We know you're busy and probably don't have the time to read all of our coverage each and every day. That's why we've put together The Week's Best. Here are some of the highlights produced in English by RFE/RL's vast team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days.
Will Iran's Protest Movement Survive?
Anger over decades of state repression and economic mismanagement in Iran is unlikely to dissipate, analysts say, predicting that the protest movement is likely to endure as the gulf widens between the ruling clerics and Iran's young population. By Golnaz Esfandiari
'It's Not His Country, It's Ours': The Russian 'Partisans' At War With The Kremlin
A documentary released by independent journalist Jake Hanrahan details the Russian saboteurs undermining Putin's war effort. By Amos Chapple
Months After Liberation, A Ukrainian City Struggles Under Continued Russian Bombardment
Less than two months ago, Kherson residents rejoiced after Ukrainian troops recaptured the port city from retreating Russian forces. But the retreat has not ended Russia’s pummeling of the city. By Dmytro Sheremet and Oleksandr Yankovskyi
Old Ukrainian Tanks Do Double Duty As Battlefield Artillery Near Bakhmut
Ukrainian tank crews in the eastern Donetsk region are using retrofitted T-64s, designed in the 1960s, to shell Russian troops. They fire from hidden positions using coordinates provided by drones. When massed Russian infantry attacks, Ukrainian tanks move directly into the battlefield. By Roman Pahulych and Will Tizard
'Everything Will Be Different:' Ukrainian Refugees Mark Christmas With Thoughts Of Home
Ukraine has a diverse array of traditions associated with Christmas and winter festivities, and this year, millions of Ukrainians will be observing these seasonal customs far away from their homeland and their loved ones. We talked to two Ukrainian families in the Czech Republic who have fled the war in their country about their memories of Christmas and of the friends and family they’ve left behind. By Coilin O'Connor
A Year Since Kazakhstan's 'Bloody January,' No Justice For 4-Year-Old Victim
A "shoot-to-kill" order against nationwide protests in Kazakhstan had many victims. It was issued by President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev on January 7, 2022. That same day, the family of 4-year-old Aikorkem says she lost her life when troops opened fire on the car she was traveling in. A year later, Toqaev has secured his grip on power. Aikorkem's father holds him responsible for his daughter's death -- and says he'll never stop demanding justice. By Ray Furlong and RFE/RL's Kazakh Service
'Paris Of The East': 1923 Romania Through The Eyes Of An American
A century ago, journalist Frank G. Carpenter travelled through Romania capturing photos and colorful, sometimes lecherous, descriptions of the people and places he encountered. By Amos Chapple and Eugen Tomiuc
The Taliban's War Against Afghan Women And Girls
In the past year, the Taliban has imposed sweeping restrictions on women's appearances, freedom of movement, and their right to work and receive an education. Afghan women say the militant group has effectively erased them from public, in a move reminiscent of the Taliban's brutal regime of the 1990s. By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi and Abubakar Siddique
How Ukraine's 'Great Reconstruction' Brought Great Rewards For A Company Linked To Dnipropetrovsk’s Government And FBI Fugitive
A company co-owned by a powerlifter who is linked to the governor of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region and the business partner of an FBI fugitive received nearly $41 million in public funds for road repair, a journalistic investigation by Schemes found. By Natalie Sedletska, Valeria Yehoshyna, Heorhiy Shabayev, and Kira Tolstyakova
Coming Apart At The Seams? For Russia’s Ethnic Minorities, Ukraine War Is A Chance To Press For Independence From Moscow
Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine is rocking the centralized political system he has built over nearly a quarter-century in power. As with the collapse of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, Moscow’s weakening has energized suppressed secessionist sentiments. By Robert Coalson
Ukrainian Artillery Crews In Fight For Bakhmut Engaged In Drone 'Electronic Warfare'
In the battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut, Ukrainian gunners are hitting Russian troops with Soviet-era Akatsiya artillery, coordinating their accuracy with multiple spotter drones, they say. The critical question is whether drones will get through Russian jamming and interference to do their job, say the Ukrainians at the controls.
By Roman Pahulych and Will Tizard
