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 team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days.
As Russia and China Step Up Arctic Presence, Greenland Grows In Importance For U.S.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is once again making waves with his pursuit of Greenland, this time refusing to rule out using force to gain control of the Arctic island from ally Denmark. But Washington had been interested in Greenland long before Trump came along. That interest has been growing as Russia and China expand their military and commercial activities in the Arctic. By Todd Prince
The Rich Ukrainian Who Gave Up His Yachts For Drones On The Front Line
Wealthy businessman Ilya Lif left behind his yacht and family and go to war in 2022. Now he serves in a drone unit far from his businesses in Kyiv. By Maryan Kushnir and Serhiy Nuzhnenko
Kherson Residents Try To Keep Warm As Russian Drones Target Cars And Buses
Residents of the Ukrainian city of Kherson say they face near constant attacks and that vehicles and buses are being targeted by Russian drones. Some are without running water at home and depend on free food handouts to survive. By Current Time and Andriy Kuzakov
Inside Bulgaria's Communist-Era Labor Battalions
Amid talk in Bulgaria of reintroducing compulsory military service, a new photo exhibition exposes the "labor battalions" used by the communist authorities, in part, to control the country's dissidents and ethnic minorities. By Nikolay Lavchiev
A Wagner Mercenary Who Crossed U.S.-Mexican Border Was Honored In Russia Weeks Before Arrest
A man who illegally crossed the Rio Grande River into the United States reportedly admitted to having worked with the notorious Russian mercenary group Wagner. His arrest came just weeks after he appears to have been honored in Russia for his combat service. By Carl Schreck, Mark Krutov, Mike Eckel, Ramazan Alpaut, and Maqpal Mukankyzy
'Don't Underestimate Them': Ukrainian Troops Describe Capture Of North Korean POWs
Ukraine released a video of two North Korean fighters captured by its forces in Russia's Kursk region. Thousands of North Koreans have reportedly been deployed to help Russia combat Ukrainian forces occupying territory there. In an interview with RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, soldiers involved in the North Koreans' capture described them as experienced fighters who feared repercussions against their families back home. By Yaroslav Krechko, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, and Donbas.Realities
Why Are Caucasus UFC Fighters So Good?
All four fighters competing for world titles at UFC 311 hail from the Caucasus region. RFE/RL spoke exclusively to Georgian UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili to ask him why fighters from Georgia, Armenia and Russia's Dagestan region are so overrepresented in elite martial arts. By Amos Chapple
Why Do Ukrainians Oppose Lowering The Conscription Age?
A Ukrainian mother told RFE/RL that she has sent her teenage sons abroad so that they can avoid military service when they came of age – and she’s not alone. Suggestions by senior U.S. politicians that Ukraine lower the conscription age from 25 to18 are deeply unpopular. By Ray Furlong, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, and Current Time
Russia Targets Ukraine’s Key Lithium Reserves
Lithium is a critical material for batteries used in electronic devices. Ukraine has an estimated 500,000 tons of lithium, but Russian controls two of its four deposits. By Wojtek Grojec, Kian Sharifi, and Juan Carlos Herrera
Is 2025 The Year That Chinese Investments Take Off In Afghanistan?
After a year of unprecedented trade and breaking ground on high-profile mining projects in 2024, there's new momentum for Beijing's growing role in Afghanistan and deepening ties with the Taliban. But can the hard-line group finally calm China's longstanding security concerns and unleash a wave of much-needed investment? By Reid Standish, RFE/RL's Radio Azadi, and Austin Malloy
