The Rundown Stories

• October 23, 2025

  From The Stage To The Front: A Ballet Dancer At War In Ukraine

  Ukrainian ballet dancer Oleksandr Dushakov was in Paris for a performance when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of his country in 2022. By the fall of 2023, Dushakov was fighting at the front. He hopes to return to ballet when the war is over but says: “I don’t see the finish line.”

• October 22, 2025

  'Vile' Russian Attack On Ukraine Kills 7, Including 2 Children

  Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukraine killed at least seven people, including two children, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for increased pressure on the Kremlin while on the way to defense talks with Scandinavian countries, amid stalled peace efforts.

• October 22, 2025

  Jailed Journalists Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli Awarded 2025 Sakharov Prize

  The 2025 Sakharov Prize has been awarded to a pair of journalists -- the Polish-Belarusian Andrzej Poczobut and Georgian Mzia Amaglobeli -- both of whom are currently serving time in jail for charges related to their work reporting on democracy and civil society.

• October 21, 2025

  Brussels Moves To Leverage $204 Billion In Russian Assets For Ukraine Loan

  EU leaders will task the European Commission with designing a plan to use $204 billion in frozen Russian assets to back a loan for Ukraine, aiming to fill funding gaps as US support wanes. Key disputes remain over legality, spending rules, and who will share the risk.

• October 21, 2025

  Nord Stream Sabotage Case Back In Court Amid Legal Setbacks, Political Blowback

  Germany’s ongoing effort to pursue Ukrainian citizens it suspects of blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines faces its next battle in the high-security bunker courtroom at Bologna prison in northern Italy on October 23, following a series of recent legal and political setbacks.

• October 21, 2025

  Why Putin Wants Control Of Ukraine's Donbas Region

  Since Russia's full-scale invasion, Moscow has focused on seizing Ukraine's Donbas region, which includes the Donetsk and Luhansk territories. Russian leader Vladimir Putin reportedly told US President Donald Trump that Ukraine must abandon the Donetsk region as a "condition for ending the war."

• October 21, 2025

  Wider Europe Briefing: EU Leaders Might Agree On Russia Sanctions...But Little Else

  In this week's newsletter, RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak, previews the upcoming EU summit and looks at Brussels' plan to train Ukrainian soldiers on their own soil.

• October 21, 2025

  Ex-NATO Chief Stoltenberg Says Alliance Let Ukraine Down, US Was 'Defeatist'

  Former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg says the alliance “was letting Ukraine down” by failing to deliver enough support during 2023-24, describing a “defeatist” mood in Washington and European nations as they failed to make promised arms deliveries.

• October 20, 2025

  Europe Jumps Into Action After Trump Call With Putin, Zelenskyy Meeting

  Europe jumped into action on October 20 with a flurry of moves and announcements at it looked to ratchet up pressure on Russia and bolster support for Ukraine after US President Donald Trump reportedly pushed his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy to give up land as part of a peace deal.

• October 20, 2025

  Kazakh Gas Production Hit By Ukrainian Drone Attack On Major Russian Plant

  A Ukrainian drone attack on a gas plant in Russia's Orenburg, one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world, continues to impact production in neighboring Kazakhstan as the European Union moved to phase out Russian gas imports by end of 2027.

• October 20, 2025

  EU Readies New Trade Routes -- And A Challenge To Beijing And Moscow -- At Luxembourg Summit

  Brussels will host top officials from across Central Asia and the Caucasus as the EU aims to use its influence and pocketbook to push back against Beijing and Moscow.

• October 19, 2025

  Kyrgyz Migrants Seek Opportunity In Serbia After Russian Crackdown -- But Some Feel Exploited

  Fleeing Russia’s migrant raids and calls to fight in Ukraine, Kyrgyz workers are heading to Serbia, drawn by visa-free entry and jobs. But many now face exploitation and a lack of protection in their new home.

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