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.
'The Kremlin Has Broken All Records Of Nastiness': Prigozhin Buried In A Cloud Of Uncertainty
For two months after launching the greatest challenge to Vladimir Putin in his 24 years as Russia's preeminent figure, Yevgeny Prigozhin was a man of mystery. That aura continued even in death, as Prigozhin was buried amid secrecy -- and with none of the honors befitting a "Hero of Russia." By Mike Eckel
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'They Used Them As Cannon Fodder': The Migrants Sent From Prison In Russia To Death In Ukraine
Many Central Asian migrants are among the estimated 50,000 prisoners who were sent from Russian jails by the Wagner mercenary group to fight in Ukraine. While some volunteered with promises of early release, there are accounts that others were coerced to enlist. RFE/RL spoke with current and former prisoners and to parents of migrants killed fighting in Ukraine. They revealed the techniques used by the authorities to pressure reluctant prisoners onto the battlefield. By RFE/RL's Central Asian Migrants' Unit, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, and Current Time
Exhaustion And Hope: A Battle-Hardened Battalion Holds The Line On Ukraine's Southern Front
Soldiers in a unit serving on Ukraine's southern front have been hardened by over a year of war, but they are also exhausted. As Kyiv's counteroffensive grinds on 18 months after the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian authorities are trying to minimize losses and buy more time. By Aleksander Palikot
Detention, Torture, Murder: Life Under The Taliban For LGBT People
LGBT activists say the return of the Taliban to power in 2021 in Afghanistan has resulted in discrimination, torture, and even murder. One gay man told RFE/RL that he had to quit school to protect his identity while another said he and his boyfriend were tortured by the Taliban. By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and Neil Bowdler
'Peaceful Atom' Sparks Fierce Debate In Kazakh Village Slated To Host Nuclear Power Plant
In an impoverished lakeside village in eastern Kazakhstan, opinions among the 1,500 residents on what the proposed construction of a nuclear power plant would mean for their future are split. By Petr Trotsenko
'I'm Terrified': Social Media Influencers Fearful After Mysterious Death Of Popular Afghan YouTuber
The mysterious death of a popular YouTuber has spread fear among female online personalities and social-media influencers in Afghanistan. Some activists have blamed her death on the Taliban, which has attempted to erase women from public life. By Naqiba Barekzai and Abubakar Siddique
One Soldier Remembered: The Life And Battlefield Death Of Ivan Minuhaliyev
RFE/RL photographer Serhii Nuzhnenko was embedded with a Ukrainian unit during an assault on Russian positions near Bakhmut in May in which one soldier was killed. Three months later, he shares photos, and the family's memories of fallen soldier Ivan Minuhaliyev. By RFE/RL
Books To Boots: Critics Say New Russian History Textbook Is Propaganda, Preparation For War
The Russian government is introducing a new history textbook for high-school students that critics say is intended to "incite anger toward Ukrainians" and explain to future conscripts "why they are putting on uniforms and boots." By Robert Coalson
Iran Grapples With Exodus Of Health-Care Professionals
Iran is reeling from an exodus of health-care professionals from the country. Thousands of doctors have reportedly left the Islamic republic in recent years due to the country's deepening economic woes and poor working conditions. By Seyed Benyamin Sadr
Russia's Coal Basin Struggles With Closed Mines, Pollution, And Now Toll From Ukraine War
Known for coal mines and factories, Russia's Kuzbass region has struggled for years with poverty, declining opportunities, and environmental destruction wrought by industrial pollution. Now, they're also coping with the growing toll of dead and wounded from the Ukraine war. By RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities
