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U.S. Slams Prison Sentence Against Ex-Consulate Worker In Vladivostok
The United States has blasted a decision by Russian authorities to sentence a former employee of the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok to a lengthy prison term on charges Washington has called baseless.
“The United States strongly condemns Russia’s conviction and sentencing of Robert Shonov, a former employee of U.S. Mission Russia,” the State Department said in a statement on November 2.
“The allegations against Mr. Shonov are entirely without merit, and his conviction is an egregious injustice.”
The statement said Shonov’s “targeting under the ‘confidential cooperation’ statute highlights the Kremlin’s blatant use of increasingly repressive laws against its own citizens.”
The Primorye regional court in Russia's Far East on November 1 sentenced Shonov to four years and 10 months in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of 1 million rubles ($10,280) on charges of “confidential collaboration with a foreign state."
After completing his prison sentence, Shonov will have to spend an additional year and four months under parole-like restrictions.
Shonov, 62, had previously worked for 25 years at the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok, which closed in 2020.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) alleges that from September 2022 until his arrest in spring 2023, Shonov served as an "informant for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow."
His purported activities included collecting information on Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and mobilization efforts, as well as analyzing their potential impact on public protest activities in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
The charges against him stem from a law enacted in July 2022 that criminalizes "confidential collaboration" with foreign entities.
This legislation carries penalties ranging from three to eight years in prison, and its broad language often encompasses interactions with foreigners perceived as undermining Russian national security, with accusations frequently linked to connections with Ukraine.
This case occurs against a backdrop of deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington, which are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War.
The Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has prompted waves of severe sanctions against Russia and much of its leadership, further straining diplomatic ties.
Shonov's conviction underscores the heightened scrutiny faced by former diplomatic staff and the increasingly hostile environment for foreign nationals operating in Russia.
The detention of foreigners is increasingly being seen as politically motivated, with the potential for these individuals to become bargaining chips in future prisoner swaps.
Freed Belarusian Activist Thanks Tsikhanouskaya For Aiding Release
Belarusian activist and journalist Andrey Hnyot -- recently freed from house arrest in Serbia -- said talks involving the offices of Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic played a vital role in securing his freedom and ability to travel to Germany.
The Crisis In Belarus
Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
"A significant event occurred during the UN session [last month] in New York when a team from Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s office spoke with the administration of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic," Hnyot, also known as Andrew Gnyot, told a news conference in Berlin on November 2.
He said the response from the Serbian authorities after that conversation was a positive one.
"The fact that I am here today [in Berlin] and not in a Belarusian prison is a consequence of that communication and negotiation," he told reporters.
Hnyot also thanked the German government for helping to secure his release from house arrest and noted that EU diplomats and international organizations had consistently requested his release from the Balkan nation.
Earlier, in comments to RFE/RL, Hnyot said he was “immensely grateful” to his lawyers and the rest of his legal team and to Tsikhanouskaya and her international team.
During the news conference, Hnyot did not speak about his legal status in Germany and declined to say whether he would seek asylum there, saying it was too soon to make such decisions.
"I am a man without a country, unable to renew my passport, and I need international protection because the Belarusian regime will continue to pursue me," he added.
Hnyot’s release on October 31 brought an end to an ordeal that began when he was arrested at Belgrade's airport in late October 2023 on an Interpol warrant issued by Belarus. The arrest warrant accused Hnyot of tax evasion, a charge he denies.
He was transferred from a Belgrade prison to house arrest in June.
Since September, when the Belgrade Court of Appeals overturned the decision to extradite him to Belarus, he had been awaiting Serbia's final decision on his extradition.
The European Parliament had passed a resolution on political prisoners in Belarus that called on Serbia not to extradite Hnyot, who feared being tortured in a Belarusian prison if he had been returned to his native country.
Hnyot said then that the accusations against him were part of the Belarusian regime’s “horrific repression against political dissidents, journalists, and activists.”
Although he is currently in Germany, Hnyot and his supporters said the process surrounding the Belarus extradition request has not yet been fully concluded.
"The focus of our efforts as his defenders is to reject the extradition request from Belarus and to demonstrate its unfounded nature," said Vladimir Hrle, a member of the legal team in Serbia.
"Belarus will certainly try to misuse Interpol, as it has done in this and other cases, which could restrict Andrey's right to free movement. We must also fight in that area, even though the initial Interpol request has been deleted," Hrle added.
Serbia's Vucic has attempted to balance relations between Russia and Belarus with the country's ties to the European Union, which he has expressed hopes of joining.
Hnyot is one of hundreds of thousands of Belarusian citizens who took part in mass demonstrations in 2020 challenging the victory claimed by authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka that gave him a sixth consecutive term.
Human Rights Watch says there are almost 1,500 political prisoners in Belarusian prisons. Among them are journalists, human rights activists, and politicians.
Western countries do not recognize the results of the 2020 election, and the EU imposed sanctions on Minsk over the repression of participants in the demonstrations.
Iran's Khamenei Threatens Israel, U.S. With 'Teeth-Shattering' Response
Iran's supreme leader has threatened Israel and the United States with “a teeth-shattering response” to recent Israeli attacks on Iran and its proxy groups – which it referred to as its “resistance front” -- in the Middle East. In a speech on November 2 to mark the 45th anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "We will definitely do everything that should be done…whether in terms of military, weapons, or political work," adding that "the authorities are already doing it." An Israeli air attack on October 26, which targeted military bases and other sites, killed at least five people, according to Iranian officials. Israel said the attacks were in response to a massive Iranian missile and drone attack against Israel on October 1. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, click here.
Moldova Observes Day Of Silence Ahead Of Tense Presidential Runoff
Moldova has been observing a mandated day of silence ahead of a presidential runoff vote on November 3 between pro-EU incumbent Maia Sandu and the Russia-friendly former Prosecutor-General Alexandr Stoianoglo. Sandu won the first round with 42 percent of the vote to 26 percent for Stoianoglo, who received backing from the pro-Russia Socialist Party of Moldova (PSRM). While the position of president is technically a ceremonial post in Moldova, holders of the office often wield considerable political influence. The vote is being held amid reports of Russian interference, which the Kremlin denies. President Sandu has repeatedly accused Russia of interference in Moldova's electoral process. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service, click here. To read an analysis of the two candidates, click here.
Pakistan Reports New Polio Cases, Raising Number To 45 So Far This Year
Pakistan reported two cases of wild poliovirus infection on November 1 in the northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, raising the national count for the year to 45, according to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Program.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan,” the statement said.
It said cases were confirmed in one girl in the Lakki Marwat district and a boy in the Dara Ismail Khan district.
So far, 22 polio cases have been reported from Balochistan Province, 12 from Sindh Province, nine from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab Province and Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.
Seventy-six districts were affected in all, the program said.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries where polio remains endemic.
On October 28, Pakistan launched a weeklong nationwide vaccination campaign with the aim of immunizing more than 45 million children under the age of 5 against the paralytic disease.
Health workers distributing the polio vaccine and the security forces assigned to protect them have been targeted in the past by Islamist extremists who falsely assert that immunization campaigns are Western plots to sterilize Muslim children.
Russia Shows Off Purported U.S. National Snatched From Ukraine Spy Work
Russian media said on November 2 that Russia removed a U.S. citizen "from territory controlled by the Ukrainian armed forces" who it alleged had been aiding Russian forces by transmitting coordinates of Ukrainian military facilities for two years, although it provided no evidence of such activities. A man who appeared on RIA Novosti the same day identifying himself as Daniel Martindale and displaying a U.S. passport said he was in Moscow of his own will and wanted to obtain Russian citizenship. He was quoted as saying he had "done everything I could to save the lives of Russian soldiers" and wanted to continue. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has not commented on the case, according to Reuters. A VKontakte page purporting to belong to a Daniel Martindale, which was last updated in February 2022, listed residency in Poland. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
3 Victims Of Serbian Train Station Collapse Cling To Life Amid Growing Questions
Mourners lit candles for the dead and injured overnight on November 1-2 following the collapse of a concrete canopy in front of the main train station that killed at least 14 people in Serbia's second-largest city, Novi Sad, as authorities seek answers to the cause of the tragedy.
Officials at the University Clinical Center of Vojvodina (UKCV) said at least three more injured victims are in serious condition as a result of the incident, which comes just months after the station was reopened following three years of reconstruction.
Victims were pulled from under the concrete debris through the day on November 1 after the unexplained collapse. Authorities reportedly did not expect to find more victims on November 2.
Serbia's government has declared November 2 a day of mourning, and the northern region of Novi Sad has declared three days of mourning.
Some reports said the victims included a 6-year-old girl from North Macedonia, but RFE/RL could not initially confirm the identities of those who died.
The director of the University Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Vesna Turkulov, told Serbia's state broadcaster that three of the injured had been operated on but were still in life-threatening condition.
The Novi Sad railway station was originally built in 1964 but recently underwent a major renovation. Serbian Railways insisted that work did not include the concrete overhang that fell, but some experts disputed that.
Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure Minister Goran Vesic, a member of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), said an investigation is under way into the cause of the collapse.
"It will be determined why the canopy was not part of the reconstruction plan and who determined that it did not require reconstruction," Vesic said.
Some industry participants who worked at the site and other experts said many questions remained to be answered.
Geological engineer Zoran Djajic, who worked on the reconstruction of the railway station building until June 2023 as a stone consultant, told RFE/RL that the canopy was, in fact, part of the reconstruction plan and that added weight appeared to have been placed on it during the work.
"There is documentation that scaffolding was put up, that work was done on the canopy from the scaffolding. Because of the work that was done, added loads were placed on the canopy. The counterweights did not hold up under that load and the canopy fell and, unfortunately, killed so many people," Djajic said.
Architect Ana Ferik Ivanovic, who is president of the Association of Architects of Novi Sad, also said she believes work was done on the canopy.
"I believe that a total reconstruction was carried out there, that the canopy was also part of [it]," said Ferik Ivanovic, who was not involved in the project herself.
She added that among the materials removed from the area after the collapse, new elements -- such as glass -- were seen that were not on the canopy before the reconstruction project.
She said greater transparency was required in such projects.
"We, as a wider, professional public, should have an insight into what is being done in general. We knew that the railway station was being reconstructed, but we had no knowledge of whether it was being reconstructed in its entirety, and whether only the interior was being renovated," she said.
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said the country was "deeply shaken by the tragedy" and that the government would "insist on finding those responsible, those who should have ensured the structure's safety."
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said one of those dead was a citizen of neighboring North Macedonia but did not reveal the identities of any of the victims.
White House Says New Ukraine Aid On The Way, As Kyiv Braces For Fresh Attack
The Pentagon announced a $425 million package of fresh security assistance to Ukraine under the presidential "drawdown authority," its 69th tranche of defense equipment since late 2021.
The announcement came hours before authorities in Kyiv on November 2 said air-defense units were attempting to repel a fresh Russian air strike on the capital and warned civilians to remain in shelters.
It also came just days ahead of U.S. elections on November 5 that could prove pivotal to ongoing Western support for Ukraine.
The latest comments on the campaign trail by Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump have highlighted the divide between him and Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris over U.S. support for Ukraine's defense amid the two-and-a-half-year-old full-scale Russian invasion.
A clip from a campaign appearance in Warren, Michigan, showed Trump saying, "They got us into Ukraine. We should have never gone into Ukraine. If I was president, you would have never gone into Ukraine."
The United States has spearheaded the international aid and material effort for Ukraine and has reportedly provided intelligence support, but is not believed to have considered sending troops there.
Harris and some influential Republicans have insisted that U.S. support is essential to defending democracy and resisting Russian aggression in Europe and the West.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has spent months urging Western suppliers to allow Kyiv to use their advanced weaponry to strike deeper inside Russia, and this week accused them of inaction in response to Russia's alleged plan to deploy thousands of North Korean troops to Ukraine.
Zelenskiy said late on November 1 that all countries who don't want the war to expand and spread to other regions of the world “need to act."
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in September that the use of donated U.S. weapons for long-range strikes into Russia would not turn the tide of the war in Ukraine's favor.
The United States and its allies previously ruled out their use to strike deep in Russia over fears that it could result in retaliation with nuclear weapons.
Russian ex-President and senior security official Dmitry Medvedev was quoted by TASS as saying Washington was wrong if it believed Moscow wouldn't use nuclear weapons if its existence is threatened, agencies reported.
He and other Russian officials have repeatedly warned of a potential nuclear response under certain conditions.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said late on November 2 that explosions had been heard in the Kyiv suburb of Vyshhorod and that "air defense forces are operating in the region and in the capital."
"Stay in shelters!" he warned on Telegram, although details remained scarce as midnight approached.
Earlier, an overnight Russian drone bombardment targeted Kyiv and other population centers, including Sumy in the northeast, injuring at least seven people.
Ukrainian military officials said they had shot down all of the drones in that attack but that debris had ignited a residential building in Kyiv.
Two people were injured when debris from a Russian drone fell on the 16-story building in the capital and ignited a fire, Ukrainian authorities said early on November 2. Klitschko said one of the victims required hospitalization. Emergency services extinguished the blaze.
Meanwhile, five more people were injured, one of them seriously, in the northeastern city of Sumy when a Russian drone struck a nine-story building late on November 1, prosecutors said.
Ukrainian officials accuse Russia of routinely targeting civilians, a charge Moscow rejects.
Kyiv city military administrator Serhiy Popko called the hours-long drone attack part of Russia's "old and familiar tactics."
- By RFE/RL
Pentagon Announces New Deployments To Middle East In Warning To Iran
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the deployment of additional ballistic missile defense destroyers, fighter squadron and tanker aircraft, and several B-52 long-range strike bombers to the Middle East, a Pentagon statement said on November 1.
The forces will begin to arrive in the region in the coming months to replace the departing USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said in the statement.
The announcement comes three weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden said he had ordered the Pentagon to send a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and troops to Israel as part of U.S. efforts to defend its ally and build up positions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“These movements demonstrate the flexible nature of U.S. global defense posture and U.S. capability to deploy worldwide on short notice to meet evolving national security threats,” Ryder said in the statement.
It added that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin “continues to make clear that should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every measure necessary to defend our people.”
The long-range nuclear-capable B-52 bomber has been repeatedly deployed to the Middle East in pointed warnings to Iran. The action announced on November 1 is the second time this month that strategic U.S. bombers will be used to bolster U.S. defenses in the region.
Ryder did not provide the specific number of aircraft and ships that will be moved.
He said the movements were in keeping with U.S. commitments to the protection of U.S. citizens and U.S. forces in the Middle East, the defense of Israel, and de-escalation through deterrence and diplomacy.
The moves come as Israel’s war in Gaza against Hamas and the war in Lebanon against Hezbollah rage. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the EU. Hezbollah is considered a terrorist group by the United States, although the EU has only blacklisted its armed wing, and not the political party.
The United States is pressing for cease-fires, while repeatedly saying it will defend Israel and continue to protect the American and allied presence in the region.
With reporting by AP
Zelenskiy Criticizes Partners For Weak Response To North Korean Troops In Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on November 1 criticized Kyiv’s partners for a lack of action in response to Russia's deployment of North Korean troops.
Ukraine knows where Russia is building up soldiers from North Korea on its territory, and it would be possible to strike preemptively if Kyiv were not restricted, Zelenskiy said.
The United States said on October 31 that it has information that some 8,000 North Korean soldiers are now in Russia’s Kursk region near the border with Ukraine, and Russia "fully intends" to deploy them in combat against Ukrainian troops.
Zelenskiy complained on Telegram that instead of granting Ukraine permission to use U.S.-supplied long-range weapons to hit military targets inside Russia, the United States and other allies are simply watching.
“Everyone is just waiting for the North Korean military to start attacking Ukrainians as well,” he said.
He added that all countries who want the war not to expand and not spread to other regions of the world “need to act."
Zelenskiy for months has called on Ukraine's allies to allow its forces to use advanced Western weapons to hit deeper inside Russia. He reiterated the plea in the aftermath of a Russian strike on Kharkiv on October 31 that left three people dead and at least 36 wounded.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in September that the use of donated U.S. weapons for long-range strikes into Russia would not turn the tide of the war in Ukraine's favor. The United States and its allies previously ruled out their use to strike deep in Russia over fears that it could result in retaliation with nuclear weapons.
Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with their South Korean counterparts on October 31 in Washington to discuss the deployment and Pyongyang's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) early on October 31.
“We strongly urge [North Korea] to immediately cease its series of provocative and destabilizing actions that threaten peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond,” they said in a joint statement that did not mention Ukraine.
The Pentagon previously expressed concern over Russia's involvement of North Korean troops in the war and said they would become "legitimate military targets" if they are deployed to the battlefield.
Moldovan Authorities Tell Voters To Ignore 'Fake' Messages Ahead Of Runoff
CHISINAU -- Authorities in Moldova are urging people to ignore a "massive attack of fake messages and calls" telling them they will receive payments in exchange for voting for President Maia Sandu in the November 3 presidential runoff.
The authorities said on November 1 that citizens are receiving massive numbers of e-mails urging them to vote for Sandu, the pro-European Union candidate, and will be financially compensated later.
Parallel to these messages, citizens are receiving calls saying those who vote for Sandu will receive 1,500 lei ($84). Thousands of cases were registered in just one hour on November 1, the law enforcement officers said.
The General Police Inspectorate said it had already uncovered the number and the country from which the calls originated, and officers were establishing the addresses from which the e-mails were sent.
The messages were also denounced by representatives of Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity, which notified the authorities about them.
Police said they were carrying out searches in 13 districts of the country on suspicion of illegal financing and electoral corruption.
Sandu is running for a second term against Moscow-friendly Alexandr Stoianoglo amid reports of Russian interference, which the Kremlin denies. The incumbent has repeatedly accused Russia of interference in Moldova's electoral process.
She said the first round of balloting on October 20 came under an "unprecedented" assault from "criminal groups" that tried to buy as many as 300,000 votes with tens of millions of euros in an attempt to "undermine a democratic process."
Moldovan law calls for fines of up to 37,500 lei ($2,100) for vote-selling, but people who cooperate with the investigation can escape penalty. Authorities said that fines levied for electoral corruption in the last two weeks amount to approximately 3.5 million lei ($197,000).
The head of Moldova's Election Commission announced on November 1 that several officials overseeing the first round of the country's presidential election had been accused of corruption and would be replaced for the runoff.
"Some members of election commissions, including chairpersons, secretaries, and clerks are included in documents put together by police and prosecutors," commission head Angela Caraman said in a statement. "Some of them have already been removed from electoral bodies."
The Kremlin said earlier on November 1 that Russia was monitoring the Moldovan presidential election but was not interfering.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow strongly denied allegations it had been trying to meddle in the vote and questioned the way in which the authorities in Moldova had been overseeing the campaign.
With reporting by Reuters
Another Political Prisoner Dies In Belarus Jail, Rights Group Says
A 22-year-old Russian man who had been sentenced to 12 years in prison on espionage and "facilitating extremist activities" charges has died in a Belarusian penal colony, the human rights center Vyasna said on November 1. Preliminary information indicates that Dmitriy Schletgauer died on October 11, less than a month after his transfer to Mogilev Colony No. 15. The cause of death was not disclosed. Schletgauer was tried earlier this year under two articles of the Criminal Code after being arrested in the crackdown on dissent that followed the disputed 2020 presidential election that handed authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth term. Schletgauer’s death is the seventh of a political prisoner behind bars in Belarus since the crackdown. Schletgauer was born in Slavgorod, Russia, and acquired Belarusian residency in 2018.
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Says Russian 'Influence Actors' Created False Videos About Voting In U.S. State Of Georgia
U.S. intelligence on November 1 accused "Russian influence actors" of making a video purportedly showing a Haitian immigrant claiming to have voted multiple times in the U.S. state of Georgia.
Three intelligence agencies -- the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) -- issued a joint statement about the video.
The video shows someone claiming to be a Haitian immigrant talking about how he’s intending to vote multiple times in two Georgia counties for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Georgia is one of seven battleground states in the November 5 presidential election between Harris and former President Donald Trump.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said on October 31 that the video is “obviously fake” and was likely produced by "Russian troll farms…attempting to sow discord and chaos on the eve of the election."
He said his office became aware of the video purporting to show a Haitian immigrant with multiple Georgia IDs claiming to have voted multiple times on October 31.
"This is false and is an example of targeted disinformation we've seen this election. It is likely foreign interference attempting to sow discord and chaos on the eve of the election," he said in a statement.
Intelligence officials echoed that in their joint statement, saying the video was manufactured by “Russian influence actors” and was part of “Moscow’s broader effort to raise unfounded questions about the integrity of the U.S. election and stoke divisions among Americans.”
Russian influence actors also manufactured a video falsely accusing an individual associated with the Democratic presidential ticket of taking a bribe from a U.S. entertainer, the statement said.
The statement said its conclusion was based on information available to the intelligence community "and prior activities of other Russian influence actors, including videos and other disinformation activities."
The U.S. intelligence community for months has assessed that Russia's influence operations are aimed at fanning divisive narratives and promoting support for Trump, an accusation that Russia has denied.
The ODNI, FBI, and CISA last week assesses that Russian actors manufactured and amplified a video that falsely depicted an individual ripping up ballots in Pennsylvania. It said local election officials had already debunked the video’s content.
"This Russian activity is part of Moscow’s broader effort to raise unfounded questions about the integrity of the US election and stoke divisions among Americans, as detailed in prior ODNI election updates," the three agencies said in a joint statement on October 25.
"In the lead up to election day and in the weeks and months after, the [intelligence community] expects Russia to create and release additional media content that seeks to undermine trust in the integrity of the election and divide Americans.”
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Announces Additional Security Assistance For Ukraine
The U.S. Defense Department on November 1 announced additional security assistance for Ukraine worth an estimated $425 million. The Pentagon said in a statement that the aid is meant to meet Ukraine's most urgent security and defense needs. This includes air-defense interceptors, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, armored vehicles, and anti-tank weapons, the statement said. It is the 69th tranche of equipment to be provided from the Defense Department since August 2021 under a program known as the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) that allows stockpiled U.S. military equipment to be transferred to Ukraine.
14 Dead In Roof Collapse At Railway Station In Serbia's Novi Sad
NOVI SAD, Serbia -- At least 14 people were killed on November 1 when part of an outdoor concrete roof above the entrance of a railway station collapsed in Novi Sad, the interior minister said.
Ivica Dadic said that rescuers were at the scene trying to free people. Cranes and excavators worked alongside emergency responders digging through the rubble.
Ambulances and some 80 members of rescue teams responded to the emergency and were at the site of the accident, authorities said.
The Serbian government said a day of mourning would be held on November 2, a statement published by the country's state broadcaster said.
The building has recently been renovated, according to reports.
Serbia Railways said in a statement that the part of the roof that collapsed had not been part of the renovations.
"Serbia Railways regrets the accident that occurred, and the causes and any new details from the investigation will be promptly announced," the company said.
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic vowed that authorities would investigate the cause of the accident.
"We will insist on finding those responsible, those who should have ensured the structure's safety,” he said, adding that he was “deeply shaken by the tragedy.”
Statements of condolence also came from other ministers in the Serbian government and from Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic.
Milatovic said Montenegro “is with the citizens of Novi Sad and the whole of Serbia, and shares the pain of this tragedy."
The president of the Montenegrin parliament, Andrija Mandic, also sent condolences to Vucevic and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
"There are no words of comfort that we can offer to the families of the victims in this disaster," Mandic said.
With reporting by AFP
- By RFE/RL
Slovakia Ready To Join Chinese-Brazilian Peace Plan Already Rejected By Ukraine
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said Bratislava is ready to join a proposal promoted by Brazil and China to resolve the war in Ukraine.
Fico met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 1 in Beijing and said afterward that China’s position on the war in Ukraine “is fair, objective, and constructive."
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China and Brazil in August jointly published a "six-point consensus" meant to bring about a lasting political solution to the war that Russia launched in February 2022. The plan calls for cooling down the fighting and a recognition that dialogue and negotiations are the only way to end the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called the proposal "destructive" and "mostly pro-Russian" as it calls for a compromise from Ukraine and was created without input from Kyiv.
He rejected it in an interview in September with Brazilian media, saying it has nothing to do with justice or with values and fails to take into account Ukraine’s position and the issue of territorial integrity.
Despite Zelenskiy's rejection of the plan, Fico said Slovakia is willing to join other countries that China says have positively received it “and work with China to contribute to promoting a political solution to the crisis,” according to a Chinese government statement.
Fico, who has criticized EU policies on Ukraine and has opposed sanctions on Russia, said Slovakia is “very keen on China’s diplomatic efforts dedicated to regulating the conflict in Ukraine and have exchanged our attitudes on this fundamental issue.”
China could play a "decisive role" regarding the Ukraine conflict, he added on Facebook.
China has been criticized by Western countries for maintaining friendly ties with Russia and for providing dual-use equipment such as electronics needed for weapons production.
Beijing has said that the plan it developed with Brazil, which it calls Friends Of Peace, has received a "positive response" from more than 110 countries.
Fico landed in Beijing on October 31 for a state visit set to end on November 5.
Slovakia and China announced on November 1 that the two countries had signed a strategic partnership agreement and granted Slovak citizens 15-day visa-free entry to China.
Xi said China would strengthen bilateral cooperation with Slovakia in areas such as new energy, transport and logistics, and infrastructure construction, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Kazakh Court Extends Detention Of Russian Entrepreneur Wanted By Moscow
A Kazakh court has extended the detention of Russian entrepreneur Yevgeny Nakaznenko until September 2025, his lawyer, Dias Akhmetov, told RFE/RL on November 1. Nakaznenko, who has lived in Kazakhstan since 2007, was arrested in September while attempting to fly to Istanbul. Moscow accuses him of spreading "false information" about the Russian military and "encouraging terrorism." The charges stem from Nakaznenko’s online condemnation of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Following Russia’s invasion, President Vladimir Putin enacted strict laws against dissent. Nakaznenko was placed on Russia's list of "terrorists and extremists" on August 8, just before authorities opened their case. Many Russians have sought refuge in Kazakhstan to escape military mobilization. The Kazakh government aims to maintain a careful diplomatic balance amid ongoing tensions between Russia and the West. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service, click here.
Georgian Court Extends Detention Of Azerbaijani Journalist Sadiqov
The Tbilisi City Court in Georgia extended the detention of Afqan Sadiqov, an Azerbaijani journalist critical of President Ilham Aliyev who is charged with extortion and threats, for an additional three months. Judge Arsen Kalatozishvili announced the decision on November 1 despite Sadiqov’s request to be released on bail or under supervision, which was denied. Sadiqov, who has been on hunger strike for 42 days, appeared in court in a wheelchair due to health concerns. "I have never committed a crime; I simply criticized Aliyev and exposed his wrongdoings," Sadiqov said at the hearing. Sadiqov was detained on August 3 while attempting to leave Georgia, where he had sought refuge since December 2023. Sadiqov and his supporters claim the charges are politically motivated. His wife, Sevinc, and rights groups fear for his safety if he's extradited to Azerbaijan, where he has been arrested multiple times due to his journalistic work. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Georgian Service, click here.
Macron Voices Message Of European Unity To Moldovans Ahead Of Crucial Vote
French President Emmanuel Macron has encouraged Moldovans to continue on the path of integration into the European Union ahead of a decisive presidential runoff vote pitting pro-EU incumbent Maia Sandu against Moscow-friendly Alexandr Stoianoglo amid reports of Russian interference that the Kremlin denies.
The November 3 vote comes after Sandu won the first round two weeks earlier with a little more than 42 percent of the vote, not enough to avoid a runoff after Stoianoglo garnered a larger-than-expected 26 percent, followed by business figure Renato Usatii with nearly 14 percent.
Usatii has refused to throw his support behind either candidate, telling his followers to vote as they want.
A simultaneous referendum on Moldova's future integration into the EU held together with the first round passed by a wafer-thin margin of less than 1 percent, raising concerns of outside interference and vote buying by actors associated with Russia, whose decades-long influence in the ex-Soviet republic's politics and economy has been all-but-curbed by the U.S.-educated Sandu.
As some critics also pointed to the Moldovan voters' less-than-enthusiastic stance toward the EU despite the country gaining much-coveted candidate status and already opening accession talks, Macron, a staunch supporter of Chisinau, urged Moldovans to choose a democratic future.
"At this decisive moment for Moldova and, together with it, for our Europe, I want to convey to the Moldovan citizens a message of courage and hope," Macron wrote on X.
His message appeared to underline the importance of the Moldovan vote for Europe's unity following a harsh defeat of the pro-Western opposition in another ex-soviet republic, Georgia, at the hands of the long-standing Moscow-friendly ruling party amid accusations of Russian interference.
"The European way is that of freedom and democracy, the foundation of a common future," Macron continued, adding, "United we are stronger."
Sandu has repeatedly accused Russia of interference in Moldova's electoral process, claiming that as many as 300,000 votes, or more than 10 percent of the country's population, had been bought by "criminal" groups associated with Ilan Shor, a fugitive Moldovan oligarch who was found guilty of involvement in the disappearance of $1 billion from the banking system of Europe's poorest country in 2014-15.
Shor, sentenced to seven years in 2017, has fled Moldova and is currently said to be living either in Russia or in Israel, whose citizenship he also possesses.
Russia, which still maintains some 1,500 troops in Moldova's separatist Transdniester region, said on November 1 that it was monitoring the runoff, but denied any interference despite accusations to the contrary by Sandu and the West.
"We strongly reject any accusations that we are somehow interfering in this [Moldovan election], we do not do this," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow, in turn accusing Moldova of stifling pro-Russian voices.
Separately, Moldova's National Anti-Corruption Center (CNA) announced on November 1 that police and prosecutors raided several locations in the country as part of six criminal investigations into electoral corruption.
The CNA said at a news conference in Chisinau that 12 members of Victorie, a political bloc controlled by Shor, are being interrogated for allegedly having bribed people to vote for an unspecified candidate in the second round on November 3.
Germany Orders Deportation of Tajik Activist Despite Torture Concerns
An administrative court in Germany has ordered the deportation of Dilmurod Ergashev, a Tajik opposition activist, despite significant concerns about the risk of his detention and torture upon return to Tajikistan.
The ruling, issued on October 28, mandates that Ergashev be deported in early November.
The 40-year-old is a prominent member of Group 24, an opposition movement that is banned in Tajikistan, and part of the Reforms and Development of Tajikistan movement established by exiled dissidents.
His activism has included participating in demonstrations in Berlin, notably during a protest against Tajik President Emomali Rahmon's visit to Germany in September 2023.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a statement on October 31 condemned the court decision, saying that returning Ergashev to Tajikistan would violate international law prohibiting "refoulement" -- the practice of returning individuals to countries where they face the risk of torture or cruel, inhumane treatment.
This principle is enshrined in various international treaties to which Germany is a signatory, it said.
Germany has faced criticism for similar actions in the past. In 2023, two Tajik dissidents, Abdullohi Shamsiddin and Bilol Qurbonaliev, were deported to Tajikistan, where they were immediately detained and later sentenced to lengthy prison terms on dubious charges related to attempts to overthrow the constitutional order.
Reports indicate that Shamsiddin has faced mistreatment while incarcerated.
Ergashev has been in Germany since February 2011 and first applied for asylum on political grounds that same year.
Despite several applications, his asylum requests have been consistently rejected.
According to his lawyer, German immigration authorities have expressed doubts about the sincerity of Ergashev's commitment to opposition causes.
The Tajik government is known for its systematic persecution of opposition members, especially those affiliated with banned groups like Group 24.
A recent report by HRW highlighted Tajikistan as a country of major concern regarding transnational repression, noting that the government actively targets critics abroad on charges of extremism and terrorism, leading to severe penalties and mistreatment upon forced return.
Given Ergashev's documented activism and participation in protests, he is seen as a clear target for persecution by the Tajik authorities.
HRW urged the German authorities to immediately suspend Ergashev's deportation and conduct a thorough review of his protection needs, emphasizing that he should not be sent back to a country where he faces a serious risk of torture.
- By RFE/RL
North Korea Says It Will Back Russia Until 'Victory' In Ukraine
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said Pyongyang will stand by Russia until "victory" in Ukraine as Washington predicted North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region will enter the fight against Kyiv in the coming days.
At a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov after arriving in Moscow on November 1, Choe hailed the "very close ties" between the armed and special services of the two countries, and "we will always stand firmly by our Russian comrades until victory day."
After weeks of intelligence reports warning that thousands of North Korean troops were heading to Russia, confirmation that Pyongyang's soldiers are not only on Russian soil but have already been deployed in a western region bordering Ukraine have raised fears of a potential escalation in the war, triggered by Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.
Moscow and Pyongyang have trumpeted their increased defense cooperation since the launch of the invasion, but the Kremlin has neither denied nor directly confirmed the presence of North Korean troops on its soil.
NATO, however, confirmed on October 28 that North Korean troops had been deployed in the country's western Kursk region, where Russian forces are trying to beat back a Ukrainian incursion.
The military alliance's chief, Mark Rutte, said the deployment marked "a significant escalation" of North Korea's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine, a threat to global security, a violation of international law, and a sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin's "growing desperation."
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on October 31 that while Washington believes North Korean troops have yet deploy into combat against Ukrainian forces, "we would expect that to happen in the coming days."
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Blinken reiterated that the troops -- some 8,000 North Korean soldiers are believed to now be in the Kursk region -- would become "legitimate military targets" if they are deployed.
Blinken's comments came the same day that the United States, South Korea, and Japan released a joint statement condemning an ICBM test-launch by Pyongyang as a “flagrant violation” of numerous UN Security Council resolutions.
The timing of the case coincides with a period of strained U.S.-Russia relations, exacerbated by Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions aimed at weakening Moscow's position.
Prior to his meeting with Choe, Lavrov told the Turkish daily newspaper Hurriyet that "Russophobia" from the U.S. administration had brought Russia and the United States to "the brink of direct military conflict."
Choe said in Moscow that the situation on the Korean Peninsula could become "explosive" at any moment and therefore North Korea needed to strengthen its nuclear arsenal and readiness to deliver a retaliatory nuclear strike if necessary.
Russia Jails Former U.S. Consulate Employee Amid Tense Relations
The Primorye regional court in Russia's Far East on November 1 sentenced Robert Shonov, a former employee of the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok, to a lengthy prison sentence on charges of "confidential collaboration with a foreign state," which Washington has called baseless.
The court handed Shonov a sentence of four years and 10 months in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of 1 million rubles ($10,280).
After completing his prison sentence, Shonov will have to spend an additional year and four months under parole-like restrictions.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) alleges that from September 2022 until his arrest in spring 2023, Shonov served as an "informant for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow."
His purported activities included collecting information on Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and mobilization efforts, as well as analyzing their potential impact on public protest activities in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
The U.S. State Department has condemned Shonov's arrest, calling the charges baseless.
Officials emphasize that his post-consulate work was fully compliant with Russian regulations and focused solely on public media sources.
In connection with the case, authorities seized over 400,000 rubles ($4,115) from Shonov, along with an electronic device he allegedly used in the commission of his activities.
Shonov, 62, had previously worked for 25 years at the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok, which closed in 2020.
Following the closure, he found employment with a company that provided services to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, operating within the bounds of Russian law.
The charges against him stem from a law enacted in July 2022 that criminalizes "confidential collaboration" with foreign entities.
This legislation carries penalties ranging from three to eight years in prison, and its broad language often encompasses interactions with foreigners perceived as undermining Russian national security, with accusations frequently linked to connections with Ukraine.
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This case occurs against a backdrop of deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington, which are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War.
The Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has prompted waves of severe sanctions against Russia and much of its leadership, further straining diplomatic ties.
Shonov's conviction underscores the heightened scrutiny faced by former diplomatic staff and the increasingly hostile environment for foreign nationals operating in Russia.
The detention of foreigners is increasingly being seen as politically motivated, with the potential for these individuals to become bargaining chips in future prisoner swaps.
In August, three U.S. citizens were released as part of a major prisoner swap that included RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich, and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, in exchange for Russian prisoners serving sentences in the United States and Europe.
All three Americans were held on charges Washington had rejected.
Blast Kills 5, Including 4 Children, In Pakistan's Restive Balochistan
A roadside bomb targeting a van that was transporting the police guarding polio vaccination teams killed four children and a police officer in Pakistan's restive Balochistan Province.
Police official Miadad Omrani, told RFE/RL that the explosion occurred near a girls' school in the city of Mastung as a motorized rickshaw that transports children to school was passing by.
Omrani said three police officers were wounded in the blast, which appears to have been triggered by remote control.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Balochistan's chief minister, Sarfraz Bugti, both condemned the attack and vowed to rid the country of militants.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The mineral-rich southern province has been marred by a spate of deadly attacks on security forces and civilians in recent months.
Baluch separatist groups, such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), designated as a global terrorist organization by the United States, are engaged in fighting against the Pakistani government.
On October 29, armed men attacked a construction site in Balochistan's Panjgur area, killing five builders who were working on a dam near the border with Iran. The BLA claimed responsibility for the attack.
On October 24, four people were wounded in a blast in the region's Kala Saifullah area.
On October 11, 20 coal miners were killed in the Duki district in an attack that also went unclaimed by any group.
Baluch separatists have been active in Pakistan's Balochistan for years and they demand the province's independence and what they say would be a fair share of the region's mineral revenues.
Pakistani Army and paramilitary forces have been stationed in Balochistan for almost two decades and have continued to carry out operations against armed groups there.
The separatists have claimed responsibility for attacks on Pakistani security forces, government officials, and on Chinese workers who are in Pakistan working on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
China is conducting numerous projects in Pakistan under the umbrella of the CPEC.
The $60 billion initiative encompasses a wide range of development and infrastructure projects.
Policeman Killed, 30 Wounded In Fresh Strike On Kharkiv
A Russian attack on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv hit a police station, killing a policeman and wounding more than two dozen other people, the head of Ukraine's National Police said on November 1.
"Today, the Russian enemy targeted a police station in the center of Kharkiv with 2 missiles, killing a police officer and wounding 26 other police officers and 4 civilians," Ivan Vygivskiy, the head of Ukraine's National Police, wrote on Facebook.
Dmytro Chubenko, spokesman of the Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office, said Russian troops attacked earlier on November 1 with two ballistic missiles, badly damaging two private houses and injuring two people.
The prosecutor's office said the strike was carried out from the territory of a settlement in the Belgorod region of Russia.
Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said earlier that a 75-year-old man was killed and three people were wounded by Russian shelling in the town of Derhachi, just north of Kharkiv city.
Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, located only about 35 kilometers from the Russian border, has been struck regularly by Russian drones and missiles recently.
Russian shelling and drone strikes also killed one person and wounded 13 others, and several houses and a school were destroyed in the southern region of Kherson, where Russian forces shelled 19 settlements, towns, and cities over the past 24 hours, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on November 1.
Russian forces have been regularly attacking the part of the Kherson region that was recaptured by Ukrainian forces, bombarding it from across the Dnieper River, where they retreated in November 2022 in the face of the Ukrainian advance.
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President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on November 1 took to social media to thank Ukrainians and especially emergency workers and first responders for their unity and spirit of sacrifice.
"After Russian strikes and shelling, and amid the emergency and critical situations the enemy creates against our country, our people can always count on help, no matter the circumstances," Zelenskiy wrote on X.
"I am grateful to each and every one of you who arrive at the scene after Russian attacks in all our regions, clear the rubble, extinguish fires, provide first aid, and -- above all -- ensure the rescue of our people.
"The State Emergency Service, police, medical professionals, volunteers, and everyone involved in saving lives -- Ukraine is proud of you," Zelenskiy wrote.
In the Black Sea port of Odesa, a Russian missile struck a fire station, wounding two firefighters, regional Governor Oleh Kiper reported.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's air force said its defenses shot down 31 Russian drones and one missile over nine regions -- Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Cherkasy, Vinnytsya, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskiy, Sumy, Chernihiv and Poltava.
In Russia, the Defense Ministry said its defenses shot down 83 Ukrainian drones over six regions early on November 1.
"36 drones were shot down over the Kursk region, 20 over the Bryansk region, 12 over Crimea, eight over the Voronezh region, four over the Oryol region, and three over the Belgorod region," the ministry said in a statement on its Telegram channel.
Separately, Aleksandr Bogomaz, the governor of Bryansk, said one person was wounded when a Ukrainian drone crashed into an apartment building in the city of Bryansk.
In the Stavropol region, a drone fell on an oil depot in the city of Svetlograd, regional Governor Vladimir Vladimirov said on Telegram.
After suffering numerous attacks on its civilian and energy infrastructure, Ukraine has in recent months started striking Russian targets -- mainly fuel and oil depots used by the military -- with its own drones.
With reporting by AFP
Germany To Close 3 Iranian Consulates Over Execution Of Dual Citizen
Germany will shut all three Iranian consulates in Germany in reaction to the execution of dual German-Iranian citizen Jamshid Sharmahd, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on October 31.
"We have repeatedly made it clear that the execution of a German citizen will have serious consequences," Baerbock said in New York. "I have therefore decided to close the three Iranian consulates-general in Frankfurt am Main, Munich, and Hamburg."
Baerbock added that relations with Iran have reached “more than a low point” following the execution of Sharmahd, which was announced by Tehran on October 28.
Germany had already recalled its ambassador for consultations and summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires to voice Berlin's protest.
Baerbock said the execution of Sharmahd shows the Iranian "regime of injustice" continues to act brutally.
The 32 employees at the three consulates must leave the country unless they have German citizenship. The embassy in Berlin is not affected by the order.
Iran summoned Germany's charge d'affaires in Tehran to protest Germany's "unjust" decision, state media reported on October 31.
Iranian state media said Sharmahd was put to death after he was convicted of carrying out terrorist attacks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that having a German passport does not give anyone immunity.
German Chancellor Olaf Schultz joined Baerbock in strongly condemning the execution of Sharmahd, calling it a "scandal" for the Iranian government.
Deputy Special Envoy Abram Paley of the U.S. Office of the Special Envoy for Iran welcomed Germany’s decision to close the three Iranian consulates.
“We stand united with the international community in holding the regime accountable,” he said on X, calling the execution of Sharmahd “unjust.”
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also strongly condemned the execution of Sharmahd and said the European Union is considering taking measures in response.
Sharmahd, 69, was accused by Iran of heading a pro-monarchist group that Tehran believes was behind a deadly 2008 bombing and of planning other attacks in the country.
Fourteen Iranians were killed and 210 others wounded in the attack at the Sayyid al-Shuhada Husseiniya mosque in Shiraz during a ceremony to mourn the death of Imam Hussein, the third imam of Shi'a Muslims.
Iran's Intelligence Ministry accused Sharmahd of planning the bombing, a charge his family dismissed as "ridiculous."
With reporting by dpa and Reuters
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