Russia is holding presidential elections on March 15, and results are nearly a given. Vladimir Putin has been in power in Russia since 1999 — as president or prime minister — and he’s looking to secure his fifth term in office. Yet, some Russians are still trying to monitor the elections to point out various irregularities and falsifications.
The World's Carolyn Beeler talks with Michael McFaul, a former ambassador to Russia and friend of Navalny's, about what his death means for the country and for his family.
Volodymyr Tsema-Bursov is from the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol. A few months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he was captured by Russian forces. He spent the next 20 months in Russian captivity. Now he's back in Ukraine after being released in the biggest prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. The World's Daniel Ofman reports from Lviv.
Over the course of nearly two years Russia has committed countless violations, crimes, and atrocities in Ukraine. However, as of now, the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for only one crime of “deportation of children from Ukrainian occupied territories into the Russian Federation.” The issue of kidnapping Ukrainian children is ongoing, as thousands of kids are still in Russia, separated from their families and their homes.
This week, NATO launched its largest military exercise since the Cold War. The military drills are taking place across Germany, Poland and the Baltics and will continue through May. European officials and military leaders have warned that if Russia’s military isn’t stopped in Ukraine, a NATO country could be targeted next.
In recent weeks Russia has intensified its bombardment of Ukraine. Since the full-scale invasion nearly two years ago, the Kremlin has justified the war with a list of dubious explanations, including the need to protect “traditional values” under assault from the West.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s political party has unanimously nominated him to be their presidential candidate for the upcoming election in March 2024. The nomination comes amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, heavy political repression and heightened censorship.
Russian American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva was detained in October in Russia’s Tatarstan region. Officials there have accused her of failing to register as a “foreign agent;” however, it’s widely believed that she was arrested because she’s a US citizen.
There are many Russian critics of the war in Ukraine. Those inside Russia generally keep quiet, while others are silenced through imprisonment. Others have left the country, including the four members of the feminist activist collective Pussy Riot. The World's Marco Werman speaks to one member of the group.
On Tuesday, Ukraine is celebrating 10 years since the start of the Maidan Revolution, the uprising that led to the downfall of the pro-Russian government and closer ties with the European Union. It also sparked a new wave of aggression from neighboring Russia that led to its full-scale invasion nearly two years ago.
For over a year now, the front line in the war between Russia and Ukraine hasn’t moved very much. Russia still occupies about 18% of Ukrainian territory. For Ukrainians living under Russian occupation, security and safety is a major concern. So, many Ukrainians have chosen to flee.