themoscowtimes--2020-12-28--Masks, Sofas & TVs Top Russians’ 2020 Shopping Lists

Face masks , sofas and televisions were the most in-demand consumer goods in Russia this year , according to online sales data .
Demand for masks was seven times higher than in 2019 , data from online classified ads site Avito cited by the Vedomosti business daily showed .
Russians preferred single-use masks to reusable ones , Avito found , with disposable face coverings accounting for 56 % of all mask purchases .
Sofas and TVs were the second and third most popular consumer goods this year , with demand up for both by more than a fifth .
Fridges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desks also made the top-10 as millions of Russians kitted out their homes and apartments for months spent working from home .
Demand for bicycles and running shoes — also among the year ’ s most popular items — surged during May and June , Avito said , as Russia exited a monthlong lockdown which , on paper , had banned Russians from going outside even to exercise .
Consumer spending plunged at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in the spring after President Vladimir Putin imposed a monthlong non-working period in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
Retail sales dropped by a quarter and have remained stubbornly below pre-crisis levels , even as shops remain open and Moscow shuns a fresh lockdown despite setting record numbers of new infections and deaths .

Face masks, sofas and televisions were the most in-demand consumer goods in Russia this year, according to online sales data.
Demand for masks was seven times higher than in 2019, data from online classified ads site Avito cited by the Vedomosti business daily showed.
Russians preferred single-use masks to reusable ones, Avito found, with disposable face coverings accounting for 56% of all mask purchases.
Sofas and TVs were the second and third most popular consumer goods this year, with demand up for both by more than a fifth. Fridges, games consoles, laptops and computer desks also made the top-10 as millions of Russians kitted out their homes and apartments for months spent working from home.
Demand for bicycles and running shoes — also among the year’s most popular items — surged during May and June, Avito said, as Russia exited a monthlong lockdown which, on paper, had banned Russians from going outside even to exercise.
Consumer spending plunged at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in the spring after President Vladimir Putin imposed a monthlong non-working period in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. Retail sales dropped by a quarter and have remained stubbornly below pre-crisis levels, even as shops remain open and Moscow shuns a fresh lockdown despite setting record numbers of new infections and deaths.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-28--Russia Bolsters Military Police Presence in Northern Syria Amid Fighting Flare-Up

Russia has sent additional military police units to the Raqqa province of northern Syria amid a flare-up in fighting between rebel groups there , the Kommersant business daily reported Monday , citing a top Russian official in Syria .
Russia , a close ally of the Syrian government in Damascus , maintains a military presence in northeastern Syria , one of the last rebel holdouts in the country ’ s decade-long civil war , along with Turkey , which supports rebel factions .
Shelling between Turkish-backed rebel groups and the opposition Syrian Democratic Forces broke out in the town of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civilian displacement and criticism of Russia ’ s inaction .
Rear Admiral Vyacheslav Sytnik , deputy head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria , said that additional Russian military police units were deployed to Ayn Issa in an effort to stabilize the fighting .
“ Additional units of the Russian military police have arrived in the Ayn Issa area [ of the Raqqa province ] to step up efforts to stabilize the situation .
We call on the parties conducting mutual shelling to stop the escalation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
Russia is in agreement with Turkey on the deployment of Russian-Syrian posts , Sytnik added .
Earlier this month , Moscow , Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces agreed to establish three joint posts in the Raqqa province .
Kommersant cited Arab media reports as saying that the Russian military hopes to convince the Syrian Democratic Forces to transfer part of the areas they control to Damascus as Ankara strengthens its positions on Syrian territory .

Russia has sent additional military police units to the Raqqa province of northern Syria amid a flare-up in fighting between rebel groups there, the Kommersant business daily reported Monday, citing a top Russian official in Syria.
Russia, a close ally of the Syrian government in Damascus, maintains a military presence in northeastern Syria, one of the last rebel holdouts in the country’s decade-long civil war, along with Turkey, which supports rebel factions. Shelling between Turkish-backed rebel groups and the opposition Syrian Democratic Forces broke out in the town of Ayn Issa this month, prompting mass civilian displacement and criticism of Russia’s inaction.
Rear Admiral Vyacheslav Sytnik, deputy head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria, said that additional Russian military police units were deployed to Ayn Issa in an effort to stabilize the fighting.
“Additional units of the Russian military police have arrived in the Ayn Issa area [of the Raqqa province] to step up efforts to stabilize the situation. We call on the parties conducting mutual shelling to stop the escalation,” Kommersant cited Sytnik as saying in a statement.
Russia is in agreement with Turkey on the deployment of Russian-Syrian posts, Sytnik added.
Earlier this month, Moscow, Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces agreed to establish three joint posts in the Raqqa province.
Kommersant cited Arab media reports as saying that the Russian military hopes to convince the Syrian Democratic Forces to transfer part of the areas they control to Damascus as Ankara strengthens its positions on Syrian territory.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-28--Azerbaijan Says 1 Soldier Dead in Armenian Ambush

The defense ministry said in a statement that an illegal group of Armenian fighters in territory adjacent to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region carried out the ambush on Sunday .
Azerbaijan said Monday that one of its soldiers was killed during a skirmish with Armenian separatists , in an apparent escalation of hostilities undermining a recent Russian-brokered ceasefire .
`` As a result of the attack , a soldier of the Azerbaijan army ... was killed , '' it said , noting another serviceman was wounded but in a stable condition .
A peace deal mediated by Russia ended in early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and separatists backed by Armenia for control of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region .
More than 6,000 people were killed in the conflict before the peace agreement that saw Armenia cede swathes of territory it had controlled for decades to its longstanding rival .
Azerbaijan said on Monday that six Armenian fighters died in the attack near the village of Agdam , which was captured by Baku 's army in November .
The defense ministry vowed to take `` decisive measures '' if repeat attacks were carried out by Armenian troops .
A Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Karabakh as part of the terms of the November accord .
The mission reported earlier this month that one Russian solider died during a mine-clearing operation but says the peace deal is largely holding .
Azerbaijan revealed earlier in December that at least six servicemen had died since the Nov. 10 peace accord was agreed .
Separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh broke from Azerbaijan 's control in a war in the 1990s that killed some 30,000 people .
Its declaration of autonomy has not been recognized by any country , including Armenia .

The defense ministry said in a statement that an illegal group of Armenian fighters in territory adjacent to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region carried out the ambush on Sunday.
Azerbaijan said Monday that one of its soldiers was killed during a skirmish with Armenian separatists, in an apparent escalation of hostilities undermining a recent Russian-brokered ceasefire.
"As a result of the attack, a soldier of the Azerbaijan army... was killed," it said, noting another serviceman was wounded but in a stable condition.
A peace deal mediated by Russia ended in early November six weeks of fighting between Azerbaijan and separatists backed by Armenia for control of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
More than 6,000 people were killed in the conflict before the peace agreement that saw Armenia cede swathes of territory it had controlled for decades to its longstanding rival.
Azerbaijan said on Monday that six Armenian fighters died in the attack near the village of Agdam, which was captured by Baku's army in November.
The defense ministry vowed to take "decisive measures" if repeat attacks were carried out by Armenian troops.
A Russian peacekeeping force of around 2,000 soldiers deployed to Karabakh as part of the terms of the November accord.
The mission reported earlier this month that one Russian solider died during a mine-clearing operation but says the peace deal is largely holding.
Azerbaijan revealed earlier in December that at least six servicemen had died since the Nov. 10 peace accord was agreed.
Separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh broke from Azerbaijan's control in a war in the 1990s that killed some 30,000 people.
Its declaration of autonomy has not been recognized by any country, including Armenia.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-28--News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

Opposition politician Lyubov Sobol , an associate of Alexei Navalny , was released from detention Sunday after over 48 hours @ @ @ @ @ after she rang the doorbell of an alleged FSB agent suspected of playing a role @ @ @ @ @ .
Sobol denies her guilt and said she believes the criminal charges against her are @ @ @ @ @ think that this criminal case against me is , first of all , revenge against @ @ @ @ @ absurd it may sound , revenge on him for surviving after being poisoned with chemical @ @ @ @ @ anti-corruption activities .
And since they can not do anything with him now , they @ @ @ @ @ on me , ” Sobol told the Dozhd news channel .
Russia on Saturday passed @ @ @ @ @ , as authorities hold out against reimposing a national lockdown while the country is battered @ @ @ @ @ Official figures showed that a total of 3,021,964 cases have been detected , with 54,226 @ @

Sobol released
Opposition politician Lyubov Sobol, an associate of Alexei Navalny, was released from detention Sunday after over 48 hours and charged with illegal entry after she rang the doorbell of an alleged FSB agent suspected of playing a role in Navalny’s poisoning.
Sobol denies her guilt and said she believes the criminal charges against her are politically motivated.
“I think that this criminal case against me is, first of all, revenge against Navalny, no matter how absurd it may sound, revenge on him for surviving after being poisoned with chemical weapons, revenge for his anti-corruption activities. And since they cannot do anything with him now, they apparently decided to take revenge on me,” Sobol told the Dozhd news channel.
3 million milestone
Russia on Saturday passed 3 million confirmed coronavirus infections, as authorities hold out against reimposing a national lockdown while the country is battered by a second wave.
Official figures showed that a total of 3,021,964 cases have been detected, with 54,226 deaths.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-28--Russia Labels First Individual ‘Foreign Agents’ Amid Worries of Clampdown

Veteran human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov ; Radio Svoboda and MBKh Media journalist Lyudmila Savitskaya ; Pskovskaya Guberniya newspaper editor-in-chief Denis Kamalyagin ; 7x7 news website journalist Sergei Markelov and St. Petersburg-based artist and activist Daria Apakhonchich have been added to the Justice Ministry 's registry of “ foreign mass media performing the functions of a foreign agent.
” Russia has labeled a prominent human rights activist , three journalists and an artist-activist as “ foreign agents ” on Monday , the first time that individuals , not organizations , have been given the designation amid worries of a renewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not give an explanation for why these individuals were added to the registry .
Ponomaryov , 79 , was the longtime head of the For Human Rights movement , of one of Russia ’ s oldest human rights organizations .
The group was included in the foreign agents registry twice and in November 2019 was disbanded by the Supreme Court at the Justice Ministry ’ s request .
He told Interfax he was surprised to see his name on the list as he doesn ’ t work in journalism except for occasional blog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he writes for free .
He called on the other individuals on the list to unite and form a new organization called “ Foreign Agents for Human Rights.
” “ I think there are other bloggers who are much more active in commenting on the situation in the country , ” he told Interfax .
Russia 's “ foreign agent ” law passed in 2012 requires labeled organizations to report their activities and face financial audits .
Activists have denounced the law , saying it seeks to silence groups critical of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia has gradually expanded the law , which initially targeted NGOs , to include “ undesirable ” organizations and media outlets .
A December 2019 law also expanded the “ foreign agent ” label to encompass individual journalists and bloggers .
The new additions to Russia ’ s foreign agent registry come days after lawmakers in both houses of parliament passed legislation expanding the “ foreign agent ” label to any politically active , foreign-funded individual .
Failure to comply could lead to up to five years in prison if President Vladimir Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Critics say the latest expansion to the legislation is meant to further limit Russia 's opposition ahead of next year 's elections for the State Duma .

Veteran human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov; Radio Svoboda and MBKh Media journalist Lyudmila Savitskaya; Pskovskaya Guberniya newspaper editor-in-chief Denis Kamalyagin; 7x7 news website journalist Sergei Markelov and St. Petersburg-based artist and activist Daria Apakhonchich have been added to the Justice Ministry's registry of “foreign mass media performing the functions of a foreign agent.”
Russia has labeled a prominent human rights activist, three journalists and an artist-activist as “foreign agents” on Monday, the first time that individuals, not organizations, have been given the designation amid worries of a renewed clampdown on dissent.
The ministry did not give an explanation for why these individuals were added to the registry.
Ponomaryov, 79, was the longtime head of the For Human Rights movement, of one of Russia’s oldest human rights organizations. The group was included in the foreign agents registry twice and in November 2019 was disbanded by the Supreme Court at the Justice Ministry’s request.
He told Interfax he was surprised to see his name on the list as he doesn’t work in journalism except for occasional blog posts for the Echo Moskvy radio station that he writes for free. He called on the other individuals on the list to unite and form a new organization called “Foreign Agents for Human Rights.”
“I think there are other bloggers who are much more active in commenting on the situation in the country,” he told Interfax.
Russia's “foreign agent” law passed in 2012 requires labeled organizations to report their activities and face financial audits. Activists have denounced the law, saying it seeks to silence groups critical of the Kremlin’s human rights record.
Russia has gradually expanded the law, which initially targeted NGOs, to include “undesirable” organizations and media outlets. A December 2019 law also expanded the “foreign agent” label to encompass individual journalists and bloggers.
The new additions to Russia’s foreign agent registry come days after lawmakers in both houses of parliament passed legislation expanding the “foreign agent” label to any politically active, foreign-funded individual. Failure to comply could lead to up to five years in prison if President Vladimir Putin signs the controversial proposals into law.
Critics say the latest expansion to the legislation is meant to further limit Russia's opposition ahead of next year's elections for the State Duma.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-28--Russia’s Mortality Hit 16-Year High in November, Official Data Says

The spike in fatalities was almost seven times the number of coronavirus deaths officially reported by the country ’ s national Covid-19 task force .
The new figures reveal that more people in Russia died in November 2020 than in any single month for at least 16 years , the earliest such data is available .
Deaths from all causes — regarded as the most accurate indicator in assessing the impact of the coronavirus — came in 78,541 higher than figures from November 2019 , a 56 % year-on-year increase .
Russia recorded more than 2,500 excess deaths a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deadliest month since the start of the pandemic , official figures released Monday have shown .
The second wave of the coronavirus this fall and winter has hit Russia hard — especially its regions , where medics say the health systems are underfunded and ill-equipped to deal with the pandemic .
The Kremlin has also shot down renewed quarantine measures or significant mobility restrictions despite the surging case numbers .
The new excess death numbers continue to raise questions about Russia ’ s official coronavirus statistics , which have been criticized since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medics , statisticians and demographers suggesting the country is trying to downplay the pandemic ’ s impact .
A cross-country analysis published by the Financial Times found Russia had seen one of the world ’ s sharpest rises in mortality since the start of the pandemic .
Russia ’ s state statistics agency Rosstat said Monday there were a total of 35,645 coronavirus-related deaths over the month of November , though added that in more than a third of those cases , Covid-19 was either a secondary factor or played no role at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This counting practice runs contrary to World Health Organization ( WHO ) guidelines .
The country ’ s task force , which publishes a daily count of infections and fatalities , initially reported just 11,905 deaths over the month .
In total , Russia recorded almost 230,000 more deaths between January and November 2020 than during the same period in 2019 .
Speaking at a government meeting earlier Monday , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said more than 81 % of the excess deaths were related to coronavirus .
That would equal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus — significantly more than the most inclusive figure published by Rosstat , which shows a total of 116,000 coronavirus-related deaths .
Golikova ’ s assessment is not reflected in any of Russia ’ s official coronavirus tallies , but would put Russia in third place for official Covid-19 fatalities — behind the United States and Brazil — and contrast sharply with the Kremlin ’ s official claims that Russia has handled the pandemic much better than other countries .
Excess mortality — calculated as the difference in all registered deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is seen as the most reliable indicator of how many people could have succumbed to the pandemic .
In Russia ’ s case , statisticians recommend comparing fatalities with 2019 numbers rather than averages of the last five or 10 years .
This is because Russia has seen rapidly declining mortality rates over the last decade .

The spike in fatalities was almost seven times the number of coronavirus deaths officially reported by the country’s national Covid-19 task force.
The new figures reveal that more people in Russia died in November 2020 than in any single month for at least 16 years, the earliest such data is available.
Deaths from all causes — regarded as the most accurate indicator in assessing the impact of the coronavirus — came in 78,541 higher than figures from November 2019, a 56% year-on-year increase.
Russia recorded more than 2,500 excess deaths a day during November in what was by far the deadliest month since the start of the pandemic, official figures released Monday have shown.
The second wave of the coronavirus this fall and winter has hit Russia hard — especially its regions, where medics say the health systems are underfunded and ill-equipped to deal with the pandemic. The Kremlin has also shot down renewed quarantine measures or significant mobility restrictions despite the surging case numbers.
The new excess death numbers continue to raise questions about Russia’s official coronavirus statistics, which have been criticized since the start of the pandemic, with medics, statisticians and demographers suggesting the country is trying to downplay the pandemic’s impact. A cross-country analysis published by the Financial Times found Russia had seen one of the world’s sharpest rises in mortality since the start of the pandemic.
Russia’s state statistics agency Rosstat said Monday there were a total of 35,645 coronavirus-related deaths over the month of November, though added that in more than a third of those cases, Covid-19 was either a secondary factor or played no role at all in the patient’s death. This counting practice runs contrary to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
The country’s task force, which publishes a daily count of infections and fatalities, initially reported just 11,905 deaths over the month.
In total, Russia recorded almost 230,000 more deaths between January and November 2020 than during the same period in 2019.
Speaking at a government meeting earlier Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said more than 81% of the excess deaths were related to coronavirus. That would equal more than 186,000 fatalities as a result of the virus — significantly more than the most inclusive figure published by Rosstat, which shows a total of 116,000 coronavirus-related deaths.
Golikova’s assessment is not reflected in any of Russia’s official coronavirus tallies, but would put Russia in third place for official Covid-19 fatalities — behind the United States and Brazil — and contrast sharply with the Kremlin’s official claims that Russia has handled the pandemic much better than other countries.
Excess mortality — calculated as the difference in all registered deaths in 2020 compared to previous periods — is seen as the most reliable indicator of how many people could have succumbed to the pandemic. In Russia’s case, statisticians recommend comparing fatalities with 2019 numbers rather than averages of the last five or 10 years. This is because Russia has seen rapidly declining mortality rates over the last decade.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-28--Russia Expels Bulgarian Diplomat in Tit-for-Tat Response

The Foreign Ministry said in response to the `` unjustified '' removal of its diplomat from Bulgaria , it had declared the assistant to Bulgaria 's military attache `` persona non-grata , '' giving him 72 hours to leave Russia .
Russia on Monday said that it had expelled a Bulgarian diplomat in a tit-for-tat response after the EU and NATO member state declared a Russian military attache persona non-grata earlier this month .
Bulgaria earlier this month expelled the Russian military attache after prosecutors opened a probe against him for spying on U.S. troops based in the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian diplomat or embassy official being expelled by what was once one of Moscow 's most staunch allies over spying allegations since October 2019 .
Moscow in October declared two Bulgarian diplomats persona non-grata after Sofia expelled two Russians on accusations of spying for the military .
The latest espionage row has soured relations between the two former allies , which have maintained their close cultural , historical and economic ties even after Bulgaria 's communist regime fell in 1989 .
The NATO member state is home to a joint-use U.S. military training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bulgarian air bases , as well as a storage site .
A former Warsaw Pact ally of Moscow , Bulgaria in recent years has also hosted a number of U.S.-led and NATO exercises .

The Foreign Ministry said in response to the "unjustified" removal of its diplomat from Bulgaria, it had declared the assistant to Bulgaria's military attache "persona non-grata," giving him 72 hours to leave Russia.
Russia on Monday said that it had expelled a Bulgarian diplomat in a tit-for-tat response after the EU and NATO member state declared a Russian military attache persona non-grata earlier this month.
Bulgaria earlier this month expelled the Russian military attache after prosecutors opened a probe against him for spying on U.S. troops based in the country.
It was the sixth case of a Russian diplomat or embassy official being expelled by what was once one of Moscow's most staunch allies over spying allegations since October 2019.
Moscow in October declared two Bulgarian diplomats persona non-grata after Sofia expelled two Russians on accusations of spying for the military.
The latest espionage row has soured relations between the two former allies, which have maintained their close cultural, historical and economic ties even after Bulgaria's communist regime fell in 1989.
The NATO member state is home to a joint-use U.S. military training ground and U.S. troops also use two Bulgarian air bases, as well as a storage site.
A former Warsaw Pact ally of Moscow, Bulgaria in recent years has also hosted a number of U.S.-led and NATO exercises.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-28--3 People Killed in Chechnya Attack on Police

At least three people have been killed following a knife attack in the Chechen capital of Grozny on Monday .
Two armed militants attacked law enforcement officers on Putin Avenue in central Grozny , TASS and Interfax cited anonymous sources as saying Monday afternoon , with conflicting reports of the number of people killed .
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov later confirmed the attack and published the identities of the attackers on his Telegram channel .
One law enforcement officer was killed and another injured in stable condition , while both attackers were shot dead by return fire , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were two brothers named Khasan and Hussein who moved to Chechnya from their native republic of Ingushetia in 2012 and got jobs in a bakery .
“ On Monday , two terrorists armed with knives attempted to seize the weapons of patrol police officers who were serving in the center of Grozny .
A policeman was killed .
The attackers were destroyed by the return fire of the fighters , ” Kadyrov said .
Kadyrov added that no civilians were harmed in the incident .
Interfax and TASS earlier reported that two law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shootout and that one of the attackers was killed .
The Mash Telegram channel published a photo claiming to show the dead bodies on the street following the attack .
Grozny , which was devastated by mass bombings during the first and second Chechen wars in the 1990s , has been largely rebuilt in recent years with major investments in infrastructure .
The region continues to grapple with the threat of terrorist attacks .
This story has been updated to add Kadyrov 's statement , to update the number of victims and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not a shootout .

At least three people have been killed following a knife attack in the Chechen capital of Grozny on Monday.
Two armed militants attacked law enforcement officers on Putin Avenue in central Grozny, TASS and Interfax cited anonymous sources as saying Monday afternoon, with conflicting reports of the number of people killed.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov later confirmed the attack and published the identities of the attackers on his Telegram channel. One law enforcement officer was killed and another injured in stable condition, while both attackers were shot dead by return fire, he said.
According to Kadyrov, the attackers were two brothers named Khasan and Hussein who moved to Chechnya from their native republic of Ingushetia in 2012 and got jobs in a bakery.
“On Monday, two terrorists armed with knives attempted to seize the weapons of patrol police officers who were serving in the center of Grozny. A policeman was killed. The attackers were destroyed by the return fire of the fighters,” Kadyrov said.
Kadyrov added that no civilians were harmed in the incident.
Interfax and TASS earlier reported that two law enforcement officers had been killed in a shootout and that one of the attackers was killed.
The Mash Telegram channel published a photo claiming to show the dead bodies on the street following the attack.
Law enforcement is investigating the incident.
Grozny, which was devastated by mass bombings during the first and second Chechen wars in the 1990s, has been largely rebuilt in recent years with major investments in infrastructure. The region continues to grapple with the threat of terrorist attacks.
This story has been updated to add Kadyrov's statement, to update the number of victims and to clarify that it was a knife attack, not a shootout.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-29--Joint Russia-U.S. Operation Busts S.American Cocaine Smuggling Network

Russia and the United States have cut off an international cocaine smuggling chain and seized over 330 kilograms of the drug , Russia ’ s Federal Security Service ( FSB ) announced Tuesday , marking a rare joint law enforcement effort between the two countries .
A multi-stage investigation by the FSB and the U.S. Justice Department disrupted `` a transnational criminal community that specialized in smuggling cocaine from South America to Russia and other European states , '' the state-run TASS news agency cited the FSB ’ s press office as saying .
The seized cocaine ’ s street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( $ 13.6 million ) , the FSB added .
Video released by the FSB to Russian media showed plainclothes agents dragging suspects from cars as well as boxes of confiscated cash and drugs .
The first stage of the investigation took place in May , when a drug dealer with about 1 kilogram of cocaine in his possession was arrested during an attempted drug deal in St. Petersburg .
In June , FSB officers caught some of the criminal group ’ s members and one of its main organizers “ red-handed ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow and seized about 34 kg of cocaine .
`` At the final stage of the operation , despite the use of increased secrecy measures and various tricks by the drug dealers , a cache was found in the Moscow region in November 2020 , where upon examination at least 295 kg of drugs were found , '' the FSB said , according to TASS .
The FSB ’ s Investigative Department has opened criminal cases against members of the cross-border drug group and placed them in pre-trial detention , TASS reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooperation between Russia and the U.S. , which share a deep and mutual distrust over a range of issues including election meddling and hacking .

Russia and the United States have cut off an international cocaine smuggling chain and seized over 330 kilograms of the drug, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced Tuesday, marking a rare joint law enforcement effort between the two countries.
A multi-stage investigation by the FSB and the U.S. Justice Department disrupted "a transnational criminal community that specialized in smuggling cocaine from South America to Russia and other European states," the state-run TASS news agency cited the FSB’s press office as saying.
The seized cocaine’s street value is worth about 1 billion rubles ($13.6 million), the FSB added.
Video released by the FSB to Russian media showed plainclothes agents dragging suspects from cars as well as boxes of confiscated cash and drugs.
The first stage of the investigation took place in May, when a drug dealer with about 1 kilogram of cocaine in his possession was arrested during an attempted drug deal in St. Petersburg. In June, FSB officers caught some of the criminal group’s members and one of its main organizers “red-handed” during an attempted large-scale drug sale in Moscow and seized about 34 kg of cocaine.
"At the final stage of the operation, despite the use of increased secrecy measures and various tricks by the drug dealers, a cache was found in the Moscow region in November 2020, where upon examination at least 295 kg of drugs were found," the FSB said, according to TASS.
The FSB’s Investigative Department has opened criminal cases against members of the cross-border drug group and placed them in pre-trial detention, TASS reported.
The operation was a rare example of cooperation between Russia and the U.S., which share a deep and mutual distrust over a range of issues including election meddling and hacking.
AFP contributed reporting.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-29--Russia Jails Former Energy Exec for 15 Years on Spying Charges

Karina Tsurkan , a former board member of the Inter RAO energy group , was detained in 2018 on suspicion of handing classified information to Moldovan intelligence .
A Russian court on Tuesday handed a 15-year prison sentence to a former manager of an energy company for spying for Moldova , the latest in a string of high-profile espionage trials .
The Federal Security Service ( FSB ) accused Tsurkan , a 46-year-old Moldovan-born Russian citizen , of passing documents detailing Russian energy supplies to Ukraine — including areas held by Russian-backed separatists — in 2015 .
The Moscow city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Tsurkan was sentenced to 15 years in prison following a trial that was held behind closed doors .
The court added that 656 million rubles ( $ 8.9 million ) seized from Tsurkan was added to state coffers .
Tsurkan 's lawyer Ivan Pavlov said that his client intended to appeal the decision .
Russia 's most prominent rights group Memorial in October described Tsurkan as a political prisoner who had been denied a fair trial .
`` The Tsurkan case is directly related to the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since a popular uprising in 2014 , Memorial said .
The rights group described the trial as part of an effort by the authorities `` to maintain the image of Russia as a besieged fortress surrounded by enemies . ''
The former executive 's sentencing was the latest in a string of high-profile espionage cases in Russia that has spurred criticism from rights groups .
The FSB in July arrested on treason charges a respected former defense journalist who had recently become an advisor to the head of Russia 's space agency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ handed former U.S. marine Paul Whelan a 16-year jail term on espionage charges .

Karina Tsurkan, a former board member of the Inter RAO energy group, was detained in 2018 on suspicion of handing classified information to Moldovan intelligence.
A Russian court on Tuesday handed a 15-year prison sentence to a former manager of an energy company for spying for Moldova, the latest in a string of high-profile espionage trials.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Tsurkan, a 46-year-old Moldovan-born Russian citizen, of passing documents detailing Russian energy supplies to Ukraine — including areas held by Russian-backed separatists — in 2015.
The Moscow city court said in a statement on Tuesday that Tsurkan was sentenced to 15 years in prison following a trial that was held behind closed doors.
The court added that 656 million rubles ($8.9 million) seized from Tsurkan was added to state coffers.
Tsurkan's lawyer Ivan Pavlov said that his client intended to appeal the decision.
Russia's most prominent rights group Memorial in October described Tsurkan as a political prisoner who had been denied a fair trial.
"The Tsurkan case is directly related to the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine," where Russia has backed armed separatists since a popular uprising in 2014, Memorial said.
The rights group described the trial as part of an effort by the authorities "to maintain the image of Russia as a besieged fortress surrounded by enemies."
The former executive's sentencing was the latest in a string of high-profile espionage cases in Russia that has spurred criticism from rights groups.
The FSB in July arrested on treason charges a respected former defense journalist who had recently become an advisor to the head of Russia's space agency.
A court in Moscow the month before handed former U.S. marine Paul Whelan a 16-year jail term on espionage charges.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-29--Russia’s Environmental Disasters in 2020

Russia experienced a multitude of environmental disasters in 2020 — both sudden , manmade catastrophes as well as those stemming from the mounting long-term effects of climate change .
From forest fires larger than some European countries to historic oil spills , these disasters have brought renewed attention and concern toward the ecosystems of the world ’ s largest country .
If climate change continues to escalate at the same pace it is now , the long-term effects will be especially harmful for Russia , with environmental disasters becoming increasingly frequent and severe , said Alexei Kokorin , the head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the World Wildlife Fund in Russia .
“ In Russia ’ s Far East , there will be a respective increase in floods and extreme rainfall .
Regarding the southern , European part of Russia , there will be more droughts as well as heatwaves .
In general , it will just become an increasingly unsustainable environment , that ’ s my prognosis , ” Kokorin told The Moscow Times .
Here is a roundup of the environmental disasters that have hit Russia in 2020 : Russia sees the second-hottest January in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 70 towns and cities nationwide additionally experiencing their warmest January ever .
The Russian government publishes a climate change plan of action which acknowledges that increasingly warm temperatures pose public health risks and increase the chance of natural disasters — but also offer benefits such as increasing the country ’ s arable land .
A freak heat wave hits Siberia , with temperatures ranging from 30 degrees Celsius to 35 C in some places .
An international team of researchers says that the heatwave would be “ almost impossible ” without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more than 20,000 metric tons of diesel fuel spills into surrounding soil and rivers near the city of Norilsk when a fuel reservoir at a power plant owned by Russian mining giant Nornickel collapses .
The spill , the largest-ever of its kind in the world , is estimated to cost $ 1.4 billion in damages to Arctic waterways and is projected to take years to fully clean up .
Experts tell The Moscow Times that the fuel reservoir ’ s collapse was likely caused by melting permafrost resulting from warming temperatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Russia releases even more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when it melts , creating a vicious cycle of climate change acceleration .
Wildfires across Russia , four-fifths of which were concentrated in Siberia and the Russian Far East , burn across a combined area the size of Greece .
While Russia ’ s Federal Forestry Agency identifies 12.3 million acres of wildfires across Russia by June , Greenpeace Russia estimates that 33.3 million acres had burned by mid-May .
Scientists had previously predicted that Russia ’ s abnormally warm winter would lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as last year ’ s fires were never fully extinguished .
The warming climate has both intensified Russia ’ s forest fires as well as impacted the health of those who live in affected areas , Kokorin told The Moscow Times .
“ If temperatures are high enough — particularly in the summer , when temperatures can go above 25-30 C — they can negatively affect those with heart diseases.
” Nearly 300 wildfires cover Siberia by mid-July , releasing record-high carbon emissions .
Smoke from the expansive wildfires reached cities in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Forty-five metric tons of aviation fuel leaks into the ground in Russia ’ s Arctic from a pipeline owned by Nornickel , the same company behind the disastrous oil spill near Norilsk in late May .
Wildfires continue to rage throughout Russia in August and September , with Russia ’ s Eastern Federal District emitting over half-a-billion tons of CO2 from June to August 2020 , a record-breaking amount .
Wildfires in the Arctic , most of which are located in Russia , emit a record-breaking quarter of a billion tons of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September .
A scientific study published in December later linked the record-setting wildfires with rising temperatures in the Arctic , which then caused extreme weather changes .
Locals in Russia ’ s Kamchatka peninsula ring the alarm over a mysterious mass die-off of marine life , with video of dead marine animals washing up on shore going viral .
Scientists later say that 95 % of sea-bed life was exterminated in the Avacha bay in Kamchatka , threatening the entire ecosystem .
Scientists later say that the mass wipe-out was caused by toxic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Later in October , an oil spill spanning almost 35,000 square meters hits the port city of Nakhodka in Russia ’ s Far East .
The spill is the third one to hit in Russia in a month , with two smaller spills previously reported north of Moscow and in the Angara river in Siberia .
Moscow recorded its warmest fall on record in 2020 , with average temperatures 4.4 degrees Celsius above normal in September , October and November .
Scientists told The Moscow Times that global climate change is behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperatures , with fall temperatures expected to steadily rise across the country over the next decade .
A freak ice storm hit Russia ’ s Far East in late November , leaving 100,000 residents without electricity for days and covering the region in a 12-millimeter thick layer of ice .
Roman Pukalov , director of environmental programs at the Green Patrol NGO , told The Moscow Times that the unexpected event was a result of climate change due to the extraordinarily warm temperatures in the region this fall .
Russia ’ s meteorological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have seen record high temperatures as December begins , with some locations showing a temperature deviation of over 20 C on Dec. 1 .
Nearly 300 endangered seals wash up dead on the shores of the Caspian Sea in southern Russia , prompting an official investigation .
While the official cause of death of the seals has yet to be determined , environmentalists told Interfax that they believe that the seals may have died from tightly meshed poaching nets or raw sewage poisoning .

Russia experienced a multitude of environmental disasters in 2020 — both sudden, manmade catastrophes as well as those stemming from the mounting long-term effects of climate change.
From forest fires larger than some European countries to historic oil spills, these disasters have brought renewed attention and concern toward the ecosystems of the world’s largest country.
If climate change continues to escalate at the same pace it is now, the long-term effects will be especially harmful for Russia, with environmental disasters becoming increasingly frequent and severe, said Alexei Kokorin, the head of the climate and energy program at the World Wildlife Fund in Russia.
“In Russia’s Far East, there will be a respective increase in floods and extreme rainfall. Regarding the southern, European part of Russia, there will be more droughts as well as heatwaves. In general, it will just become an increasingly unsustainable environment, that’s my prognosis,” Kokorin told The Moscow Times.
Here is a roundup of the environmental disasters that have hit Russia in 2020:
January
Russia sees the second-hottest January in its recorded history at the onset of 2020, with 70 towns and cities nationwide additionally experiencing their warmest January ever.
The Russian government publishes a climate change plan of action which acknowledges that increasingly warm temperatures pose public health risks and increase the chance of natural disasters — but also offer benefits such as increasing the country’s arable land.
May
A freak heat wave hits Siberia, with temperatures ranging from 30 degrees Celsius to 35 C in some places. An international team of researchers says that the heatwave would be “almost impossible” without manmade climate change.
On May 29, more than 20,000 metric tons of diesel fuel spills into surrounding soil and rivers near the city of Norilsk when a fuel reservoir at a power plant owned by Russian mining giant Nornickel collapses. The spill, the largest-ever of its kind in the world, is estimated to cost $1.4 billion in damages to Arctic waterways and is projected to take years to fully clean up.
Experts tell The Moscow Times that the fuel reservoir’s collapse was likely caused by melting permafrost resulting from warming temperatures. Permafrost, which covers 65% of Russia releases even more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when it melts, creating a vicious cycle of climate change acceleration.
June
Wildfires across Russia, four-fifths of which were concentrated in Siberia and the Russian Far East, burn across a combined area the size of Greece.
While Russia’s Federal Forestry Agency identifies 12.3 million acres of wildfires across Russia by June, Greenpeace Russia estimates that 33.3 million acres had burned by mid-May. Scientists had previously predicted that Russia’s abnormally warm winter would lead to disastrous forest fires this year, as last year’s fires were never fully extinguished.
The warming climate has both intensified Russia’s forest fires as well as impacted the health of those who live in affected areas, Kokorin told The Moscow Times.
“If temperatures are high enough — particularly in the summer, when temperatures can go above 25-30 C — they can negatively affect those with heart diseases.”
July
Nearly 300 wildfires cover Siberia by mid-July, releasing record-high carbon emissions. Smoke from the expansive wildfires reached cities in the region, sparking concern from local residents.
Forty-five metric tons of aviation fuel leaks into the ground in Russia’s Arctic from a pipeline owned by Nornickel, the same company behind the disastrous oil spill near Norilsk in late May.
August/September
Wildfires continue to rage throughout Russia in August and September, with Russia’s Eastern Federal District emitting over half-a-billion tons of CO2 from June to August 2020, a record-breaking amount. Wildfires in the Arctic, most of which are located in Russia, emit a record-breaking quarter of a billion tons of CO2 as a whole in 2020 by September.
A scientific study published in December later linked the record-setting wildfires with rising temperatures in the Arctic, which then caused extreme weather changes.
October
Locals in Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula ring the alarm over a mysterious mass die-off of marine life, with video of dead marine animals washing up on shore going viral. Scientists later say that 95% of sea-bed life was exterminated in the Avacha bay in Kamchatka, threatening the entire ecosystem. Scientists later say that the mass wipe-out was caused by toxic algae blooms, ruling out man-made causes.
Later in October, an oil spill spanning almost 35,000 square meters hits the port city of Nakhodka in Russia’s Far East. The spill is the third one to hit in Russia in a month, with two smaller spills previously reported north of Moscow and in the Angara river in Siberia.
November
Moscow recorded its warmest fall on record in 2020, with average temperatures 4.4 degrees Celsius above normal in September, October and November. Scientists told The Moscow Times that global climate change is behind Moscow and St. Petersburg’s record-breaking temperatures, with fall temperatures expected to steadily rise across the country over the next decade.
A freak ice storm hit Russia’s Far East in late November, leaving 100,000 residents without electricity for days and covering the region in a 12-millimeter thick layer of ice. Roman Pukalov, director of environmental programs at the Green Patrol NGO, told The Moscow Times that the unexpected event was a result of climate change due to the extraordinarily warm temperatures in the region this fall.
December
Russia’s meteorological service says several places in the Arctic have seen record high temperatures as December begins, with some locations showing a temperature deviation of over 20 C on Dec. 1.
Nearly 300 endangered seals wash up dead on the shores of the Caspian Sea in southern Russia, prompting an official investigation. While the official cause of death of the seals has yet to be determined, environmentalists told Interfax that they believe that the seals may have died from tightly meshed poaching nets or raw sewage poisoning.