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U.S. To Give Ukraine Antipersonnel Mines Despite Outcry By Rights Groups
KYIV -- The White House said it will provide Ukraine with antipersonnel mines to help it fend off Russia’s battlefield advances, despite widespread opposition to such weapons by international rights groups and following heavy usage of similar devices by Russia.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was quoted on November 20 by news agencies as saying during a visit to Laos that the decision to provide the controversial mines was made because of a change in Russian tactics.
"They don't lead with their mechanized forces anymore," he said "They lead with dismounted forces who are able to close and do things to kind of pave the way for mechanized forces."
Ukraine has a need "for things that can help slow down that effort on the part of the Russians," he added.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Russia had used at least 13 types of antipersonnel mines in Ukraine since February 2022.
"Russia has used anti-personnel land mines widely in Ukraine...causing hundreds of casualties and contaminating vast tracts of agricultural land," it said.
Rights and humanitarian groups have long criticized the use of antipersonnel mines, saying they pose a danger to civilians.
In a statement following the U.S. announcement, HRW said the "decision to transfer antipersonnel land mines risks civilian lives and sets back international efforts to eradicate these indiscriminate weapons.”
More than 160 countries have agreed to ban the use of antipersonnel mines, although the United States and Russia are not signatories to the convention. Ukraine ratified the convention in December 2005.
When asked in the past about possible use of such mines, Ukraine said it could not comment on the types of weapons utilized during the current armed conflict "before the end of the war and the restoration of our sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Antipersonnel mines are hidden in the ground and are designed to detonate when enemy troops walk on or near them.
Some reports have said the mines being provided by Washington are "nonpersisent," meaning that after a set period of time they no longer are operational and are rendered harmless.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed the decision on the mines, calling them "very important" weapons in the effort to blunt Russian assaults and saying the move would "totally strengthen" Ukraine's frontline troops.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials said Washington's embassy in Kyiv will likely resume normal operations on November 21 after having closed earlier on November 20 when it received "specific information" about "a potential significant air strike."
Late in the day, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told a briefing that "I can't go into the details of the threat, but we're always keeping a close eye on it.
“The embassy is expected to return to normal operations tomorrow," he added.
In closing, the embassy urged employees and U.S. citizens in the Ukrainian capital to take immediate shelter if an air-raid alert was announced.
"Out of an abundance of caution, the Embassy will be closed, and Embassy employees are being instructed to shelter in place," it said in a statement, without giving any details about the possible strike.
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The embassies of Italy, Greece, and Spain said they had also shut their operations following the unusual U.S. warning. Spain later said it reopened its facility after a temporarily closing.
The Ukrainian military suggested the information the U.S. Embassy was referring to was "fake."
"Messengers and social networks…are spreading a message about the threat of a 'particularly massive' missile and bomb attack on Ukrainian cities today."
"This message is a fake. It contains grammatical errors typical of Russian information and psychological operations,” it added.
It urged residents not to ignore air-raid sirens but also "not to succumb to panic."
An air-raid alert was issued for several Ukrainian regions, including Kyiv, early on November 20 due to the imminence of Russian drone strikes.
The U.S. warning came one day after Moscow said Ukraine had used U.S.-made long-range missile systems to strike a weapons depot in Russia's Bryansk region following U.S. President Joe Biden's reported authorization of their use.
The White House has not officially confirmed the decision.
In another move by the current U.S. administration aimed at aiding Ukraine, Biden has informed Congress that he intends to cancel $4.65 billion in loans to Ukraine, a State Department spokesman said.
Zelenskiy did not confirm or deny the use of ATACMS in the attack on Bryansk, saying during a news conference that "Ukraine has long-range capabilities.... We now have a long 'Neptune' (Ukrainian-made cruise missiles) and not just one. And now we have ATACMS. And we will use all of this."
On November 20, Ukraine's military intelligence agency said a Russian military command post had been "successfully struck" in the town of Gubkin in Russia's Belgorod region, some 168 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. It did not say what kind of missiles had been used in the attack.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg News reported the Ukrainian military had also fired a British-supplied Storm Shadow into Russia for the first time, citing an unnamed Western official.
Separately, the Ukrainian Air Force said Russian troops attacked Ukraine early on November 20 with 122 drones, 56 of which were shot down over 14 regions -- Kyiv, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskiy, Sumy, Mykolayiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhya, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Kharkiv.
The mayor of Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa, Hennadiy Trukhanov, said the death toll after a Russian strike on the city on November 18 had risen to 11.
- By RFE/RL
Exiled Opposition Leader Condemns Belarus 'Anti-Riot' Drills Ahead Of January Election
Exiled opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya condemned so-called anti-riot drills conducted by Belarusian police ahead of the planned January 26 elections in which strongman ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka will likely be declared the winner for a seventh term.
"The security forces' training marks preparation for a crackdown on dissent before the fictitious election," Tsikhanouskaya said in remarks to AP on November 19.
"Drills in suppression of citizens aren’t a sign of force. They are a sign of fear. No such intimidation would suppress the Belarusians’ striving for freedom and democracy," she said.
Tsikhanouskaya spoke from Estonia, where she met with leaders in Tallinn to bolster support for the opponents of Belarus's authoritarian government.
Belarusian authorities said the drills are intended to train police to prevent "any manifestation of extremism and terrorism" and block "attempts to draw citizens into unlawful actions and any violation of public order."
Interior Ministry video depicted helmeted police in black riot gear slamming shields with truncheons in preparation for breaking up a potential protest.
Massive street protests followed the disputed 2020 presidential election that extended Lukashenka's long-standing rule for another term.
The election was widely condemned as fraudulent by the United States, the European Union, and other international actors.
The protests, which demanded Lukashenka's resignation, were met with mass arrests, alleged torture, and violent crackdowns that left several people dead.
Tsikhanouskaya's husband, Syarhey Tsikhanouski, as well as other opposition politicians and activists were arrested and many were sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
Many opposition leaders remain imprisoned or in exile, while Lukashenka refuses dialogue with his critics. Tsikhanouskaya was forced into exile in 2020.
Tsikhanouskaya on November 19 said she was assured by Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna that the Baltic nation would not recognize the "Belarus regime's fake elections."
With reporting by AP
- By RFE/RL
Afghan Teen Wins Children's Peace Prize For Work Advocating For Girls' Rights
Nila Ibrahimi, an Afghan teenager living in Canada, has been awarded the prestigious International Children's Peace Prize for her efforts in advocating for the rights of girls in her native country. "The young change-maker's courageous efforts to advocate for the rights of Afghan girls has seen her recognized as a true inspiration, offering a message of hope for other young people around the world," the Amsterdam-based organizers said on November 19. Following the return to power of the repressive Taliban extremist group in 2021, the 17-year-old fled the country with her family, first to Pakistan, then to Canada, where she lives now. The Taliban has been assailed by international groups and Western leaders for human rights abuses, especially against girls and women.
- By RFE/RL
Scholz Blasts Soft G20 Statement On Russia But Reiterates Stand On Long-Range Missiles
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on November 19 attacked the final declaration of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro for not plainly stating that Russia was responsible for the war in Ukraine.
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy -- speaking nearly 11,000 kilometers away in Kyiv -- agreed with those sentiments, he also suggested criticism toward Berlin for not providing Taurus long-range cruise missiles to strike deeper inside Russia as it battles against the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion.
Scholz told the gathered leaders that Russian President Vladimir Putin has bombed Ukraine for "1,000 days in which people have had to suffer for the blind megalomania, for the intention to simply expand his country by force."
"It will be insufficient if these 20 [nations] cannot find clear words on Russia's responsibility in this matter. I would have liked to have seen something different," the chancellor said at the end of the summit of the 20 leading industrialized nations and emerging economies.
But Scholz also restated his decision not to send long-range German Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, saying Germany is Kyiv’s largest supporter in Europe and will remain so but that it was important "to do everything we do with prudence."
"In my view, supplying cruise missiles would be a mistake for many reasons," he added, including the danger that it would bring Germany closer to direct conflict with Russia.
According to multiple U.S. media reports, the United States has granted Ukraine permission after months of pleading to use ATACMS long-range cruise missiles to strike deeper inside Russia. The White House has not denied the widespread reports, but it also has not confirmed them.
Meanwhile, Zelenskiy, speaking at a Kyiv news conference, also blasted the G20 leader for failing to act after Putin signed a decree easing Russia’s benchmarks for using nuclear weapons.
"Today, G20 countries are sitting in Brazil. Did they say something? Nothing," Zelenskiy told reporters, adding that they failed to develop a "strong strategy."
Following a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Kyiv, Zelenskiy also said that "I think after statements about nuclear weapons, it is also time for Germany to support corresponding decisions," referring to the reports of the U.S. decision to allow use of long-range missiles.
With reporting by dpa and Reuters
- By RFE/RL
Afghan Teacher, Imprisoned Tajik Lawyer Win Prestigious Rights Award
Zholya Parsi, a women's rights activist in Afghanistan, and imprisoned Tajik lawyer Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov have been declared co-winners of the prestigious Martin Ennals Award, often referred to as the Nobel Prize for human rights.
"Two outstanding human rights defenders who have made it their life mission to protect human rights in Afghanistan and in Tajikistan will receive the Martin Ennals Award 2024 on November 21" in Geneva as the award marks its 30th anniversary, organizers said on November 19.
The two "have shown exceptional courage and determination to bring human rights at the forefront despite evolving in deeply repressive environments," the group said.
It is not clear if Parsi would be allowed to travel to the award ceremony, while Kholiqnazarov remains imprisoned in his home country, serving a 16-year sentence.
The jury consisted of 10 leading human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Parsi, a teach from Kabul, founded the Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women (SMAW) to protest the return of policies and practices against women's rights and fundamental freedoms following the extremist Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
The movement quickly grew in Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan and now has 180 members and has mobilized communities to resist the Taliban’s policies and practices, organizers said.
Parsi was arrested in the street by armed Taliban members in September 2023 and detained along with her son.
"She was released after three months of torture and ill-treatment under their custody, which further strengthened her resolve to resist Taliban oppression and repression," award organizers said.
Since returning to power, the Taliban has been assailed by international groups and Western nations -- which have not yet officially recognized the extremist group as legitimate rulers -- for human rights violations, especially those against women and girls.
Kholiqnazarov is director of the Lawyers Association of Pamir, one of the few civil society organizations active in Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan region.
After mass protests erupted in the region in November 2021 following the extrajudicial killing of Khorugh district resident Gulbiddin Ziyobekov, Kholiqnazarov joined the Commission 44 organization in which members of law enforcement agencies and local civil society representatives joined to investigate the reasons behind the unrest.
But in May 2022, the Tajik authorities renewed their crackdown on protests in the region, leading to the arrest of Kholiqnazarov and a dozen other members of Commission 44.
In December 2022, the Supreme Court sentenced Kholiqnazarov to 16 years in prison after finding him guilty of being part of a criminal organization and of participating in the activities of a banned organization engaged in extremist activities.
Kholiqnazarov pleaded not guilty to the charges.
"We are very proud to honor these two exceptional laureates," said Hans Thoolen, chair of the Martin Ennals Award Jury, said.
- By RFE/RL
Europeans Probe Baltic Cable Damage As Suspicions Turn Toward Russia
European government and the United States have accused Russia of intensifying "hybrid attacks" following reports that Baltic Sea fiber-optic communications cables were damaged by suspected sabotage, although they have not yet directly tied Moscow to the damage.
Moscow has long denied it is involved in sabotaging Western infrastructure to punish European countries for their assistance to Ukraine's defense, but suspicions grew in Western capitals on November 19 that damage to two key Baltic Sea cables were likely the result of deliberate actions.
Ukraine's allies pointed to past incidents of alleged sabotage by Moscow, especially following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has hit the 1,000-day mark amid devastating losses on both sides.
"Moscow's escalating hybrid activities against NATO and EU countries are also unprecedented in their variety and scale, creating significant security risks," the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Britain said in a statement.
"Our European security is not only under threat from Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors. Safeguarding our shared critical infrastructure is vital to our security and the resilience of our societies," the statement said.
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, during his regular daily briefing, said Washington generally is "incredibly" concerned about hybrid warfare conducted by Russian and that it remains in touch with European allies, although he did not directly mention the cable damages.
The comments come as regional states investigated the cutting of the Baltic cables -- one connecting Finland to Germany and one linking Sweden and Lithuania -- following similar suspicious occurrences in the sea in recent years.
"If Russia does not stop committing acts of sabotage in Europe, Warsaw will close the rest of [Russia’s] consulates in Poland," Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said.
Boris Pistorius, Germany defense chief, said, "No one believes that these cables were cut accidentally."
"We also have to assume, without knowing it yet, that it is sabotage," Pistorius said.
Swedish prosecutors and Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation separately said national authorities had launched investigations into the cut cables.
Moscow has said such allegations are being fabricated by the West to discredit Russia.
CNN in September cited two U.S. officials as stating that Washington believed Moscow was likely to carry out sabotage operations, saying it had been bolstering its secretive marine unit that deploys ships, submarines, and drones to survey the Baltic seabed.
NATO stepped up monitoring critical infrastructure in the Baltic following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the destruction of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline seven months later.
A year ago, Finland said it couldn't exclude that a "state actor" was responsible for damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline and a telecommunications cable in the Baltic Sea.
With reporting by Reuters, CNN, and dpa
Russian Court Sends Bashkir Activist To 9 Years In Prison Amid Crackdown
A court in Russia's Republic of Bashkortostan on November 19 sentenced activist Marat Sharafutdinov, the final defendant in the high-profile Karmaskaly case, to nine years in prison.
The court found Sharafutdinov guilty of preparing to commit hooliganism on ethnic grounds and organizing an extremist organization's activities.
Investigators said the defendant was affiliated with the Bashqort organization that for decades promoted Bashkir language and culture but was banned in Russia and designated as extremist in May 2020.
The case dates back to November 7, 2020, when police and special forces detained about 50 Bashkir activists in the Karmaskaly district.
The reasons for the detentions remain disputed: Some sources claim the activists were attempting to mediate a conflict with the local Armenian community, while others suggest they were traveling to celebrate a holiday.
While in detention, several activists filed complaints with the Investigative Committee, alleging illegal actions by police and special forces.
However, in December 2020, the Investigative Committee declined to open a case, citing a lack of evidence of police wrongdoing.
Following additional complaints to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the case materials were sent for further review, but no substantive action was taken.
In January 2021, authorities conducted additional searches and detentions. Law enforcement alleged that weapons and ammunition, including a sawed-off shotgun and gunpowder, were found during the raids. Activists and their families claimed these items were planted by the authorities.
Sharafutdinov was detained on January 13, 2021. His lawyers later stated he had been subjected to violence during interrogations, including blows to the head. In August 2021, Sharafutdinov was reportedly sent to a psychiatric hospital in Bashkortostan for "treatment" due to an alleged "exacerbation of illness."
His case was separated into individual proceedings in August 2021 and subsequently suspended. It was reopened by early 2023, with the trial beginning in August of that year. The hearings were delayed multiple times for various reasons, including Sharafutdinov's health issues.
Other defendants in the Karmaskaly case previously received suspended sentences. However, Sharafutdinov's trial ended with a nine-year prison sentence. His defense team has said it will appeal.
Sharafutdinov’s relatives and supporters have described the sentence as unjust.
Bashkir activists fear the case, along with other high-profile prosecutions, could pave the way for broader crackdowns on former members of Bashqort.
The case has drawn significant public attention, highlighting ongoing tensions between activists and authorities in Bashkortostan.
No Charges Filed Against Iranian Woman Who Disrobed In Apparent Protest
No charges have been brought against the Iranian woman who disrobed in an apparent protest outside her Tehran university, a spokesman for the judiciary said, adding that she had been released from the hospital to her family.
"Given that she has been sent to the hospital and it has been determined that she is sick, she has been handed over to the family and they are currently taking care of her," Iranian judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir told a news conference on November 19.
The spokesman added that "no judicial case has been filed against this student." It wasn't immediately clear if the comments meant that the case had been permanently closed.
The woman was identified as Ahoo Bahari, a student from the science and research department of Tehran Azad University.
She took off her clothes in public on November 3 in an apparent protest at the university and was arrested shortly afterward.
The circumstances that led to her taking off her clothes remain unclear, but witnesses say she was harassed by the university's security officers over what she had been wearing. One video showed officers violently forcing the unidentified woman into a car.
Reports in Iranian media later alleged she was suffering from mental illness and that she was taken to a psychiatric hospital.
Video footage posted online raised concerns of the woman's safety from international rights groups, who condemned her treatment and demanded her immediate release.
Amnesty International said it had previously published evidence of the government's crackdown on protesters under the pretext of "mental disorders" that needed to be "treated."
Rights groups and Iranian activists have long assailed the government of the conservative Muslim nation for attacks on protesters, often targeting those who challenge strict laws governing women’s dress in public.
New laws increase prison terms and fines for women and girls who breach the dress code in the wake of the mass Women, Life, Freedom protests that followed the death of a young woman while in police custody for an alleged head-scarf violation.
Serbia, Kazakhstan Strengthen Economic Ties Amid Toqaev's Visit To Belgrade
BELGRADE -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev have pledged to strengthen economic cooperation between their countries during Toqaev's first visit to Serbia as the Central Asian country's president. At a joint press conference on November 19, Toqaev highlighted the commitment of both nations to expand their bilateral relations, focusing on key sectors such as industry, mining, and health care. Vucic emphasized the deep political and historical bonds between the two countries, pointing to Kazakhstan's longstanding support for Serbia, referencing Kazakhstan’s non-recognition of Kosovo's independence declared in 2008. The two sides signed 10 agreements and memorandums, aiming to foster cooperation in various fields. These include readmission, defense collaboration, and the peaceful exploration and use of outer space. Serbia and Kazakhstan already share a military-technical cooperation agreement, signed in November 2013 and in effect since July 2021. However, the deal has drawn criticism from the European Union, as Serbia’s agreements with third countries will need to be reevaluated if it joins the EU. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here.
Jailed Tajik MMA Fighter, Blogger Chorshanbiev's Sentence Extended
Popular Tajik MMA fighter and blogger Chorshanbe Chorshanbiev, who was sentenced in 2022 to 8 1/2 years in prison on charges he and his supporters call politically motivated, has received an additional four-year term for his involvement in a prison fight.
Chorhsanbiev was convicted in a closed trial for "actions disrupting prison operations," Tajik journalist Anora Sarkorova and two sources close to Tajik law enforcement structures told RFE/RL on November 18.
With the new sentence, part of which will be served concurrently, Chorhsanbiev now faces a total of 12 1/2 years behind bars, of which more than two years have been served.
Sarkorova cited her sources in the Justice Ministry as saying that prison officials were instructed to provoke Chorhsanbiev, allegedly to justify extending his sentence. Reports also detail his repeated solitary confinement and physical abuse, including punishment for speaking his native Pamiri dialect of Persian during family visits.
Chorhsanbiev was initially convicted for alleged calls for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order.
The primary evidence was a November 2021 video in which he discussed events in Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). Authorities deemed the video an incitement to protests against the state. Chorhsanbiev denied the charges, asserting that his statements were misinterpreted.
In December 2021, Chorhsanbiev was deported from Russia for alleged traffic violations. Upon arrival in Dushanbe, he was detained by military personnel at the airport.
The case is rooted in the November 2021 unrest in GBAO that was sparked by the death of 29-year-old Gulbiddin Ziyobekov during a security operation.
Mass protests erupted, with demonstrators bringing Ziyobekov’s body to government offices, demanding accountability. The protests, which lasted four days, turned violent at times, resulting in three deaths and injuries to around 10 protesters and five security personnel.
Tensions between the government and residents of the restive GBAO have simmered ever since a five-year civil war broke out shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Gorno-Badakhshan, a linguistically and ethnically distinct region, was home to rebels who opposed government forces during the conflict.
While it occupies almost half of the entire country, its population is a mere 250,000. The region is difficult to travel around because of the mountainous terrain, while its economy is wracked by unemployment, difficult living conditions, and high food prices.
- By RFE/RL
North Macedonia's Sekerinska Becomes NATO Deputy Chief
NATO on November 19 said that former North Macedonian Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska has become the alliance's new deputy secretary-general. Former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte became the alliance's secretary-general on October 1. Officials familiar with the decision about who would be his deputy told RFE/RL that a candidate from Central or Eastern Europe had been sought, preferably a woman. Other candidates, the officials said on condition of anonymity, included former Bulgarian Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel, former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kititarovic, and former Montenegrin Defense Minister Olivera Injac, currently the mayor of Podgorica. Sekerinska, who was North Macedonia’s defense minister from 2017 to 2022, oversaw her country’s accession to NATO in 2020. She will replace acting Deputy Secretary-General Boris Ruge, who temporarily took over the position earlier this fall following Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoana's resignation in order to run in this month's presidential election in Romania.
Four Belarusian Families Face Trial As Crackdown On 2020 Protesters Continues
Four years after mass protests erupted against Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s authoritarian rule in Belarus, trials against those who took to the streets continue.
Multiple proceedings targeting families accused of taking part in the 2020 demonstrations are currently under way in Minsk courts.
On November 19, Hanna, Inna, and Raman Usmanau, along with Kiryl Selyaznyou are going on trial in the Zavod district court. They are charged with "active participation in actions grossly violating public order."
Simultaneously, the Frunze district court has begun proceedings against Katsyaryna and Ihar Gramovich on the same charge.
Further trials involving families are scheduled in the coming days.
On November 21, the case of a couple -- Mark Kunitsky and Iryna Pratazanova-Kunitskaya -- will be heard in the Kastrychnik District Court.
On November 22, Anna, Tatsyana, and Andrey Vashchyshyn will be tried in the Frunze District Court.
The cases stem from the 2020 protests that followed the disputed presidential election that extended Lukashenka's longstanding rule for another term.
The election was widely condemned as fraudulent by the United States, the European Union, and other international actors.
The protests, which demanded Lukashenka’s resignation, were met with mass arrests, alleged torture, and violent crackdowns that left several people dead.
Many opposition leaders remain imprisoned or in exile, while Lukashenka refuses dialogue with his critics. The trials reflect ongoing repression as the Belarusian regime continues its efforts to stifle dissent and consolidate power.
- By Current Time
Ex-Moscow Lawmaker Sentenced In Absentia To 8 Years In Prison
A Moscow court sentenced former municipal lawmaker Anastasia Bryukhanova in absentia to eight years in prison on November 19 on charges of spreading "fake news" about the Russian military. The court also imposed a four-year ban on Bryukhanova’s use of social media. The case was initiated in April 2023 over a video posted on the Obyektiv YouTube channel in December 2022 that discussed alleged civilian killings by invading Russian troops in the Ukrainian city of Bucha. Bryukhanova, currently outside Russia, called the prosecution illegal and described her video as a near-verbatim repetition of a New York Times investigation. Her written statement was read in court by her defense lawyer. Bryukhanova's sentencing underscores the ongoing crackdown on dissent and independent reporting in Russia amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.
Russia Says Ukraine Used ATACMS Against Military Target In Bryansk
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on November 19 that Ukraine used six U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles in its attack on the Bryansk region overnight, claiming Russian forces managed to shoot down five of the missiles and damage one.
According to the ministry, fragments from the damaged ATACMS fell on a military target, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished. The ministry also said there were no casualties.
Hours earlier, the Russian RBK news agency quoted an informed source within Ukraine's military as saying Kyiv had used ATACMS missiles for the first time, targeting an object in the city of Karachev in Russia's southwestern Bryansk region, successfully damaging the facility.
Kyiv did not officially confirm the reports, but President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, when asked about them, said only that "Ukraine has long-range capabilities, including domestically produced long-range drones…and now we have ATACMS as well."
AFP quoted an unnamed senior Ukrainian official as saying that the strike "was carried out by ATACMS missiles."
The timing of this operation, coinciding with the 1,000th day of Russia's invasion, carries symbolic weight. By further demonstrating its capacity to retaliate with precision and range, observers believe Ukraine seeks to shift the strategic calculus of the war, showing Russian territory is not immune from direct attacks.
Ukraine for months has been striking inside Russia with its drones, often with precise attacks. ATACMS, however, are more powerful and faster and therefore tougher to shoot down. The reported U.S. permission on ATACMS expands the type and increases the number of Ukraine’s long-range options.
The same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an updated nuclear doctrine. This revision allows for the consideration of nuclear weapons use if Russia faces a conventional missile assault supported by a nuclear power.
The doctrine now includes attacks with conventional missiles, drones, or other aircraft as potential triggers for a nuclear response. Additionally, any aggression against Russia by a state allied with a nuclear power will be viewed as aggression by the entire coalition.
Ukrainians awoke on November 19 to news of yet another deadly Russian drone strike on a residential building.
Ukrainian authorities said that six people were killed, including one child, in the early morning attack that hit a five-story building in the city of Hlukhiv, in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region.
Twelve people were injured, two of them children, and one section of the building collapsed.
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Rescue workers were on the scene and officials expressed fears that the casualty count could rise.
Just two days earlier, Russian forces targeted an apartment building in the regional capital, Sumy, killing 11 people, including two children, and injuring more than 50.
The Sumy region, which borders Russia, has been a frequent target of artillery and drone strikes, with attacks intensifying in recent months.
Local authorities in Sumy have ordered the evacuation of 23 towns and villages, affecting around 6,000 people, as the region remains under near-constant threat.
Russia's Defense Ministry continues to claim that it targets only military facilities, yet reports from Ukrainian officials and independent media document widespread civilian casualties and destruction of nonmilitary infrastructure.
Russia's full-scale invasion, which began on February 24, 2022, has evolved into a prolonged conflict with significant losses on both sides.
For Ukraine, the war has meant widespread destruction, over 20,000 civilian deaths according to international estimates, and millions displaced. For Russia, the conflict has brought economic isolation, military losses, and growing internal dissent.
The use of ATACMS by Ukraine would reflect both the maturation of its military strategy and the increasing support from Western allies, who have progressively provided more advanced weaponry to counter Russian aggression.
However, it also raises questions about the potential for further escalation, as attacks on Russian soil may provoke a harsher response from Moscow.
With reporting by RBK, TASS, Interfax, dpa, and AP
Bosnia To Expel Russian Man Suspected Of Training Moldovans To Foment Unrest
Authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina will expel a Russian citizen who was arrested on suspicion of instructing Moldovan nationals how to foment unrest in Moldova, Bosnia's Foreign Ministry confirmed to RFE/RL on November 19. The Russian man, Aleksandr Bezrukavy, was arrested in the city of Bosanska Krupa on November 16, The police chief of Bosnia's northwestern Una-Sana Canton, Adnan Habibija, told RFE/RL on November 18. According to Habibija, the arrested man is suspected of having links with training camps near the city of Banja Luka. Last month, media reported about the existence of camps in Bosnia and Serbia associated with Russia's Wagner mercenary group where instructors trained young people to cause unrest in Moldova ahead of and during a presidential election. Moldova's pro-Western incumbent President Maia Sandu defeated Russia-friendly challenger Alexandr Stoianoglo in a November 3 runoff vote in balloting marred by accusations of Russian interference and voter fraud. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, click here.
Putin Signs New Doctrine Widening Rules On Nuclear Weapons Use
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on November 19 updating and expanding Moscow's nuclear doctrine to allow for the use of atomic weapons in case of an attack on Russia by a nonnuclear actor that is backed by a nuclear power.
The move comes just days after President Joe Biden reportedly gave Ukraine permission to use U.S.-supplied long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, to strike deep inside Russia. ATACMS have a range of some 300 kilometers.
The updated doctrine says Russia would consider using nuclear weapons after receiving “reliable information about the launching of a massive attack against it and missiles crossing the Russian border."
Moscow will consider "aggression by a nonnuclear state -- but with the participation or support of a nuclear-armed state -- as a joint attack on the Russian Federation," the document says, without clarifying whether such an aggression would automatically trigger a nuclear response.
Experts highlighted that one key change is that the aggression would not need to pose an existential threat to Russia, with the threshold for a response lowered to aggression that presents a "critical threat to the sovereignty and/or territorial integrity" of the country.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, when asked if a conventional Ukrainian attack using U.S. missiles could potentially trigger a nuclear response, said that it could, pointing out that the revised passage also included threats to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Russia's ally Belarus.
The document also expands the list of states and military alliances against which nuclear "deterrence" can be carried out, as well as the “list of military threats for the neutralization of which nuclear deterrence measures are carried out.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov downplayed the significance of the changes to the nuclear doctrine, saying in Brazil on November 19 that Moscow is "determined to do everything possible to prevent a nuclear war."
However, the European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, described the changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine as "completely irresponsible."
"It is not the first time that Putin plays the nuclear gamble," he said in Brussels, saying "any call for nuclear warfare is an irresponsibility."
In Washington, a National Security Council spokesperson said that the White House was "not surprised by Russia's announcement" and that the United States did not plan to adjust its own nuclear doctrine in response.
The review of Russia's nuclear doctrine was first mentioned by Putin on September 25, 2024, at a meeting of the Russian Security Council amid discussions around allowing Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia.
Peskov, asked whether the change in doctrine -- which was announced as Russia's war on Ukraine marked its 1,000th day -- was linked to the reported move by Biden, said the update was released “in a timely manner” based on the "current situation."
The reported U.S. decision, which has yet to be officially confirmed by the White House, comes after months of insistence by Kyiv to be allowed to use Western-donated long-range systems to strike military targets deep inside Russia.
Britain and France have also supplied Ukraine with their jointly-made Storm Shadow missiles which have a 250-kilometer range, but have so far refrained from giving Kyiv approval to use them against targets farther into Russia.
Meanwhile, on November 18, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said once again that Germany will not send its Taurus missiles, which have a 500-kilometer range, to Ukraine.
Georgian Protesters Resume Rally After Police Violently Disperse Crowds
TBILISI -- Georgian anti-government protesters resumed their rallies at several points in Tbilisi in the evening on November 19 hours following a violent dispersal by security forces of a tent city they had set up in the Caucasus nation’s capital.
Protesters arrived at several key intersections in the city and the State University in Tbilisi around 7 p.m., with one of the organizers saying, "We will not take a single step backward."
"We have declared the resistance movement, and this movement will only go forward," said the organizer, Elene Khoshtaria of the pro-West Coalition for Change.
"The police will leave, the [Moscow-friendly Georgian Dream party] will leave, and Russia will also leave this country," she said.
The opposition protesters have been demanding a repeat of parliamentary elections amid claims of widespread fraud and Russian influence during the October 26 polls that were won by the Georgian Dream party, which has been in power since 2012.
Earlier, around 7 a.m., Georgian police began violently dispersing the dayslong protest at the university, detaining at least 16 people and taking down the tents where demonstrators calling for fresh elections had taken shelter from the cold during the night.
The Interior Ministry told RFE/RL that the 16 people detained were held 16 for alleged disobedience to the lawful demands of the police and petty hooliganism. Three of them were released on their own recognizance.
Video footage by RFE/RL correspondents in Tbilisi showed police dragging people to the ground, including women, and beating them before taking them away. Among those detained was Sergi Baramidze, a cameraman for the opposition channel Mtavari, who was beaten and had his camera smashed.
Reports said many people were injured during the police raid.
Tbilisi has been rocked by protests since the elections, including on November 17-18, when demonstrators marched through the center of Tbilisi, blocking one of the main avenues, then set up tents and sleeping bags at central sites.
Some of those detained on November 19 and taken to the Interior Ministry were later released. Among them was Maya Gogidze, from the opposition's political group Lelo.
She described her ordeal to RFE/RL.
"Suddenly I heard a scream as they started dragging and taking away the participants in the rally one by one.... Law enforcement officers acted in groups, grabbing one demonstrator, dragging him away, then moving on to another," Gogidze said.
"I saw that they were dragging a young boy on the asphalt and I ran to help him. They dragged me from there and suddenly I found myself facing a protester whose face was covered in blood. The police...lifted me up in the air and took me to the car."
The office of President Salome Zurabishvili -- who backs the protesters and has refused to recognize the October 26 vote -- said she filed a lawsuit in the Constitutional Court on November 19, "requesting annulment of the election results as unconstitutional.”
At a news conference the previous day, Zurabishvili said, "I will file a lawsuit in the Constitutional Court for violation" of election principles," although she acknowledged little hope of success.
"This is not because I believe in the Constitutional Court -- we all know that no institution in this country is independent any longer and we have received evidence of this repeatedly.
"But this should be as a sign that no legal dispute in the country should go uncontested" and that justices should have a chance to openly demonstrate their "conscience," she added.
She reiterated that she did not recognize the elections as legitimate and considered it necessary to hold a new vote, but only with a new election administration chosen with the help of international partners.
The latest protests broke out after Georgia's Central Election Commission (CEC) on November 16 validated the results of last month's disputed elections, despite accusations of widespread fraud and Russian interference.
According to the official results, Georgian Dream won 53.93 percent of the vote against 37.79 percent garnered by an opposition alliance.
The Central Election Commission announced the result during an acrimonious session that was briefly interrupted after opposition representative Davit Kirtadze splashed a black liquid on CEC chief Giorgi Kalandarishvili and called him a "dark spot."
Georgia's pro-European opposition has boycotted the new parliament, renouncing its mandates from the October 26 vote, alleging widespread fraud and Russian interference.
EU and other Western officials have expressed serious doubts about the elections and perceived irregularities.
Georgia has been a candidate for EU membership since last year, but a "foreign influence" law and anti-LGBT measures have stalled that effort.
The United States in July announced that it would pause more than $95 million in assistance to the Georgian government, warning it that it was backsliding on democracy.
Separatist Leader Of Georgia's Breakaway Abkhazia Resigns Amid Protests
The de facto leader of Georgia's Moscow-backed breakaway Abkhazia region has signed his resignation amid ongoing protests by opposition supporters against a property deal with Russia.
“In order to maintain stability and constitutional order in the country, in accordance with Article 65 of the Constitution of the Republic of Abkhazia, I resign,” Aslan Bzhania said in a statement on November 19 after hours of negotiations between the breakaway region's authorities and the opposition.
Opposition leaders have demanded not only the permanent abandonment of the proposed agreement with Russia that opponents say would unfairly open the property market to wealthy Russians, but also Bzhania's resignation and those of his vice president and the breakaway leadership's prime minister.
Bzhania agreed to submit his resignation letter in exchange for the protesters’ leaving government buildings they had occupied, but his statement added that he would withdraw his resignation if those gathered on the premises failed to leave.
The local parliament is due to discuss Bzhania's resignation on November 19 while his deputy, Badra Gunba will be the acting leader of the separatist region. Valery Bganba, a former speaker of parliament, will be appointed prime minister, according to the agreement.
It said the current government will remain in an acting capacity until a newly elected leader takes office.
Bzhania has already said that he planned to run for office again. The next elections were supposed to be held in the spring of 2025, but under the current situation, there may be an early vote.
On November 15, protesters stormed the parliament building in Sukhumi, the regional capital, to force the legislature to vote on dropping the real-estate deal completely. They later entered the government building and the presidential compound that are all located in the same complex, forcing Bzhania to flee to his native village outside Sukhumi.
On November 12, opposition protesters blocked a highway and three access bridges into Sukhumi, a picturesque coastal city on the shores of the Black Sea, forcing authorities to release several activists who had been arrested for protesting the real-estate deal.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgia's rule after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.
Moscow recognized the independence of the two regions after Russian forces repelled a Georgian attempt to retake South Ossetia in a five-day war in the summer of 2008 that ended with Georgia's defeat.
Most countries still recognize Abkhazia as part of Georgia.
6 People, Including 1 Child, Killed In Fresh Russian Strike On Sumy
Six people, including one child, were killed and 12 others were wounded overnight in a fresh Russian strike in the city of Hlukhiv in Ukraine's Sumy region, the region's military administration reported early on November 19, adding that the strike targeted a dormitory in the city. Authorities said that rescue operations are under way and there might still be people under the rubble. On November 18, a missile strike devastated a residential building in the city of Sumy, 40 kilometers from the Russian border, killing 11 people, including two children, and wounding 89, according to authorities. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
- By RFE/RL
Iranian Activist Ronaghi Temporarily Detained After Tehran Protest, Family Says
Iranian rights activist Hossein Ronaghi was held for several hours after being detained following a sit-in protest in central Tehran, his family said on November 18. "Ronaghi was violently arrested by a large number of armed officers at 5 p.m. at Vali-e Asr Square" before being released at his front door at 9 p.m., his brother Hassan said on Telegram. Ronaghi had announced the protest on Telegram, saying it was to honor Kianoosh Sanjari, a journalist and political activist who jumped to his death from a Tehran building on November 13 to protest the numerous arrests and interrogations of himself and other political activists.
- By RFE/RL
PEN Urges UN Rights Council To Aid Imprisoned Iranian Nobel Laureate
The U.S.-based PEN America free-speech watchdog has asked the UN Human Rights Council to intervene in the case of imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who it said is in "urgent need of medical care." In an open letter, PEN urged the UN “to call on the Iranian authorities to grant Mohammadi a medical furlough on humanitarian grounds so that she is able to receive comprehensive and essential care for a range of serious medical conditions." Mohammadi, 52, has been in and out of prison for the past 20 years. She is currently serving a 12-year sentence in Tehran's Evin prison for "spreading propaganda," allegations that she, her family, and supporters reject.
Gunmen Abduct 7 Police In Pakistan's Volatile Northwest
Armed men kidnapped seven police officers in Pakistan's northwest on November 18, residents and police officials told Radio Mashaal. The police chief of Bannu district, where the incident took place, told reporters a search mission had been launched for the abducted officers. Local sources told Radio Mashaal the attackers disarmed the policemen after surrounding the security post and then abducted them. No group has claimed responsibility. The incident follows an attack on October 14 in which four Pakistani police officers and five insurgents were killed when militants stormed a Bannu police headquarters in the volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The Islamist militant group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for that attack.
- By RFE/RL
EU Widens Sanctions On Iran For Supporting Russia's War On Ukraine
The EU has widened its sanctions against Iran over the country's support of the Kremlin in its war against Ukraine, the European Commission said on November 18, targeting firms, ports, and individuals involved in the transfer of ballistic missiles and drones to Russia for use on the battlefield.
Included in the new sanctions are the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) -- which will see its assets frozen -- and measures targeting the activities of Iranian ports on the Caspian Sea linked to listed entities and individuals.
The EU said it decided to "widen the scope of the EU framework for restrictive measures in view of Iran's military support to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and to armed groups and entities in the Middle East and the Red Sea region."
It said the new measures target "the use of vessels and ports for the transfer of Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), missiles, and related technologies and components."
The United States, Britain, France, and Germany have accused Iran of sending ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia for use against Ukraine, sparking consultations among European allies on the matter.
Ali Safaei, chief of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization, rejected the "European accusations," calling them "baseless," according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
"It is regrettable that some delegations, including the U.S., have once again disseminated false and misleading information to advance their political agendas," Safaei said.
The IRISL headlined the list of the newly sanctioned entities.
"IRISL is Iran's national maritime carrier, and for years its ships have been involved in shipping drones on behalf of the EU-listed Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy," the EU said.
IRISL director Mohammad Reza Khiabani is also targeted in the sanctions.
The measures include "access to facilities of the ports and locks, such as Amirabad and Anzali, and the provision of any services to vessels," it said, adding that exceptions will be made for vessels in need of assistance for safety for humanitarian purposes.
The EU also listed three Russian shipping companies -- MG Flot, VTS Broker, and Arapax -- whose vessels are involved in transporting Iranian-made weapons and ammunition, including UAV components, across the Caspian Sea to resupply Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.
The November 18 announcement is a continuing of a wide-ranging strategy by the West of targeting Iranian entities and individuals over rights abuses, aid to extremist allies and proxies in the region, and weapons transfer.
EU foreign ministers on October 14 approved new sanctions against seven individuals and seven entities linked to Iran after Kyiv's Western allies accused Tehran of sending ballistic missiles to Russia to aid in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Those sanctions, first reported in an exclusive by Radio Farda, targeted companies and individuals accused of being involved in the transfer of the weapons to Russia, including the country's flagship carrier Iran Air, as well as airlines Saha Airlines and Mahan Air.
Those targeted are subject to an asset freeze and travel ban to the European Union. Additionally, the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, with those listed is prohibited.
Iran Air has direct flights to several cities in Europe, including Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Paris, and Milan.
Overall, the EU said sanctions have been imposed on 227 individuals and 42 entities in Iran in response to "human rights abuses, nuclear proliferation activities, and military support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine."
- By Current Time
Two Russians Jailed For Damaging Memorial To Ukraine War Dead
A Moscow court on November 18 sentenced Daniil Golikov, 28, and Andrei Kozlovsky, 26, to 2 1/2 and three years in a "colony settlement" for vandalizing an informal memorial to participants in the war in Ukraine.
A colony settlement is a less restrictive form of imprisonment near an industrial facility, where convicts work alongside other convicts and regular employees.
The Tver district court found the men guilty of vandalism and destroying memorial structures commemorating those killed in Ukraine.
The charges stemmed from an incident on March 11, when Golikov and Kozlovsky scattered flowers and damaged items at a makeshift memorial in Moscow dedicated to "all those who died during the Russian Spring and Special Military Operation"-- the Kremlin's official term for its invasion of Ukraine.
According to investigators, the men caused damage worth 55,730 rubles ($557), including the destruction of wreaths, flower vases, and artificial carnations. The memorial honored members of the Wagner mercenary group killed in Ukraine.
A 40-second video, shared on pro-war Telegram channels and used as evidence in court, showed one of the men kicking a flower vase. The prosecution presented expert studies claiming the memorial had cultural and historical significance.
Golikov and Kozlovsky pleaded guilty, apologized, and paid restitution. They claimed to have been drunk and unable to recall the events.
The case highlights Russia's growing trend of memorializing soldiers killed in Ukraine through plaques, the renaming of streets, and other dedications.
Historian Maksim Kuzakhmetov noted this is unprecedented, even compared to Stalin-era practices, arguing that the government uses "fallen heroes" to justify the full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022.
- By RFE/RL
Kosovo Coach Backs Players After Walkout In Romania
The coach of the Kosovo men’s national soccer team has given his backing to his players after they left the field during a recent game in Bucharest against Romania.
The players walked off the field in extra time on November 15 amid chants from home fans of "Serbia," from which Kosovo seceded back in 2008.
The Kosovo team walked off for the same reason during a match between the two teams in September 2023 but eventually returned.
UEFA, European soccer's governing body, is due to issue a ruling on the matter. Romania could be declared 3-0 winners of the Nations League match. It was 0-0 at the time the match was abandoned.
Franco Foda, Kosovo's manager, said in comments published on November 18 that any UEFA ruling was secondary to backing his players.
"It's all about our message that this kind of thing has no place in the stadium. It's about respectful cooperation, that's more important than the result," Foda told the German soccer magazine Kicker.
He said Romanian players tried to calm down the fans but that the atmosphere did not change and there were also no official announcements in the stadium.
"As a German, I am the coach in Kosovo and I accept the culture. I understand them and my players, so I am 100 percent behind this decision," Foda said.
"The most important thing is to treat each other with respect. And that respect was no longer there after, what I was told, was chanted there."
The Kosovar players headed for the dressing room in the 92nd minute with the game heading for a goalless draw after some spectators chanted, "Serbia! Serbia!" during a scuffle between Kosovo captain Amir Rrahmani and Romanian striker Denis Alibec.
The Football Federation of Kosovo on November 16 warned that it will submit a complaint to UEFA for what it said were "provocations and racist behavior" of Romanian fans during the match.
Rrahmani said that Romanian fans chanted, "Serbia, Serbia," and, "Kosovo is Serbia," and that he had informed Danish referee Morten Krogh "at least three times" that his team would leave the field.
The Romanian team remained on the pitch for about an hour before the referee decided to abandon the match after the Kosovar players refused to return.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has been recognized by more than 100 countries, but not Romania and other four EU states -- Spain, Cyprus, Greece, and Slovakia.
The Romanian Gendarmerie said 13 spectators were fined after the game and another nine were banned from entering a sports competition for a period of up to one year.
The game is not the first one between the two teams to be marred by incidents.
During a previous game in Bucharest in September 2023, Romanian fans shouted chants at Kosovo players and unfurled a huge banner with the inscription "Kosovo is Serbia" in Romanian and Serbian.
The game was interrupted for 50 minutes, the Romanian Football Federation was fined by UEFA, and Romania played the next match with only children under 14 allowed in the stands.
Kosovar fans responded in kind during the first leg of the League of Nations played in Pristina this fall, which was won by Romania 3-0. They whistled during the Romanian anthem, chanted racist slogans, and even invaded the pitch. The incidents led to the Kosovar Federation also being fined by UEFA.
UEFA said it would communicate "further information in due course."
with reporting by dpa
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