Society

Stocking The Pantry, Checking The Shelters, Ukrainians Prepare For Russian Attack

Natalya Lyutykova fled her native Crimea after Russia seized the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014. Now living near Kyiv's airport, she fears her family is in Russia's crosshairs once again and is preparing for a possible attack by stocking up on canned food.

Going Militant: How Pro-Kremlin Media Explain Russia’s Tensions With Ukraine

No Nickel In Nikel? A Russian Mining Town Faces Steep Decline

For decades, nickel mining and smelting in the northern Russian town of Nikel provided a living for its residents and vast wealth for the company's owners. But since the town's large smelting plant was shut down over environmental concerns, residents have been wondering what the future holds.

'I Hope It Won't Happen': Residents Of Eastern Ukrainian City On Possible Russian Invasion

When asked about a possible Russian invasion, residents of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv say they are "ready," but "hope that it won't happen."

Kazakhs Seek Answers As Loved Ones Detained, Injured, Or Killed Amid Unrest

A dead man handcuffed with two bullet wounds, and a man with head injuries from a grenade taken out of a hospital by soldiers -- Kazakhs tell their stories of the ongoing crackdown following violent anti-government unrest that shook the country at the beginning of January.

Friends Turn Plastic Waste Into Cash, Clean Up In Kyrgyzstan

Three friends in Kyrgyzstan's capital hated seeing the pollution caused by plastic waste, so they decided to take matters into their own hands.

Fear And Hunger: Reporters In Kazakhstan Describe Tense Mood

Kazakhstan is tense, with closed shops and a sense of lawlessness as Russian-led forces are on the move to shore up the authorities after days of anti-government protests swept the country. Reporters from Current Time describe the mood in two Kazakh cities: Almaty and Nur-Sultan.

What's Behind The State Of Emergency And Protests Erupting Across Kazakhstan?

A steep rise in energy prices appears to have triggered protests across Kazakhstan that resulted in mass arrests, the dismissal of the government, and the declaration of a state of emergency. We take a closer look at what's driving the crisis in Kazakhstan.

The Faces Of Memorial: Those Who Created It, Helped It To Flourish, And Who Were Working For It Until The End

The story of Memorial is the story of thousands of people the group has helped, hundreds of volunteers, and dozens of members hard at work in Moscow and regions across Russia. RFE/RL looks at 7 people whose work displays the breadth, depth, and impact of the organization the state is shutting down.

Rape Case Puts Kyrgyz 'Courts Of Elders' In Spotlight

When the family of an alleged rapist was expelled from a Kyrgyz village, the case cast a spotlight on the role of a special judicial institution -- the Courts of Elders. The suspect is in police custody while a criminal investigation continues but a gathering of elders has already reached a verdict

The USSR Quiz: 15 Questions For 15 Republics

Join us on a trip back in time to the last years of the Soviet era and the beginning of a period that would test preconceptions about both sovereignty and democracy.

What Do You Think Of When You Hear The Words 'Soviet Union'?

Almost 30 years after the Soviet Union's dissolution on December 26, 1991, young people across the former U.S.S.R. spoke to Current Time about what comes to mind when the country is mentioned today.