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Georgian President Won't Recognize Vote Results, Calls For Protests, Alleges Russian Interference
TBILISI -- Pro-Western Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who has broken with the ruling Georgian Dream party, said she will not recognize the results of parliamentary elections held on October 26 and alleged that the country has been the victim of a “Russian special operation.”
Zurabishvili did not present any evidence to back up her claim in a brief statement to the media in Tbilisi on October 27.
"As the only remaining independent institution in this state, I want to say that I do not recognize this election. It cannot be recognized. It would be the same as recognizing Russia's entry here -- Georgian subordination to Russia,” she said.
“I didn't come to Georgia for [Russian domination]. Our ancestors did not live for this. We will not tolerate this. It cannot be taken away from Georgia -- its European future," she added.
She called for street protests starting on October 28 at 7 p.m. in the South Caucasus nation, which has seen mass demonstrations in recent months against the ruling Georgian Dream party, which critics accuse of being pro-Russian and of having eroded democratic norms.
She blasted what she called a “Russian special operation -- one of the new forms of hybrid warfare carried out on our people, our country.”
The Georgian Dream party celebrated an apparent win in the vote, but the pro-Western opposition cried foul and election monitors said that “critical violations took place,” including voter intimidation and physical violence.
WATCH: Georgian journalists said they faced intimidation and violence while covering the country's crucial parliamentary elections on October 26.
Western observers also demanded an investigation into alleged irregularities.
With ballots from more than 99.6 percent of precincts counted, Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) said that Georgian Dream took 54.8 percent of the vote.
However, polls commissioned by the opposition indicated far lower numbers for Georgian Dream, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Nearly all opposition parties have refused to accept the results reported by the election authorities.
The vote was seen as a crucial test of the EU-candidate country’s democratic credentials, and one that Brussels had said could determine Georgia’s chances of joining the bloc.
Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban -- an ally of the Georgian Dream leadership -- is set to visit Tbilisi on October 28-29, officials said on October 27.
Orban, who was the first foreign leader to congratulate Georgian Dream following the parliamentary elections -- weighing in before first official results were announced – is scheduled to hold a news conference with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze following the meetings.
Amid the concerns expressed in the West over the results, Orban wrote on social media that Georgian Dream had scored an "overwhelming victory."
'Stolen Election'
Members of the opposition, claiming the early returns were fraudulent, promised to contest the results, leading to the possibility of legal wrangling and street protests.
Tina Bokuchava, chairwoman of the United National Movement, which leads the Unity To Save Georgia coalition, announced early on October 27 that “we do not intend to recognize the outcome of this stolen election.”
Zurabishvili, writing on social media as early returns came in late on October 26, declared that the top four opposition parties had themselves taken enough of the vote to form a parliamentary majority.
Zurabishvili later said there had been "deeply troubling incidents of violence" at some polling stations.
In the meantime, initial assessments by election monitors painted a dire picture of voting day.
A joint observer mission from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Council of Europe, European Parliament, and NATO said in a statement that election day was "marred by an uneven playing field, pressure, and tension.”
WATCH: Georgia's pro-Western opposition leaders say they will not recognize the results of the country's parliamentary elections on October 26, claiming the pivotal vote was "stolen."
While generally well-organized, the observers said there was a “tense environment” and that the uneven playing field “undermines trust in the outcome.” In the end, the process was “not enough to bring an election in line with international democratic principles,” the observers said in a joint statement.
The OSCE also decried recorded instances of vote buying, double voting, physical violence, and intimidation.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “while international and local observers agreed that election day was generally well-administered, we note reports of irregularities and sporadic violence.”
He added that “international observers have not declared the result to be free and fair.”
“We condemn all contraventions of international norms and join calls from international and local observers for a full investigation of all reports of election-related violations,” Blinken said.
EU Council President Charles Michel said the alleged irregularities in the voting process “must be seriously clarified and addressed.”
'Critical Violations'
Antonio Lopez-Isturiz White, the head of the European Parliament monitoring delegation, said Georgian Dream used hostile rhetoric and “promoted Russian disinformation” and conspiracy theories ahead of the election in an attempt to “undermine and manipulate the vote.”
"During our observation, we noted cases of vote buying and double voting before and during elections, especially in rural areas," said Romanian lawmaker Iulian Bulai, head of the delegation sent by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), speaking at a joint news conference held in Tbilisi by heads of election-observation missions.
"The presence of cameras of the ruling party in the polling stations and people in front of polling stations tracking and possibly controlling voters let widespread climate of pressure and party-organized intimidation, and the feeling of 'Big Brother is watching you,' as one of our observers depicted it," Bulai said. "I should also mention that while observing inside a polling station in the countryside, one of the PACE teams had its car vandalized."
The European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) said in its assessment on October 27 that the elections were marred by a polarized and restrictive environment that undermined inclusiveness, transparency, and fairness.
“Critical violations” that were reported by the organization’s 95 observers included violence against opposition politicians, voter intimidation, smear campaigns against election observers, and misuse of administrative resources related to the election.
The nongovernmental organization Fair Elections (ISFED) said that it had not recorded major problems with the vote count but that vote itself fell short due to voter intimidation.
“The preelection environment and the facts revealed on election day had a significant impact on the election and its results,” said ISFED chief Nino Dolidze. “Many problematic incidents and violations were observed during the voting process.”
Russian Dreaming
Georgian Dream, in power since 2012, used to pursue a pro-Western agenda but in the last two years has reversed course toward Russia.
Perceived efforts by the government to curtail democratic rights, including the adoption of a “foreign influence” bill akin to that of Russia’s “foreign agent law” led to mass protests in Georgia and criticism from Brussels earlier this year.
That Georgian Dream was poised to extend its control of parliament despite exit polls indicating it would not fare so well triggered outrage among the opposition.
Two opposition exit polls predicted that Georgian Dream would not receive more than 42 percent of the vote, whereas the results had it winning more than 54 percent.
The polls also suggested that four opposition parties -- the Coalition for Change, Unity-To Save Georgia, Strong Georgia, and For Georgia -- would combined have a clear majority, whereas the official initial results had them receiving only 37 percent combined.
The official early results had the four positioned to cross the 5 percent threshold to secure seats in parliament.
Iran's Khamenei Says Israeli Strikes Should Not Be Exaggerated Or Minimized
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned against either exaggerating or minimizing the impact of Israeli’s October 26 retaliatory strikes against Iran.
Speaking on October 27 to the families of Iranian military officers killed in the attack, Khamenei described the strikes as a “miscalculation” by Israel.
However, while he called on government officials to “understand the capability” Iran had, he stopped short of calling for an Iranian response that would extend the series of tit-for-tat strikes between the two archfoes.
“Of course, they are exaggerating,” he said in reference to Israel, which said it successfully carried out "targeted and precise" strikes on military sites.
“Exaggerating them is wrong, but minimizing them is also wrong,” Khamenei said, adding that Iran cannot just say that “it was nothing, it didn’t matter.”
Tehran has asked Switzerland, which holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, to call an extraordinary session to condemn Israel following the air strikes, which came in retaliation for Iranian rocket strikes earlier this month.
While Iranian officials have insisted that Iranian defenses intercepted most of the projectiles that Israel fired, they also said four Iranian military officers were killed in the attacks.
The strikes did not target Iranian nuclear or oil-production facilities, as some had expected.
U.S. President Joe Biden on October 26 defended Israel’s right to defend itself but also expressed concern that the tit-for-tat strikes between the two bitter enemies could lead to a wider Middle East war.
Iran had been on edge for several weeks, with many government officials and observers around the globe saying they expected Israel to hit back after Iran fired around 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on October 1.
Tehran said that those strikes were in retaliation for an earlier attack by Israel that were part of military actions against Iran-allied groups -- mainly Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Hamas, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, triggered the current war in the Gaza Strip when its fighters crossed into Israel on October 7, 2023, and killed some 1,200 people. They also took 251 Israeli hostages.
The Israeli retaliatory war has devastated Gaza and killed more than 40,000 people, according to Hamas-led Palestinian authorities.
Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets and drones into Israel, saying it would continue the action until the fighting in Gaza is stopped.
Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the EU blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah's political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament.
Most of Hezbollah’s leadership has been wiped out in Israel air strikes since late September.
- By Reuters
Uzbekistan Electing Parliament Loyal To President
Uzbekistan votes in parliamentary elections on October 27 that, in the absence of opposition parties, is certain to produce a legislature loyal to President Shavkat Mirziyoev, despite constitutional reform bringing some procedural changes. Political power in the nation of 37 million is concentrated in Mirziyoev's hands and parliament rarely opposes laws drafted by his cabinet. The main change introduced under the 2023 constitutional reform is a switch to a mixed election system, in which only half of the 150 deputies are elected by voting for political parties. The other 75 candidates will be elected individually.
Bulgarian Exit Polls Raise Fears Of Another Prolonged Political Stalemate
SOFIA – In what appears to be the continuation of a long-standing political deadlock, exit polls gave former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s center-right GERB party the most votes in Bulgaria’s parliamentary elections but without enough support to form a government by itself.
The influential Alpha Research/BNT exit poll gave GERB 26.4 percent of the vote, followed by the reformist PP (We Continue The Change) at 14.9 percent and the far-right, pro-Russia Revival Party at 12.9 percent, amid low turnout.
An exit poll conducted for bTV by Market Links had similar results, albeit with a slightly higher figure for GERB.
Other parties appeared to score enough to reach the 4 percent minimum requirement to gain seats in parliament, with two other groupings near that level.
The vote, which began at 7 a.m. local time and ended at 8 p.m., is being tracked on this live blog by RFE/RL’s Bulgarian Service. Official results are expected on October 28.
Borisov’s pro-Western GERB party is not expected to win enough seats for a parliamentary majority and will need to form a coalition.
GERB announced that Borisov would be their candidate for prime minister if it secures at least 80 out of 240 seats in parliament.
PP (We Continue The Change) has said it would not support Borisov for the position and have demanded an independent prime minister with strong anti-corruption credentials.
Bulgaria has been unable to establish a stable government since large-scale anti-corruption protests brought down Borisov’s cabinet in 2020.
Since then, six elections have failed to break the stalemate.
The last election in June was inconclusive, with politicians failing three times to put together a coalition government.
Voting in the June election marked an all-time low in postcommunist Bulgaria, with just 34 percent of eligible voters participating.
Voter turnout was expected to be even lower for the October 27 vote, with the Gallup survey predicting only 31 percent would cast ballots.
In August, President Rumen Radev accepted the proposed cabinet of acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, giving poverty- and corruption-stricken Bulgaria a caretaker government.
Glavchev was appointed as the caretaker prime minister after the government collapsed in March under similar circumstances.
After casting his ballot, Glavchev said that he was voting “for a European and stable Bulgaria with a regular, stable government that respects the constitution of the country and is guided by the interests of the people."
- By RFE/RL
UN Security Council Sets Urgent Session On Iran-Israeli Conflict At Tehran's Request
The UN Security Council has agreed to hold an emergency session at Tehran's request following Israel's missile strike against Iran in the early morning hours of October 26.
The Swiss mission, which holds the council's rotating presidency, said the meeting would take place on October 28 at Tehran's request and with the backing of Russia, China, and Algeria.
Earlier on October 27, Tehran asked the council to call the extraordinary session to condemn Israel following the air strikes, which came in retaliation for Iranian rocket strikes earlier this month.
Amir Saeid Iravani, the Iranian envoy to the UN, claimed in a letter to the Security Council that Israel’s “unlawful and aggressive actions” were a violation of Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and a “flagrant breach of international law and the UN Charter.”
While Iravani and other leaders in Tehran have insisted that Iranian defenses intercepted most of the projectiles that Israel fired, they also said four Iranian military officers were killed in the attacks.
Danny Danon, Israel’s UN ambassador, blasted Iran's remarks, saying Tehran was "trying to act against us in the diplomatic arena with the ridiculous claim that Israel has violated international law."
"As we have stated time and time again, we have the right and duty to defend ourselves and will use all the means at our disposal to protect the citizens of Israel," Danon said.
Israel struck Iran in the early morning hours of October 26 in what it called a "targeted and precise" attack in retaliation for earlier Iranian attacks on Israel. Israel said it solely struck military sites and not nuclear or oil production areas.
U.S. President Joe Biden on October 26 defended Israel’s right to defend itself -- Washington was apprised by Israel of the move ahead of time -- but he also expressed concerns that the tit-for-tat strikes between the two bitter enemies could lead to a wider Middle East war.
The letter called on the Security Council to “take a firm stance and condemn the Israeli regime for committing these acts of aggression strongly and unequivocally.”
Iravani added that Iran is requesting that the president of the Security Council “convene an urgent meeting to address this severe violation and unlawful actions and ensure accountability of this criminal regime.”
The Security Council comprises five permanent members, each with veto power – including the United States, Israel’s closest ally, making it nearly certain the council would not condemn Israel’s actions.
Along with other permanent members Russia, China, Britain, and France, 10 other countries are in the council on a rotating basis.
Iran had been on edge for several weeks, with many government officials and observers around the globe saying they expected Israel to hit back. Tehran said its strikes were retaliation for an earlier attack by Israel.
The attacks were part of Israel’s recent actions against Iran-allied groups -- mainly Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Hamas, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, triggered the current war when its fighters crossed into Israel on October 7, 2023, and killed some 1,200 people. They also took around 251 hostages back to the Gaza Strip.
Israeli retaliation has devastated Gaza and killed more than 40,000 people, according to Hamas-led Palestinian authorities.
Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets and drones into Israel, saying it would continue the action until the fighting in Gaza is stopped.
Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the EU blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah's political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament.
Most of Hezbollah’s leadership has been wiped out in Israel air strikes since late September.
With reporting by AFP and Reuters
Gunmen Kill 10 Police In Attack In Southern Iran
An attack on a police patrol in southeastern Iran has left 10 officers dead, the Interior Ministry said. The attack occurred in Gohar Kuh, in Sistan-Baluchistan Province, some 1,200 kilometers southeast of the capital, Tehran. No group has claimed responsibility so far. The Tasnim news agency, which is linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, reported an attack on "two police patrols returning to their police station." Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni has ordered an investigation into the incident, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. Sistan-Baluchistan has been rocked by a spate of deadly attacks targeting security forces in recent months. Those previous attacks have been claimed by Jaish al-Adl, a Baluch separatist militant group that is believed to be operating out of neighboring Pakistan. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here.
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Officials Say Russia Behind Fake Video Of Pro-Trump Votes Being Destroyed
U.S. authorities have said that Russian actors were behind a fake video circulated on social media that purported to show the destruction of mail-in votes cast for Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump in the swing state of Pennsylvania ahead of the November 5 presidential election.
The video, which had millions of views on platforms such as X, after appearing on social media on October 24, depicted a man sifting through ballots from Pennsylvania's Bucks County and tearing up those cast for Trump.
The man, who was black, appeared to be ripping up ballots marked for the Republican candidate, while leaving intact ballots marked for Vice President Kamala Harris, who is black.
"The Intelligence Community (IC) assesses that Russian actors manufactured and amplified a recent video that falsely depicted an individual ripping up ballots in Pennsylvania, judging from information available to the IC and prior activities of other Russian influence actors, including videos and other disinformation activities," the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said in a joint statement issued on October 25.
The statement said that the video was debunked within three hours by local election officials and law enforcement officials after citizens reported it to authorities.
"This Russian activity is part of Moscow's broader effort to raise unfounded questions about the integrity of the U.S. election and stoke divisions among Americans, as detailed in prior ODNI election updates," the statement said.
Analysts who monitor Moscow's foreign-influence campaigns had previously linked the video to a Russian propagandist group known as Storm-1516 or CopyCop.
Observers say that Storm-1516, which has previously posted several videos containing fake claims about Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, is an offshoot of the Internet Research Agency, a former Russian propagandist network based in Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, and established by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the late leader of the Russian mercenary group Wagner.
The U.S. intelligence community warned that more disinformation and propaganda actions orchestrated by Russia are likely to surface in the run-up to the November 5 poll.
"In the lead-up to Election Day and in the weeks and months after, the IC expects Russia to create and release additional media content that seeks to undermine trust in the integrity of the election and divide Americans."
5 People, Including Teenager, Killed In Russian Strikes On Ukraine
Three civilians were killed and seven wounded, including a child, in Russian shelling in Ukraine's southern Kherson region over the past 24 hours, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on the morning of October 26 on Telegram. In Kyiv, a Russian drone strike killed a teenager during an hourslong nighttime attack, said Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Ukraine's capital. In the larger Kyiv region, a woman was killed in a drone attack and a 13-year-old boy was wounded, regional Governor Ruslan Kravchenko said. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
Georgian Dream Hails Victory, While Opposition Decries 'Stolen Election'
TBILISI -- The pro-Russian Georgian Dream party is set to extend its control of parliament, according to preliminary results of the country's October 26 elections, but the stark difference in exit polls triggered cries of a "stolen election" from the pro-Western opposition.
Georgian Dream, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, garnered just over 54 percent of the vote, with more than 99 percent of districts counted. According to the initial results published by the Central Election Commission on October 27, four opposition parties were positioned to cross the 5 percent threshold to secure seats in parliament.
Opposition forces -- the Coalition for Change, Unity-To Save Georgia, Strong Georgia, and For Georgia -- received just over 37 percent of the vote combined.
Fueling opposition protests in the vote's aftermath, exit polls conducted on behalf of pro-government and opposition organizations showed significantly different results.
WATCH: Georgia's Pro-Western opposition leaders say they will not recognize the results of the country's parliamentary elections on October 26, claiming the pivotal vote was "stolen."
Whereas Georgian Dream received 56 percent in the exit poll conducted by pro-government Imedi TV, it did not receive more than 42 percent in the two opposition exit polls.
Final results are expected to be announced on October 27.
According to the preliminary results, Georgian Dream would hold 89 seats in the 150-member chamber -- enough to maintain its government but not enough for an absolute majority to allow it to make major constitutional changes.
The United National Movement, which leads the Unity-To Save Georgia coalition, immediately rejected the results reported by Georgia’s election authorities.
"We announce on behalf of the United National Movement that we do not accept the results of the stolen election, and we do not intend to recognize the outcome of this stolen election,” party Chairwoman Tina Bokuchava said in the early morning hours of October 27.
She called on the other opposition parties to also take a stand against the reported results, adding that "big protests" are likely later in the day.
Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of Strong Georgia, insisted that the opposition had won the election, which is crucial to the Caucasus nation's future path in Europe.
"Congratulations on the defeat of the Russian government in Georgia!” he said following the closing of polls.
Nika Gvaramia, a member the Coalition for Change, said his grouping would not recognize the posted outcome, calling the process a "coup d'etat."
For the first time, Georgia used a new electronic ballot-counting system -- with a paper backup -- allowing results to be announced just a few hours after polls closed at 8 p.m. local time. The election commission said there were only minor glitches.
Natia Yoseliani, a spokeswoman for the commission, told the media earlier that after "minor technical defects," the vote took place "in a calm environment" at all 3,111 polling stations.
Turnout was nearly 59 percent, the commission said, the highest since 2012, when Georgian Dream came to power.
Possibly seeking to stave off street protests, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, a member of Georgian Dream, warned the opposition that any "illegal" actions "will be met with a very harsh reaction from the state."
President Salome Zurabishvili, who has broken with the ruling party and supported the anti-government protest movements, said on social media that "European Georgia” opposition parties are “winning with 52 percent despite attempts to rig elections and without votes from the diaspora.”
However, Ivanishvili, the former prime minister who founded Georgian Dream, congratulated supporters following the release of the Imedi TV exit poll.
"It is rare for any party anywhere in the world to achieve such success in such a difficult situation," he said. "I assure you, our country will achieve great success in the next four years. In four years we will do a lot, and in another four years Georgia will one of the most successful countries in the world."
The vote was cast as a defining moment for the country, which gained its independence from Moscow three decades ago.
Georgian Dream portrayed the elections as a choice between peace and war, claiming an opposition victory would drag Georgia into another war with Russia. The two countries fought a brief war in August 2008 that cemented Russian control over part of Georgia's territory.
The opposition framed the vote as a choice between the West and Russia and between democracy and authoritarianism, a narrative echoed by officials in the United States and Europe, who have been critical of Georgian Dream for democratic backsliding.
Tensions were high in the run-up to the vote, with Georgian Dream claiming the West was interfering in the election and the opposition accusing Russia of spreading disinformation.
Street Violence
Scuffles and accusations of fraud surfaced during the vote.
An RFE/RL correspondent reported an incident in the southern city of Marneuli, where a member of an opposition party in a voting station was allegedly beaten up by a Georgian Dream representative amid reports of ballot-stuffing.
In Rustavi, a city some 20 kilometers southeast of Tbilisi, RFE/RL correspondent Davit Mchedlidze was verbally abused and prevented from doing his job at a polling station by unidentified individuals who attempted to take his phone away.
A witness told RFE/RL that the unidentified persons were on the territory of the precinct, in violation of the law. Although the police were called, none arrived, the witness told RFE/RL.
Observers for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) who monitored the election will hold a press conference on October 27 to present their take on the fairness of the vote.
The Young Lawyers Association, a nongovernmental organization, said it observed “significant violations" of the electoral process, including physical violence, threats of violence, interference with the work of polling observers, and the violation of vote secrecy.
The group said its observers recorded about 300 “instances of irregularities.”
Russian Reaction
Georgian Dream was founded by Ivanishvili, Georgia's richest man, who made his fortune in Russia.
After casting his ballot, Ivanishvili urged Georgians to show up and vote in large numbers, while accusing the opposition of being in the service of an unnamed "foreign state" that would drag Georgia into a war against Russia.
"We have a very simple choice: either we elect a government that will serve you, the people of Georgia, Georgian society, take care of the country, or we elect an agent of a foreign state that will only follow orders from abroad," Ivanishvili said, adding that Georgia would then be faced with "catastrophe and ruins."
The Kremlin has made no secret that it prefers a victory by Georgian Dream.
Margarita Simonyan, the chief editor of the Kremlin-funded news agencies RT and Sputnik, cheered the election results.
"Georgians won! Well done," she wrote in a tweet, implying Western interference.
Opinion polls show that Georgians are broadly supportive of joining the EU and NATO but are also keen to avoid conflict with Russia and are deeply conservative on issues such as LGBT rights.
Among the controversial bills that Georgian Dream has passed is a law requiring groups that receive 20 percent or more of their funding from abroad to register as "foreign agents."
Opponents dubbed it the "Russian law," describing it as authoritarian and inspired by similar laws used to curb dissent in Russia.
Passage of the legislation earlier this year drew massive protests and prompted the United States to impose sanctions on several Georgians and threaten to end aid to Tbilisi.
The EU may consider temporary cancellation of its visa-free regime with Georgia if the elections are "not free and fair," the bloc's ambassador to Tbilisi said in September.
Other controversial legislation has clamped down on gay rights.
"This is a referendum between war and peace, between immoral propaganda and traditional values. This is a referendum between the country's dark past and a bright future," Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said after voting.
Opposition Groups
A new electoral rule put in place prior to the vote requires parties or coalitions to receive at least 5 percent to make it into parliament. That motivated Georgia's opposition parties to form coalitions that have a better chance of making it over that threshold.
The four main opposition groups directed their fire at the ruling party rather than each other, having had the common goal of ending 12 years of rule by Georgian Dream and reviving Georgia's stalled bid to join the European Union.
They had agreed that in the case of an opposition victory, they would allow Zurabishvili to form a technocratic government that would restore good relations with the West and repeal the most authoritarian laws that Georgian Dream passed in the run-up to the campaign.
Zurabishvili, whose role is largely ceremonial, has been at odds with Georgian Dream.
Russia Adds Literary Critic, Activists To 'Foreign Agents' List
Russia's Justice Ministry has added several more names to its list of so-called "foreign agents."
Among those added to the "foreign agents" register are renowned literary critic and professor Oleg Lekmanov; politician Nikolai Kavkazsky, a member of the Yabloko opposition party; activist and member of the Free Udmurtia movement Artyom Medvedev; blogger Anton Khardin; and the Astra news outlet.
Lekmanov, a visiting professor at Princeton University, left Russia in February 2022 due to his opposition to Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Kavkazsky is also a human rights and LGBT activist. He has sharply condemned the war in Ukraine and was arrested for six days for an anti-war action. He has been repeatedly attacked because of his political views.
Medvedev, who advocates for the independence of the region of Udmurtia from Russia, has taken part in the events of the Forum of Free States of Post-Russia, which the Russian authorities have classified as an "undesirable organization," and was fined.
Khardin is a popular blogger, with over 127,000 subscribers to his Telegram channel. He opposes the war in Ukraine and has spoken out against political repression in Russia.
Astra is an independent Telegram channel with current news from Russia and the world. It also publishes news that is not published by official Russian media.
The Russian law, introduced in 2012 and expanded in 2022, requires organizations receiving foreign funding to register as "foreign agents," subjecting them to burdensome reporting, auditing, and labeling requirements.
Critics say that the legislation forms part of a systematic campaign to stifle criticism of the government and curtail the work of rights defenders and independent media.
In a landmark ruling this week, the European Court of Human Rights said Russia's "foreign agent" law violated the European Convention on Human Rights, and that it is "arbitrary" and used in an "overly broad and unpredictable way."
The case was brought to the court by 107 plaintiffs, including major media outlets and human rights organizations such as RFE/RL's Russian Service (Radio Svoboda) and the Memorial human rights group.
The court ruled on October 22 that the law imposed "severe restrictions" on the plaintiffs’ activities and found that their designation as "foreign agents" amounted to "intimidation."
Biden Hopes For End To Mideast Escalation After Israeli Strikes On Iran
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed hope Israeli air strikes on Iran would bring an end to the current chapter of escalation in the Middle East, even as Hezbollah fired dozens of projectiles into northern Israel.
Israel struck Iran overnight in what it called a "targeted and precise" attack in retaliation for Iranian attacks on Israel earlier this month, the military said. Four Iranian soldiers were killed in the bombing, Tehran said.
Iran has been on edge for several weeks, with many government officials and observers around the globe saying they expected Israel to hit back. Tehran said its strikes were retaliation for an earlier attack by Israel.
The Biden administration had been concerned that Israel might target Iranian oil facilities or its nuclear facilities.
Iran's economy is heavily dependent on oil exports but a strike on energy facilities could have triggered a spike in global oil prices ahead of the U.S. election, where inflation is a key issue.
"Looks like they didn't hit anything but military targets," Biden told reporters on October 26, adding that Israel had informed him prior to the strikes. "I hope this is the end."
Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based militant group backed by Iran, condemned the attack and fired more than 200 projectiles at Israel.
Israel said fragments from 30 rockets damaged buildings and cars in one northern town but that no one was killed.
Missile Facilities Targeted
The Israeli military said it targeted manufacturing facilities making missiles used to attack Israel over the last year.
Israeli warplanes also hit "surface-to-air missile arrays and additional Iranian aerial capabilities, that were intended to restrict Israel's aerial freedom of operation in Iran."
Earlier, the IDF said the attack was launched "in response to months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the state of Israel."
"The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7 on several fronts, including direct attacks from Iranian soil," it added.
Iran said that four of its soldiers had been killed in the Israeli attack, and confirmed that military sites were targeted in the region surrounding the capital, Tehran, and other parts of the country. It said the strikes caused "limited damage."
The semiofficial news agency Tasnim reported that Iran was resuming flights as normal after a brief interruption.
Iran’s currency and financial markets posted gains on October 26 after the government said the strikes caused limited damage. They had declined over the previous two weeks amid concerns over escalation.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Iran not to respond to the Israeli strikes.
"On the question of the strikes, I think we need to be really clear that Israel does have the right to defend itself, but we are urging -- and have been urging all sides -- to show restraint. And that is why I am very clear today: Iran should not be responding to this," Starmer said in Samoa, where he is attending a Commonwealth summit.
White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said Washington was advised of the strikes ahead of time, calling them "an exercise of self-defense and in response to Iran's ballistic-missile attack against Israel on October 1."
The Pentagon, meanwhile, said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, about the strikes.
Austin reiterated that the United States was committed to Israel's security.
Israel has a right to defend itself, though Washington was determined to prevent the conflict from expanding, Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder said in a statement.
Around the same time, an Israeli air strike targeted some military sites in Syria's central and southern parts, according to the Syrian state SANA news agency.
Concerns have been growing that Iran and the United States would be drawn into a regional war amid Israel's intensifying assault in Lebanon on Hezbollah -- a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon.
The air strikes on Beirut and southern Lebanon have been accompanied by a ground operation.
Hezbollah -- designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party -- has supported another Iran-backed group, Hamas, which has been the target of a withering assault by Israel over the past year.
Hamas, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, triggered the current war when its fighters crossed into Israel on October 7, 2023, and killed some 1,200 people. They also took around 251 hostages back to the Gaza Strip.
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Businessman Convicted Of Attempting To Export Mining Equipment To Iran
A U.S. jury has convicted a man for conspiring to avoid sanctions imposed on Iran by attempting to ship U.S.-made heavy machinery used in mining to the country.
Brian Assi, also known as Brahim Assi, was convicted on October 24 of attempting to export goods from the United States to Iran without a license and other related charges, the Justice Department said in a news release on October 25.
Assi conspired with individuals affiliated with Tehran-based Sakht Abzar Pars Co. (SAP-Iran) to export the machinery indirectly to Iran without first obtaining the required licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the department said.
According to evidence presented at trial, Assi was a Middle East-based salesman for a multinational heavy-machinery manufacturer with a production plant in Florida.
Assi and his Iranian co-conspirators orchestrated the scheme by locating an Iraq-based distributor to serve as the purchaser of two blasthole drills from a subsidiary of Assi's employer.
Assi facilitated the sale of the blasthole drills and attempted to export them to Iran through Turkey, concealing any Iranian involvement in the transaction from his employer.
He claimed the drills were destined for use in Iraq, but in fact Assi intended for his Iranian co-conspirators to ship the items from Turkey to Iran in circumvention of U.S. export-control and sanctions laws.
"The defendant schemed to unlawfully export U.S.-origin mining drills to Iran, while deceiving his employer into believing that they were being sent to Iraq," Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division said in the news release.
Matthew Axelrod, assistant secretary for export enforcement in the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), said the verdict makes clear that the BIS will work tirelessly to uncover schemes no matter how hard the perpetrators try to hide them.
"We take action whenever we uncover attempts to evade our sanctions, especially when those efforts are designed to support adversaries like Iran," he said.
Assi is scheduled to be sentenced in January.
Russian Air Strikes Kill At Least 4 In Ukraine
Russian air strikes late on October 25 that hit civilian buildings in Kyiv and Dnipro killed at least four people, local officials in the Ukrainian cities said.
A Russian drone struck a residential building in Kyiv, killing one person and injuring four, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said on Telegram.
A separate missile strike in the central city of Dnipro hit a residential building and a hospital, killing three people and injuring at least nine, Governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram.
Klitschko initially said two people were injured and were treated at the scene but later said one of the injured people had died.
Serhiy Popko, the head of the capital's military administration, said a fire broke out and spread to several apartments in the building located in a district west of the city center.
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A picture posted on social media showed a high-rise building shrouded in smoke with fires burning on one of the top floors.
Klitschko said the building was in the Solomyanskiy district and also said the top floors were on fire.
An air-raid alert preceded the strike around 9 p.m. local time for Kyiv and the region around the city as well as in a number of other regions. The alert warned that Shahed drones were moving west from the Chernihiv region.
Before the strike in Kyiv, Popko warned that drones had been launched toward Kyiv and told people to go to shelters.
Lysak said the strike in Dnipro triggered a fire in a residential building. He initially said two women were killed there. In a later post he said a teenage boy and an 8-year-old girl were among the injured.
Other online reports said several strikes hit different areas of Dnipro and included pictures showing damage after an explosion at a city hospital.
Ukrainian regional officials said earlier on October 25 that Russian strikes had killed two people and wounded six in two areas of Ukraine.
In the eastern Donetsk region, Russian troops struck a post office, killing two people and wounding a third, regional Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.
"The Russians have once again launched a deliberate attack on a civilian facility -- a post office -- and have also damaged administrative buildings," Filashkin said.
In the southern region of Kherson, heavy Russian shelling of 27 localities, including Kherson city, wounded five civilians, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Telegram.
"The Russian military targeted critical infrastructure, cell towers, and residential areas," Prokudin said.
With reporting by Reuters
Von Der Leyen Assures Belgrade Expansion Is Still Priority For EU
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on October 25 that the European path and advocacy for a European Serbia are of "crucial importance for progress" and the country will work to stay on that path.
Vucic was speaking at a joint news conference in Belgrade after a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was in Serbia as part of a trip this week to the Western Balkans to assure countries hoping to become EU members that enlargement remains a priority for the bloc.
Vucic said von der Leyen asked Serbia for "much greater compliance with the EU's foreign policy declarations" during their meeting.
Serbia has close ties to Russia and has refused to join international sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. However, Vucic declined Russian President Vladimir Putin's invitation to attend the BRICS summit in Kazan this week.
After meeting with von der Leyen, Vucic repeated several times that Serbia was on a European path, but also said that it will maintain traditionally good relations with other countries.
Von der Leyen said her presence in Belgrade was testament to the EU’s wish to see Serbia become a member.
"What I see is that the president of the Republic of Serbia is hosting me here today and just has hosted the prime minister of Greece and the prime minister of Poland. That speaks for itself, I think," von der Leyen said at the joint press conference.
She noted that it was her fourth trip to Serbia since taking office, calling that "a very clear sign that I believe that Serbia's future is in the European Union."
Vucic said it was possible that the next chapter in Serbia's accession talks could be opened by the end of the year, saying this would be "a significant signal that Serbia is progressing on the European path."
Von der Leyen also raised the possibility of Serbia becoming a "leader in the field of electric vehicles" in a reference to controversial plans to begin mining lithium in western Serbia.
"It is the industry of tomorrow and we are here to support you every step of the way. We estimate that our great partnership in the field of critical raw materials will bring 20,000 jobs to Serbia and 6 billion euros to Serbia's gross domestic product," she said.
British-Australian mining company Rio Tinto plans to create Europe's biggest lithium mine in Serbia’s Jadar Valley, which could provide about one-fifth of the needs for Europe's electric-vehicle production, but the plans to open the mine have been met with opposition, largely on environmental grounds.
Von der Leyen said that the people of Serbia can be sure that the project will "respect and preserve nature" in Serbia and that mining operators will "always listen and cooperate with local communities."
Her meeting with Vucic took place in the Palace of Serbia, where several dozen activists opposed to the lithium-mining project gathered across the street. They blew whistles and held banners saying, "Serbia is not for sale" and "Ursula, we believe in Europe, but Serbia is not a colony."
"We have a complete violation of European values, the rule of law, democracy, and environmental standards. The EU is effectively betraying Europe itself," said Savo Manojlovic, campaign director of the Go-Change (Kreni-Promeni) movement that opposes the mine.
Von der Leyen arrived in Belgrade from Sarajevo on a four-day tour of the Western Balkans to discuss the European Union Growth Plan, an effort worth 6 billion euros ($6.4 billion) to double the region's economy over the next decade and accelerate Balkan countries' efforts to join the bloc.
From Serbia, von der Leyen will travel to Kosovo and Montenegro.
With reporting by AP
- By RFE/RL
Blinken Warns Of 'Real Urgency' To End Mideast Conflict
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned of an urgent need to reach a diplomatic resolution to the war in Gaza and Lebanon as the UN refugee agency raised concerns over Israeli air strikes, saying they endangered those fleeing the war.
Speaking before a meeting in London with Arab leaders on October 25, Blinken stressed the need to end the conflict on a day when Israeli strikes killed 38 people in Gaza and three journalists in Lebanon.
"We have a sense of real urgency in getting to a diplomatic resolution and the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, such that there can be real security along the border between Israel and Lebanon," Blinken said, referring to a resolution in place following the last major Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006.
Israel has pledged to neutralize Iran-backed Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States the European Union, since last October when Hamas militants crossed into Israel and killed some 1,200 people and took 240 hostages.
The conflict has since spread to Lebanon, where fighters from Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon, have launched almost daily attacks on Israel in support of Hamas, another Tehran-backed group.
Lebanese authorites say more than 2,500 people have been killed in the fighting in the country, while more than 1.2 million have been displaced, sparking a humanitarian crisis.
Israel's weekslong aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Lebanon began by targeting Hezbollah's leadership and military capabilities.
But it has recently expanded its targets to civilian infrastructure -- including banks -- affiliated with Hezbollah, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party.
Blinken said on October 24 that Israel had accomplished its objective of "effectively dismantling" Hamas as he pushed the two sides to renew negotiations to reach a truce.
Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes pounded southern Lebanon, with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) saying targets near the border with Syria included areas that the IDF claims the group uses to smuggle weapons into Lebanon.
Rula Amin, the spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), said the strikes were threatening the lives of many not involved in the conflict, given that some 430,000 people have crossed to Syria since the war started.
"The attacks on the border crossings are a major concern," Amin said.
"They are blocking the path to safety for people fleeing conflict."
Teenager Kills Bosnian Policeman In 'Act Of Terrorism'
A knife-wielding teenager has killed a police officer and wounded a second one in a town in western Bosnia-Herzegovina, authorities reported on October 25, in what the Interior Ministry called "an act of terrorism."
The attack by a 14-year-old boy occurred at a police station in Bosanska Krupa, a town of some 14,000 people, late on October 24, the ministry's office in the Una-Sana Canton told RFE/RL.
The wounded police officer was in stable condition in hospital, authorities said.
There had been no threats addressed to local police in Una-Sana and authorities had no prior knowledge of an imminent attack on the Bosanska Krupa police station, police and prosecutors said at a joint press conference on October 25 in the city of Bihac.
The minor who carried out the attack at around 9 p.m. local time was not previously known to the authorities.
"This attack on a public institution was an act of terrorism meant to frighten the public," Merima Mesanovic, the chief prosecutor of Una-Sana, told the news conference.
Authorities neither confirmed nor denied local media reports alleging the suspect, whose identity was not revealed because of his age, is a religious extremist. They gave no further information because the investigation is still ongoing.
Mesanovic said the suspect's home had been searched and some items had been taken in connection with the probe. His motive remains unknown.
Mesanovic added that the penalty for murder ranges from at least 10 years in prison up to life imprisonment but, as the suspect is a minor, he may only be sent to reformatory for a five-year period, if he is convicted.
Cantonal police chief Amel Kozlica said the security level in the city and its surroundings has been raised, with armed police patrolling the streets.
The attack left people in the small town in a state of shock.
"We really don't understand what his reason was. It's terrible what's happening among children, social networks probably had an influence, TikTok in particular," local resident Amra Kajtezovic told RFE/RL, describing the whole event as "terrible for such a small place where everyone knows each other."
There have been prior attacks on police in Bosnia.
In June 2010, in Bugojno, in the central part of the country, one officer was killed, and six were wounded in an attack on a police station.
In April 2015, in Zvornik, in eastern Bosnia, an attacker killed one police officer and wounded two before being shot dead in turn.
Exclusive: Belarus Halts Construction Of Military Camp Near Ukraine Border
The construction of a new military camp in the Homel region of Belarus, which some analysts warned could be used as an attack base targeting Ukraine, has ground to a halt, RFE/RL has learned. Using local sources and citing satellite images, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports that activity at the site of the "Chaika" facility -- a former communist-era children's holiday camp located just 40 kilometers from the border with Ukraine -- appears to have been suspended for no reason. Under government plans, the state investment program was to fund the project, which was to be completed in 2027. At the start of the year, the site was filled with construction equipment and local residents told RFE/RL that building had commenced. A satellite image from October 10 shows that no new buildings have appeared on the territory of the former camp. Russia used Belarus as a staging area to launch its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but Minsk says it has not allowed Belarusian forces to participate in the conflict. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, click here.
Russia To Send North Korean Troops Into Battle Within Days, Zelenskiy Warns
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned that Russia intends to deploy troops from North Korea in combat areas as early as October 27.
He also called for "tangible" international pressure on the two countries to get them to respect UN legislation.
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Ukraine's military intelligence service said on October 24 that it had detected the presence of North Korean troops deployed in Russia’s Kursk region, where the first units arrived on October 23.
Ukrainian forces staged a major incursion in August in Kursk, a Russian region bordering Ukraine, and are holding territory there.
Kyiv says this territory is being used as a buffer zone against Russian strikes on Ukraine.
According to intelligence, Zelenskiy said on X on October 25, "the first North Korean soldiers are expected to be deployed by Russia to combat zones as early as October 27-28. He called the move "a clear escalation by Russia."
"The world can clearly see Russia's true intentions: to continue the war," he said. "This is why a principled and strong response from global leaders is essential."
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said it's possible that there are now more than 3,000 troops from North Korea that have been dispatched to Russia for training.
Kirby said on a call with reporters on October 25 that it was possible that some of the North Korean troops would be deployed to the Kursk region but cautioned that he did not know for what purpose.
The top national-security advisers for the United States, Japan, and South Korea had met, Kirby said, adding that they "expressed grave concern" about the possible deployment of North Korean troops on the battlefield against Ukraine.
The three advisers called on Russia and North Korea "to cease these actions that only serve to expand the security implications of Russia's brutal and illegal war beyond Europe and into the Indo-Pacific," Kirby said.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on October 23 that evidence of North Korea sending troops to Russia was the "next step" after Pyongyang provided Moscow with arms.
Analysts are still assessing the situation, Austin said, but Pyongyang, which has denied the accusations, could face consequences for aiding Russia directly.
Asked about whether any North Korean troops were in Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin neither confirmed nor denied the claim.
When asked about satellite photos of troops at a news conference after a summit in Russia's Kazan, Putin said, "images are a serious thing, if there are images, then they reflect something."
With reporting by AP
Pakistani Taliban Kills 10 Police Near Afghan Border
Ten members of Pakistan's paramilitary Frontier Constabulary (FC) were killed and three others were wounded in a militant attack early on October 25 in northwestern Pakistan near the Afghan border, security sources told RFE/RL. Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, chief minister of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, confirmed the attack in a statement, without mentioning the number of deaths. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP), a radical Islamist group that has been a U.S.-designated terrorist organization since 2010, has claimed responsibility for the attack, which was carried out by a large group of gunmen, according to police sources. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, click here.
Moldovan Police Accuse Pro-Russian Oligarch Of $39M Vote-Buying Scheme
Moldovan police have accused convicted fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor of transferring $39 million into the bank accounts of thousands of Moldovans over the past two months allegedly to buy votes for the pro-Russian camp in a referendum and the first round of presidential elections last week.
Investigators said on October 25 that they uncovered about 1 million bank transfers, which reached the personal accounts of Moldovan citizens in September and October through the Russian bank Promsvyazbank (PSB), Moldovan police chief Viorel Cernauteanu told a news conference in Chisinau.
He added that some 500 people had already been fined for "passive electoral corruption," without clarifying what that means. No direct evidence of vote buying has been released, but under Moldovan law, it is illegal to accept large sums of money from abroad for political purposes.
Shor, who also holds Russian and Israeli citizenship, was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison by a Moldovan court in April 2023 over a $1 billion bank fraud. He is believed to be in Russia.
Despite expectations of a landslide "yes," the October 20 referendum on Moldova's integration into the European Union only passed by a razor-thin margin of less than 1 percentage point, prompting accusations from pro-EU President Maia Sandu of massive vote buying and disinformation orchestrated by criminal groups backed by "foreign forces."
The referendum was held simultaneously with a presidential vote, won by incumbent Sandu with some 42.5 percent of the vote -- less than the 50 percent plus one vote needed to avoid a runoff.
She will face pro-Moscow ex-Prosecutor-General Alexandr Stoianoglo in a crucial runoff on November 3.
On October 21, Sandu indicated that the stronger-than-expected showing of the pro-Moscow camp in both elections was due to what she said was an "unprecedented" assault from "criminal groups," which she said tried to buy off as many as 300,000 votes with tens of millions of euros in an attempt to "undermine the democratic process."
Russia has denied any interference, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calling on Sandu to "produce proof" to back up her accusations.
Cernauteanu said police investigators and prosecutors had established that the disbursement of the funds started in April at the latest.
He said that money from Russia came either through PSB bank transfers or via couriers who pay people directly.
However, Shor is believed to have established a network of trusted people in Moldova to whom he has been sending funds ostensibly for various social activities.
The police investigation found that, in September, PSB bank, which has been under international sanctions for its support of Russia's war in Ukraine, sent $15 million followed by a further $24 million this month.
Cernauteanu said investigators had established the identities of some 138,000 Moldovan citizens in whose bank accounts the money ended up.
The real number of those allegedly bribed by Shor, however, "is even higher" than the 300,000 mentioned by Sandu, because transfers made to one account were then shared between more people, he said.
Cernauteanu warned that those accepting money from Shor would be considered part of his "criminal organization" and urged Moldovans to cooperate with the authorities.
The investigation is still under way, Cernauteanu said, adding that on October 23 police searched 19 Moldovan districts and found envelopes with cash inside.
Cernauteanu said investigators were looking into instances of potential vote buying for the crucial presidential runoff on November 3.
Dozens Detained In Russia After Riots Over Stabbing Death Of Romany Taxi Driver
Dozens of people have been detained in the city of Korkino about 35 kilometers from the southern Russian city of Chelyabinsk after mass riots on October 24.
The unrest began after a local woman who worked as a taxi driver was apparently stabbed to death. Her body was found in her car.
Residents of Korkino gathered near a house believed to belong to members of the Romany diaspora and claimed two visitors were guilty of the crime. According to local Telegram channels and eyewitnesses, the house was pelted with stones and Molotov cocktails.
Special forces arrived at the scene to cordon off the building and drive away the angry crowd. People then scattered throughout the city and set fire to two more houses and several cars that they believed belonged to Romany.
The Emergencies Ministry Department for the Chelyabinsk region reported that the fires were quickly extinguished by the department's employees.
Regional Governor Aleksei Teksler said two of his deputies and special forces units of the Russian Guard had left for Korkino, and he promised "support and assistance" to the family of the deceased woman.
The local publication 74.ru reported that representatives of the Romany diaspora were leaving for the neighboring city of Yemanzhelinsk, and that at least 30 people had been taken to the Korkino police department. Local residents were also heading to the police department to support the detainees.
One news report said a 17-year-old had been detained in the killing. The suspect allegedly was a passenger in the victim’s car when a conflict arose, and he stabbed her at least four times in her chest.
The regional office of the Investigative Committee said the teenager’s involvement has not yet been confirmed.
- By RFE/RL
UN Chief Tells Putin Invasion Of Ukraine Violates International Law
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 24 that his invasion of Ukraine violated the UN charter and international law, according to a UN statement following their meeting at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.
The statement said Guterres reiterated his position on the Russian invasion during their meeting, which was their first since April 2022.
The UN chief, whose visit to Russia as the country's forces continue their indiscriminate attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, was photographed shaking hands with Putin ahead of their meeting.
In an earlier speech to the summit's delegates delivered in front of Putin, Guterres called for a "just peace" in Ukraine.
"We need peace in Ukraine. A just peace in line with the UN Charter, international law, and [UN] General Assembly resolution," said Guterres, whose presence at the summit drew an angry reaction from Kyiv.
"The UN Secretary General declined Ukraine's invitation to the first Global Peace Summit in Switzerland," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on X on October 22. "He did, however, accept the invitation to Kazan from war criminal Putin. This is a wrong choice that does not advance the cause of peace. It only damages the UN's reputation."
Russian opposition figure Yulia Navalnaya also slammed Guterres for meeting Putin, labeling the Kremlin boss a "murderer."
"It was the third year of the war, and the UN Secretary-General was shaking hands with a murderer," Navalnaya said on X, posting a photo of Putin greeting Guterres.
She has blamed Putin for the death of her husband, opposition politician and outspoken Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny, in a Russian prison in February.
The three-day summit in the city of Kazan was attended by representatives of the other BRICS countries -- Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. The leaders of or representatives of 36 countries, including Iran and Turkey, also attended the meeting.
Russia touted it as a show of force among the world’s major developing countries that are still willing to meet with Putin despite massive Western sanctions and efforts to isolate Moscow in response to its illegal war in Ukraine.
Von Der Leyen Visits Flooded Bosnia For Firsthand Look At Storm Destruction
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Jablanica, a village in Bosnia-Herzegovina that was among the worst hit by deadly flash floods and landslides earlier this month. "I came to see with my own eyes what happened and how the property of these people in this region was destroyed. Be sure that we stand by you, that Europe is with you," von der Leyen said in Jablanica on October 24. Von der Leyen spoke with representatives of state and local authorities and met with rescuers. Heavy rains hit the area on October 4, causing flooding and landslides that killed 19 people in Jablanica, four in Konjic, and three in Fojnica. Von der Leyen's visit was part of a four-day tour to discuss the EU Growth Plan with the authorities of Western Balkan countries and their progress toward European integration. To read the original story on RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here.
Vulin Defies EU Advice, Meets With Putin At BRICS Summit
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit despite advice given to EU candidate countries to refrain from such contacts. Vulin met with Putin at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 24, the Serbian government said in a press release. Vulin also spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, and the presidents of Egypt and Venezuela on the sidelines of the summit, the government said without specifying the topics of the conversations. Vulin attended the summit representing President Aleksandar Vucic, who despite a personal invitation from Putin declined to go to Russia. EU spokesman Peter Stano on October 23 said that all EU candidate countries "are expected to refrain from contacts with Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin." Serbia also has not joined EU sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine even though it is a candidate for EU membership. To read the full story by RFE/RL’s Balkan Service, click here.
- By RFE/RL
Blinken Says U.S. Looking At 'Different Options' For Peace As Countries Raise Aid For Lebanon
A group of governments and international organizations from around the world raised $1 billion to aid the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken continued his tour of the Middle East saying Washington was open to "different options" to ending the war in the Gaza Strip, which has spilled over into neighboring Lebanon.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said $800 million had been raised at the conference in Paris on October 24 to help the hundreds of thousands of people in Lebanon displaced by fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon.
Another $200 million was pledged at the conference to help the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), a national-security force that aids in implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for southern Lebanon to be free of any troops or weapons other than those of the Lebanese state.
"The storm we are currently witnessing is unlike any other, because it carries the seeds of total destruction," Lebanon's caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, said at the donor conference.
The current war between Israel and the Iran-backed groups Hezbollah and Hamas -- which have been designated as terrorist organizations by the United States -- was triggered after Hamas militants made an incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people. They also took some 240 people back to Gaza as hostages.
Israel has since launched a withering offensive that, according to the Hamas-led Heath Ministry in Gaza, has seen around 43,000 people killed while displacing virtually all of Gaza's 2.3 million people.
The European Union has also designated Hamas as a terrorist organization, and while it blacklists Hezbollah's armed wing, it does not give its political party the same designation. Hezbollah’s political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament.
Many Western officials have said the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar earlier this month opened room for reviving peace talks.
Blinken, in Qatar on October 24, said after talks with officials from Egypt and Qatar that the focus was on "options to capitalize on this moment and next steps to move the process forward."
"Going back to the negotiations on cease-fire and the hostages, one of the things we're doing is looking at whether there are different options that we can pursue to get us to a conclusion, to get us to a result," Blinken said.
The talks in Doha are scheduled to include Israeli officials on October 25, while Qatari officials have met with officials in Hamas' political office in the Qatari capital in recent days.
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