Latest news with #RFE
Al Arabiya
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
A Ukrainian journalist is released from Russian custody in occupied Crimea
Vladyslav Yesypenko, a journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), was released Sunday after more than four years in Russian custody in Crimea, according to RFE/RL. Yesypenko was arrested and jailed on March 10, 2021, in Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, on suspicion of gathering intelligence for Ukraine–a charge he denied. In February 2022, a Russian-installed court in Crimea sentenced the dual Russian-Ukrainian citizen to six years on espionage charges that he, his employer, and rights groups said were fabricated. Months later, he was also charged with possessing explosives–a claim he denies. Prosecutors later acknowledged the grenade found in his car did not bear his fingerprints. The top Moscow-controlled court in Crimea later reduced Yesypenko's sentence to five years. During his trial, he testified that he was tortured with electric shocks to extract a false confession. 'For more than four years, Vlad was arbitrarily punished for a crime he did not commit. He paid too high of a price for reporting the truth about what was taking place inside Russian-occupied Crimea,' RFE/RL chief executive Stephen Capus said, adding that Yesypenko had been tortured physically and psychologically. Capus thanked the US and Ukrainian governments for 'working with us to ensure that Vlad's unjust detention was not prolonged.' In a post on Telegram, Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak thanked everyone who helped secure Yesypenko's release. He was freed shortly after longtime RFE/RL correspondent Ihar Karnei was released from prison in Belarus following a rare visit by a senior US official.
The Independent
23-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
A Ukrainian journalist is released from Russian custody in occupied Crimea
Ukrainian Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko was released Sunday after more than four years in Russian custody in Crimea, according to RFE/RL. Yesypenko was arrested and jailed on March 10, 2021, in Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, on suspicion of gathering intelligence for Ukraine, a charge he denied. In February 2022, a Russian-installed court in Crimea sentenced the dual Russian-Ukrainian citizen to six years on espionage charges that he, his employer and rights groups said were fabricated. Months later, he was also charged with possessing explosives — a claim he denies. Prosecutors later acknowledged the grenade found in his car did not bear his fingerprints. The top Moscow-controlled court in Crimea later reduced Yesypenko's sentence to five years. During his trial, he testified that he was tortured with electric shocks to extract a false confession. 'For more than four years, Vlad was arbitrarily punished for a crime he did not commit. He paid too high of a price for reporting the truth about what was taking place inside Russia-occupied Crimea,' RFE/RL chief executive Stephen Capus said, adding that Yesypenko had been 'tortured, physically and psychologically.' Capus thanked the U.S. and Ukrainian governments for 'working with us to ensure that Vlad's unjust detention was not prolonged.' In a post on Telegram, Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak thanked everyone who helped secure Yesypenko's release. He was freed shortly after longtime RFE/RL correspondent Ihar Karnei was released from prison in Belarus, following a rare visit by a senior U.S. official.
Associated Press
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
A Ukrainian journalist is released from Russian custody in occupied Crimea
Ukrainian Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko was released Sunday after more than four years in Russian custody in Crimea, according to RFE/RL. Yesypenko was arrested and jailed on March 10, 2021, in Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, on suspicion of gathering intelligence for Ukraine, a charge he denied. In February 2022, a Russian-installed court in Crimea sentenced the dual Russian-Ukrainian citizen to six years on espionage charges that he, his employer and rights groups said were fabricated. Months later, he was also charged with possessing explosives — a claim he denies. Prosecutors later acknowledged the grenade found in his car did not bear his fingerprints. The top Moscow-controlled court in Crimea later reduced Yesypenko's sentence to five years. During his trial, he testified that he was tortured with electric shocks to extract a false confession. 'For more than four years, Vlad was arbitrarily punished for a crime he did not commit. He paid too high of a price for reporting the truth about what was taking place inside Russia-occupied Crimea,' RFE/RL chief executive Stephen Capus said, adding that Yesypenko had been 'tortured, physically and psychologically.' Capus thanked the U.S. and Ukrainian governments for 'working with us to ensure that Vlad's unjust detention was not prolonged.' In a post on Telegram, Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak thanked everyone who helped secure Yesypenko's release. He was freed shortly after longtime RFE/RL correspondent Ihar Karnei was released from prison in Belarus, following a rare visit by a senior U.S. official.
Wall Street Journal
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
A Bad Time to Stifle Radio Free Iran
If Americans needed proof of the value of Radio Free Europe, Iran is Exhibit A. In the days since Israel began bombing nuclear sites, Iranians have needed access to news and information that can counter Iran's state propaganda. One of the first places they turned to was RFE's Persian language service, Radio Farda. In the first days of the conflict between Iran and Israel, Iranians flocked to Radio Farda and its platform. Traffic surged 344% on the group's Instagram account with 62.5 million video views while website traffic rose 77%, according to RFE. Viewership also spiked in the Middle East and North Africa.
Canada Standard
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Canada Standard
Massive Russian Missile And Drone Attack Kills 13 In Kyiv, 2 In Odesa
RFE 17 Jun 2025, 07:53 GMT+10 Russia unleashed a massive missile and drone attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight, killing at least 13 people and wounding over 100 in the capital in one of the deadliest assaults since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. At least two people were killed in Odesa, authorities said. The attacks came as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was preparing to meet on June 17 with US President Donald Trump and other leaders at a Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada and call for tougher measures against Russia. But Trump left the summit before his meeting with Zelenskyy could take place, returning to Washington amid a deadly conflict between Israel and Iran. In Kyiv, an entire nine-story section of an apartment building was razed to the ground by a missile strike during the onslaught, which occurred as many residents were sleeping in their homes, and officials said the death toll could rise as rescuers searched through rubble. Adjacent windows were blown out and hunks of debris littered the street. "Kyiv has faced one of the most horrific attacks," Zelenskyy said in a social media post. Russia firedat least 175 drones, 14 guided missiles, and two ballistic missiles at the capital and the surrounding area, the city military administration reported. As of 5:30 p.m. local time, the confirmed death toll in the Russian attacks was 12, including 10 in Kyiv and two in Odesa, theState Emergency Serviceof Ukraine said, citing the Interior Ministry.
