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.

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 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.

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.

De facto authorities in Moldova's Transdniester have pledged not to obstruct the access of voters from the Russian-backed separatist region to polling stations amid concerns that Moscow will attempt to interfere with the two key votes scheduled for October 20.

Moldovans are going to the polls to have their say in a referendum on their impoverished country of 2.5 million people pursuing further integration into the European Union and at the same time decide whether to give Pro-Western President Maia Sandu a second term in office.

Mostly Russian-speaking Transdniester, a narrow stretch of land on the left bank on the Dniester River that borders Ukraine, declared independence in 1990 when Moldova was still a Soviet republic. Following Chisinau's proclaiming its own independence in 1991, the two sides fought a short but bloody war in 1992 that claimed the lives of some 1,000 people.

The war was quelled by the intervention of Russian troops stationed in the region on the separatists' side. The conflict has remained frozen for the past three decades and Russia still maintains some 1,500 troops in the region despite pledging as far back as 1999 to withdraw them.

Although it does not officially recognize Transdniester's independence, Moscow has been the separatist entity's main political and economic backer.

Central authorities in Chisinau said that separatists responded positively to their call not to "impede the smooth conduct of the elections."

Moldovans from Transdniester who want to vote will have to cross the Dniester River into Moldova proper, where authorities have reserved 30 polling stations only for them.

Separatist authorities initially reacted with fury to Chisinau's refusal to open any polling stations in Transdniester, saying it was proof the Moldovan government was "ignoring" its citizens from the left bank of the Dniester.

The Unified Control Commission -- a trilateral peacekeeping force and joint military command structure from Moldova, Transdniester, and Russia that monitors a demilitarized zone on the border between Moldova and Ukraine, told Chisinau on October 17 that it would ensure the free movement of Moldovan citizens between the two banks of the Dniester on the day of the vote.

The commission statement came after Vadim Krasnoselsky, the de facto leader of Transdniester, said on October 14 that separatist authorities would not obstruct the October 20 election process.

"I assure you that we will allow the free passage of citizens," Krasnoselsky told local journalists.

Under Sandu's government, Moldova secured EU candidate status in 2022 and opened accession talks with the bloc earlier this year after siding with Ukraine following Russia's unprovoked invasion, in a radical U-turn toward the West and away from Moscow's decades-long influence.

The two polls are seen as crucial for the future of the former Soviet republic and come amid a hybrid campaign of disinformation employed by Russia to scare Moldovans away from the European Union and keep them in Moscow's orbit.

On October 17, Moldovan authorities said they uncovered a network of more than 100 people trained in Russia and the Balkans to provoke post-election unrest in the country and made several arrests.

According to a poll by CBS Research published on October 17, Sandu would get nearly 36 percent of the vote.

Out of the other 10 candidates, pro-Moscow Socialist candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo is credited in the poll with some 9 percent of the vote, followed by businessman Renato Usatii, the ex-mayor of Balti, Moldova's second-largest city, with 6.4 percent.

Some 28 percent of those polled said they have not yet made up their mind on who to vote for.

The presidential election will take place simultaneously with a constitutional referendum on Moldova's accession to the EU.

Voters will have to answer with "yes" or "no" to the question, "Do you support amending the constitution in order for the Republic of Moldova to join the European Union?"

Kyrgyzstan's Emergencies Ministry announced on October 18 the recovery of the bodies of three victims from an avalanche site in the southwestern district of Chatkal, while the search continues for others still missing in the district's Ak-Sai mountains. On October 9, a group of 14 people, including a foreign national, went missing while searching for medicinal plants. Eight members of the group were found safely on October 16. Rescuers continue to search the area. Rescuers suspended search operations in the area late on October 18 for one day due to weather conditions, including rain and snow, after the region experienced heavy snowfall on October 13-16. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, click here.

The caretaker prime minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, has rejected any move by Iran to hold talks on implementing a UN resolution concerning southern Lebanon, calling it "blatant interference" in his country's internal affairs.Responding to comments a day earlier by Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Qalibaf that Tehran was ready to negotiate on the UN resolution that calls for the border area of southern Lebanon to be free of international weapons or troops, Mikati said on October 18 that the Lebanese government was "surprised by this position."

This "constitutes a blatant interference in Lebanese affairs and an attempt to establish a rejected guardianship over Lebanon," he said in a statement.

Qalibaf made the comments in an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro.

"The issue of negotiating the implementation of Resolution 1701 is the responsibility of the Lebanese state, and everyone is required to support it in this direction, rather than seeking to impose new guardianships that are rejected on all national and sovereign grounds."

The UN resolution authorizes a peacekeeping mission, called UNIFIL, to help Lebanon keep the border area secure.

The Israeli army launched a ground incursion into the southern border area earlier this month, saying it was pushing out militants from Iran-backed Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon, and that UNIFIL has failed in its mission.

Several UN peacekeeping positions in southern Lebanon have since come under fire, but a UNIFIL spokesperson on October 18 said the mission would remain in Lebanon despite the attacks.

"We need to stay, they asked us to move," said UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti by video link from Beirut.

"The devastation and destruction of many villages along the Blue Line, and even beyond, is shocking," he said.

The Blue Line refers to a demarcation created by the UN to separate Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Hezbollah 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 party has seats in the Lebanese parliament.

U.S. President Joe Biden met with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin ahead of joint talks on Ukraine with the leaders of Germany, France, and Britain as Russia continued its daily strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, launching on October 18 "one of the most massive" drone attacks on the country.

Biden's visit to Germany comes a day after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy presented EU leaders and NATO top officials with a set of measures that he said would help his embattled country put an end to Russia's 31-month invasion.

Biden called on Ukraine's allies to maintain their determination and back the embattled country as it heads into a difficult third winter of war

He praised Scholz for backing Kyiv and saying Berlin "rose to meet the moment" in the wake of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, welcoming Germany's raising its defense spending to a NATO target of 2 percent of its gross domestic product.

"You showed the wisdom to recognize that this war marked a turning point in history," Biden told Scholz before the two headed into their meeting, adding that "America and Germany are the two largest supporters of Ukraine in its fight for survival as a free and independent nation."

Biden started his visit with a meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who presented him with the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit, Germany's highest award.

"When you were elected president, you restored Europe's hope in the transatlantic alliance literally overnight," Steinmeier told Biden -- in reference to the cooling of relations between Washington and Berlin during President Donald Trump's time in office.

After separate talks, Biden and Scholz will hold a joint meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during the U.S. leader's compressed 24-hour visit as he nears the final months of his presidential term.

Biden, who arrived in Germany late on October 17, was originally due to visit the country last week on four-day visit that would have included him attending a meeting of the Ramstein group of some 50 allies of Ukraine to discuss and coordinate further military aid for the Ukraine as it faces a difficult winter ahead.

However, Biden canceled the trip in order to coordinate the U.S. response to Hurricane Milton.

National-security adviser Jake Sullivan has said Biden was seeking "to make our commitment to Ukraine sustainable and institutionalized for the long term."

Zelenskiy on October 17 outlined details of his "victory plan" to Ukraine's EU and NATO allies as he sought to convince them to give Ukraine an invitation to joint the military alliance -- a move that he argued would tamper down Moscow's will to continue the war and force it to negotiate in good faith.

However, while declaring that Ukraine will eventually become a member, NATO has so far not given a clear deadline, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Kyiv's intention to join the alliance was one of the reasons for Russia's invasion.

NATO chief Mark Rutte, while reaffirming that NATO is working to get Ukraine ever closer to the alliance, stopped short of endorsing Zelenskiy's call for an invitation to join the alliance.

"Ukraine will be member of NATO, there is no doubt about it, and until that happens we will make sure that Ukraine has everything it needs to prevail," Rutte said, adding it was essential NATO continued to provide the country with military aid.

Earlier, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith told reporters that while Kyiv's path toward eventual NATO membership was irreversible, "we are not at the point right now where the alliance is talking about issuing an invitation in the short term."

Kyiv has been hard-pressed to rally its Western allies as its outmanned and outgunned forces have faced a slow but continuous advance of Russian troops in the east.

Furthermore, the upcoming U.S. presidential election raises concerns about how the two candidates, Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, would deal with the war in Ukraine.

Trump, who has repeatedly criticized Zelenskiy during his presidential campaign, on October 17 blamed the Ukrainian leader for allegedly helping start the conflict, even though the war began with Russia's unprovoked invasion.

"That doesn't mean I don't want to help him [Zelenskiy] because I feel very badly for those people. But he should never have let that war start. The war's a loser," Trump said on the podcast of Patrick Bet-David.

In Ukraine, meanwhile, Russia launched one of its largest waves of drone strikes early on October 18 , the head on Kyiv's military administration, Serhiy Popko, reported.

"Russian troops carried out one of the most massive drone attacks on the civilian population and infrastructure of Ukraine. Enemy drones also threatened Kyiv. But thanks to the coordinated work of the defense forces, all drones moving toward the capital were neutralized," Popko wrote on Telegram.

There were no immediate reports of casualties during the attack on Kyiv, which lasted for more than 4 1/2 hours, Popko said.

Ukraine's air force said attacks targeted the Kyiv, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsya, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Poltava regions and air-raid alerts were still active in some regions. Ukrainian air defenses downed 80 out of the 135 drones launched by Russia, it said on Telegram.

Iran-backed Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, has confirmed the death of leader Yahya Sinwar, considered to be the mastermind of the October 7, 2023, attack that killed some 1,200 people in Israel and triggered the war in Gaza between Israel and the militant group.

Deputy Gaza Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya, who is also the group's chief negotiator, confirmed on October 18 Israeli reports that Sinwar was killed in Gaza in a televised address where he called on Israel to end its war in the coastal strip of land and withdraw its forces.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) first confirmed Sinwar's death on October 17, saying soldiers of the 828th Brigade (Bislach) identified and eliminated three "terrorists," and "after completing the process of identifying the body, it can be confirmed that Yahya Sinwar was eliminated."

"People are shocked and saddened. A Palestinian leader has been killed," 37-year-old Ramzi Sahlout, a former teacher who now helps as a volunteer at a local hospital, told Radio Farda via WhatsApp from northern Gaza. "The situation remains unchanged, and nothing new has happened. The war continues, and the only important issue for people now is the end of the war."

Sinwar's death leaves Iran-backed Hamas without a leader for the second time in less than three months and, according to senior officials from the United States and other Israeli allies, creates the possibility of a new scenario for the region.

"We believe, continue to believe, that finding an end to the war is critical, and we also believe that Mr. Sinwar's death...can provide an inflection point to getting there," said White House spokesperson John Kirby, who is in Berlin with U.S. President Joe Biden as he meets European officials on a variety of topics.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted the removal of Sinwar from the scene opens a path for "a change of direction."

"We'll see how things evolve," Austin said on October 18 during a visit to Brussels for a meeting of NATO defense ministers. "But clearly there are opportunities for a change in direction, and we would hope that, you know, parties would would take advantage of that, both in Lebanon, in Gaza and in Lebanon."

SEE ALSO:

Palestinians Count The Toll Of Israel's Devastating War In Gaza

Added NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte: "I personally will not miss him."

Sinwar's death represents a major victory for the Israeli military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been under pressure from many allies, including the United States, for the rising number of civilian casualties in Gaza as a result of the war, and accusations that Israel has been hindering aid supplies to the territory, where hundreds of thousands are living in a growing humanitarian crisis.

But neither side appears prepared, at least publicly, to seize on the opportunity Austin and other diplomats around the world have spoken about in the wake of Sinwar's death.

Hamas said on October 18 it would launch a new phase of fighting in the conflict, while Netanyahu said in a speech late the previous evening that "our war has not ended."

The current war between the two sides broke out after Hamas's October 7 attack, that also saw the militants take some 240 people back to Gaza as hostages.

Israel has since launched a withering offensive that, according to the Hamas-led Heath Ministry in Gaza, has seen more than 42,000 people killed while displacing virtually all of Gaza's 2.3 million people.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sinwar had rebuffed efforts by the United States and its partners to bring the war to a close through an agreement that would free the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.

The fighting has also spilled over into Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., while the EU blacklists its armed wing but not its political party, has fired rockets and missiles into Israel on almost a daily basis in support of Hamas.

Hezbollah’s political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament and the militants control the southern part of the country that borders Israel.

The IDF launched a ground incursion into the southern border area earlier this month, saying it was pushing out Hezbollah militants.

Russia's State Duma on October 17 passed a bill in its first reading that would ban "childfree propaganda," marking the latest expansion of the government's efforts to regulate social discourse.

The bill introduces penalties for promoting the voluntary refusal to have children, with fines reaching up to 5 million rubles ($51,440) for organizations and 400,000 rubles ($4,115) for individuals.

This move builds on existing legislation that targets "LGBT propaganda" and is part of a broader campaign by Russian authorities to defend what they view as traditional values.

The push to ban the so-called childfree movement has gained momentum in recent months, with Russian officials, including Valentina Matviyenko, chairwoman of the parliament's upper chamber, the Federation Council, linking the trend to the "radicalization of feminism in the West."

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Matviyenko and other officials argue that this movement, which encourages voluntary childlessness, undermines family values and contributes to Russia's deepening demographic crisis.

Russia is facing a significant population decline, which President Vladimir Putin has frequently described as one of the country's most pressing issues. In response, the government has implemented various measures, including financial incentives for families, efforts to curb abortions, and increasing restrictions on content deemed contrary to family values, such as LGBT-related materials.

Putin has framed these policies as necessary to boost Russia's birth rate and secure its future.

Critics of the childfree ban argue it is part of a broader state agenda to ensure a supply of "future soldiers for the Kremlin," reflecting concerns that the government is using demographic policies to fuel its long-term military needs.

Meanwhile, a recent study by Russia's Higher School of Economics highlights the complexities surrounding the demographic crisis. And according to recent polls, many Russians are postponing or abandoning plans to have children due to the war in Ukraine, political instability, financial difficulties, and rising social anxiety.

These challenges have complicated the government's efforts to reverse the declining birth rate, as the economic and emotional toll of ongoing situation caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine weighs heavily on Russian society.

The United States on October 17 imposed sanctions on two Chinese companies and an affiliated Russian company involved in making and shipping drones that Russia has used in its full-scale war in Ukraine.

The two Chinese companies designated by the U.S. Treasury Department are Xiamen Limbach Aircraft Engine Company and the Redlepus Vector Industry Shenzhen.

Xiamen Limbach Aircraft Engine Company makes an engine that powers Russia's Garpiya series long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, the U.S. Treasury Department said. Redlepus Vector Industry Shenzhen is involved in shipping the attack drones, the department said in a statement.

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A Russian national and a Russian company affiliated with the two Chinese companies also were designated in the sanctions announced on October 17. They are Artem Yamshchikov, general director and beneficial owner of TSK Vektor, which serves as an intermediary between a previously designated Russian company and the China-based suppliers for Russia's Garpiya project.

Yamshikov also directs and owns Limited Liability Company Trading House Vector, the Russian affiliate that was designated for sanctions in the October 17 announcement.

The Treasury Department said the new sanctions are the first U.S. sanctions imposed on Chinese entities that produce complete weapons systems in partnership with Russian firms. Previously imposed sanctions on Chinese entities have targeted those that provided components critical to Russia's military-industrial base.

"Russia increasingly relies on the expertise of foreign professionals and the import of sophisticated technologies to sustain its weapons program and advance its military campaign against Ukraine," said Acting Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. "We will continue to disrupt the networks that enable Russia's acquisition and use of these advanced weapons."

The Garpiya has been deployed by Russia in its brutal war against Ukraine, destroying critical infrastructure and causing mass casualties, the Treasury Department said.

The drone was designed and developed by China-based experts and is produced at factories within China in collaboration with Russian defense firms before they are transferred to Russia for use against Ukraine, according to the department.

The sanctions freeze any assets held by the individuals and companies in U.S. jurisdiction and bar U.S. persons from conducting business with them.

Yahya Sinwar, considered to be the mastermind of the October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war in Gaza between Israel and the militant group Hamas, has been killed in southern Gaza in a major victory for the Israeli military.

Sinwar's death also prompted calls for the return of the hostages still held by Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union, and an end to the war in Gaza.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) initially confirmed Sinwar's death in a post on X on October 17 that said simply, "Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar." It released a longer statement later in the evening saying soldiers of the 828th Brigade (Bislach) identified and eliminated three terrorists, and "after completing the process of identifying the body, it can be confirmed that Yahya Sinwar was eliminated."

Sinwar's death leaves Iran-backed Hamas without a leader for the second time in less than three months.

It also represents a major boost to the Israeli military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been under pressure from many allies, including the United States, for the rising number of civilian casualties in Gaza as a result of the war, and accusations that Israel has been hindering aid supplies to the territory, where hundreds of thousands are living in a growing humanitarian crisis.

"Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar," the IDF said in its post, giving no further details.

SEE ALSO:

Who Was Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar?

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz also confirmed Sinwar had been killed, calling it a "victory for the entire free world" and "an opportunity for the immediate release of the hostages and paves the way for a change that will lead to a new reality in Gaza."

Hamas has not officially commented on the reports.

U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters after landing in Germany following a phone conversation with Netanyahu that it is time to move toward a cease-fire in Gaza and "make sure that we are moving in a direction that we're going to be able to make things better for the whole world," he said. "It's time for this war to end and bring these hostages home. So that's what we're ready to do."

Biden added that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the Middle East in the coming days to discuss ways to push for a Gaza hostage and cease-fire deal.

Netanyahu said earlier in a televised address that Israel will keep control over Gaza long enough to ensure Hamas does not rearm.

"Hamas will no longer rule Gaza. This is the start of the day after Hamas," he said, adding that Israel will keep fighting until all the hostages are free.

“Our war is not yet ended," he said.

Biden said earlier in a statement said it was on Sinwar's orders that Hamas militants invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, and committed "massacres, rapes, and kidnappings."

Vice President Kamala Harris also commented on the death of Sinwar, saying Hamas is no longer capable of carrying out another October 7 and "gives us an opportunity to finally end the war in Gaza."

SEE ALSO:

Hamas Leader's Death Makes Israeli 'Hit List' Shorter But Might Not Alter Gaza War

Blinken recalled the victims of "Sinwar’s unspeakable crimes" in a statement and said the "world is a better place with him gone."

He said Sinwar had rebuffed efforts by the United States and its partners to bring the war to a close through an agreement that would free the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.

"In the days ahead, the United States will redouble its efforts with partners to end this conflict, secure the release all hostages, and chart a new path forward that will enable the people of Gaza to rebuild their lives and realize their aspirations free from war and free from the brutal grip of Hamas," Blinken said in a statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Foreign Minister Baerbock issued statement calling on Hamas to release all hostages.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he hoped Sinwar's death will lead to a cease-fire in Gaza.

The speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson (Republican-Louisiana), said Sinwar's death should bring "relief" to Israel.

A violent confrontation broke out between believers of rival Orthodox churches after the handover of a cathedral in the central Ukrainian city of Cherkasy.

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St. Michael's Cathedral, which has been designated a garrison church for Ukraine's armed forces, was the site of a night liturgy when about 100 people in camouflage and balaclavas forcefully broke into the grounds early on October 17.

The tensions surrounding St. Michael's Cathedral follow Ukraine's broader efforts to curb the influence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which has historically been linked to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Despite declaring independence from Moscow in 2022, the UOC is still viewed with suspicion by Ukrainian authorities due to its alleged pro-Russian stance.

Video from the incident escalating into a physical clash between believers of the rival churches.

Several people were injured in the clashes and were being treated by doctors, according to Zoya Vovk, a spokeswoman for the National Police in the Cherkasy region.

UOC representatives reportedly broke through the entrance gates and lobbed tear gas into a crowd of Orthodox Church of Ukraine believers.

Witnesses said the church's UOC priests and parishioners barricaded themselves inside the cathedral and refused entry to others.

An RFE/RL correspondent reported from the site that the confrontation ended only after police and activists arrived.

The senior military chaplain of the Cherkasy region, Father Nazariy, told RFE/RL that local worshipers had initially occupied the church at night, but were later ejected by what he described as "Russian activists" loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate.

"Prayers for our soldiers should be heard here," Father Nazariy said, adding that UOC members shunned Ukrainian soldiers, viewing them as enemies.

A service in Ukrainian was eventually held in the church.

Vovk confirmed that an investigation for "hooliganism" had been opened.

A court in Dushanbe has sentenced the leader of an opposition group that has been sharply critical of the government and another group member to lengthy prison sentences for "extremism." Suhrob Zafar, the leader of Group 24, and Nasimjon Sharifov were sentenced to 30 years and 20 years in prison, respectively. The sentences were handed down a week earlier, sources told RFE/RL on October 17. 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," though Zafar and other members deny any involvement in terrorism, insisting their cause is peaceful. During their final statements, both Zafar and Sharifov expressed no regret, with Zafar maintaining that he had neither harmed anyone nor betrayed his people. Sources suggest the two men are unlikely to appeal, with Zafar indicating he was prepared for prison and even death. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Tajik Service, click here.

City authorities in Minsk have put the home of Valer Tsapkala up for auction as part of a broader crackdown on government critics in exile. Tsapkala’s 418.3-square-meter house, listed at 2.1 million Belarusian rubles ($641,500), follows the earlier sale of his apartment in April. Tsapkala, a businessman and former ambassador to the United States, fled the country fearing arrest after his attempt to run for president in 2020 was denied. His assets were seized after he was sentenced in absentia to 17 years in prison for charges including violating national security and financing terrorism. The seizures were enabled by a 2023 law allowing the confiscation of property from individuals deemed to have committed "unfriendly actions" toward the Belarusian state. Last week, authorities seized the family home of journalist Alyaksey Dzikavitski, the acting director of independent news outlet Belsat TV. Other opposition figures targeted under the law include political prisoner Viktar Babarika and opposition leader in exile Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, as authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s regime continues its repression of dissidents. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.

Moldovan authorities say they have exposed a network of more than 100 people trained in Russia and the Balkans to provoke post-election unrest in the southeastern European country and have arrested several suspects.

Pro-Western President Maia Sandu is running for a second term on October 20 in an election that takes place simultaneously with a referendum to decide whether Moldovans want their impoverished country of 2.5 million people to pursue integration into the European Union.

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Moldovan police chief Viorel Cernauteanu told a news conference in Chisinau on October 17 that the network was financed by Russia-friendly fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor, who is wanted in Moldova for his involvement in the theft of some $1 billion from the impoverished ex-Soviet republic's banking system about a decade ago.

Cernauteanu said four people were arrested and placed in pretrial custody for 30 days following extensive searches by police and Moldova's Intelligence and Security Service (SIS).

Authorities have released hidden-camera videos purporting to depict training sessions in Russia, Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. In one video, young people standing on a stage in what appears to be a training hall mock a protest and chant slogans such as "Our language is Russian," "No dual citizenship," and "We don't want to be in Europe."

Another video purportedly shows a training camp said to be in the Balkans where young men are appear to be learning how to make explosives and pilot drones.

The investigators said the approximately 100 young people who took part in the alleged training were around 20 years old. They started traveling to Russia in June and some of them underwent additional training at camps in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina belonging to Russian mercenary groups Ferma and Wagner, authorities said.

SEE ALSO:

In Fugitive Oligarch's Long Shadow, Free Trips Recruit Hundreds Of Young Moldovans To Love Russia

Among the coordinators of the action is Konstantin Potyomkin, who has ties with the notorious Wagner group.

SIS chief Alexandru Musteata said Moldovan authorities "have the situation under control," and the degree of risk regarding possible destabilization is now "low."

Under Sandu's government, Moldova secured EU candidate status in 2022 and opened accession talks with the bloc earlier this year after siding with Ukraine following Russia's unprovoked invasion, in a radical U-turn toward the West and away from Moscow's decades-long influence.

The two polls are seen as crucial for the future of the former Soviet republic and come amid a hybrid campaign of disinformation employed by Russia to scare Moldovans away from the European Union and keep them in Moscow's orbit.

Moldovan and several Western governments have warned that Russia and Shor plan to organize mass unrest if the elections and the referendum will have results contrary to the Kremlin's liking.

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Serbian Mercenary: Russia's War In Ukraine Built On Lies And Death

Most recently, the United States has warned about Moscow's campaign to derail Moldova's path toward integration in the Euro-Atlantic community.

"Russia is working actively to undermine Moldova's election and its European integration," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists on October 15.

"In the last several months, Moscow has dedicated millions of dollars to influencing Moldova's presidential election. We assess that this money has gone toward financing its preferred parties and spreading disinformation on social media in favor of their campaigns," Kirby said.

Kirby has previously said Russia's eventual goal was to bring in a pro-Moscow government in Chisinau.

The revelations came a day after Moldova's Foreign Ministry said it had "taken note" of reported attempts to organize the "illegal" transportation of voters to polling stations opened in Russia for the elections.

The ministry said in a statement on October 16 that the alleged plans would aim to "question the legitimacy of the poll" and artificially induce "the impression of crowds" at the two polling stations due to be opened at the Moldovan Embassy in Moscow -- the only ones available on Russia's territory.

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Moldova Prepared For Russian Interference Ahead Of Presidential Vote

The statement does not indicate the source of the information or say who would make such plans. The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) did not immediately comment on such concerns.

Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi has separately said he had signals that Moscow "would try to organize the transport of voters" and warned that Moldovan electoral authorities would take "necessary measures," without elaborating.

Moldova will open 228 polling stations in 37 countries for the October 20 elections -- nearly 100 more than for the 2020 presidential election.

During parliamentary elections in July 2021, 17 polling stations were opened in Russia. Reports from the field found few people came to such stations.

Britain has imposed sanctions on 18 more Russian oil tankers and four liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers in what the government said amounted to the largest move against Moscow's "shadow fleet" circumventing restrictive measures by the West following Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. "18 more shadow fleet ships will be barred from U.K. ports and unable to access world-leading British maritime services, bringing the total number of oil tankers sanctioned to 43," the government said in a statement. It said the oil tankers targeted by the latest sanctions are estimated to have hauled $4.9 billion-worth of oil over the past year. Russian gas company Rusgazdobycha JSC was also placed under sanctions, the statement said. "I have made it my personal mission to constrain the Kremlin, closing the net around [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and his mafia state using every tool at my disposal," the statement quoted Foreign Secretary David Lammy as saying.

Kazakh national soccer team coach Stanislav Cherchesov, a Russian national, has been fined by the national federation for making an insensitive comment regarding the Kazakh language. Federation President Adliet Barmenqulov on October 16 announced the disciplinary action over an incident that occurred last weekend, when Cherchesov responded to a reporter's question in Kazakh with a joke comparing the language to French, sparking public outrage. Cherchesov was fined 738,400 tenges ($1,500) and underwent counseling about the importance of respecting the state language. Despite defending Cherchesov's humor as a misunderstanding tied to the reporter's French soccer jersey, critics argue the comment was inappropriate. This marks the latest in a series of language-related controversies surrounding the Russian coach, highlighting the sensitivity of linguistic issues in Kazakhstan, especially in the context of broader geopolitical tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, click here.

The Bishkek City Court on October 17 rejected an appeal by Kyrgyz government critic Askat Zhetigen and upheld his three-year prison sentence. Zhetigen was convicted in July of calling for an attempt to seize power, a case he and rights organizations have strongly contested. He was, however, acquitted of a separate charge related to inciting mass unrest. Zhetigen, a poet, composer, and activist, gained attention in 2021 for speaking out on social media on cultural and political issues, including government reforms and the treatment of critics under President Sadyr Japarov. The charges stemmed from a video in which he criticized Japarov's administration. Zhetigen has claimed that he was tortured while in custody, allegations that the New York-based Human Rights Foundation has called for an independent investigation into. It has also condemned the charges as fabricated and demanded Zhetigen's immediate release. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, click here.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on October 17 outlined details of his "victory plan" -- a set of measures he says would turn the tide of the war in Kyiv's favor -- to Ukraine's EU and NATO allies as he seeks to convince them to invite Ukraine to join NATO and secure more military aid ahead of a difficult winter on the battlefield and in its battered cities.

"If we start now and follow the victory plan, we can end this war no later than next year," Zelenskiy told EU leaders.

He told reporters the plan aims "to strengthen Ukraine" and pave the way for a diplomatic solution to end the conflict.

SEE ALSO:

EU Summit Eyes Frozen Russian Assets, Migration, And Moldova

"This plan doesn't depend on Russian will, only on the will of our partners," he said before addressing leaders at an EU summit.

Zelenskiy also warned that his country has intelligence information that 10,000 troops from North Korea are being prepared to join Russian forces fighting against his country, calling any North Korean involvement "the first step to a world war."

Ukraine's Western allies have yet to confirm Kyiv's assertion that Pyongyang is sending troops, though they say they are studying it.

NATO Secretary-General Mark said at a joint press conference with Zelenskiy that NATO had seen no evidence North Korean soldiers are involved in the fight, but added it is known North Korea is supporting Russia with weapons and technology and "that is highly worrying."

As Zelenskiy prepared to pitch his proposed plan in Brussels first to the EU summit and then to a meeting of NATO defense ministers, Ukraine was subjected to a fresh wave of drone strikes that targeted the Kyiv and critical energy infrastructure in the south.

The Ukrainian leader partially unveiled his victory plan measures in a speech to Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, on October 16, after presenting the five-point plan -- which he said has three secret appendices -- to Ukraine's main Western allies, including U.S. President Joe Biden and the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy.

The plan, which rules out ceding Ukrainian territory, calls for an invitation for Kyiv to join the NATO military alliance and the deployment of a strategic nonnuclear deterrent package in Ukraine.

So far, while declaring that Ukraine will eventually become a member, NATO has not given a clear deadline, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Kyiv's intention to join the alliance was one of the reasons for Russia's invasion.

WATCH: Ukraine has two options, either nuclear weapons or NATO membership, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Has Two Options: NATO Or Nuclear Weapons

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The Kremlin reacted to Zelenskiy's "victory plan" on October 17 by saying it would lead to further escalation with the risk of direct conflict between Russia and NATO, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Rutte, speaking at the joint press conference, said NATO is working to get Ukraine ever closer to the alliance, adding it was essential NATO continued to provide the country with military aid.

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Ukraine Live Briefing: 'Massive' Drone Strike By Russia

"Ukraine will be member of NATO, there is no doubt about it, and until that happens we will make sure that Ukraine has everything it needs to prevail," he said.

Rutte told journalists earlier that the organization is with Ukraine "for the long haul" and wants Kyiv to be in a strong position before it opens negotiations with Moscow.

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith told reporters on October 16 that while Kyiv's path toward eventual NATO membership was "irreversible," she said "we are not at the point right now where the alliance is talking about issuing an invitation in the short term."

WATCH: Residents of two Ukrainian cities -- Mykolayiv and Odesa -- shared their thoughts about President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's "victory plan."

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Ukrainians Split On Zelenskiy's Peace Plan Potential

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Separately, EU Council President Charles Michel told reporters before heading into the summit that the 27-member bloc needs to speed up its support for Ukraine, both militarily and financially.

One of Zelenskiy's main requests is calling for the "lifting by partners of restrictions on the use of long-range weapons on the entire territory of Ukraine occupied by Russia and on Russian territory and on enemy military infrastructure" and help in "equipping our reserve brigades."

Zelenskiy said on October 17 that he had discussed the plan again during a phone call with Biden the previous evening.

"I am grateful to President Biden, both parties in Congress, and the American people for the $425 million defense package announced today, which includes new air defense systems and long-range weapons," Zelenskiy wrote on X.

SEE ALSO:

Tense Times For Ukraine As Pressure Mounts On The Battlefield And Beyond

"We also talked about how our teams will work on the points of the victory plan," he added.

However, ahead of the NATO meeting with Zelenskiy, Smith told reporters on July 16 that Washington's position on the restrictions to use long-range weapons deeper inside Russia remained unchanged.

"I don’t have anything to announce about a change in U.S. policy. I see that we still are at the same place where we’ve been, and that is that we will get Ukraine all the assistance that it needs to defend its territory," she said.

On October 17, Russia attacked Ukraine with 56 drones and one cruise missile, the Ukrainian Air Force reported. The head of Kyiv's military administration, Serhiy Popko, said the capital was attacked by Russian drones, while Vitaliy Kim, the governor of Mykolayiv, said Russian strikes targeted energy infrastructure in the southern region.

Ukrainian air-defense systems shot down 22 Russian drones over the Sumy, Kyiv, Poltava, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Mykolayiv, Cherkasy, Odesa, and Ternopil regions, while 27 drones were forced down by electronic jamming, the air force said.

Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its air-defense systems shot down 13 Ukrainian drones over three of its regions early on October 17.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Another Russian anti-war activist has been denied a request for a temporary residency permit in Serbia and ordered to leave the country, the Russian Democratic Society announced on October 16.

The organization said in a statement that the decision showed that the "persecution of Russian citizens in Serbia due to their anti-war views unfortunately continues."

The Serbian Interior Ministry (MUP) on September 16 rejected Anton Bobryshev's request for a temporary residency permit based on ownership of real estate and ordered him to leave the country within 30 days.

Three days later, the MUP issued a new decision ordering him to leave the country within 30 days.

Petr Nikitin of the Russian Democratic Society told RFE/RL that Bobryshev filed appeals against both decisions.

Bobryshev's lawyer also submitted a request to the Administrative Court to postpone the order to leave the country, which could not be carried out while the appeal process on the refusal of temporary residence is ongoing.

Nikitin said Bobryshev participated in anti-war rallies in Belgrade and organized a rally in June 2023 in Pancevo, a city northeast of Belgrade, in support of opposition politician and Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny, who died in prison in Russia in February.

RFE/RL asked the MUP to clarify the decision not to allow Bobryshev to stay temporarily in Serbia but did not receive an answer.

Bobryshev and his wife moved to Serbia eight years ago.

The cancellation of the temporary residency permits of certain members of the Russian diaspora who participated in anti-war protests began in the summer of 2023 after the United States imposed sanctions on the then-director of the Security Agency (BIA), Aleksandar Vulin, due to his ties to Russia and other things.

In July 2023, a temporary residency permit was denied to anti-war activist Vladimir Volokhonsky, and then a month later to Yevgeny Irzansky. Both had expressed a clear anti-war attitude toward Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In both cases, the MUP said that there were "security obstacles" to extending their stay.

In March 2024, the MUP refused to issue a permanent residency permit to the three-member Russian family Tereh. The reason for the refusal was also linked to security.

A more recent example is the case of Yelena Koposova, a Russian citizen whose application for permanent residence was rejected for the second time in August. The MUP explained the decision by saying that the security service had data "which is an obstacle to the approval of its request."

Koposova, a literary translator from St. Petersburg, moved to Serbia with her husband and two children in 2019 and purchased a house.

The police and the BIA have not responded to RFE/RL's inquiries since the banning of Russian citizens who oppose the war began in the summer of 2023.

Serbia has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia for 2 1/2 years, and Serbian officials are among the few in Europe who meet with Kremlin officials.

A 56-year-old ethnic Serb has been sentenced in the United States to three years in prison for possessing a residency permit obtained illegally by concealing his actions during the Yugoslav civil war more than 30 years ago.

Jugoslav Vidic falsely stated that he had never been charged with breaking any law when he applied to become a permanent resident of the United States, the U.S. Justice Department said in a news release on October 16.

He had in fact been charged in Croatia with a war crime against the civilian population before emigrating to the United States as a refugee in 1999.

"I never had any intent to do harm," Vidic told the court through an interpreter when he was sentenced on October 15. "I wanted to come here for the sake of my family."

Defense attorney Daniel Misiewicz said during the hearing that his client built a life as a sausage-maker in Parma Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He was also a devout member of his church and a dedicated father of two, Misiewicz told the court, according to the local news outlet Cleveland.com.

"This is an extremely sad and difficult day," Misiewicz said. "He'll face the ultimate punishment of being deported after he built a life here."

In addition to concealing the war crimes charges, Vidic also made false statements about his past military service, saying he was in the Yugoslav Army from 1988 to 1989 when in fact he fought with the Serbian Army of Krajina and its predecessors during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995.

Vidic pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an alien registration-receipt card -- known as a Green Card -- knowing it had been procured through materially false statements, the Justice Department said. As part of the plea agreement, Vidic agreed to be deported after he serves his three-year sentence in the United States.

Vidic admitted in his plea agreement that he was charged with a war crime in Croatia in 1994 and convicted in absentia in 1998 and admitted that he knew about the charges when he immigrated to the United States.

The Croatian court found that during an attack by ethnic Serbian forces in Petrinja, Croatia, on September 16, 1991, Vidic cut off the arm of civilian Stjepan Komes and let him bleed to death.

"Jugoslav Vidic lied about war crimes charged against him in an attempt to escape his past and live in the United States unlawfully," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri, head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division.

"His sentence demonstrates that human rights violators will not be allowed to hide from their crimes in the United States," Argentieri added.

Katrina Berger, executive associate director of Homeland Security Investigations, said she hoped the sentencing of Vidic "provides some measure of solace to the victims' families with the knowledge that despite the passage of time, the United States will seek justice."

U.S. President Joe Biden announced a $425 million security assistance package for Ukraine as he updated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on his efforts to "surge" security assistance to Ukraine over the remainder of his term in office, the White House said on October 16.

The package includes additional air-defense capability, air-to-ground munitions, armored vehicles, and critical munitions to meet Ukraine's urgent needs, according to a White House statement that said Biden spoke by phone with Zelenskiy about addition U.S. aid to the country as it battles Russia's full-scale invasion.

"In the coming months, the United States will provide Ukraine with a range of additional capabilities, including hundreds of air-defense interceptors, dozens of tactical air-defense systems, additional artillery systems, significant quantities of ammunition, hundreds of armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, and thousands of additional armored vehicles, all of which will help to equip Ukraine's armed forces," the statement said.

During the phone call, Zelenskiy updated Biden on his plan to achieve victory over Russia, and the two leaders "tasked their teams to engage in further consultations on next steps," the statement said.

Biden aims to shore up U.S. military support for Ukraine ahead of the November 5 election, which could return President Donald Trump to the White House in January. Trump has indicated he would seek to end the war quickly through negotiations, and many Republicans in Congress, including Trump's running mate, Senator J.D. Vance (Republican-Ohio), have opposed sending more military aid to Ukraine.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, have criticized Trump for saying he could quickly end the war, saying this would only allow Moscow to hold on to the parts of Ukraine that it currently occupies and seek further gains.

The White House statement said Biden and Zelenskiy committed to intensify security-assistance planning alongside Ukraine's international partners in order to ensure that Kyiv has the equipment it needs to prevail.

As part of this effort, Biden will host a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in November to coordinate their additional assistance, the statements said.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier on October 16 that U.S. support for Ukraine will be a big part of Biden's trip to Germany later this week.

Biden will not be able to meet with Zelenskiy while he is in Europe, but Jean-Pierre said that the United States wants to "be there for the Ukrainians" as they continue to battle Russian forces.

Biden rescheduled his visit to Germany after his original travel plan had to be scrapped last week because of Hurricane Milton.

The Uzbek Foreign Ministry has rejected Afghan media reports saying that the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan requested the cancellation of concerts or other musical events at a trade center located on the shared border.

The statement comes after the Afghan outlet Atlaspress reported on October 14 that the Taliban had requested the Uzbek government stop hosting musical performances at the Termiz International Trade Center.

WATCH: The Taliban announced in August that it had destroyed over 20,000 musical instruments in Afghanistan in the past year. The extremist group considers instruments un-Islamic and permits only unaccompanied singing.

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In Afghanistan, The Taliban Wages War On Music

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According to the publication, the Taliban allegedly warned that if this request was not fulfilled, Afghan citizens might be barred from visiting the facility.

The Taliban, who follow their own interpretation of Islamic law, have been known to oppose music and public musical performances, which they consider contrary to their religious principles. This could explain why such a request may have been made to Uzbekistan, as musical events are held regularly at the center.

In a statement to Gazeta.uz on October 15, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry clarified that no such request had been made.

"We have not received any formal communication from the Afghan side regarding the cancellation of any concerts or music-related events at the Termiz International Trade Center," the ministry's press service confirmed.

The Termiz International Trade Center, which opened in late August, serves as a free-trade zone where visitors, including Afghans, can trade for up to 15 days using multiple currencies without needing a visa.

The center regularly hosts entertainment events, including musical performances and concerts by Uzbek artists.

Despite the claims from Afghan media, the Uzbek government continues to operate the center as usual, with no disruptions to the planned entertainment and cultural programs.

The center remains a key hub for cross-border trade and interaction, further strengthening ties between the two neighboring countries.

With reporting by Atlaspress and Gazeta.ru

The United States imposed sanctions on October 16 on individuals and companies that it said are part of a sanctions evasion network that funnels millions of dollars to Hezbollah in part through sales of illegal amphetamines.

The action targets three individuals and four Lebanon-based companies linked to Hezbollah's "finance team." The individuals have registered companies in their own names in order to conceal Hezbollah's interest in the activities, the Treasury Department said in a statement.

"The companies in turn provide Hezbollah potentially lucrative business opportunities while also providing them access the formal financial system," according to the department.

The sanctions build on designations imposed in September on other individuals and entities linked to Hezbollah's corporate network. Those sanctions targeted Hezbollah finance officials who the department said masquerade as ordinary Lebanese business owners, as well as several of their companies.

The Treasury also placed sanctions on three individuals involved in the production and sale of the amphetamine known as captagon, who it said have funded the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its allies, including Hezbollah.

"Today's action underscores [Hezbollah's] destabilizing influence within Lebanon and on the wider region, as the group, its affiliates, and its supporters continue to finance their operations through covert involvement in commercial trade and the illicit trafficking of captagon," Bradley Smith, acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in the statement.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement that the sanctions were imposed in support of the objectives of the Illicit Captagon Trafficking Suppression Act passed by Congress last year and signed by President Joe Biden in April.

The law requires the president to impose sanctions on foreign persons "determined to engage in activities or transactions to contribute to the illicit production and proliferation of captagon."

Miller said the "dangerous and highly addictive amphetamine harms communities and countries across the region and beyond and is a source of funding for the Syrian regime and its backers, including Hezbollah."

He said Hezbollah continues to launch rockets into Israel, further destabilizing both Lebanon and the region, and the United States remains steadfast in its commitment to "disrupt Hezbollah's access to the international financial system and its various methods of generating revenue, which the Iran-backed group uses to fund its violence."

"We will also continue to target the illicit captagon trade in the region, which has become an illicit billion-dollar enterprise operated in part by senior members of the Syrian regime," he said.

The sanctions freeze any assets held by the individuals and companies in U.S. jurisdiction and bar U.S. persons from conducting business with them.

Forensic evidence from an independent examination and seen by RFE/RL shows that activist Rifat Dautov died in January from internal bleeding due to multiple blows sustained after his arrest in Russia's Bashkortostan region. The evidence from independent experts determined Dautov suffered at least 48 blows from a blunt object, with injuries covering 30 percent of his body. He died in a police car shortly after being detained following protests demanding the release of opposition figure Fail Alsynov. Dautov had denied participating in the protests. Officials attributed his death to acute heart failure. Police officers admitted to interrogating Dautov in the police car but denied any physical violence. In June, the Investigative Committee refused to launch a criminal investigation against the officers, citing a "lack of criminal activity." However, Dautov's lawyer, Pavel Vasilyev, told RFE/RL that he continued to push for justice, with the investigation still ongoing. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Idel.Realities, click here.