Death Sentences For Brothers In Belarus...

Two brothers who killed their next-door neighbor in the town of Cherykau were sentenced to death this month by a Belarusian court. The country is the last in Europe to impose the death penalty. In interviews with Current Time, the convicts’ mother and sister expressed their grief, saying that the sentence also inflicts a harsh …

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‘It Disappeared…And Now It’s Back’ :...

Nazi occupation and Soviet repression decimated the Izhorian people, a tiny ethnic minority from northwest Russia. Now just hundreds remain, but efforts are being made to revive their language and culture

Russia Prepares for a New Tandemocracy

Under the new system envisaged by Putin, the State Council, a presidential advisory body, will have its power enshrined in the constitution. It’s not yet clear precisely what powers it will receive, but they could include the right to introduce legislative initiatives and to take part in appointing regional governors

In Wake of Putin’s ‘Coup,’ Russia’s...

Only after a lesser known opposition politician on Friday morning announced a protest march on Sunday against the proposed reforms, calling them a “coup,” did Alexei Navalny, the man who for years has been Putin’s loudest critic, finally speak up

Russian Oscar Nominee Hopes ‘Family Values’...

Oscar-nominee Daria Kashcheeva is still at film school but has her sights set on winning an Academy Award for a short animated film, which she says is all about family values and forgiveness

Moscow is a Christmas Wonderland, Minus...

In Moscow, a New Year season without snow is spurring an all out effort by authorities to promote holiday cheer, as well as questions about climate change and government spending

Surviving Siberia: The Hard, Cold Winters...

Temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius mean only the horse farmers and their families stay to endure the winter in the village of Tumul in the Far Eastern Russian region of Yakutia. But ancient traditions and crafts still survive there, despite a dwindling local population

How A Circus In Russia Turns...

Valeria ran away from home, and now she’s joined the circus. She’s one of dozens of kids from tough backgrounds given a new start in life by a unique social project

Chechen Leader Threatens Killing For Online...

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said online commentators should be tracked down and killed for assaults on honor~RFE/RL

Pine Nut Fever Breaks Out In...

In Russia’s remote Altai region, people are heading to the mountains in thick snow to gather riches that literally grow on trees: pine nuts. Russia is the world’s largest supplier of pine nuts. For locals, it’s a rare chance to make money — but the work is hard, cold, and dangerous