Radio Free Europe
RFE/RL journalists report the news in 22 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Russia.
Head Of Russia's Tyva Republic Sends Representatives To Russia-Occupied Donetsk After Complaints.
The leader of Russia's Republic of Tyva in Siberia, Vladislav Khovalyg (file photo)
The leader of Russia's Republic of Tyva in Siberia, Vladislav Khovalyg, has sent his representatives to parts of Ukraine's Russia-occupied Donetsk region after a group of Tyvan men mobilized to fight with the Russian armed forces invading Ukraine complained of ill treatment.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians . For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here .
In a video posted on Telegram on February 6, the men said they had been mobilized in September and gone through poor military training in the Novosibirsk region, where they were told that they will serving in a patrolling unit.
According to the men, they were transferred to the Donetsk region in late December, where they had not been officially registered with any Russian military unit, while some of them were ordered to fight against Ukrainian forces on the line of contact, which is not what a patrolling unit does.
The men also said Russian-backed separatists from the Donetsk region, as well as military police, came to them and beat them severely while saying that they now belong to them.
"In that case, we are not soldiers of the Russian Federation," the men said in the video.
Footage also showed two men in military uniform forcing a third man to kneel as they put the barrel of an assault rifle to his head. It is not clear who is in the footage and when the video was shot.
Khovalyg called the situation "a flagrant case that discredits the situation of mobilized men," adding that he already talked to the leader of Russia-backed separatists in Donetsk, Vitaliy Khotsenko, regarding the situation before sending his representatives to the Russia-controlled part of Donetsk.
Tyva's former leader, Sholban Kara-Ool, also issued a statement on January 6, saying he had canceled a business trip across Siberia and would urgently travel to Donetsk to personally look into the situation.
In recent years, soldiers in the Russian armed forces conscripted from Tyva complained about race-based bullying because of their ethnicity, as Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's father was a Tyvan.
Tyvans (Tuvinians) are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group of some 308,000 people, mainly residing in the remote republic on the Russian-Mongolian border.
4 Arrested In Georgia For Stealing Rare Books In Europe.
Four people were arrested in Georgia as part of a Europe-wide operation to bust a gang of thieves specialized in the stealing of rare books, the Georgian prosecutor's office said on April 25.
Kyrgyz Activist In Disputed Border Deal Fined, Released.
A Bishkek court fined activist Kanykei Aranova 120,000 soms ($1,350) on April 25 for inciting hatred and released her on condition that she will not leave the Kyrgyz capital.
European Lawmakers To Vote On Resolution Demanding Release Of Kurmasheva, Gershkovich, Others Held In Russia.
European lawmakers are expected to vote on April 26 on a resolution that calls for the "immediate and unconditional release" of all political prisoners held in Russia, including journalists Alsu Kurmasheva and Evan Gershkovich.
'Almost Naked' Party Organizer Fined For Discrediting Russian Army.
A Moscow court on April 25 fined Anastasia Ivleyeva, the organizer of a party in December that sparked a scandal, 50,000 rubles ($535) on a charge of discrediting Russia's armed forces.
Lukashenka Says Dozens Of Russian Nukes Deployed in Belarus.
Authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka said that "several dozen Russian nuclear weapons" were deployed in Belarus, a move that has raised concerns in the West that Moscow's war against Ukraine could spread.
Israel wipes out Hezbollah commander in pinpoint bombing of moving car.
Israel blows up top Hezbollah commande’s car in airstrike elimination as signs point to ‘imminent’ Rafah operation. Explosive footage captures the moment terror chief Hussein Azqul was wiped out as his car exploded into a horror fireball. READ MOR...
Message from NYPD reignites faith for paralyzed man.
A surfing accident left New York teacher Billy Keenan paralyzed, but when he received a call from a police officer, his life changed. CBS News Streaming Network is the premier 24/7 anchored streaming news service from CBS News and Stations, availa...
‘Gutfeld!’: Democrats wave Ukrainian flags on House floor.
'Gutfeld!' panelists react to the U.S. House passing a $95 billion foreign aid package. #foxnews #fox #gutfeld Subscribe to Fox News! Watch more Fox News Video: Watch Fox News Channel Live: FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news...
'Disorientated' sloth rescued
The police said they saved the animal 'with the help of the community'. #sloth #animalrescue #animals #police #skynews #shorts SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for more videos: Follow us on Twitter: Like us on Facebook: Follow us on Instagram: Fol...
Suspected migrant boats leave France hours after Rwanda bill passed in parliament.
Sky News has seen at least two dinghies leave the shores of France within hours of the government finally having its migration policy accepted into law by MPs and Lords. #uk #france #migration #skynews #shorts SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for ...
Two are arrested after ‘stealing £1,000 worth of food & drinks from restaurants’ update.
Police have arrested two people over an alleged "dine and dash" eating spree after they were accused of hitting restaurants for meals worth more than £1,000. A 41-year-old man and 39-year-old woman are being quizzed by detectives after restaurants...