Life

Volunteers at the support center for residents of temporarily occupied territories in Zaporizhzhia. The centre was set up by residents of Tokmak, a city in Zaporizhzhia region, which fell under Russian control in the first weeks of Russia’s invasion. It is one of the many grassroots initiatives that have been providing the core of the humanitarian support to Ukrainians directly affected by the war. © Zaporizhzhia Centre of Investigations/incentre.zp.ua

Grassroots Groups Lead Ukraine's Aid Efforts

Informal volunteer initiatives receive a fraction of donations but provide the bulk of humanitarian assistance.

4 Oct 22

The town of Alaverdi in northeastern Armenia, near the border with Georgia, crossed by the Debed river. A criminal case was filed in late July, following a complaint that the river, a source of irrigation for some two dozen villages, had been polluted by Nahatak tailings. © Mania Israelyan/IWPR

Armenia: Mining Leaves Toxic Legacy

Activists call on government and local industry to respond to recent research revealing major hazards.

3 Oct 22

In late September, the LGBTI community in Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv defied ongoing shelling to hold a week of Pride events under the slogan, United as Never Before. © KharkivPride

Ukraine: Amid War, LGBTI People Fight for Equal Rights

The issue of same-sex marriage has been thrown into focus by the ongoing conflict.

3 Oct 22

A village in the Leylek District of the Batken region after conflicts. © State Border Guard Service

Kyrgyz-Tajik Border Violence Spurs Calls for Compromise

Complex geography and domestic politics mean a solution remains elusive.

21 Sep 22

Andrey Kolioglo came out in March 2018 and faced widespread harassment. Since March 2022 he lives in France, where he was granted asylum in the wake of the discrimination he faces in his native Moldova.

Coming Out in Gagauzia’s Conservative Society

“Living life with a constant feeling of fear; this is what you have to get used to here if you are gay.”

15 Sep 22

In this handout photo released by the telegram channel of Sevastopol mayor Mikhail Razvozhaev on July 31, 2022, Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Vladimirovich Razvozhayev, center, stands at the scene of explosion at the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea.

Fear Spreads in Crimea

Drone strikes and unexplained explosions prompt Moscow-controlled administration to urge citizens to hunt for possible saboteurs.

14 Sep 22

Moldovans Face Bomb Threats and Cyberattacks

Attacks are tracked to pro-Kremlin forces as tools to put pressure on Chisinau in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

5 Sep 22

Thousands of university places remained vacant as Armenia recorded unprecedented low results in the admission exams. © Dato/Wikimedia

Armenian Universities’ Lost Applicants

Thousands of places remain vacant as students fail entry tests due to low quality education and fewer applicants.

31 Aug 22

Maxim, an eight-year-old copper-coloured Maine Coon cat.

How a Ukrainian Cat Escaped Russian Captivity

Amid multiple tales of looting and destruction, a rare happy ending.

29 Aug 22

Village leader Dina, 62 enters a bomb-damaged auditorium in a town which was partially occupied by Russian forces until recently in Kherson Oblast on May 08, 2022 in Zagradivka, Ukraine. Most of the Kherson Oblast region fell to Russia shortly after the Feb. 24 invasion, as Russia sought to create an overland corridor from Crimea to separatist-held areas in the east. © John Moore/Getty Images

Collaboration, Theft and Corruption: How Russia Tried to Co-Opt Kherson

The occupying forces are appointing local sympathisers to run services and private enterprises in the southern region. But it’s not working out as planned.

15 Aug 22

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