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 Whole Army Must Move Forward': Fighting Rages In Bakhmut As Momentum Builds For Ukraine's Counteroffensive
Ukrainian officials have underlined the importance that Kyiv attaches to holding Bakhmut as it makes the final preparations for its expected counteroffensive this spring. By Andriy Kuzakov, Andrei Krasno, and Reid Standish
See Also:
Francis Fukuyama: It Would Be Hard For Putin To Survive Losing Crimea
Interview: The Daunting Challenges Of Ukraine's Counteroffensive
'We Search, We Strike, We Destroy': Ukrainian Drone Pilots Track Russian Forces Near Bakhmut
A Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance unit on the outskirts of Bakhmut is helping to prevent Russian forces from seizing the fiercely contested city. Moscow is said to be sending reinforcements after failed efforts to capture Bakhmut before May 9, the date when Russian celebrates its World War II victory. RFE/RL correspondent Maryan Kushnir spent two days on the front line with Ukrainian troops, who shared their most recent impressions about fighting in the area. By Maryan Kushnir, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, and Austin Malloy
'I Didn't Know He Was Dead': Hundreds Of Wagner Mercenaries Have Been Quietly Buried In An Isolated Russian Cemetery
In the middle of last month, the head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, opened a memorial cemetery outside the Volga River city of Samara for fighters killed in Ukraine. RFE/RL went in search of the stories behind some of the more than 200 graves there. By RFE/RL's Idel.Realities
A Bridge Too Costly? Kazakhstan's Longest Serving Governor Swims In Suspect Tenders
The cost of building Kazakhstan’s longest bridge has more than doubled since the contract was first awarded in 2020. An investigation by RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service showed that the company overseeing the project is owned by businessmen with ties to the local governor's son. By Tasqyn Bolatuly
The Great Bosnian Honey Hoax: Bee Population Crash Drives Production Scams
Bosnian honey is losing some of its luster as scammers put additives into their harvests to fool consumers. With quality honey production way down owing to bee population crashes, producers are getting creative with sugar syrups and other impurities that often end up in honey for sale. Meanwhile, quality control is weak, leading to a confusing mess for consumers. By RFE/RL's Balkan Service, Edib Bajrovic, Miran Jelenek, and Will Tizard
Protests Are A Deadly Game For Iranian Sports Figures
Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, scores of Iranian athletes who have shown anything but complete loyalty to the clerical establishment have been barred from competitions, arrested, or even executed. By Mehdi Rostampour
In Hungary, Politics Is Mainly A Man's Game
Despite having a female president, only 13 percent of the seats in Hungary's parliament are taken by women, much lower than the EU average of 33 percent. Rather than just being a recent problem, however, the scarcity of women has characterized Hungarian politics since the fall of communism. By Lili Rutai
The Tank Of Trostyanets
A World War II monument that became an ironic symbol of Russia's invasion of Ukraine is set to be removed. By Amos Chapple
'This Is My Bulgaria': Artists Replicate Life In Tower Blocks To Explore National Identity
Two artists are creating miniature tower blocks that depict ordinary daily life in post-Soviet Bulgaria. The art exhibition, titled the Slavic Tale, seeks to foster a discussion about Bulgarian identity. By Katerina Vasileva
Erdogan Could Lose The Election In Turkey. It Would Be A Blow To Putin.
After two decades in power, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could be voted out in favor of a rival seeking to improve relations with the West. That’s not the outcome Russian President Vladimir Putin wants, analysts say. By Todd Prince
