Spotlight: Newsbites

Experts On Ukrainian Plane Crash: “Completely Obvious” That Missile Strike To Blame

Aviation Experts Question Engine Explanation For Ukraine International Airlines Crash

Three Russian Police Fired For 'Training' With Students Acting As Protesters

Three police officers in Russia's Tatarstan region have been dismissed for reenacting a clash between protesters and security forces with the direct participation of 12 ninth graders on school grounds in the town of Novotroyitsk.

What Russians Want In 2020

Current Time asked people across Russia, from St. Petersburg to Yekaterinburg to Vladivostok, about their hopes for 2020.

Police Deployed As Shots Heard In Moscow

Armed Russian policemen moved along a street near the Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters in Moscow, in mobile phone footage posted on December 19. In other footage, the sound of shots ringing out could be heard. A reporter for Current Time TV filmed police sealing off the area.

Ukraine Appears To Cool On Plans For Border Wall With Russia

Kazakh Police Arrest Dozens In Nur-Sultan

Police detained around 50 protesters in Nur-Sultan, the Kazakh capital, on December 16. The protest was demanding increased rights and the release of political prisoners.

Kyrgyz Court Freezes Bank Accounts Of RFE/RL, Other Media Following Investigative Report

A court in Bishkek has ruled to freeze the bank accounts of RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, locally known as Azattyk, its correspondent, and the Kyrgyz news site Kloop following their joint investigation about possible widespread corruption in the country’s customs service and massive outflows of cash.

Kyiv Gives ICC Evidence Of 'Executions' Of Ukrainian Soldiers By Separatists In Eastern Ukraine

Evidence that Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine killed soldiers in their captivity execution-style has been forwarded to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Russian Doctors At Center Of Children’s Transplant Controversy Ordered Reinstated

Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova has ordered the reinstatement of two pediatric surgeons whose dismissals had led to public outrage and left dozens of ailing children awaiting desperately needed kidney-transplant treatment.

Vox Pop: What Changes Do Russians Want?