The top infectious-disease specialist in a Russian region may have coronavirus and could have spread it to students and doctors after she failed to quarantine herself following a vacation in Spain, the daily Kommersant has reported.

Stavropol Governor Vladimir Vladimirov said on March 19 in an Instagram post that the region had its first suspected case of coronavirus and that a final determination will be made following a laboratory test in Novosibirsk.

He immediately announced that all kindergartens and universities would be closed as of March 23 and that additional measures to contain its spread would be taken.

Vladimirov did not name the person that tested positive, but Kommersant said people on social media immediately identified the individual as Irina Sannikova, the region’s leading infectious-disease specialist.

Sannikova reportedly returned earlier this month from Spain, one of the hardest-hit countries by the virus, and did not quarantine herself, the paper said. She held a few lectures at the medical university for students and resident physicians, people on social media said.

The medical university was immediately put under quarantine on March 19 while students and professors who came into contact with a person "suspected of having the novel coronavirus infection" have been asked to take tests and isolate themselves in the meantime at home, Kommersant reported.

Stavropol's infectious-disease hospital, Sannikova's main workplace, has also been put under quarantine, Kommersant reported, citing social media. Kommersant said it could not confirm that because it could not get through on any of the hospital's telephone numbers.

During a press conference on March 20, Stavropol Deputy Health Minister Olga Drozdetskaya confirmed that the person that tested positive for coronavirus was a female doctor that had returned from vacation in Spain. Drozdetskaya said the doctor had taken part in a few events at the Health Ministry and that some participants had now been quarantined.

The infected doctor was in stable condition and no longer on oxygen, Drozdetskaya said.

Russia's official tally early on March 21 showed the total number of infections at 253, a day after Moscow's coronavirus crisis center announced 54 confirmed new cases across the country.

One coronavirus patient, a 79-year-old woman, has died. Russian authorities said the cause of her death was not officially registered as COVID-19 because an autopsy revealed she had died of a blood clot.

But a global resource center at Johns Hopkins University early on March 21 was listing the woman as Russia's only confirmed coronavirus death.

Russia's Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare said on March 21 that more than 36,000 people were under medical observation in the country due to the situation with coronavirus.

Russia has temporarily barred entry into the country of foreigners because of the pandemic. Russian officials also have imposed restrictions on passenger flights and public gatherings.

Russia's national health watchdog has decreed that "all individuals arriving in Russia" must be isolated for medical observation.

Georgia

Georgia's parliament has approved a presidential decree that imposes a one-month nationwide state of emergency in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

President Salome Zurabishvili on March 21 sent the decree to parliament as the number of cases in the former Soviet republic rose to 49. The parliament passed it later that evening.

Zurabishvili told the parliament deputies that the monthlong measure might seem excessive with still relatively few cases, but that it's "better this way than an epidemic starting and entering an acute phase."

She warned that the measures were not meant to infringe upon freedom of expression, media freedom, or political rights and expressed hope it would not delay elections planned for October.

Under Georgia's constitution, a national election can only be held six months after the end of a state of emergency.

The president called on citizens to follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the Georgian Health Ministry in order to slow the spread of the virus and avoid a "new level" of restrictions.

So far, there have not been any deaths in Georgia from the virus.

Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia had earlier initiated the call for the state of emergency to battle the disease.

"Our main task today is preventing a fast spread of coronavirus among the population," Gakharia said, adding that punishments should be imposed against those who violate "quarantine and self-isolation regulations during the state of emergency."

Gahkharia said restrictions on traffic, except for the transport of cargo, also should be imposed.

He also said property rights for individuals and legal entities could be restricted during the state of emergency.

A few lawmakers expressed disappointment that the state of emergency -- as it now stands -- would extend into the Easter holiday, which will be celebrated this year in Georgia on April 19.

North Macedonia

The government of North Macedonia on March 21 said it has decided to impose a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning on March 22 in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, the first time such a step has been taken since the country’s independence in 1991.

In an emergency address, Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski said that "we have decided to introduce the most radical measures in order to protect the health of citizens.”

“Starting [March 22], we will restrict the movement of all citizens. It is forbidden for the population to move outside between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. every day. There is no compromise when it comes to the health of citizens,” Spasovski warned.

The prohibitions exclude persons who need medical assistance or whose lives are endangered. Those who need dialysis are allowed to arrive for treatment with up to two other people.

Employees in health-care facilities are also excluded from the curfew, as are members of the Ministry of Interior, the army, fire crews, and workers in municipal hygiene.

North Macedonia has registered 85 cases and no deaths.

Romania

The Romanian government on March 21 announced a curfew that will restrict the movement of people from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and go into effect on March 23. It is expected to last through the 30-day state of emergency declared on March 16.

Those exempted include people going to work and those requiring medical assistance.

Interior Minister Marcel Vela and other officials said the measures will also prohibit gatherings of more than three persons outside the home and will mandate the closing of shopping malls and dental clinics. Restaurants and other gathering places were ordered closed earlier in the week.

During the night curfew hours, the only people allowed to move about are medical professionals, those engaging in work activities, shopping for necessary items, and caring for children or the elderly or people walking their pets.

“Everything we have decided to implement is meant to limit the risks to the population,” Vela said.

He also warned those who are price-gouging or taking other actions to profit from the crisis.

“We have taken strong actions against those who have tried to speculate on the situation in order to get rich. It's not just illegal -- it's also cynical,” he said.

Romania has registered 367 coronavirus cases with no deaths.

Serbia

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the government will extend a curfew that is already in effect by three hours as the country attempts to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus, making it a 12-hour ban from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m.

He said the steps are necessary “for our survival,” and he threatened a 24-hour curfew if residents continue to ignore orders to remain indoors.

Serbia has registered 171 cases and one death related to the coronavirus.

Ukraine

Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has called for a nationwide quarantine to slow the spread of coronavirus as its largest city, Kyiv, said it would shut down all public transportation for noncritical personnel.

Avakov, one of the most powerful officials in Ukraine, said the measures already put in place to fight the spread will be "significantly toughened" in the coming days. He said only "critical" industries should remain open and everyone else sent home.

"A total, full quarantine is my position, which I want to ask each of you. And I will insist on it, according to the power of my position," Avakov said in a Facebook post on March 21.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on March 20 that a state of emergency had been declared in the city of Kyiv, the east-central Dnipropetrovsk region, and the western Ivano-Fankivsk region.

"No new restrictions are yet to be expected. The emergency mode is designed to mobilize efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19," he wrote on Telegram.

Earlier, states of emergency were declared in the Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions in the north-central part of the country and the southwestern region of Chernivtsi.

Under the state of emergency, the heads of the affected regions are expected to implement coordinated measures to curtail the spread of the virus and to submit daily reports to the Health Ministry.

Ukraine had reported 41 coronavirus infections and three fatalities as of the end of March 20, prompting the country to declare a state of emergency to better mobilize efforts to fight the virus.

The total represents a rise of 15 cases over the past 24 hours. However, the country has done limited testing, suggesting the number of people infected could be much greater.

The country has already ordered restaurants, bars, gyms, theaters, shopping malls, and schools to close. It has also essentially sealed its border to foreign travel and domestic long-distance travel by means of bus, rail and plane.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said in a March 21 video post that only people whose work was vital to the city will be allowed to use public transport. The new measure goes into effect as of March 23, he said

Kyiv shut down its subway on March 17, causing chaos as tens of thousands of people struggled to get to work via other means. Transportation by private cars will still be permitted.

Supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, gas stations, post offices, and parcel companies will remain open in Ukraine, officials said.

Armenia

The number of coronavirus cases in Armenia has risen to 160, an increase of 24 infections during the previous 24 hours, according to the country's heath authorities.

Armenian Health Minister Arsen Torosyan said in a live broadcast on Facebook on March 21 that there were 11 patients among those infected with the coronavirus who have been diagnosed with pneumonia.

Torosyan said three patients required intensive care. But he said none of the patients were in critical danger.

Details about new cases had not been released by the afternoon of March 21.

Armenia has not reported any fatalities from the disease.

Yerevan declared a national emergency on March 16 in an attempt to slow the spread of the pandemic disease.

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan's Security Council has recommended that Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev declare a national state of emergency beginning on March 22 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The recommendation, made during a Security Council meeting in Bishkek on March 21, was announced by President Sooronbai Jeenbekov's office.

Local officials in Kyrgyzstan have already declared a state of emergency in the southern district of Nookat, where three coronavirus cases were reported on March 20.

A state of emergency has also been announced by local officials in the Suzak district, where three men have tested positive for coronavirus.

All six confirmed cases in Kyrgyzstan are people who recently returned to Kyrgyzstan from Saudi Arabia.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan's Health Ministry announced four more confirmed coronavirus infections on March 21, raising the total number in the country to 37.

The ministry said a total of 3,200 people who had contact with the infected patients have been placed in quarantine.

All kindergartens, schools, and universities in Uzbekistan have been temporarily closed and public gatherings have been prohibited.

The Transport Ministry said on March 20 that it had suspended international travel into the country for 40 days. The regulation does not affect cargo shipments, it said.

Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, five more coronavirus cases were reported on March 20, including the first two cases outside Nur-Sultan, the capital, and the country's largest city, Almaty.

With three more cases in Almaty and two in the central city of Qaraghandy, the total number of coronavirus infections in Kazakhstan on March 21 was 49.

Nur-Sultan and Almaty have been sealed off since March 19, with police, security forces, and military personnel blocking roads and highways within and around the two cities.

In Tajikistan, the government suspended all international flights starting on March 20. No coronavirus cases have been reported by authorities in Tajikistan so far.

In Turkmenistan, RFE/RL correspondents report that the capital, Ashgabat, has been surrounded with security checkpoints since March 19 in an attempt by authorities to regulate entries into the city.

Only residents of Ashgabat are allowed to enter the city now, and travel between cities has been restricted, RFE/RL correspondents report.

Turkmenistan also had not officially confirmed any cases of coronavirus as of March 21.

Pakistan

Pakistan says it has suspended all international flights for two weeks in an attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus, joining dozens of other countries that have taken similar measures.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan said in a statement on March 21 that the ban would go into effect that evening and last until April 4.

The ban includes charter flights as well, officials said. Diplomats and cargo will be allowed to land in the country.

Individuals who have had their flight canceled can either get a refund or rebook for other dates without any charge, officials at Pakistan International Airlines said.

The announcement comes after Pakistan said the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country jumped to 531 as of March 21 with three deaths.

Iran

The death toll from coronavirus outbreak is nearly 11,500 people around the world, with Europe at the center of the pandemic as the number of confirmed cases globally topped 275,000.

Iran's official death toll was the third-highest in the world on March 21 with 123 newly reported deaths raising the total across the country to 1,556.

Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on March 21 that an additional 966 infections had been confirmed during the previous 24 hours.

That raised the total number of confirmed infections in Iran to more than 20,600, according to officials in Tehran.

Many Iranians believe the government in Tehran is underreporting the extent of the outbreak there.

According to a tally by Johns Hopkins University early on March 21, the confirmed number of cases worldwide had reached 275,434 -- including 11,399 deaths.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Georgian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Russian, Tajik, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Uzbek services, AFP, Reuters, TASS, UNIAN, Interfax, Ukrayinska pravda, Financial Times, and Khaleej Times

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 after battling a serious bout of double pneumonia that he appeared to have conquered.

"Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis," Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced on the Vatican's TV channel on April 21.

"At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father," he said.

Francis, who a day before his death had made his first major public appearance at this year's Easter services, was the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church and the first from the Americas, the first Jesuit, and the first pontiff born outside Europe in over a millennium.

Tributes have been pouring in for the late pontiff from around the world.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin published a statement saying Francis "enjoyed great international authority as a faithful servant of Christian teaching, a wise religious statesman, and a consistent defender of the high values of humanism and justice."

"Throughout his pontificate, he actively contributed to the development of dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, as well as constructive interaction between Russia and the Holy See," he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also praised the pope's tenure, describing the pontiff as someone who "knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity."

"He prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians," he added. "We grieve together with Catholics and all Christians who looked to Pope Francis for spiritual support. Eternal memory!"

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said news of Pope Francis's death was cause for great sadness because of the departure of "a great man, a great shepherd."

"I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice, his teachings, which never ceased, not even during times of trial and suffering," Meloni said in a statement. "We say goodbye to the Holy Father with a heart full of sadness."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said "the world mourns the passing of Pope Francis," adding that "he inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate."

Her comments were echoed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said the pope had been "a man of humility, on the side of the most vulnerable and the most fragile." Incoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Francis would be remembered for his "tireless commitment to the weakest in society."

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer tweeted that he was "deeply saddened" by Francis's death.

"His tireless efforts to promote a world that is fairer for all will leave a lasting legacy," he said.

Meanwhile US Vice President JD Vance, who met with the pontiff on April 20, said his heart "goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him."

"I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill," he added.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu also expressed regret at the news of Francis's death, saying that he had "tirelessly promoted compassion and social justice" and "led with love, stood by the vulnerable, and called for unity in times of division."

"May his legacy live on and guide us toward a better world," she tweeted.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban responded to the news with a short a Facebook post that included a picture of him with the late pontiff. "Thank you for everything, Holy Father," he said. "We bid you farewell."

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman voiced sadness over Francis's death, saying that he offered "condolences to all Christians around the world."

A Papacy Focused On Social Justice

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the son of Italian immigrants in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis worked as a chemical technician before entering the Jesuits in 1958.

He was ordained a priest in 1969 and became the Provincial Superior of the Jesuits in Argentina from 1973 to 1979.

In 1998, he was appointed Archbishop of Buenos Aires. Three years later, he was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II.

Elected Pope in 2013, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, he chose the name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, reflecting his commitment to humility and the poor.

His papacy was marked by a focus on mercy, social justice, and environmental stewardship.

In 2015, Pope Francis issued the encyclical “Laudato si’,” calling for global action on climate change and care for the environment.

He also emphasized interfaith dialogue, notably signing the Document on Human Fraternity with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Egypt, Ahmed el-Tayeb, in 2019, a landmark agreement promoting peace and coexistence among different faiths.

'A Poor Church For The Poor'

Pope Francis was known for his pastoral approach, advocating for a “poor Church for the poor” and reaching out to marginalized communities.

He made efforts to reform the Vatican’s financial systems and address alleged clerical sexual abuse within the church.

In 2025, he published his autobiography, “Hope,” offering insights into his life and papal mission.

In his later years, Pope Francis faced several health challenges.

In 2021, he underwent colon surgery to address diverticulitis, and in 2023, he had abdominal surgery to repair a hernia. He also experienced chronic knee and back pain, often using a wheelchair for mobility.

Despite these issues, he maintained a rigorous schedule, continuing his pastoral duties and international travels.

In early 2025, Pope Francis was hospitalized with a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection, which developed into double pneumonia. His condition remained complex, requiring an extended hospital stay. He had been discharged from hospital on March 23.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would continue to mirror Russia's actions, following reports of further missile strikes by Moscow.

In a Telegram post, Zelenskyy noted that Moscow had ignored both a proposal for a full 30-day cease-fire and a call to halt air strikes on civilian infrastructure, including missile and drone attacks.

“The nature of Ukrainian actions will remain mirrored: we will respond to silence with silence, and any Russian attacks will be met with our own. Actions always speak louder than words,” he added.

An Easter truce in fighting between Russia and Ukraine appeared to reduce some air strikes on Ukrainian cities, but Kyiv angrily claimed nearly 3,000 violations by Moscow’s forces while calls for an extension went unheeded by the Kremlin.

Nevertheless, US President Donald Trump said late on April 20 that "hopefully, Ukraine and Russia will make a deal this week."

"Both will then start to do big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and make a fortune!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform without elaboration.

A unilateral truce was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 19, running from 6 p.m. that day until midnight on April 20.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agency TASS that Putin had given no orders for the cease-fire to extend beyond midnight. Ukrainian officials said it was not observed anyway.

Air attacks appeared to resume early on April 21. Hours after the scheduled end of the Easter truce, air-raid sirens blared across Kyiv, while the mayor of Mykolayiv reported that explosions were heard across the southern city. Details were not immediately available.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier proposed that -- in view of Russia’s apparent refusal to accept a longer, full-scale cease-fire -- both sides agree to pause air attacks on civilian infrastructure for at least 30 days.

"Ukraine proposes to cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days, with the possibility of extension.

"If Russia does not agree to such a step, it will be proof that it intends to continue doing only those things which destroy human lives and prolong the war," Zelenskyy said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said Moscow's actions following the midnight end to the truce will indicate the Kremlin's real attitude toward any initiatives to end the war.

"Regarding the so-called 'Easter Cease-fire,' we have still not heard Moscow’s response to our proposal to extend it to 30 days," he wrote on X.

"Russia's actions after midnight, tomorrow, and throughout the week will reveal Russia’s true attitude toward US peace efforts and the 30-day full cease-fire proposal. They will show whether Russia is serious about peace or Putin's statements from yesterday were simply manipulations," Sybiha added.

The US State Department earlier said it would welcome an extension to the Easter cease-fire that was set to expire a few hours later.

"We have seen President Putin's announcement of a temporary cease-fire due to Easter. We remain committed to achieving a full and comprehensive cease-fire," a State Department spokesperson said in a statement e-mailed to news media.

"As we assess their seriousness in this instance, we would welcome it extending beyond Sunday," the statement added.

In the early morning hours of April 21, Zelenskyy accused Russia of 2,935 violations following Putin's call for the Easter truce, although he added that there had been "no air raid alerts" during the period.

"Either Putin does not have full control over his army or the situation proves that in Russia they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war,” Zelenskyy wrote on X on April 20.

It was not possible to independently confirm battlefield claims.

Video sent to RFE/RL by a Ukrainian humanitarian organization appeared to show a drone attack on vehicles evacuating civilians near Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.

Yevhen Tkachev from the Proliska organization and a civilian woman were injured. She and her husband, who was suffering from shock, were taken to a hospital.

Zelenskyy posted on social media on April 20 that "the highest level of Russian combat activity this Easter is in the Pokrovsk direction," which is located some 50 kilometers southwest of Kostyantynivka.

"Putin's words about a 'cease-fire' have also proven empty in the Kursk region, the Siversk direction, and other directions in the Donetsk region," Zelenskyy added.

infrastructure and causing civilian deaths.

Russian authorities reported at least three explosions in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine early on April 20. The Defense Ministry claimed Kyiv launched 48 drone attacks on targets in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine overnight.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s forces were acting "in a fully symmetrical manner" to Moscow's.

Meanwhile, in a further sign of heightened international tensions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Britain's Defense Ministry reported recently intercepting Russian warplanes over the Baltic Sea.

It cited two incidents, on April 15 and 17, in which British jets were scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft. Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said on April 20 that "Russian aggression" was growing and that British jets were working with the Swedish Air Force to defend NATO airspace.

What Do Ukrainians Think Of Easter Cease-Fire?

In Kyiv, as priests sprinkled worshippers with holy water, there was deep skepticism about the Easter truce.

"I really hope for it but I do not believe in it. They (the Russians) say one thing but do the opposite," said Dmytro, a 37-year-old IT worker.

"Nobody believes in it," said 40-year-old Olha Malashuk, who works in sales. "[Putin] probably wants to rearm the troops, that is why no one believes him anymore."

There was also doubt reported among civilians in Moscow, where RFE/RL is effectively banned and unable to operate.

Evgeny Pavlov, 58, told the AFP news agency that "it's pointless because I don't trust Ukraine."

"We shouldn't give them a break. If we're pressing them, we should finish the job," he added.

Maria Goranina, 85, said, "We need to end this -- either yes or no. Either make peace permanently or not at all."

Trump's Threat To Walk Away

Putin's truce announcement followed signals from Trump and other US officials complaining about the slow progress in talks to resolve the Ukraine war, now in its fourth year.

Trump on April 18 said the Ukraine and Russia talks are "coming to a head" and he insisted that neither side is "playing" him in his push to end the conflict.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, warned that the United States may "move on" from trying to secure a peace deal if there is no progress in coming days.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Ray Furlong, RFE/Rl's Ukrainian Service, and Reuters

After more than three years of war, the talk of an Easter truce in fighting between Russia and Ukraine was met with some skepticism, and it does indeed seem to have failed to materialize.

A unilateral truce was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 19, running from 6 p.m. that day until midnight on April 20.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agency TASS that the cease-fire would not extend beyond midnight. Ukrainian officials have said it has not been observed anyway.

"Either Putin does not have full control over his army or the situation proves that in Russia they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X on April 20.

Zelenskyy had said his country would observe the truce and suggested extending it to 30 days.

Both sides, however, have reported that attacks by the other continued on Easter Sunday, though it was not possible to independently confirm battlefield claims.

Video sent to RFE/RL by a Ukrainian humanitarian organization appeared to show a drone attack on vehicles evacuating civilians near Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.

Yevhen Tkachev from the Proliska organization and a civilian woman were injured. She and her husband, who was suffering from shock, were taken to a hospital.

Zelenskyy posted on social media on April 20 that "the highest level of Russian combat activity this Easter is in the Pokrovsk direction," which is located some 50 kilometers southwest of Kostyantynivka.

"Putin's words about a 'cease-fire' have also proven empty in the Kursk region, the Siversk direction, and other directions in the Donetsk region," Zelenskyy added.

The Ukrainian general staff reported shelling, assaults, and drone attacks.

Russian authorities reported at least three explosions in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine early on April 20. The Defense Ministry claimed Kyiv launched 48 drone attacks on targets in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine overnight.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s forces were acting "in a fully symmetrical manner" to Moscow's.

Meanwhile, in a further sign of heightened international tensions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Britain's Defense Ministry reported recently intercepting Russian warplanes over the Baltic Sea.

It cited two incidents, on April 15 and 17, in which British jets were scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft. Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said on April 20 that "Russian aggression" was growing and that British jets were working with the Swedish Air Force to defend NATO airspace.

What Do Ukrainians Think Of Easter Cease-Fire?

In Kyiv, as priests sprinkled worshippers with holy water, there was deep skepticism about the Easter truce.

"I really hope for it but I do not believe in it. They (the Russians) say one thing but do the opposite," said Dmytro, a 37-year-old IT worker.

"Nobody believes in it," said 40-year-old Olha Malashuk, who works in sales. "[Putin] probably wants to rearm the troops, that is why no one believes him anymore."

There was also doubt reported among civilians in Moscow, where RFE/RL is effectively banned and unable to operate.

Evgeny Pavlov, 58, told the AFP news agency that "it's pointless because I don't trust Ukraine."

"We shouldn't give them a break. If we're pressing them, we should finish the job," he added.

Maria Goranina, 85, said, "We need to end this -- either yes or no. Either make peace permanently or not at all."

This was a sentiment also voiced by EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Anitta Hipper.

"Russia could stop this war at any moment if it really wanted to.... We continue to support Ukraine for a long, just, and comprehensive peace," she said after the truce was announced on April 19.

Trump's Threat To Walk Away

Putin's truce announcement followed signals from US President Donald Trump and other US officials complaining about the slow progress in talks to resolve the Ukraine war, now in its fourth year.

Trump on April 18 said the Ukraine and Russia talks are "coming to a head" and he insisted that neither side is "playing" him in his push to end the conflict.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, warned that the United States may "move on" from trying to secure a peace deal if there is no progress in coming days.

Putin has made holiday cease-fire proposals in the past. In January 2023, Putin ordered a 36-hour cease-fire for Orthodox Christmas. At the time, Zelenskyy dismissed the Russian call as playing for time to regroup its forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country will abide by a 30-hour Easter cease-fire called by Moscow, but he accused Russia of already violating the truce by launching drone and artillery attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Separately, Kyiv and Moscow announced a major swap of prisoners of war on April 19, with more than 200 men being exchanged by each side.

On the battlefield, Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had pushed Ukrainian troops from one of the last remaining villages they held in the Kursk region, which Ukraine had invaded more than eight months ago.

Kyiv had no immediate comment on the claim about retaking the Kursk region village of Oleshnya, on the border with Ukraine.

If confirmed, however, it would move Russian troops closer to fully expelling Ukrainian troops from Kursk, which has been a persistent embarrassment for the Kremlin.

With Orthodox and Western Easter falling on the same day -- April 20 -- this year, Putin used a televised meeting with his top military commander to announce he was calling a two-day truce.

The cease-fire, Putin said, would begin at 5 p.m. CET on April 19 and run until midnight on Easter Sunday, April 20.

"We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example," he said while meeting General Valery Gerasimov.

"At the same time, our troops must be ready to repel any possible violations of the truce or provocations from the enemy, any of its aggressive actions."

Zelenskyy quickly labeled the call "yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives."

Attack "drones in our skies reveal Putin's true attitude toward Easter and toward human life," Zelenskyy said in a post to X.

Zelenskyy said the short timeframe for the truce indicated Putin was not serious about ending the fighting and suggested the cease-fire be extended for 30 days instead.

"If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly -- mirroring Russia’s actions," Zelenskyy wrote on X.

"If the complete cease-fire truly holds, Ukraine proposes an extension beyond April 20," Zelensky wrote.

"That is what will reveal Russia’s true intentions, because 30 hours is enough to make headlines but not for genuine confidence-building measures. Thirty days could give peace a chance," the Ukrainian leader added.

Anitta Hipper, the European Commission's lead spokeswoman for foreign affairs and security, said "Russia has a track record as an aggressor, so first we need to see any actual halt of the aggression and clear deeds for a lasting cease-fire."

"Russia could stop this war at any moment if it really wanted to.... We continue to support Ukraine for a long, just and comprehensive peace," she added.

Putin's proposal follows signals from US President Donald Trump and other US officials complaining about the slow progress in talks to resolve the Ukraine war, now in its fourth year.

Trump on April 18 said the Ukraine and Russia talks are "coming to a head" and he insisted that neither side is "playing" him in his push to end the conflict.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, warned that the United States may "move on" from trying to secure a peace deal if there is no progress in coming days.

Putin has made holiday cease-fire proposals in the past. In January 2023, Putin ordered a 36-hour cease-fire for Orthodox Christmas. Zelenskyy dismissed the Russian call as playing for time to regroup its forces.

While Russian troops claimed painstaking progress against Ukrainian troops in Kursk, further to the east, Ukrainian troops continued to hold small slices of territory in Belgorod, another Russian border region.

Zelenskyy and his top military commander, General Oleksandr Syrskiy, announced the incursion into Belgorod last week.

With the weather turning, and sodden battlefield soil firming up, both Russia and Ukraine have launched small-scale spring offensives.

Russia's Defense Ministry also said on April 19 that its troops were trying to push Ukrainian forces out of Gornal, another Kursk region village some 11 kilometers to the south of Oleshnya.

Despite a tentative agreement on a limited cease-fire, Kyiv and Moscow have continued to pound one another with missiles and drones. Over the past week, Russian ballistic missiles have hit several civilian targets, killing or wounding scores of civilians.

In Kupyansk, a city east of Kharkiv that Russian troops have been struggling to advance on, Russian jets reportedly dropped more than a half-dozen "glide" bombs on targets in and around the city. The city's military administrator said at least five people were wounded.

Glide bombs are heavy bombs that are retrofitted with guidance systems, allowing them to be dropped by aircraft well out of range of Ukrainian air defense systems. Russian forces have used the weapons to devastating effect on Ukrainian defenses.

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched nearly eight dozen drones overnight on April 19. More were either intercepted or jammed electronically, the military claimed.

Russia's Defense Ministry said air-defense systems shot down two Ukrainian drones overnight.

Ukrainian and Russian officials also announced a major prisoner swap, with each side handing back more than 240 men, according to Russian authorities.

Zelenskyy said 277 Ukrainian "warriors" were returned from Russian captivity.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service

Iranian and US negotiators agreed to hold a third round of high-stakes talks on Iran's nuclear ambitions, a positive signal amid mixed White House messages about potential military action and new demands on Tehran.

The April 19 meetings, held in Rome, were the second time that top-level negotiators from Washington and Tehran had met this month.

There was no immediate comment on the outcome of the Rome talks from the US delegation, which was headed by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff.

But news agencies quoted senior US officials as saying the sides “made very good progress” in the Rome discussions.

"Today, in Rome over four hours in our second round of talks, we made very good progress in our direct and indirect discussions," said an unidentified US official -- who also confirmed a statement by Iran that the two sides agreed to meet again next week.

AP also quoted a US official as confirming that Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi had spoken face to face.

Iran's foreign minister said the two sides had agreed to meet again on April 26 in Oman, where the first round took place.

"I believe technical negotiations at the expert level will begin in Oman on Wednesday [April 23)] and next Saturday we will meet in Oman and review the results of the experts' work to see how close it is to the principles of an agreement," Araqchi told Iranian state TV.

"It was a good meeting, and I can say that the negotiations are moving forward. This time we managed to reach a better understanding on a series of principles and goals," he said.

The United States and other Western countries have long accused Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons.

Tehran has consistently denied the allegations, insisting that its efforts are aimed at civilian purposes, such as electricity generation.

Conflicting Messages

Following his return to the White House in January, US President Donald Trump, who had previously withdrawn from a 2015 accord known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), revived a "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions against Iran.

Last month, he sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader urging renewed talks while warning of military action if diplomacy failed.

In the past week, Trump and other White House officials have sent sometimes conflicting messages about the US approach to the talks. The White House has ordered heavy, long-range bombers to the region, along with a second aircraft carrier.

"I'm not in a rush" to use the military option, Trump told reporters on April 17. "I think Iran wants to talk."

On April 18, he told reporters: "I'm for stopping Iran, very simply, from having a nuclear weapon. They can't have a nuclear weapon. I want Iran to be great and prosperous and terrific."

In an interview days earlier on Fox News, Witkoff said that the United States was open to Iran having some sort of limited nuclear program.

But he then walked back that position in a social media post, suggesting that the entire program needed to be dismantled.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said he hoped the Iranian talks would be “fruitful.”

“We would all prefer a peaceful resolution and a lasting one,” he said after meetings in Paris.

But, he added, “It has to be something that not just prevents Iran from having a nuclear weapon now, but in the future as well.”

Israel's Role

Israel’s role in the debate over Iran’s nuclear ambitions is also critical. Israeli officials have vowed to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and Israel has not ruled out an attack on its nuclear facilities in the coming months, according to multiple news reports.

Trump has reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington did not support such a move.

Former officials and experts have long said that Israel would need significant US military support –- and weapons –- to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities and stockpiles, some of which are in underground facilities.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, AP, AFP, and Reuters

A St. Petersburg court sentenced anti-war activist Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison after ruling she "discredited" the Russian military by gluing a poem to a monument dedicated to a Ukrainian poet.

Kozyreva, 19, also faced charges stemming from an interview she gave to RFE/RL's North Realities, where she discussed her political views, among other things.

Prosecutors had requested six years in prison for Kozyreva, who was detained on February 24, 2024, on the second anniversary of Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine.

She was arrested after she glued an excerpt of a poem by Taras Shevchenko, a poet and thinker who is widely revered in Ukraine, to a statue of Shevchenko standing in St. Petersburg.

The poem read:

Oh bury me, then rise ye up
And break your heavy chains
And water with the tyrants' blood
The freedom you have gained

Prosecutors added new charges months later, based on her interview with North Realities.

At the time of her arrest, Kozyreva was known for previous anti-war demonstrations, and for public support of activists including anti-corruption campaigner Aleksei Navalny.

In her closing statement to the St. Petersburg court on April 18, Kozyreva quoted briefly from a Shevchenko poem, and then referred to Ukraine's independence.

"Ukraine is a free country, a free nation, and it will decide its own fate," she said, according to reporters from MediaZona and SotaVision, who were in the courtroom.

"Of course, I dream of Ukraine getting back every inch of its land, including Donbas and Crimea. I believe that one day my dream will come true. One day history will judge everything fairly. But Ukraine has won anyway. It has already won. That's all."

Weeks after the start of the Ukraine invasion, Russian lawmakers passed sweeping legislation that criminalized any criticism of the armed forces, or the overall conduct of the war in Ukraine.

Iran’s foreign minister has called for Russia to play a role in high-stakes negotiations over the fate of Tehran’s nuclear programs, as he cast doubt on US intentions ahead a new round of talks.

Speaking on April 18 alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Abbas Araqchi said he still believed an agreement was possible.

The Iranian diplomat was set to meet with White House special envoy Steve Witkoff in Rome on April 19, for a second round of talks over Iran’s atomic programs.

"Although we have serious doubts about the intentions and motivations of the American side, in any case we will participate in tomorrow's negotiations," Araqchi said during a joint appearance in Moscow.

Last week’s first round of talks in Oman was the highest-level negotiations between Tehran and Washington since US President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark nuclear deal in 2018.

Western countries, including the United States, have long accused Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons. Tehran has consistently denied the allegations, insisting that its efforts are aimed at civilian purposes, like electricity generation.

Earlier in the week, Witkoff called for an end to all of Iran’s uranium enrichment programs. International inspectors say Tehran has managed to refine its uranium stocks to 60 percent -- which is close to the threshold at which uranium is considered weapons-grade.

Araqchi responded on April 16, saying that Iran's enrichment efforts were not up for discussion.

"If there is similar willingness on the other side, and they refrain from making unreasonable and unrealistic demands, I believe reaching an agreement is likely," Araghchi said.

Since taking office in January, Trump has ratcheted up the pressure on Iran, including by sending more US Air Force and naval assets to the region. But he’s also forced direct talks with Iranian officials.

“I’m not asking for much,” Trump said in comments earlier this month, “but they can’t have a nuclear weapon.”

With reporting by Reuters

The United States’ top diplomat signaled impatience with European officials as two days of talks to find a resolution to the Ukraine conflict wrapped up.

The April 18 comments by Secretary of State Marco Rubio came as Russia continued to pound Ukrainian targets, including the country’s second largest city, Kharkiv, where a missile strike wounded dozens of people.

Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, released the text of an agreement that would pave the way for US companies to invest in Ukraine’s valuable mineral resources.

Ukrainian and US negotiators have struggled to agree on a deal, and a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February imploded in acrimonious accusations.

Rubio met in Paris with top European officials amid efforts to find a resolution to Russia’s war on Ukraine, which is now in its fourth year.

He was joined by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff who met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week for what he described as five hours of talks. Witkoff has met three times with Putin, Rubio said.

After a phone call in February, Trump and Putin announced intentions to start direct peace talks, something Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, had avoided since the start of the Russian invasion.

The US push for direct talks with Moscow has worried European officials, who fear Ukraine could end up at a disadvantage in any final agreement between Washington and Moscow.

Speaking to reporters as he departed Paris, Rubio said the United States will walk away from trying to broker a peace deal within days unless there are clear signs that a deal can be done.

"We're not going to continue with this endeavor for weeks and months on end,” he said. "We need to figure out here now, within a matter of days, whether this is doable in the short term, because if it's not, then I think we're just going to move on.”

"If it is, we're in,” he said. “If it's not, then... we have other priorities to focus on as well."

"The United States has been helping Ukraine over the last three years, and we want it to end, but it's not our war," Rubio said.

European officials had been "very helpful and constructive with their ideas,” Rubio also said.

"We'd like them to remain engaged.... I think the UK and France and Germany can help us move the ball on this and then get this closer to a resolution," he said.

Rubio's comments highlight growing frustrations in the White House over the lack of progress on the Ukraine conflict. During his election campaign, Trump pledged to end the war within his first 24 hours in the White House.

Asked to confirm what Rubio had said, Trump told reporters at the White House that Rubio was right: the United States will "take a pass" on brokering further Ukraine war talks unless there is quick progress from Moscow and Kyiv.

When asked how quick progress must be, Trump said there was "no specific number of days" and added: "Now if for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say: 'You're foolish. You're fools. You're horrible people' -- and we're going to just take a pass," Trump said. "But hopefully we won't have to do that."

Rubio also said he spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the Paris talks and had told him they had been constructive.

That upbeat tone was reflected in the State Department readout of the April 17 phone call between the two diplomats.

In its readout, however, the Russian Foreign Ministry again mentioned the phrase “root causes of the Ukraine crisis.”

That’s a term that Putin himself has used repeatedly, referring to wider geopolitical issues not directly connected to the invasion: for example, NATO’s expansion in Europe, or Ukraine’s overall sovereignty.

Russia has conditioned its agreement to a cease-fire on Ukraine halting its mobilization efforts and an end to Western arms supplies, both of which have been rejected by Ukraine.

Speaking during a visit to Rome, US Vice President JD Vance sounded a more upbeat note about the state of talks.

"Since there are the negotiations I won't prejudge them, but we do feel optimistic that we can hopefully bring this war, this very brutal war, to a close," he said as he met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Separately, Ukrainian officials on April 18 released the text of a agreement on access to Ukraine’s valuable mineral resources, including rare earths.

Kyiv and Washington have been trying to agree on a deal that Trump says would allow Ukraine to compensate for billions of dollars in US weaponry supplied over the course of the war.

An attempt to sign a pact in February collapsed in acrimony, after Zelenskyy clashed with Trump and Vance in the Oval Office.

The text of the memorandum lays out an economic partnership deal with the United States and setting up an investment fund for Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said officials would travel to Washington next week to formally sign the deal.

In addition to Kharkiv, Russian strikes also targeted a bakery in the northern town of Sumy, less than a week after a deadly Palm Sunday strike. Prosecutors said the April 18 strike left one person dead and another wounded.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service

The US military said it destroyed a key Yemeni fuel port held by Houthi rebels, who said the air strikes also killed 20 people and wounded 50 others.

The US military’s Central Command said its forces took action on the port of Ras Isa to eliminate a source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and deprive them of revenue.

“The objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis, who continue to exploit and bring great pain upon their fellow countrymen,” Centcom said in a statement.

“This strike was not intended to harm the people of Yemen, who rightly want to throw off the yoke of Houthi subjugation and live peacefully,” Centcom said.

The US air strikes have hammered the Houthis in a campaign launched by President Donald Trump on March 15 to end their attacks on civilian shipping and military vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Houthi attacks have hampered shipping through the Suez Canal -- a vital route for world seaborne traffic -- forcing many companies to send their ships around the tip of southern Africa.

The Houthis denounced the attack.

“This completely unjustified aggression represents a flagrant violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and independence and a direct targeting of the entire Yemeni people,” the Houthis said in a statement carried by the Houthi-controlled SABA news agency. “It targets a vital civilian facility that has served the Yemeni people for decades.”

Health Ministry spokesman Anees Alasbahi said the preliminary death toll stood at 20, including five paramedics.

There were also "50 wounded workers and employees at the Ras Issa oil port, following the American aggression," he said on X.

"The death toll is likely to rise as body parts are still being identified," he added.

The number of dead represented one of the highest reported death tolls since Trump vowed that military action against the rebels would continue until they are no longer a threat to shipping.

The Ras Isa port lies along the west coast of Yemen on the Red Sea.

Centcom said ships have continued to supply fuel via the port despite Washington designating the rebels a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year. The Centcom statement did not specify the source of the fuel.

US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce commented earlier on April 17 about China's participation in Yemen. Bruce told journalists that the Chinese satellite firm Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company was "directly supporting” the Houthis.

Bruce said their actions and Beijing's support of the company, “is yet another example of China's empty claims to support peace.”

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Ukraine and the United States have "taken a step" toward a joint economic partnership agreement, Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on April 17.

Svyrydenko, who is also first deputy prime minister, said on X that Ukraine and the United States signed a memorandum as an initial step toward clinching an agreement.

"We are happy to announce the signing, with our American partners, of a Memorandum of Intent, which paves the way for an Economic Partnership Agreement and the establishment of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine," Svyrydenko said.

The memorandum “demonstrates the constructive joint work of our teams and the intention to finalize and conclude an agreement that will be beneficial to both of our peoples," she said.

The agreement will open up opportunities for investment, infrastructure modernization, and mutually beneficial partnership between Ukraine and the United States, she said.

"It is important that we reaffirm through our agreements the desire of the American people to invest together with the Ukrainian people in a free, sovereign, and secure Ukraine,” she added.

Svyrydenko’s messages on X did not directly mention a minerals deal that the United States and Ukraine have been discussing for months, but she said the two sides continue to work on the economic partnership agreement.

While there is still a lot to do, she said “the current pace and significant progress give reason to expect that the document will be very beneficial for both countries.”

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that an agreement on Ukraine’s rare earth minerals is ready, and he expects it to be signed on April 24. The United States offered Kyiv “a big deal right away,” according to Trump.

Trump's administration has made securing rare earth supply chains a strategic priority, especially as global competition with China intensifies.

The deal with Ukraine is seen in Washington as a way to diversify minerals -- strategic resources essential to modern technologies and national security -- and reduce US dependency on Chinese exports.

It's also seen by Trump as a way to be compensated for billions of dollars in support Washington has supplied to Ukraine in its war with Russia, sparked by Moscow's February 2022 full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

Talks on a cease-fire in the conflict have been occurring in parallel to the economic partnership talks.

Svyrydenko said that, once finalized, the draft economic partnership agreement will require ratification by the Ukrainian parliament to ensure the agreement aligns with Ukraine's long-term national interests.

The agreement "will create opportunities for investment and development in Ukraine and establish conditions for tangible economic growth for both Ukraine and the United States," she said.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Moldova's lawmakers voted to set the next parliamentary elections for September 28 in a test for the country's fragile democracy caught between pro-European and pro-Russian forces.

A total of 57 lawmakers voted on April 17 to hold the elections on September 28, against 32 abstentions.

President Maia Sandu's pro-Western PAS party is expected to face a strong challenge from a three-party coalition led by her rival, Alexandr Stoianoglo.

The Harvard University educated, former World Bank official narrowly edged out Stoianoglo in a presidential election late last year.

Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor-general, will lead the coalition that says it wants to improve ties with Russia while also keeping a westward orientation.

Speaking before parliament's decision, Sandu said the country was committed to holding to fair elections, adding that Moldovans must "decide the country's future" and that the justice system must "punish those who engage in vote-buying or coercion."

Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, secured EU candidate status in 2022 and opened accession talks last year after firmly aligning itself with its neighbor, Ukraine, following Russia's unprovoked invasion in 2022, and joining the EU sanctions regime against Moscow.

Sandu has tied her legacy to Moldova being in the European Union, while Stoianoglo, from Gagauzia -- a Turkic-speaking autonomous region of Moldova with pro-Russian sentiment -- has pushed a law-and-order theme.

However, as prosecutor-general, Stoianoglo was widely criticized for his failure to address high-level corruption.

Most notably, he was accused of inaction in the cases of Veaceslav Platon, an oligarch involved in the disappearance of around $1 billion from the country's banks and fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor, who was caught on camera giving PRSM leader and former President Igor Dodon a suspicious-looking bag.

Russia has long been accused of destabilizing Moldovan politics via disinformation and financial support for fringe parties.

Moscow has condemned what it describes as "Western interference" in Moldova's domestic affairs, particularly after Sandu's PAS party tightened campaign finance laws and banned pro-Russian media outlets accused of spreading war propaganda.

In Gagauzia, local authorities have openly defied central government reforms and analysts said it may play a disruptive role during the campaign period — especially if Russian-backed candidates are marginalized.

Meanwhile, in Transdniester, the separatist enclave with de facto Russian control, the elections are being watched as a barometer of Chisinau's political will.

A strong PAS victory, analysts said, could boost Moldova's efforts to assert authority over the breakaway region and tighten EU border security cooperation.

EU officials, including members of the European Parliament, have urged Moldova to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections, warning any sign of political repression or legal overreach could complicate accession talks.

Russia’s Supreme Court removed Afghanistan's militant Taliban rulers from its list of banned terrorist groups in a step toward recognizing the group that seized power in 2021 as international forces withdrew from the war-torn country.

Russian state news agencies said that in its ruling on April 17, the Supreme Court sided with a petition from the Prosecutor-General's Office, a sign the move is a coordinated policy change with support from top legal and political authorities, who designated the Taliban as a terrorist organization more than 20 years ago.

The suspension of the terrorist designation does not amount to full diplomatic recognition of the Taliban government.

Amid poverty and unrest in the country, the Taliban rulers have made moves to open ties with the rest of the world. But Western nations have been reluctant to engage with the extremist group amid complaints of widespread human rights violations, especially against girls and women.

Russia has not officially recognized the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, nor has it re-established ambassadorial-level relations. However, the April 17 ruling may lay the legal groundwork for expanded cooperation, investment, and potentially future recognition.

Russia officially banned the Taliban in 2003, aligning itself with international counterterrorism standards and reflecting concerns over jihadist movements in Central Asia and Russia's North Caucasus region.

Still, Russia has been one of the few major powers to keep its embassy in Kabul operational during the Taliban regime.

Russian diplomats, intelligence officials, and even business interests have since engaged with Taliban authorities — especially on regional security, counter-narcotics, and economic cooperation, such as potential mining and energy projects.

Russia Looking To Gain Influence

With Moscow eager to strengthen its influence in Central Asia amid growing competition with the West and China’s expanding footprint, Afghanistan has become a critical piece of the regional chessboard.

The court’s decision may also be linked to Moscow’s concerns about the Islamic State–Khorasan group, which has claimed responsibility for several high-profile attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and even within Russia itself — including the deadly Crocus City Hall terrorist attack in March 2024.

Some analysts say Russian officials likely view the Taliban as a lesser evil or even a potential security partner.

The suspension of the ban may spark unease in Central Asian countries such as Tajikistan, which has historically viewed the Taliban with deep suspicion.

While some regional governments have engaged with Kabul out of necessity, fears remain about Taliban-inspired radicalization, border security, and cross-border militancy.

In September 2024, Kyrgyzstan removed the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist organizations, aligning with similar moves by neighboring Kazakhstan earlier that year.

Another Central Asian nation, Uzbekistan, has been at the forefront of engaging with the Taliban, emphasizing economic cooperation and regional connectivity.

China is also cautiously increasing its engagement with the Taliban, including through infrastructure and investment talks under the Belt and Road Initiative.

French officials have praised talks held between key European countries, Ukraine, and the United States, the first involving the three sides since US President Donald Trump took power, as they look to end Europe's largest conflict since the end of World War II.

Until the gathering in the French capital on April 17, US officials had taken negotiating tracks -- one between the United States and Ukraine and one between Washington and Moscow -- that appeared to leave Europe on the sidelines.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that was no longer the case, with Europe now fully involved in helping end the war between Russia and Ukraine, now in its fourth year. More talks in the new format would continue next week in London, he added.

"For a long time, there were fears that Europeans would not be at the table," Barrot said.

"Today, it was in Paris that, for the first time, the Europeans, the Americans, and the Ukrainians came together."

The Russian Foreign Ministry said later on April 17 that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the outcome of talks in a telephone conversation, and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov “confirmed Moscow's readiness to continue joint work with American colleagues with the aim of eliminating the original causes of the Ukrainian crisis."

Russia has repeatedly said Ukraine must recognize Russia's annexation of Ukrainian regions and that Kyiv must abandon any notion of it securing membership of the NATO alliance.

The Paris meeting came days after the latest direct talks between Washington and Moscow that are aimed at ending the war.

There have been sharp differences between the Trump administration on one side, and Europe and Ukraine, on the other, over how to handle diplomatic efforts.

“It was a very substantive conversation. We continue our work,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Andriy Yermak wrote on social media.

The talks were a first chance for face-to-face meetings between senior European and Ukrainian leaders and US special envoy Steve Witkoff since his latest meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week.

Moscow has failed to sign on to a broad cease-fire agreement put forward by US President Donald Trump, which Ukraine has already accepted. Russia has said any deal is conditional on Kyiv stopping its mobilization efforts as well as an end to the flow of Western arms to Ukraine. Those demands have been rejected by Ukraine.

Still, Witkoff recently told Fox News that he believes a peace deal was “emerging.”

He said he had heard “what Putin’s request is to have a permanent peace here,” adding that it was “about these so-called five territories.” This refers to parts of Ukraine at least partially occupied by Russia, which Moscow claims.

As the Paris talks continued, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told journalists in Kyiv that Witkoff was "consciously or unconsciously, I don't know, spreading Russian narratives."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that while Washington was working for peace, "from the Europeans, we see a focus on continuing the war."

Meanwhile, there has been no letup in deadly Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent days. On April 16, a Russian drone attack on Dnipro killed at least five people.

"Russia uses every day and every night to kill. We must put pressure on the killers... to end this war and guarantee a lasting peace," Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post.

The talks also included Rubio, British National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell and Jens Ploetner, a senior adviser to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

While Washington has tried to push ahead with cease-fire talks with Kyiv and Moscow, European countries have focused on supporting Ukraine and planning for a possible military mission to shore up any cease-fire deal.

European efforts to get a US commitment to provide a “backstop” to such efforts have met with a cool response from Washington.

Russian drone and artillery attacks killed at least five people, including a child and an elderly woman, and injured dozens of others in the southeastern Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk.

"It was a difficult night in Dnipro... Three people were killed by this Russian attack, and among them was a girl, Veronika, only 17 years old," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Local Governor Serhiy Lysak later updated the death toll to five, and added that 31 people, including five children, were injured in the attack on the city of Dnipro late on April 16. Sixteen people were being treated in hospital.

The attack ignited several fires, according to Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov, who said one strike came within 100 meters of the city’s municipal offices. He also said at least 15 dwellings had been damaged along with a student residence, an educational institution, and a food-processing plant.

Two more people were killed in Nikopol, a town only 5 kilometers away from Russian forces in the partially occupied Zaporizhzhya region. Five were reported injured.

"A shop, a cafe, private houses, outbuildings, a car, and a bus stop were damaged," Lysak said.

Pictures posted online showed a large blaze and firefighters working at the scene as well as gutted vehicles and buildings with smashed windows and damaged facades.

Elsewhere, a deadly Russian rocket attack killed at least one person in the eastern Ukrainian city of Konstyantynivka.

The city was targeted again by shelling on April 17 while an RFE/RL correspondent was speaking with locals whose homes had been damaged.

In the northeastern Kharkiv region, Governor Oleh Synyehubov said a Russian missile attack injured seven people in the town of Izyum. The town was captured by Russian troops in the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 but was retaken by Ukrainian forces later in the year.

Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry said it's air defense systems destroyed or intercepted 71 Ukrainian drones over six Russian regions overnight, with 49 of the drones downed in the Kursk region.

It was not possible for RFE/RL to verify the claims.

Last week, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said on Telegram that Russia's ballistic missile strike on Palm Sunday that left 34 people dead in Sumy was partly launched from the Kursk region.

Yan Matveyev, a Russian military analyst, said that Russia's 112th brigade -- one of those accused by Ukraine of carrying out the attack on Sumy -- does indeed have a dozen Iskander-M missiles.

"They can be stationed in different places and move around all the time.... Now they are also responsible for the whole northern direction and fire at various objects," Matveyev said in an interview with Current Time.

Zelenskyy met with defense industry representatives in Kyiv on April 16. He said Ukraine now produces 40 percent of the weapons used on the front line.

"Our defense industry is already manufacturing more than a thousand types of weapons: from artillery shells to missiles and long-range weapons, to our drones," Zelenskyy said during the meeting, according to his office.

Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine's growing defense sector now employs around 300,000 people and is attracting an increasing number of international partners. Domestic successes include the rapid rollout of new combat drones, artillery production, and Ukraine's own missile systems. Though the items currently are in limited quantities.

Matveyev says the Ukrainian-produced drone 'Lyutiy' could have taken part in recent attacks inside Russia.

"It is probably the most massive Ukrainian drone for attacks on some distant objects... It flies slowly, so it's not a big problem to shoot it down if the air defense calculations are ready," he said.

Despite the progress, Zelenskyy acknowledged Ukraine remains heavily reliant on foreign arms deliveries, including tanks, armored vehicles, and advanced air defense systems.

Last week, he proposed a $15 billion deal with the United States for 10 Patriot air defense systems to bolster Ukraine’s protection against Russian missile strikes.

The Ukrainian parliament has voted to extend martial law and a mobilization order by another 90 days. The two corresponding motions submitted by Zelenskyy received the required two-thirds majority. Once signed by Zelenskyy, martial law will apply until August 6. It was due to expire on May 9.

Former President Petro Poroshenko, who is Zelenskyy's main rival, accused the government of rushing the extension through parliament.

Martial law is "being used not only for the defense of the country, but also for the establishment of an authoritarian regime," Poroshenko claimed on social media.

The Ukrainian government first imposed martial law and ordered mobilization following Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

There has been speculation that Zelenskyy could call elections, which cannot be held under martial law. Conscripts aged between 18 and 60 are barred from leaving the country under the law.

With reporting by Reuters and dpa

Serbia has appointed a new government led by Duro Macut, a doctor and academic with no prior political experience, amid street protests that have rocked the Balkan nation.

The 61-year-old Macut was backed by 153 lawmakers in the 250-seat parliament during the April 16 vote. Macut's cabinet will include 30 ministers, including 10 newcomers. A total of 199 MPs voted, with 46 against.

Macut was handpicked by President Aleksandar Vucic, who has led the country since 2017. Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) controls 112 seats in parliament.

In his inaugural address, Macut said Serbia was "tired of division and blockades" and called for the "harmonization of society" through dialogue, tolerance, and a shared value system. He announced that his immediate priority would be ensuring the normal functioning of schools and universities.

The new cabinet follows the resignation of former Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, who stepped down on January 28, a day after members of the SNS assaulted a student protester in Novi Sad. Vucevic is president of the SNS. His resignation was formally acknowledged by parliament on March 19.

Vucevic's departure came amid growing anti-government protests spearheaded by students who are demanding accountability for the deaths of 16 people in the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad on November 1.

The protests over the accident have evolved into a broader movement opposing what demonstrators say is the crumbling rule of law and systemic corruption under Vucic, who experts say rules the country with a tight grip. The students have blocked dozens of faculties across Serbia since late November.

Macut, a respected endocrinologist, is deputy director of the Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases at Serbia's University Clinical Center. He is also a full professor at the University of Belgrade Medical School and lectures in Athens and Skopje.

He heads the Serbian Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and is an internationally recognised expert on polycystic ovary syndrome. Macut currently serves on the Executive Board of the European Society of Endocrinology.

Zoran Stojiljkovic, a professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, sees the appointment of Macut as little more than a tactic by Vucic to buy time.

"The government is responsible for triggering this political and social crisis, and what it's offering as a way out doesn’t guarantee either stability or permanence," he told local media.

Bojan Klacar, executive director of the Centre for Free Elections and Democracy, said Macut’s nomination is a direct response to the student protests that remain “very much alive and vital.”

“If the protests begin to subside, this choice could benefit the ruling Serbian Progressive Party,” Klacar said. “In that case, the opposition and those supporting the students will struggle to justify why they wouldn’t sit at the table with such a prime minister.”

He added that Macut, a university professor, should be a “credible interlocutor” for the protesting students.