themoscowtimes--2020-07-08--Russia's Coronavirus Cases Pass 700K

Russia's Coronavirus Cases Pass 700K

Moscow lifted restrictions including compulsory travel passes on June 8 , a move welcomed by residents who rushed out to enjoy the streets and parks .
Many other regions lifted lockdown restrictions ahead of a July 1 national vote despite the pandemic .
Critics have cast doubt on Russia 's low official mortality rate and accused authorities of under-reporting to play down the scale of the crisis .
Russia attributes its lower virus death figures to mass testing which has identified many cases with mild or no coronavirus symptoms .
The Health Ministry is now adjusting how it reports numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related to the virus even if the direct cause of death was another condition or the patient tested negative .
Former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin , a liberal politician known for his outspoken comments , said Russia 's health system requires more funds and modernization in many regions .
`` Medicine is significantly underfunded even according to the current norms and also it needs a serious overhaul , '' Kudrin , who heads the Audit Chamber that examines government spending , said in an interview with the state-run TASS state news agency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and show these figures , '' he added .
Nevertheless the economist said Russia `` is not doing a bad job with the pandemic , '' crediting the role of the military , which has built emergency facilities .

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Russia's fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures.
Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that now allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036.
Both events were initially postponed due the epidemic.
Moscow opened cinemas and theaters on Aug. 1. In the capital, masks are mandatory in stores and on public transport but not in the streets.
Several institutes in Russia are working on a coronavirus vaccine.
The Russian Defense Ministry has said it developed a "safe" vaccine following clinical trials on a group of volunteers.
The trials are ongoing, and the Defense Ministry expects clinical trials to be fully completed in the coming weeks.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-08--Russia, China Veto UN Extension of Cross-Border Aid in Syria

Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have extended authorization for cross-border humanitarian aid in Syria for a year , though Moscow swiftly proposed a more limited extension .
Germany and Belgium , two of the council 's non-permanent members , had drafted the resolution , which would have allowed aid to continue to pass through two points on the Turkish border without interference from Damascus .
Beyond Russia and China , the other 13 council members voted to approve the draft , the diplomats said .
During negotiations , Moscow had asked that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rather than a year , and that it only be allowed at one border crossing , not two , they said .
`` The draft resolution has not been adopted , '' Germany 's UN ambassador Christoph Heusgen , the acting president of the body in July , confirmed in a letter to Council members .
Immediately after the vote , Russia proposed its own draft resolution .
Obtained by AFP , it repeats the call for a six-month extension , underlines the improvement in the delivery of humanitarian aid under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excludes one of the two entry points into Syria — Bab al-Salam — from the mechanism .
The results of a vote on that resolution will be known on Wednesday .
Authorization for cross-border humanitarian aid has existed since 2014 , with periodic extensions .
The latest extension expires on Friday .
Tuesday 's vote was the 15th time that Russia has used its veto since the start of the Syrian war in 2011 , and the ninth for China .
They argue that the UN authorization violates Syria 's sovereignty , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syrian authorities .
Western nations and the UN secretariat however insist that cross-border aid is the only credible option , and that relief supplies would face multiple obstacles if they had to pass through Damascus ' control .
The veto was an `` extremely negative development , '' one European diplomat said on condition of anonymity .
`` They want to strangle the population even more , '' the diplomat said , adding that aid `` can not reach the population from one '' crossing point .
`` Insisting on only one crossing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet the needs of the people , '' the source said .
The Bab al-Hawa crossing point allows for shipments of humanitarian aid to the three to four million people living in the opposition-held Idlib region .
`` Blocking access to food , health care supplies , vaccines , and ventilators is unacceptable anytime but in the year of Covid-19 , it is even more reprehensible , '' said IRC president David Miliband in a statement .

Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have extended authorization for cross-border humanitarian aid in Syria for a year, though Moscow swiftly proposed a more limited extension.
Germany and Belgium, two of the council's non-permanent members, had drafted the resolution, which would have allowed aid to continue to pass through two points on the Turkish border without interference from Damascus.
Beyond Russia and China, the other 13 council members voted to approve the draft, the diplomats said.
During negotiations, Moscow had asked that the extension be limited to six months, rather than a year, and that it only be allowed at one border crossing, not two, they said.
"The draft resolution has not been adopted," Germany's UN ambassador Christoph Heusgen, the acting president of the body in July, confirmed in a letter to Council members.
Immediately after the vote, Russia proposed its own draft resolution.
Obtained by AFP, it repeats the call for a six-month extension, underlines the improvement in the delivery of humanitarian aid under the control of the Syrian regime, and excludes one of the two entry points into Syria — Bab al-Salam — from the mechanism.
The results of a vote on that resolution will be known on Wednesday.
Authorization for cross-border humanitarian aid has existed since 2014, with periodic extensions. The latest extension expires on Friday.
Tuesday's vote was the 15th time that Russia has used its veto since the start of the Syrian war in 2011, and the ninth for China.
They argue that the UN authorization violates Syria's sovereignty, and that aid can increasingly be channelled through Syrian authorities.
Western nations and the UN secretariat however insist that cross-border aid is the only credible option, and that relief supplies would face multiple obstacles if they had to pass through Damascus' control.
The veto was an "extremely negative development," one European diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
"They want to strangle the population even more," the diplomat said, adding that aid "cannot reach the population from one" crossing point.
"Insisting on only one crossing point is cynical and it doesn't meet the needs of the people," the source said.
The Bab al-Hawa crossing point allows for shipments of humanitarian aid to the three to four million people living in the opposition-held Idlib region.
The International Rescue Committee quickly condemned the veto.
"Blocking access to food, health care supplies, vaccines, and ventilators is unacceptable anytime but in the year of Covid-19, it is even more reprehensible," said IRC president David Miliband in a statement.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-08--Russia Seeks 15 Years Jail for Gulag Historian

Russian prosecutors demanded Tuesday that a respected Gulag historian be sentenced to 15 years in prison over alleged sexual assault @ @ @ @ @ say has been trumped up to silence him .
Yury Dmitriyev , 64 , spent @ @ @ @ @ graves of people killed under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin 's rule .
Rights groups and @ @ @ @ @ have campaigned against Dmitriyev 's years-long prosecution .
Activists say the case against him is @ @ @ @ @ outspoken historian who has called attention to one of the darkest chapters in Russia 's @ @ @ @ @ head of leading rights group Memorial 's branch in Karelia in northwestern Russia .

Russian prosecutors demanded Tuesday that a respected Gulag historian be sentenced to 15 years in prison over alleged sexual assault in a case his allies say has been trumped up to silence him.
Yury Dmitriyev, 64, spent decades locating and exhuming mass graves of people killed under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's rule.
Rights groups and supporters including many Russian actors have campaigned against Dmitriyev's years-long prosecution.
Activists say the case against him is an attempt to muzzle the outspoken historian who has called attention to one of the darkest chapters in Russia's history.
Dmitriyev is the head of leading rights group Memorial's branch in Karelia in northwestern Russia.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-08--Siberia Swelters in the Age of Climate Change

“ Heat waves in summer have always existed , but now , with climate change accelerating , they ’ re becoming longer and more frequent , ” Alexey Kokorin , the head of the Climate and Energy program at WWF Russia told the Moscow Times in an interview .
Forecasts show that five Siberian regions , including one in the Arctic , will experience temperatures of 37 degrees Celsius in early July .
This follows The Siberian town of Verkhoyansk reporting possibly the hottest-ever temperature above the Arctic Circle of 38 C earlier in June and other parts of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the time of year is zero .
Siberia ’ s unprecedented heat wave will continue through July , experts have warned , increasing the risk of forest fires and permafrost damage and highlighting the effects of climate change .
The hot Siberian summer comes on the heels of the hottest winter since 1891 , according to the Russian State Meteorological Service , with average temperatures in what used to be one of the coldest regions of the world hitting 6 C. The warming isn ’ t just affecting Russia ’ s northern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole , the rate of temperature growth is 2.5 times higher than the global average , ” according to a 2019 climate change report from the Russian Hydro Meteorological Service , which also highlights a decrease in ice cover in the Arctic , snow cover all over the country and thawing of the permafrost that covers up to 60 % of Russian territory .
By 2050 , the damage to the Russian economy from thawing permafrost may slash 8.5 % from GDP , Alexander Kislov a researcher with the Geographical Faculty of Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news agency earlier this year .
Thawing permafrost has also been blamed for a massive diesel spill from a storage tank owned by a subsidiary of metals giant Norilsk Nickel in May .
While the company has said melting permafrost weakened the tank ’ s supports , Greenpeace says Nornickel is trying to “ avoid responsibility ” by blaming climate change rather than its failure to modernize its infrastructure .
Following the diesel spill , which released over 20,000 metric tons of fuel into a Siberian river , Russian Deputy Prime Minister Victoria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks for industrial facilities in the Arctic .
Nornickel has said it will carry out regular monitoring of the state of production facilities in connection with melting permafrost , and a number of other oil , gas and metals companies , including Gazprom , have also started paying more attention to the impact of climate change in Arctic and Siberian regions .
The prolonged heat wave in Siberia is also stoking wildfires in the region .
According to the Russian Forestry Service , as of July 2 wildfires covered an area of around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Yakutia , Chukotka and Magadan regions .
Environmental activists say that is 37 % larger than a year ago .
Both the hot summer and very warm winter with little snow are contributing to increasing risks of forest fires .
A number of regions , including Yakutia , have already introduced an emergency situation because of the wildfires .
The Russian State Hydrometeorological Service worst-case scenario forecast says that in southern Siberia the number of days in the year with high fire risk will increase to 50 over the next few years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insects that feed on trees to thrive , upsetting the natural balance .
A study of around 150,000 hectares of forests found more than 50 Siberian silkworms per tree , up from the usual numbers of 30-40 per square meter .
Russia ’ s government in January published a plan of action outlining 29 broad measures to both mitigate damage and take advantage of opportunities created by climate change .
The plan acknowledges that warmer temperatures pose risks to public health , endanger permafrost areas and increase the likelihood of natural disasters .

“Heat waves in summer have always existed, but now, with climate change accelerating, they’re becoming longer and more frequent,” Alexey Kokorin, the head of the Climate and Energy program at WWF Russia told the Moscow Times in an interview.
Forecasts show that five Siberian regions, including one in the Arctic, will experience temperatures of 37 degrees Celsius in early July. This follows The Siberian town of Verkhoyansk reporting possibly the hottest-ever temperature above the Arctic Circle of 38 C earlier in June and other parts of the Arctic seeing 30 C when the average for the time of year is zero.
Siberia’s unprecedented heat wave will continue through July, experts have warned , increasing the risk of forest fires and permafrost damage and highlighting the effects of climate change.
The hot Siberian summer comes on the heels of the hottest winter since 1891, according to the Russian State Meteorological Service, with average temperatures in what used to be one of the coldest regions of the world hitting 6 C.
The warming isn’t just affecting Russia’s northern regions.
In the country as a whole, the rate of temperature growth is 2.5 times higher than the global average,” according to a 2019 climate change report from the Russian Hydro Meteorological Service, which also highlights a decrease in ice cover in the Arctic, snow cover all over the country and thawing of the permafrost that covers up to 60% of Russian territory.
By 2050, the damage to the Russian economy from thawing permafrost may slash 8.5% from GDP, Alexander Kislov a researcher with the Geographical Faculty of Moscow State University told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency earlier this year.
Diesel spill
Thawing permafrost has also been blamed for a massive diesel spill from a storage tank owned by a subsidiary of metals giant Norilsk Nickel in May. While the company has said melting permafrost weakened the tank’s supports, Greenpeace says Nornickel is trying to “avoid responsibility” by blaming climate change rather than its failure to modernize its infrastructure.
Following the diesel spill, which released over 20,000 metric tons of fuel into a Siberian river, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Victoria Abramchenko ordered the authorities to evaluate environmental risks for industrial facilities in the Arctic.
Nornickel has said it will carry out regular monitoring of the state of production facilities in connection with melting permafrost, and a number of other oil, gas and metals companies, including Gazprom, have also started paying more attention to the impact of climate change in Arctic and Siberian regions.
Stoking wildfires
The prolonged heat wave in Siberia is also stoking wildfires in the region. According to the Russian Forestry Service, as of July 2 wildfires covered an area of around 3 million hectares, most of them in Yakutia, Chukotka and Magadan regions. Environmental activists say that is 37% larger than a year ago.
Both the hot summer and very warm winter with little snow are contributing to increasing risks of forest fires. A number of regions, including Yakutia, have already introduced an emergency situation because of the wildfires.
The Russian State Hydrometeorological Service worst-case scenario forecast says that in southern Siberia the number of days in the year with high fire risk will increase to 50 over the next few years.
Siberian silkworms
The heat wave is also allowing insects that feed on trees to thrive, upsetting the natural balance. A study of around 150,000 hectares of forests found more than 50 Siberian silkworms per tree, up from the usual numbers of 30-40 per square meter.
Russia’s government in January published a plan of action outlining 29 broad measures to both mitigate damage and take advantage of opportunities created by climate change.
The plan acknowledges that warmer temperatures pose risks to public health, endanger permafrost areas and increase the likelihood of natural disasters.
The wide-ranging document includes “preventive” and “post-crisis” climate adaptation plans.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-07--Russia Detains Ex-Defense Reporter for Treason

Twenty people have been detained , according to OVD Info , which tracks detentions at political protests .
His arrest , on charges that carry a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars , sparked an uproar among supporters , some of whom took to the streets of Moscow to protest .
Ivan Safronov , 30 , worked for business outlets Kommersant and Vedomosti and was one of Russia 's most high profile and respected journalists reporting on defence .
Moscow 's Lefortovsky court ruled to approve Safronov 's arrest for one month and 30 days , `` until September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AFP .
A high-profile Russian journalist who became an adviser to the head of the space agency was detained Tuesday on charges of treason for allegedly divulging state military secrets , the country 's security service said .
Safronov 's lawyer Ivan Pavlov said it was the first time in nearly 20 years that a reporter had been accused of state treason in Russia , adding the fate of independent journalism was now on the line .
Supporters took to social media arguing that the charges were a response to his reporting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elite .
Safronov 's arrest came after President Vladimir Putin , who has been in power for two decades , oversaw a controversial nationwide vote that allows him to extend his grip on power until 2036 .
On Tuesday , the Federal Security Service said Safronov had collected confidential data about the Russian military , defense , and security and was `` handing it over '' to the intelligence of a NATO member country .
The Kremlin insisted his detention was not related to his previous work as a journalist .
`` Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of tasks , and does its job very well , '' spokesman Dmitry Peskov said .
But the space agency said the charges were unrelated to Safronov 's work at Roscosmos , where he started working in May .
Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said Safronov `` did not have access to secret information . ''
In recent years authorities have ramped up efforts to squelch dissent , and a wide range of individuals including scientists have been accused of high treason or disclosing state secrets .
Security analyst Andrei Soldatov said Safronov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country may be entering a new phase .
`` The case against Ivan Safronov is an absolutely new level of repression against journalism in the country , '' he said .
Safronov reported on the military , politics and Russia 's space programme , which has suffered a series of embarrassing setbacks and corruption scandals in recent years .
In 2019 , Kommersant removed from its website an article he co-authored about the delivery of Russian jets to Egypt after court proceedings were opened into the disclosure of state secrets .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year following the publication of an article he co-authored which reported that the speaker of Russia 's upper house of parliament was planning to step down .
The entire politics desk of the newspaper resigned in protest against his dismissal .
A number of media outlets including Kommersant on Tuesday issued statements in defence of Safronov , describing him as one of the best Russian journalists and a patriot .
`` It is simply impossible to imagine Ivan , the son of an officer , to be a traitor , '' said Vedomosti @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his journalist father , who also covered defence for Kommersant .
Ivan Safronov senior died in 2007 after falling out of a window under murky circumstances .
At the time of his death he was working on a story about Russia sending an air defence system and planes to Iran and Syria .
On Monday , a reporter from the northwestern city of Pskov was fined nearly $ 7,000 for `` justifying terrorism , '' in a case that sparked an outcry .
Prosecutors had requested that Svetlana Prokopyeva be sentenced to six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bomb attack and banned from working as a journalist for four years .
`` Watching arrest after arrest of Russian journalists — it 's starting to look like a concerted campaign against # MediaFreedom , '' tweeted Rebecca Ross , a spokeswoman for the U.S. embassy in Moscow .
By Anna Smolchenko and Jonathan Brown for AFP .

Twenty people have been detained, according to OVD Info, which tracks detentions at political protests.
His arrest, on charges that carry a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars, sparked an uproar among supporters, some of whom took to the streets of Moscow to protest.
Ivan Safronov, 30, worked for business outlets Kommersant and Vedomosti and was one of Russia's most high profile and respected journalists reporting on defence. Moscow's Lefortovsky court ruled to approve Safronov's arrest for one month and 30 days, "until September 6," a court spokeswoman told AFP.
A high-profile Russian journalist who became an adviser to the head of the space agency was detained Tuesday on charges of treason for allegedly divulging state military secrets, the country's security service said.
Safronov's lawyer Ivan Pavlov said it was the first time in nearly 20 years that a reporter had been accused of state treason in Russia, adding the fate of independent journalism was now on the line.
Supporters took to social media arguing that the charges were a response to his reporting, which had ruffled feathers among the ruling elite.
Safronov's arrest came after President Vladimir Putin, who has been in power for two decades, oversaw a controversial nationwide vote that allows him to extend his grip on power until 2036.
On Tuesday, the Federal Security Service said Safronov had collected confidential data about the Russian military, defense, and security and was "handing it over" to the intelligence of a NATO member country.
The Kremlin insisted his detention was not related to his previous work as a journalist.
"Our counterintelligence is very busy, has a lot of tasks, and does its job very well," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
But the space agency said the charges were unrelated to Safronov's work at Roscosmos, where he started working in May.
Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said Safronov "did not have access to secret information."
In recent years authorities have ramped up efforts to squelch dissent, and a wide range of individuals including scientists have been accused of high treason or disclosing state secrets.
Security analyst Andrei Soldatov said Safronov's arrest indicates that repression in the country may be entering a new phase.
"The case against Ivan Safronov is an absolutely new level of repression against journalism in the country," he said.
Arrest after arrest
Safronov reported on the military, politics and Russia's space programme, which has suffered a series of embarrassing setbacks and corruption scandals in recent years.
In 2019, Kommersant removed from its website an article he co-authored about the delivery of Russian jets to Egypt after court proceedings were opened into the disclosure of state secrets.
He was forced to quit Kommersant in May last year following the publication of an article he co-authored which reported that the speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament was planning to step down.
The entire politics desk of the newspaper resigned in protest against his dismissal.
A number of media outlets including Kommersant on Tuesday issued statements in defence of Safronov, describing him as one of the best Russian journalists and a patriot.
"It is simply impossible to imagine Ivan, the son of an officer, to be a traitor," said Vedomosti.
Safronov followed in the footsteps of his journalist father, who also covered defence for Kommersant.
Ivan Safronov senior died in 2007 after falling out of a window under murky circumstances. At the time of his death he was working on a story about Russia sending an air defence system and planes to Iran and Syria.
On Monday, a reporter from the northwestern city of Pskov was fined nearly $7,000 for "justifying terrorism," in a case that sparked an outcry.
Prosecutors had requested that Svetlana Prokopyeva be sentenced to six years in prison for a commentary about a bomb attack and banned from working as a journalist for four years.
"Watching arrest after arrest of Russian journalists — it's starting to look like a concerted campaign against #MediaFreedom," tweeted Rebecca Ross, a spokeswoman for the U.S. embassy in Moscow.
By Anna Smolchenko and Jonathan Brown for AFP.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-08--Lithuania Bans Russia's RT Television Channels

Lithuania 's media watchdog on Wednesday banned Russian broadcaster RT , echoing a move by neighbor Latvia , after it @ @ @ @ @ the station was on an EU sanctions list .
Lithuania 's LRTK media regulator said @ @ @ @ @ as Russia Today was controlled by Dmitry Kiselyov .
Regarded by critics as Russia 's @ @ @ @ @ was sanctioned by the European Union in 2014 for leading a media campaign in support @ @ @ @ @ territory from Ukraine .
LRTK chairman Mantas Martisius told AFP the media watchdog had `` @ @ @ @ @ 5 RT group TV channels ... controlled by Kiselyov . ''

Lithuania's media watchdog on Wednesday banned Russian broadcaster RT, echoing a move by neighbor Latvia, after it found a key figure at the station was on an EU sanctions list.
Lithuania's LRTK media regulator said the television station previously known as Russia Today was controlled by Dmitry Kiselyov.
Regarded by critics as Russia's chief spin doctor, Kiselyov was sanctioned by the European Union in 2014 for leading a media campaign in support of Russia's annexation of territory from Ukraine.
LRTK chairman Mantas Martisius told AFP the media watchdog had "decided today to suspend the 5 RT group TV channels... controlled by Kiselyov."


themoscowtimes--2020-07-08--“Solidarity is Always the Best Answer”

“Solidarity is Always the Best Answer”

Oksana and her two-year-old daughter Sophia sit in a small lounge in Vnukovo airport in Moscow .
They are one of several families with young children waiting together .
Sophia , like the other children there , has retinoblastoma , an aggressive and rare form of retinal cancer that can render a child blind and cause death within a matter of weeks if left untreated .
Sophia has had cancer since October 2019 and has already lost sight in one eye .
She struggles to see , often navigating by touch , grabbing the chairs and remotes spread out around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first came to Moscow from Novosibirsk to treat Sophia ’ s cancer , doctors told them that their only option was to remove the eye completely .
Oksana , unable to accept this , looked for other options .
Through a social-media page for parents of children with retinoblastoma , Oksana learned about a course of treatment at the Jules-Gonin clinic in Lausanne Switzerland .
The treatment , begun in 2012 by Professor Francis Munier , head of the Department of pediatric eye oncology at the clinic , allows the tumor to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eye .
It is the only clinic in the world equipped to perform this treatment .
But then came coronavirus .
Due to the pandemic , all commercial flights between Russia and Switzerland were canceled .
But Oksana and Sophia , along with the several other families , were on their way to Switzerland despite the travel ban .
They were about to board a private jet organized by the Swiss Embassy and paid for by private donors .
The program to transport the children first began in April when the father of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about getting to the clinic in Switzerland to treat Tair ’ s cancer .
Due to the cancer ’ s aggressive nature , missing or postponing even one treatment could be too late for the child .
With help from his French colleagues , Rossier got Tair and his parents on a flight to Paris , where a military bus from the defense ministry transported them to the clinic in Lausanne .
Before their flight to Paris , Tair and his family stayed at the Swiss embassy residence in Moscow and celebrated Tair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cake and candles .
“ For me , the matter was settled .
But two days later on Friday , I got ten emails .
All these parents of children with this cancer are in contact with each other ...
I thought : What do I do ?
” Rossier spent the entire weekend making phone calls .
Realizing that repatriation flights were unreliable and that these children could not risk waiting , Rossier realized that the only viable option was private jets .
With the sponsorship of Swiss Olympic ski champion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two flights to Switzerland in May , each transporting between 10-12 children and their accompanying parents .
The flights in June were sponsored by Russian businessman Viktor Vekselberg , and flights in July were paid by Gennady Timchenko .
Every month Rossier now prepares the flights for the next month , organizing the flights and finding donors for the 100,000-euro trips .
He will continue to do so until commercial flights are resumed , whenever that might happen .
“ There is solidarity in Switzerland .
Solidarity in Russia .
We are inserting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the flight .
So , it ’ s really a chain of solidarity between those parents , between everybody helping them in Russia , between the social support they get in Switzerland — the embassy is just there to create the chain .
So yeah , I think it ’ s quite cool , ” Rossier said .
As Oksana and Sophia prepared to board the private jet along with the other families , a flight landed with parents and their children who had just finished a round of cancer treatment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning after a week at the clinic with her daughter .
“ Everything went amazingly well and was of the very highest quality .
The organization , preparation , and flight were great ... Now we only just to return in September for the next course of treatment .
”

Oksana and her two-year-old daughter Sophia sit in a small lounge in Vnukovo Airport in Moscow. They are one of several families with young children waiting together. Sophia, like the other children there, has retinoblastoma, an aggressive and rare form of retinal cancer that can render a child blind and cause death within a matter of weeks if left untreated. Sophia has had cancer since October 2019 and has already lost sight in one eye. She struggles to see, often navigating by touch, grabbing the chairs and remotes spread out around the lounge. When Oksana and Sophia first came to Moscow from Novosibirsk to treat Sophia’s cancer, doctors told them that their only option was to remove the eye completely. Oksana, unable to accept this, looked for other options.
Through a social media page for parents of children with retinoblastoma, Oksana learned about a course of treatment at the Jules-Gonin clinic in Lausanne Switzerland. The treatment, begun in 2012 by Professor Francis Munier, head of the Department of pediatric eye oncology at the clinic, allows the tumor to be treated while preserving the patient’s eye. It is the only clinic in the world equipped to perform this treatment. But then came coronavirus. Due to the pandemic, all commercial flights between Russia and Switzerland were canceled. But Oksana and Sophia, along with the several other families, were on their way to Switzerland despite the travel ban. They were about to board a private jet organized by the Swiss Embassy and paid for by private donors.
The mothers of sick children wait to board the private jet at Vnukovo airport in Moscow for a chance to save their children's eyesight and lives. Sonia Kopelev/ The Moscow Times
“There is a whole network of solidarity around these children,” Yves Rossier, Swiss Ambassador to Russia and the main organizer of the program, told The Moscow Times.
The program to transport the children first began in April when the father of a young boy named Tair contacted Rossier about getting to the clinic in Switzerland to treat Tair’s cancer. Due to the cancer’s aggressive nature, missing or postponing even one treatment could be too late for the child. With help from his French colleagues, Rossier got Tair and his parents on a flight to Paris, where a military bus from the defense ministry transported them to the clinic in Lausanne. Before their flight to Paris, Tair and his family stayed at the Swiss embassy residence in Moscow and celebrated Tair’s second birthday with Rossier with a cake and candles. “For me, the matter was settled. But two days later on Friday, I got ten emails. All these parents of children with this cancer are in contact with each other...I thought: What do I do?”
Rossier spent the entire weekend making phone calls. Realizing that repatriation flights were unreliable and that these children could not risk waiting, Rossier realized that the only viable option was private jets. With the sponsorship of Swiss Olympic ski champion Jean-Claude Killy, Rossier organized the first two flights to Switzerland in May, each transporting between 10-12 children and their accompanying parents. The flights in June were sponsored by Russian businessman Viktor Vekselberg, and flights in July were paid by Gennady Timchenko. Every month Rossier now prepares the flights for the next month, organizing the flights and finding donors for the 100,000-euro trips. He will continue to do so until commercial flights are resumed, whenever that might happen. “There is solidarity in Switzerland. Solidarity in Russia. We are inserting ourselves into this long chain of solidarity for the flight. So, it’s really a chain of solidarity between those parents, between everybody helping them in Russia, between the social support they get in Switzerland — the embassy is just there to create the chain. So yeah, I think it’s quite cool,” Rossier said.
“In times of crisis, you have two reactions. Either you go it alone and do not care about the others, or there is solidarity. And I think solidarity is always the best answer.”


themoscowtimes--2020-07-09--Chechen Leader Blames Critics' Killings on ‘Russia’s Enemies’

Mansur the Elder was the nickname of Chechen opposition leader Imran Aliev , who was found dead with 135 stab wounds in the French city of Lille in January .
“ Both Anzor of Vienna and Mansur the Elder , as well as other bloggers who earn money on pseudo-patriotic ideas , have , and will , fall victim to the secret services working against Russia and me , ” Kadyrov said .
Kadyrov put forward the theory after the body of his reported “ personal foe ” Mamikhan Umarov , 43 , was found in the Austrian capital Vienna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been arrested in connection with the killing of Umarov , who is also known as Anzor of Vienna .
Foreign intelligence agencies are behind the string of killings on European soil of Chechen nationals who criticized the Russian region ’ s ruling elite , Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said Thursday .
In February , another exiled Chechen blogger critical of Kadyrov fended off an attacker armed with a hammer in Sweden .
In August 2019 , a former Chechen rebel and Georgian citizen was shot dead in broad daylight in Berlin .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security of Chechen dissidents living in Europe and elsewhere .
Chechens have fled into exile in recent years over disagreements with pro-Kremlin Kadyrov under a second wave of emigration , after the first wave triggered by two separatist wars with Russia in the 1990s .
Without explaining his thinking , Kadyrov alleged Thursday that the critical bloggers get paid for their writings through donations or state benefits .
“ Then they get killed as supposedly innocent victims of a made-up ‘ truth.
’ All that is under the guise of the ideals of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his Telegram social media channel .
“ I ’ ve repeatedly talked about Western methods of manipulation and I knew that these puppets would end their lives this way.
” The Chechen leader warned his critics abroad that “ they ’ ll dispose of you as expendable material even before we seek vengeance.
” “ Don ’ t turn into puppets , take care of your families .
Otherwise , the same fate will await you and Kadyrov and his team will be blamed , ” he said .
“ As for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for , ” Kadyrov said .
The Kremlin said Thursday it sees no link between the latest killing in Vienna and Kadyrov .

Mansur the Elder was the nickname of Chechen opposition leader Imran Aliev, who was found dead with 135 stab wounds in the French city of Lille in January.
“Both Anzor of Vienna and Mansur the Elder, as well as other bloggers who earn money on pseudo-patriotic ideas, have, and will, fall victim to the secret services working against Russia and me,” Kadyrov said.
Kadyrov put forward the theory after the body of his reported “personal foe” Mamikhan Umarov, 43, was found in the Austrian capital Vienna on Saturday. Two ethnic Chechens have been arrested in connection with the killing of Umarov, who is also known as Anzor of Vienna.
Foreign intelligence agencies are behind the string of killings on European soil of Chechen nationals who criticized the Russian region’s ruling elite, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said Thursday.
In February, another exiled Chechen blogger critical of Kadyrov fended off an attacker armed with a hammer in Sweden. In August 2019, a former Chechen rebel and Georgian citizen was shot dead in broad daylight in Berlin.
The attacks come amid growing concern over the security of Chechen dissidents living in Europe and elsewhere. Chechens have fled into exile in recent years over disagreements with pro-Kremlin Kadyrov under a second wave of emigration, after the first wave triggered by two separatist wars with Russia in the 1990s.
Without explaining his thinking, Kadyrov alleged Thursday that the critical bloggers get paid for their writings through donations or state benefits.
“Then they get killed as supposedly innocent victims of a made-up ‘truth.’ All that is under the guise of the ideals of humanity, democracy,” he wrote on his Telegram social media channel.
“I’ve repeatedly talked about Western methods of manipulation and I knew that these puppets would end their lives this way.”
The Chechen leader warned his critics abroad that “they’ll dispose of you as expendable material even before we seek vengeance.”
“Don’t turn into puppets, take care of your families. Otherwise, the same fate will await you and Kadyrov and his team will be blamed,” he said.
“As for the dead… they got what they fought for,” Kadyrov said.
The Kremlin said Thursday it sees no link between the latest killing in Vienna and Kadyrov.