rferl--2020-11-18--Coronavirus-Related Deaths In Ukraine 'Exceed 10,000'

Ukraine registered a record 256 new COVID-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours and the total toll reached 10,112 @ @ @ @ @ on November 18 .
`` As of November 18 , 12,496 new cases of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ .
Namely , 535 children and 529 medical workers have contracted the disease , '' @ @ @ @ @ the past 24 hours , 1,668 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms in Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ cases in Ukraine has reached 570,153 .
Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax

Ukraine has passed a milestone of 10,000 deaths caused by COVID-19 as the country faces what the health minister called a "very severe" winter of coronavirus cases.
Maksym Stepanov said on November 18 that Ukraine registered a record 256 new COVID-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total toll to 10,112.
He said 12,496 new COVID-19 cases had been documented in the country and that 535 more children and 529 medical workers had contracted the disease.
In the past 24 hours, 1,668 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms in Ukraine.
The total number of cases in Ukraine has reached 570,153.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian government officials defended last week’s decision to close or restrict businesses at weekends except for essential services such as grocery shops, pharmacies, hospitals, and transport.
A member of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's administration resigned over the November 14 decision, while some mayors refused to comply with the order and some business owners held protests.
Speaking at a government meeting on November 18, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal called the weekend quarantine “a balanced alternative to a full lockdown.”
“If we all together adhere to the anti-epidemic rules, we will see the result in two to three weeks,” he added.
In a video interview with Reuters, Stepanov said the measures would lead to 10-15 percent fewer coronavirus cases than there might have been.
"I can say with confidence that if we adhere to these measures, we will be able to stop the growth, at least stabilize it where it is now," the health minister said.
He said the restrictions would help Ukraine get "through the hardest period, the hardest winter."
"Because the winter, in my opinion, will be very severe in terms of morbidity and the number of seriously ill," Stepanov said.
Zelenskiy and the head of his presidential office, Andriy Yermak, tested positive for the coronavirus early last week.
With reporting by Reuters, Interfax, and UNIAN


rferl--2020-11-18--Israel Strikes Syrian, Iranian Forces In Syria

Israel said it launched air strikes against a number of Syrian army and Iranian Quds Force targets in Syria on November 19 after roadside bombs were uncovered along the frontier in the Israeli-held Golan Heights .
The Syrian state news agency reported that three military personnel were killed and one was wounded in the strikes .
However , the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , a British-based war monitor , said 10 people were killed in total , including five allied foreign fighters .
Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war and later annexed it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jonathan Conricus , an Israeli military spokesman , said eight targets in areas stretching from the Syrian-controlled side of the Golan Heights to the Damascus periphery were hit .
The targets included the Iranian military headquarters at Damascus international airport , a `` secret military site '' that served as a `` hosting facility for senior Iranian delegations when they come to Syria to operate , '' and the 7th Division of the Syrian armed forces which oversees the Syrian side of the Golan Heights , Conricus said .
He added that Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the 7th Division .
Syrian advanced surface-to-air missile batteries were also hit `` after they fired at our aircraft and at our ordnance , '' Conricus said .
Israel has repeatedly struck Iranian targets in Syria and those of allied militias , including Lebanon ’ s Hizballah .
Iran is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad , but Damascus has never publicly acknowledged that Iranian forces are operating on its behalf in Syria 's civil war .
Israel views Iran as its greatest threat and says it will not tolerate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presence in Syria .
Based on reporting by AP and Reuters

A polytechnic school in Russia’s Tatarstan, a region some 900 kilometers east of Moscow, is using manufacturing facilities that are part of a nearby special economic zone to assemble Iranian attack drones and are increasingly turning to underage students as laborers, many of whom often work in exploitative conditions.
The revelations at Alabuga Polytechnic University raise troubling implications about the lengths that Russian authorities are going to in order to boost the war effort and how the advanced Iranian weaponry -- which is increasingly used to bombard Ukrainian cities and has only recently begun to be manufactured inside Russia -- could contribute to escalating tensions and rising civilian casualties.
The use of underage students as drone factory workers and the details of the manufacturing facilities were first reported by Russian independent media outlets Protokol and Razvorot, which published a series of investigations in July.
Since then, RFE/RL’s Idel.Realities has spoken with students who describe grueling working conditions and interviewed dozens of parents whose children have been enrolled at Alabuga Polytechnic University -- some as young at 15 -- who say that their children were forced to work exceedingly long hours, often without proper breaks or meals, and under hostile conditions that have deeply affected their mental health.
“My son enrolled and 2 1/2 months later he called for me to take him away,” Zhanna, who asked to be identified only by her first name to protect against reprisals for speaking about the operation, told RFE/RL. “He said to me on the phone, ‘Come and get me or I’ll die,’ so I picked him up immediately.”
Zhanna, who asked that her underage son’s name also not be used, says that she sent him from Nizhny Novgorod to study at Alabuga Polytechnic University in 2022 because of its reputation as a leading technical institution inside Russia.
The school offered students -- often between the ages of 15-18 -- an opportunity to get vocational training as part of a dual program that combines a classroom education with practical work experience. Students were also promised an opportunity to work and earn a locally competitive salary of up to 70,000 rubles ($700) a month as part of the work experience program that could further their career growth.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
But, instead, those enrolled were encouraged and in some cases pressured into working at the drone facility, where the salaries of the mostly underage laborers are contingent on meeting tough production quotas.
“This is a textbook definition of what constitutes exploitation,” Sergei Podsytnik, an investigative journalist at Protokol who worked on the series of reports, told RFE/RL. “[Students] assemble drones, with the work taking priority over their studies.”
The pressure to fulfill these quotas has allegedly led to strenuous back-to-back days -- with some shifts lasting up to 15 hours -- with little time for sleep or adequate sustenance. Overtime work is often unpaid, further highlighting potential labor violations. Exhausted students also reported not always meeting their quotas, which led to them not earning the salary initially promised by the school. Many students came from disadvantaged backgrounds and relied on their earnings to cover costs for tuition, room, and board and would send the remainder home.
Other parents, such as Marina, said she decided to take her daughter out of the program when she discovered that she was working in apparent unsafe conditions and that staff from the school had instructed students not to tell their parents about the drone assembly work.
“This was the last straw for me,” Marina, who also asked for her identity to be concealed, told RFE/RL. “This is a dangerous production process that involves dangerous chemicals. They also forbid the kids from telling everything to their parents.”
RFE/RL sent multiple requests for comment to various staff and administrators at Alabuga Polytechnic University but received no replies.
Making Iranian Drones In Russia
The complicated and concerning dynamic at Alabuga Polytechnic University stems from growing military cooperation between Iran and Russia that has accelerated since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Iran has said it provided drones to Russia before the start of the war, but not since. However, U.S. intelligence officials have warned for months of continued deliveries and deepening cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, saying the two sides were exploring how to set up a manufacturing plant for Iranian drones inside Russia.
According to The Wall Street Journal, an Iranian delegation visited Yelabuga in Tatarstan on January 5, touring a potential site for such a factory at the Alabuga special economic zone close to Alabuga Polytechnic University. U.S. officials released satellite images in April of the plant being built.
Russia already possesses an array of unarmed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, which are used mainly for surveillance and artillery spotting, but has turned increasingly to Tehran for attack drones.
After being forced to abandon Ukrainian territory that its troops captured in the early stretches of the war, Moscow shifted to a strategy of relentless air assaults on Ukrainian cities. These attacks often rely on a combination of cruise missiles and self-detonating drones packed with explosives to knock out electricity and running water for the civilian population in Ukraine.
So far, Iran has provided Russia mostly with so-called "suicide" drones, known as the Shahed-136, that contain a modest amount of explosives that can detonate when the drones crash into targets, military experts say.
In acquiring its own domestic assembly line, Russia could dramatically increase its stockpile of the relatively inexpensive but highly destructive weapons systems.
WATCH: Russia has resorted to using Shahed-136 drones from Iran in its war on Ukraine. Ukraine says it's already downed many of the drones, which work by slamming into their intended target, laden with explosives. Ordinary Ukrainians say they can already recognize the sound of the drones, which use two-stroke engines like lawnmowers or motorbikes. Iran has denied supplying the drones to Russia.
The arrangement also offers substantial economic and political benefits for Iran, which has sought to portray itself as neutral in the Ukraine war. The appearance of Iranian-made drones over Ukrainian cities, however, has triggered threats of new economic sanctions from the West. The United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have also all issued rules in recent months designed to cut off the flow of drone components to Russia and Iran.
The Washington Post reported in November 2022, citing unnamed U.S. intelligence officials, that the agreement to deliver Iranian drone schematics and materials for manufacture in Russia resulted from Iranian leaders believing that the arrangement would allow Tehran to avert new sanctions.
Foreign Recruitment And Patriotic Education
Alabuga Polytechnic University is formally not a college. All of its students are officially enrolled at nearby Yelabuga Polytechnic College, with the Alabuga institution existing on paper as a specialized program for students looking to break into high-tech industries.
Currently, about 1,000 students are studying at Alabuga Polytechnic University, with several hundred of them -- most of whom are between the ages of 15 and 17 -- involved in assembling the Iranian drones.
In addition to the work on the drones, there are other signs that point to blurred lines in Russia between the education system and the country’s military amid the war in Ukraine.
According to current and former Alabuga Polytechnic University students, team-building and organized extracurricular activities through the school often take on a “patriotic” character that may be designed to expose students to official government narratives of international events or echo talking points from state television.
Organized paintball games have become a mainstay for students, especially first-year arrivals, in which they are encouraged to compete against one another and then play together against more experienced outside players. Teachers and administration officials regularly refer to paintball as being part of a “patriotic” education needed to complement the technical aspect of their studies.
In one instance, a group of new students competed in paintball as Soviet soldiers against outside players who were dressed as troops from Nazi Germany in a capture-the-flag competition meant to simulate the World War II battle of Stalingrad. According to one student, the Nazi flag contained the compass symbol used by the NATO military alliance instead of the swastika used by Nazi Germany.
Other instances of political teachings from staff are more direct. In a recording obtained by RFE/RL from June 16, a senior administrator can be heard telling the teenagers that NATO launched a hybrid war against Russia back in 2011 and that it has slowly become more overt. The man then goes on to tell students that their hard work and exceeding long days at the drone factory are part of a nationwide struggle against the West and that their patriotism will be rewarded.
Several students and parents identified the man in the recording as Timur Shagivaleev, the director-general of the special economic zone where Alabuga Polytechnic University and the drone factory operate.
Shagivaleev did not respond to RFE/RL’s request for comment.
The man in the recording then goes on to tell students not to take holidays and to continue working “even if it's mom's birthday,” before ending his speech with, “Long live our great country.”
WATCH: Amid a new wave of Russian drone attacks on Ukraine, analysts in Kyiv are gaining useful intelligence from a collection of downed Russian aerial weapons. They have been studying the remains of Iranian Shahed drones and Russian Kinzhal missiles, among others.
Multiple current and former students told RFE/RL that students who work in the drone factory are often praised by staff, while those who have refused or asked to be reassigned due to the high workload are often publicly shamed. In some instances -- according to recordings heard by RFE/RL -- staff even encourage students to bully others who are not deemed “patriotic” enough.
According to Protokol and Razvorot’s investigations, Alabuga Polytechnic University has also turned toward recruiting foreign students to enroll. The majority of them come from African countries, but also from Central Asia and Azerbaijan, where they are promised “world class” salaries as part of the dual-track world experience program.
However, these foreign students are then given low-skill and menial tasks around the campus and the special economic zone, such as janitorial work, and are also paid lower salaries than initially promised.
Written by Reid Standish based on reporting by RFE/RL’s Idel.Realities


rferl--2020-11-18--Pompeo Meets With Georgian Officials Over Cooperation As Russia Deepens Regional Ties

TBILISI -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has met with top Georgian officials to discuss the prospects of deepening defense and security cooperation in a region where Russia has been attempting to deepen its ties .
Pompeo met on November 18 with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili , Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia , and Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani , where he also discussed the issue of strengthening democratic institutions in Georgia .
Pompeo `` reaffirmed the United States ’ commitment to Georgia ’ s sovereignty and territorial integrity and commended the country for its significant contributions to the fight against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Tbilisi said in a statement .
Pompeo 's stop in Georgia comes in the middle of a seven-nation tour that has been complicated by his refusal to acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden as the winner of the November 3 U.S. election coupled with President Donald Trump 's refusal to concede while fighting the outcome in the courts .
Pompeo touched off a wave of criticism on November 10 when he said during a press conference that `` there will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration . ''
Pompeo also met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and discussed `` Georgia ’ s important role in promoting and protecting religious freedom around the world . ''
Before leaving Georgia for Israel later on November 18 , Pompeo met with representatives of Georgian civil society and discussed judicial reform and the role of civil society in the country ’ s development .
Thousands of opposition demonstrators have taken to the streets of Tbilisi to dispute the results of October 31 polls won by the ruling party , Georgian Dream .
The opposition , led by the United National Movement ( ENM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other parties that won parliamentary representation , claim the vote was rigged and have said they will boycott the newly elected parliament .
Georgian Dream has rejected the demand for new elections and has insisted the vote was free and fair .
Pompeo came under fire last week for his comments on the U.S. election outcome , where Trump has refused to concede despite all major media outlets designating Biden as the winner .
Trump has claimed several times , without showing any evidence , that there was electoral and voter fraud even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the vote `` the most secure '' in the country 's history .
While on the first stop of his trip in France on November 14 , Pompeo voiced confidence in the commitment of Trump 's administration to the `` constitutional frame '' of the election and said the transition process would `` work '' and would `` honor our internal and external obligations . ''
While in France he met with President Emmanuel Macron , who last week joined with other European leaders in acknowledging Biden 's victory and congratulated him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has said it supports Georgia ’ s NATO aspirations and values the contributions Georgia is already making to the alliance ’ s operations , including in Afghanistan .
Washington has previously condemned Russia ’ s 2008 invasion of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia , which remain occupied by Russia .
Ahead of Pompeo 's visit , the State Department said the trip also signals the strength and commitment of the United States to the South Caucasus after Russia recently brokered a truce to end fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo arrived in Georgia late on November 7 from Turkey .
He met with the Istanbul-based spiritual leader of the world ’ s Orthodox Christians , Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I .
The visit , which included no official meetings and was limited only to Istanbul , was dismissed as “ completely irrelevant ” by Turkey 's Foreign Ministry .
After his visit to Israel , Pompeo will then travel on to the United Arab Emirates , Qatar , and Saudi Arabia .
With reporting by AFP , Apsny , and agenda.ge

TBILISI -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has met with top Georgian officials to discuss the prospects of deepening defense and security cooperation in a region where Russia has been attempting to deepen its ties.
Pompeo met on November 18 with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, and Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani, where he also discussed the issue of strengthening democratic institutions in Georgia.
Pompeo "reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and commended the country for its significant contributions to the fight against global terrorism," the U.S Embassy in Tbilisi said in a statement.
Pompeo's stop in Georgia comes in the middle of a seven-nation tour that has been complicated by his refusal to acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden as the winner of the November 3 U.S. election coupled with President Donald Trump's refusal to concede while fighting the outcome in the courts.
Pompeo touched off a wave of criticism on November 10 when he said during a press conference that "there will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration."
Pompeo also met with Georgian Orthodox Church Patriarch Ilia II and discussed "Georgia’s important role in promoting and protecting religious freedom around the world."
Before leaving Georgia for Israel later on November 18, Pompeo met with representatives of Georgian civil society and discussed judicial reform and the role of civil society in the country’s development.
Thousands of opposition demonstrators have taken to the streets of Tbilisi to dispute the results of October 31 polls won by the ruling party, Georgian Dream.
The opposition, led by the United National Movement (ENM) and European Georgia, plus six other parties that won parliamentary representation, claim the vote was rigged and have said they will boycott the newly elected parliament.
Georgian Dream has rejected the demand for new elections and has insisted the vote was free and fair.
Pompeo came under fire last week for his comments on the U.S. election outcome, where Trump has refused to concede despite all major media outlets designating Biden as the winner.
Trump has claimed several times, without showing any evidence, that there was electoral and voter fraud even though the Department of Homeland Security has called the vote "the most secure" in the country's history.
While on the first stop of his trip in France on November 14, Pompeo voiced confidence in the commitment of Trump's administration to the "constitutional frame" of the election and said the transition process would "work" and would "honor our internal and external obligations."
While in France he met with President Emmanuel Macron, who last week joined with other European leaders in acknowledging Biden's victory and congratulated him on his win.
The United States has said it supports Georgia’s NATO aspirations and values the contributions Georgia is already making to the alliance’s operations, including in Afghanistan.
Washington has previously condemned Russia’s 2008 invasion of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which remain occupied by Russia.
Ahead of Pompeo's visit, the State Department said the trip also signals the strength and commitment of the United States to the South Caucasus after Russia recently brokered a truce to end fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians over the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Pompeo arrived in Georgia late on November 17 from Turkey. He met with the Istanbul-based spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.
The visit, which included no official meetings and was limited only to Istanbul, was dismissed as “completely irrelevant” by Turkey's Foreign Ministry.
After his visit to Israel, Pompeo will then travel on to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
With reporting by AFP, Apsny, and agenda.ge


rferl--2020-11-19--Former U.S. Army Green Beret Pleads Guilty To Spying For Russia

A former officer in the U.S. Army 's elite Green Berets has pleaded guilty to spying for Russia , the Justice Department said on November 18 .
Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins , 45 , pleaded guilty to a charge under the federal Espionage Act and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when he is sentenced in February .
Debbins had a nearly 15-year relationship with Russian intelligence beginning in 1996 while he was a college student and on a visit to Russia as part of an independent study program .
Debbins ’ s mother was born in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife in Chelyabinsk , where they were married in 1997 , according to news reports quoting the indictment .
`` In 1997 , Debbins was assigned a code name by Russian intelligence agents and signed a statement attesting that he wanted to serve Russia , '' the Justice Department said .
Debbins told Russian intelligence he considered himself a “ son of Russia , ” and “ thought that the United States was too dominant in the world and needed to be cut down to size , '' according to the indictment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Debbins wrote that in 1997 , he gave Russian intelligence a signed statement saying “ I want to serve Russia.
” He wrote that he had “ a messianic vision for myself in Russia , that I was going to free them from their oppressive government , so I was flattered when they reached out to me.
” Debbins initially refused an offer of a $ 1,000 cash payment for the information he provided , but later accepted nominal payments .
In one meeting he accepted a bottle of Cognac and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the indictment .
He served as an officer in U.S. Army chemical units before joining the Green Berets .
Debbins provided the Russian intelligence agents with information about his chemical and Special Forces units .
This included classified information about his activities while deployed with the Special Forces , the department said .
Debbins also provided Russian intelligence with the names of a number of his former Special Forces team members so that agents could evaluate whether to approach them about cooperating .
Assistant Attorney General John Demers said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country 's highest trust by passing sensitive national security information to the Russians .
“ Debbins betrayed his oath , his country , and his Special Forces team members with the intent to harm the United States and help Russia , ” Demers said .
With reporting by AP , Reuters , and AFP

A former officer in the U.S. Army's elite Green Berets has pleaded guilty to spying for Russia, the Justice Department says.
Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins, 45, pleaded guilty to a charge under the federal Espionage Act and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when he is sentenced in February.
Debbins had a nearly 15-year relationship with Russian intelligence beginning in 1996 while he was a college student and on a visit to Russia as part of an independent study program.
Debbins's mother was born in the Soviet Union, and he met his wife in Chelyabinsk, where they were married in 1997, according to news reports citing the indictment.
"In 1997, Debbins was assigned a code name by Russian intelligence agents and signed a statement attesting that he wanted to serve Russia," the Justice Department said on November 18.
Debbins told Russian intelligence he considered himself a "son of Russia," and "thought that the United States was too dominant in the world and needed to be cut down to size," according to the indictment.
In a handwritten confession filed in court, Debbins wrote that in 1997, he gave Russian intelligence a signed statement saying, "I want to serve Russia."
He wrote that he had "a messianic vision for myself in Russia, that I was going to free them from their oppressive government, so I was flattered when they reached out to me."
Debbins initially refused an offer of a $1,000 cash payment for the information he provided, but later accepted nominal payments. In one meeting he accepted a bottle of Cognac and a Russian military uniform as payment, according to the indictment.
He served as an officer in U.S. Army chemical units before joining the Green Berets.
Debbins provided the Russian intelligence agents with information about his chemical and Special Forces units. This included classified information about his activities while deployed with the Special Forces, the department said.
Debbins also provided Russian intelligence with the names of a number of his former Special Forces team members, so that agents could evaluate whether to approach them about cooperating.
Assistant Attorney General John Demers said in a statement that Debbins acknowledged that he violated this country's highest trust by passing sensitive national security information to the Russians.
"Debbins betrayed his oath, his country, and his Special Forces team members with the intent to harm the United States and help Russia," Demers said.
With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP


rferl--2020-11-19--Obama Takes Jabs At Putin In New Memoir, Says Photo Ops Resemble Teenage Instagrammer

WASHINGTON -- Former U.S. President Barack Obama took swipes at Russian President Vladimir Putin in his new book , calling him the leader of a government that resembled a “ criminal syndicate.
” In “ A Promised Land , ” the first volume of his presidential memoirs published on November 17 , Obama said Putin reminded him of a modern-day version of the corrupt political bosses that ran U.S. cities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries .
Those bosses , Obama wrote , viewed patronage and bribery “ as legitimate tools of the trade.
” “ In such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a contempt for any high-minded aspirations beyond accumulating power , were not flaws .
They were advantages , ” the 44th U.S. president wrote .
Obama said Putin , who has ruled Russia as either president or prime minister for the past two decades , has built a country `` to be feared , perhaps , but not emulated , '' adding that few , if any , citizens from developing nations look to Moscow for “ inspiration.
” Obama , who served from 2009 to 2017 , had a very strained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Illinois came to power at a troubled time for U.S.-Russian relations : Moscow had invaded its neighbor Georgia in August 2008 -- just three months before Obama won the presidency -- raising deep-seated concerns in Eastern Europe about Kremlin aggression .
Though Obama initially sought to improve relations with Moscow , a policy his administration called “ a reset , ” entrenched distrust , disagreements on foreign policy , and a rollback of democracy in Russia impeded progress .
Putin accused the Obama administration in late 2011 of trying to foment unrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , straining bilateral relations .
Then , in 2014 , Putin annexed Crimea and backed rebels in eastern Ukraine after the toppling of Kyiv 's pro-Kremlin leader , sending U.S.-Russia relations to a new post-Cold War low .
The Obama administration along with allies kicked Russia out of the Group of Eight ( G8 ) , a talk shop for leaders of the most powerful industrial countries , and slapped sanctions on the country to punish Putin for his hostile actions toward Ukraine .
In the book , Obama recalled meeting Putin for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his dacha near Moscow , describing the Russian leader -- who was then serving as prime minister to President Dmitry Medvedev -- as physically “ unremarkable ” short and compact -- a wrestler ’ s build.
” He took a jab at Putin ’ s penchant for masculine photo ops , such as riding a horse bare-chested , saying he did so with the “ fastidiousness of a teenager on Instagram.
” Obama said Putin launched into an “ animated and seemingly endless monologue ” during their first meeting , detailing all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past two decades , including expanding NATO and invading Iraq .
He offered a more favorable view of Medvedev , Putin ’ s protege , who served as president from 2008 to 2012 , saying the younger Russian leader did not appear to buy all the tales the Kremlin spun and showed enthusiasm for the reset in relations .
“ I noticed a certain ironic detachment in his delivery as if he wanted me to know that he didn ’ t really believe everything he was saying , ” Obama said of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ G20 meeting in April 2009 .
Obama pointed out that he had quite a few things in common with Medvedev .
He said both had studied and taught law before starting families , “ dabbled ” in politics , and were helped along by older politicians .
However , he also described Medvedev as a `` wealthy '' man who leveraged his political connections to become part-owner of a major lumber company during the privatizations of the 1990s , when many Russians saw their living standards decline .
Obama said he and Medvedev @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dinner at the latter ’ s dacha outside Moscow in 2009 .
He said Medvedev ’ s wife Svetlana Medvedeva expressed concern about how their teenage son Ilya would handle the social pressure resulting from his father ’ s fame and expected him to want to study abroad .
“ I was struck by just how ordinary the night had been - how , with the exception of the translators who ’ d sat discretely behind us while we ate , we could have been attending a dinner party in any well-to-do American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he sensed Putin was going to return to the presidency in 2012 after he publicly second-guessed Medvedev ’ s decision in March 2011 to abstain from a UN vote on military force in Libya .
Obama said it was “ inconceivable ” that Putin , who held the real power in Russia , did not back Medvedev in signing off on the decision to abstain .
“ Putin seemed to have decided to deliberately make his handpicked successor look bad -- a sign , I had to assume , that Putin planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he wrote .
Medvedev in September 2011 announced he would not run for reelection , making way for Putin , who won the following year .
Putin picked Medvedev to serve as his prime minister , sacking him in January 2020 after eight years .
Obama criticized his predecessor , President George W. Bush , for not being tougher on Putin , claiming he let Russia get away with invading the South Caucasus nation of Georgia in 2008 .
Russia ’ s five-day war against Georgia came five months before Bush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight years in office .
“ Beyond suspending diplomatic contacts , the Bush administration had done next to nothing to punish Russia for its aggression , and the rest of the world had shrugged its shoulders and moved on , making any belated effort to isolate Russia almost certain to fail , ” he said .
Obama would himself face criticism from his successor , President Donald Trump , for not supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons to defend itself against Russian aggression .
Obama expressed the moral dilemma he faced in standing up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia and the Kremlin 's rollback of democracy .
After meeting Russian activists during his 2009 trip to Moscow , he questioned how far he would be willing to go to defend them in his pursuit of more strategic objectives .
`` If Putin did go after one of these activists , how far would I go in taking him to task -- especially knowing that it would not change his behavior ? ''
Would I risk the completion of [ New ] START negotiations , '' he said , referring to talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volume of the memoir ends in 2011 before Putin returns to the presidency .

WASHINGTON -- Former U.S. President Barack Obama has targeted Vladimir Putin for criticism in a new book, suggesting that the Russian president has put the thirst for power over scruples and calling him the leader of a government that resembled a "criminal syndicate."
In the first volume of his presidential memoirs, A Promised Land, published on November 17, Obama says Putin reminded him of a modern-day version of the corrupt political bosses that ran U.S. cities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Those bosses, Obama wrote, viewed patronage and bribery "as legitimate tools of the trade."
"In such a world, a lack of scruples, a contempt for any high-minded aspirations beyond accumulating power, were not flaws. They were advantages," the 44th U.S. president wrote.
Obama said Putin, who has ruled Russia as either president or prime minister for the past two decades, has built a country "to be feared, perhaps, but not emulated," adding that few, if any, citizens from developing countries look to Moscow for "inspiration."
Obama, who served from 2009 to 2017, had a very strained relationship with Putin.
The former senator from Illinois came to power at a troubled time for U.S.-Russian relations: Moscow had invaded neighboring Georgia in August 2008 -- just three months before Obama won the presidency -- raising deep-seated concerns in Eastern Europe about Kremlin aggression.
Though Obama initially sought to improve relations with Moscow, a policy his administration called "a reset," entrenched distrust, disagreements on foreign policy, and a rollback of democracy in Russia impeded progress.
Putin accused the Obama administration in late 2011 of trying to foment unrest in Russia following pro-democracy protests in Moscow, straining bilateral relations. Then, in 2014, Putin annexed Crimea and backed rebels in eastern Ukraine after the toppling of Kyiv's pro-Kremlin leader, sending U.S.-Russia relations to a new post-Cold War low.
The Obama administration along with allies kicked Russia out of the Group of Eight (G8), a talk shop for leaders of the most powerful industrial countries, and slapped sanctions on the country to punish Putin for his hostile actions toward Ukraine.
In the book, Obama recalls meeting Putin for the first time in July 2009 at his dacha near Moscow, describing the Russian leader -- who was then serving as prime minister to President Dmitry Medvedev -- as physically "unremarkable, short and compact -- a wrestler's build."
"Putin seemed to have decided to deliberately make his handpicked successor look bad -- a sign, I had to assume, that Putin planned to formally retake the reins in Russia."
"Putin seemed to have decided to deliberately make his handpicked successor look bad -- a sign, I had to assume, that Putin planned to formally retake the reins in Russia," he wrote.He took a jab at Putin's penchant for masculine photo ops, such as riding a horse bare-chested, saying he did so with the "fastidiousness of a teenager on Instagram."
Obama said Putin launched into an "animated and seemingly endless monologue" during their first meeting, detailing all the slights made by the United States over the past two decades, including expanding NATO and invading Iraq.
He offered a more favorable view of Medvedev, Putin's protege, who served as president from 2008 to 2012, saying the younger Russian leader did not appear to buy all the tales the Kremlin spun and showed enthusiasm for the reset in relations.
"I noticed a certain ironic detachment in his delivery, as if he wanted me to know that he didn't really believe everything he was saying," Obama said of his first meeting with Medvedev at a G20 meeting in April 2009.
Obama pointed out that he had quite a few things in common with Medvedev. He said both had studied and taught law before starting families, "dabbled" in politics, and were helped along by older politicians.
However, he also described Medvedev as a "wealthy" man who leveraged his political connections to become part-owner of a major lumber company during the privatizations of the 1990s, when many Russians saw their living standards decline.
Obama said he and Medvedev barely spoke about politics when he had dinner at the latter's dacha outside Moscow in 2009.
I noticed a certain ironic detachment in [Medvedev's] delivery, as if he wanted me to know that he didn't really believe everything he was saying."
He said Medvedev's wife, Svetlana Medvedeva, expressed concern about how their teenage son, Ilya, would handle the social pressure resulting from his father's fame and expected him to want to study abroad.
"I was struck by just how ordinary the night had been -- how, with the exception of the translators who'd sat discretely behind us while we ate, we could have been attending a dinner party in any well-to-do American suburb," Obama said.
He said he sensed Putin was going to return to the presidency in 2012 after he publicly second-guessed Medvedev's decision in March 2011 to abstain from a UN vote on military force in Libya.
Obama said it was "inconceivable" that Putin, who held the real power in Russia, did not back Medvedev in signing off on the decision to abstain.
"Putin seemed to have decided to deliberately make his handpicked successor look bad -- a sign, I had to assume, that Putin planned to formally retake the reins in Russia," he wrote.
"Beyond suspending diplomatic contacts, the Bush administration had done next to nothing to punish Russia for its aggression, Medvedev in September 2011 announced he would not run for reelection, making way for Putin, who won the following year. Putin picked Medvedev to serve as his prime minister, firing him in January 2020 after eight years.
Beyond suspending diplomatic contacts, the Bush administration had done next to nothing to punish Russia for its aggression..."
Obama criticized his predecessor, President George W. Bush, for not being tougher on Putin, claiming he let Russia get away with invading the South Caucasus nation of Georgia in 2008.
Russia's five-day war against Georgia came five months before Bush was to step down from power after eight years in office.
"Beyond suspending diplomatic contacts, the Bush administration had done next to nothing to punish Russia for its aggression, and the rest of the world had shrugged its shoulders and moved on, making any belated effort to isolate Russia almost certain to fail," he said.
Obama would himself face criticism from his successor, President Donald Trump, for not supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons to defend itself against Russian aggression.
Obama expressed the moral dilemma he faced in standing up to Putin on human rights abuses inside Russia and the Kremlin's rollback of democracy.
After meeting Russian activists during his 2009 trip to Moscow, he questioned how far he would be willing to go to defend them in his pursuit of more strategic objectives.
"If Putin did go after one of these activists, how far would I go in taking him to task -- especially knowing that it would not change his behavior? Would I risk the completion of [New] START negotiations," he said, referring to talks to reduce nuclear warheads.
The first volume of the memoir ends in 2011, before Putin returns to the presidency.


rferl--2020-11-18--Draft Changes To Kyrgyz Constitution Spark Fears Of Presidential Power Grab

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz lawmakers have initiated constitutional changes that critics say would concentrate too much power in the hands of the president ahead of a presidential election scheduled for January .
The move comes amid a political crisis triggered by mass protests over the results of parliamentary elections last month that led to the resignation of the government and President Sooronbai Jeenbekov .
The constitutional draft , made public on November 17 , was initiated by Sadyr Japarov , who has been accused by a number of politicians and civil rights activists of trying to `` usurp '' power since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which a post on the parliamentary website said was supported by 80 lawmakers , proposes widening presidential powers and creating a new body in the executive called the People 's Kurultai ( Congress ) , to which parliament and the government would report .
The number of lawmakers in the parliament would be reduced from 120 to 90 and the government would be supervised directly by the president and his administration .
Presidential spokesman Nurgazy Anarkulov insisted that the published text is not the final draft , and defended the proposed changes by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” `` The constitution ’ s final variant will be based on all opinions and proposals .
Time has shown that for the nation 's social and economic development , one person -- or the nation 's leader -- is needed .
In the past nobody was responsible for all the developments in the country and that led to lawlessness .
People who are tired of such a situation demand changes , '' he said in a statement .
However , former Prime Minister Feliks Kulov told RFE/RL that the proposals ’ main @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the president . ''
`` Parliament [ and ] the prime minister are supposed to lose all powers , while presidential powers will be widened significantly , '' Kulov said , adding that the proposed People 's Congress reminds him of a Turkmen rubber-stamp body called the People 's Council ( Halk Maslahaty ) .
Former lawmaker Sadyk Sher-Niyaz told RFE/RL that parliament members `` most likely did not realize what they signed . ''
`` I realize that many lawmakers have not even seen the text of the draft constitution that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My question is : Why our parliament , elected by the people , must be controlled by the People 's Congress ?
To impose a supervising organ over lawmakers , in my opinion , is a way of establishing a totalitarian regime , a dictatorship , '' Sher-Niyaz said .
Legal expert Sania Toktogazieva also harshly criticized the proposed constitutional changes , saying they would establish a `` super-presidential system ” of government in the country .
Emil Toktoshev , one of the lawmakers cited as co-authors of the draft ’ s published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support the draft .
`` It is not clear who worked on the draft .
I thought we would discuss it first but that never happened , and I was wrongfully cited as an author of the text that was quickly made public without taking into account lawmakers ' opinions , '' Toktoshev said .
The Russia and Kyrgyz versions of the constitutional draft also include different wording on presidential term limits .
One version says that `` one person can not serve as president twice , '' while the other states that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president more than two terms . ''
Under the current constitution , one person can not serve more than one presidential term .
During last month ’ s postelection protests , which prompted authorities to cancel the results of the parliamentary elections , Japarov was released from prison where he was serving a sentence for kidnapping a political rival .
After Jeenbekov left office in mid-October , Japarov became prime minister and was handed presidential powers .
As acting president , he signed legal changes that postponed fresh parliamentary elections tentatively set for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 , despite a requirement that such a vote come within two months .
That move cleared the way for early presidential elections on January 10 .
Under current legislation , anyone serving as president in an interim capacity may not then run in an election for the post .
Japarov has said several times he planned to step down in December to be eligible to seek the presidency .

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz lawmakers have initiated constitutional changes that critics say would concentrate too much power in the hands of the president ahead of a presidential election scheduled for January.
The move comes amid a political crisis triggered by mass protests over the results of parliamentary elections last month that led to the resignation of the government and President Sooronbai Jeenbekov.
The constitutional draft, made public on November 17, was initiated by Sadyr Japarov, who has been accused by a number of politicians and civil rights activists of trying to "usurp" power since becoming acting president.
The draft, which a post on the parliamentary website said was supported by 80 lawmakers, proposes widening presidential powers and creating a new body in the executive called the People's Kurultai (Congress), to which parliament and the government would report.
The number of lawmakers in the parliament would be reduced from 120 to 90 and the government would be supervised directly by the president and his administration.
Presidential spokesman Nurgazy Anarkulov insisted that the published text is not the final draft, and defended the proposed changes by saying that Kyrgyzstan needs a “leader.”
"The constitution’s final variant will be based on all opinions and proposals. Time has shown that for the nation's social and economic development, one person -- or the nation's leader -- is needed. In the past nobody was responsible for all the developments in the country and that led to lawlessness. People who are tired of such a situation demand changes," he said in a statement.
However, former Prime Minister Feliks Kulov told RFE/RL that the proposals’ main goal seems to secure "absolute power for the president."
"Parliament [and] the prime minister are supposed to lose all powers, while presidential powers will be widened significantly," Kulov said, adding that the proposed People's Congress reminds him of a Turkmen rubber-stamp body called the People's Council (Halk Maslahaty).
Former lawmaker Sadyk Sher-Niyaz told RFE/RL that parliament members "most likely did not realize what they signed."
"I realize that many lawmakers have not even seen the text of the draft constitution that would take us back 20-30 years. My question is: Why our parliament, elected by the people, must be controlled by the People's Congress? To impose a supervising organ over lawmakers, in my opinion, is a way of establishing a totalitarian regime, a dictatorship," Sher-Niyaz said.
Legal expert Sania Toktogazieva also harshly criticized the proposed constitutional changes, saying they would establish a "super-presidential system” of government in the country.
Emil Toktoshev, one of the lawmakers cited as co-authors of the draft’s published text, told RFE/RL he does not support the draft.
"It is not clear who worked on the draft. I thought we would discuss it first but that never happened, and I was wrongfully cited as an author of the text that was quickly made public without taking into account lawmakers' opinions," Toktoshev said.
The Russian and Kyrgyz versions of the constitutional draft also include different wording on presidential term limits.
One version says that "one person cannot serve as president twice," while the other states that "one person cannot serve as president more than two terms."
Under the current constitution, one person cannot serve more than one presidential term.
During last month’s postelection protests, which prompted authorities to cancel the results of the parliamentary elections, Japarov was released from prison where he was serving a sentence for kidnapping a political rival.
After Jeenbekov left office in mid-October, Japarov became prime minister and was handed presidential powers.
As acting president, he signed legal changes that postponed fresh parliamentary elections tentatively set for December 20 to an unspecified date in 2021, despite a requirement that such a vote come within two months.
That move cleared the way for early presidential elections on January 10.
Under current legislation, anyone serving as president in an interim capacity may not then run in an election for the post.
Japarov has said several times he planned to step down in December to be eligible to seek the presidency.


rferl--2020-11-18--UN Watchdog Says Iran Has Again Breached Nuclear Deal With Step To Fire Up Centrifuges

The UN 's atomic watchdog says Iran has again breached its nuclear deal with major powers by firing up advanced uranium-enriching centrifuges installed underground at its Natanz site .
The International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) Director-General Rafael Grossi told a press conference on November 18 that centrifuges in a buried part of the Natanz site , which the agency revealed in a report last week , were now operational .
Natanz is Iran 's main uranium-enrichment site and the one that sources for The New York Times said U.S. President Donald Trump recently asked for options on attacking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States withdrew from in 2018 , states that Iran can only accumulate enriched uranium with first-generation IR-1 machines and that those are the only centrifuges it can operate at its underground plant at Natanz , apparently built to withstand aerial bombardment .
The IAEA report from last week showed Tehran had installed advanced equipment underground at Natanz , having moved them from an aboveground plant where it was already enriching uranium with advanced centrifuges in breach of the deal .
That report said Iran had not fed uranium hexafluoride ( UF6 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into that cascade .
Grossi said on November 18 that at the time of last week 's report , `` they had not started operations ... it is now happening.
” Addressing the IAEA board in Vienna , the U.S. envoy to the organization described Iran 's actions as `` transparent attempts at extortion . ''
`` We have made clear they will neither resolve the current impasse nor bring Iran sanctions relief , '' Ambassador Jackie Wolcot said .
The IAEA report said Iran had also begun installing a cascade of IR-4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a planned third cascade of IR-6 machines .
It is also operating 5,060 IR-1 machines at the underground plant .
Iran has breached many restrictions imposed by the 2015 deal on its atomic activities , including on the purity to which it enriches uranium and its stock of enriched uranium , citing the U.S. withdrawal as the reason even though other signatories to the agreement -- Russia , France , Great Britain , China , and the European Union -- insist the agreement is still valid and have urged Tehran to adhere to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tehran would be willing to return to full compliance with the nuclear deal if U.S. President-elect Joe Biden lifts crippling sanctions against the country .
Biden has said he would work with the other powers involved -- Britain , France , Germany , Russia , and China , as well as the EU -- to amend aspects of the agreement once Iran is back in compliance .
But analysts have told RFE/RL that an immediate return to the deal is unlikely .
Washington has sought to ramp up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo making the case that undoing the actions of the Trump administration would be “ dangerous.
” Pompeo released a statement on November 18 arguing that the Trump administration 's moves had been “ extraordinarily effective '' in reducing the threat from the country .
The sanctions have slashed Iran 's revenue by hundreds of billions of dollars since the U.S. pullout in 2018 , he said .
“ Sanctions are part of the pressures creating a new Middle East , bringing together countries that suffer the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek a region more peaceful and stable than before , ” he said , adding : “ Reducing that pressure is a dangerous choice , bound to weaken new partnerships for peace in the region and strengthen only the Islamic republic.
” Meanwhile , the Treasury and State departments announced they had targeted a leading Iranian charity , the Mostazafan Foundation , and dozens of its affiliates .
`` While [ it ] is ostensibly a charitable organization charged with providing benefits to the poor and oppressed , its holdings are expropriated from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to enrich his office , reward his political allies , and persecute the regime ’ s enemies , '' Treasury said in a statement .
Iran ’ s Intelligence Minister Mahmud Alavi is also targeted for playing `` a central role in the Iranian regime ’ s human rights abuses against Iranian citizens . ''
With reporting by Reuters , AP , and dpa


rferl--2020-11-18--Moscow Court Denies Appeals In High-Profile Serebrennikov Trial

A court in Moscow has turned down appeals filed by three co-defendants in the high-profile trial involving the noted Russian theater and film director Kirill Serebrennikov , a case that critics said was politically motivated and meant as a warning to potential government critics .
The Moscow City Court on November 18 confirmed the ruling and sentences handed down by the Meshchansky district court in the case earlier this summer .
On June 26 , the Meshchansky district gave Serebrennikov a suspended , three-year prison term and fined him 800,000 rubles ( $ 10,500 ) .
Serebrennikov 's co-defendants , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malobrodsky , were also found guilty of embezzlement and received three-year and two-year suspended sentences respectively .
Both also received steep fines .
The fourth defendant , a former employee of the Culture Ministry , Sofia Apfelbaum , was found guilty of negligence .
The court also ordered Serebrennikov , Itin , and Malobrodsky to repay nearly 129 million rubles ( some $ 1.7 million ) that the court concluded they had embezzled .
Serebrennikov did not appeal the ruling , but the three others did .
Serebrennikov has been hailed as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modern art scene , potentially putting him at odds with cultural conservatives , and has protested government policies in the past .
He has taken part in anti-government protests and voiced concern about the growing influence of the Russian Orthodox Church in the country .
Serebrennikov 's arrest in August 2017 drew international attention and prompted accusations that Russian authorities were targeting cultural figures who are at odds with President Vladimir Putin and his government .
Prominent Russian and international actors , writers , and directors have expressed their support for Serebrennikov and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as politically motivated .
Serebrennikov , Itin , Malobrodsky , and Apfelbaum were accused of embezzling state funds that were granted from 2011 to 2014 to Seventh Studio , a nonprofit organization established by Serebrennikov , for a project called Platforma .
All four deny any wrongdoing .
With reporting by TASS and Interfax

A court in Moscow has turned down appeals filed by three co-defendants in the high-profile trial involving the noted Russian theater and film director Kirill Serebrennikov, a case that critics said was politically motivated and meant as a warning to potential government critics.
The Moscow City Court on November 18 confirmed the ruling and sentences handed down by the Meshchansky district court in the case earlier this summer.
On June 26, the Meshchansky district gave Serebrennikov a suspended, three-year prison term and fined him 800,000 rubles ($10,500).
Serebrennikov's co-defendants, theater producers, Yury Itin and Aleksei Malobrodsky, were also found guilty of embezzlement and received three-year and two-year suspended sentences respectively. Both also received steep fines.
The fourth defendant, a former employee of the Culture Ministry, Sofia Apfelbaum, was found guilty of negligence.
The court also ordered Serebrennikov, Itin, and Malobrodsky to repay nearly 129 million rubles (some $1.7 million) that the court concluded they had embezzled.
Serebrennikov did not appeal the ruling, but the three others did.
Serebrennikov has been hailed as a daring and innovative force on Russia's modern art scene, potentially putting him at odds with cultural conservatives, and has protested government policies in the past.
He has taken part in anti-government protests and voiced concern about the growing influence of the Russian Orthodox Church in the country.
Serebrennikov's arrest in August 2017 drew international attention and prompted accusations that Russian authorities were targeting cultural figures who are at odds with President Vladimir Putin and his government.
Prominent Russian and international actors, writers, and directors have expressed their support for Serebrennikov and his colleagues. Many regarded the case as politically motivated.
Serebrennikov, Itin, Malobrodsky, and Apfelbaum were accused of embezzling state funds that were granted from 2011 to 2014 to Seventh Studio, a nonprofit organization established by Serebrennikov, for a project called Platforma.
All four deny any wrongdoing.
With reporting by TASS and Interfax


rferl--2020-11-18--Rival Rallies In Yerevan As Armenia Reels From Nagorno-Karabakh Truce

Several thousand people gathered in central Yerevan on November 18 for a second week of anti-government demonstrations demanding Armenian Prime @ @ @ @ @ .
At the same time , several hundred people staged a pro-Pashinian rally in front @ @ @ @ @ few hundred meters away .
The opposition-led gathering branded Pashinian a `` traitor '' for @ @ @ @ @ Azerbaijan on November 9 , consolidating Baku 's territorial gains in a six-week war over @ @ @ @ @ has called for early parliamentary elections in Armenia to `` save the country from upheaval @ @ @ @ @ indication of plans to resign as he unveiled his `` road map '' to postwar @ @ @ @ @ next six months .

Several thousand people gathered in central Yerevan on November 18 for a second week of anti-government demonstrations demanding Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian's resignation. At the same time, several hundred people staged a pro-Pashinian rally in front of the government building a few hundred meters away. The opposition-led gathering branded Pashinian a "traitor" for signing a Russian-brokered truce with Azerbaijan on November 9, consolidating Baku's territorial gains in a six-week war over Nagorno-Karabakh. President Armen Sarkisian has called for early parliamentary elections in Armenia to "save the country from upheaval." Pashinian gave no indication of plans to resign as he unveiled his "road map" to postwar reforms and rehabilitation for the next six months.


rferl--2020-11-18--Another RFE/RL Correspondent Jailed In Belarus

MINSK -- A correspondent for RFE/RL ’ s Belarus Service who was detained at a protest against Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Minsk this weekend has been jailed for 10 days , relatives said on November 18 .
Ihar Karney was among more than 1,200 people detained by riot police on November 15 across Belarus , which has witnessed nearly daily protests since Lukashenka was declared winner of the country 's August 9 election despite charges of election fraud by the opposition and the West .
At least 18 journalists -- including Karney and three other contributors to RFE/RL 's Belarus Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrey Rabchyk , and chief video editor Yulia Kotskaya -- were among those detained in Minsk and other cities on November 15 , according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists .
A court in Minsk on November 17 sentenced Shaulyuha to 15 days in jail after finding him guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned rally , a charge he rejected , saying he was covering the event as a reporter .
On November 16 , Rabchyk was also found guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned rally and sentenced to 15 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , insisting that he was covering the rally .
Kotskaya was released from jail on November 16 but also charged with taking part in an unsanctioned rally and summoned to a trial scheduled for November 19 .
Last week , a veteran RFE/RL correspondent in Belarus , Aleh Hruzdzilovich , was sentenced to 15 days in prison on the same charge of covering another mass rally against Lukashenka .
In August , the Belarusian Foreign Ministry refused to extend the accreditations of several RFE/RL correspondents , forcing them to suspend their work for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarusian Association of Journalists , 26 reporters were incarcerated in Belarus as of November 18 .
Belarus opposition leader Svyatlana Tskihanouskaya , who supporters say won the disputed Belarusian presidential election , has called on European leaders to impose targeted economic sanctions on supporters of Lukashenka .
Tsikhanouskaya , who left for Lithuania shortly after the vote amid threats to her and her family , urged the European Union to move toward `` targeted financial sanctions against people and individuals who are in the pockets of Lukashenka.
” `` Only economical pressure will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will not have money to pay for riot police and their crimes , '' she told Reuters in an interview on November 17 during a visit to Stockholm .
Several protesters have been killed and thousands of people arrested since authorities declared Lukashenka , who has ruled Belarus for 26 years , the landslide winner of the vote .
There have also been credible reports of torture during a widening security crackdown .

MINSK -- A correspondent for RFE/RL’s Belarus Service who was detained at a protest against Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Minsk this weekend has been jailed for 10 days, relatives said on November 18.
Ihar Karney was among more than 1,200 people detained by riot police on November 15 across Belarus, which has witnessed nearly daily protests since Lukashenka was declared winner of the country's August 9 election despite charges of election fraud by the opposition and the West.
At least 18 journalists -- including Karney and three other contributors to RFE/RL's Belarus Service -- photo reporter Andrey Shaulyuha, cameraman Andrey Rabchyk, and chief video editor Yulia Kotskaya -- were among those detained in Minsk and other cities on November 15, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists.
A court in Minsk on November 17 sentenced Shaulyuha to 15 days in jail after finding him guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned rally, a charge he rejected, saying he was covering the event as a reporter.
On November 16, Rabchyk was also found guilty of taking part in an unsanctioned rally and sentenced to 15 days. Rabchyk pleaded not guilty as well, insisting that he was covering the rally.
Kotskaya was released from jail on November 16 but also charged with taking part in an unsanctioned rally and summoned to a trial scheduled for November 19.
Last week, a veteran RFE/RL correspondent in Belarus, Aleh Hruzdzilovich, was sentenced to 15 days in prison on the same charge of covering another mass rally against Lukashenka.
In August, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry refused to extend the accreditations of several RFE/RL correspondents, forcing them to suspend their work for the American broadcaster.
According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, 26 reporters were incarcerated in Belarus as of November 18.
Belarus opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who supporters say won the disputed Belarusian presidential election, has called on European leaders to impose targeted economic sanctions on supporters of Lukashenka.
Tsikhanouskaya, who left for Lithuania shortly after the vote amid threats to her and her family, urged the European Union to move toward "targeted financial sanctions against people and individuals who are in the pockets of Lukashenka.”
"Only economical pressure will make this regime step away, because they will not have money to pay for riot police and their crimes," she told Reuters in an interview on November 17 during a visit to Stockholm.
Several protesters have been killed and thousands of people arrested since authorities declared Lukashenka, who has ruled Belarus for 26 years, the landslide winner of the vote.
There have also been credible reports of torture during a widening security crackdown.


rferl--2020-11-18--Ukraine Faces 'Severe' COVID-19 Winter As Coronavirus-Related Deaths Exceed 10,000

Ukraine has passed a milestone of 10,000 deaths caused by COVID-19 as the country faces what the health minister called a `` very severe '' winter of coronavirus cases .
Maksym Stepanov said on November 18 that Ukraine registered a record 256 new COVID-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours , bringing the total toll to 10,112 .
He said 12,496 new COVID-19 cases had been documented in the country and that 535 more children and 529 medical workers had contracted the disease .
In the past 24 hours , 1,668 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Ukraine has reached 570,153 .
Meanwhile , Ukrainian government officials defended last week ’ s decision to close or restrict businesses at weekends except for essential services such as grocery shops , pharmacies , hospitals , and transport .
A member of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy 's administration resigned over the November 14 decision , while some mayors refused to comply with the order and some business owners held protests .
Speaking at a government meeting on November 18 , Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal called the weekend quarantine “ a balanced alternative to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all together adhere to the anti-epidemic rules , we will see the result in two to three weeks , ” he added .
In a video interview with Reuters , Stepanov said the measures would lead to 10-15 percent fewer coronavirus cases than there might have been .
`` I can say with confidence that if we adhere to these measures , we will be able to stop the growth , at least stabilize it where it is now , '' the health minister said .
He said the restrictions would help Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hardest winter . ''
`` Because the winter , in my opinion , will be very severe in terms of morbidity and the number of seriously ill , '' Stepanov said .
Zelenskiy and the head of his presidential office , Andriy Yermak , tested positive for the coronavirus early last week .
With reporting by Reuters , Interfax , and UNIAN


rferl--2020-11-18--Mayor Of Siberian City Arrested On Corruption Charge Suspended From Post

TOMSK , Russia -- A court has ruled that the mayor of the Siberian city of Tomsk , Ivan Klyain , must be suspended from his post after being arrested last week on suspicion of abuse of office .
The Kirov district court in Tomsk ruled on November 18 that Klyain should remain suspended for the duration of the investigation into his activities surrounding the denial of a construction permit near a business his family controls .
Klyain was detained on November 13 and was placed in pretrial detention for at least two months .
On November 18 , Klyain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ client 's pretrial detention .
The same day , Klyain 's wife , Galina Klyain , was summoned for questioning in what law enforcement officials called her `` resistance to police '' during a search of her family ’ s house .
Media reports said Galina Klyain faces up to 10 years in prison if charged and convicted for hampering the investigation .
The Investigative Committee said earlier that Ivan Klyain is suspected of using his official post to illegally prevent the construction of a building in 2016-2017 on territory close to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The 61-year-old Klyain has served as the mayor of Tomsk since 2013 .
Before being appointed to the post , he had been the director-general of the Tomsk Beer company , one of the largest breweries in the region , since 1994 .
After becoming mayor , his wife was elected by Tomsk Beer 's board of directors as the facility 's director-general .
In 2013 , the Kommersant newspaper wrote that Klyain owned 51 percent of Tomsk Beer , while his spouse and daughters owned 20 percent of the company 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared one of the highest incomes among Russian mayors , according to Moskovsky Komsomolets .
Klyain is the third mayor of the Siberian city to be detained on suspicion of abuse of office since 2006 .
With reporting by TASS , Interfax , Kommersant , and TV2

TOMSK, Russia -- A court has ruled that the mayor of the Siberian city of Tomsk, Ivan Klyain, must be suspended from his post after being arrested last week on suspicion of abuse of office.
The Kirov district court in Tomsk ruled on November 18 that Klyain should remain suspended for the duration of the investigation into his activities surrounding the denial of a construction permit near a business his family controls.
Klyain was detained on November 13 and was placed in pretrial detention for at least two months.
On November 18, Klyain's lawyers said they have appealed their client's pretrial detention.
The same day, Klyain's wife, Galina Klyain, was summoned for questioning in what law enforcement officials called her "resistance to police" during a search of her family’s house.
Media reports said Galina Klyain faces up to 10 years in prison if charged and convicted for hampering the investigation.
The Investigative Committee said earlier that Ivan Klyain is suspected of using his official post to illegally prevent the construction of a building in 2016-2017 on territory close to the Tomsk Beer company, which he controls.
The 61-year-old Klyain has served as the mayor of Tomsk since 2013. Before being appointed to the post, he had been the director-general of the Tomsk Beer company, one of the largest breweries in the region, since 1994.
After becoming mayor, his wife was elected by Tomsk Beer's board of directors as the facility's director-general.
In 2013, the Kommersant newspaper wrote that Klyain owned 51 percent of Tomsk Beer, while his spouse and daughters owned 20 percent of the company's shares.
For several years, Klyain declared one of the highest incomes among Russian mayors, according to Moskovsky Komsomolets.
Klyain is the third mayor of the Siberian city to be detained on suspicion of abuse of office since 2006.
With reporting by TASS, Interfax, Kommersant, and TV2


rferl--2020-11-19--Nuclear Fuel From Chernobyl Reactors Loaded For Longer-Term Storage

The first canister of spent nuclear fuel from the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine was loaded on November 18 into @ @ @ @ @ storage site .
The Interim Storage Facility 2 ( ISF-2 ) is inside the exclusion @ @ @ @ @ exploded in 1986 .
One double-walled canister contains a total of 93 spent fuel assemblies @ @ @ @ @ not destroyed in the disaster .
More than 21,000 spent-fuel assemblies will make this journey @ @ @ @ @ .
The ISF-2 has an expected lifespan of at least 100 years and is the @ @ @ @ @ the world .

The first canister of spent nuclear fuel from the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine was loaded on November 18 into a new, more modern storage site. The Interim Storage Facility 2 (ISF-2) is inside the exclusion zone around the reactor that exploded in 1986. One double-walled canister contains a total of 93 spent fuel assemblies from three reactors that were not destroyed in the disaster. More than 21,000 spent-fuel assemblies will make this journey over the next several years. The ISF-2 has an expected lifespan of at least 100 years and is the largest dry-spent-fuel storage facility in the world.


rferl--2020-11-19--Eleven Former Russian Prison Guards Convicted Of Inmate Torture In High-Profile Case

Eleven former prison guards in the Russian city of Yaroslavl have been convicted and handed prison terms in a high-profile case on inmate torture .
The Zavolzhye district court on November 19 sentenced the 11 men to prison terms between three years and four years and three months .
Six of them were released from custody , as the court said their pretrial detention had been long enough to cover their sentences .
In a separate ruling , the court acquitted the former warden of Correctional Colony No .
1 , Dmitry Nikolayev , and his ex-deputy , Igit Mikhailov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nikolayev and Mikhailov to seven years in prison each , and sought prison terms between four years and seven years for the other defendants .
Irina Biryukova , a lawyer for one plaintiff , Yevgeny Makarov , called the sentences `` too mild '' and said she will appeal the court ruling .
The former prison guards and their bosses were arrested after the nongovernmental organization Public Verdict made public a 2017 video via the Novaya gazeta newspaper that showed at least 17 guards beating Makarov while he was lying on a table @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a public outcry and prompted Russian law enforcement authorities to arrest the guards in 2018 and 2019 .
The authorities also announced that prior complaints by inmates across Russia would be investigated , sparking a November 2018 probe into the alleged torture of 25 inmates in a second prison in the Yaroslavl region .
The cases have focused attention on what activists say is widespread abuse and torture of inmates in the country .

Eleven former prison guards in the Russian city of Yaroslavl have been convicted and handed prison terms in a high-profile case on inmate torture.
The Zavolzhye district court on November 19 sentenced the 11 men to prison terms between three years and four years and three months. Six of them were released from custody, as the court said their pretrial detention had been long enough to cover their sentences.
In a separate ruling, the court acquitted the former warden of Correctional Colony No. 1, Dmitry Nikolayev, and his ex-deputy, Igit Mikhailov.
Prosecutors asked the court to sentence Nikolayev and Mikhailov to seven years in prison each, and sought prison terms between four years and seven years for the other defendants.
Irina Biryukova, a lawyer for one plaintiff, Yevgeny Makarov, called the sentences "too mild" and said she will appeal the court ruling.
The former prison guards and their bosses were arrested after the nongovernmental organization Public Verdict made public a 2017 video via the Novaya gazeta newspaper that showed at least 17 guards beating Makarov while he was lying on a table in a penitentiary.
The video caused a public outcry and prompted Russian law enforcement authorities to arrest the guards in 2018 and 2019.
The authorities also announced that prior complaints by inmates across Russia would be investigated, sparking a November 2018 probe into the alleged torture of 25 inmates in a second prison in the Yaroslavl region.
The cases have focused attention on what activists say is widespread abuse and torture of inmates in the country.


rferl--2020-11-19--EU Hails End Of Nagorno-Karabakh Fighting, Urges Parties To Stick To Cease-Fire

The European Union has welcomed the end of fighting in and around the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh and called on all sides to `` strictly respect '' the Moscow-brokered cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to prevent further loss of life .
The bloc 's foreign-policy chief , Josep Borrell , in a statement on November 19 urged `` all regional actors to refrain from any actions or rhetoric '' that could endanger the truce , signed on November 10 .
The peace deal reached on November 10 came after Azerbaijani forces made major battlefield gains in the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Armenian separatists nearly three decades ago .
The accord allows Azerbaijan to keep a sizable chunk of the mountainous region , as well as all of the area ringing the enclave .
Around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers will be deployed to maintain security in the territory for a period of five years .
During the conflict , Russia and Armenia repeatedly voiced concern about the involvement in the conflict of fighters from Syria and Libya who were ostensibly ferried to Nagorno-Karabakh by Turkey , Azerbaijan 's closest ally .
Borrell said the bloc will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with particular attention to the issue of foreign fighters .
`` The EU also calls for the full and prompt withdrawal of all foreign fighters from the region , '' he said , adding that the cessation of hostilities was only a first step to end `` the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict . ''
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan , but the ethnic Armenians who make up most of the population reject Azerbaijani rule .
They have been governing their own affairs , with support from Armenia , since Azerbaijan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed out of the region in a war that ended in a cease-fire in 1994 .
Efforts to resolve the conflict by the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) -- co-chaired by Russia , France , and the United States -- have not brought any results since the 1990s .
`` The EU considers that efforts must be renewed for a negotiated , comprehensive and sustainable settlement of the conflict , including on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh , '' Borrell said .
`` The EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international format of the OSCE Minsk Group led by its co-chairs and to the personal representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office to pursue this objective . ''
The statement added that the EU was prepared to `` effectively contribute in the shaping of a durable and comprehensive settlement of the conflict , including where possible through support for stabilization , postconflict rehabilitation , and confidence-building measures . ''
In a separate development , the Russian Foreign Ministry on November 19 announced that over the past six days , Azerbaijan and Armenia had swapped 385 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This figure includes casualties on both sides , '' spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on November 19 .
With reporting by Interfax and TASS

The European Union has welcomed the end of fighting in and around the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh and called on all sides to "strictly respect" the Moscow-brokered cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to prevent further loss of life.
The bloc's foreign-policy chief, Josep Borrell, in a statement on November 19 urged "all regional actors to refrain from any actions or rhetoric" that could endanger the truce, signed on November 10.
The peace deal reached on November 10 came after Azerbaijani forces made major battlefield gains in the previous six weeks, regaining territory lost to Armenian separatists nearly three decades ago.
The accord allows Azerbaijan to keep a sizable chunk of the mountainous region, as well as all of the area ringing the enclave. Around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers will be deployed to maintain security in the territory for a period of five years.
During the conflict, Russia and Armenia repeatedly voiced concern about the involvement in the conflict of fighters from Syria and Libya who were ostensibly ferried to Nagorno-Karabakh by Turkey, Azerbaijan's closest ally.
Borrell said the bloc will closely monitor the implementation of the cease-fire, with particular attention to the issue of foreign fighters.
"The EU also calls for the full and prompt withdrawal of all foreign fighters from the region," he said, adding that the cessation of hostilities was only a first step to end "the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but the ethnic Armenians who make up most of the population reject Azerbaijani rule. They have been governing their own affairs, with support from Armenia, since Azerbaijan's troops and ethnic Azeri civilians were pushed out of the region in a war that ended in a cease-fire in 1994.
Efforts to resolve the conflict by the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) -- co-chaired by Russia, France, and the United States -- have not brought any results since the 1990s.
"The EU considers that efforts must be renewed for a negotiated, comprehensive and sustainable settlement of the conflict, including on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh," Borrell said.
"The EU therefore reiterates its full support to the international format of the OSCE Minsk Group led by its co-chairs and to the personal representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office to pursue this objective."
The statement added that the EU was prepared to "effectively contribute in the shaping of a durable and comprehensive settlement of the conflict, including where possible through support for stabilization, postconflict rehabilitation, and confidence-building measures."
In a separate development, the Russian Foreign Ministry on November 19 announced that over the past six days, Azerbaijan and Armenia had swapped 385 bodies of those killed during the conflict.
"This figure includes casualties on both sides," spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on November 19.
With reporting by Interfax and TASS


rferl--2020-11-19--Kazakh Court Upholds Decision To Place Blogger In Psychiatric Clinic

NUR-SULTAN -- A Kazakh court has upheld a decision to place a journalist and blogger accused of being involved in the activities of a banned organization in a psychiatric clinic .
The Nur-Sultan court of appeals announced its decision on November 19 , meaning that Aigul Otepova will now be transferred from house arrest to a psychiatric clinic as ruled by a court last week .
The initial ruling said Otepova must be placed in a psychiatric clinic for one month to check her mental sanity .
The 50-year-old journalist was put under house arrest on September 17 after she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' efforts to curb the coronavirus outbreak .
Earlier this week , her pretrial house arrest was extended until December 27 .
Authorities have accused her of supporting the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan ( DVK ) opposition movement , which has been labeled as an extremist group and banned in the country .
Otepova denies any connection with DVK , saying that she is an independent journalist and blogger who expresses her own views .
Otepova 's daughter told RFE/RL that by placing her mother in a psychiatric clinic , the authorities were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parliamentary elections scheduled for January 10 .
Amnesty International said in a statement on November 18 that Otepova was `` a prisoner of conscience who is being prosecuted solely for the peaceful expression of her views . ''
The rights group also demanded her immediate release .
`` This case is alarmingly reminiscent of the way psychiatry was used in the 1960s and 1970s in the U.S.S.R. to imprison dissidents .
The legacy of Soviet psychiatry continues to be felt across the region , and Amnesty International has intervened in a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where people who criticize the regime or denounce injustice continue to be arbitrarily subjected to psychiatric diagnosis , forced hospitalization and involuntary treatment in psychiatric hospitals , '' the statement said .
Human rights groups have criticized the Kazakh government for years for persecuting independent and opposition journalists .
In 2018 , a court in the southern city of Shymkent placed journalist and blogger Ardaq Ashim in a psychiatric clinic after she criticized the government in her articles .
After her release , Ashim left for Ukraine , where she currently resides .

NUR-SULTAN -- A Kazakh court has upheld a decision to place a journalist and blogger accused of being involved in the activities of a banned organization in a psychiatric clinic.
The Nur-Sultan court of appeals announced its decision on November 19, meaning that Aigul Otepova will now be transferred from house arrest to a psychiatric clinic as ruled by a court last week. The initial ruling said Otepova must be placed in a psychiatric clinic for one month to check her mental sanity.
The 50-year-old journalist was put under house arrest on September 17 after she posted criticism on Facebook of the authorities' efforts to curb the coronavirus outbreak.
Earlier this week, her pretrial house arrest was extended until December 27.
Authorities have accused her of supporting the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) opposition movement, which has been labeled as an extremist group and banned in the country.
Otepova denies any connection with DVK, saying that she is an independent journalist and blogger who expresses her own views.
Otepova's daughter told RFE/RL that by placing her mother in a psychiatric clinic, the authorities were trying to silence her ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for January 10.
Amnesty International said in a statement on November 18 that Otepova was "a prisoner of conscience who is being prosecuted solely for the peaceful expression of her views." The rights group also demanded her immediate release.
"This case is alarmingly reminiscent of the way psychiatry was used in the 1960s and 1970s in the U.S.S.R. to imprison dissidents. The legacy of Soviet psychiatry continues to be felt across the region, and Amnesty International has intervened in a number of instances in Eastern Europe and Central Asia where people who criticize the regime or denounce injustice continue to be arbitrarily subjected to psychiatric diagnosis, forced hospitalization and involuntary treatment in psychiatric hospitals," the statement said.
Human rights groups have criticized the Kazakh government for years for persecuting independent and opposition journalists.
In 2018, a court in the southern city of Shymkent placed journalist and blogger Ardaq Ashim in a psychiatric clinic after she criticized the government in her articles.
After her release, Ashim left for Ukraine, where she currently resides.


rferl--2020-11-19--Bah Humbug! Russian Santa Faces Fine For Protesting Ban On Holiday Celebrations

Even Santa Claus and his elves ca n't escape Russia 's coronavirus measures , or its strict laws on protests .
Moscow police detained a man dressed as Grandfather Frost , Russia 's version of the jolly Christmas gift giver from the North Pole , on Red Square near the Kremlin late on November 18 , where he was protesting a city ban on holiday celebrations imposed due to the pandemic .
The Apology of Protest group that provides individuals facing prosecution for unsanctioned protests with legal defense said the man was detained after appearing on the square with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am/We are the New Year .
Grandfather Frost is against a ban on New Year 's parties . ''
Lawyer Aleksandr Aldayev from Apology of Protest added that two other young men who accompanied Grandfather Frost in elf costumes were also detained .
The three men were later released , but the man in the Grandfather Frost costume was charged with violating the law on public gatherings and could face a fine of up to 20,000 rubles ( $ 265 ) or up to 40 hours of community work .
Moscow authorities said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Russian capital 's schools and other organizations and companies were banned this year due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Although single-person protests do not require preliminary permission from the authorities in Russia , such protests on Red Square , which is in close proximity to the Kremlin and the presidential residence , are not allowed .
According to the latest data , there were 526,630 registered cases of coronavirus in Moscow , of which more than 8,000 were lethal .
As of November 19 , the total number of registered coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whom 34,850 have died and 1,526,656 recovered .

Even Santa Claus and his elves can't escape Russia's coronavirus measures, or its strict laws on protests.
Moscow police detained a man dressed as Grandfather Frost, Russia's version of the jolly Christmas gift giver from the North Pole, on Red Square near the Kremlin late on November 18, where he was protesting a city ban on holiday celebrations imposed due to the pandemic.
The Apology of Protest group that provides individuals facing prosecution for unsanctioned protests with legal defense said the man was detained after appearing on the square with a large poster, saying: "I am/We are the New Year. Grandfather Frost is against a ban on New Year's parties."
Lawyer Aleksandr Aldayev from Apology of Protest added that two other young men who accompanied Grandfather Frost in elf costumes were also detained.
The three men were later released, but the man in the Grandfather Frost costume was charged with violating the law on public gatherings and could face a fine of up to 20,000 rubles ($265) or up to 40 hours of community work.
Moscow authorities said on November 11 that traditional holiday celebrations in the Russian capital's schools and other organizations and companies were banned this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Although single-person protests do not require preliminary permission from the authorities in Russia, such protests on Red Square, which is in close proximity to the Kremlin and the presidential residence, are not allowed.
According to the latest data, there were 526,630 registered cases of coronavirus in Moscow, of which more than 8,000 were lethal.
As of November 19, the total number of registered coronavirus patients in Russia was 2,015,608, of whom 34,850 have died and 1,526,656 recovered.


rferl--2020-11-19--Trial Set For 'Bullied' Conscript Who Confessed To Killing Eight Soldiers In Siberia

A court in the Russian city of Chita in Siberia has set November 23 as the date for the trial of conscript Private Ramil Shamsutdinov , who is accused of shooting dead eight fellow servicemen last year in what he claims was the result of brutal hazing .
Shamsutdinov 's lawyer Ravil Tugushev said on November 19 that the Second Military District Court had selected the jury for the high-profile case after an initial attempt in late October failed .
On October 25 , 2019 , Shamsutdinov allegedly shot eight military servicemen , including two high-ranking officers , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was arrested soon after and charged with murder .
The case shocked many in Russia and attracted the attention of rights activists after Shamsutdinov claimed that he went on the shooting spree after suffering a nervous breakdown caused by the brutal hazing and torture he had endured .
The Defense Ministry accepted at the time that Shamsutdinov `` had a conflict '' with one of the officers he killed .
In March , Private Ruslan Mukhatov was found guilty of bullying Shamsutdinov and was handed a suspended two-year prison term .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Shamsutdinov pleaded guilty to murder charges .
Another lawyer for Shamsutdinov , Ruslan Nagiyev , told RFE/RL that the defense team will try to persuade the jury that Shamsutdinov was in a deep state of psychological stress caused by bullying and torture when he committed the act .
Deadly shootings in Russia 's military as a result of widespread hazing have been a focus of human rights organizations for years .
Last week , a soldier at a military air base in the western region of Voronezh shot an officer and two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photos and video footage have been posted online by members of the Russian military that show the severe bullying of young recruits as they are inducted into the army .
With reporting by Interfax and TASS

A court in the Russian city of Chita in Siberia has set November 23 as the date for the trial of conscript Private Ramil Shamsutdinov, who is accused of shooting dead eight fellow servicemen last year in what he claims was the result of brutal hazing.
Shamsutdinov's lawyer Ravil Tugushev said on November 19 that the Second Military District Court had selected the jury for the high-profile case after an initial attempt in late October failed.
On October 25, 2019, Shamsutdinov allegedly shot eight military servicemen, including two high-ranking officers, in the town of Gorny in the Zabaikalye region. He was arrested soon after and charged with murder.
The case shocked many in Russia and attracted the attention of rights activists after Shamsutdinov claimed that he went on the shooting spree after suffering a nervous breakdown caused by the brutal hazing and torture he had endured.
The Defense Ministry accepted at the time that Shamsutdinov "had a conflict" with one of the officers he killed. In March, Private Ruslan Mukhatov was found guilty of bullying Shamsutdinov and was handed a suspended two-year prison term.
On September 23, the Investigative Committee said Shamsutdinov pleaded guilty to murder charges.
Another lawyer for Shamsutdinov, Ruslan Nagiyev, told RFE/RL that the defense team will try to persuade the jury that Shamsutdinov was in a deep state of psychological stress caused by bullying and torture when he committed the act.
Deadly shootings in Russia's military as a result of widespread hazing have been a focus of human rights organizations for years.
Last week, a soldier at a military air base in the western region of Voronezh shot an officer and two soldiers dead.
In recent years, photos and video footage have been posted online by members of the Russian military that show the severe bullying of young recruits as they are inducted into the army.
With reporting by Interfax and TASS


rferl--2020-11-19--Cosmonauts Complete Spacewalk To Prepare ISS For Arrival Of Russian Lab

Russian cosmonauts Sergei Ryzhikov and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov have completed a spacewalk to inspect a docking compartment on the International Space Station ( ISS ) in preparation for the installation of a Russian research module next year .
Ryzhikov and Kud-Sverchkov spent nearly seven hours on the space walk on November 18 .
It was the first for both cosmonauts .
The cosmonauts began the spacewalk around 10 a.m. ( 1500 GMT ) and reentered the Poisk docking compartment airlock at about 5 p.m. ( 2200 GMT ) , NASA said .
Their mission was to inspect the Poisk airlock for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an antenna cable , retrieving hardware that measures space debris impacts , and repositioning an instrument used to measure the residue from thruster firings .
They had to scrap one of their tasks because of a stubborn bolt that prevented them from replacing a fluid-flow regulator on Russia 's oldest compartment on the ISS , Zarya .
NASA said the old regulator was still working and the swap would be deferred to a later spacewalk .
The mission included preparations for the installation of the Nauka research module , which is to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan about a decade late because of a string of repairs .
The 22-ton lab , stretching 13 meters , is so big that it will be launched by a powerful Proton rocket .
Once at the ISS , it will double as an air lock and docking port .
Relocating the antenna cable was the first step in decommissioning Russia 's old Pirs spacewalking compartment to make room for the new lab .
The Pirs module will be removed and junked next year .
Plans call for a cargo ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to guide it to a fiery reentry .
Based on reporting by AP and dpa

Russian cosmonauts Sergei Ryzhikov and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov have completed a spacewalk to inspect a docking compartment on the International Space Station (ISS) in preparation for the installation of a Russian research module next year.
Ryzhikov and Kud-Sverchkov spent nearly seven hours on the space walk on November 18. It was the first for both cosmonauts.
The cosmonauts began the spacewalk around 10 a.m. (1500 GMT) and reentered the Poisk docking compartment airlock at about 5 p.m. (2200 GMT), NASA said.
Their mission was to inspect the Poisk airlock for leaks among other tasks such as relocating an antenna cable, retrieving hardware that measures space debris impacts, and repositioning an instrument used to measure the residue from thruster firings.
They had to scrap one of their tasks because of a stubborn bolt that prevented them from replacing a fluid-flow regulator on Russia's oldest compartment on the ISS, Zarya.
NASA said the old regulator was still working and the swap would be deferred to a later spacewalk.
The mission included preparations for the installation of the Nauka research module, which is to be delivered next year from the Russian-leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan about a decade late because of a string of repairs.
The 22-ton lab, stretching 13 meters, is so big that it will be launched by a powerful Proton rocket. Once at the ISS, it will double as an air lock and docking port.
Relocating the antenna cable was the first step in decommissioning Russia's old Pirs spacewalking compartment to make room for the new lab.
The Pirs module will be removed and junked next year. Plans call for a cargo ship to be attached to it and used to guide it to a fiery reentry.
Based on reporting by AP and dpa