The Week’s Best: Stories You May Have Missed

We know that rferl.org isn’t the only website you read, and it’s possible that you may have missed some of our most interesting journalism from the past week. To make sure you’re up-to-date, here are some of the highlights produced by RFE/RL’s team of correspondents, multimedia editors, and visual journalists over the past seven days.

With Russia increasingly going into lockdown amid the growing coronavirus pandemic, grocery clerks, delivery drivers, and others remain on the job — sometimes without the supplies and instructions they need to keep themselves and others safe. By Karina Merkuryeva and Robert Coalson

Professional soccer, schools, and restaurants are all continuing in Belarus, which has refused to impose the lockdowns or other restrictive measures seen elsewhere. Instead, President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has played down the threat of the coronavirus, dismissing it as a “psychosis.” By Ray Furlong

Activists in the Russian city of Pskov have applied for protected status for the site of a wartime Nazi POW camp in which tens of thousands of Soviet Red Army soldiers died. The land is controlled by the Defense Ministry, which wants to use it to build housing for officers. By Pavel Dmitriyev and Robert Coalson

Since the war in eastern Ukraine began in 2014, Kyiv has refused to hold direct talks with the Russia-backed separatists, arguing it would play into Moscow’s hands by lending legitimacy to its proxy forces. Now, things may have changed with a plan to create an “advisory council” that would include seats for the separatists. RFE/RL looks at what transpired and what it may mean for efforts to end Europe’s only war. By Tony Wesolowsky

As the Belarusian government continues to be in denial over COVID-19, a well-known actor has died in the city of Vitsebsk. Viktar Dashkevich had tested positive for the coronavirus, but the death certificate only mentions pneumonia. Meanwhile, hospitals in the city are filling up with what authorities say are other pneumonia cases. By Ray Furlong

Dubbed Romania’s “Lombardy” after the Italian epicenter of the coronavirus crisis, the tiny region of Suceava has just 3 percent of the country’s population but is home to a large number of its COVID-19 cases and deaths. By Alison Mutler

Vladimir Putin has been the face of Russia for two decades. But many aspects of his early life remain closely held secrets, blogger Artyom Kruglov says — and for good reason. By Dmitry Volchek and Robert Coalson

One of Europe’s most influential former diplomats has taken aim at perceptions that Europe has done little to help the Balkans as they grapple with the coronavirus pandemic and puts China’s contributions in perspective. By Nevena Bogdanovic and Andy Heil

The streets of Tbilisi were mostly deserted after the Georgian government introduced a curfew on March 31 in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Drone video showed empty roads and squares throughout the Georgian capital. Residents are forbidden to leave their homes from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. unless they have a special permit. By RFE/RL’s Georgian Service

As Russia expands its efforts to contain the coronavirus, the man who is increasingly the face of that effort is not who you might expect. By Mike Eckel

A look at what’s going on with the pandemic-causing coronavirus at the microscopic level. By Amos Chapple