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Montenegro, Macedonia Recognize Kosovo
On October 8, the UN General Assembly supported Serbia's initiative to seek an International Court of Justice opinion on the legality of the independence declaration made by Kosovo in February and recognized by more than 40, mostly Western states.
Serbia had hoped that it would stop the further recognition of its former province.
Montenegro and Macedonia, the only two former Yugoslav republics that ended their union with Serbia peacefully, recognized Kosovo on October 9 and issued a joint statement.
"The decision to recognize Kosovo...is the result of thorough political assessment," said the statement issued in Skopje following a government session.
"We hope it will be understood by Belgrade," Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki told journalists after the Macedonian government formally announced the decision.
"We hope that our relations with Serbia will remain friendly," Montenegrin Foreign Minister Milan Rocen said in Montenegro's capital, Podgorica.
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that in response to the move, his government would ask Montenegro's ambassador to leave the country. "We consider this to be an adequate response," he told the state news agency Tanjug.
Pro-Serbian parties in Montenegro have threatened to protest if the government made what Jeremic said would be "a knife stabbed in Serbia's back."
"They [Montenegro and Macedonia] are being blackmailed by certain states which threaten to make problems for their European integration," Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Konuzin told Reuters.
The U.S. State Department welcomed the decision by Montenegro and Macedonia and said it looked forward to "additional recognitions in the coming months."
"The growing number of recognitions is an affirmation of Kosovo's progress in establishing a stable, multiethnic, democratic society that seeks normal political and trade relations with its neighbors and the greater international community," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement.
The Macedonian government has been under pressure for months from its ethnic-Albanian minority, which makes up a third of its 2 million residents, to recognize its northern neighbor.
Serbia lost control of Kosovo in 1999 after NATO bombed the country to stop the killing of civilians in a two-year counterinsurgency war.
Serbia recalled ambassadors from all countries that recognized Kosovo's February 17 declaration of independence, but decided on October 9 to reinstate ambassadors to all countries, including the United States.
The ambassadors were reinstated in the European Union member states in July after a pro-Western government took over.
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Kazakh Journalist Mukhammedkarim's Appeal Of Prison Sentence Denied
An Almaty regional court in Kazakhstan upheld the seven-year prison sentence handed to journalist Duman Mukhammedkarim for allegedly "financing an extremist group" and "participating in a banned group's activities," charges he rejects as politically motivated. Mukhammedkarim's lawyer, Ghalym Nurpeiisov, told RFE/RL in an interview on November 8, that the court decision was a violation of the journalist's rights and alleged the case had political motives. Mukhammedkarim's arrest in June 2023 followed an interview he did with exiled opposition politician Mukhtar Ablyazov, whose Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan movement is banned in the country. The closed appeal session prevented supporters from attending, but activists gathered outside the courthouse chanting, “Free Duman!” Mukhammedkarim's defense plans to appeal the ruling further. Human rights groups in Kazakhstan have recognized Mukhammedkarim as a political prisoner. Kazakh authorities insist that there are no political prisoners in the tightly controlled former Soviet republic. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, click here.
- By Current Time
Ukraine, Russia Exchange Bodies Of Fallen Soldiers
The Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that the bodies of 563 servicemen have been returned to Ukraine, of whom 320 were killed in Donetsk, 89 in Bakhmut, and another 154 had been in morgues on Russian territory. At the same time, the bodies of 37 Russian servicemen have been returned to Russia. The International Committee of the Red Cross, the Security Service of Ukraine, Ukraine's Interior Ministry, and other representatives of security and defense institutions assisted in the exchange, the Coordination Headquarters reported. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.
Dozens More Dead Seals Found Along Caspian Coast In Kazakhstan
Dozens more dead seals have been found on the Kazakh shores of the Caspian Sea, adding to the hundreds already discovered to have died with no clear cause identified. According to Nurlybek Ghaisin, head of the Ural-Caspian fisheries inspection, another 79 dead seals were found on November 7, adding to the more than 500 dead seals found over the past two weeks. Caspian seals, the only marine mammals in the Caspian Sea, have seen their population decline from over a million in the early 20th century to around 70,000 due to pollution and overhunting. Samples from seal carcasses and sea water have been sent to multiple laboratories for analysis, including tests for potential infectious diseases. Preliminary findings reveal that most of the dead seals were young and pregnant, suggesting an early and sudden death. Local residents also reported dead birds and sturgeons along the shore. Results from further testing are expected by the end of November. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, click here.
Being John Malkovich In Sofia -- Acclaimed Star's Production Disrupted By Nationalists
Bulgaria’s interior minister has accused the theater director behind Hollywood A-lister John Malkovich’s production of a 19th-century comedy in Sofia of wrongdoing amid a crush of nationalist backlash that doomed the play’s opening night on November 7.
Protesters from nationalist groups and Bulgaria’s oldest writers’ union have demanded the expulsion of Malkovich and a ban on the play, which they call “bullshit” and “anti-Bulgarian.”
Police made no arrests after hundreds of picketers surrounded the Ivan Vazov National Theater to block public access to the opening night of Arms And The Man, the late Nobel Prize-winning Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw’s breakout work set during the Serbo-Bulgarian War.
But a day later, on November 8, the Sofia district prosecutor’s office announced it was launching a hooliganism case over the disturbances and the city’s mayor, Vasit Terziev, said the picket’s organizers will be fined for failing to stick to the “conditions” of a peaceful protest.
Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev said he had ordered the Interior Ministry to provide a “detailed description of the event and how who handled their duties and powers, especially the management staff.”
He added that “fists cannot be an argument in either politics or art.”
Waving Bulgarian flags and displaying banners like “Malkovich…, go home,” members of the unruly crowd shouted “Traitors!” as they jostled and intimidated ticketholders, including physically cornering and assailing veteran actor Vladimir Penev.
Filmmaker Theodore Ushev alleged that he was kicked, punched, doused, and spat on as police declined to provide protection.
On November 8, Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov blamed the theater’s general manager, Vasil Vasilev, for the disturbance, saying he had acted “inappropriately” and “escalated” tensions by emerging from the theater to try to talk to the protesters before Vasilev himself was attacked.
Video showed Vasilev being grabbed and struck multiple times as police tried to escort him into the venue.
There were no indications that the widely awarded stage and screen star Malkovich, 70, who has acted in and staged previous theater productions in Bulgaria, was caught up in the melee outside.
Vasilev cited “unacceptable” and “enormous pressure” to censor the play before the premiere, and stated bluntly, “This was not a peaceful protest.”
The play was eventually performed in front of journalists but no spectators, and it was broadcast live by Bulgarian private television station bTV.
Afterward, bTV quoted Malkovich as saying he had suggested Arms And The Man after being approached to direct another play in Bulgaria. “I think it’s a charming and funny play,” he said.
Minister Ilkov said he “hopes” an audience will get to see the play on November 8.
The production’s critics have included the Union of Bulgarian Writers (SBP), and a handful of right-wing groups. Representatives of at least two political parties, the conservative VMRO-Bulgarian National Movement and the ultranationalist Revival (Vazrazhdane), were among the demonstrators. They demanded Vasilev’s resignation.
Atanas said 60 police officers had been deployed to the premiere in anticipation of possible confrontations, and reinforcements were sent as tensions rose.
The interior minister said there had been no arrests because there was no “data on persons who were presented as violators of public order.”
Ushev and others, including some politicians, have called for Atanas’s resignation in the wake of the failure to maintain order outside the theater.
Defenders including from the center-right We Continue The Change-Democratic Bulgaria coalition called the actions of the crowd “an attack against freedom of speech, art, and free creative spirit.”
At a press conference in late October, Malkovich said the outcry and public attacks on the production were not “a very smart idea.” He dismissed the notion that he had come to Bulgaria to mock the country.
Caretaker Culture Minister Nayden Todorov told bTV he “suspect[s] political interference” in the protest and said there was no place for censorship in art.
Set in wartime Bulgaria in 1885 with a sometimes buffoonish cast of Bulgarian, Swiss, Serbian, and Russian characters, Shaw’s play is widely regarded as a humorous but stinging critique of war and perceived hypocrisy.
Shaw suggested the story was nearly complete before he decided on Bulgaria as the setting.
Tajik Activist Reportedly Taken Into Custody Upon Arrival After German Deportation
Tajik opposition activist Dilmurod Ergashev was reportedly taken into custody by authorities as he disembarked a plane in Dushanbe after being deported by Germany hours earlier.
Sharofiddin Gadoev, leader of the opposition Movement for Reform and Development of Tajikistan, told RFE/RL that Ergashev was met by Tajik security officials, who declined to comment on the situation.
His case has raised concerns among human rights advocates and international observers, given the serious allegations of potential torture and the lack of transparency regarding Ergashev’s condition following his deportation.
Ergashev reportedly attempted to harm himself by slitting his wrists and legs as German police were preparing to escort him to the airport on November 6.
The Insider investigative group reported that Ergashev was hospitalized after the incident, but that the deportation proceeded regardless.
Gadoev said Ergashev’s health condition during the deportation was poor, and that since his arrival in Tajikistan, no further information has been available about his whereabouts or well-being.
RFE/RL's efforts to obtain an official statement from Tajik authorities have been unsuccessful with representatives of the Prosecutor-General's Office and the Interior Ministry failing to respond to inquiries.
Leila Nazgul Seiitbek, head of the Vienna-based organization Freedom for Eurasia, informed RFE/RL on November 7 that her organization has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights, seeking intervention in Ergashev’s case and advocating for his safe return from Tajikistan.
Seiitbek noted that her organization had called on German authorities to halt the deportation, arguing that Ergashev faces a high risk of torture in Tajikistan.
The deportation order was issued by the Administrative Court of the German town of Kleve on October 28, immediately following Ergashev’s detention.
His associates argued that the court disregarded Ergashev’s pending asylum application in another German court, which is still under consideration.
Ergashev is a prominent member of the Group 24 movement.
Group 24 was founded by businessman Umarali Quvatov, who was assassinated in Turkey in 2015. The group has been a vocal critic of the Tajik government and advocates for democratic reforms. Tajik authorities have labeled it "extremist."
In 2024, Ergashev joined the Movement for Reform and Development of Tajikistan movement.
Ergashev had been living in Germany for the past 13 years as his cases wound through German courts.
EU Leaders Talk Security In Budapest Amid Doubts Over Trump's Stance On Ukraine War
European Union leaders are holding an informal summit in Budapest to discuss the continent's security and Russia's unprovoked war on Ukraine days after Donald Trump's reelection cast doubts on Washington's continued support for the embattled country and his commitment to NATO's collective defense.
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The summit kicked off as Russia launched a third day of unusually intense attacks on Ukraine's cities that claimed more deaths and damage at the onset of a third winter for weary Ukrainian civilians and for outmanned and outgunned troops struggling to stave off a grinding Russian offensive in the east.
The United States is Ukraine's main military and economic backer, with the EU also among the largest donors. Most EU leaders have expressed continued strong backing for Ukraine.
Ahead of the summit, Hungary's right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban -- who has maintained friendly ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, is a close ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, and has obstructed the bloc's sanctions regime against Moscow -- told Hungarian state radio that the EU must rethink its position on helping Ukraine, calling the conflict a "lost war."
"The Americans will quit this war, first of all they will not encourage the war," Orban said.
"Europe cannot finance this war alone... Some still want to continue sending enormous amounts of money into this lost war but the number of those who remain silent... and those who cautiously argue that we should adjust to the new situation, is growing," he added.
But German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose country is the main European backer of Ukraine was quick to reaffirm the bloc's unchanged position. "Russia has invaded Ukraine and is continuing this war with unchanged brutality," Scholz said.
"One question is quite clear: Together as the European Union, as Europeans, we must do what is necessary for our security. This will be particularly successful if everyone makes their contribution."
Upon arriving for the summit in Budapest, European Council president Charles Michel also reaffirmed the bloc's strong support for Ukraine.
“We have to strengthen Ukraine, to support Ukraine, because if we do not support Ukraine, this is the wrong signal that we send to Putin, but also to some other authoritarian regimes across the world,” Michel said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was in Budapest on November 7 for a gathering of European leaders that preceded the EU summit, urged Ukraine's allies to provide more arms to help Kyiv defend its land and skies.
"There has been much talk about the need to yield to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, to back down, to make some concessions. It's unacceptable for Ukraine and suicidal for all Europe," Zelenskiy said in his speech.
He also said talk of introducing a cease-fire without first agreeing security guarantees for Ukraine was "very dangerous."
"A cease-fire when there are no security guarantees...is a preparation for the continuation of the occupation," he said.
"They take pleasure in killing people," Zelenskiy separately said on X, referring to Russian forces.
Russia on November 8 kept up the pressure on Ukraine's cities, striking the southern region of Odesa and Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city.
At least one person was killed, and at least 38 others, including a baby, were wounded, according to regional officials.
A massive drone attack overnight on Odesa left one person dead and nine others wounded, Ukraine's Emergency Situations Service reported, adding that residential buildings, businesses, warehouses, and a school were also damaged.
Kharkiv was struck for the second day in a row on November 8, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported.
A Russian missile hit a high-rise apartment building in the city's Saltiv district, wounding at least 25 people, including a 3-month-old baby, Terekhov said. Residential and historic buildings in the center of the city were also damaged, he added.
In the Kyiv region, falling debris from a Russian rocket injured four people, two of them seriously, regional Governor Ruslan Kravchenko said.
Separately, the Ukrainian Air Force said its air-defense systems shot down 62 out of the 92 drones launched by Russia at 12 of its regions -- Odesa, Mykolayiv, Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Khmelnytskiy, and Ivano-Frankivsk.
Planes On Way To Evacuate Israeli Soccer Fans After 'Willful Attack' In Amsterdam
Israel is sending chartered planes to Amsterdam to bring back Israeli soccer fans after they were attacked following a match on November 7 by what Mayor Femke Halsema described as "anti-Semitic hit-and-run squads."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called the incidents "anti-Semitic attacks," initially announced he was sending two planes to Amsterdam to evacuate the Israeli football fans, but his office later said that Israeli airlines El Al and Israir have set up special flights for free on November 8 and November 9 to do the job.
Amsterdam police said that 62 people were detained following the violence, with 10 still in custody on November 8 in connection with the clashes -- which left five people hospitalized -- in the center of Amsterdam between young locals and Israeli supporters who had come to watch Maccabi Tel Aviv's game against Ajax Amsterdam in the Europa League competition.
Dutch authorities said there was no concrete threat to Israeli soccer fans before the game and that it was not clear how or precisely when the violence began.
Peter Holla, the city's acting police chief, told a news conference that the Israeli fans were “willfully attacked."
Police said fans had left the stadium without incident after the game was won 5-0 by Ajax, but various clashes in the city center were reported during the night.
Earlier, a pro-Palestinian protest against Maccabi's visit scheduled to take place near the stadium was banned by Dutch authorities for security reasons amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
"This is a very dark moment for the city, for which I am deeply ashamed," Halsema told a news conference.
"Anti-Semitic criminals attacked and assaulted visitors to our city, in hit-and-run actions," Halsema said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attacks on the Israeli supporters as "vile" and said she discussed them with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof.
"Outraged by last night's vile attacks targeting Israeli citizens in Amsterdam," von der Leyen said in a post on X. "I strongly condemn these unacceptable acts. Antisemitism has absolutely no place in Europe. And we are determined to fight all forms of hatred."
Anti-Israeli protests have been held in various parts of the world, including in Western Europe amid Israel's war in the Gaza Strip against Iran-backed Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist group by the United States and the EU, following the group's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 people.
The conflict has spilled outside of Gaza and into southern Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah -- designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah’s political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament.
Schoof said he was "horrified" by the incidents. which he called "completely unacceptable." He said he told Netanyahu that those who are guilty would be "identified and prosecuted."
Netanyahu told Schoof that he "views the premeditated anti-Semitic attack against Israeli citizens with the utmost seriousness and requested increased security for the Jewish community in the Netherlands," the Israeli prime minister's office said.
Video posted online also purported to show Israeli fans chanting anti-Arab slogans in the streets ahead of the game.
Maccabi fans are known to have used similar chants in Israel at recent matches there.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he had talked to Dutch King Willem-Alexander on the phone, who had voiced "deep horror and shock over the criminal acts committed."
The Israeli Embassy in the United States said on X that "hundreds" of Maccabi fans were "ambushed and attacked in Amsterdam tonight as they left the stadium following a game against Ajax."
"The mob who targeted these innocent Israelis has proudly shared their violent acts on social media," the embassy said in its message accompanied by a video of violent clashes in the city.
Israel also said it had banned members of its military from traveling to the Netherlands.
Azerbaijani Commentator Sentenced To 13 Years For 'Espionage'
A Baku court has sentenced Azerbaijani political commentator Nazakat Mammadova to 13 years in prison on charges of spying for Russia, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports. Mammadova, who appeared in the media as a commentator and hosted Alfa TV on YouTube was arrested in October last year and sentenced on November 5. She was accused by Azerbaijan's State Security Service of using her journalist credentials to collaborate with Russian intelligence services. Azerbaijani authorities alleged that her YouTube channel was broadcasting "openly pro-Russian materials" and interviews for which she received money during regular trips to Moscow, where she allegedly held secret meetings with Russian intelligence officers. Mammadova has rejected all the charges, saying she traveled to Russia for conferences and the money she received was for travel expenses. Azerbaijani authorities have imprisoned several journalists in recent years. The Committee to Protect Journalists has called charges against journalists "fabricated" and "politicized." To read the original story by RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, click here.
4 Killed, 40 Wounded In Russian Attack On Ukrainian City Of Zaporizhzhya
Russian attacks on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhya on November 7 have killed four and wounded 40, Internal Affairs Minister Ihor Klymenko said.
The State Service for Emergency Situations said Russian troops carried out five air strikes on the city, hitting a residential building and a hospital.
Klymenko said rescuers pulled two injured children and an injured woman from under the rubble of the residential building. The woman lived on the third floor but ended up on the second floor after the attack caused the building to partially collapse. Rescuers were still searching for people who may be trapped under the rubble, he said on Telegram.
Officials said earlier a hospital had been damaged by an air strike.
Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said on social media that the wounded include four children -- boys aged 1, 5, and 15, and a 4-month-old girl. Two people were in severe condition, he added.
According to Fedorov, all of the Russian strikes hit civilian infrastructure, including houses and an apartment building.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is attending a summit of European leaders in Budapest, urged Ukraine's allies to provide more arms to help Kyiv defend the skies.
"They take pleasure in killing people," Zelenskiy said on X, referring to Russian forces.
He again called for more air defenses for Ukraine and permission to use Western-supplied weapons to carry out long-range strikes against Russian military targets.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Major General Of Russian Army Dies In Ukraine
A major general of the Russian Army died in Ukraine on November 7. Pavel Klimenko's death was confirmed by his sisters to the publication Important Stories on Telegram. Pro-war publics and bloggers were the first to report the death of the 47-year-old. The circumstances of his death are still unknown. Klimenko was accused of organizing a torture camp and taking money from his subordinates in exchange for moving them off the front lines. An investigation by the online publication Astra in August said the torture camp organized by Klimenko was for Russian soldiers on the territory of an abandoned mine in Donetsk. The Russian soldiers sent there were forced to agree to participate in assault groups and had money extorted from them by the officers in charge of the camp, including Klimenko, Astra reported. Klimenko is the eighth Russian general killed in the war in Ukraine whose death has been confirmed by independent researchers or journalists.
31 Political Prisoners Convicted Under Belarus's 'Extremism' Law Pardoned
Belarusian authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka has pardoned 31 people convicted under the country’s "extremism" law.
Two women and 29 men were pardoned, Lukashenka's press service said on November 7. The press service said 17 of the people released have chronic illnesses, three are disabled, and 27 have children.
Though they will be released, their criminal records will not be expunged and the Internal Affairs Ministry will "ensure control over their law-abiding behavior," the press service said. Lukashenka has pardoned 115 political prisoners this year.
Despite the pardons, Belarus remains home to a significant number of political prisoners. Approximately 1,287 political prisoners recognized by the human rights community remain behind bars in Belarus, according to the human rights center Vyasna.
The political climate in Belarus remains tense, and human rights defenders have reported mass detentions across the country since the announcement of the next presidential elections to be held on January 26, 2025, with both administrative and criminal trials ongoing.
Since the crackdown on dissent that followed the disputed 2020 presidential election, the human rights community has recognized almost 3,600 people as political prisoners, and detentions, arrests, and trials on politically motivated charges continue in Belarus.
The pardons announced on November 7 mark the fifth wave of pardons in recent months. Previous pardons took place on September 4, August 16, and July 3, releasing individuals associated with "political" and "protest" crimes, including some with serious health issues, like opposition figure Ryhor Kastusyou, who was suffering from cancer.
Chinese Electronics Plant In Russia Closes As Western Sanctions Bite
A Chinese-owned electronics plant in Russia's Leningrad region has ceased operations, highlighting the growing impact of Western sanctions on Moscow over its war against Ukraine and the shifting dynamics of foreign business in Russia.
According to a report by the Kommersant newspaper on November 7, TPV Technology, a Hong Kong-based company known as the world's largest manufacturer of computer monitors, halted production at its Shushary facility, which had been assembling TV sets for major brands like Philips, Sony, and Sharp.
The plant in western Russia, operational since 2011, is now in the process of selling off components and equipment.
The closure comes amid increasing concerns over secondary sanctions from the United States and European Union, which have targeted companies -- in particular those from China -- doing business with Russia.
While TPV Technology's Russian branch called the move a "strategic" decision to scale down its operations in the country, Kommersant quoted sources as saying the threat of secondary sanctions was likely a key driver behind the decision.
Last month, Washington imposed its latest sanctions, targeting Chinese companies involved in producing complex weapons systems in collaboration with Russian firms.
That marked a new phase in the U.S.-China sanctions relationship, with ripple effects reaching beyond traditional sectors like energy and technology.
Further complicating the situation, Kommersant reported that Chinese banks have increasingly refused to engage in financial transactions with Russia, fearing secondary sanctions.
Around 80 percent of payments from Russia to China in yuan are being returned, signaling the growing reluctance of Chinese financial institutions to take on the risk of U.S. and EU sanctions.
- By Current Time
U.S.-Based Russian Journalist Says Moscow Placed Him On Wanted List
Sergei Markelov, a Russian journalist living in the United States, said he is wanted in Russia, where a criminal case has been opened against him. Markelov shared the news on his Facebook page but did not provide further details. According to the Mediazona website, his name has not yet appeared on the Interior Ministry's official wanted list, though there are often delays between when a person is notified and they actually appear on the list. Markelov, who has worked with RFE/RL's North.Realities, the 7x7 website, and the Novaya gazeta newspaper, is accused of failing to comply with the duties of a "foreign agent" under Russian law. He was added to the "foreign agents" list in December 2020, alongside other journalists and activists. In November 2021, Markelov's appeal against his inclusion in the register was rejected by the Moscow City Court. In November 2023, Markelov and other "foreign agents" filed a complaint with the UN Human Rights Committee, saying they were being persecuted. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.
- By RFE/RL
Britain Slaps Massive Sanctions Package On Russia
Britain on November 7 announced its largest package of Russia sanctions in one year and a half, slapping punitive measures on 56 people and entities linked to Moscow's war machine, including mercenary groups active in Africa and an individual accused of involvement in a 2018 Novichok attack.
The announcement comes as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to discuss moves to counter Russian malign activities in Europe with other European leaders at a summit in Budapest on November 7 and reaffirm London's ironclad support for Ukraine, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
"Today's action disrupts the supply of vital equipment for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's war machine and bears down on Russian malign activity globally, exposing the corrupt activities of Russian proxy military groups in Africa," the statement said.
Three mercenary groups with links to the Kremlin -- Africa Corps, Bears Brigade, and PMC Espanola -- have been placed under sanctions.
Africa Corps is the successor to the notorious mercenary group Wagner, which under late Putin associate Yevgeny Prigozhin took part in the invasion of Ukraine.
After Prigozhin's death following the group's short-lived mutiny last year, the newly renamed Africa Corps expanded Wagner's operations in Africa, in countries such as Libya, Central African Republic (C.A.R.), Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where its fighters helped prop up military dictatorships.
"These sanctions will bear down on Russian malign activity in Libya, Mali, and C.A.R., exposing and combatting Russia's illicit activity in Africa, as it attempts to exploit the fragile security environments and natural resources in these countries for its gain and expand the Kremlin’s sphere of influence," the statement said.
Russian military intelligence officer Denis Sergeyev, one of the three Russian operatives British police have charged over the attempted murder of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, England, using the nerve agent Novichok, was also placed on the sanctions list.
Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were found unconscious on a bench in a park in the southern English city in March 2018.
British authorities have established that the Skripals had been the targets of an attack by Russia's military intelligence in which Novichok had been applied to the door handle of their home.
The Skripals both survived, but a woman died after coming accidentally into contact with the poisonous agent.
"Sergeyev provided support in the preparation and use of the chemical weapon Novichok in Salisbury...and provided a coordinating role in London on the weekend of the attack," the statement said.
The list also includes 28 entities based in China, Turkey, and Central Asia accused of supplying machinery, microelectronics for drones, and components for the Russian military's war in Ukraine.
"Today’s measures will continue to push back on the Kremlin's corrosive foreign policy, undermining Russia's attempts to foster instability across Africa and disrupting the supply of vital equipment for Putin's war machine," Foreign Secretary David Lammy said.
"Putin is nearly 1,000 days into a war he thought would only take a few. He will fail and I will continue to bear down on the Kremlin and support the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom," Lammy concluded.
Uzbekistan Jails 11 Men On Terrorism Charges
Uzbekistan's State Security Service (DXX) announced on November 7 that a court in the city of Qoqon sentenced 11 individuals to prison terms ranging from six to 12 years for terrorism-related offenses. They were convicted on charges including financing terrorism, plotting to change the constitutional system, and possessing materials threatening public safety. The individuals were accused of promoting extremist ideologies between 2021 and 2023 at regular gatherings disguised as social events, called "Saturday dinners," at local teahouses. The discussions reportedly focused on jihad and the creation of an Islamic state. The case is part of government efforts to combat religious extremism, particularly in Qoqon, located in the ethnically diverse and historically volatile Ferghana Valley. The region has been a hot spot of both domestic and transnational Islamist groups, raising concerns about local instability and the spread of extremist ideologies. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service, click here.
- By RFE/RL
Putin Congratulates Trump On U.S. Election Victory
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump on winning the U.S. presidential election and said Moscow is open to talks with the Republican president-elect.
"I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election as president of the United States of America," Putin said after speaking to an international conference in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Trump said during the campaign that he could quickly end the war in Ukraine if he was elected but gave few details. Putin said those comments deserved attention, adding that if Trump wanted to resume contacts, Russia was ready for discussion.
Putin also said he was impressed with how Trump, who decisively defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 election, handled himself in the moments after an assassination attempt in July, describing Trump as a brave man.
Trump said he was also prepared for a conversation with Putin.
"I think we'll speak," he said in an interview with NBC News. He said that he had spoke to "probably" 70 world leaders since the morning of November 6 but that Putin was not among them.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier on November 7 that he could not rule out the possibility of talks between Putin and Trump before the his inauguration in January.
When asked by journalists whether such communication was off the table, Peskov responded: "Why? It is not ruled out. [Trump] said that he would call Putin before the inauguration. Those are his words."
He was referring to previous statements made by Trump about reaching out to Putin ahead of taking office.
Peskov also addressed questions regarding any official contact between the Russian authorities and Trump's campaign following the U.S. election.
"No. Why should we contact them?" he replied, further clarifying that the Russian administration had not made any direct outreach.
With reporting by NBC News, Reuters, AP, and AFP
Western Leaders Urge Georgia To 'Change Course' After Disputed Vote
The leaders of three European Union member states -- France, Germany, and Poland -- on November 7 urged Georgia to investigate allegations of widespread voting irregularities during last month's parliamentary elections and called on Tbilisi to reverse Russian-inspired legislation.
Georgia's pro-European opposition, which has refused to recognize the result of the elections, has been holding large daily protests in Tbilisi after the Moscow-friendly Georgian Dream party, which has been in power for the past 12 years, claimed victory with 54 percent of the vote.
Georgia's pro-European president, Salome Zurabishvili, also refused to recognize the validity of the results, alleging massive fraud and Russian interference.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in a joint statement that they were "deeply concerned by the numerous irregularities and voter intimidation" reported during the vote.
Georgia has been a candidate for EU membership since last year, but moves by Georgian Dream to adopt legislation to curb foreign funding of NGOs mirroring Moscow's "foreign agents" law and anti-LGBT measures have sparked criticism from Brussels and Washington that the Caucasus country was backsliding on democracy.
Macron, Scholz, and Tusk, in a statement under the so-called Weimar Triangle format, warned that the steps taken recently by the Georgian government were threatening Tbilisi's progress toward eventual membership in the bloc.
"Unless Georgia reverses its current course of action and demonstrates tangible reform efforts, in particular by repealing recent legislation that runs counter to European values and principles, we will not be in a position to support the opening of accession negotiations with Georgia," the three leaders said as they gathered in Budapest for a meeting of the European Political Community, as well as an informal EU summit.
The statement came as Georgia's Appeals Court continued deliberations through the night on complaints filed by two observer groups -- the Young Lawyers' Association and My Voice -- against irregularities in district election commissions during the October 26 vote.
My Voice has said its observers from 1,131 precincts reported more than 900 cases of violations of election procedures.
Nika Melia, one of the leaders of Coalition for Change, has said demonstrations will continue for new elections.
"In the coming days and weeks, our task is to fill Tbilisi with people. All major squares, streets, avenues should be full of people," Melia told RFE/RL.
Zelenskiy Warns EU Leaders That Capitulation To Putin Is 'Suicidal'
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned European leaders that capitulation to Russia after it invaded Ukraine would be "suicidal" for Europe, just hours after Kyiv and the Black Sea port of Odesa were rocked by an unusually intense wave of air strikes.
Speaking at a meeting of the European Political Community in Budapest on November 7, Zelenskiy renewed his appeals for more support for his war-torn country ahead of an informal EU summit the next day to be hosted by Hungary, which currently holds the 27-member bloc's rotating presidency.
He also said he has already spoken with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump about how both the United States and Europe need to be strong for each other's benefit amid the "many challenges" facing the world.
"There has been much talk about the need to yield to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, to back down, to make some concessions. It's unacceptable for Ukraine and suicidal for all Europe," Zelenskiy said in his speech, which came two days after Trump won the U.S. presidential election.
Speaking later at a news conference, he said he was not aware of any details of Trump's plan to end the war quickly and that he had not discussed it with him. He said he believed Trump wanted to end the war quickly, but this did not necessarily mean it would happen.
He also said talk of introducing a cease-fire without first agreeing security guarantees for Ukraine was "very dangerous."
"A cease-fire when there are no security guarantees...is a preparation for the continuation of the occupation," he said.
Trepidation has swept across Europe since the victory given Trump's oft-stated skepticism over U.S. military support for Ukraine.
"The concept of 'peace through strength' has proven itself and is needed now. Showing weakness or selling out Europe's positions won't buy a just peace. Peace is the reward only for the strong," Zelenskiy added.
Zelenskiy was welcomed to the meeting by right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has maintained close ties with Putin and has spoken against EU sanctions on Moscow. Orban also has close relations with Trump.
NATO chief Mark Rutte, in a pitch to secure Trump's support for Ukraine, told journalists upon arrival in Budapest that the sending troops by North Korea to aid Russia in Ukraine posed a direct threat to the United States.
"What we see more and more is that North Korea, Iran, China, and of course Russia are working together, working together against Ukraine," Rutte said.
"At the same time, Russia has to pay for this, and one of the things they are doing is delivering technology to North Korea, which is now threatening in future the mainland of the U.S., continental Europe," he warned.
"I look forward to sit down with Donald Trump to discuss how we can face these threats collectively," Rutte said.
North Korean troops are already fighting for Russia, according to Zelenskiy, who told reporters during the news conference that they already had sustained "losses" on the battlefield.
The gathering in Budapest came as Ukraine shot down 74 of the 106 drones that Russia launched early on November 7 at targets in nine Ukrainian regions -- Odesa, Mykolayiv, Kherson, Kyiv, Sumy, Poltava, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy and Chernihiv -- while 22 others were lost after being jammed by Ukrainian electronic warfare systems.
Ukraine Invasion: News & Analysis
RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.
Russian strikes early on November 7 sparked fires and caused damage in five districts of Kyiv, which was under Russian attack for eight hours, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported on Telegram.
Drone debris fell in the the districts of Pechersk, Holosiyivskiy, Solomyansk, Obolonsk, and Podilsk, Klitschko said, adding that two people were injured by falling drone debris.
Klitschko reported that the upper floors of a multistory building in Pechersk were burning and residents were being evacuated.
In Odesa, a high-rise apartment building was damaged and one man was injured by falling debris after Ukrainian air defenses shot down Russian drones over the Black Sea port, regional Governor Oleh Kiper reported.
Telegram channels published a video of a fire on the first floor of a nine-story building in Odesa.
- By RFE/RL
Zelenskiy Congratulates Trump On Victory In U.S. Presidential Election
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has a long and complicated history with Donald Trump, said he spoke by phone with the U.S. president-elect and congratulated him on his election victory.
Zelenskiy said on X on November 6 that he told Trump that his "tremendous campaign" made the result possible and also "praised his family and team for their great work."
He said he and Trump agreed to maintain close dialogue and advance cooperation between Kyiv and Washington.
"Strong and unwavering U.S. leadership is vital for the world and for a just peace," Zelenskiy said.
Trump has said he would work with both Ukraine and Russia to end their conflict. He has said that Kyiv might have to cede territory to reach a peace agreement, something Ukraine has rejected.
Trump was impeached during his presidency by the then-Democratic-controlled House of Representatives in December 2019 over a phone call in which he was accused of pressuring Zelenskiy to dig up dirt on President Joe Biden's son's activities in Ukraine. He was acquitted by the Senate, then controlled by the Republicans, in February 2020.
Trump has taken aim at Zelenskiy several times. At a campaign stop on September 25, he repeated his description of the Ukrainian president as "the greatest salesman in the world" -- a reference to the tens of billions of dollars in aid lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have approved since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
In a post on X on November 6, Zelenskiy said it was always crucial for the people of Ukraine and all populations across Europe to hear the words "peace through strength" during Trump's first term when he was the 45th president of the United States.
"When this principle becomes the policy of the 47th president, both America and the entire world will undoubtedly benefit," Zelenskiy said, referring to Trump's return to the White House after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 election.
He noted that President Ronald Reagan used the words frequently in his dealings with the then-Soviet Union.
"People want confidence, they want freedom, they want a normal life," Zelenskiy said. "For us, that means a life free from Russian aggression, with a strong America, a strong Ukraine, and strong allies."
Trump said during the campaign he would work quickly with both Ukraine and Russia to end the conflict but didn't provide many specifics on how.
Zelenskiy in recent weeks has outlined a set of measures that he says would turn the tide of the war in Kyiv's favor and possibly end the conflict.
His five-point "victory plan" rules out ceding Ukrainian territory and calls for an unconditional invitation for Kyiv to join the NATO military alliance and the deployment of a strategic nonnuclear deterrent package in Ukraine.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
9 Arrested After Violent Protest In Serbian City Of Novi Sad
Serbian authorities have arrested 14 people after rioting at a protest over the collapse of a concrete canopy at the main train station in Novi Sad last week that killed 14 people.
The Interior Ministry announced on November 6 that the 14 people were detained during and after the protest. One of them was handed over to a juvenile judge for alleged violent behavior at a public meeting, three people were charged with a misdemeanor, and one was released after making a statement.
Authorities in Novi Sad previously announced that a total of nine people had been arrested after the riots and that one person was being sought.
The violence broke out during a protest on November 5 in the Serbian city where the canopy collapsed on November 1. The Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad said earlier that the charges include destruction of property, attacking an official, and causing general danger, the prosecutor's office said in a press release.
Ten police officers and two citizens suffered mild injuries in the riots, Assistant Director of Police Dragan Vasiljevic said in a statement to the Radio Television of Serbia.
Protesters hurled red paint and stones at City Hall, where Novi Sad city government offices are located, on November 5 as they demanded accountability for the collapse of the canopy.
Novi Sad Mayor Milan Djuric visited City Hall on November 6, demanding those responsible for the damage be punished according to the law.
Authorities will assess the property that was damaged and destroyed and will "continue to take appropriate legal proceedings against those who caused the damage," Djuric said at a news conference.
Djuric said the protests were "a direct attack on the president of the country, Aleksandar Vucic," and that the demands that Vucic and other Serbian government officials resign were irrelevant.
Asked why the police did not react earlier and prevent the destruction of the building, Djuric said that was not a question for him to answer.
Both national and local authorities blamed the incidents on the opposition, which had called for the protest.
Ana Brnabic, president of the Serbian parliament, condemned the violence, saying the images from the events on November 5 “do not serve the honor of Serbia."
She told a news conference in Belgrade on November 6 that the authorities will insist on full responsibility for "everything, both criminal morally and politically" and will not stop until this is fulfilled.
U.S. Imposes More Sanctions On Bosnian Serb Leader's 'Patronage Network'
The U.S. Treasury Department on November 6 added an individual and a company to the sanctions list for their alleged roles in helping Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik and his son evade U.S. sanctions.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the individual and the company added to the sanctions list belong to Dodik's "patronage network."
"This corruption has undermined public confidence in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) state institutions and the rule of law," Miller said. "The Dodik network has pursued an aggressive strategy to circumvent U.S sanctions, namely by restructuring and reestablishing corporate entities to obfuscate control and transfer company assets from designated entities."
The announcement came shortly after Dodik congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election.
Dodik is already under U.S. and U.K. sanctions for actions that Western governments say are aimed at the secession of Republika Srpska from Bosnia-Herzegovina.
He met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in February and reaffirmed that Republika Srpska would not join Western sanctions against Moscow over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Treasury Department said that the individual designated for sanctions, Vladimir Perisic, is general director of the company Prointer ITSS, which was sanctioned in June. The company has continued to execute business decisions based on guidance by Milorad Dodik's son, Igor Dodik.
The company added to the sanction list is called Elpring, which the department said is effectively controlled by Igor Dodik. The company changed its name in June from Kaldera, a company previously designated by the United States for sanctions.
"Today's action further exposes Igor Dodik's blatant attempts to evade U.S. sanctions," Millier said.
The United States says Milorad Dodik has undermined the 1995 Dayton agreement that ended the 1992-1995 Bosnian War.
Milorad Dodik has denied that Republika Srpska has ever pursued a policy of secession or disputed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia under the Dayton agreement.
Tajik Activist Reportedly Attempts Suicide In Germany To Protest Deportation
Tajik opposition activist Dilmurod Ergashev attempted to commit suicide before being deported from Germany to Tajikistan, The Insider investigative group reported on November 6, citing self-exiled Tajik opposition activist Sharofiddin Gadoev.
According to the report, German police officers found Ergashev lying in a pool of blood in a cell in a deportation center.
Ergashev reportedly cut himself in the stomach, body, and arms, and had damaged his veins. He received hospital treatment and in spite of his condition, Ergashev was still scheduled to be deported to Tajikistan on November 6.
"Realizing that returning to Tajikistan means inevitable reprisals and brutal repression by the [Tajik President] Emomali Rahmon's regime, Ergashev attempted to commit suicide," Gadoev told The Insider.
"Ergashev would prefer death than falling into the hands of the 'butchers' of a regime known for its ruthless reprisals against political opponents," Gadoev added.
The 40-year-old is a prominent member of Group 24, an opposition movement that is banned in Tajikistan and part of the Reforms and Development of Tajikistan movement established by exiled dissidents.
His activism has included participating in demonstrations in Berlin, notably during a protest against Rahmon's visit to Germany in September 2023.
An administrative court in the German town of Kleve ruled to deport Ergashev on October 28.
Three days later, Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned the court decision saying that returning Ergashev to Tajikistan would violate international law prohibiting "refoulement" -- the practice of returning individuals to countries where they face the risk of torture or cruel, inhumane treatment.
This principle is enshrined in various international treaties to which Germany is a signatory, it said.
Germany has faced criticism for similar actions in the past. In 2023, two Tajik dissidents, Abdullohi Shamsiddin and Bilol Qurbonaliev, were deported to Tajikistan, where they were immediately detained and later sentenced to lengthy prison terms on dubious charges related to attempts to overthrow the constitutional order.
Reports indicate that Shamsiddin has faced mistreatment while incarcerated.
Ergashev has been in Germany since February 2011 and applied for asylum on political grounds that same year.
Despite several applications, his asylum requests have been consistently rejected.
According to his lawyer, German immigration authorities have expressed doubts about the sincerity of Ergashev's commitment to opposition causes.
The Tajik government is known for its systematic persecution of opposition members, especially those affiliated with banned groups like Group 24.
A recent report by HRW highlighted Tajikistan as a country of major concern regarding transnational repression, noting that the government actively targets critics abroad on charges of extremism and terrorism, leading to severe penalties and mistreatment upon forced return.
Given Ergashev's documented activism and participation in protests, he is seen by activists as a clear target for persecution by the Tajik authorities.
HRW urged the German authorities to immediately suspend Ergashev's deportation and conduct a thorough review of his protection needs, emphasizing that he should not be sent back to a country where he faces a serious risk of torture.
- By RFE/RL
Russia Summons Moldovan Envoy Over 'Hostile' Treatment Of Election Observers
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on November 6 that it had summoned Moldova's ambassador to protest what the Kremlin described as the "hostile and discriminatory" treatment of Russian election observers by Moldovan authorities. Moldova's pro-Western incumbent President Maia Sandu defeated Russia-friendly challenger Alexandr Stoianoglo in a November 3 runoff vote in balloting marred by accusations of Russian interference and voter fraud. Moscow, without providing evidence, has claimed the vote was unfair and refuses to recognize Sandu as the legitimate president of the country. International election observers said the election was administered "efficiently and professionally."
Ukrainian Drone Strikes Russia's Daghestan For First Time
A Ukrainian drone made an incursion into Russia's North Caucasus region of Daghestan in an attempt to strike the city of Kaspiysk near the Caspian Sea. Russian air defense intercepted the drone, the first time such an attack has been reported, but not before falling debris injured a 16-year-old girl. The attack prompted the temporary suspension of operations at Makhachkala Airport, Daghestan's main air hub. Kaspiysk, home to Russia's Caspian Flotilla, is strategically important due to its proximity to Russian military assets. Ukrainian sources claim the strike damaged two Russian missile ships that have been active in missile strikes against Ukraine. The attack highlights Ukraine's growing ability to target critical Russian military infrastructure far beyond the front lines. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Armenian Arrested In Moscow For Fighting For Ukraine
Armenian citizen Armen Balian, who fought alongside Ukrainian troops against invading Russian forces, has been detained in Moscow and charged with mercenary activity, the Russian Investigative Committee said on November 6. Balian, 36, was arrested at Domodedovo Airport last month upon his arrival to the Russian capital and charged with recruiting and participating as a mercenary in an armed conflict. According to the Investigative Committee, Balian traveled to Ukraine in November 2022 via Moldova and enlisted, participating in military operations as part of territorial-defense units. He served in various conflict zones, including the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson regions. Balian reportedly admitted to his involvement in the fighting and acknowledged his role as a mercenary in Ukraine. The case against him is still under investigation and further details are yet to be disclosed. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
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