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.
'Human Flesh, It Cannot Survive': Russian Infantry 'No Match For Western Weapons,' British Analyst Says
Military analyst and British Army Colonel Hamish Stephen de Bretton-Gordon talks about Russian mistakes in Ukraine, Moscow's growing reliance on a massive ragtag mobilization, and how Putin's dream of joining the list of great Russian leaders "is all going wrong." By Vazha Tavberidze
Death Of A Journalist: How RFE/RL's Vira Hyrych Was Killed By A Russian Missile
RFE/RL producer Vira Hyrych is among the numerous journalists killed in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. A year after she was killed, her son says those responsible must be held accountable. Schemes, an RFE/RL investigative unit, confronted key figures in the Russian chain of command. By Schemes, Serhiy Andrushko, Kira Tolstyakova, Natalie Sedletska, and Austin Malloy
Far From The Front In The War With Russia, Lviv Seeks To Evolve From Outsourcing Hub To Ukrainian Silicon Valley
Already an IT hub, the western city of Lviv tries to ride out the Russian invasion -- and hopes for a boom when it’s over. The industry and the talent that it produces are pillars of Ukraine’s plans for economic recovery in a postwar world, but times are tough as the war rages on further east. By Kollen Post
The Kremlin And The Drones: An Audacious Attack, A Provocation, A False Flag, Or Something Else?
Someone flew two drones into the Kremlin, in a spectacular display caught on video, but it's still not clear who was responsible. If Ukraine did do it, as Russia alleges and Kyiv denies, it would be a major embarrassment for Moscow. By Mike Eckel
'Do They Fear Large Crowds?': In The Shadow Of War Against Ukraine, Kremlin Scales Back Victory Day Commemorations
The Kremlin has nixed the Immortal Regiment march, for years a key part of President Putin's glorification of the Soviet Union, citing security concerns. But others say Moscow is afraid people will show up with portraits of soldiers killed in Ukraine, revealing the hidden cost of Russia's invasion. By Robert Coalson
Russia's Wagner Plotted To Spark Violence In Moldova, U.S. Document Leak Shows
Moldova, Europe's poorest country, witnessed anti-government protests earlier this year -- and now the leak of classified U.S. military documents indicate the Russian mercenary group Wagner may have played a role. By Mark Krutov
Art Against The Regime: An Iranian Woman's 25-Year Struggle
Iranian artist Parastou Forouhar visits her homeland every year to mark the day that her parents were murdered in 1998. She opens her family home in Tehran to dissidents and catches up on the latest developments. Now back in her studio in Germany, she reveals her latest works and tells RFE/RL how her most recent trip to Iran revealed a society going through profound change that the regime was increasingly unable to control. By Ray Furlong, Golnaz Esfandiari, and Roman Kupka
Instead Of Protecting Investigative Journalists, The Bulgarian Authorities Are Going After Them
Atanas Tchobanov, a leading Bulgarian investigative journalist, says he hopes his work exposing corruption is slowly "changing things for good" in one of the EU's most graft-ridden countries. But Tchobanov tells RFE/RL that often in Bulgaria journalists uncovering corruption are targeted themselves by those they expose. By Tony Wesolowsky
'They Can Kill Me At Any Time': Pakistani Journalist Recalls Kidnapping And Alleged Torture By Militants
Pakistani journalist Gohar Wazir was recently abducted by militants in the country's volatile northwest. In an interview with RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, the independent reporter alleged that he was tortured by his captives who later released him. Wazir is known for criticizing the authorities and the Pakistani Taliban, which is active in the region. His abduction has put a spotlight on the rising number of attacks on Pakistani journalists. By Umar Daraz Wazir and Abubakar Siddique
Defying Shells, Ukrainians Rebuild Semblance Of Normal Life
Living among ruins on the front lines of Russia's war on Ukraine, residents of Avdiyivka do more than hang on -- a few rebuild a semblance of normal life. One shop owner has managed to stock her shelves with food and sweets while an "invincibility station" offers residents hot meals, showers, and even hairstyling. By Current Time, Oleksiy Prodayvoda, and Will Tizard
