News
Ex-RFE/RL Photographer Gets 13 Days In Jail For 'Disobedience To Police'
MINSK -- A photographer who previously worked for RFE/RL's Belarus Service has been sentenced to 13 days in jail for "disobedience to police," a charge that he has rejected.
Judge Tatsyana Palulekh of the Frunze district court in Minsk sentenced Uladz Hrydzin on February 7 after finding him guilty of refusing to follow police orders to let them inside his apartment to conduct a search last week.
Police searched Hrydzin's apartment on February 4 in a "mass disorder" case linked to anti-government protests that has thousands of suspects, according to investigators.
The Crisis In Belarus
Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
Hrydzin's relatives have said the photographer stopped communicating with them on February 4. They added that when they came to Hrydzin’s apartment on February 6, they saw evidence that it had been searched, with Hrydzin's belongings scattered on the floor while his laptop and camera were missing.
The relatives learned later that Hrydzin was taken to Minsk's notorious Akrestsina detention center, where many inmates have said they were tortured.
RFE/RL Vice President and Editor in Chief Daisy Sindelar condemned the arrest in a statement on February 7.
“We are deeply concerned by news of the arrest of our former RFE/RL colleague and condemn the Belarusian government’s ongoing campaign to silence journalists and prevent them from reporting the truth,“ Sindelar said.
Hrydzin worked as a photo correspondent for RFE/RL's Belarus Service until August 29, 2020, when authorities revoked his accreditation.
He was arrested in 2020 for filming a protest that arose after a disputed presidential election and served 11 days in detention.
The protest rallies took place after authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed victory in the election, which the opposition says was rigged.
Hrydzin won the Belarus Press Photo contest in 2015 and his pictures have been published by world agencies and mass media.
More News
3 Die In Clash Between Taliban, Islamic State-Khorasan In Afghanistan
Three people were killed in Afghanistan's central Ghor Province in clashes between Taliban fighters and extremists affiliated with the Khorasan branch of the Islamic State (IS-K), a Taliban source told RFE/RL. The source said the clashes occurred when the Taliban conducted an operation to arrest an IS-K commander near the provincial capital, Firozkoh. During the operation, the commander, a civilian, and a Taliban member were killed, added the source, who said the operation was in response to IS-K fighters killing three Taliban fighters two weeks ago. Since the hard-line Taliban’s seized power in August 2021, deadly rival IS-K has carried out attacks throughout Afghanistan.
Pro-Europe Georgians Rally As Crucial Parliamentary Elections Loom
TBILISI -- Tens of thousands of pro-Europe Georgians took to the streets on October 20 to rally against the ruling Georgian Dream party ahead of the parliamentary elections that will likely decide the direction of the South Caucasus nation’s future.
Opposition groups have warned that a victory in the October 26 vote for Georgian Dream, which has been accused of being Russia-friendly, could derail democracy and hopes for eventual European Union membership in the country, concerns echoed in many Western capitals.
Pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili, who has split with the Georgian Dream-led government and has backed the opposition, told a news conference early on October 20 that the rallies would to help "demonstrate the people's will for freedom, independence, and a European future."
Later, at the rally, she told the crowd that "today is one of those evenings in the history of Georgia that will be memorable for our children and grandchildren."
Zurabishvili stressed that both the younger generations and the older ones were gathered to press for a European future, with all ages to benefit from Georgia's development in the Western world.
The opposition marches began at 5 p.m. local time from five sites in the capital, including the Heroes and Republic squares. Participants then assembled on Freedom Square in the evening for a concert, with the event later concluding without apparent incident.
Some ruling party members attempted to dissuade people from attending the rally, claiming it was not a pro-Europe event but rather one organized by LGBT activists.
In a recent interview with RFE/RL, the imprisoned former Georgian president, Mikheil Saakashvili, warned of dire consequences if the Georgian Dream party wins the parliamentary elections.
"I do expect provocations in the coming days, including during the elections and the days after it," Saakashvili said from prison in written answers to questions sent by RFE/RL's Georgian Service.
Georgian Dream has passed laws restricting the activity of NGOs and media that receive foreign funding and against what it calls "LGBT propaganda." It has promised to ban all the major opposition parties if it wins.
Georgian Dream has cast the upcoming elections as an existential choice: between war and peace. Part of its campaign includes posters, juxtaposing black-and-white images of war-torn Ukraine with color images of prospering, peaceful Georgia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has praised Georgia's government for precisely the moves that have troubled Tbilisi's Western partners, such as adopting laws on "foreign agents" and combating "LGBT propaganda."
Those moves and others have prompted Brussels and Washington to take punitive measures.
The EU has frozen Georgia's accession to the bloc, while Washington has placed sanctions on some of the country's top officials and prepared a separate package of financial sanctions against the founder and still de facto leader of Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Ivanishvili has also suggested Georgia should apologize for the 2008 war with Russia.
White House officials refused to meet the Georgian delegation to the most recent UN General Assembly and rescinded an invitation to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to a September 25 reception hosted by President Joe Biden.
The actions represented a new low point in relations between the United States and what until recently was probably its most loyal and favored ally in the post-Soviet space.
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Probing Reported Leak Of Israel's Plans For Iran Attack
The United States will soon begin a probe of the leak of highly classified intelligence documents describing Israel's preparations for a retaliatory strike on Iran, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives said on October 20.
The documents, dated October 15 and 16, were initially posted on the Telegram messaging app on October 19.
They carry "top secret" labels and have markings indicating they were to be seen only by the United States and other members of the so-called Five Eyes allied nations of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Britain, according to CNN.
The documents describe apparent Israeli military preparations for a strike against Iran.
One of the documents state the material was produced by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).
House Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican-Louisiana) confirmed in an interview with CNN that an investigation is "under way and I'll get a briefing on that in a couple of hours."
The Pentagon said it was looking into the reports. The NGA did not immediately comment.
The New York Times (NYT) reported that U.S. officials "are trying to determine the source of the leak, which describes military drills and weapons placement, and how damaging it might be."
"The documents, which offer interpretations of satellite imagery, provide insight into a potential strike by Israel on Iran in the coming days," the NYT report said.
Many government officials and observers around the globe have said they expect Israel to strike Iran in retaliation for an Iranian rocket attack earlier this month -- which Tehran said was in itself retaliation for an earlier attack by Israel.
Officials told the NYT that the documents are not a comprehensive assessment of what Washington knows about Israeli plans and that they only represent what analysts looking at satellite imagery could determine.
With reporting by CNN, Reuters, and The New York Times
Vucic Thanks Putin For Russian Energy, Repeats Serbia Won't Sanction Russia
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 20, the first such conversation between the two in 2 1/2 years, according to the Serbian leader. Serbia, which is a candidate to join the EU, has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine but refused to impose sanctions on Moscow. Vucic said he had thanked Putin for Russian energy deliveries and reiterated that Serbia will not change its stance on sanctions. The call comes as Russia awaits an official response to Putin's September invitation for Vucic to attend the BRICS summit in Kazan, scheduled from October 22 to 24. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here.
North Korean Troops In Ukraine Would Show Kremlin 'Weakness,' Says U.S. Congressman
The possible deployment of North Korean soldiers to fight with invading Russian forces in Ukraine "demonstrates a certain weakness of Russia," says Gerry Connolly, a U.S. congressman (Democrat-Virginia) and acting president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
"Do you need North Korean troops to be deployed in Europe for combat operations in Ukraine? Really? And why does Russia need it? Maybe because, to be honest, the Russian potential is exhausted?" Connelly said to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service in an interview on October 19.
"According to estimates, Russian losses amount to 600,000 killed, wounded, and missing. These numbers are already approaching World War II levels in the initial stages of Operation Barbarossa after 1941," he added, referring to the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II.
Connelly's comments come after South Korea's intelligence agency said on October 18 that North Korea has shipped 1,500 special forces troops to Russia's Far East for training and acclimatizing at local military bases and will likely be deployed for combat in the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials have released video purporting to show dozens of North Korean recruits lining up to collect Russian military fatigues. The head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, has also claimed in local media that about 11,000 North Korean infantrymen were currently training in eastern Russia.
The presence of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine, if true, would be further proof of intensified military ties between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Last summer, they signed a strategic partnership treaty that commits both countries to providing military assistance. North Korean weapons have already been used in the Ukraine war.
Speaking from RFE/RL's headquarters in Prague, Connolly also spoke about NATO membership for Ukraine. This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pitched his "victory plan" to the EU and NATO, which includes Ukraine being given immediate membership. G7 defense ministers, meeting in Italy on October 19, backed Ukraine's "irreversible" path to NATO membership but avoided any timeline.
Connolly suggested Ukraine should get NATO membership once Russia's war is finished.
"Well, there's a war going on. I think we have to resolve this, we have to restore Ukraine's sovereignty over its territories, and then make sure that the path to NATO is open," Connolly told RFE/RL.
"I understand a certain haste and impatience on the part of Ukrainians [who say] 'I would have liked to become a member of NATO yesterday.' But we have, of course, a difficult and tragic situation on the territory of Ukraine. And this is the presence of Russian troops there and the Russian occupation. This should be resolved," Connolly added.
Connolly also commented on Zelenskiy's proposal, also included in his victory plan, to eventually replace U.S. troops with battle-hardened Ukrainian troops at outposts throughout Europe.
The United States has more than 100,000 troops stationed across Europe on a permanent and rotational basis, largely concentrated in Germany. Washington deployed more than 20,000 forces to the continent in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
"This is a generous offer from President Zelenskiy, whom I have met many times, including in a small circle at various conferences and events. But I think that this is an inappropriate proposal now. It looks like a political pass for Donald Trump in case he wins the election. And for those of us who are fighting for Ukraine in the U.S. Congress, we don't need to hear that. The U.S. should be in Europe," Connolly explained.
A potential Trump victory in next month's presidential election could threaten future aid to Ukraine, analysts have said. The former president declined last month to say whether he wants Ukraine to win the war, and has described Zelenskiy as a "salesman" who "should never have let that war start."
Trump has long avoided criticism of Russia's invasion and questioned the value of the NATO alliance. His political allies have expressed skepticism about the large U.S. military aid packages provided to Ukraine.
Russia Targets Ukraine's Energy Infrastructure In Latest Attack
Russia’s military launched another wave of missiles and drones across Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said on October 20, with an energy installation hit and multiple injuries reported in another strike.
The Russian attack came as officials in Russia reported a large Ukrainian drone strike that appeared to target an industrial park where a key defense contractor plant is located.
Seventeen people, including a rescue worker, were reported injured after Russia’s military fired ballistic missiles on Kryviy Rih in the southern region of Dnipropetrovsk. Eight of the injured were hospitalized, according to Oleksandr Vilkul, chairman of the Kryviy Rih defense council.
Fifteen residential buildings, as well as several educational institutions and administrative buildings, were damaged in the city some 400 kilometers southeast of Kyiv.
In the eastern city of Kharkiv, a district was hit by a Grom-EI missile, RBK-Ukraine writes, quoting the regional prosecutor's office. The Grom-EI is a hybrid of a missile and a gliding aviation bomb. Based on the Soviet-era Kh-38 air-to-surface missile, it reportedly has a range up to 120 kilometers.
Russia also attacked an energy facility in the northeastern Sumy region, the regional power operator Sumyoblenerho said on Telegram.
"As a result, more than 37,000 consumers in the Romny region (104 settlements) are temporarily without electricity supply," it said.
Kyiv is bracing for its toughest winter of the war yet, with Moscow having destroyed much of its generating capacity and continuing to strike energy sites. Such strikes on civilian infrastructure are considered war crimes.
According to the Energy Ministry, Russia has carried out more than 1,000 strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure facilities since October 2022.
About 10 drones were destroyed near Kyiv, the city's military administration said on the Telegram messaging app. There were no reports of destruction or injuries, it said.
Air alerts were declared twice in the capital during the night, lasting about three hours in total. The Lviv region near the Polish border was also the target of a drone attack, with no damage reported by early on October 20, Reuters reported.
Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 31 out of 49 drones launched by Russian forces in their latest overnight strike across various parts of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Air Force said on October 20.
It added that 13 drones had been "locationally lost" and that two had flown into neighboring Belarus.
With reporting by Reuters
Ukrainian Drones Reportedly Target Russian Military Plant, Moscow
Ukraine is reported to have launched numerous drones at Moscow and western regions of Russia with a strike reported on an industrial zone where a key arms manufacturer is located, a day after Ukrainian drones reportedly targeted a microelectronic plant that is crucial to Russia’s military.
The reported Ukrainian drone strike comes after defense ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) wealthy democracies on October 19 backed Ukraine's "irreversible" path to NATO membership. This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pitched his "victory plan" to the EU and NATO but failed to get the immediate membership invitation he was seeking.
Russian Telegram channel Astra posted a video purporting to show the moment of the strike on the industrial zone in the city of Dzerzhinsk in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region.
Located in the zone is the Sverdlov Defense Plant, a state-owned enterprise that produces explosives, industrial chemicals, detonators, and ammunition. It was unclear whether the plant, which has been sanctioned by the United States, was damaged in the strike.
Nizhny Novgorod Region Governor Gleb Nikitin wrote in a post on Telegram that the attack was repelled by air-defense systems and four firefighters were injured by shrapnel.
The Russian Defense Ministry said 110 drones had been shot down overnight, including 43 over the Kursk region, 27 over the Lipetsk region, 18 over the Oryol region, eight over the Nizhny Novgorod region, six over the Bryansk region, and one over the Moscow region.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also confirmed that a drone flying toward the capital had been destroyed over the capital’s Ramenskoye district.
Ukrainian officials have not commented on the reported drone attack, which comes a day after reports that Ukrainian drones had struck the Kremniy El microelectronic plant in Bryansk city overnight on October 18-19.
Russian opposition outlet Astra reported on October 19 that Ukrainian drones struck the plant and noted it is one of Russia's largest microelectronic manufacturers and that the Russian Defense Ministry is one of its biggest customers.
Head of the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko acknowledged the report of the strike and stated that the plant manufactures microelectronics for Russian Pantsir air-defense systems, Iskander missiles, radars, electronic warfare (EW) systems, and drones.
Ukrainian outlet RBC Ukraine published photos showing what it said was the aftermath of the strike and damage to a building at the plant.
Aleksandr Bogomaz, regional governor of the Bryansk region, claimed on October 19 that debris from a downed Ukrainian drone struck and caused a fire at a "nonresidential building" in the Bryansk region.
Moldova Awaits Vote Results: Will Future Lean Toward Europe?
Polls have closed in Moldova's crucial dual election that will help decide whether the nation's future will feature closer ties to Europe and the West or turn more toward Russia following a campaign marred by allegations of Kremlin meddling to get its desired result.
Moldovans awaited results late on October 20 in the two votes, one being the reelection attempt by a pro-European president and another a referendum on whether to enshrine their EU ambitions in the constitution.
Polls closed at 9 p.m. local time and election officials were expected to announce preliminary results in the coming hours in the small Balkan nation that borders Ukraine and Romania.
The Central Election Commission said turnout in the EU referendum passed the required 33 percent level, exceeding 42 percent, or more than 1.2 million votes, by 6 p.m.
In the presidential election, turnout surpassed 51 percent, or more than 1.55 million votes, as long lines were reported at some polling stations in Moldova and at sites outside the country, including France, Romania, Russia, and Greece.
Because of the lines, voting time was extended in parts of the diaspora. In Bucharest, polls were to remain open until 11 p.m., officials there said.
A delegation of electoral observers from more than a dozen countries helped to monitor the two polls in Moldova.
Moldovan and foreign warnings of alleged Russian meddling ranging from disinformation to vote-buying, co-opting sympathetic Moldovans, and channeling money to encourage unrest after the election have underscored the value that Chisinau and the international community place on the importance of free and fair -- and peaceful -- voting.
Front-running incumbent Maia Sandu faces 10 presidential challengers led by pro-Russian Socialist Alexandr Stoianoglo and populist former Mayor Renato Usatii in the poor former Soviet republic's third direct presidential election, as it navigates polarization at home and war to its east in Ukraine.
The referendum, which was proposed by Sandu, asks the 3.3 million Moldovan voters at home and abroad whether they "support the amendment of the constitution with a view to the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union."
After casting her ballot, Sandu said by voting today Moldovans "can preserve peace and stability" in the tiny country, adding, "Moldovans must determine their own destiny" without "lies and dirty money."
The votes could provide valuable lessons for Sandu's allies and the opposition ahead of parliamentary elections next summer that will be a referendum on four years of rule by the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) that she founded eight years ago.
Moldova’s presidency holds limited direct power but Sandu has parlayed her pro-Western message and leverage with the liberal PAS into limited reforms and formal EU candidacy for her fractured former Soviet republic.
One of her most ambitious moves has been eliminating landlocked Moldova's reliance on Russian natural gas since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but that has contributed to inflation and other economic hardship for many of Moldova's 2.4 million residents.
Recent polling showed Sandu at 30-35 percent support, well ahead of former Prosecutor-General Stoianoglo, whom she dismissed last year, at 9 percent and ex-Mayor Usatii, who says he wants greater balance between East and West in foreign policy, at 6 percent.
If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff will be staged between the two leading vote-getters for November 3.
Many voters interviewed by RFE/RL outside polling stations in the capital, Chisinau, appeared to favor pro-Europe policies.
"I voted for a prosperous future for our country, for a better path, for a European path, for the development of our country. We've been stagnating for so many years," one man told RFE/RL.
Another male voter said he was casting his ballot "for the future of our children, for the young people, for a better life, and for a European future.”
A woman told RFE/RL said she voted "for the country's well-being, so that our children don't have to wander from one country to another. So that we can live like [we are] in Europe."
Aside from stark warnings by local officials, including Moldova's foreign minister, U.S. and other Western officials have pointed fingers at Russia, in July citing "very clear action by the Russians to undermine this upcoming election and referendum."
Russia, which maintains hundreds of troops at a former Soviet base in Moldova's heavily Russian-speaking breakaway region of Transdniester, denies intruding on the Moldovan vote.
Since his party was banned by the government and then the Moldovan Constitutional Court last year for allegedly fomenting a coup, convicted oligarch Ilan Shor has been accused of a multimillion-dollar scheme to pay anti-EU voters and influencers and been linked to other schemes from his Russian exile to promote Russia among Moldovans and foment dissatisfaction with their government.
Days before the voting, authorities said they arrested four people and warned that dozens more had been trained in Russia and the Balkans to “destabilize” the country after the vote.
Recent weeks have seen a flurry of conspicuous diplomatic support for the pro-EU cause in Moldova, highlighted by visiting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's announcement of nearly $2 billion of EU investment to help "double the size of your economy in a decade."
"It is your sovereign choice what to do with your country, and no one can interfere," von der Leyen said in Chisinau on October 10. "Of course, speaking as president of the European Commission, I believe that Moldova's place is in our European Union."
Denis Cenusa, an analyst with the Expert-Grup at the University of Giessen, suggested at a Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) event last week that the referendum was an effort to make up for years spent “oscillating between two vectors,” one toward EU membership and the other envisaging a more balanced international engagement that would almost certainly lead to closer relations with Moscow.
The amendments at issue in the constitutional referendum would include confirmation in the preamble of Moldovans' "European identity," the "irreversibility of the European courts" of the country, and integration as a national "strategic objective."
It would also add a section allowing for accession on the basis of a majority vote in Moldova's 101-member parliament.
At least 1.1 million voters must participate in the referendum to make it valid, a figure surpassed by early evening.
A "no" vote in the referendum would not preclude future membership, but it would deal a serious blow to Sandu and her pro-EU allies and almost certainly forestall accession efforts for years to come.
Bird-Flu Discovery At North Macedonia's Main Zoo Raises Regional Concerns
The discovery of a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu has forced the closing of North Macedonia’s main zoo in Skopje, the Food and Veterinary Agency said on October 19, raising concerns of poultry industries throughout the Balkan region. "Following testing after the death of a goose in the pond of the Skopje Zoo…the presence of a pathogenic strain of the H5N1 bird influenza virus was determined,” the agency said. The zoo is to be closed for 21 days while experts disinfect the site and conduct inspections. The report comes a day after the virus was discovered in a flock of poultry in Bulgaria and in other regional countries in recent months. The spread of H5N1 has wreaked havoc on poultry flocks globally in recent years, also raising the risk of human transmission. To read the original story by RFE/RL's North Macedonia Service, click here.
G7 Defense Chiefs Back Ukraine's 'Irreversible Path' To NATO, Condemn Russia
Defense chiefs from the Group of Seven (G7) developed economies vowed to support Ukraine's "irreversible path" to eventual NATO membership and pledged continued military support in the "short and long term" as Kyiv battles against Russia's full-scale invasion.
The leaders on October 19 also condemned Moscow for its military aggression along with its deployment of "hybrid warfare" and the "irresponsible use of nuclear rhetoric."
"We underscore our intent to continue to provide assistance to Ukraine, including military assistance in the short and long term," the G7 said in a joint statement following its summit in Naples.
“We support Ukraine on its irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership,” it added.
Italy, which holds the 2024 rotating chair of the group, hosted the event that also included the United States, Canada, France, Britain, Germany, and Japan and representatives of the European Union and NATO.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who attended the event, "expressed gratitude for the constant support in the fight against Russian aggression," his office said.
The G7 defense chiefs said in their statement that they "consider it imperative to continue supporting the education and training needs of the Ukrainian defense and security forces...given the need for force regeneration and reconstitution."
It noted the G7 decision to make available an estimated $50 billion by using revenue derived from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, including military, budgetary, and reconstruction assistance.
"We consider it a priority to work now to find solutions to create a Ukrainian military interoperable with supporting member states and NATO, capable of defending Ukraine now, and deterring further attacks in the future," it said.
"This process must be based on coordinated and sustained actions across relevant state and international actors."
It said that Ukraine had "for nearly three years defended itself against Russia's brutal and full-scale illegal war of aggression."
"We condemn Russia, which has put in place a posture of confrontation and destabilization on a global scale, also resorting to hybrid warfare and the irresponsible use of nuclear rhetoric."
Since February 2022, when he sent tens of thousands of troops across the border to invade Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly hinted and threatened that Russia was ready to tap into its nuclear arsenal -- the world's largest -- to defend itself.
- By RFE/RL
U.S. 'Highly Concerned' About Reports Of North Korean Troops Joining Russians In Ukraine
Washington is "highly concerned" about reports that North Korean soldiers have been deployed alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, although it has so far been unable to verify the claims made by South Korea and Ukraine, a U.S. spokesman said.
"We are highly concerned by reports of [North Korean] soldiers fighting on behalf of Russia," National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said on October 19.
"We are unable to confirm whether these reports are accurate, but if true, this would mark a dangerous development in Russia’s war against Ukraine," he added.
Savett said that such a move would "indicate Russia's growing desperation" as it suffers "extraordinary casualties on the battlefield in its brutal war against Ukraine."
"If Russia is indeed forced to turn to [North Korea] for manpower, this would be a sign of desperation, not strength, on the part of the Kremlin," Savett said.
Russia has suffered massive losses since its February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine -- which many in the Kremlin reportedly expected to last just a few days. U.S. government sources say that Russia has been suffering more than 1,200 casualties a day in recent months.
South Korea on October 18 claimed that Pyongyang began moving special forces to Russia earlier this month, days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a similar accusation that North Korea had sent soldiers and weapons to help support the Kremlin in its war against Ukraine.
"The North Korean soldiers dispatched to Russia are currently stationed at Russian military bases in the Far East, including Vladivostok, Ussuriisk, Khabarovsk, and Blagoveshchensk, and are expected to be deployed to the front lines as soon as they complete their adaptation training," South Korea's National Intelligence Service said.
Ukraine's Center For Strategic Communications on October 18 posted a video of what it said were North Korean troops being outfitted at Russia's Sergiyevsky training ground in preparation for deployment to Ukraine.
The video could not immediately be independently verified.
The Kremlin has previously dismissed claims by South Korea that Pyongyang has supplied artillery shells and short-range missiles to Moscow.
But it has not commented on the latest assertions by either Seoul or Zelenskiy, who on October 14 said that "this is no longer just about transferring weapons. It is actually about transferring people from North Korea to the occupying military forces."
NATO chief Mark Rutte, speaking in Brussels on October 18, said the military alliance could not confirm the reports that North Korean troops were "actively engaged" in the conflict in Ukraine.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service
Serbian Protesters Block Roads Over Planned Lithium Mine
GORNJE NEDELJICE, Serbia – A few hundred Serbian environmental activists and local residents blocked roads near the western city of Gornje Nedeljice and a major highway near Cacak in central Serbia, part of continuing protests against the proposed opening of a lithium mine.
The October 19 protests, organized by the Alliance of Environmental Organizations of Serbia (SEOS), concluded without incident after about an hour.
The SEOS said similar actions are set to take place across the Balkan country.
"This is just the prelude to the blockades that will happen throughout Serbia," Zlatko Kokanovic, one of the organizers of the protest, told RFE/RL.
Kokanovic said residents of Gornje Nedeljice and surrounding villages would not give up their fight to prevent lithium mining in Serbia.
Locals told RFE/RL that the issue they are facing is "a problem for all of Serbia," not just their region.
"There will be no mine, and I am certain there won’t be," said Svetlana Milutinovic of the village of Korenita, site of a planned tailings dam, where byproducts of mining operations are stored.
She added that the support from citizens across Serbia means a lot to them.
"They are all in the same position. It all starts here, but everyone will eventually be affected," she said.
Protests across Serbia erupted after the Constitutional Court nullified a previous government's rejection of some initial permits, clearing the path for fulfillment of Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic's pledge to ensure the mine complex's completion in western Serbia's Jadar Valley.
British-Australian mining company Rio Tinto plans to create Europe's biggest lithium mine in the region.
Rio Tinto has said the project could provide nearly 60,000 tons of lithium annually and meet about one-fifth of the needs for Europe's electric-vehicle production.
In a statement to RFE/RL, Rio Tinto said that "domestic and international experts have confirmed that the Jadar project can be implemented safely and following the highest environmental protection standards."
Vucic and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS)-led government previously stated that the lithium mine could open by 2028, provided that environmental regulations are met and necessary permits are obtained.
Rio Tinto discovered the mineral jadarite, a combination of lithium and boron, in the Loznica region in 2004, and officials have estimated that the Jadar Valley contains 158 million tons of the ore.
However, many domestic and international experts say that lithium extraction inevitably leads to environmental consequences, particularly the pollution of water basins and soil.
A U.S. diplomat said on October 11 that a decision on lithium mining is up to Serbia's people, but he said the proposed project is expected to bring economic benefits.
Jose Fernandez, undersecretary for economic growth, energy, and environment, told a news conference in Belgrade that he supports the debate over the project but added he believes the mine project will create jobs and bring Serbia closer to the European Union.
Senior U.S. Diplomat Vows Support For Kyiv's Anti-Corruption Fight, War Effort
KYIV -- U.S. Undersecretary of State Uzra Zeya, during a visit to Kyiv, underscored "unwavering U.S. solidarity" with Ukraine against Moscow's aggression and vowed continued support for Kyiv's efforts to battle corruption at home.
"Our message, building on the visit of Administrator Power, and Secretary Blinken in recent weeks is a straightforward one: U.S. support is steadfast in the face of Russia's illegal war against Ukraine," she said in an interview with RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service on October 18, referring to USAID chief Samantha Power and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Zeya, the U.S. a secretary of state for public security, democracy, and human rights, said that "providing Ukraine with the support that it needs to prevail is a top priority for the United States."
She said that among the key points she stressed during her meetings with leaders in Kyiv was U.S. backing to help "Ukraine win the war, win the peace, and win the future by strengthening its democratic resilience. "
Prior to her visit, the State Department said Zeya would emphasize "continued partnership on anti-corruption and rule-of-law reforms, a strong civil society and independent media, and advancing victim- and survivor-centered justice and accountability for Ukrainians."
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other leaders have pressed Ukraine's allies for additional military aid and also permission to use Western-supplied weapons to attack bases deep inside Russia, something Washington and other countries have been reluctant to grant over fears of igniting a wider conflict.
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.
While providing aid to Ukraine, Western partners have also pressed Kyiv to make gains against widespread corruption in the country to -- as Zeya said during the visit -- help "secure a fully integrated Ukraine with Europe."
"The United States is proudly supporting Ukraine's tremendous anti-corruption gains, from reforming oversight of financial crimes and increasing the number of anti-corruption judges to doubling the number of indictments and convictions in the last 16 months," she said.
Zeya said the United States "will do its utmost to rally its partners to help Ukraine, hold Russia accountable for its atrocities, and advance comprehensive justice for its people."
During her visit Zeya, announced a $5 million partnership with the Institute for War and Peace Reporting to "enhance collaboration between civil society and Ukrainian anti-corruption institutions toward even greater government transparency and accountability."
"I think the fact that Ukraine is consistently rising in Transparency International's annual rankings over recent years as it is repelling this brutal full-scale invasion really speaks to the tenacity, resourcefulness, and determination of Ukraine's anti-corruption efforts," she said.
Transparency International has ranked Ukraine 104th out of 180 countries in its most recent index.
The watchdog said in its report for 2023 that "across the region, many governments control the judiciary and law enforcement institutions to maintain impunity for corruption for those in their privileged circles."
For "countries in the Western Balkans, these persistent practices stand in the way of European Union membership. This is also the case for Moldova and Ukraine, although these countries are making substantial reforms to their justice systems," Transparency International said.
Zeya also vowed that Washington would continue its support for "millions of displaced Ukrainians, including those in Ukraine and around the region" who have had their lives thrown into turmoil by the Russian invasion.
The U.S. diplomat is scheduled to travel to Poland and Britain following her visit to Ukraine.
France Pledges Support for Ukraine's 'Victory Plan'
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on October 19 announced his country's support for Ukraine's "victory plan" for ending the war with Russia.
Unveiled by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on October 16, the ambitious plan hopes to compel Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine through negotiations no later than next year.
Barrot, who began a two-day trip to Kyiv on October 19, said a Russian victory in this war would be a "consecration for the law of the strongest and would push the international order toward chaos."
"That is why our exchanges should allow us to make progress on President Zelenskiy's victory plan and rally the greatest number possible of countries around it," Barrot said at a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andriy Sybiha.
Barrot said that Ukrainians were not only fighting for their country's territorial integrity, but "also holding a front line that separates Europe from Vladimir Putin's Russia, that separates freedom from oppression."
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.
Barrot announced that France plans to deliver the first batch of Mirage 2000 combat jets to Ukraine in the first quarter of 2025, with Ukrainian pilots and mechanics also trained to fly and maintain the aircraft.
France has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters in Europe since Russia's brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
A full new brigade of Ukrainian soldiers for frontline deployment is currently being trained and equipped by France.
Barrot's visit to Kyiv comes hours after Russia launched a new drone strike on the Ukrainian capital overnight, the city's military administration said in a statement on October 19.
A woman sustained a "serious injury" in the strike, the statement said, adding that the attack also damaged a house and several vehicles.
Moscow, meanwhile, said its air defenses shot down 16 Ukrainian drones over Russia’s Bryansk, Rostov, and Belgorod regions in the early hours of October 19.
Russia's Defense Ministry also claimed that its forces had taken the village of Zoryane, enabling them to approach the industrial hub of Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine.
Kurakhove, home to about 20,000 people before the invasion, lies south of Pokrovsk, a key target of Moscow's forces advancing westward through the Donetsk region.
The head of Pokrovsk's military administration, Serhiy Dobrak, on October 18 urged residents to evacuate.
"Do not delay, pack up and leave. It will be dangerous," Dobrak was quoted by Urkainian media as saying.
With reporting by AP and Reuters
Migrants Return From Albania To Italy After Court Ruling
An Italian coast-guard ship took back to Italy the first 12 migrants from newly opened immigration centers in Albania on October 19 after a court ruling in Rome.
The Italian court on October 18 ruled against the right-wing government's move to detain migrants at asylum-processing facilities outside the European Union under an agreement between Italy and Albania.
The court said the migrants had to return to Italy because their countries of origin -- Egypt and Bangladesh -- could not be considered safe.
The migrants were transferred to the Albanian facility of Gjader on October 16 to undergo what the bilateral agreement describes as expedited border procedures.
They originally numbered 16, but four of them had already been brought back to Italy -- two for health reasons and two for being minors.
A cabinet meeting is expected to be held on October 21 to decide on the government's response.
The court ruling represents a stumbling block to the arrangement between Italy and Albania that the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed as a new "model" for dealing with illegal migration.
The agreement states that while in the centers, an Italian judge would consider the migrants' asylum claims and decide whether to grant them or send them back to their home countries.
Speaking to reporters during a trip to Lebanon, Meloni called the decision "prejudiced" and said it was up to her government to determine which countries are safe and which are not, suggesting she would draft new rules to address the issue.
"Perhaps the government needs to clarify better what is meant by 'safe country'," she said.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told a news conference he was confident the decision would be overturned, adding that the government would take its appeal up to the Supreme Court if necessary.
For now, the court ruling means they will all have to be transferred to Italy.
The centers are set to cost Italy $730 million over five years. The facilities are managed by Italy and under Italian jurisdiction, while Albanian guards provide external security.
Italy has agreed to accept those migrants who have been granted asylum, while those whose claims are rejected face deportation directly from Albania.
With reporting by Reuters and AP
- By RFE/RL
G7 Warns Iran To End Support For Hamas, Hezbollah
The world’s leading industrial nations warned Iran to stop supporting the Hamas and Hezbollah militant groups and other nonstate actors in the Middle East and to cease actions that are helping to destabilize the region, while Washington also urged Israel to scale back its attacks near Beirut amid ongoing fears of a potential all-out war.
The Group of Seven (G7) developed economies, in a joint statement on October 19, said they "call on Iran to refrain from providing support to Hamas, Hezbollah, Huthis, and other nonstate actors, and taking further actions that could destabilize the region and trigger an uncontrolled process of escalation."
Gaza-based Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union. Hezbollah has also been designated terror group by the United States, while the EU blacklists its armed wing but not its political unit, which has members in the Lebanese parliament.
Hamas, Lebanon-based Hezbollah, and the Huthi rebels in Yemen -- also deemed a terrorist organization by the United States -- are considered Iranian proxy organizations in the Middle East.
Following its summit in Italy, the G7 -- the United States, Italy, Canada, Britain, France, and Japan -- said it remains "united in supporting the need for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza," the release of all hostages, and a "significant and sustained increase" in the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The statement also said the G7 is troubled by the latest events in Lebanon and "the risk of further escalation."
It expressed concerns over "all threats" to the security of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which has complained of dangers to its staff amid the Israeli military's air and ground operations in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border.
Separately, U.S. defense chief Lloyd Austin said Washington would "like to see" Israel scale back some of its attacks in and around Beirut.
"The number of civilian causalities have been far too high. We would like to see Israel scale back some of the strikes in and around Beirut and we would like to see a transition to negotiations that would allow civilians on both sides to return to their homes," he said following the G7 summit in Naples.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on October 19 said the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar presented an opportunity for a cease-fire in the Middle East.
"This creates an opening that I believe we must take full advantage of to dedicate ourselves to ending this war and bringing the hostages home," Harris told reporters.
"As it relates to the issues in the Middle East and in particular in that region, it has never been easy. But that doesn't mean we give up. It's always going to be difficult."
The statements come after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Hamas "will remain alive" despite the death of Sinwar.
Khamenei said in a statement on October 19 that Sinwar's "loss is undoubtedly painful for the Axis of Resistance," referring to a self-described network of several Iran-backed groups in the Middle East, including Hamas.
"But this front did not cease advancing with the martyrdom of prominent figures," Khamenei added.
Sinwar -- the architect of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza -- was killed by Israeli forces on October 16. His death was confirmed by a top Hamas political official the following day.
The situation remains tense in Gaza, where at least 50 people including children were killed in Israeli air strikes on October 19, Palestinian health officials said.
At least 10 of them were killed in central Gaza when a house was hit in the town of Zawayda, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the casualties were taken.
Another attack killed 11 people, all from the same family, in the Maghazi refugee camp, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah.
The Israeli government said that a drone was launched toward the house of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the coastal town of Caesarea on October 19, with no casualties. Neither Netanyahu nor his wife were home, his office said in a statement.
Netanyahu later said that the "agents of Iran who attempted to assassinate" him and his wife "made a bitter mistake."
The drone strike came in the morning as sirens wailed in Israel, warning of incoming fire from Lebanon.
In Lebanon, authorities said two people were killed in an Israeli strike on October 19 in Jounieh, north of Beirut.
Jounieh, a Christian-majority town, had not been hit since Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah started exchanging cross-border fire over the Gaza war last year.
Israel intensified its bombardment of Lebanon on September 23 and later in the month sent ground troops across the Lebanese border.
The strikes have reached areas outside of traditional strongholds of Hezbollah, which is 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 wing has seats in the Lebanese parliament and the militants control the southern part of the country that borders Israel.
Elsewhere, pro-Iranian groups in Iraq overran offices of Saudi broadcaster MBC after it aired a report referring to commanders of Tehran-linked militant groups as "terrorists."
More than 400 people "wrecked the electronic equipment, the computers, and set fire to a part of the building," an Iraqi Interior Ministry source told AFP.
The source said the fire had been put out and that police had dispersed the crowd.
With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
Romania Detects Another Unidentified Object Breaching Its Airspace
Romania dispatched four of its fighter jets early on October 19 after an unidentified object breached its airspace in the southeast near the Black Sea, the Defense Ministry said.
According to the ministry, the military radar systems detected a small flying object -- likely a drone -- headed for Tulcea County before losing the signal at around 2.30 a.m. local time, a second drone this week breaching Romania's national airspace.
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.
The army dispatched two F-16 fighter jets and two Spanish F-18s to monitor the object, the ministry said, adding that the pilots did not see the drone.
The previous incident was reported on October 17, when a small flying object was detected by army radars above the southeastern county of Constanta at around 5 p.m. local time.
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on October 18 that his country was analyzing the possibility of a "cyber-challenge, because pilots did not have visual contact with the drone."
In the past, Russian drones had entered Romania's airspace as Moscow attacked Ukrainian targets along the Black Sea and Danube River.
Romania, a member of the European Union and NATO, shares a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine.
IMF Approves $1.1 Billion In Aid To Bolster Ukraine's Budget
The board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on October 18 approved a $1.1 billion payout for Ukraine to be used to provide budget support to the war-torn country.
The loan disbursal is the latest tranche of funding the IMF has released to Ukraine as part of an ongoing four-year, $15.5 billion program approved in March 2023.
The approval of the fifth review of the expanded agreement under the Enhanced Financing Program (EFF) for Ukraine brings the total amount disbursed to Ukraine since then to $8.7 billion.
"Russia's war in Ukraine continues to bring a devastating social and economic toll on Ukraine," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement.
"Despite the war, macroeconomic and financial stability is being preserved through skillful policymaking by the Ukrainian authorities, as well as substantial support,” Georgieva said. “"The economy has remained resilient, despite significant damage to the energy infrastructure, reflecting the continued adaptability of households and firms."
The IMF statement said that Ukraine had met all of the relevant targets, including on structural reforms relating to tax privileges, public companies, and customs reform.
Ukraine's economy had been "more resilient than expected" in the first half of the year, with good domestic data "bolstered by continued sizable external support," the IMF said.
But it warned that the economic outlook through the end of next year remained subject to "exceptionally high uncertainty," largely due to sustained Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and uncertainty about the war.
- By RFE/RL
Russia, Ukraine Conduct Prisoner Swap, Exchange Of Bodies
Russia and Ukraine swapped 190 prisoners of war on October 18 under an agreement completed with the help of the United Arab Emirates.
The U.A.E. mediated the exchange, the country’s state news agency said, in a report that referred to a total of 190 soldiers.
The Russian Defense Ministry said on Telegram that the 95 returning Russian servicemen were undergoing medical checks in Belarus.
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.
There was no immediate word of the exchange from Ukrainian authorities.
Russia and Ukraine earlier on October 18 exchanged the bodies of fallen servicemen. Russian State Duma Deputy Shamsail Saraliev, who is the legislative body’s representative of the parliamentary coordination group on military operations, said the exchange involved the bodies of 501 servicemen returned to Ukraine and 89 to Russia.
The Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that the bodies of soldiers killed in battles near Avdiyivka, Maryinka, Bakhmut, and Zaporizhzhya as well as one body from a morgue in Russia have been returned to their homeland.
The bodies will be taken to Ukrainian morgues for identification, after which they will be handed over to relatives for burial.
The Russian Defense Ministry has not yet commented on the exchange of bodies, which the two sides have regularly done since 2022. The International Committee of the Red Cross acts as an intermediary in the exchanges.
With reporting by Reuters
Italian Court Ruling Is Setback For Migrant Deal With Albania
A court in Italy on October 18 ruled against the right-wing government's move to detain 12 migrants in newly opened immigration centers, or reception camps, in Albania.
Sixteen migrants -- 10 Bangladeshis and six Egyptians -- were transferred on October 16 by an Italian Navy ship to Albania to undergo what are called expedited border procedures under an agreement between Italy and Albania.
The staff of the immigration center, where migrants are to be housed, had decided prior to the court ruling to return four other migrants after medical and other examinations.
The decisions represent a stumbling block to the arrangement between Italy and Albania that the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed as a new "model" for dealing with illegal migration.
The agreement states that while in the centers, an Italian judge would consider the migrants’ asylum claims and decide whether to grant them or send them back to their home countries.
A court in Rome rejected the detention of 12 migrants with the explanation that they cannot be returned to their countries of origin because the court does not consider these countries to be safe enough.
Speaking to reporters during a trip to Lebanon, Meloni called the decision "prejudiced" and said it was up to her government to determine which countries are safe and which are not, suggesting she would draft new rules to address the issue.
"Perhaps the government needs to clarify better what is meant by 'safe country'," she said.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told a news conference he was confident the decision would be overturned, adding that the government would take its appeal up to the Supreme Court if necessary.
For now, the court ruling means they will all have to be transferred to Italy.
The centers are set to cost Italy 670 million euros ($730 million) over five years. The facilities are managed by Italy and under Italian jurisdiction, while Albanian guards provide external security.
Italy has agreed to accept those migrants who have been granted asylum, while those whose claims are rejected face deportation directly from Albania.
With reporting by Reuters
Bashkortostan Activist Placed Under Harsher Prison Conditions
Jailed activist Ramilya Saitova (aka Galim) of Russia’s Republic of Bashkortostan has been placed under strict conditions in a Russian prison in the Perm region, where she is serving a five-year sentence for an online post she made protesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The change in Saitova’s status came after a skirmish with two other women who took turns beating her, according to activists from Bashkortostan who spoke to RFE/RL on October 18 on the condition of anonymity.
A court in Samara on October 16 rejected Saitova’s complaint against the decision to place her under harsher conditions.
The activists, who monitor Saitova’s case, said they found out about the fight with the two other women at the same time they heard that her complaint had been rejected. They don’t know why the fight occurred.
“As far as we know, she had quite normal relations with everyone in the colony. Ramilya complained to the duty officer, but in the end the disciplinary commission recognized her as a malicious violator of the order and expelled Ramilya to a punishment cell for 15 days,” one of the sources told RFE/RL.
After leaving the punishment cell, she was assigned to a barracks with stricter conditions, including a prohibition on calls to relatives.
The activists said they consider this "a provocation by the administration and, possibly, the special services."
The two women involved in the fight are considered inmates of "exemplary behavior" in the colony and have now been recognized as alleged victims of Saitova's actions, the activists told RFE/RL.
Saitova plans to appeal the decisions of the colony administration and the refusal of the Court of Cassation in Samara to the Supreme Court of Russia.
Saitova, who has been recognized by the Memorial human rights group as a political prisoner, was arrested in May 2023 and charged with "public calls for actions aimed against the country's security." She rejected the charge, which stemmed from her online video address to men mobilized in Bashkortostan, calling on them "to be brave and openly say, 'I do not want to kill.'"
The Kirovsky District Court of Ufa, which sentenced her in December 2023, also banned the activist from engaging in activities related to the administration of websites for a period of four years.
In April 2024, the Supreme Court of Bashkortostan upheld Saitova's sentence, which she began serving the following month at the women's penal colony No. 18 in the Perm region.
Her lawyer, Garifulla Yaparov, said earlier that she had been well received there. The attitude of the colony’s management toward her was normal, and she didn’t complain about the food, Yaparov said at the time.
- By Current Time
Apple Complies With Russian Authorities, Removes RFE/RL App From App Store
Apple has informed RFE/RL that it has removed Current Time's app from the Russian version of its App Store at the request of Roskomnadzor, Russia’s media regulatory agency.
Apple told RFE/RL in a letter that the reason it removed the app is that it contained content that is illegal in Russia and materials from an organization deemed "undesirable" by the Russian authorities.
Current Time is the Russian-language TV and digital network run by RFE/RL.
RFE/RL, an independent media organization funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the United States Agency for Global Media, broadcasts in 27 languages across 23 countries, mainly targeting regions with limited media freedom. Its Russian-language projects have been the focus of increasing governmental pressure, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
RFE/RL had no immediate comment on Apple's decision.
After Moscow launched its full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022, Roskomnadzor blocked RFE/RL websites, including those of the company's Russian Service, known locally as Radio Svoboda, and Current Time.
On March 6, 2022, RFE/RL suspended operations in Russia, following escalating government actions, including a petition by the Russian Federal Tax Service to bankrupt the organization’s Russian division.
These measures, according to RFE/RL, were the culmination of years of government efforts to hinder its work.
The Russian Justice Ministry officially declared RFE/RL’s activities “undesirable” in February 2024.
Apple’s compliance with the Russian authorities is part of a broader trend. The U.S. tech giant removed 25 VPN services from its App Store in July and another 98 in September.
These removals sparked concerns from independent media, NGOs, and civil society activists, who have accused the company of aiding in the suppression of free speech in Russia. They have urged Apple to resist actions that undermine international human rights standards and to reinstate the blocked VPN apps.
Kazakh Journalist Jailed For 4 Years Amid Press Crackdown
A court in Astana on October 18 sentenced Kazakh journalist Daniyar Adilbekov to 4 1/2 years in prison on charges of making and disseminating false information through a Telegram post that accused an energy official of corruption. Co-defendant Erlan Saudegerov received a three-year suspended sentence and probation on related charges. Both men rejected the charges. Their lawyers cited procedural violations and a lack of evidence. In May, over a dozen journalists appealed to President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev for Adilbekov’s release and a fair investigation. Adilbekov also reported being tortured by National Security Committee officials, a claim denied by authorities. His case and the imprisonment of other Kazakh journalists in recent months have sparked concerns about press freedom and the treatment of journalists in Kazakhstan. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, click here.
Senior U.S. Diplomat In Kyiv For Talks
U.S. Undersecretary of State Uzra Zeya has arrived in Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian officials, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said on October 18 on X, adding that the visit is meant "to reaffirm the commitment of the U.S. to support Ukraine against a full-scale invasion of Russia," the embassy said on X. Separately, the U.S. State Department said in a statement that Zeya will emphasize continued partnership on anti-corruption and rule of law reforms, a strong civil society and independent media, and advancing victim- and survivor-centered justice and accountability for Ukrainians." From Ukraine, Zeya will depart for Poland and the United Kingdom, the statement added. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
South Korea Accuses Pyongyang Of Sending Soldiers To Russia
South Korea claims Pyongyang began moving special forces to Russia earlier this month, days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a similar accusation that North Korea had sent soldiers and weapons to help support the Kremlin in its war against Ukraine.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said in a statement on October 18 that it had tracked the movements of the North's military from October 8 to October 13 and had captured images of North Korea transporting special forces to Russian territory via a Russian transport ship, the first time a Russian Navy vessel had been detected entering North Korean waters since 1990, "confirming the start of the North Korean military's participation in the war."
"The North Korean soldiers dispatched to Russia are currently stationed at Russian military bases in the Far East, including Vladivostok, Ussuriisk, Khabarovsk, and Blagoveshchensk, and are expected to be deployed to the front lines as soon as they complete their adaptation training," the NIS statement said.
"The North Korean soldiers were issued Russian military uniforms and Russian-made weapons, and were also issued fake ID cards of residents of the Yakutia and Buryatia regions of Siberia who looked similar to North Koreans. It appears that they disguised themselves as Russian soldiers to hide the fact that they were deployed to the battlefield," it added.
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.
The statement included maps and photos purportedly backing up the claims, which have not been independently verified.
Speculation over North Korea's role in the conflict has grown amid signs of tightening relations between Moscow and countries such as North Korea and Iran almost 32 months after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine was launched.
The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based U.S. military think tank, also recently reported that several thousand North Korean troops had arrived in Russia and were being prepared for deployment in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has previously dismissed claims by South Korea that Pyongyang has supplied artillery shells and short-range missiles to Moscow, but has not commented on the latest assertions by either Seoul or Zelenskiy, who on October 14 said that "this is no longer just about transferring weapons. It is actually about transferring people from North Korea to the occupying military forces."
The NIS statement said Ukrainian intelligence services had analyzed North Korean weapons it says Russia has used in the war and found they have "a high defect rate and low accuracy, so they are being used for mass offensives to maintain the front line rather than for precision strikes."
NATO chief Mark Rutte, speaking in Brussels on October 18, said the military alliance could not confirm the reports that North Korean troops were "actively engaged" in the conflict in Ukraine.
Defense ministers from NATO's 32 members are meeting to discuss developments in Ukraine, as well as other issues.
In Washington, the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives' Intelligence Committee cited the South Korean report in a letter to President Joe Biden calling for an immediate classified briefing on the issue.
"These [North Korean] troops movements, if true, are alarming and are an extreme escalation of the conflict in Ukraine," said Representative Mike Turner (Republican-Ohio). "They require an immediate response from the United States and our NATO allies to avoid a widening conflict."
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
Mongolia, The Forgotten Soviet Satellite
2U.S. 'Highly Concerned' About Reports Of North Korean Troops Joining Russians In Ukraine
3Deadly Fire Erupts At Refinery In Iran's Khuzestan Province
4Men Dragged Off The Street As Ukraine Tries To Tackle Manpower Crisis At The Front
5Ukrainian Drones Reportedly Target Russian Military Plant, Moscow
6Clashes Erupt Between Rival Orthodox Groups At Cathedral In Ukraine
7Ukraine Live Briefing: Over 1,000 Strikes On Energy Facilities In 2 Years
8Russia Pressures Central Asian Prisoners To Fight In Ukraine As 'Expendable Force'
9Georgia's Ruling Party Plays The Ukraine War Card
10Lebanon's Armenians Face Painful Choice: Stay And Risk Death Or Flee
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
