Russia
A conversation with a former member of Wagner: ‘They were like little kings or czars’
With large numbers of young Russian fighters dying on the battlefield in Ukraine, the Wagner mercenary group must constantly recruit to replenish its stocks. It's now gone online and is using the same tactics that ISIS once used to lure young men to go fight in Syria.
This blues musician fled Russia for Serbia. But he sounds like he came straight from the Mississippi Delta.
Ethnic minorities in Russia are campaigning for the breakup of the country
Russian artists in exile create new identity and work
Ukrainian refugees create their own school in Romania
Georgian politicians from Russian-occupied Abkhazia run a ‘government-in-exile’
Many people living in Georgia who fled Abkhazia in 1993 now say they are dissatisfied with the politicians in charge of their needs.
Azerbaijan establishes checkpoint at Lachin Corridor, spiking tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh
More than 100,000 Armenians still live in Nagorno-Karabakh, and they depend on the Lachin Corridor as the only road that connects to the rest of Armenia.
In Russia, a novel about a summer romance between two men sparks outrage
Novels about queer topics have been pulled from bookstores in Russia under a recent law that bans all mention of LGBTQ life in popular culture. It's part of a regional crackdown against novelists and poets.
Where does Brazil stand with the war in Ukraine?
Over the last week, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva courted controversy with his remarks on the conflict in Ukraine, causing tensions between Brazil and the US.
Kremlin eyes US intelligence leak, questions authenticity
There are still lots of unknowns about a leaked trove of classified US intelligence information. Secrets about Russia's war in Ukraine made their way online, then, eventually, into the news. The incident has been embarrassing for the Pentagon and the White House. In Russia, officials at the Kremlin and media commentators are all paying close attention.
Many Jews this year will celebrate Passover with a traditional reading in Ukrainian for the first time
The night of April 5 marks the beginning of Passover. Traditionally, Jewish families gather around the dinner table for the holiday with a festive meal where they eat matzah and read aloud from the Haggadah. The text tells the Passover story, guiding readers through a tale of redemption. On Wednesday night, many Ukrainians will be reading the Haggadah in their own language for the first time.
Divisions among Orthodox church communities widen amid war in Ukraine
This month, the Ukrainian government issued an eviction notice to clergy at Pecherska Lavra, where some Orthodox Christians may still have close ties with Russia.
Russia’s new Fan ID law seen as new form of authoritarian surveillance
In Russia, in order to attend soccer matches in the country's Premier League, fans now need to present a "Fan ID." The state says it’s about public safety and security. But Russian soccer fans aren’t buying it.
Russia's war turns Armenia into a booming tech sector
Thousands of Russian tech workers have fled to Armenia, helping the country’s tech sector double in size and fueling dramatic economic growth over the last year.
Art historians debate identity of iconic Mariupol painter
Arkhyp Kuindzhi is a revered artist who was born in the Russian empire. He was from Mariupol, which is now part of the modern Ukrainian state, sparking a debate among art historians: Should he be considered a Ukrainian or a Russian artist?