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Thursday Briefing: Evan Gershkovich’s Trial
Also, Kenya’s president shelved the tax bill.
By Amelia Nierenberg
I write about Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the countries of the Caucasus, and Central Asia, working on everyday news and bigger investigative projects and features. My ambition is to unpack this very complex region for our readers. To do that, I am committed to covering all aspects of life in Russia and beyond, including its rapid economic and cultural transformation and how it’s impacting Russian society. I am especially interested in stories that can humanize our reader’s understanding of what life is like in these countries.
I have been covering Russia and the region as a journalist since 2013, when I started working for The Moscow Times and several independent Russian news outlets. I joined The Times in 2015 as a reporter and researcher in the Moscow bureau. Throughout the past decade, I have witnessed key events in the region, including the Sochi Olympics, Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Ukraine’s east, escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington, and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
I come from a very mixed background that helps me see the story I cover from various angles. I was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, but spent much of my formative years being raised by my grandparents in the small town of Piatykhatky in central Ukraine. For seven years, I studied and worked in Canada and Britain, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of Calgary and a master’s in international relations from the London School of Economics.
I am guided by our mission: we seek the truth and help people understand the world. The key word for me here is “seek.” I see journalism as a pursuit of answers and new questions. I always proceed with the humble assumption that I know very little about the world. I have dedicated a significant portion of my life to studying Russia, Ukraine, and the wider region, yet I cannot claim to have all the answers. I have never aligned myself as an activist in any cause and I have always been most interested in underreported stories and viewpoints that might go against the conventional wisdom. I do not accept gifts, money, or favors from anyone who might influence my reporting. Like all of my Times colleagues, I am committed to upholding the standards outlined in our Ethical Journalism Handbook.
Anonymous tips: nytimes.com/tips
Telegram: @inechepurenko
Also, Kenya’s president shelved the tax bill.
By Amelia Nierenberg
Evan Gershkovich of The Wall Street Journal has endured 15 months in prison by reading letters and Russian classics, while the authorities have not publicly offered any evidence that he was a spy.
By Neil MacFarquhar, Milana Mazaeva and Ivan Nechepurenko
Sergei K. Shoigu, a former defense minister, and Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov, the country’s highest-ranking military officer, were accused of directing attacks against civilians in Ukraine.
By Anatoly Kurmanaev and Marc Santora
A deadly assault in the southern region of Dagestan has put a spotlight on the failing of Russian security services amid the war in Ukraine.
By Anatoly Kurmanaev and Ivan Nechepurenko
Plus, the soaring costs of caring for pets.
By Tracy Mumford, Lisa Lerer, Ivan Nechepurenko, Katie Thomas, Ian Stewart and Jessica Metzger
Multiple law-enforcement officers and a priest in the region of Dagestan were killed in what appeared to be coordinated attacks, local officials said.
By Anton Troianovski and Ivan Nechepurenko
The opposition in Georgia accused the government of cozying up to Russia. Can playing in the Euros make the nation feel more like a part of Europe?
By Tariq Panja and Ivan Nechepurenko
Seeking more weapons for the war in Ukraine, the Russian president plans to return to the country on Tuesday for the first time in nearly a quarter-century.
By Choe Sang-Hun
The announcement of a hearing next week is the most significant movement in the Wall Street Journal reporter’s case since his arrest in March 2023 on espionage charges.
By Ivan Nechepurenko
Ukraine denounced the offer, saying that Mr. Putin was “afraid of real peace.” The Russian leader made the remarks one day before a peace summit organized by Kyiv.
By Ivan Nechepurenko and Paul Sonne