News
Russia Arrests Alleged Participant In 1995 Budyonnovsk Hostage Seizure
Russia's Investigative Committee said on June 3 it had arrested a man suspected of being involved in a deadly hostage-taking in the southern Russian city of Budyonnovsk in 1995, a turning point in the first of the two post-Soviet separatist wars in Russia’s North Caucasus region of Chechnya.
According to the statement, Khamzat Zoyev faces charges of terrorism, banditry, hostage-taking, and murder. It is not known how Zoyev pleaded.
On June 14, 1995, a group of some 130 Chechen separatists led by Shamil Basayev attacked a local police station and government buildings in Budyonnovsk, taking some 1,500 people hostage while demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya.
After two attempts by Russian forces to free the hostages failed, resulting in the deaths of some 100 people, Basayev negotiated their release and his own safe passage back to Chechnya live on Russian television with Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, who was later criticized for allowing the Chechens to escape.
In all, about 130 people were killed during the hostage crisis.
The deal to resolve the crisis paved the way for an August 1996 agreement that ended the war until a second war erupted in 1999, with then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin playing a prominent role in the decision making after Basayev led militants in an incursion into neighboring Daghestan.
Basayev, who became the most wanted man in Russia, was killed in an explosion in 2006.
In recent years, several men were handed lengthy prison terms for their roles in the Budyonnovsk hostage seizure.
The latest man, whom Russian authorities found guilty of taking part in the hostage seizure, was sentenced to 12 years in prison in December 2020.
Aslan Daudov was then convicted of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and premeditated murder.
Family Of French Citizen Held In Iran In The Dark Over Her Fate
The family of Cecile Kohler, a French teacher held by authorities in Iran for over two years, say they have not heard from her since late April.
Kohler and her partner, Jacques Paris, were arrested in Tehran in May 2022 as they were wrapping up a sightseeing holiday in Iran. They have been accused of fomenting unrest and spying.
"The last time we heard from her was on April 22, when she managed to call our mother for three to four minutes," Cecile’s sister Noemie Kohler told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda on June 2.
"We have been waiting to hear from her for over 1 1/2 months with little hope. It is extremely worrying not to have received any signs that she’s alive," she added.
She said Kohler and her partner "have been cut off from the outside world" and that their families were unable to send them anything.
In a statement on May 7 to mark two years since their arrest, the French Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as the Islamic republic’s "policy of state hostage-taking and ongoing blackmail by the Iranian authorities."
In October 2022, Kohler and Paris appeared in a televised video "confessing" to spying on Iran. Broadcasting what rights groups describe as “forced” televised confessions is a common practice in the Islamic republic and has been condemned.
The French couple are among at least 10 Western citizens held in Iran on security-related charges that include spying.
Iran has been accused by Western powers and rights groups of arbitrarily arresting citizens of Western countries to use as bargaining chips.
On May 27, the families of four French nationals jailed in Iran traveled to Geneva to ask relevant UN workgroups to investigate their arrests.
Noemie said the purpose is to highlight the “arbitrary nature” of the arrests through investigations.
“Our goal is to start a global struggle to bring the attention of international bodies to the arrests of our loved ones. We hope to be able to secure their release this way,” she said.
Written by Kian Sharifi based on an interview by Shahab Amoupour of RFE/RL’s Radio Farda
Russian Lawmaker, Noted Polar Explorer Artur Chilingarov Dies At 84
Russian media reports said prominent Russian polar explorer and lawmaker Artur Chilingarov has died at the age of 84. No cause of death was given. Chilingarov took part in several polar expeditions, including one to rescue a research vessel, for which he was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union in 1986. In 2007, Chilingarov captained a self-propelled vehicle to the bottom of the Arctic Ocean where he planted a titanium Russian flag. Chilingarov was under Western sanctions for his open support of Moscow’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and ongoing full-scale aggression against Ukraine. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
U.S. Says Vice President Harris Will Attend Ukraine Peace Summit In Switzerland
The White House said Vice President Kamala Harris and national-security adviser Jake Sullivan will attend a Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland this month following public pleas by Kyiv for the United States – and President Joe Biden, in particular – to participate in the June 15-16 event.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
The White House said in a June 3 statement that the vice president “will underscore the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s effort to secure a just and lasting peace, based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and the principles of the UN Charter.”
It added that Harris “will reaffirm support for the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against ongoing Russian aggression.”
The announcement comes following weeks of pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelenskiy for Biden to attend the summit, in which at least 107 countries have confirmed their participation.
The White House has said Biden will bypass the summit because of a major fund-raising event -- hosted by Hollywood stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts and including former President Barack Obama -- as he prepares for a November election in which he is likely to face off against former President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Russian strikes on Ukraine's Kharkiv and Donetsk regions killed three civilians, including a 12-year-old boy, on June 3, regional officials reported, as Zelenskiy continued an Asian tour with an unannounced visit to the Philippines.
Russian forces early on June 3 shelled the village of Mykhailyivka in the Pokrovskiy district of the eastern Donetsk region, Governor Vadym Filashkin said on Telegram.
Filashkin said two people were killed and another person was wounded.
"Among the dead is a 12-year-old boy," Filashkin said. "In the morning, the Russians dropped a guided aerial bomb on the village, and an hour and a half later they repeated the attack. At least five houses were damaged."
In the northeast, one Ukrainian civilian was killed and two others were wounded in at least five rocket attacks launched by Russia on the town of Slobozhanske, south of the city of Kharkiv, on June 3, regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said on Telegram.
"A recreational complex was hit, one civilian was killed. Two civilians, a man and a woman, were wounded," Synyehubov said.
Russian forces over the past several weeks have intensified attacks on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city and located some 34 kilometers from the border.
In a missile attack on May 31, on the city's Novobavar district, nine people were killed and several others were wounded.
Zelenskiy arrived in the Philippines on June 3 from Singapore, where he attended the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security summit, and met with Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos.
"We discussed the inaugural Global Peace Summit and the importance of Southeast Asian countries being represented there. I am pleased that the Philippines will participate in the summit," Zelenskiy wrote on X.
In Singapore, Zelenskiy met with foreign leaders on the final day of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security summit on June 2, where he sought to rally international support ahead of the Swiss peace conference.
Zelenskiy and Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met in Singapore for more than an hour with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin following this week's U.S. easing of restrictions on the use of its weapons by Kyiv to publicly permit Ukraine to hit targets inside Russia.
Serhiy Nykyforov, Zelenskiy's press secretary, said on June 3 that a total of 107 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in the summit so far.
Nykyforov told Ukrainian television that in Singapore, Zelenskiy met with several foreign leaders who confirmed their participation in the summit.
Turkmenistan Suspends Flights To Kazan, Tatarstan
Turkmenistan Airlines suspended flights from Ashgabat to Kazan, the capital of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, from June 2, without explanation. The company said that instead of flying to Kazan, it will fly to Moscow, about 800 kilometers to the west. Until June 17, special free buses will be arranged to ferry passengers who have tickets from the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, to Kazan. Since April, Tatarstan has faced several drone attacks blamed on Ukraine. In August last year, Turkmenistan Airlines started sending its planes to Kazan instead Moscow amid drone attacks on buildings in the Russian capital. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Idel.Realities, click here.
Serbia's Ruling Party Wins Local Polls Marred By Claims Of Irregularities
BELGRADE -- Serbia's ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has declared victory in a repeat local election in the capital, Belgrade, and elsewhere in the country amid voter apathy, incidents, and claims of irregularities reported by the opposition and international monitors.
After the counting of more than 92 percent of the vote, the right-wing populist SNS backed by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic garnered 52.85 percent the vote, Belgrade's City Election Commission (GIK) announced on June 3.
That will give SNS 64 mandates in the 110-seat municipal assembly of the Serbian capital.
SNS's closest competitor -- the center-right Kreni-Promeni (Move-Change) led by Savo Manojlovic -- came a distant second at 17.61 percent, which will translate into 21 mandates, GIK said.
SNS won most of the other 88 cities, municipalities, and districts disputed on June 2, including Serbia's second-largest city, Novi Sad, in a vote that observers fro CRTA and CeSID NGOs said was marred by irregularities, including vote-buying or double registration of voters.
Scuffles and incidents between SNS activists and opposition supporters occurred in Belgrade and Novi Sad, where SNS had been accused of organizing illegal call centers to influence and bribe voters.
The repeat polls came after SNS had narrowly won the December vote with 49 seats in the city council but was unable to form a municipal government, prompting a new election, amid weeks of protests over what the opposition said was electoral theft by the SNS.
The opposition also complained of irregularities in Serbia's June 2 vote, leaving the political environment tense in the Balkan nation of 7.1 million people.
"This is...an incredible victory," a beaming Vucic said in a news conference late on June 2.
Manojlovic said his coalition would not recognize the results. "These were most irregular elections ever," he told supporters late on June 2.
SNS has dominated Serbia's politics for more than a decade, imposing its control at virtually all levels of power in the Balkan state.
Serbia has been a candidate to join the European Union since 2012 and started negotiations to join the bloc in 2014, but progress has been slow under populist Vucic, who has sought closer ties with Russia and China.
Under Vucic, Belgrade has resisted EU calls to join sanctions on Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine since February 2022.
Opposition groups have accused Vucic's government of rampant corruption and the stifling of democratic rights.
A fragmented opposition has also contributed to what observers say was voter apathy.
Turnout was some 10 percent lower compared to the vote in December. In the capital turnout was 46.5 percent and 49.3 percent in Novi Sad, according to the Center for Free Elections and Democracy and IPSOS.
Observers and opposition parties in the June 2 election reported what they said were irregularities during the day.
Lamberto Zannier of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said that “serious irregularities” occurred, including “violations of voting security.”
“While these elections were well-run, we nonetheless witnessed a dominance of the ruling party and misuse of public resources,” said Zannier, who heads of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
“Although fundamental freedoms were respected and voters were offered a wide range of political options, concerns about widespread pressure on public-sector employees and the misuse of public resources raised questions about the opportunity for voters to make their choice freely,” his report added.
CRTA said it had filed seven criminal complaints over alleged irregularities at polling stations, claiming its members had recorded incidents of the organized transporting of voters to the polls and money being exchanged for votes.
Police in the northwestern Serbian city of Novi Sad claimed some officers had been attacked, although law enforcement officials added that "there have been no serious incidents."
Following voting in December, no party was able to form a majority in the Belgrade City Assembly in an election that was highly criticized by international observers who cited "irregularities" in the local and national votes.
An amendment to Serbia's local-election laws allowed for the voting in Belgrade to coincide with previously scheduled elections in Novi Sad, Nis, and other cities and municipalities.
In Belgrade, voters elected representatives to four-year terms in the 110-member City Assembly who in turn vote on a mayor.
"I'm not particularly involved in politics, but I'm aware that we should go to the elections and vote for the one whose ideology suits us most," Nina, a voter in the capital, told RFE/RL's Balkan Service on election day.
She said she didn't expect "anything special" from the vote.
Another Belgrade voter said politicians are "full of promises" that they forget just as soon as they're elected. "You know, in my lifetime, that's happened four times, so people should come to their senses."
Despite Mass Protests, Georgia's 'Foreign Agent' Bill Becomes Law
TBILISI -- Georgia's divisive "foreign agent" piece of legislation has become law despite weeks of mass protests and warnings from the United States and the European Union that the move jeopardizes the Caucasus country's path toward North-Atlantic integration.
The law was published in Georgia's Legislative Gazette on June 3 shortly after being signed by parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvil.
Prior to that, Georgia's pro-Western President President Salome Zurabishvili had refused to endorse the measure after it was returned to her. On May 28, a parliamentary vote overrode her veto of the bill from May 18.
According to Georgia's constitution, if the president doesn't endorse the law after an override by lawmakers, the parliament speaker then has the right to promulgate it.
The law, which has been widely criticized as being modeled on a similar Russian law used by the Kremlin to repress dissent and stifle democratic opposition, requires civil-society and media organizations that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from foreign sources to submit to oversight that could encompass sanctions for as-yet-undefined criminal offenses.
"Emotions have subsided and many of the citizens who joined the protest of the radical opposition have already seen that, in fact, the law of transparency will increase the responsibility and accountability of nongovernmental organizations and their financiers, will improve the political system, weaken disinformation, reduce radicalism and polarization," Papuashvili said on June 3 as he announced the move at a briefing in parliament.
The law came into force partially after its publication. It will come into force in full within 60 days, after government agencies have carried out the necessary preparatory work.
In a first sign that Georgian Dream intends to use the law as a coercive tool, party General Secretary Kakha Kaladze, who is also the mayor of the capital, Tbilisi, said after the law was published that the organizations that receive funding from abroad and do not register in a database that the law provides for will be fined and their assets will be seized.
"If they don't comply, there are financial penalties and then confiscation," Kaladze said. "They will not be able to function and receive funds."
Critics say the legislation was introduced by the dominant Georgian Dream party, founded by Russian-friendly Georgian tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili, in order to cement the party's grip on power ahead of elections in October seen as crucial for Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
Zurabishvili, whose veto was overridden 84-4 in parliament, has urged Georgians to mobilize to win the upcoming elections in October.
Georgia's civil society has for years sought to move the country away from the influence of Russia, which still maintains thousands of troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway Georgian regions that Moscow recognized as independent states following a five-day war with Tbilisi in 2008.
Georgia obtained the coveted EU candidate status in December, but it has yet to start actual accession talks, which could last for years. There had been hope such talks could start later this year, but Brussels has warned that the "foreign agent" law could endanger the path toward Europe.
Georgian Dream has insisted it remains committed to joining Western institutions and the law was only meant to increase transparency on NGO funding.
Western governments and organizations have issued stark statements, warning the Georgian Dream government that the Tbilisi's EU path will be blocked if the law comes into force.
Prime Minister and Georgian Dream Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze, who along with Ivanishvili and other allies has blamed opposition to the bill in part on a vague "global party of war," said on May 31 he had called for a review of relations with the United States, Tbilisi's main Western backer.
Hundreds of people have been arrested during weeks of protests against the piece of legislation. Some of the protesters detained during demonstrations countered by tear gas, water cannons, and allegedly rubber bullets that injured opponents and journalists could face years in prison on criminal charges.
Late on June 2, thousands gathered in Tbilisi for a concert designed to air their grievances and raise funds for those detained in earlier protests.
Demonstrators at the Georgian Musicians for a European Future event, which began at 10 p.m. local time in Meidani Square, called for unity and "ultimate victory" as they denounced the widely criticized legislation, which threatens to stall Georgia's EU drive and dampen relations with the United States.
"Our undefeated unity was born in the battle for a common goal," a video shown at the concert in central Tbilisi stated.
The money raised at the event is designed to "help our comrades" who were "punished for their love of Georgia," the video statement said.
The previous day, Georgia's opposition United National Movement said its offices in Tbilisi were attacked overnight by dozens of masked men, with glass broken and equipment damaged.
It alleged that the damage was inflicted by 30-40 "titushky," a term for the frequently masked thugs who have beaten and harassed protesters since Georgian Dream announced in March that it was reintroducing the bill.
Zelenskiy Arrives In Philippines To Muster Support For Peace Conference
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is in the Philippines on June 3 on a previously unannounced visit to promote a peace summit to be held later this month in Switzerland. Zelenskiy, who arrived in Manila from Singapore, where he attended the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security summit, met with Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos. "We discussed the inaugural Global Peace Summit and the importance of Southeast Asian countries being represented there. I am pleased that the Philippines will participate in the summit," Zelenskiy wrote on X. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
Armenian Opposition Leader Calls For Fresh Protests
Armenian Archbishop Bagrat Galstanian, who has become the face of anti-government protests, has called on supporters to gather early on June 3 in the capital, Yerevan, to continue demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. The 53-year-old cleric, backed by the opposition, began rallies in Yerevan on May 9 after leading protests in the northern Tavush Province against Pashinian's decision to cede several border areas to Azerbaijan. Pashinian has said the territorial concessions are necessary to prevent Azerbaijani military aggression against Armenia. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, click here.
Hundreds Honor Ukrainian Medic Killed In Kharkiv Days Before 26th Birthday
Hundreds of people gathered in Kyiv on June 2 to honor the memory of Ukrainian journalist Iryna Tsybukh, who was killed in action while serving as a volunteer combat medic just days before her birthday. Tsybukh was killed on May 29 in the Kharkiv area, where Russian forces two months ago launched a major offensive against Ukrainian troops. She would have turned 26 on June. 1. The memorial service took place in St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral, followed by a procession to Independence Square in the capital. To see the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
German Police Officer Dies After Attack At Anti-Islam Rally By Afghan-Born Man
A 29-year-old police officer died on June 2 after being repeatedly stabbed during an attack at an anti-Islam rally in Germany. A knife-wielding man attacked and wounded several people on May 31 on the market square in the city of Mannheim in southwest Germany. Five people taking part in a rally organized by Pax Europa, a campaign group against radical Islam, were wounded in the attack. The motive of the 25-year-old perpetrator, who was born in Afghanistan, remains unclear. He underwent surgery after sustaining gunshot wounds during his capture, police said. The movement's treasurer, Stefanie Kizina, said the attack was aimed at Pax Europa board member Michael Stuerzenberger, who sustained serious injuries.
- By AP
Scholz: We Will Defend 'Every Square Inch' Of NATO Territory
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on June 2 that it should be clear to Moscow that NATO will be ready to defend itself if necessary. Speaking at the Eastern German Economic Forum also attended by Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, Scholz said Germany has played a leading role in NATO's presence in the Baltics on Russia's border. "And because the threat from Russia will continue, we and other allies decided last year to deploy additional units to the Baltic states and to station an entire brigade there permanently in future," Scholz said, according to a speech manuscript. "But this turnaround in security policy is necessary to show Russia: We are prepared to defend every square inch of NATO territory against attacks."
Refinery Fire In Russia's Komi Region Kills 2; Drones Not Suspected
Two workers were killed in a fire at a LUKoil-owned refinery in the city of Ukhta, in the Komi region, during what Russia's Emergencies Ministry said on June 2 was scheduled technical work. An unknown number of people were also injured in the fire, which started in a storage tank, media reports said. Russian oil refineries have become a frequent target of Ukrainian drone attacks, but Vladimir Uyba, head of the region, said the fire was not related to drones. Local authorities said a commission had been established to investigate the cause of the blaze. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Georgian Protesters Hold 'European' Concert, Raise Funds For Detainees
TBILISI -- Georgian opponents of the recently passed "foreign agent" law increasing official scrutiny on outside funding of NGOs and online media gathered late on June 2 for a concert designed to air their grievances and raise funds for those detained in earlier protests.
Demonstrators at the Georgian Musicians For A European Future event in Meidani Square called for "unity" and "ultimate victory" as they denounced the widely criticized legislation, which threatens to stall Georgia's EU drive and dampen relations with the United States.
"Our undefeated unity was born in the battle for a common goal," a video shown at the concert in central Tbilisi stated.
"This unity is the path to the ultimate victory, the future. The authorities illegally seize young people fighting for freedom and impose fines."
The money raised at the event is designed to "help our comrades" who were "punished for their love of Georgia," the video statement said.
Hundreds of people have been arrested during weeks of protests at the ruling Georgian Dream party's reintroduction of what critics call "the Russian law."
The action comes as the clock ticks down toward enactment of the law following a parliamentary override last week of President Salome Zurabishvili's veto.
Some of the protesters detained during demonstrations countered by tear gas, water cannon, and allegedly rubber bullets that injured opponents and journalists could face years in prison under criminal charges.
Billionaire founder Bidzina Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream party has argued the legislation will increase transparency.
But critics including international rights groups and Western leaders see a threat of the law being used to suppress dissent and target political enemies the way a similar law has been used to jail and muzzle Russian detractors of President Vladimir Putin.
Georgia's opposition United National Movement said on June 1 that its offices in Tbilisi were attacked overnight by dozens of masked men, with glass broken and equipment damaged.
It alleged that the damage was inflicted by 30-40 "titushky," a term for the frequently masked thugs who have beaten and harassed protesters since Georgian Dream announced in March that it was reintroducing the bill.
The law requires any media outlet or NGO that gets more than 20 percent of its funding from abroad to register or face fines, although such groups must already disclose their funding to the state.
Domestic and international critics say the law leaves Georgians more vulnerable to Russian influence as Georgian Dream seemingly rebuffs democratic reforms and increasingly finds common cause with Moscow.
Georgia was granted EU candidate status in December but EU officials have repeatedly warned the "foreign influence" law threatens its path toward the 27-member bloc and said they are "considering all options to react."
Washington has announced targeted sanctions and a reassessment of bilateral relations over a law that Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested is aimed at "undermining democracy in Georgia."
Prime Minister and Georgian Dream Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze, who along with Ivanishvili and other allies has blamed opposition to the bill in part on a vague "global party of war," said on May 31 he had called for a review of relations with the United States.
Zurabishvili and other opponents have called on Georgians to direct their anger toward Georgian Dream in looming October elections.
Some NGOs have vowed not to register and say they will pursue legal challenges to the law as it is implemented.
- By Reuters
Iran Summons Chinese Ambassador Over Gulf Islands
Iran's Foreign Ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tehran to protest about a China-U.A.E. statement related to Iran's sovereignty over three Islands also claimed by the U.A.E., Iranian state media reported on June 2. The islands - Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb -- are claimed by both countries but have been held by Iran since 1971, shortly before the seven Gulf emirates gained full independence from Britain and formed the U.A.E., which is now allied with Washington. "Iran's objection to the Chinese support of baseless claims in a shared U.A.E.-China statement has been expressed to the Chinese ambassador in Tehran," state media said. China has been one of Iran's biggest trading partners for the past decade.
Russian Official Said Killed By 'Detonation' In Belgorod
The governor of Russia's southern Belgorod region bordering Ukraine said on June 2 that a deputy district leader and Security Council secretary was killed and three other local officials suffered minor injuries when ammunition "detonated" in the Korochansky district, without elaborating. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov also said via Telegram that six civilians were injured by shelling while most of them were traveling by bus in the city of Shebekino, which lies about 6 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. RFE/RL could not confirm the reports. The Russian Defense Ministry said two Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight over Belgorod and the neighboring Kursk region, and another over the Sea of Azov. Belgorod and nearby regions have been subjected to nearly daily shelling and drone strikes in recent months that Russia blames on Ukraine. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Initial Projections Give Ruling Party Big Lead In Serbian Capital
BELGRADE – The ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) appears headed for victory in a repeat election in the capital, Belgrade, and elsewhere after an earlier round did not produce a clear winner and led to opposition protests over what many critics saw as illegal election interference by the SNS.
The opposition also complained of irregularities in Serbia's June 2 vote, leaving the political environment tense in the Balkan nation of 7.1 million people.
Based on 51 percent of processed samples in Belgrade, polling firm CeSID projected that the SNS, backed by President Aleksandar Vucic, was leading at 53 percent, with the closest competitor -- center-right Kreni-Promeni (Move-Change) led by Savo Manojlovic -- second at 17.2 percent.
"This is...an incredible victory," Vucic said, adding in a news conference that his party would have a majority in the 110-seat Belgrade City Assembly and also in the northern city of Novi Sad.
However, Manojlovic said his coalition would not recognize the results. "These were most irregular elections ever," he told supporters late on June 2.
Turnout was lower than in the December 2023 elections, as some opposition parties decided not to participate, alleging that conditions for democratic and fair elections had not been met.
Opposition coalitions Serbia Against Violence and NADA (Hope) accused the coalition led by the SNS of electoral theft in the December 17 vote, and numerous irregularities were identified by both international and domestic observer missions.
Serbian authorities have repeatedly denied that there were any serious electoral irregularities.
Observers and opposition parties in the June 2 election again reported what they said were irregularities during the day.
The nongovernmental CRTA observer organization said it had filed seven criminal complaints over alleged irregularities at polling stations, claiming its members had recorded incidents of the organized transporting of voters to the polls and money being exchanged for votes.
Opposition representatives also reported that so-called "call centers" run by the SNS were attempting to influence voting in Belgrade and Novi Sad.
The opposition says the call centers are being used by the SNS to bribe voters and that they contain alternative voting lists, reflecting allegations made during the earlier round of balloting.
WATCH: Belgrade voters speaking to RFE/RL expressed lukewarm enthusiasm and low expectations for the repeat vote.
Ana Brnabic, a former SNS prime minister and current parliament speaker, denied that any improper activities were being carried out at the call centers.
"We have a call center. We have members who, on Election Day, invite other members and sympathizers, family members, neighbors, and friends to ask them to go to the polls and vote," she wrote on social media.
"What's the problem? Apparently in that instead of sitting in their call centers and working, they're sitting in ours wondering why parties have call centers," she added.
Police in the northwestern Serbian city of Novi Sad claimed that some officers had been attacked, although law enforcement officials added that "there have been no serious incidents."
Following voting in December, no party was able to form a majority in the Belgrade City Assembly in an election that was highly criticized by international observers who cited "irregularities" in the local and national votes.
Those concerns echoed opposition accusations that President Aleksandar Vucic's ruling SNS party and its allies had improperly bused in voters and otherwise compromised the election, particularly in Belgrade.
Despite the alleged infractions and a strong showing in the nationwide vote by Vucic's party, SNS opponents including the Serbia Against Violence coalition formed after twin mass shootings last year garnered enough support in the capital to fuel large street protests and mobilize anti-Vucic sentiment.
An amendment to Serbia's local-election laws allowed for the voting in Belgrade to coincide with previously scheduled elections in Novi Sad, Nis, and other cities and municipalities.
But some opposition groups said they would still boycott the voting because problems including with the voter registry, undue influence by local power brokers, intimidation, and other problematic aspects had not been fixed.
A working group comprising ruling and opposition representatives was formed in late April to address some of the 25 recommendations from the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to improve the vote process. ODIHR observers are in Serbia for the June 2 voting.
Representatives of the SNS and coalition partners denied accusations of election fraud and promised they would implement all 25 recommendations from the ODIHR.
In Belgrade, voters elected representatives to four-year terms in the 110-member City Assembly who in turn vote on a mayor.
"I'm not particularly involved in politics, but I'm aware that we should go to the elections and vote for the one whose ideology suits us most," Nina, a voter in the capital, told RFE/RL's Balkan Service on election day.
She said she didn't expect "anything special" from the vote.
Another Belgrade voter, said politicians are "full of promises" that they forget just as soon as they're elected. "You know, in my lifetime, that's happened four times, so people should come to their senses."
The unified, pro-European opposition campaigned fiercely in Belgrade ahead of the voting in December on the message that taking the capital could be the first step toward ousting Vucic and his allies, who have governed since 2012.
Vucic has embraced Russian and Chinese trade and diplomatic ties and resisted EU calls for Belgrade to join sanctions on Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine since February 2022.
Iran Summons Swedish Diplomat Over Accusation It's Organizing Attacks On Israeli Embassies
Iran has summoned the Swedish acting charge d'affaires in Tehran over what it alleges were "baseless and malicious" remarks, Tehran said on June 2, after Sweden's Sapo intelligence service accused Iran of "using criminal networks" in Sweden to attack Israeli embassies in Europe since October 7 and otherwise threaten the Scandinavian country's security. Iranian Press TV quoted the Foreign Ministry as telling the Swedish diplomat that the claims by Swedish counterintelligence head Daniel Stenling of Iranian recruitment "to target the Israeli [government's] interests" were "based on incorrect information." Israel's Mossad intelligence agency publicly accused Iran of carrying out attacks on Israeli embassies since the attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians and troops ignited the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has been declared a terrorist group by the United States and European Union.
Ukraine's Zelenskiy Says 100 Countries Join Swiss Peace Effort, Despite China Interference
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with foreign leaders in Singapore on the final day of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security summit on June 2, where he sought to rally international support ahead of a Swiss peace conference later this month despite what he said were Chinese efforts to undermine it.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
Zelenskiy said more than 100 countries and international organizations had committed to attending the mid-June peace gathering in Switzerland.
Russia hasn't been at the event in Singapore since it launched its two-year-old full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Zelenskiy and Ukraine's defense minister, Rustem Umerov, met in Singapore for more than an hour with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin following this week's U.S. easing of restrictions on the use of its weapons by Kyiv to publicly permit Ukraine to hit targets inside Russia.
A Pentagon official said Austin "reaffirmed the U.S. commitment" to "strong support" for Ukraine and both sides vowed to "further strengthen [their] strategic defense partnership."
Earlier, Zelenskiy met with a bipartisan delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives on the sidelines of the conference and said both sides "noted the importance of allowing Ukraine to use American weapons to strike military targets on the territory of Russia in the areas bordering the Kharkiv region."
Zelenskiy said that "The issue of further strengthening of sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation was also raised."
The Ukrainian president also met with Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who at the same summit last year proposed an Indonesian plan for ending the war in Ukraine.
After meeting with Jose Ramos-Horta, the president of Timor-Leste, Zelenskiy said Ramos-Horta would also attend the peace summit planned for June 15-16 in Switzerland.
"It is very important for us to begin the process of establishing a just peace," Zelenskiy said. "Russia does not want to end the war. Therefore, we must work together with the entire world to bring peace closer."
Zelenskiy said recently amid reports that the European Union was trying to organize peace talks with Russian participation in Saudi Arabia for later this year that he had "no faith" in Russian President Vladimir Putin and around 200 rounds of talks dating back to Russia's occupation of Crimea in 2014 had gone nowhere.
China, which has said it wants peace in Ukraine but has tightened relations with Moscow since the invasion began, has said it will not participate in the Swiss talks.
Zelenskiy told journalists that he regretted he couldn't meet the Chinese delegation in Singapore and that Beijing wouldn't be represented in Switzerland.
He added that "China, unfortunately...is working hard today for countries not to come to the peace summit." He also said Chinese support for Russia would prolong the war.
U.S. Pentagon chief Austin met with his Chinese counterpart, Defense Minister Dong Jun, in Singapore in their first face-to-face meeting since those contacts broke down in 2022 with tensions ratcheted up over bilateral issues, Taiwan, and Beijing's refusal to condemn and punish Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Also on June 2, Ukraine's military said its air defenses had intercepted 24 of 25 Russian attack drones overnight as the country sought to rebound from one of the biggest overnight attacks in weeks on Ukraine's power infrastructure a day earlier.
That attack killed at least eight people in the northeastern region of Kharkiv, police said, where a Russian offensive began last month.
As a result of those and other damaging attacks, state energy provider Ukrenerho said it was reintroducing blackouts for households and industrial users "in all regions of Ukraine" in the early morning and evening hours on June 2.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on May 31 that President Joe Biden had given Ukraine the go-ahead to use U.S. weapons to strike inside Russia for the limited purpose of defending Kharkiv as it tries to defeat Russian troops that began a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Iran's Ex-President Ahmadinejad Joins Hard-Line Field To Replace Raisi
Iranian ex-President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has joined a growing list of overwhelmingly hard-line candidates in a presidential election later this month to replace the late Ebrahim Raisi, who died along with Iran's foreign minister in a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijani border in mid-May.
Ahmadinejad announced his intention to run on June 1, and state media reported on June 2 that the 67-year-old and longtime enemy of reformists had registered.
His announcement follows similar pledges by a former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) who is under U.S. sanctions, Vahid Haghanian, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani, and the longtime former speaker of Iran's parliament, Ali Larijani.
Ahmadinejad, Larijani, and other potentially competitive contenders were barred from running against Raisi in the 2021 presidential election by vetting institutions that routinely ban moderates and other challengers from Iran's tightly controlled elections.
Candidate registration for the June 28 election closes on June 3. The Guardians Council will announce the final list of candidates on June 11 after it has completed its vetting procedures.
Before his death, the former prosecutor Raisi was widely seen as a potential successor to 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate political and religious power under Iran's clerically dominated system.
Ahmadinejad served two terms between 2005 and 2013, and his second term was dogged by fierce protests over his disputed reelection in 2009 and a brutal crackdown. He appeared increasingly willing to challenge Khamenei publicly as his presidential tenure mounted.
Haghanian was designated for sanctions by the United States in 2019 for his role in Khamenei's "inner circle responsible for advancing the regime's domestic and foreign oppression."
The U.S. Treasury Department said in a news release announcing the sanctions that Haghanian had been "referred to as the supreme leader's right hand.”
Zakani was approved to run in the last presidential election but withdrew after some of his rivals nicknamed him the "cover candidate" of Raisi.
Former lawmaker Zohreh Elahian, who has been designated by the European Union for sanctions, on June 1 became the first woman to successfully apply to run.
Former chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili on May 30 became the first political heavyweight to register his candidacy.
Other candidates have also applied.
Iran's presidential and other elections are plagued by low turnout that has worsened in recent years, spurred by disqualifications and crackdowns on dissent.
Rights groups have complained of an intensified clampdown on public expressions of discontent since Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several others died in the helicopter crash in a mountainous region of northwestern Iran while returning from an official visit to Azerbaijan.
Raisi had been accused of serving as a prosecutor for an "execution committee" that sent thousands of political prisoners and regime opponents to their deaths in the late 1980s.
Statue Of Wagner Founder Prigozhin Unveiled At His Grave In St. Petersburg
A statue of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the deceased founder of the Wagner mercenary group, was unveiled on June 1 at his grave in St. Petersburg. Prigozhin, who died last summer in a suspicious plane crash in Russia's Tver region, would have turned 63 on June 1. Members of the Russian private military company laid flowers and took photographs after the statue was unveiled. The life-like statue, cast in bronze, stands in front of Prigozhin's tombstone, which is almost as tall as the statue. Prigozhin's forces launched a rebellion in June 2023 and briefly took control of Rostov-on-Don. Many believe the plane crash two months later was orchestrated by the Kremlin in retaliation. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
- By Reuters
Moldovan Opposition Leader Calls For Better Ties With Russia, China
The pro-Russian leader of Moldova's largest opposition party has called for better relations with Russia and China and urged other groups to join forces in fielding a single challenger to pro-Western President Maia Sandu in the country's October election. Igor Dodon, leader of the leftist Socialist Party and a former president who was defeated by Sandu in 2020, said Moldova was ignoring its traditional allies -- Russia, China, and other countries -- and called on Chisinau to "return to a normal dialogue" with those partners. Sandu views Russia as one of the biggest threats facing Moldova and has led the effort to join the European Union. A referendum on EU membership will take place alongside the presidential election.
- By AP
Afghan Held After Knife Attack At German Event Against 'Political Islam'
A German court on June 1 ordered a 25-year-old man born in Afghanistan held on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with a knife attack at an event organized by a group opposing "political Islam" that left six people injured. The victims included a police officer who remained hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. Officials offered no information regarding the motive for the attack on May 31 in the city of Mannheim. Officials said that the suspect, who was shot and wounded by police, was hospitalized and not in a condition to be questioned. They said he had lived in Germany since 2014 and had no police record.
Supreme Leader Ally, Tehran Mayor Register To Run In Iran's Presidential Race
A former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) who is under U.S. sanctions and the mayor of Tehran are among the politicians who registered their intent to run in Iran's presidential election later this month.
Vahid Haghanian, the former IRGC commander and a member of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's inner circle, and Teheran Mayor Alireza Zakani will have to wait to see if their candidacies are approved by the Guardians Council, a 12-member body of jurists that vets all candidates for public office.
Candidate registration for the June 28 election closes on June 3. The Guardians Council will announce the final list of candidates on June 11 after it has completed its vetting procedures.
The council disqualified several reformist and moderate candidates from the last presidential election in 2021.
This year's election was called after President Ebrahim Raisi was killed on May 19 in a helicopter crash.
Haghanian was designated for sanctions by the United States in 2019 for his role in Khamenei's "inner circle responsible for advancing the regime's domestic and foreign oppression."
The U.S. Treasury Department said in a news release announcing the sanctions that Haghanian had been "referred to as the supreme leader's right hand.”
His presence close to Khamenei at most ceremonies has been noted, and there had been rumors about his role and influence in Khamenei's office.
Speaking at election headquarters, Haghanian said he had forged close ties with key officials in state institutions "during 45 years of service in the presidential administration and the office of the supreme leader."
He said his decision to run was "personal," and he described himself as "fully familiar with the issues of the country."
Zakani, the current mayor of Tehran, was approved by the Guardians Council in the last election. But he withdrew after some of his rivals nicknamed him the "cover candidate" of Raisi.
Zakani, asked by a reporter if he was ready for this year's election, smiled but did not answer.
Masud Pezeshkian, a member of parliament, also entered the Interior Ministry building on June 1 to apply to run in the election. He previously said that he would not be a "cover candidate" for Raisi.
Former lawmaker Zohreh Elahian, who has been designated by the European Union for sanctions, on June 1 became the first woman to successfully apply to run. Four other women previously applied to register, but the head of the country's election headquarters said none of them met the necessary conditions.
Fadahosein Maliki, a member of parliament and the head of the headquarters for combating goods and currency smuggling in the second government of Mahmud Ahmadinejad, also registered his candidacy on June 1.
Former chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili on May 30 became the first political heavyweight to register his candidacy. The hard-liner is close to Khamenei and was his chief of staff in the early 2000s. He currently serves as one of Khamenei's two representatives in the Supreme National Security Council.
Another well-known politician who has registered is Ali Larijani, a former parliament speaker and nuclear negotiator. He registered his candidacy on May 31.
Once considered a political heavyweight, Larijani was surprisingly disqualified from running in 2021 by the Guardians Council, whose members are directly and indirectly appointed by Khamenei.
Wide disqualifications by the Guardians Council in previous parliamentary and presidential elections and violence against anti-government protesters are among the reasons for low voter turnout.
With reporting by Reuters
- By RFE/RL
Orban Tells Supporters Fidesz Needs Victory In European Elections
Tens of thousands of Hungarians marched in Budapest on June 1 in support of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who faces a challenge from a political newcomer ahead of next week's European Parliament elections.
The demonstration, dubbed by organizers as a "peace march," drew Orban supporters from all over Hungary and neighboring countries.
Orban hopes his Fidesz party, which is not affiliated with any grouping in the European Parliament, will benefit in the June 9 election from a rise in far-right support across Europe.
Fidesz is leading in Hungarian polls, but victory is not assured in light of a challenge by the new Respect and Freedom party, formed by former Fidesz insider Peter Magyar, who has amassed thousands of supporters and is posing the most serious challenge in Orban's 14 years in power.
Orban said victory in the elections "is needed" and predicted that Fidesz would receive "reinforcements" from every European country and be able to form a pro-peace European coalition in Brussels.
He also commented on the U.S. presidential election, saying that Americans in November will have "a chance to elect a pro-peace president," referring to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
"Together with [the Americans], we will be able to form a pan-Western trans-Atlantic peace coalition," Orban said. "At the beginning of this year, we were a minority. At the end of this year, we may represent a majority throughout the Western world."
Orban has long been at odds with fellow EU members over several issues, including his refusal to send weapons to Ukraine. He addressed the flag-waving crowd, saying that Europe "must be prevented from rushing into war, into its own destruction."
Orban, who has repeatedly said Ukraine cannot win, said the war "has no solution on the battlefield" and reiterated his call for negotiations to end the full-scale invasion Russia launched in 2022.
Orban also sent greetings to ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine's Transcarpathia region who he said were desperately waiting for the war to end.
"We wish you strength," he said. "We are with you. You are in our thoughts. And we assure you: The day is not far when your fortunes will turn for the better."
He also sent greetings to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who survived an assassination attempt on May 15.
Referring to Fico as Slovakia's pro-peace prime minister, he said he was shot because he had supported peace.
He wished Fico a speedy recovery and said once Fico returns to his duties, "Hungary with Slovakia will continue to fight for peace together."
With reporting by AP, AFP, and dpa
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