themoscowtimes--2020-01-31--Coronavirus Update: Russia Braces for First Cases

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 200 people in China continues to spread around the world , Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk , including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border Friday .
While the UN ’ s World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a global emergency , there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Russia yet .
In a bid to contain the outbreak , Russia has closed its Far East border with China , banned Chinese tour groups from coming to Russia and stopped issuing e-visas to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Russia has risen thirteenfold over the past week .
Below are the latest updates on Russia ’ s response to the coronavirus — As of Friday , Jan. 31 , Russia ’ s consumer protection watchdog said a total of 236 people have been examined for the suspected virus .
Nearly 100 of them have been diagnosed with unrelated respiratory diseases , influenza or the seasonal coronavirus .
— In addition to observing personal hygiene , the consumer protection watchdog advised against loose hair , as well as kissing and hugging in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the situation is cause for “ serious concern ” and that “ special measures ” for addressing the threat of the coronavirus are necessary .
— Apple and Chinese phone manufacturers stopped deliveries into Russia for two weeks , the Kommersant business daily reported .
— Russian universities and employers were advised to extend Chinese New Year-related time off for their Chinese students and workers , either until further notice or March .
— Russian state lender VTB said it has temporarily suspended all business trips by its employees to China and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the virus is not affecting Russian gas supplies to China via the newly built “ Power of Siberia ” pipeline .
— The government is considering canceling the Feb. 12-14 Russian Investment Forum in the southern city of Sochi , according to Kommersant .
— Russia ’ s tourism association expects China ’ s ban on overseas tours to lead to an 80 % drop-off in numbers in northern Russia ’ s Murmansk region , The Barents Observer reported .
The Association of Tour Operators of Russia ( ATOR ) expects Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 million by the end of March due to the ban .
— Russia 's first McDonald 's restaurant scrapped a plan to sell Big Mac burgers for 3 rubles ( $ 0.04 ) to mark its 30th anniversary .
Authorities in Moscow have issued a citywide warning against mass public events due to coronavirus fears .

Russia has confirmed 18,315,292 cases of coronavirus and 378,784 deaths , according to the national coronavirus information center. Russia’s total excess fatality count since the start of the coronavirus pandemic is at least 995,000. Under half the population is fully vaccinated.
— QR codes will be issued to Russians who test positive for Covid-19 antibodies, regardless of their vaccination status.
— Russians will be able to take an antibody test to obtain a coronavirus health pass from Feb. 21, the Health Ministry said Tuesday.
— Russia reported more than 200,000 new Covid-19 infections for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
— After a three-day decline, Russia saw an an increase of Covid-19 infections with a total of 179,284 new infections and 748 deaths.
Russians and foreigners will be able to receive a coronavirus QR-code health pass based on the results of an antibody test from Monday.
Russia reported 137,642 new Covid-19 infections and 785 deaths over the last 24 hours.
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Feb. 10
— Russia reported a total of 197,076 new infections and 701 deaths.
Feb. 9
— Russia reported a total of 183,103 new infections and 669 deaths.
Feb. 8
— Russia reported a total of 165,643 new infections and 698 deaths.
— Almost 12,000 children with Covid-19 are currently being treated in hospitals, while children make up about 20% of the country's total number of coronavirus cases, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko announced.
Feb. 7
— Russia reported 171,905 new coronavirus infections and 609 deaths.
Feb. 6
— Russia reported a record 180,071 new coronavirus infections and 661 deaths.
Feb. 5
— Russia reported another record number of new coronavirus infections. A total of 177,282 new infections and 714 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
Feb. 4
— Russia reported another record number of new coronavirus infections. A total of 168,201 new infections and 682 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine has a 70.5% efficacy against the Delta variant of the coronavirus six months after vaccination, the jab’s developers said Friday. The findings were published as part of the results of Phase 3 medical trials into the vaccine. Omicron has displaced Delta as the dominant strain of the coronavirus in Moscow and is sweeping rapidly across the country.
Feb. 3
— Russia reported a new record number of new coronavirus infections. A total of 155,768 new infections and 667 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Russia plans to cancel mandatory isolation requirements for people who come into contact with somebody infected with Covid-19, Anna Popova, the head of the Rospotrebnadzor consumer health watchdog said Friday. She said the forced quarantine rules “have lost their reasoning” with the surge in Omicron cases.
Feb. 2
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the fifth consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 141,883 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 678 fatalities.
Feb. 1
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the fourth consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 125,836 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 663 fatalities.
— Russia's Labor Ministry has recommended that all enterprises send as many of their employees to remote work as possible due to the surge in Covid-19 cases.
— A growing number of Russian regions are re-introducing coronavirus lockdown measures due to the surging Omicron variant, even as the Kremlin on Monday repeated that there will be no nationwide lockdown due to the variant’s spread. Fifteen regions across the country have suspended routine medical care due to the overwhelming number of hospitalizations, while five regions have sent schoolchildren to remote learning and four regions banned mass gatherings. The Tula region south of Moscow took the most drastic step in the latest virus surge by announcing a 10-day regionwide holiday.
Jan. 31
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 124,070 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 621 fatalities.
— Russia’s excess fatalities reached 995,000 by the end of 2021, according to The Moscow Times’ analysis of official statistics. The country also saw its largest natural population decline since the end of the Soviet Union, registering a fall of more than one million in 2021, the Rosstat statistics service said Friday.
Jan. 30
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the second consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 121,228 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 617 fatalities.
Jan. 29
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the first time ever. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 113,112 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 668 fatalities.
— Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was "clear that the real number of people who have Covid-19 is slightly higher than the official statistics."
— Moscow does not plan to introduce new lockdown measures in response to the Omicron variant, the RBC news website reported, citing two sources close to the Mayor's Office.
Jan. 28
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the eighth day running. A total of 98,040 new infections and 673 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours. Case numbers have doubled in the span of a week.
Jan. 27
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the seventh day running. A total of 88,816 new infections and 665 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours. Case numbers have doubled in the span of a week.
— The number of Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital in the capital jumped 22% on Thursday and is now running close to peaks recorded during the two previous waves of the virus in 2021.
Jan. 26
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the sixth day running. A total of 74,692 new infections and 657 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Children in St. Petersburg will be barred from sporting, cultural and entertainment establishments from Jan. 28-Feb. 13, city authorities announced.
— Russia has cut the quarantine period for people infected with Covid-19 from 14 to seven days, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced Tuesday.
Jan. 25
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the fifth day running. A total of 67,809 new infections and 681 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Around 70% of people infected with the Omicron variant in Russia are unvaccinated, said Anna Popova, the head of Russia’s consumer health watchdog, in a televised meeting.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the capital was likely to see growing coronavirus cases for at least two more weeks, as the Omicron variant fuels a record rise in infections.
Jan. 24
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the fourth day running. A total of 65,109 new infections and 655 deaths were recorded.
Jan. 23
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the third day running. A total of 63,205 new infections were recorded over the last 24 hours and 679 deaths.
Jan. 22
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections as the Omicron variant continued its rapid spread across the country. A total of 57,212 new infections were recorded over the last 24 hours and 681 deaths.
Jan. 21
— Amid rising cases, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on extended a requirement for businesses in the capital to ensure 30% of their employers were working from home.
— Russia plans to cut the isolation period from 14 to seven days for those infected with Covid-19, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said.
— Russian lawmakers have agreed to withdraw from consideration an unpopular bill for QR-code health passes to enter public spaces, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said.
Jan. 19
— Russia reported 33,899 new Covid-19 infections and 698 deaths.
— Cases in Russia’s second city of St. Petersburg set a new record high Wednesday with 4,382 new confirmed cases. In Moscow, where Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Omicron has become the dominant strain, new infections set their third-highest daily toll since the start of the pandemic on Wednesday of 8,795.
Jan. 18
— Russia reported 31,252 new Covid-19 infections and 688 deaths.
Jan. 17
— Russia reported 30,726 new Covid-19 infections and 670 deaths.
— The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is still awaiting additional documentation on Sputnik V before it can proceed with the vaccine approval process, the EU’s Ambassador to Moscow said Monday. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Russia said Sunday the vaccine’s developers had submitted all the required information needed for its approval process, and further inspections will take place in February, though other WHO officials later appeared to contradict this, saying they were still waiting for a full data package from Russia.
Jan. 16
— Russia reported 29,230 new Covid-19 infections and 686 deaths.
Jan. 15
— Russia reported 27,179 new Covid-19 infections and 723 deaths.
Jan. 14
— Russia reported 23,820 new Covid-19 cases and 739 deaths
— Russia will delay controversial legislation over the use of coronavirus health passes for access to public spaces, officials said Friday, citing “new challenges” presented by the Omicron variant.
— Foreigners will be able to obtain a coronavirus health pass — QR code — in Russia by taking an antibody test, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said Friday. The passes will be valid for six months.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Friday that Omicron had become the dominant coronavirus strain in the Russian capital, accounting for more than half of all new infections.
Jan. 13
— Russia reported 21,155 new Covid-19 infections — a 17.8% increase overnight — and 740 deaths.
Jan. 12
— Russia reported 17,946 new Covid-19 infections and 745 deaths.
— Russia has so far confirmed 698 official cases of the Omicron variant, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova announced at a meeting on Wednesday.
— President Vladimir Putin said health authorities only have “a couple of weeks” to prepare for the next wave of the pandemic.
— Russia delivered fewer than 80 million doses of its Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines to other countries in 2021, according to Unicef data cited by The Washington Post. The jab’s developers had initially planned to export doses for more than 500 million people, but have been beset by production and delivery delays. The vaccine has also yet to be approved by either the World Health Organization (WHO) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Jan. 11
— Russia reported 17,525 new Covid-19 infections and 783 deaths.
— The presence of the Omicron variant in the Russian capital is already “significant,” Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. He warned that the city would see a major increase in infections within 7-10 days, adding that “it is quite possible that we will face a worse situation than in previous waves.”
— Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered the military to limit vacations and trips abroad for servicemen and women due to the spread of the Omicron variant.
— Russia will be “covered” by the Omicron variant and should brace for a “very high” number of Covid-19 cases, Alexander Gintsburg, the head of the state-run Gamaleya Institute which developed the country’s Sputnik V vaccine, said.
Jan. 10
— Russia confirmed 15,830 Covid-19 infections and 741 deaths.
Jan. 9
— Russia confirmed 16,246 Covid-19 infections and 763 deaths.
Jan. 8
— Russia confirmed 16,568 Covid-19 infections and 796 deaths.
Jan. 7
— Russia confirmed 16,735 Covid-19 infections and 787 deaths.
Jan. 6
— Russia confirmed 15,316 Covid-19 infections and 802 deaths.
Jan.5
— Russia confirmed 15,772 Covid-19 infections and 828 deaths.
Jan. 4
— Russia confirmed 15,903 Covid-19 infections and 834 deaths.
Jan. 3
— Russia confirmed 16,343 Covid-19 infections and 835 deaths.
Jan. 2
— Russia confirmed 18,233 Covid-19 infections and 811 deaths.
Jan. 1
— Russia confirmed 19,751 Covid-19 infections and 847 deaths.
Dec. 31
— Russia confirmed 20,638 Covid-19 infections and 912 deaths.
— Russia recorded more than 115,000 excess deaths during November 2021, according to official statistics published Thursday — a new record high since the start of the pandemic.
— Russia's Health Ministry on Thursday advised Russians against traveling abroad for the New Year holiday due to the spread of the Omicron variant.
— Over 100 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in Russia, Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova said Thursday.
Dec. 30
— Russia confirmed 21,073 Covid-19 infections and 926 deaths. Cases in Moscow rose from 1,798 on Wednesday to 2,661 on Thursday, a nearly 50% increase.
Dec. 29
— Russia confirmed 21,119 Covid-19 infections and 932 deaths.
Dec. 28
— Russia confirmed 21,922 Covid-19 infections and 935 deaths.
Dec. 27
— Russia confirmed 23,210 Covid-19 infections and 937 deaths.
Dec. 26
— Russia confirmed 23,721 Covid-19 infections and 968 deaths.
Dec. 25
— Russia confirmed 24,946 Covid-19 infections and 981 deaths.
Dec. 24
— Russia confirmed 24,703 Covid-19 infections and 998 deaths.
Dec. 23
— Russia confirmed 25,667 Covid-19 infections and 1,002 deaths.
— Moscow confirmed over 3,000 new Covid cases, a 60% jump compared to Wednesday.
Dec. 22
— Russia on Wednesday confirmed 25,264 Covid-19 infections and 1,020 deaths.
Dec. 21
— Russia on Tuesday confirmed 25,907 Covid-19 infections and 1,027 deaths.
— Russia has detected 41 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 so far, health authorities said Tuesday.
Dec. 20
— Russia confirmed 27,022 Covid-19 infections and 1,019 deaths.
Dec. 19
— Russia confirmed 27,967 Covid-19 infections and 1,024 deaths.
— Russia could send free shipments of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine to Africa in the future, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which finances and promotes the jab, has said.
Dec. 18
— Russia confirmed 27,434 Covid-19 infections and 1,076 deaths.
Dec. 17
— Russia confirmed 27,743 Covid-19 infections and 1,080 deaths.
— Russia claimed its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine provides “robust” long-term protection against the Omicron variant, disputing the findings of an independent study which found the Russian jab produced no antibody response whatsoever to the new highly transmissible variant.
Dec. 16
— Russia has detected the Omicron variant in 25 people so far, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said.
— Russia confirmed 28,486 Covid-19 infections and 1,133 deaths.
— Russian lawmakers approved legislation in a first reading that will require people to show health passes to access public places like bars and restaurants, as the country gears up for a winter Covid wave.
— Russia has not yet provided all the information requested by the WHO to certify the country’s flagship Sputnik V vaccine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. “It's true that some information needed for certification has not yet been submitted. We had a different understanding of what information was needed and how it has to be submitted, we have different standards, etc," Peskov told journalists, adding that the Kremlin is not worried by the lengthy approval process the vaccine has faced.
Dec. 15
—Russians with coronavirus antibodies from both foreign and domestic vaccines will be able to get a QR code valid for six months, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said Monday.
— Russia will scrap the proposed bill that would require QR codes to access public transport, State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin announced on his Telegram channel on Sunday.
Dec. 6
— Russia has confirmed its first reported cases of the Omicron variant. The new strain was detected in two people who traveled into the country from South Africa, Russia’s consumer and health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said. Another 10 Russians who returned from South Africa have tested positive for the coronavirus and their samples are currently being analyzed to determine the variant, the agency added.
Dec. 3
— Russia said it recorded its deadliest month in decades in October, with the total number of excess deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic surpassing 810,000.
Dec. 2
— Russia will require citizens entering the country from South Africa or neighboring countries to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival due to the Omicron variant starting Dec. 2, Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova announced.
Nov. 30
— Russian President Vladimir Putin called for mutual recognition of vaccines against the coronavirus to help curtail the pandemic, as concern grows around the world about the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
— Russians returning from countries with which Moscow has not formally restored air travel will have to quarantine for 14 days, Anna Popova, the head of Russia’s Rospotrebnadzor consumer and health watchdog said. The validity of health passes obtained by a negative PCR test will also be reduced from 72 to 48 hours. Popova also advised Russians not to travel abroad for New Year holidays as part of a package of recommendations outlined in response to the Omicron variant.
— Putin has ordered the government to create an updated action plan for the Omicron strain by next week, he said at an investment forum.
Nov. 29
— As many as 1,500 Russian tourists have been left stranded in South Africa as countries scramble to ban flights from the region, media reported Monday.
— The backers of the Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V said Monday that the jab is effective against the new Omicron coronavirus variant but they were also developing an adapted booster.
Nov. 28
— The new Omicron variant may be spreading across Russia by tourists returning from Egypt, Senator and Honored Doctor of Russia Vladimir Krugly said Sunday. Russia’s consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, which leads the country’s Covid-19 response efforts, later denied Krugly’s claims.
Nov. 25
— St. Petersburg aims to vaccinate 80% of its population by mid-January through vaccination, its Governor Alexander Beglov said Thursday. He said 67% of the city is currently vaccinated.
— Russian lawmakers are seeking to recognize those vaccinated against the coronavirus with foreign jabs, the Izvestia daily reported Thursday.
Nov. 24
— President Vladimir Putin repeated his stance that Covid-19 vaccination should be voluntary as regions and cities tighten restrictions on the unvaccinated.
— He added that he has received a nasal Covid-19 vaccine, days after saying he received a Sputnik Light booster shot.
— Russia has registered a Covid-19 vaccine for children 12 to 17 years old, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova announced.
Nov. 23
— Russia and Hungary have agreed to mutually recognize each others' vaccination certificates, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, marking the first such agreement between Russia and another country.
Nov. 22
— A Siberian region of Russia has become the first in the country to impose self-isolation rules for residents who haven’t yet been vaccinated against Covid-19.
— The republic of Tatarstan became the first Russian province to enforce QR code passes on public transit earlier Monday.
Nov. 21
— President Vladimir Putin said he had had a third dose of a Covid vaccine. "I had it two hours ago," Putin said on state television channel Rossiya 24, assuring viewers that his booster injection of the Sputnik vaccine had been painless.
Nov. 19
— Russia's herd immunity has surpassed 50%, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said.
Nov. 17
— Two more Russian coronavirus vaccines are currently undergoing preclinical trials, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said. So far, Russia has authorized four vaccines: Sputnik V, the one-dose Sputnik Light, EpiVacCorona and CoviVak.
— There is "no end in sight" to the Covid-19 pandemic in Russia yet, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
— A Far East Russian region has become the first in the country to introduce vaccine passports for internal flights as federal lawmakers race to mandate health passes for public transport and other areas.
Nov. 16
— Russia will resume air travel with Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Costa Rica and Mongolia from Dec. 1, authorities announced. It will also lift all remaining restrictions on flights with Mexico, Cuba and Qatar starting that day. Starting Dec. 12, train connections to Finland will resume.
Nov. 16
— U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has received approval to conduct trials of Paxlovid, a novel oral antiviral treatment aimed at preventing and treating Covid-19. Ninety people in a handful of Russian cities will take part in the trials.
Nov. 12
— Russia will introduce health passes for access to public places, restaurants and intercity trains and planes in a radical move designed to boost Russia's sluggish vaccination campaign.
Nov. 9
— St. Petersburg mandated vaccination against Covid-19 for all residents over 60 years old as well as people with certain chronic illnesses.
— Russia is now the world leader in coronavirus deaths for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
— The developer of Russia's coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V has said Moscow should make jabs mandatory as inoculation rates remain low despite record deaths and campaigning by authorities.
Nov. 8
— Russia’s nationwide paid holiday aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus came to an end Monday. Some regions are keeping the restrictions in place and many others are implementing digital passes showing proof of vaccination or recent Covid-19 recovery.
— QR codes proving one's vaccination continue to be valid for one year after vaccination, Russia's Health Ministry and Digital Development Ministry said Monday following reports that the validity period had changed to 6 months.
Nov. 2
— Russia's single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine produces a strong antibody response among recipients, according to research published in leading medical journal The Lancet. Sputnik Light is the first dose of Russia's two-dose Sputnik V vaccine, which is the backbone of Russia's domestic vaccination campaign and is being sold around the world.
Nov. 1
— Russian authorities said that doctors were under "extraordinary" strain due to surging coronavirus cases in Europe's worst-hit country.
— The Novgorod region in northwestern Russia has become the first region to extend the non-working week. It will order all non-essential workers to take a mandated paid holiday for an additional week after Nov. 7.
Oct. 27
— The Kremlin cautioned Russians against traveling during the Oct. 30-Nov. 7 non-working period ordered by Moscow to stem a spike in coronavirus infections and deaths.
— The Israeli government will allow tourists vaccinated with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine to enter the country starting Nov. 15.
Oct. 26
— All of Russia's 85 regions across 11 time zones have now mandated vaccines for certain categories of workers, Anna Popova, who heads the federal health watchdog that is leading the country’s response to the virus, said.
— The European Union expects countries including Russia to investigate the sale of fake Covid-19 certificates online and take appropriate measures, an EU spokesperson told RBC. The cybersecurity company Kaspersky said last week that it uncovered counterfeit travel certificates made to look as if they were issued in France or Poland being sold for an average price of $300 on the Telegram messaging app.
— Authorities in annexed Crimea said they plan to purchase mobile refrigerators to store bodies in the city of Simferopol as Covid-19 deaths continue to rise and the city's morgues are overwhelmed.
Oct. 25
— Russian authorities were investigating nurses and a doctor in St. Petersburg accused of selling fake coronavirus vaccination certificates, as the country faces a deadly new wave. The Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said a doctor and three nurses are suspected of pocketing at least 100,000 rubles ($1,430) from 12 people after selling official certificates without having administered jabs.
— President Vladimir Putin instructed regional leaders to order restaurants to close between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. and to ban all entertainment events.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin imposed a partial citywide lockdown between Oct. 28-Nov. 7 to stem the spread of the virus.
— The restrictions suspend businesses, services, catering, sports, recreation, entertainment and film screenings with the exception of the sale of essential goods like medicines and food. Mass events, except those authorized by health officials, will be banned, and theater and museum attendance will be capped at 50% with mask-wearing and digital-code rules in place. In-person public services will be suspended and kindergarteners and school students sent home between Oct. 28 and Nov. 7.
The Moscow region introduced identical restrictions shortly after Sobyanin’s announcement.
— President Vladimir Putin will not meet people face-to-face during Russia's nationwide week-long paid holiday starting on Oct. 30 designed to curb Covid infections amid record deaths, his spokesman said.
— The pace of vaccinations in Russia has accelerated following a string of regions imposing vaccine mandates for workers in certain sectors of the economy and vaccine passports for entry into indoor venues, according to the Gogov website which tracks vaccine uptake across the country. It estimates Russia is administering more than 300,000 first doses each day — up from around 120,000 a day earlier October.
Oct. 23
— Russia's second city St. Petersburg will impose a partial lockdown from Oct. 30-Nov. 7, authorities announced.
Oct. 21
— Sochi is bracing for an influx of tourists during public holidays starting Oct. 30 designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Occupancy rates in hotels are set to be at least 75%, the city’s mayor said — equivalent to peak summer months at the Black Sea resort. The city has introduced vaccine passports for entry into restaurants and bars in a bid to stop the spread of the virus despite the mass inflow of tourists.
— Russia has detected a new sub-variant of the Delta strain of the coronavirus, which risks compounding the country’s spiraling infections and deaths, a senior Russian government scientist warned.
— The European Union’s drug regulator will not approve Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine until at least the first months of 2022, Reuters reported.
Oct. 20
— President Vladimir Putin announced a non-working week in Russia from Oct. 30-Nov. 7. Putin pleaded with Russians to get vaccinated and said the public holidays could be extended further if cases do not start to fall.
— Nationwide, 87% of hospital beds reserved for coronavirus patients are occupied, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said in a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Oct. 19
— Some 1,100 medical staff died from Covid-19 in Russia during the first six months of 2021, the chair of the State Duma’s budget committee said. That is more than twice the number who succumbed to the virus in 2020, he added.
— Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has backed plans for a nationwide non-working week starting Oct. 30. The proposal was put forward by Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova during a televised government meeting. Mishustin said the strict measures — effectively a paid vacation or orders for workers at non-essential businesses to stop going into their place of work — were “now necessary” given increased numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Golikova said some regions should introduce the non-working week earlier, on Oct. 23 and also called for unvaccinated pensioners to start self-isolating at home.
Oct. 18
— Russia's second city, St. Petersburg, announced it would tighten restrictions to battle a surge in Covid-19 cases, introducing a health pass to regulate access to crowd events.
— Moscow authorities will start fining public transport passengers whose face masks do not cover their nose and mouth, a transit official said.
— South Africa's health products regulator said it would not approve Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine due to concerns it could increase the risk of HIV infection among men. The decision was based on earlier studies testing the safety of a modified form of adenovirus — a type of virus that causes respiratory infections — known as the Ad5 and contained in the Russian jab.
— Russia will allow family members of foreigners who live in Russia to enter the country, the Foreign Ministry said. The relaxation will allow people from countries not yet on Russia’s designated list of open countries to receive a special entry permit to come to Russia, provided they have a close relative living in Russia.
Oct. 16
— According to Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova, 38 of Russia’s 85 regions have introduced vaccine mandates for certain categories of citizens and employees working in designated sectors of the economy, such as retail and hospitality.
Oct. 15
— Russia will resume regular air travel with the Bahamas, Iran, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Slovenia, Tunisia, Sweden and Thailand starting Nov. 9, the national Covid-19 headquarters announced.
Oct. 14
— Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has called on doctors who are self-isolating or even retired due to the pandemic to get vaccinated and return to work due to record increases in Covid-19 infections and deaths.
Oct. 12
— The Moscow region that surrounds the capital has imposed vaccine mandates for sales, food, transport, public service, hair salon and fitness club employees.
— Roughly 235,000 of Russia's 255,000 Covid hospital beds nationwide are occupied, with 6,000 patients on ventilators, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said.
— Russia’s western exclave of Kaliningrad has suspended planned medical procedures as it battles an “extremely difficult” surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. The central Mari El region also canceled routine operations and medical treatment from Tuesday, warning that it had run out of free hospital beds and may soon have to start treating patients in corridors.
Oct. 11
— The Kremlin described Russia's Covid fatality toll as "high" and the country's vaccination rate as "unacceptably" low, even as it rejected new restrictions so as to protect the economy.
— Moscow launched free express coronavirus tests at 20 locations across the city, as the capital continues to battle with rising infection rates. The tests give a result in 15 minutes, but are less effective than the gold standard PCR tests. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said rapid testing would allow “socially responsible citizens” to ensure they are not spreading the virus.
— The Leningrad region that surrounds St. Petersburg will require residents to present QR codes proving their vaccination status or a negative PCR test in order to enter theaters, cinemas, swimming pools and gyms through Nov. 15.
Oct. 8
— Russia reported 65,000 excess fatalities in August in a 45% jump on pre-pandemic mortality rates, official data showed. The country's overall number of excess deaths since the start of the coronavirus stands at 660,000.
— EU Ambassador to Russia Markus Ederer said that the country "has repeatedly postponed" the timing of the inspection requested by the European Medicines Agency which has slowed down the approval process of the vaccine in the EU. The Russian Ministry of Health responded by saying that it presented the EU with all the necessary documents that the block requested.
Oct. 7
— A World Health Organization delegation will visit Russia this month as part of its approval procedure for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriyev said.
— The problem behind WHO's suspension of Sputnik V's approval process has been resolved, said Mariangela Simao, WHO's assistant director general for access to medicines, vaccines and pharmaceuticals.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has announced that mass PCR testing will be introduced in Russia's capital in 1-2 weeks.
— Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said the federal government recommends Russian regions introduce QR-codes for attending mass events, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Oct. 4
— Russia’s top cabinet official on Monday criticized the country's stalling vaccination rates for failing to slow the spread of Covid-19 as Russians die in numbers not seen since the start of the pandemic.
AFP contributed reporting.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-31--Russia’s Happiness Index Drops to Post-Crimea Low

Jordan was the world ’ s unhappiest place late last year , followed by Lebanon and Syria , according to Gallup .
Hong Kong and Iraq shared the fourth-lowest spot in the “ happiness index , ” followed by Russia .
Russians ’ level of happiness has fallen to its lowest point in six years , according to a Gallup International poll cited by the ROMIR research agency Friday .
Russia ’ s “ happiness index ” in late 2019 stood at 24 percentage points — explained as the difference between the 42 % of Russian respondents who identified as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That equals the same happiness index recorded in late 2013 .
Russia ’ s happiness index began dropping in 2015 following a 2014 spike attributed to the annexation of Crimea .
This decline accelerated in 2018-2019 , economist Sergei Guriyev told the Vedomosti business daily .
“ A drop in the index can most often be explained by two factors : no observable life improvement … as well as a sense of injustice toward yourself , ” said Andrei Milekhin , ROMIR ’ s president and vice president of Gallup International .
Colombia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , followed by Indonesia and Ecuador .
Russia ’ s post-Soviet cohorts Kazakhstan , Armenia and Azerbaijan also placed in the top 10 .
The global happiness index stood at 48 percentage points , unchanged since the last time Gallup International conducted the poll in 2017 .
Gallup International surveyed 45,000 people in 46 countries , including 1,500 respondents in Russia , between November and December .

Jordan was the world’s unhappiest place late last year, followed by Lebanon and Syria, according to Gallup. Hong Kong and Iraq shared the fourth-lowest spot in the “happiness index,” followed by Russia.
Russians’ level of happiness has fallen to its lowest point in six years, according to a Gallup International poll cited by the ROMIR research agency Friday.
Russia’s “happiness index” in late 2019 stood at 24 percentage points — explained as the difference between the 42% of Russian respondents who identified as happy and 18% as unhappy. That equals the same happiness index recorded in late 2013.
Russia’s happiness index began dropping in 2015 following a 2014 spike attributed to the annexation of Crimea. This decline accelerated in 2018-2019, economist Sergei Guriyev told the Vedomosti business daily.
“A drop in the index can most often be explained by two factors: no observable life improvement … as well as a sense of injustice toward yourself,” said Andrei Milekhin, ROMIR’s president and vice president of Gallup International.
Colombia was named the world’s happiest country, followed by Indonesia and Ecuador. Russia’s post-Soviet cohorts Kazakhstan, Armenia and Azerbaijan also placed in the top 10.
The global happiness index stood at 48 percentage points, unchanged since the last time Gallup International conducted the poll in 2017.
Gallup International surveyed 45,000 people in 46 countries, including 1,500 respondents in Russia, between November and December.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-31--1 in 4 Russians Want Putin Presidency Beyond 2024 – Poll

Putin , 67 , was elected to his fourth overall presidential term in 2018 and is constitutionally required to step down in 2024 .
Observers said that the sweeping constitutional shake-up Putin set in motion this month gives the president the scope to extend his 20-year grip on power .
More than one-quarter of Russians want to see President Vladimir Putin stay in power after his term ends in 2024 , according to a survey by the independent Levada Center pollster published Thursday .
Twenty-seven percent of Russian respondents said they wanted Putin to stay on as president after 2024 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they wanted Putin to either return to private life or retire .
Levada ’ s director Lev Gudkov said that , combined with the 7 % of respondents who said they do not want to see Putin in public life at all , the share of Russians opposed to his return “ came as a surprise.
” “ The increase in fatigue among people is visible , ” Gudkov told the Open Media news website .
“ The situation is reminiscent of the pre-protest mood that prevailed in 2010-2011 , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respondents wanted to see Putin retain some kind of political role after he exits the presidency .
Putin ’ s proposed overhaul of the Constitution somewhat weakens the presidency while giving more power to the parliament and the State Council , his advisory body made up of high-level officials .
Lawmakers swiftly passed his proposals in the first of three readings last week .
In remarks Thursday over his pledge to put the reforms to a public vote , Putin said that voters will have final say on whether he will sign the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the survey among 1,603 respondents across 50 Russian regions from Jan. 23-29 , a week after Putin announced the proposed changes .
In another survey conducted over the same period and released Friday , 47 % of Levada respondents said they believe Putin intends to expand his powers and remain in office with the help of the constitutional amendments .
Another 44 % said they trust that Putin is acting in the public interest , according to the Levada poll results published by the Vedomosti business daily .

Putin, 67, was elected to his fourth overall presidential term in 2018 and is constitutionally required to step down in 2024. Observers said that the sweeping constitutional shake-up Putin set in motion this month gives the president the scope to extend his 20-year grip on power.
More than one-quarter of Russians want to see President Vladimir Putin stay in power after his term ends in 2024, according to a survey by the independent Levada Center pollster published Thursday.
Twenty-seven percent of Russian respondents said they wanted Putin to stay on as president after 2024, Levada said.
Another 25% said they wanted Putin to either return to private life or retire.
Levada’s director Lev Gudkov said that, combined with the 7% of respondents who said they do not want to see Putin in public life at all, the share of Russians opposed to his return “came as a surprise.”
“The increase in fatigue among people is visible,” Gudkov told the Open Media news website.
“The situation is reminiscent of the pre-protest mood that prevailed in 2010-2011,” he added.
Meanwhile, 33% of respondents wanted to see Putin retain some kind of political role after he exits the presidency.
Putin’s proposed overhaul of the Constitution somewhat weakens the presidency while giving more power to the parliament and the State Council, his advisory body made up of high-level officials. Lawmakers swiftly passed his proposals in the first of three readings last week.
In remarks Thursday over his pledge to put the reforms to a public vote, Putin said that voters will have final say on whether he will sign the constitutional amendments into law.
Levada conducted the survey among 1,603 respondents across 50 Russian regions from Jan. 23-29, a week after Putin announced the proposed changes.
In another survey conducted over the same period and released Friday, 47% of Levada respondents said they believe Putin intends to expand his powers and remain in office with the help of the constitutional amendments.
Another 44% said they trust that Putin is acting in the public interest, according to the Levada poll results published by the Vedomosti business daily.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-31--Russia to Drop Murder Charges Against Sisters Who Killed Abusive Father, Lawyers Say

Investigators said last month they planned to charge Krestina , Angelina and Maria Khachaturyan with premeditated murder , which carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years .
The Khachaturyan sisters have admitted to killing their father in July 2018 after he subjected them to years of physical , mental and sexual abuse .
Russian prosecutors have ordered investigators to drop murder charges against three teenage sisters accused of killing their abusive father , the sisters ’ lawyers told Russian news agencies Thursday .
Russia ’ s deputy chief prosecutor has refused to approve the Khachaturyans ’ indictment because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse from their father into account , according to the state-run TASS news agency .
“ This signals the end of criminal prosecution ” of the Khachaturyan sisters , lawyer Alexei Parshin was quoted as saying .
“ The prosecutor ’ s office stated that they acted out of necessary defense , ” another lawyer , Alexei Lipser , told Interfax .
The sisters ' lawyers have called on prosecutors to be lenient , maintaining that they had been acting in self-defense .
The high-profile case of the Khachaturyan sisters has split Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal system — which critics say turns a blind eye to domestic abuse — for forcing the teenagers to defend themselves , while opponents say they view them as murderers .
Their case has also fueled recent calls to repeal a 2017 law that scrapped prison sentences for first-time abusers whose beatings resulted in “ minor harm .
”

Investigators said last month they planned to charge Krestina, Angelina and Maria Khachaturyan with premeditated murder, which carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years. The Khachaturyan sisters have admitted to killing their father in July 2018 after he subjected them to years of physical, mental and sexual abuse.
Russian prosecutors have ordered investigators to drop murder charges against three teenage sisters accused of killing their abusive father, the sisters’ lawyers told Russian news agencies Thursday.
Russia’s deputy chief prosecutor has refused to approve the Khachaturyans’ indictment because the investigators had failed to take the abuse from their father into account, according to the state-run TASS news agency.
“This signals the end of criminal prosecution” of the Khachaturyan sisters, lawyer Alexei Parshin was quoted as saying.
“The prosecutor’s office stated that they acted out of necessary defense,” another lawyer, Alexei Lipser, told Interfax.
The sisters' lawyers have called on prosecutors to be lenient, maintaining that they had been acting in self-defense.
The high-profile case of the Khachaturyan sisters has split Russian society. Supporters blame Russia’s legal system — which critics say turns a blind eye to domestic abuse — for forcing the teenagers to defend themselves, while opponents say they view them as murderers.
Their case has also fueled recent calls to repeal a 2017 law that scrapped prison sentences for first-time abusers whose beatings resulted in “minor harm.”


themoscowtimes--2020-01-31--New U.S. Envoy Tells Russia to 'End Nightmare' for Jailed Ex-Marine

The United States ' new ambassador to Russia urged Moscow on Thursday to release a former U.S. Marine accused of @ @ @ @ @ investigators had failed to present credible evidence to back up their case .
Days after @ @ @ @ @ John Sullivan accused Russian authorities of `` shameful treatment '' of Paul Whelan , who @ @ @ @ @ in a Moscow hotel room on Dec. 28 , 2018 and accused of espionage .
@ @ @ @ @ the charges against him and holds U.S. , British , Canadian and Irish passports .
@ @ @ @ @ past year , he has said he is being ill treated .
The case , @ @ @ @ @ jailed for 20 years if he is found guilty , has strained U.S.-Russian ties that @ @ @ @ @ an array of issues including the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria and election-meddling allegations .

The United States' new ambassador to Russia urged Moscow on Thursday to release a former U.S. Marine accused of spying, and said Russian investigators had failed to present credible evidence to back up their case.
Days after starting as U.S. ambassador, John Sullivan accused Russian authorities of "shameful treatment" of Paul Whelan, who was detained by security agents in a Moscow hotel room on Dec. 28, 2018 and accused of espionage.
Whelan, 49, denies the charges against him and holds U.S., British, Canadian and Irish passports. At court hearings over the past year, he has said he is being ill treated.
The case, in which Whelan will be jailed for 20 years if he is found guilty, has strained U.S.-Russian ties that are already under pressure from an array of issues including the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria and election-meddling allegations.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-03--Lawyers Push to Reopen Probe Into U.S. Student’s Death in Siberian Mountains

Colin Madsen ’ s body was recovered in Russia ’ s republic of Buryatia eight days after he vanished from a local resort village guest house in the spring of 2016 .
Russian investigators ruled that Madsen , 25 , died from hypothermia , while his mother alleged foul play after U.S. pathologists found suspicious marks on his head and wrists .
Lawyers for the mother of an American student who died under mysterious circumstances in the Siberian mountains have filed a petition to reopen the investigation into his death , Interfax reported Monday .
“ We contend that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s nonviolent death are not based on factual circumstances , ” lawyer Ivan Pavlov , who represents Madsen ’ s mother Dana Madsen Calcutt , told Interfax .
“ We believe the decision to dismiss the criminal case to be illegal , unfounded and subject to repeal , ” Pavlov said .
Yevgeny Smirnov , Madsen Calcutt ’ s other lawyer , said prosecutors have 10 days to review the petition that was filed Monday .
A reopened investigation would require a new forensic examination , the lawyers said .
They cast doubt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had found drug traces in his urine but not his hair .
More than 116,000 people have signed a Change.org petition to reopen Madsen ’ s case in two years .

Colin Madsen’s body was recovered in Russia’s republic of Buryatia eight days after he vanished from a local resort village guest house in the spring of 2016. Russian investigators ruled that Madsen, 25, died from hypothermia, while his mother alleged foul play after U.S. pathologists found suspicious marks on his head and wrists.
Lawyers for the mother of an American student who died under mysterious circumstances in the Siberian mountains have filed a petition to reopen the investigation into his death, Interfax reported Monday.
“We contend that the investigation’s findings of Madsen’s nonviolent death are not based on factual circumstances,” lawyer Ivan Pavlov, who represents Madsen’s mother Dana Madsen Calcutt, told Interfax.
“We believe the decision to dismiss the criminal case to be illegal, unfounded and subject to repeal,” Pavlov said.
Yevgeny Smirnov, Madsen Calcutt’s other lawyer, said prosecutors have 10 days to review the petition that was filed Monday.
A reopened investigation would require a new forensic examination, the lawyers said. They cast doubt on the initial examination, saying it had found drug traces in his urine but not his hair.
More than 116,000 people have signed a Change.org petition to reopen Madsen’s case in two years.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-03--4 Russian Special Forces Officers Killed in Syria – Reports

Makeshift memorials said that the four FSB Special Operations Center officers were killed on the same day “ while performing special tasks in the Syrian Arab Republic , ” photographs of the memorials posted by the CIT on Sunday showed .
At least four members of Russia ’ s special forces have been killed in Syria on Saturday , the investigative website Conflict Intelligence Team ( CIT ) , which monitors Russian military activity , has reported .
The Federal Security Service ’ s ( FSB ) Special Operations Center was established by then-FSB chief Vladimir Putin as a domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The CIT , which said it had been investigating the FSB unit ’ s role in Syria , noted that it could not independently verify online reports of the officers ’ deaths .
The Baza Telegram channel reported that the four officers “ fell into the hands of militants ” after their vehicle had hit a landmine near the northern city of Aleppo .
“ They were later found shot to death , ” Baza , which has links in Russia ’ s security services , reported Monday .
According to social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Special Operations Center officers were killed by mortar fire .
Neither the FSB nor the Defense Ministry have officially confirmed or denied reports of the four officers ’ alleged deaths yet .
Russia was reported to have officially confirmed 116 personnel deaths in Syria as of last spring .
Moscow does not acknowledge the deaths of private military contractors , whose activities are illegal under Russian law .

Makeshift memorials said that the four FSB Special Operations Center officers were killed on the same day “while performing special tasks in the Syrian Arab Republic,” photographs of the memorials posted by the CIT on Sunday showed.
At least four members of Russia’s special forces have been killed in Syria on Saturday, the investigative website Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT), which monitors Russian military activity, has reported .
The Federal Security Service’s (FSB) Special Operations Center was established by then-FSB chief Vladimir Putin as a domestic and international counterterrorism outfit in 1998.
The CIT, which said it had been investigating the FSB unit’s role in Syria, noted that it could not independently verify online reports of the officers’ deaths.
The Baza Telegram channel reported that the four officers “fell into the hands of militants” after their vehicle had hit a landmine near the northern city of Aleppo.
“They were later found shot to death,” Baza, which has links in Russia’s security services, reported Monday.
According to social media posts cited by the CIT, the Special Operations Center officers were killed by mortar fire.
Neither the FSB nor the Defense Ministry have officially confirmed or denied reports of the four officers’ alleged deaths yet.
Russia was reported to have officially confirmed 116 personnel deaths in Syria as of last spring. Moscow does not acknowledge the deaths of private military contractors, whose activities are illegal under Russian law.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-03--Russia Combats the Coronavirus, in Photos

The new coronavirus that has killed 361 people and infected thousands more around the world has sparked widespread concern within @ @ @ @ @ cases of coronavirus have been reported in Russia so far , the country is taking @ @ @ @ @ global epidemic at bay — from closing most entry points along its border with China @ @ @ @ @ the amount of hugs and kisses they give out in public .
Here ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Russia is working to prevent the coronavirus outbreak from spreading further inside its borders :

Russia Combats the Coronavirus, in Photos
The new coronavirus that has killed 361 people and infected thousands more around the world has sparked widespread concern within Russia.
While only two cases of coronavirus have been reported in Russia so far, the country is taking wide-reaching action to keep the global epidemic at bay — from closing most entry points along its border with China to advising Russians to reduce the amount of hugs and kisses they give out in public.
Here’s a closer look at how Russia is working to prevent the coronavirus outbreak from spreading further inside its borders:


themoscowtimes--2020-02-03--Russia Experiences Hottest January in Recorded History

The latest record comes after 2019 was declared the hottest year on record in Russia .
Moscow and some parts of Russia have been reeling from an unusually warm winter , which meteorologists have attributed to an atmospheric front from the Atlantic Ocean .
Scores of cities across Russia including Moscow and St. Petersburg have experienced the hottest January in their recorded histories , an official at Russia ’ s meteorological center said Monday .
Average January temperatures across Russia ’ s European regions broke the overall record by 1.6 degrees Celsius , Interfax quoted Roman Vilfand , the scientific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as saying .
“ It is obvious that the weather has jumped to a different temperature level , '' Wilfand told Interfax , noting that such anomalies happen “ extremely rarely.
” In Moscow and St. Petersburg , January temperatures were 9.4 degrees Celsius above the monthly norm , the Fobos weather center said Sunday .
“ The two capitals haven ’ t seen such warmth in the entire history of weather observations , ” it said in an online statement .
“ For the first time , the average temperature was above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and St. Petersburg , ” Fobos said .
Another 70 cities also experienced the hottest January in their history , the weather center added .
“ January 2020 was not a winter month , ” Fobos said .

Update: January temperatures across all of Russia were the second-hottest in the country’s recorded history, the Federal Meteorological Service said Wednesday.
Scores of cities across Russia including Moscow and St. Petersburg have experienced the hottest January in their recorded histories, an official at Russia’s meteorological center said Monday.
The latest record comes after 2019 was declared the hottest year on record in Russia. Moscow and some parts of Russia have been reeling from an unusually warm winter, which meteorologists have attributed to an atmospheric front from the Atlantic Ocean.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-03--Congratulations, You’re an Elected Russian Opposition Official! Now What?

With her elbow propped on her desk , Darya Besedina rests her head on her hand , losing herself in thought .
“ It ’ s all very sad , ” she says .
On the last Thursday in January in Moscow , when the sun rarely sneaks through the grey sky and spring is still a long way off , anyone could get depressed .
But for Besedina , a 31-year-old deputy in the Moscow City Duma , it ’ s not the mid-winter blues that are getting her down .
She has just left a two-hour round table @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be the third to encircle the Russian capital .
Within minutes , the discussion had descended into mayhem .
When one resident spoke about the planned construction , a dozen others shouted him down , claiming he was a government plant who doesn ’ t actually live in any of the affected neighborhoods .
After a deputy close to the cause backed those residents , the original speaker invited the deputy to step outside .
Later , another deputy and a guest speaker did step outside , only for the lawmaker to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the speaker out of the building , claiming he had taken a swing .
The young lawmaker is new to the City Duma .
Elected in September , she is one of the deputies who rode a wave of protests over the summer that erupted after election commission officials blocked a slew of opposition politicians from balloting .
Most of the barred politicians were associated with Russia ’ s most prominent opposition critic Alexei Navalny .
So he decided to back anyone who wasn ’ t representing the ruling United Russia party — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — even if they weren ’ t his allies .
The strategy helped elect 20 opposition-minded candidates into the 45-seat Duma , with United Russia losing a third of its seats .
Besedina , who represents the liberal Yabloko party , was one such candidate .
The road controversy fits her portfolio .
A graduate of the Moscow Institute of Architecture , Besedina has spent the past six years working for Gorodskiye Proyekty — City Projects — an organization aiming to make Moscow a more sustainable city .
When the highway was announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in arms .
Some would have to leave their homes ; others worried that it would pass next to a radioactive dump on the Moscow River and unearth dangerous particles .
After the election , an opposition deputy representing one of the affected neighborhoods organized round table discussions on the plan .
But as is so often the case in Russia , as anger mounted , the ruling authorities co-opted the cause in a cynical ploy , Besedina said .
Now , two United Russia deputies , Lyudmila Stebenkova and Stepan Orlov , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their own .
“ They wrested control of the conversation from the opposition , ” Besedina said , explaining that the deputies are not questioning the original decision itself , but are aiming to push the project through while pacifying disgruntled activists by allowing for some “ cosmetic changes.
” “ It ’ s a common tactic , ” she added .
“ And if you complain , they say : ‘ What , you don ’ t want to find a solution ?
’ ” On Thursday , when it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by arguing that the highway need not be built at all .
Stebenkova mocked her .
“ I know your position : You want to put everyone on scooters and bicycles , ” she said .
As she continued , Stebenkova took a phone call .
Later , in an interview in her Duma office , Besedina , who argues that roads do not solve traffic problems and that the new highway is a corrupt money-making scheme , did not hold out much hope that the project will be halted .
Despite United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she noted that the party nonetheless retains a comfortable majority — meaning it can push through its policies without much resistance .
The result is that much of what Besedina , a dedicated liberal , has attempted over her first months in office has been based on principle rather than the belief that it will actually be realized .
In the City Duma ’ s first session after the September election , she called for the dissolution of the current governing body , given that a number of opposition candidates had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unsurprisingly , that proposal was overwhelmingly denied .
In December , during Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin ’ s annual address to deputies on City Hall ’ s results for the year , City Duma speaker Alexei Shaposhnikov , of United Russia , formally denied Besedina an opportunity to ask the mayor a question .
She asked anyway , despite a United Russia deputy standing in front of her : Did Sobyanin feel any guilt that people were imprisoned for their roles in the summer ’ s protests ?
And she called for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget .
To her credit , the hearing was approved — but in the end only seven deputies voted against the proposed spending .
“ City Hall makes all of the decisions in this city , then passes them down to United Russia deputies in the City Duma for rubber-stamping , ” Besedina said .
Yet even if affecting tangible change in the short-term is futile , the lawmaker said she wants to “ show people that an alternative is possible.
” After she was sworn into office , Besedina turned down her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bikes to work , even in the snow .
On her desk sits another outlier : a rainbow flag , the only one she knows of in a Russian official ’ s office .
She also eschews the flashy suits and ostentatious jewelry donned by many deputies .
On Thursday , she looked more like a graduate student than an official , wearing a beige sweater over a button-down shirt and novelty holiday socks peeking out over black leather brogues with colorful checkered shoelaces .
Since her election , Besedina , who spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has attracted the attention of pro-Kremlin media .
In late December , for instance , Tsargrad TV published an article outlining her “ embarrassing mistakes ” in the Russian language .
Besedina ’ s voice , which sounds even younger than her already-young age , sometimes falters when she speaks in public .
For the liberal deputy , though , the more publicity the better .
“ More and more people are getting pulled into politics these days , ” she said .
“ At some point there will be critical mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she added after a pause , “ that ’ s not a given .
”

With her elbow propped on her desk, Darya Besedina rests her head on her hand, losing herself in thought. “It’s all very sad,” she says. On the last Thursday in January in Moscow, when the sun rarely sneaks through the grey sky and spring is still a long way off, anyone could get depressed. But for Besedina, a 31-year-old deputy in the Moscow City Duma, it’s not the mid-winter blues that are getting her down. She has just left a two-hour round table discussion on a controversial new highway that would be the third to encircle the Russian capital. Within minutes, the discussion had descended into mayhem. When one resident spoke about the planned construction, a dozen others shouted him down, claiming he was a government plant who doesn’t actually live in any of the affected neighborhoods. After a deputy close to the cause backed those residents, the original speaker invited the deputy to step outside. Later, another deputy and a guest speaker did step outside, only for the lawmaker to quickly return and demand that police escort the speaker out of the building, claiming he had taken a swing. “It was a pretty ridiculous exercise,” Besedina said.
The young lawmaker is new to the City Duma. Elected in September, she is one of the deputies who rode a wave of protests over the summer that erupted after election commission officials blocked a slew of opposition politicians from balloting. Most of the barred politicians were associated with Russia’s most prominent opposition critic Alexei Navalny. So he decided to back anyone who wasn’t representing the ruling United Russia party — both officially or disguised as an independent — even if they weren’t his allies. The strategy helped elect 20 opposition-minded candidates into the 45-seat Duma, with United Russia losing a third of its seats. Besedina, who represents the liberal Yabloko party, was one such candidate. The road controversy fits her portfolio. A graduate of the Moscow Institute of Architecture, Besedina has spent the past six years working for Gorodskiye Proyekty — City Projects — an organization aiming to make Moscow a more sustainable city. When the highway was announced in late 2018, residents were up in arms. Some would have to leave their homes; others worried that it would pass next to a radioactive dump on the Moscow River and unearth dangerous particles. After the election, an opposition deputy representing one of the affected neighborhoods organized round table discussions on the plan. But as is so often the case in Russia, as anger mounted, the ruling authorities co-opted the cause in a cynical ploy, Besedina said. Now, two United Russia deputies, Lyudmila Stebenkova and Stepan Orlov, have decided to organize round table discussions of their own.
Besedina said she believes hers is the only rainbow flag on the desk of a Russian official. Evan Gershkovich / MT
“They wrested control of the conversation from the opposition,” Besedina said, explaining that the deputies are not questioning the original decision itself, but are aiming to push the project through while pacifying disgruntled activists by allowing for some “cosmetic changes.” “It’s a common tactic,” she added. “And if you complain, they say: ‘What, you don’t want to find a solution?’” On Thursday, when it was her turn to speak, Besedina began by arguing that the highway need not be built at all. Stebenkova mocked her. “I know your position: You want to put everyone on scooters and bicycles,” she said. “Do not interrupt me!” Besedina responded. As she continued, Stebenkova took a phone call. Later, in an interview in her Duma office, Besedina, who argues that roads do not solve traffic problems and that the new highway is a corrupt money-making scheme, did not hold out much hope that the project will be halted. Despite United Russia’s significant losses in September, she noted that the party nonetheless retains a comfortable majority — meaning it can push through its policies without much resistance.
The result is that much of what Besedina, a dedicated liberal, has attempted over her first months in office has been based on principle rather than the belief that it will actually be realized. In the City Duma’s first session after the September election, she called for the dissolution of the current governing body, given that a number of opposition candidates had been summarily blocked from standing for election. Unsurprisingly, that proposal was overwhelmingly denied. In December, during Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin’s annual address to deputies on City Hall’s results for the year, City Duma speaker Alexei Shaposhnikov, of United Russia, formally denied Besedina an opportunity to ask the mayor a question. She asked anyway, despite a United Russia deputy standing in front of her: Did Sobyanin feel any guilt that people were imprisoned for their roles in the summer’s protests? And she called for a public hearing on City Hall’s budget. To her credit, the hearing was approved — but in the end only seven deputies voted against the proposed spending. “City Hall makes all of the decisions in this city, then passes them down to United Russia deputies in the City Duma for rubber-stamping,” Besedina said. Yet even if affecting tangible change in the short-term is futile, the lawmaker said she wants to “show people that an alternative is possible.”
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themoscowtimes--2020-02-03--U.S. Blocks Russian Convoy in Syria, Reports Say

Russian and U.S. forces have faced off in Syria ’ s Hasakah region , an area rich in oil fields , several times in the past month .
Both countries maintain bases in northeastern Syria .
U.S. troops have again blocked Russian military convoys in northeastern Syria , the latest in a series of standoffs as the powers vie for control of the oil-rich region , the Voice of America ( VOA ) broadcaster reported Friday .
A VOA reporter saw U.S. Humvees patrolling one of the two towns that , along with a highway , have become a dividing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October .
The outlet did not report any injuries after the latest standoff .
While U.S. troops pulled out from nearby areas after Turkey ’ s incursion , around 500 American troops remain in the area to protect oil fields and prevent the re-emergence of the Islamic State terrorist group , the U.S.-funded broadcaster reported .
“ Verbal altercations took place between both forces and evolved into raising weapons , ” the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said of a similar standoff in the area earlier last week .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as mediators between Russian and U.S. troops .
The countries ’ forces appear “ a lot on these roads , ” an unnamed resident of the town of al-Malikiyah told VOA .
“ They have their own disputes .
They block roads here and there , ” the resident was quoted as saying Friday .
U.S. officials have described the series of incidents as Russian troops “ always testing us.
” The two countries have experienced “ hiccups ” in their military deconfliction efforts in Syria , James Jeffrey , the U.S. special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State coalition , said last month .
Russia has waged an air and sea campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since 2015 as Moscow 's Middle East ally has grappled with a years-long civil war .
The U.S.-led coalition deployed into the war-torn country in 2014 .

Russian and U.S. forces have faced off in Syria’s Hasakah region, an area rich in oil fields, several times in the past month. Both countries maintain bases in northeastern Syria.
U.S. troops have again blocked Russian military convoys in northeastern Syria, the latest in a series of standoffs as the powers vie for control of the oil-rich region, the Voice of America (VOA) broadcaster reported Friday.
A VOA reporter saw U.S. Humvees patrolling one of the two towns that, along with a highway, have become a dividing line after Turkey invaded northeastern Syria in October. The outlet did not report any injuries after the latest standoff.
While U.S. troops pulled out from nearby areas after Turkey’s incursion, around 500 American troops remain in the area to protect oil fields and prevent the re-emergence of the Islamic State terrorist group, the U.S.-funded broadcaster reported.
“Verbal altercations took place between both forces and evolved into raising weapons,” the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said of a similar standoff in the area earlier last week. It noted that Kurdish forces have stepped in as mediators between Russian and U.S. troops.
The countries’ forces appear “a lot on these roads,” an unnamed resident of the town of al-Malikiyah told VOA.
“They have their own disputes. They block roads here and there,” the resident was quoted as saying Friday.
U.S. officials have described the series of incidents as Russian troops “always testing us.”
The two countries have experienced “hiccups” in their military deconfliction efforts in Syria, James Jeffrey, the U.S. special envoy for Syrian engagement and the anti-Islamic State coalition, said last month.
Russia has waged an air and sea campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since 2015 as Moscow's Middle East ally has grappled with a years-long civil war. The U.S.-led coalition deployed into the war-torn country in 2014.
Islamic State is a terrorist group banned in Russia.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-03--Coronavirus Update: Russia Acts to Curb Spread

In a bid to contain the outbreak , Russia has also banned Chinese tour groups from coming to Russia and stopped issuing e-visas to Chinese citizens .
Demand for face masks in Russia has risen thirteenfold over the past week .
As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 360 people in China continues to spread around the world , Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk , including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border Friday .
Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and said the infected people were Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the latest updates on Russia ’ s response to the coronavirus — Russia will from Tuesday temporarily restrict the entry of foreigners arriving from China , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
She said the restrictions would not , however , apply to Moscow 's Sheremetyevo Airport , the capital 's main international airport .
— Russia may deport foreign citizens found to be infected with coronavirus , Interfax cited Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin as saying Monday .
— Mishustin also proposed postponing the Russian Investment Forum 2020 in the Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Feb. 12-14 .
— Moscow suspended visa-free travel for tourists to and from China and temporarily stopped accepting and issuing documents for work visas to Chinese nationals .
— State-run Russian Railways said it would halt passenger trains to China , including the Beijing-Moscow route , until further notice .
— Russia 's aerospace defense forces , part of the armed forces , will start evacuating Russian citizens from Wuhan and Hubei on Monday .
There are more than 600 Russians there , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova has said .
— Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is suspending fruit and vegetable imports from China due to the spread of the coronavirus and logistical complications .
— Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Friday that OPEC+ countries may react if there are significant consequences for the oil market due to the outbreak .
He said that the oil-producing countries have discussed bringing forward the March OPEC+ meeting , adding that they need several more days to monitor the situation .
— As of Friday , Jan. 31 , Russia ’ s consumer protection watchdog said a total of 236 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nearly 100 of them have been diagnosed with unrelated respiratory diseases , influenza or the seasonal coronavirus .
— In addition to observing personal hygiene , the consumer protection watchdog advised against loose hair , as well as kissing and hugging in public .
— Apple and Chinese phone manufacturers stopped deliveries into Russia for two weeks , the Kommersant business daily reported .


themoscowtimes--2020-02-03--Russia to Start Evacuating Citizens from Wuhan, Stops Passenger Trains to China

Russia , which has a 4,300 kilometer ( 2,670-mile ) land border with China , reported its first two cases of the virus last week in the Siberian regions of Tyumen and Zabaykalsk .
Both involved Chinese nationals .
Russia said on Monday it may deport foreigners who test positive for coronavirus as Russian military planes flew in to evacuate its citizens from the Chinese province at the epicentre of the outbreak which has killed 361 people .
Russia halted passenger trains to China as of Sunday night and the last train from Beijing rolled into Russia empty after 136 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken off at the border , the state-run RIA news agency reported .
Moscow has already restricted direct flights to China , its largest trade partner , and the remaining flights are being routed through a separate terminal at Moscow 's Sheremetyevo International Airport .
`` We 're not scared yet but if doctors diagnose ( coronavirus ) cases in Moscow then of course ( we will be ) , '' a security official wearing a mask at a check point at the terminal for China flights , told Reuters .
Starting from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place where foreign citizens coming from China by air can enter Russia .
Border guards and customs officials at Moscow airports are wearing gloves and medical masks .
In the capital , people have been rushing to stock up on masks and some pharmacies have sold out , the Vedomosti business daily reported .
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told senior government officials that Moscow has formally labeled coronavirus a `` very dangerous disease , '' granting authorities enhanced powers to combat it .
`` This will allow us to deport foreign citizens if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease , and to introduce special restrictive measures , including isolation or quarantine , '' he said .
Mishushin also proposed postponing Russia 's annual economic forum in the Black Sea resort of Sochi which was initially set for Feb. 12-14 .
Postponement would free up the schedule of energy minister Alexander Novak who is facing increased calls from his OPEC partners for a joint action to stabilise oil prices .
Military planes are due to fly back 130 Russian nationals from China 's Hubei province on Monday , officials said .
Separately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via Russia 's far eastern border as of Saturday , local authorities said .
The Far East Primorye region has also opened special quarantine zones for Chinese people arriving in Russia and they will be held there for 14 days regardless of whether they have tested positive for the virus or not , officials said .
Russia 's second-largest food retailer Magnit said on Monday it was suspending fruit and vegetable imports from China due to the spread of the coronavirus and logistical complications .
In the Far East , some vegetables doubled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities restricted trucks passing into Russia from China , but that measure was lifted on Monday , local officials said .

Russia, which has a 4,300 kilometer (2,670-mile) land border with China, reported its first two cases of the virus last week in the Siberian regions of Tyumen and Zabaykalsk. Both involved Chinese nationals.
Russia said on Monday it may deport foreigners who test positive for coronavirus as Russian military planes flew in to evacuate its citizens from the Chinese province at the epicentre of the outbreak which has killed 361 people.
Russia halted passenger trains to China as of Sunday night and the last train from Beijing rolled into Russia empty after 136 passengers - all Chinese nationals - were taken off at the border, the state-run RIA news agency reported.
Moscow has already restricted direct flights to China, its largest trade partner, and the remaining flights are being routed through a separate terminal at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport.
"We're not scared yet but if doctors diagnose (coronavirus) cases in Moscow then of course (we will be)," a security official wearing a mask at a check point at the terminal for China flights, told Reuters.
Starting from Tuesday, Sheremetyevo will be the only place where foreign citizens coming from China by air can enter Russia.
Masks, precautions
Border guards and customs officials at Moscow airports are wearing gloves and medical masks. In the capital, people have been rushing to stock up on masks and some pharmacies have sold out, the Vedomosti business daily reported.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told senior government officials that Moscow has formally labeled coronavirus a "very dangerous disease," granting authorities enhanced powers to combat it.
"This will allow us to deport foreign citizens if they are found to have such a disease, and to introduce special restrictive measures, including isolation or quarantine," he said.
Mishushin also proposed postponing Russia's annual economic forum in the Black Sea resort of Sochi which was initially set for Feb. 12-14.
Postponement would free up the schedule of energy minister Alexander Novak who is facing increased calls from his OPEC partners for a joint action to stabilise oil prices.
Military planes are due to fly back 130 Russian nationals from China's Hubei province on Monday, officials said. Separately, 58 other citizens had been repatriated via Russia's far eastern border as of Saturday, local authorities said.
The Far East Primorye region has also opened special quarantine zones for Chinese people arriving in Russia and they will be held there for 14 days regardless of whether they have tested positive for the virus or not, officials said.
Russia's second-largest food retailer Magnit said on Monday it was suspending fruit and vegetable imports from China due to the spread of the coronavirus and logistical complications.
In the Far East, some vegetables doubled in price and even disappeared altogether when authorities restricted trucks passing into Russia from China, but that measure was lifted on Monday, local officials said.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-03--News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

Moscow suspended visa-free travel for tourists to and from China and temporarily stopped accepting and issuing documents for work visas to Chinese nationals .
State-run Russian Railways said it would halt passenger trains to China , including the Beijing-Moscow route , until further notice .
Russia has taken a number of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus , which has killed 361 people worldwide , including evacuating its citizens from China with military planes .
Meanwhile , one of the two Chinese citizens who were diagnosed with the coronavirus in Russia has said he learned about his diagnosis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters rallying against President Vladimir Putin ’ s proposed constitutional changes were detained in Russia ’ s second-largest city of St. Petersburg .
Protests against Putin ’ s constitutional reforms have also been held without any known arrests in other cities including Russia ’ s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg , while an authorized rally in Moscow was called off .
U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s Middle East peace plan contravenes several United Nations resolutions , Russian news agencies cited the Kremlin ’ s spokesman as saying , questioning the plan 's feasibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Palestinians , we see the reaction of a wide range of Arab states which have sided with the Palestinians in rejecting the plan .
This , obviously , makes one think about its feasibility , '' Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying .
The Palestinian Authority has cut all ties with the United States and Israel , including those relating to security , after rejecting the Middle East peace plan put forward by Trump .
U.S. energy producers are ready to supply Belarus with oil at competitive prices , Secretary of State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei .
Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko has said he held talks with the United States and other countries to find alternative oil supplies .
Moscow suspended supplies to refineries in Belarus from Jan. 1 , though it partially restored them on Jan. 4 .
U.S. troops have blocked Russian convoys from touring near the Iraqi border in northeast Syria amid increasing confrontation in the oil-rich , predominantly Kurdish region , the Voice of America broadcaster reported .
“ Verbal altercations took place between both forces and evolved into raising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Human Rights monitoring group said of a similar standoff in the area earlier last week .
It noted that Kurdish forces stepped in as mediators between Russian and U.S. troops .
The warm weather across Russia has led to gas giant Gazprom producing its lowest amount of natural gas since 2016 , according to Interfax .

Moscow suspended visa-free travel for tourists to and from China and temporarily stopped accepting and issuing documents for work visas to Chinese nationals. State-run Russian Railways said it would halt passenger trains to China, including the Beijing-Moscow route, until further notice.
Russia has taken a number of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed 361 people worldwide, including evacuating its citizens from China with military planes.
Meanwhile, one of the two Chinese citizens who were diagnosed with the coronavirus in Russia has said he learned about his diagnosis from media reports.
Constitutional protests
At least 10 protesters rallying against President Vladimir Putin’s proposed constitutional changes were detained in Russia’s second-largest city of St. Petersburg.
Protests against Putin’s constitutional reforms have also been held without any known arrests in other cities including Russia’s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg, while an authorized rally in Moscow was called off.
Mideast doubt
U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan contravenes several United Nations resolutions, Russian news agencies cited the Kremlin’s spokesman as saying, questioning the plan's feasibility.
"We see the reaction from the Palestinians, we see the reaction of a wide range of Arab states which have sided with the Palestinians in rejecting the plan. This, obviously, makes one think about its feasibility," Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying.
The Palestinian Authority has cut all ties with the United States and Israel, including those relating to security, after rejecting the Middle East peace plan put forward by Trump.
Standby for oil
U.S. energy producers are ready to supply Belarus with oil at competitive prices, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a meeting with Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei.
Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko has said he held talks with the United States and other countries to find alternative oil supplies. Moscow suspended supplies to refineries in Belarus from Jan. 1, though it partially restored them on Jan. 4.
Syrian roadblock
U.S. troops have blocked Russian convoys from touring near the Iraqi border in northeast Syria amid increasing confrontation in the oil-rich, predominantly Kurdish region, the Voice of America broadcaster reported.
“Verbal altercations took place between both forces and evolved into raising weapons,” the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said of a similar standoff in the area earlier last week. It noted that Kurdish forces stepped in as mediators between Russian and U.S. troops.
Climate change
Moscow experienced its hottest January on record, Russia’s weather service told AFP.
The warm weather across Russia has led to gas giant Gazprom producing its lowest amount of natural gas since 2016, according to Interfax.
Includes reporting from Reuters.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-01--Russian Armed Forces Aircraft to Evacuate Citizens From China – Agencies

The Russian military will evacuate Russian citizens from China due to the coronavirus outbreak , news agencies reported on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ said the evacuation would take place in regions that had been most affected by the @ @ @ @ @ news agencies reported .
Peskov first said that evacuation will start on Saturday but later @ @ @ @ @ will be carried out on Monday and Tuesday .

The Russian military will evacuate Russian citizens from China due to the coronavirus outbreak, news agencies reported on Saturday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the evacuation would take place in regions that had been most affected by the outbreak, Interfax and TASS news agencies reported.
Peskov first said that evacuation will start on Saturday but later corrected himself, saying it will be carried out on Monday and Tuesday.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-31--Russia Seeks Fugitive Billionaire Boris Mints’ Arrest

Mints and his three sons left Russia for Britain in 2018 amid court disputes over bank dealings .
In 2019 , the High Court in London blocked $ 572 million worth of assets belonging to Mints and his three sons .
Russian authorities are seeking the arrest on embezzlement charges for Boris Mints , the billionaire businessman who now lives in London , the state-run TASS news agency reported Thursday .
Russia has put out an arrest warrant for Mints ' sons Alexander and Dmitry Mints , who are also accused of embezzlement , Interfax reported Friday .
The criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years in prison .
The three men are accused of embezzling 34 billion rubles ( $ 533 million ) , Interfax reported .
Moscow ’ s Basmanny district court will consider the investigators ’ request to arrest Mints on Feb. 3 .
“ The charges that have purportedly been brought in Russia against Mr. Mints and his sons Alexander and Dmitry are utterly baseless , suspiciously timed , and they dispute them in full , ” a spokesperson for Mints said .
Forbes estimated Mints ’ nets worth at $ 1.3 billion in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of billionaires in 2018 .
Mints co-founded Otkritie Bank , which was once Russia 's largest privately owned bank , and founded the Museum of Russian Impressionism in Moscow .

Mints and his three sons left Russia for Britain in 2018 amid court disputes over bank dealings. In 2019, the High Court in London blocked $572 million worth of assets belonging to Mints and his three sons.
Russian authorities are seeking the arrest on embezzlement charges for Boris Mints, the billionaire businessman who now lives in London, the state-run TASS news agency reported Thursday.
Russia has put out an arrest warrant for Mints' sons Alexander and Dmitry Mints, who are also accused of embezzlement, Interfax reported Friday. The criminal offense is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The three men are accused of embezzling 34 billion rubles ($533 million), Interfax reported.
Moscow’s Basmanny district court will consider the investigators’ request to arrest Mints on Feb. 3.
“The charges that have purportedly been brought in Russia against Mr. Mints and his sons Alexander and Dmitry are utterly baseless, suspiciously timed, and they dispute them in full,” a spokesperson for Mints said.
Forbes estimated Mints’ nets worth at $1.3 billion in 2017 before he dropped off its ranking of billionaires in 2018.
Mints co-founded Otkritie Bank, which was once Russia's largest privately owned bank, and founded the Museum of Russian Impressionism in Moscow.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-31--Russia Threatens Facebook, Twitter With $100K Fines

The social media giants “ have not provided information on the localization of Russian users ’ database inside Russian servers on time , ” the watchdog , Roskomnadzor , said .
Roskomnadzor had issued a Jan. 31 deadline for Facebook and Twitter to report their compliance with a law that requires all servers that store Russians ’ data to be relocated into Russia .
Russia ’ s communications watchdog said Friday it has launched fresh proceedings against Facebook and Twitter over their failure to comply with local data laws .
The social media giants could be forced to pay a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approximately $ 16,000 ) and 6 million rubles ( $ 94,000 ) , it said .
Roskomnadzor said Friday it will file its complaint in Russian court in three days .
Under a new law imposing stiffer fines that President Vladimir Putin signed last month , fines for repeat offenses go up to 18 million rubles ( almost $ 290,000 ) .
Russia ’ s Communications Ministry has backed fines as more effective measures for enforcement than bans .
“ You can bypass bans , but if the company works [ in Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay , ” Deputy Communications Minister Alexei Volin told the state-run TASS news agency Thursday .
Russia blocked the professional networking website LinkedIn in 2016 under the data-localization legislation .

The social media giants “have not provided information on the localization of Russian users’ database inside Russian servers on time,” the watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said. Roskomnadzor had issued a Jan. 31 deadline for Facebook and Twitter to report their compliance with a law that requires all servers that store Russians’ data to be relocated into Russia.
Russia’s communications watchdog said Friday it has launched fresh proceedings against Facebook and Twitter over their failure to comply with local data laws.
The social media giants could be forced to pay a fine ranging from 1 million rubles (approximately $16,000) and 6 million rubles ($94,000), it said.
Roskomnadzor said Friday it will file its complaint in Russian court in three days.
Under a new law imposing stiffer fines that President Vladimir Putin signed last month, fines for repeat offenses go up to 18 million rubles (almost $290,000).
Russia’s Communications Ministry has backed fines as more effective measures for enforcement than bans.
“You can bypass bans, but if the company works [in Russia], it’ll have to pay,” Deputy Communications Minister Alexei Volin told the state-run TASS news agency Thursday.
Russia blocked the professional networking website LinkedIn in 2016 under the data-localization legislation.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-31--Judges Disobey Putin in ‘Repeat Protest’ Conviction

Kotov , a 34-year-old programmer , was sentenced to four years in prison in September for `` repeated '' participation in unauthorized rallies .
In the past week , Putin has ordered federal prosecutors to determine if Kotov ’ s verdict was lawful and Russia ’ s Constitutional Court ordered its review .
Russia ’ s Supreme Court will not review Moscow protester Konstantin Kotov ’ s guilty verdict , his lawyer said Friday days after President Vladimir Putin promised to investigate whether his conviction was lawful .
The Supreme Court , according to Kotov ’ s lawyer Maria Eismont @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conviction because the Constitutional Court ’ s order did not declare the criminal article under which he was prosecuted to be unconstitutional .
“ We were prepared for this eventuality , ” Eismont wrote on Facebook , adding that Kotov ’ s defense has filed a new appeal .
Amnesty International declared Kotov a prisoner of conscience Tuesday and called for his immediate release .
The London-based rights group also criticized Russia ’ s Constitutional Court for failing to strike down the provision punishing repeat violations of protest rules when it issued the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is repealed , the authorities will be able to use the provision to prosecute and imprison peaceful protesters for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly , ” Amnesty International said .
Kotov was arrested and charged amid a wave of criminal prosecutions that were opened over last summer ’ s Moscow election protests .
The rallies , which began after opposition candidates were barred from the ballot in the Sept. 8 Moscow City Duma election , became the largest wave of protests seen in Russia since 2011-2013 .

Kotov, a 34-year-old programmer, was sentenced to four years in prison in September for "repeated" participation in unauthorized rallies. In the past week, Putin has ordered federal prosecutors to determine if Kotov’s verdict was lawful and Russia’s Constitutional Court ordered its review.
Russia’s Supreme Court will not review Moscow protester Konstantin Kotov’s guilty verdict, his lawyer said Friday days after President Vladimir Putin promised to investigate whether his conviction was lawful.
The Supreme Court, according to Kotov’s lawyer Maria Eismont, will not review Kotov’s conviction because the Constitutional Court’s order did not declare the criminal article under which he was prosecuted to be unconstitutional.
“We were prepared for this eventuality,” Eismont wrote on Facebook, adding that Kotov’s defense has filed a new appeal.
Amnesty International declared Kotov a prisoner of conscience Tuesday and called for his immediate release.
The London-based rights group also criticized Russia’s Constitutional Court for failing to strike down the provision punishing repeat violations of protest rules when it issued the review order Monday.
“Until it is repealed, the authorities will be able to use the provision to prosecute and imprison peaceful protesters for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” Amnesty International said.
Kotov was arrested and charged amid a wave of criminal prosecutions that were opened over last summer’s Moscow election protests. The rallies, which began after opposition candidates were barred from the ballot in the Sept. 8 Moscow City Duma election, became the largest wave of protests seen in Russia since 2011-2013.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-31--Stadium Roof Collapses in St. Petersburg, Killing Worker – Reports

The roof of the SKK ice hockey stadium in St. Petersburg collapsed during dismantling work on Friday , killing one @ @ @ @ @ into the rubble .
Dramatic footage of the collapse , in which a worker is @ @ @ @ @ grab onto a man cage suspended by a crane as the structure crumbles , was @ @ @ @ @ website .
Rescue workers later found the body of 29-year-old worker Matvei Kucherov , the @ @ @ @ @ man reportedly left the man cage without a safety line to do work on the @ @ @ @ @ The regional Investigative Committee has n't opened criminal proceedings into the incident , Fontanka cited @ @ @ @ @ Russia 's Emergency Services Ministry was cited as saying that 80 % of the stadium @ @ @ @ @ The Soviet-era St. Petersburg Sports and Concert Complex ( SKK ) had been slated for @ @ @ @ @ .
Local architects protested the demolition plans , arguing that the 1980 building was an @ @ @ @ @ .
This article is being updated .

Video credit: Fontanka.ru
The roof of the SKK ice hockey stadium in St. Petersburg collapsed during dismantling work on Friday, killing one worker who was dragged down into the rubble.
Dramatic footage of the collapse, in which a worker is seen running and failing to grab onto a man cage suspended by a crane as the structure crumbles, was posted by the Fontanka news website.
Rescue workers later found the body of 29-year-old worker Matvei Kucherov, the news website reported. The man reportedly left the man cage without a safety line to do work on the roof before it collapsed.
The regional Investigative Committee hasn't opened criminal proceedings into the incident, Fontanka cited a spokesperson as saying.
Russia's Emergency Services Ministry was cited as saying that 80% of the stadium's walls had collapsed.
The Soviet-era St. Petersburg Sports and Concert Complex (SKK) had been slated for demolition after falling into disrepair. Local architects protested the demolition plans, arguing that the 1980 building was an icon of Soviet neoconstructivist architecture.
This article is being updated.