ahead of a week of intense diplomacy over a Russian military buildup near the former Soviet republic's border.
Borrell’s three-day visit will include a stop at the contact line in eastern Ukraine where Russia-backed separatists have battled Ukrainian government forces in a nearly eight-year war that has claimed the lives of more than 13,200 people. It will be the first time the EU's top diplomat to the region since the conflict broke out.
The visit comes amid Western concerns that the Russian buildup of around 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders could be preparations for a potential invasion, something Moscow denies.
The European Union's top diplomat told Poland’s PAP news agency that the purpose of his trip is to talk to the Ukrainians about their concerns and ways to address them.
He said the current situation is a threat to the stability and security of Ukraine and the whole region, and that it cannot be discussed “without all the relevant actors around the table.”
“The EU cannot be a neutral spectator in these negotiations if Russia really wants to discuss Europe's security architecture,” Borrell said.
Ukraine and its allies are working on a comprehensive deterrence package against Russia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said after speaking to his British counterpart Liz Truss on January 4.
"The deterrence package includes political, economic, and security levels. I am grateful to the United Kingdom for its leading role in this process," Kuleba said in a statement.
Meanwhile, NATO announced it would hold a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from the 30 member nations on January 7 to discuss the crisis after Moscow demanded sweeping security guarantees from the United States and its allies.
The extraordinary meeting will be followed by talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Geneva on January 9-10 and a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council on January 12.
"Any dialogue with Russia would have to proceed on the basis of reciprocity, address NATO's concerns about Russia's actions...and take place in consultation with NATO's European partners," an official with the Western military alliance said in a statement to Reuters on January 4.
The council, the main forum for dialogue between the two sides, has met only sporadically since 2014, when Russia invaded and annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
The NATO-Russia Council meeting will be followed the next day by discussions under the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which includes the United States and its NATO allies, as well as Russia and Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed Russia’s "destabilizing" military buildup in a conversation on January 3 with nine eastern NATO members, the State Department said in a statement.
The talks between Blinken and the foreign ministers of the Bucharest Nine (B9) -- Romania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania -- also touched upon "the need for a united, ready, and resolute NATO stance for the collective defense of Allies; and transatlantic cooperation on issues of shared concern,” it said.
The U.S. top diplomat "stressed the U.S. commitment to continued close consultation and coordination with all of our Transatlantic Allies and partners as we work toward de-escalation through deterrence, defense, and dialogue,” the statement added.
Russia has demanded guarantees Ukraine and other former Soviet countries will not join NATO and wants a rollback of the alliance’s military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe.
The West has rejected Moscow’s ultimatums regarding the NATO alliance and threatened Moscow with severe sanctions and other measures if it launches a fresh incursion of Ukraine.
With reporting by AFP, dpa, Interfax, Reuters, and PAP
- By RFE/RL
Canadian Court Awards $84 Million To Relatives Of Six People Killed In Downing Of Passenger Plane By Iran
A Canadian court has awarded $84 million to the families of six people who died when Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) downed a Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) plane two years ago.
All 176 people onboard were killed when the IRGC shot down the airliner in January 2020 shortly after takeoff from Tehran’s airport. More than 130 of the passengers had ties to Canada. Citizens or residents of Afghanistan, Britain, Iran, Ukraine, and Sweden were also killed.
The relatives awarded compensation in the ruling announced on January 3 had filed a civil lawsuit against Iran and other officials they believe were to blame for the incident.
The plaintiffs lost spouses, siblings, children, nieces, and nephews aboard the flight, their lawyer, Mark Arnold, said in a statement on January 3. Iran did not defend itself in court, making it a default judgment.
Arnold said his team will look to seize Iranian assets, including oil tankers, in Canada and abroad to cover the award. He said his team will be looking to seize whatever it can.
The decision by Ontario's Superior Court of Justice was dated December 31 and announced by Arnold. The same court ruled in May that the destruction of the commercial plane was an intentional act of terrorism.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry denounced the May ruling as "shameful" and said the court's decision lacked legitimate evidence. Iran also has rejected Canadian class action lawsuits related to the downing of the flight, arguing that Canadian courts have no jurisdiction and insisting that all judicial proceedings be conducted inside Iran.
A Canadian forensic team report last year accused Iran of incompetence and recklessness over the downing of the passenger plane.
The report found that while the downing of the plane had not been premeditated, it did not absolve Iranian officials of responsibility. Iran criticized the report as "highly politicized."
Iranian authorities initially denied responsibility but later admitted to inadvertently shooting down the Kyiv-bound plane after mistaking the Boeing jet for a U.S. missile while Iranian forces were on high alert during a confrontation with the United States.
Iran was on edge after it fired missiles at Iraqi bases housing U.S. forces in retaliation for the killing of its most powerful military commander, Qassem Soleimani, in a U.S. drone strike at Baghdad airport.
Iran fired the missiles on January 8, 2020, -- five days after the strike that killed Soleimani. The same night, the UIA flight was downed by Iranian surface-to-air missiles.
With reporting by Reuters, CBC, and BBC
Serbian Activists Block Roads To Protest Possible Lithium Mine
Hundreds of people blocked roads at several locations in Serbia on January 3 to protest a prospective lithium mine that they say will damage the environment.
For weeks, demonstrators have staged regular protests and blocked roads demanding the government reject a possible lithium mine in western Serbia.
London-based Rio Tinto, the world's second-largest metals and mining company, is studying the possible development of a lithium mine in Serbia, believed to be one of the largest in Europe.
The mine has the potential to generate significant export revenue and jobs for Serbia, especially if the country pursues plans to refine it locally and develop lithium battery plants.
Demand for lithium battery-powered electric cars is expected to surge in the coming years as the United States, Europe, and China seek to cut carbon emissions.
Rio Tinto says it would respect laws and environmental standards, but ecology groups worry dirty lithium mining will damage the environment. To date the company has only carried out explorations.
“Rio Tinto must leave Serbia,” said Aleksandar Jovanovic, one of the protest leaders.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who backs the projects, called the protests political.
Speaking at a military base, Vucic there will be no lithium mining until more environmental evaluations are completed.
Kazakhs Protest Fuel Price Hike
Protesters in Kazakhstan have voiced their anger over a sharp increase in prices for liquefied gas fuel used in vehicles. More than 1,000 demonstrators gathered in the city of Zhanaozen on January 3. Police also detained protesters in the capital, Nur-Sultan, and tried to prevent an RFE/RL reporter from filming the detentions. In Kazakhstan's biggest city, Almaty, unidentified attackers snatched a banner from protesters.
- By RFE/RL
Trump Endorses Viktor Orban, Hungary's Right-Wing Prime Minister, Ahead Of Elections
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has endorsed Viktor Orban in Hungary’s upcoming parliamentary elections, describing the nationalist prime minister as a “strong leader.”
In a statement on January 3, Trump wrote that the Hungarian leader has his "complete support and endorsement" in elections expected in April.
Orban “has done a powerful and wonderful job protecting Hungary, stopping illegal immigration, creating jobs, trade and should be allowed to continue to do so in the upcoming election.”
It is highly unusual for a former or sitting U.S. president to publicly endorse candidates in foreign elections.
Orban’s critics say his ruling Fidesz party has dismantled democratic institutions in Hungary, while trashing judicial independence and controlling the media.
He has also stepped up an anti-LGBT campaign as part of an ongoing drive to depict itself as the guardian of Christian values against Western liberalism that also includes a hard-line anti-immigration policy.
In 2016, Orban was the first leader of a European Union nation to endorse Trump’s bid for the presidency. Trump later hosted Orban at the White House in 2019.
Orban also supported Trump’s candidacy against President Joe Biden in 2020.
Hungary was the only EU member state to not receive an invitation to Biden's virtual Summit for Democracy in December.
Orban, who has been in power since 2010, faces a challenge to his rule with multiple opposition parties agreeing to unite behind one candidate for the first time.
Recent polls suggest a close race against the coalition's candidate for prime minister, Peter Marki-Zay.
With reporting by AFP, AP, and dpa
- By RFE/RL
EU Foreign Policy Chief To Visit Ukraine Amid Tensions With Russia
The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, will visit Ukraine this week in a sign of the bloc’s support for Kyiv as it faces a Russian military buildup near its border.
The European Commission said on January 3 that Borrell will travel to Ukraine from January 4 to January 6, visiting the “contact line” where Russia-backed separatists battle Ukrainian government forces in eastern Ukraine before meeting with officials in Kyiv.
The West is concerned that a Russian buildup of around 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders could be preparation for a potential invasion.
U.S. and Russian officials are set to hold talks in Geneva on January 9-10 on the crisis after Moscow demanded sweeping security guarantees from the United States and NATO.
Those bilateral talks will be followed days later by meetings between Russia and NATO and separate discussions under the framework of the Organization For Security and Cooperation In Europe (OSCE).
Brussels wants to avoid being left out of talks between the United States and Russia over security on the continent.
“The EU must be present at these negotiations,” Borrell said in an interview with Germany’s Die Welt newspaper last week. “We do not want to be…spectators that are not involved and over whose heads decisions are made.”
The United States has said no decisions will be made about security in the region without its European allies and Ukraine. In the latest consultations, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with nine eastern flank NATO allies on January 3 to discuss Russia’s military buildup and the need for “a united, ready, and resolute” alliance.
Russia has demanded guarantees that Ukraine and other former Soviet countries will not join NATO and wants a rollback of the alliance’s military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe.
The West has rejected Moscow’s ultimatums regarding the NATO alliance and threatened Moscow with severe sanctions and other measures if it launches a fresh incursion into Ukraine.
Meanwhile, representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France are to meet on January 6 in Moscow under the so-called Normandy format, the Interfax news agency reported.
The four nations are trying to find a political solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine but haven’t met since 2019 under this format.
Russia and Ukraine blame each other for failing to meet their commitments under the 2014 and 2015 Minsk agreements aimed at putting an end to the war, which has killed more than 13,200 people since 2014.
With reporting by dpa and Interfax
- By RFE/RL
World Powers Pledge To Stop Spread Of Nuclear Weapons On Eve Of Non-Proliferation Meeting
The world's five leading nuclear powers -- all permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- have pledged to stop the spread of atomic weapons and to do all they can to ensure a nuclear war never occurs.
In a rare joint statement issued on January 3, France, the United States, Russia, China, and the United Kingdom said they were determined to prevent nuclear war and avoid a nuclear arms race.
"We affirm that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be waged," the statement said.
"In view of the far-reaching consequences of the use of nuclear weapons, we also affirm that they, as long as they exist, must be used for defensive purposes, deterrence and prevention of war. We firmly believe in the need to prevent the further spread of these weapons," it added.
The statement was issued after the latest review of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was postponed from January 4 to later in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NPT, which took force in 1970, allows for signatories to gather every five years to review the treaty's operation. The conference was originally set for April 2020, but delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the January 3 joint statement, the five Security Council members reaffirmed the importance of dealing with nuclear threats and stressed the need "to preserve and respect our bilateral and multilateral agreements and commitments on non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control."
"We remain committed to fulfilling our obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), including that contained in Article VI to 'continue in good faith negotiations on effective measures relating to the cessation of nuclear weapons. early nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament, and on a general and complete disarmament treaty under strict and effective international control.'"
The statement comes amid a rise in to near Cold War levels over a buildup of troops by Moscow close to the Ukrainian border, and tensions between the U.S. and China over human rights issues, a crackdown on pro-democracy groups in Hong Kong, and the situation around Taiwan.
Beijing said the statement will "increase mutual trust" among world powers, while officials in Russia said they hoped the pledge would help to reduce world tensions over global security.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the RIA Novosti news agency that even with the pledge, Moscow still considers it "necessary" to hold a summit between the world's major nuclear powers to address outstanding issues.
"We hope that, in the current difficult conditions of international security, the approval of such a political statement will help reduce the level of international tensions," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The troop buildup has raised fears that the Kremlin is planning a new attack on its pro-Western neighbor. Meanwhile, the rise of China under President Xi Jinping has also raised concerns that tensions with Washington could lead to conflict, notably over Taiwan.
U.S. President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on December 30 held a phone call in which Biden said the United States and its allies would impose severe sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine.
During the call Biden warned Putin against invading Ukraine, while the Kremlin leader said anti-Moscow sanctions would be a "colossal mistake." But both leaders indicated support for further diplomacy, and talks between Russia and the U.S. on European security are expected to be held in Geneva early next week followed by other high-level meetings later in the month.
The NPT recognizes China, France, Russia, the U.K., and United States as nuclear weapons powers. India and Pakistan have also developed nuclear weapons, while Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear arms but has never officially acknowledged it has. India, Pakistan, and Israel are not signatories of the NPT. North Korea, which has also developed nuclear weapons, pulled out of the NPT in 2003.
With reporting by AFP, dpa, and Reuters
Sharp Energy Price Hike Triggers Protests In Kazakhstan
ZHANAOZEN, Kazakhstan -- Hundreds of people in the western Kazakh region of Mangystau have protested for a second straight day against a sudden, dramatic hike in prices for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used in vehicles.
More than 1,000 people rallied in the town of Zhanaozen’s main square on January 3 after protesters spent the night there, complaining that the price increase will lead to knock-on effects to the prices of other daily commodities such as food.
Dozens of demonstrators also voiced anger in Aqtau, the regional administrative center, after spending the night in the open.
Smaller demonstrations were also held in villages in the Mangystau region, as well as in several cities and towns elsewhere in the Central Asian country in support of the protesters, including in the capital, Nur-Sultan, where at least three people were detained.
The price per liter of LPG jumped to 120 tenge (28 U.S. cents) at gas stations in Mangystau at the start of this year, compared with a price of 50-60 tenge (12-14 cents) in 2021.
President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev warned the protesters against violating the restrictive law on public gatherings, while the government said it would “implement a package of measures to regulate” LPG prices.
The owners of gas stations in the Mangystau region have agreed to reduce the gas price to 85-90 tenge (20-21 cents) per liter, the government said in a statement.
But Erlan Sargulov, who was among the protesters in Zhanaozen’s main square, said that was not enough.
“Let them reduce the price of gas by 50-60 tenge per liter, or increase our salary to 200,000 tenge ($460),” Sargulov said.
In Aqtau, around 30 people were standing at the city’s Yntymak Square, with dozens of police officers and special forces standing around it.
The protesters said they would continue their protest until the price of gas is reduced to 60 tenge.
An RFE/RL correspondent reported that the cost of taking a taxi from the airport to the city center had tripled to 3,000 tenge ($6.9).
"We run on gas, it's more expensive," the taxi driver explained.
Near Nur-Sultan’s monument to Khan Kenesary, police detained three people supporting the protesters in Mangystau. Officers also prevented an RFE/RL reporter from filming.
A small group of protesters gathered in front of the local government building were also forced into a police bus, according to video shared on social media.
In Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, Republic Square and Astana Square were closed to the public and guarded by police officers.
One officer told RFE/RL that the squares were closed “in connection with the rally." He did not provide further details.
Toqaev tweeted overnight that "citizens have the right to make public demands to local and central authorities, but this must be done in accordance with the law, in particular the law on peaceful protests."
Human rights groups have said that Kazakhstan’s law on public gatherings contradicts international standards as it requires preliminary permission from authorities to hold rallies. It also envisions prosecution for organizing and participating in unsanctioned rallies even though the nation’s constitution guarantees its citizens the right of free assembly.
- By RFE/RL
Iran Vows 'Revenge' On Anniversary Of General's Killing In U.S. Air Strike
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has vowed revenge for the killing of a top Iranian general in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad two years ago unless then-President Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are put on trial.
"If Trump and Pompeo are not tried in a fair court for the criminal act of assassinating General [Qassem] Soleimani, Muslims will take our martyr's revenge," Raisi said in a televised speech on January 3, amid heightened regional tensions on the second anniversary of the death of the Iranian commander.
Earlier in the day, two armed drones were shot down as they approached a military facility hosting American forces at Baghdad's international airport, security sources said on January 3, amid heightened regional tensions on the second anniversary of the killing of a top Iranian general in a U.S. drone strike.
A counterrocket system at a compound used by the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State (IS) extremist group "engaged [the two drones] and they were shot down without incident," a coalition source told AFP.
Describing the unmanned aircraft as “suicide drones," a coalition official told AP that the incident was “a dangerous attack on a civilian airport.”
There were no reports of damage or injuries from the incident, which was confirmed by Iraqi security officials. No one immediately claimed responsibility.
Soleimani, who headed the elite Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), and his Iraqi lieutenant Abu Hamid al-Muhandis, were killed on January 3, 2020 in a drone strike near Baghdad airport.
The air strike, ordered by Trump, came in response to a spate of attacks against U.S. interests in Iraq.
Soleimani was considered a main architect of Iran's Middle East military strategy, and his killing ratcheted up tensions between Iran and the United States.
Five days after Soleimani's death, Iran fired missiles at an Iraqi air base hosting U.S. forces and another base near the Iraqi city of Irbil.
The same night, a Ukraine International Airlines flight was downed by Iranian surface-to-air missiles shortly after takeoff from Tehran on January 8, 2020.
Iran has admitted that its forces inadvertently shot down the Kyiv-bound plane amid heightened tensions with the United States.
In another sign of Middle East tensions, the website of a major Israeli newspaper was targeted by hackers on January 2.
The attack on the Jerusalem Post’s website replaced content with an image showing a missile falling from a fist bearing a ring long associated with Soleimani.
The image included an exploding target designed to look like an Israeli nuclear research center associated with Israel's undeclared nuclear weapons program.
The English-language newspaper acknowledged the hack, saying on Twitter: “We are aware of the apparent hacking of our website, alongside a direct threat to Israel.”
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the hacking.
The Jerusalem Post said it was unclear if the hackers were from Iran, supporters from outside the country, or if they were state-sponsored.
The previous day, hundreds of demonstrators turned out in Baghdad to mark the anniversary of the attack that killed Soleimani.
Although the international coalition against the IS group announced the end of its "combat mission" in Iraq in December, some 2,500 U.S. and 1,000 coalition troops remain in the country to advise and train Iraqi security forces.
Also on January 3, Yemen’s Iranian-backed Huthi rebels seized an Emirati-flagged ship in the Red Sea, a crucial route for international trade and energy shipments.
The Shi’ite Huthis acknowledged the incident off the coast of Hodeida, a long-contested prize of the seven-year war in Yemen.
A military spokesman for the group, Yahia Sarei, described the ship as an Emirati “military cargo ship” carrying equipment into Yemen’s territorial waters “without any license” to engage in “hostile acts” against the country’s stability.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Huthis accused the group of committing an act of “armed piracy,” and asserted that the ship carried medical equipment from a dismantled Saudi field hospital in the island of Socotra.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, The Jerusalem Post, and AFP
- By RFE/RL
In Call With Zelenskiy, Biden Vows To Act Decisively With Allies If Russia Invades Ukraine
WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden has reassured Ukraine of U.S. support in the face of a Russian military buildup on Ukraine's borders, telling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a phone call on January 2 that the U.S. and its allies will "respond decisively" if Russia invades the former Soviet republic.
Biden “reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement after the two leaders spoke.
“The leaders expressed support for diplomatic efforts, starting next week with the bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue, at NATO through the NATO-Russia Council, and at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,” Psaki said.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine appreciates the “unwavering” support from the United States, noting on Twitter that he and Biden discussed cooperation between the United States, Ukraine, and other partners "in keeping peace in Europe, preventing further escalation, reforms, de-oligarchization.”
The call was the second in three weeks between Biden and Zelenskiy as the White House attempts to address the Russian troop buildup. U.S. intelligence findings indicate Russia has made preparations for a potential invasion in early 2022, and authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks.
U.S. Representative Adam Schiff (Democrat-California), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said he feared that Russian President Vladimir Putin was intent on invading Ukraine and “nothing other than a level of sanctions that Russia has never seen will deter him.”
Speaking on January 2 on U.S. broadcaster CBS, Schiff also said that a powerful deterrent “is the understanding that if they do invade, it is going to bring [NATO] closer to Russia, not push it farther away."
Biden’s call with Zelenskiy follows talks between Biden and Putin on December 30 in which Biden said the United States and its allies would impose severe sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine.
During the call Biden warned Putin against invading Ukraine, while the Kremlin leader said anti-Moscow sanctions would be a "colossal mistake." But both leaders indicated support for further diplomacy.
Russia has demanded sweeping security guarantees from the United States and NATO, including that Ukraine and other former Soviet countries will not join NATO and a rollback of military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe. Putin has urged the West to meet the demands “immediately.”
Russia has defended its troop buildup, saying it could not remain indifferent to perceived NATO aggression on Russia's "doorstep."
The U.S. has urged Russia to "engage meaningfully" in upcoming high-level talks on the tense standoff between Moscow and Kyiv.
The first of the three rounds of talks are set for January 9-10 in Geneva. They are to discuss arms control and tensions over Ukraine under their bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue.
That will be followed by a separate meeting of the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels on January 12. Another meeting will be held in Vienna a day later within the framework of the OSCE, which includes the United States, its European allies, Ukraine, and Russia.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, AP, Reuters, and AFP
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Will 'Respond Decisively' If Russia Invades Ukraine, Biden Tells Zelenskiy
U.S. President Joe Biden has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that the United States and its allies will "respond decisively" if Russia further invades Ukraine, according to a White House statement on January 2.
Biden “reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in the statement, which came after the two leaders spoke by phone.
“The leaders expressed support for diplomatic efforts, starting next week with the bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue, at NATO through the NATO-Russia Council, and at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,” Psaki said.
The first of the three high-level U.S. and Russian talks are set for January 9-10 in Geneva.
Zelenskiy noted that the call came early in 2022 and said he and Biden discussed the cooperation between the United States and Ukraine and other partners.
"The first international talk of the year with @POTUS proves the special nature of our relations," Zelenskiy wrote on Twitter. He said he and Biden discussed the joint actions of Ukraine, the United States "and partners in keeping peace in Europe, preventing further escalation, reforms, deoligarchization.
“We appreciate the unwavering support of Ukraine,” he added.
The call was the second in three weeks between the two leaders as the White House attempts to address a Russian troop buildup that has alarmed NATO, while authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks.
The call follows on the heels of talks between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 30 in which Biden said the United States and its allies would impose severe sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine.
Russia has amassed about 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine as it makes demands for sweeping security guarantees from the United States and NATO.
In particular, Moscow wants NATO to deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe.
During their call on December 30, Biden and Putin set the groundwork for three sets of upcoming talks aimed at defusing the crisis.
The talks in Geneva next week are to discuss arms control and the mounting tensions over Ukraine under their bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue.
That will be followed by a separate meeting of the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels on January 12.
Another meeting will be held in Vienna a day later within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which includes the United States, its European allies, Ukraine, and Russia.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on December 31 reinforced that Russia stands by its demands for written security guarantees.
“If no constructive answer comes in a reasonable time and the West continues its aggressive course, Russia will have to take all necessary measures to maintain a strategic balance and remove unacceptable threats to our security,” he told the state news agency RIA Novosti.
The Biden administration and NATO have repeatedly said that the alliance has an open-door policy and that no country should have a veto over the aspirations of another country to join. It also has said it would not discuss Ukraine's security without consulting Kyiv.
The Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, reiterated Ukraine’s aspiration to join NATO in an interview with RFE/RL broadcast on January 1.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
- By RFE/RL
Russian Jets Knock Out Water Supply In Syria's Idlib
Russian warplanes have bombed a pumping station that provides water to rebel-controlled Idlib city in northwestern Syria, potentially depriving hundreds of thousands of people in the overcrowded city of water, according to witnesses and a monitoring group.
Russian Sukhoi jets dropped bombs in Idlib and several surrounding villages on January 2, witnesses and the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.
“Reliable sources said that Russian fighter jets have so far carried out nearly 10 air strikes targeting the vicinity of Al-Sheikh Yusuf village in western Idlib countryside, the vicinity of the central prison near Idlib city, and the vicinity of Sejer water station, which feeds Idlib city and its western villages, leaving the station out of action as pipes have been damaged,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
An official at the city's water utility service confirmed the pumping station was out of action as a result of the strikes.
There was no immediate comment from the Russian or the Syrian armies.
More than 3 million civilians live in jihadist and rebel-controlled Idlib Province, many of them displaced from other parts of Syria during the country’s decade-long civil war. Most of the population in Idlib is dependent on UN humanitarian assistance to survive.
In March 2020, Russia, which backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces, and Turkey, which supports some opposition groups, agreed to a de-escalation zone in Idlib. However, rebel attacks and Russian and Syrian bombing have continued despite the cease-fire.
Turkey has thousands of troops deployed at bases in Idlib to deter a Syrian Army offensive, which it fears would push millions of people across the border as refugees.
Syrian and Russian planes have carried out deadly aerial strikes on schools, hospitals, markets, and other infrastructure in Idlib Province that UN investigators and rights groups say may amount to war crimes.
Jihadist factions have also been accused of carrying out possible war crimes.
With reporting by Reuters
- By RFE/RL
Putin, Erdogan Pledge To Boost Russia-Turkey Ties
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have vowed to boost ties, both sides said.
In a phone call, Putin and Erdogan “reviewed bilateral cooperation and reaffirmed their determination to continue boosting the mutually beneficial partnership between Russia and Turkey," the Kremlin said on January 2.
"The parties also touched upon global issues, including the recent proposals on developing legally binding agreements that will guarantee Russia’s security, the situation in the South Caucasus, and efforts to resolve the Syrian and Libyan crises," the statement added.
Turkey’s Communications Directorate said the call focused on steps to improve relations.
“The Caucasus, Syria, and Libya alongside regional and international developments were discussed in the meeting that reiterated the determination to advance Turkey-Russia cooperation in all fields,” the Turkish side said.
The call comes as NATO-member Turkey, which has the alliance's second-largest army, has angered Moscow by supplying weapons to Ukraine, including armed drones that were used for the first time against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine in late October.
Turkey has good ties with both Kyiv and Moscow, but it has criticized Moscow's seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and voiced support for Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Russia has amassed about 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine, raising concerns it is preparing for a possible offensive as it demands sweeping security guarantees from the United States and NATO.
In particular, Moscow wants NATO to deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe.
Russia and Turkey are also cooperating in a diplomatic push to bring stability to the South Caucasus following Azerbaijan’s victory against Armenian forces in the late 2020 war over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Turkish and Armenian special envoys are expected to meet in Moscow this month to kick-start talks on normalizing relations as part of a broader Russia-mediated regional peace effort involving Armenia and Turkey’s ally, Azerbaijan.
In Syria and Libya, Russia and Turkey back opposing sides but have generally cooperated in trying to reduce conflict.
Five Killed In Bus Crash South Of Moscow
Five people died and 21 were injured in a passenger bus accident south of Moscow, authorities said.
The bus crashed into a pillar under a railway bridge around 5:45 a.m. in the Ryazan region, an Interior Ministry spokesperson said on January 2.
The accident occurred on a highway near the village of Voslebovo, 270 kilometers south of the capital.
The bus carried a total of 49 passengers who were traveling from the southern city of Astrakhan on the Volga River to Moscow.
There were conflicting reports about the cause of the crash.
According to initial reports, the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel.
Interfax quoted a regional investigator as saying the driver may have lost control due to ice on the road.
Police and the local branch of Russia's Investigative Committee have launched a probe into the cause of the crash.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, AFP, and Interfax
- By RFE/RL
Biden, Zelenskiy To Speak By Phone As U.S. Prepares For Series Of Talks With Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak by phone with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, on January 2 as the two leaders plan to review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements aimed at de-escalating tensions over a Russian military buildup near Ukraine.
During the call, Biden intends to "reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression," a White House official said.
The call will be the second in three weeks between the two leaders as the White House attempts to address the military threat, which has alarmed NATO, while authorities in Kyiv have expressed concerns that Russia could invade Ukraine in the coming weeks.
The call follows on the heels of talks between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 30 in which Biden said the United States and its allies would impose severe sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine.
Russia has amassed about 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine as it makes demands for sweeping security guarantees from the United States and NATO.
In particular, Moscow wants NATO to deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on December 31 reinforced that Russia stands by its demands for written security guarantees.
“If no constructive answer comes in a reasonable time and the West continues its aggressive course, Russia will have to take all necessary measures to maintain a strategic balance and remove unacceptable threats to our security,” he told the state news agency RIA Novosti.
The Biden administration and NATO have repeatedly said that the alliance has an open-door policy and that no country should have a veto over the aspirations of another country to join. It also has said it would not discuss Ukraine's security without consulting Kyiv.
The Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, reiterated Ukraine’s aspiration to join NATO in an interview with RFE/RL broadcast on January 1.
Markarova also said Ukraine will receive more armed Mark VI patrol boats in the first half of 2022. She said the United States and Ukraine are cooperating on arranging the delivery of the boats. The number of boats that will be sent is “under discussion,” she said.
In his comments to RIA Novosti, Lavrov noted an increase in weapons supplies to Ukraine and the growing scope of joint military drills, charging that Kyiv "naturally perceives this support as a carte blanche for the use of force.”
In his annual New Year's message, Zelenskiy expressed defiance amid the buildup of Russian forces.
"No army on the other side of the border frightens us because a great army on our side of the border protects us,” he said. “I am happy that today [Ukraine's armed forces] have the biggest budget in the history of Ukraine."
During their call on December 30, Biden and Putin set the groundwork for three sets of upcoming talks aimed at defusing the crisis.
U.S. and Russian officials will meet January 9-10 in Geneva to discuss arms control and the mounting tensions over Ukraine under their bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue. That will be followed by a separate meeting of the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels on January 12.
Another meeting will be held in Vienna a day later within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which includes the United States, its European allies, Ukraine, and Russia.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
- By RFE/RL
Russian, Czech Junior Hockey Teams Removed From Flight After Incidents
The world junior ice hockey teams from Russia and the Czech Republic were removed from a flight on New Year's Eve after some of the players reportedly violated a mask mandate before the flight departed the Canadian city of Calgary.
Officers responded to reports of a disturbance on an Air Canada flight, according to a Calgary police statement on January 1. The statement didn’t say who caused the disturbance or if there were any arrests.
The Calgary police department's airport unit “assisted Air Canada staff with keeping the peace and deplaning passengers," the statement said. "Passengers were being asked to deplane due to a disturbance involving multiple passengers in the aircraft cabin."
Police did not provide further information, and Air Canada did not respond to RFE/RL’s request for more information.
The teams were heading home from the junior championships, which were canceled midweek because of COVID-19 outbreaks.
Russian coach Sergei Zubov told the Russian newspaper Izvestia that the Russian and Czech Republic teams were removed from the flight for violating the mask mandate. Russian and Canadian media reported that Zubov was among those who violated rules by smoking.
Czech team manager Otakar Cerny said his team complied with all the rules and had likely been treated the same as the Russians because of the similarity of their gray sweatshirts, which had been handed out to all of the players in the tournament.
“And practically only for that reason, they threw us into the same bag as the Russians and told us that the entire Czech and Russian expedition could no longer board the plane,” Cerny told Czech media, according to the AP.
Cerny said Air Canada representatives had apologized and arranged a hotel and a flight home on January 1. The Russian players managed to leave on the next flight after the one that had been delayed by the disturbance.
Passengers who were on the flight told AP and Canada's CTV News that the Russian squad caused the disturbance by smoking cigarettes, vaping, blaring music, and refusing to wear masks. One passenger said the disturbance delayed the flight by three hours.
With reporting by AP, CTV News, and Izvestia
Hundreds Of Ukrainians March To Honor Controversial Nationalist Leader
Hundreds of Ukrainians held a torchlight march in the capital, Kyiv, to mark the birthday of the controversial nationalist leader Stepan Bandera.
The January 1 march came amid a buildup of Russian forces near the border with Ukraine, which some believe could be a prelude to an invasion.
“Today, when there is a war with the occupier at the front, and the struggle against the ‘fifth column’ continues in the rear, we remember and honor the memory of Stepan Bandera,” Andriy Tarasenko, leader of the nationalist party Right Sector, said.
Bandera is revered as a hero by many Ukrainians for leading the political wing of the anti-Soviet independence movement, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). Its military wing -- the Ukrainian Insurgent Army -- waged partisan warfare during and after World War II.
But Bandera -- who was killed by a Soviet assassin in Munich in 1959 -- is regarded as a traitor by others for leading an insurgent war against Soviet forces and collaborating with Nazi Germany. His forces also fought against the Nazis at times during the war and are accused of carrying out murderous campaigns against Poles and Jews.
Similar marches also took place in several other cities, including Lviv, where about 500 people gathered at Bandera’s monument to honor him.
With reporting by AP
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