Daniel Ofman is a reporter with The World, based in Riga, Latvia.
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.
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.
“Leopoldstadt” is a gripping play about the changing fortunes of a Jewish family in Austria. In 2023, it won a number of Tony Awards, including for best play. Now, a new production of “Leopoldstadt” is being performed in Riga, Latvia. And the choice of director has helped it draw a lot of attention.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy just wrapped up a two-day tour of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. His trip is part of a wider diplomatic effort to shore up support for his country.
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.
It’s been about six months since Ukraine launched its counteroffensive. Its aim was to recapture large swaths of territory occupied by Russian forces. However, as we enter the cold winter months, most military experts believe that the war in Ukraine is now entering a new phase.
In recent months, thousands of migrants from around the world have been arriving at the Latvia-Belarus border. Most Western countries blame Belarusian strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko for orchestrating the unfolding border crisis that began in 2021.