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.
'Message Sent': Russian Elite, Nationalists On Notice After Prigozhin's Presumed Death
Whatever the cause of the crash that is believed to have killed Yevgeny Prigozhin – the leader of the June mutiny that posed a major challenge to Putin’s long rule – many in Russia will suspect it was orchestrated by the Kremlin to send a message to potentially rebellious individuals. By Todd Prince
The List Is Long: Russians Who Have Died After Running Afoul Of The Kremlin
The list of influential Russians who have been killed or died under murky circumstances after opposing, criticizing, or crossing Putin, the Kremlin, or the state is long. If his death is confirmed, a new addition will be Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose mutiny made a president portrayed as strong look weak. By Steve Gutterman
Escaping Today: The Bulgarian Festival Where Technology Is Forbidden
Tens of thousands of people dressed in traditional clothing gathered around a bonfire in Bulgaria on August 19 for one of Europe's most unique cultural festivals. By Amos Chapple
New Communism Museum Invites Visitors To 'Travel Back' To Cold-War Bulgaria
Faded Communist Party signs, chipped kitchenware, and political speeches on a dusty record player are just a few of the items on display at Evgeni Mladenov's newly opened communism museum in the Bulgarian mountain village of Banite. Called Lost In The Rodopi, the museum is a time capsule that brings visitors back to the 1980s and immerses them in Bulgaria's Cold War past. By RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service and Will Tizard
Ukraine Counteroffensive Slogs Forward. The West Frets.
Village by village, Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive is grinding forward -- but the pace is slow, and Russia is already counterattacking in some places. Worries are growing in the West about whether Kyiv can pull off a repeat of last year’s sweeping battlefield successes. By Mike Eckel
Storied Cossack Leader Mazepa Helps Ukraine Put Its Stamp On A Monastery Long Linked To Moscow
He fought against Russia more than three centuries ago. Now, as Ukraine tries to fight off a Russian invasion, Kyiv is invoking the name of Cossack leader Ivan Mazepa to consolidate control over a historic monastery long linked to the Russian Orthodox Church. By Rostyslav Khotin
Latest 3D Printing Technology Speeds Construction Of New Homes For Ukrainians
Ukrainian engineers are using 3D printing technology to speed up the building of new homes to replace those destroyed by war. Natalya Beryozova lost her house near the city of Irpin when it burned down after Russian shelling in 2022. Now, 3D construction is creating concrete walls for her new home. Engineers hope to rebuild vast areas of Ukraine quickly using the same method. By Current Time, Yulia Zhukova, and Will Tizard
Russia's Moon Crash 'Speaks Volumes': A Storied Space Program Falls Short. Again.
Decades ago, Soviet engineers were pioneers in sending spacecraft to the moon – first to fly past it, then to purposely crash on it, and finally to land safely. Russia’s latest effort, which ended in failure, was the latest reminder of its space industry’s major problems. By Mike Eckel
'Robbed Of Childhood': The Children Of Belarus's Political Prisoners Left Behind In Lukashenka's Crackdown
The massive crackdown on dissent in Belarus over the past three years has left nearly 1,500 political prisoners behind bards, according to a prominent human rights group. Many of them have their young children waiting on the other side for them to be released. By Current Time
'Forced To Dress Like a Muslim': Taliban Imposes Restrictions On Afghanistan's Sikh, Hindu Minorities
Members of Afghanistan's Sikh and Hindu communities say the Taliban, a militant Islamist group, has imposed restrictions on their appearances and prevented them from marking religious holidays in public. Many Afghan Sikhs and Hindus have fled the country in recent years following targeted attacks. By Freshta Negah and Abubakar Siddique
