themoscowtimes--2020-03-16--Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | March 16

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 6,500 people continues to spread around the world , Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the pandemic , including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China , ordering people returning from high-risk areas to self-quarantine and temporarily banning Chinese citizens from entering the country .
There have been 63 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far .
Below are the latest updates on Russia ’ s response to the coronavirus — President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a special working group within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
Putin put Moscow 's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin in charge of the new group , which will also include government officials .
— Russia 's Science and Higher Education Ministry recommended that higher educational institutions switch to distance learning from Monday .
— Russia has closed its border with neighboring Belarus as a `` proactive step '' to halt the coronavirus ' spread , the state-run TASS news agency quoted Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin as saying .
— A Russian patient has escaped from coronavirus quarantine near Moscow , the hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The woman has been detained and returned to the hospital after police found her at her home .
— Russia registered four more cases of coronavirus , Interfax reported , bringing the total number of infections to 63 .
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin denied that the authorities are downplaying the numbers of coronavirus patients in the capital .
— The Russian protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor confirmed the first community transmission of the coronavirus in Russia , RBC reported on Sunday , but this information was later removed from Rospotrebnadzor 's statement .
— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 104,000 coronavirus tests since the start of the outbreak while 14,742 people are currently being monitored for coronavirus .
— A Russian Orthodox Church spokesperson said it will not be closing churches or canceling religious proceedings .
— Russian Railways announced it would stop international passenger trains from Moscow to Berlin and Paris .
Earlier it was announced that train connections to and from Ukraine , Moldova and Latvia will be suspended .
— Russia has confirmed 14 new cases of coronavirus , bringing the total to 59 , the state-run RIA news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases are in Moscow , one in the Moscow region , one in St. Petersburg , two in Kemerovo and one in Kaliningrad .
— Moscow 's chief sanitary doctor Elena Andreeva signed a decree on new measures to combat coronavirus , including compulsory hospitalization of patients with atypical course of flu and banning visitors in hospitals , orphanages and boarding schools .
— Russia will close its land borders with Poland and Norway to foreigners in a bid to limit the spread of the new coronavirus , Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Moscow region will make school attendance optional starting on Monday in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
— Moscow authorities recommended that private schools go on a two-week vacation or switch to online teaching , the RBC news website reported .
— Russia confirmed 11 new cases of coronavirus , bringing the total to 45 , the RBC news website reported , citing the country 's coronavirus crisis center .
— Russia is limiting flights with Europe from Monday to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artist Aidan Salakhova says she has been quarantined in a hospital after returning from Italy on a flight that was carrying two people infected with coronavirus .
All the passengers on Salakhova 's flight have been placed in hospital quarantine as well .
— Two Russian tourists in Israel have been diagnosed with coronavirus .
— St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region banned events with more than 1,000 people .
— The Kremlin told journalists who cover President Vladimir Putin to stay away from official events if they felt unwell as a precautionary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
— Polish President Andrzej Duda will not travel to Russia next month due to the coronavirus , missing ceremonies marking the 10-year anniversary of a plane crash which killed Poland 's president , central bank chief and military commanders .
— Russia 's border will temporarily be closed to Italian citizens and foreigners traveling from Italy starting today as Italy continues to grapple with the worst coronavirus outbreak in Europe .
— Russia has confirmed six new cases of coronavirus , bringing the total number of cases to 34 , Interfax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis center .
Four of the new cases are in Moscow , one in Krasnodar and one in Kaliningrad .
— The Moscow region 's governor has announced a `` high alert '' status for the region due to the coronavirus , banning all large events over 5,000 people and encouraging companies to allow their employees to telecommute .
The remote-working measures do not apply to the city of Moscow , home to 12 million people .
— A joint Russian-European mission to Mars has been postponed for two years , the Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citing the coronavirus and technical issues .
— A religious procession in central Russia aimed at fighting the coronavirus has been canceled due to the threat of the virus itself .
— About 100 Chinese students in Moscow will be deported from Russia because they violated their self-quarantine orders , the Kommersant business daily reported .
— Russian scientists say they have developed a device that can test for coronavirus in 15 minutes , the state-run TASS news agency reported .
The device could be made available to consumers as early as this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Katasonov did not self-quarantine after returning from France and was present at work for several days before his colleagues told him to go home , libertarian party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky has said .
Zhirinovsky , who leads the party Katasonov belongs to , proposed stripping him of his parliamentary powers as punishment .
— The World Health Organization declared that the coronavirus is a pandemic as the number of cases worldwide surpassed 112,000 in 114 different countries .
— Russia will suspend most flights to and from Italy , Germany , France and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Friday , Russia 's coronavirus crisis center said in a statement .
Russia will also stop issuing tourist visas to Italian citizens to prevent a spread of the virus , the center said .
— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia rose to 28 from 20 .
All the people tested positive in the last day had previously traveled to Italy , according to the coronavirus crisis center 's statement .
— Moscow has banned large events of more than 5,000 people until April 10 in a move to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sergei Sobyanin said in a decree .
The ban applies to `` sports , entertainment , public and other mass events , '' the decree says .
Critics accused the city of using the health crisis as an excuse to prevent people from protesting President Vladimir Putin 's constitutional reforms that could allow him to stay in power past his term limit .
— Thailand has suspended visas on arrival for citizens of 18 countries including Russia in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
— State Duma Deputy Speaker Pyotr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning to Moscow from Paris , he wrote on Facebook , adding that he is `` completely healthy '' and will work from home .
— Russia 's Defense Ministry has canceled the Moscow International Security Conference due to the threat of coronavirus .
The defense and international affairs conference , which would have been attended by more than 1,000 delegates from 115 countries , had been scheduled for April 22-23 .
— Russia 's consumer safety watchdog recommended that people avoid public transport , shopping malls and other public places at rush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the state-run RIA news agency reported .
`` Refrain from visiting public places : shopping centers , sports and entertainment events and transport during rush hour , '' the Rospotrebnadzor watchdog was quoted as saying .
— Another three people in Moscow have been diagnosed with coronavirus overnight , the RBC news website reported , citing a report from city officials it obtained .
The three individuals had recently visited Italy .
—Moscow city authorities threatened prison terms of up to five years for people failing to self-isolate in their homes for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the coronavirus outbreak .
— Russia confirmed four new cases of coronavirus , taking the total number to 17 — three of whom have since recovered .
— Russia has reported six new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours , including five in Moscow and one in Nizhny Novgorod 400 kilometers east of the capital .
All six cases were contracted in Italy , one of several virus hubs outside China , the authorities said .
— Russian officials have conducted more than 51,000 tests for the coronavirus nationwide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seven Russian passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship who were placed in a two-week quarantine in Russia 's Far East have been discharged .
Two other quarantined patients are awaiting test results .
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced a “ high alert regime , ” ordering self-isolation for Russians returning from China , South Korea , Iran , France , Germany , Italy and Spain .
—Russia canceled its flagship annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum this year as a precaution against coronavirus .
The forum , usually chaired by President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held in St. Petersburg on June 3-6 .
—Russia 's state carrier Aeroflot said it would suspend its flights to and from Hong Kong amid fears over coronavirus .
The airline will continue flying from Moscow to Hong Kong until March 7 and from Hong Kong to Moscow until March 8 , after which those services will be suspended .
— Moscow authorities have drafted an emergency plan that envisions a near shutdown of the Russian capital in case of a coronavirus outbreak .
— Officials confirmed a seventh coronavirus infection in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizen who had arrived to Russia on Feb. 29 , asked for medical help on March 2 and tested positive for the virus .
He is being treated at an undisclosed hospital .
— Russian businesses have started to cancel foreign business trips and participation in international conferences after a recommendation from the Health Ministry to restrict foreign travel .
— Students at a university dormitory in St. Petersburg have been placed under quarantine and prohibited from leaving the building after the hospitalization of an Italian exchange student who had been living there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city that are being monitored for coronavirus symptoms has nearly doubled to 44 people .
— Two Russian citizens have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in the United Arab Emirates , the country 's health ministry said .
— Russia has temporarily banned the export of medical masks , gloves , bandages and protective suits .
— President Vladimir Putin said that fake news reports about coronavirus were being sent to Russia from abroad to spread panic .
He urged the government to ensure that citizens were correctly informed about the situation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has suspended foreign trips for its staff due to the coronavirus outbreak , a company spokesman said .
— The Moscow metro has begun random checks of passengers ' temperatures at station entrances , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
— A Russian national who was quarantined in a Moscow hospital after recently returning from northern Italy , a hub for the coronavirus outbreak , has the coronavirus .
The man , 29-year-old Moscow resident David Berov , is the first known Russian national to test positive for coronavirus while in the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian economy will be deeper than originally expected , Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said .
The ruble 's depreciation and stock market decline have gained momentum since mid-February due to the fast-spreading coronavirus and concerns about its economic impact , which sent oil prices crashing .
— Schools across Moscow have canceled swimming classes and large-scale events to prevent the spread of the flu and respiratory infections , the city ’ s education officials said in a Feb. 28 letter cited by Interfax .
— Moscow authorities are deporting 88 foreign nationals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a precaution against coronavirus , the state-run RIA news agency cited Moscow 's deputy mayor as saying .
— A Russian citizen has tested positive with coronavirus in Azerbaijan after arriving there from Iran , Interfax reported .
It marks the fourth case of coronavirus among Russian citizens and the first infection in Azerbaijan .
— The Russian government temporarily barred Iranian citizens from entering Russia and said it would also restrict the entry of South Korean citizens from March 1 as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus , decrees published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it would not allow in any foreign citizens traveling from Iran or South Korea , and ordered the Foreign Ministry to suspend the issue of visas to Iranian citizens .
— Russia will suspend its train service from Moscow to the southern French city of Nice starting March 4 , the state-run TASS news agency reported , citing the Transport Ministry .
The ministry said the train link would be suspended until further notice as part of wider measures aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus in Russia .
— Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city 's self-isolation orders after returning from China , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
The Russian capital deployed its facial recognition network to enforce the quarantine .
— Russia has developed five prototypes for a coronavirus vaccine , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Russia 's Federal Tourism Agency recommended national tour operators suspend tours to Italy , South Korea and Iran until the outbreaks of coronavirus there are brought under control .
— Moscow will suspend flights between Russia and South Korea from March 1 over coronavirus fears , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Golikova said Russia would also stop issuing visas to some Iranian citizens from Feb. 28 and was advising Russians against traveling to Italy .
— Other restrictions related to the outbreak which have been previously announced will be extended by one month to April 1 , Golikova said .
— The Chinese Embassy in Russia has asked Moscow authorities to stop the profiling of Chinese nationals on the city 's public transport .
According to Novaya Gazeta , the embassy 's letter said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioning passengers believed to be Chinese to check for signs of coronavirus , something that is n't being done anywhere else in the world .
— Two Russian citizens are among the hundreds of tourists being quarantined in a seaside resort on Tenerife , one of the Canary Islands , after an Italian doctor who was staying there tested positive for coronavirus , Interfax reported .
— Nearly all of the 25 Ukrainian nationals onboard the quarantined ship have refused to be evacuated to their home country after violent protests against coronavirus evacuees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people arriving from China have been ordered placed under quarantine for the coronavirus and monitored by the Russian capital ’ s facial-recognition technology , Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
— Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told the RBC news website that the coronavirus had caused a drop in Chinese trade with Russia of 1 billion rubles ( $ 15.68 million ) a day .
— Two Russian citizens from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship were diagnosed with the new coronavirus , bringing the total number of infected Russian nationals to three .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Chinese citizens to its territory has gone into effect .
The temporary suspension will be for Chinese citizens entering Russia for employment , private , educational and tourist purposes .
— The 144 Russians evacuated from the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in China have left a quarantine area in Siberia ’ s Tyumen region following a 14-day quarantine .
— Russia discharged a Chinese national from the hospital in the Siberian city of Chita after he recovered from coronavirus infection , the second of Russia 's first two confirmed cases of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak may delay Russia 's delivery of S-400 air defense systems to China , the state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport said .
— Authorities in the Chelyabinsk region 1,500 kilometers east of Moscow walked back plans to set up a quarantine center after local residents formed a human shield to prevent entry to Chinese nationals .
— The Kremlin has started checking the body temperatures of individuals attending events with President Vladimir Putin as a `` precautionary measure , '' spokesman Dmitry Peskov said .
— Russia will temporarily restrict the entry of foreigners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tatiana Golikova said .
She said the restrictions would not apply to Moscow 's Sheremetyevo Airport , the capital 's main international airport .
— Russia 's second-largest food retailer Magnit said it is suspending fruit and vegetable imports from China due to the spread of the coronavirus and logistical complications .
— State-run Russian Railways said it would halt passenger trains to China , including the Beijing-Moscow route , until further notice .
— In addition to observing personal hygiene , the consumer protection watchdog advised against loose hair , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Russian state lender VTB said it has temporarily suspended all business trips by its employees to China and several other Asian countries .
Reuters and AFP contributed reporting to this article .


themoscowtimes--2020-03-16--Russia Temporarily Bans Entry of Foreigners Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

The ban on foreign nationals will be enforced from March 18 until May 1 , though diplomats , airplane crew members and some other categories of people will be exempt , the government said .
Russian authorities on Monday banned foreign nationals from entering the country , shut state schools and limited public gatherings in Moscow in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus .
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin prohibited all outdoor events and limited public indoor events to no more than 50 people until April 10 , he said in a blog post on his personal website , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's quarantine measures .
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Russia rose to 93 on Monday , up from 63 the previous day , but no deaths have yet been reported .
Russia said it would cancel all sporting events from Monday , while Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin ordered all educational and scientific institutions under his department 's jurisdiction to strengthen sanitary and preventative measures against the spread of coronavirus .
In Moscow , Sobyanin said all state schools , sports schools and further education institutions in the city would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sobyanin also widened a list of countries from which new arrivals are obliged to spend 14 days in self-isolation to include all European countries and the United States .
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin earlier on Monday introduced a raft of measures aimed at limiting damage to the economy , including an anti-crisis fund of 300 billion rubles ( $ 4 billion ) .
Russia and Armenia agreed to restrict passenger traffic between the two countries , while Mishustin also said Russia would stop the movement of people across its border with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to diplomatic representatives , airplane crew members and some other categories of people , it said .
Russia has reported 93 cases of the virus so far .
This story is being updated .

The ban on foreign nationals will be enforced from March 18 until May 1, though diplomats, airplane crew members and some other categories of people will be exempt, the government said.
Russian authorities on Monday banned foreign nationals from entering the country, shut state schools and limited public gatherings in Moscow in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin prohibited all outdoor events and limited public indoor events to no more than 50 people until April 10, he said in a blog post on his personal website, citing the need to strengthen the city's quarantine measures.
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Russia rose to 93 on Monday, up from 63 the previous day, but no deaths have yet been reported.
Russia said it would cancel all sporting events from Monday, while Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin ordered all educational and scientific institutions under his department's jurisdiction to strengthen sanitary and preventative measures against the spread of coronavirus.
In Moscow, Sobyanin said all state schools, sports schools and further education institutions in the city would be closed from March 21 until April 12.
Sobyanin also widened a list of countries from which new arrivals are obliged to spend 14 days in self-isolation to include all European countries and the United States.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin earlier on Monday introduced a raft of measures aimed at limiting damage to the economy, including an anti-crisis fund of 300 billion rubles ($4 billion).
Russia and Armenia agreed to restrict passenger traffic between the two countries, while Mishustin also said Russia would stop the movement of people across its border with Belarus.
The ban will not apply to diplomatic representatives, airplane crew members and some other categories of people, it said.
Russia has reported 93 cases of the virus so far.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-16--New Coronavirus Cases in Russia Jump 47% in 24 Hours

The number of coronavirus cases in Russia rose to 93 on Monday , a 47 % increase from the previous @ @ @ @ @ news agency quoted Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova as saying .
There had been 63 @ @ @ @ @ Sunday .
Experts studying the spread of the virus have pointed to the coronavirus ’ @ @ @ @ @ infections as the reason why it is so dangerous and difficult to control once it @ @ @ @ @ `` In Russia , taking into account the current statistics , 93 cases have been @ @ @ @ @ have recovered and were discharged , ” Golikova was quoted as saying to the Russian @ @ @ @ @ on countering the coronavirus .
“ Seventy-nine people are in the hospital , 57 of @ @ @ @ @ without any symptoms . ''
Golikova added that the network of contacts of each infected @ @ @ @ @ that officials are working to test them for the virus as well .

The number of coronavirus cases in Russia rose to 93 on Monday, a 47% increase from the previous day, the state-run TASS news agency quoted Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova as saying.
There had been 63 recorded infections in Russia on Sunday. Experts studying the spread of the virus have pointed to the coronavirus’ exponential growth trajectory in new infections as the reason why it is so dangerous and difficult to control once it reaches a certain threshold.
"In Russia, taking into account the current statistics, 93 cases have been recorded; four of them have recovered and were discharged,” Golikova was quoted as saying to the Russian government’s working group on countering the coronavirus. “Seventy-nine people are in the hospital, 57 of them have a mild illness without any symptoms."
Golikova added that the network of contacts of each infected person has been identified and that officials are working to test them for the virus as well.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-16--Irish Citizen in Russia’s Arctic Hospitalized With Suspected Coronavirus

The young man had competed in a chess tournament held last weekend at the Meridian Hotel in central Murmansk , @ @ @ @ @ All of the competitors underwent coronavirus tests , and the Irish man ’ s results @ @ @ @ @ positive.
” An Irish citizen has been hospitalized with suspected coronavirus infection in the city @ @ @ @ @ s Arctic , the local Murmansk Bulletin news outlet reported Monday , citing regional health @ @ @ @ @ was transported to the hospital shortly after he attempted to check in for his flight @ @ @ @ @ The Meridian Hotel will temporarily be closed .
Doctors will soon begin to carry out @ @ @ @ @ is underway to determine the patient ’ s circle of contacts and their hospitalization , @ @ @ @ @ s epidemiological headquarters told the news outlet .
People who were in contact with the @ @ @ @ @ and the airport will be sanitized , the epidemiological headquarters said .

The young man had competed in a chess tournament held last weekend at the Meridian Hotel in central Murmansk, the Murmansk Bulletin reported. All of the competitors underwent coronavirus tests, and the Irish man’s results came back as “preliminarily positive.”
An Irish citizen has been hospitalized with suspected coronavirus infection in the city of Murmansk in Russia’s Arctic, the local Murmansk Bulletin news outlet reported Monday, citing regional health officials.
The Irish patient was transported to the hospital shortly after he attempted to check in for his flight at Murmansk Airport.
“The Meridian Hotel will temporarily be closed. Doctors will soon begin to carry out sanitation work there. Work is underway to determine the patient’s circle of contacts and their hospitalization,” the Murmansk region’s epidemiological headquarters told the news outlet.
People who were in contact with the patient will also be isolated and the airport will be sanitized, the epidemiological headquarters said.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-16--Russia's Top Court Approves Putin Reform Plan to Stay President Until 2036

The Constitutional Court published the ruling on its website and immediately sent the ruling to Putin , who could now stay in power until 2036 .
Russia 's Constitutional Court on Monday approved amendments proposed by President Vladimir Putin to the country 's basic law , giving him the option of serving two further terms in office .
The court issued a speedy decision after Putin signed the final reform package on Saturday , though it had a week to consider its ruling .
Putin , 67 , last week backed a last-minute proposal by the first woman in space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amendment to the reform package allowing his possible return to the Kremlin after 2024 .
Under the current constitution he is not allowed to serve another presidential term , having served two consecutive stints from 2012 .
The new constitution would allow him reset his term-limit clock back to zero , paving the way for him to stay in power until 2036 .
The bill subsequently sailed through the upper house and regional parliaments as required last week .
The Russian leader had proposed changes to the constitution in January but until last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend his rule .
His spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin changed his mind because of global instability .
The amendments also include stipulations banning gay marriages and protecting the `` historic truth '' of Russia 's role in World War II .

The Constitutional Court published the ruling on its website and immediately sent the ruling to Putin, who could now stay in power until 2036.
Russia's Constitutional Court on Monday approved amendments proposed by President Vladimir Putin to the country's basic law, giving him the option of serving two further terms in office.
The court issued a speedy decision after Putin signed the final reform package on Saturday, though it had a week to consider its ruling.
Putin, 67, last week backed a last-minute proposal by the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, to add an amendment to the reform package allowing his possible return to the Kremlin after 2024.
Under the current constitution he is not allowed to serve another presidential term, having served two consecutive stints from 2012.
The new constitution would allow him reset his term-limit clock back to zero, paving the way for him to stay in power until 2036.
The bill subsequently sailed through the upper house and regional parliaments as required last week.
The Russian leader had proposed changes to the constitution in January but until last week denied that he was seeking to extend his rule.
His spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin changed his mind because of global instability.
The amendments also include stipulations banning gay marriages and protecting the "historic truth" of Russia's role in World War II.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-16--Kiev Intensifies Quarantine, Shuts All But Supermarkets, Pharmacies, Banks, Gas Stations

The decision furthers the restrictions that Ukraine imposed earlier to prevent the coronavirus spread by closing all educational institutions and banning mass events .
Starting from March 17 all restaurants , night clubs , gyms , beauty salons , and shopping malls will have to shut down in Kiev , the city ’ s mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on March 16 .
The same measures have recently been established in other Ukrainian cities including Lviv , Odesa , and Ivano-Frankivsk .
Ukraine has five registered cases of Covid-19 , a disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
It has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people worldwide .
“ We have to buy time , ” Klitschko said in a statement .
“ Rigorous and timely action is crucial to curb the rapid spread of Covid-19 in the capital.
” The new restrictions order all eateries , such as restaurants , cafes , and bars , to close .
They will be able to take orders online and do delivery .
All entertainment establishments including shopping malls , night clubs and gaming clubs will stop operating .
Gyms , beauty and tattoo salons and spas are also on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is an inconvenience for the city residents and a loss for the business .
But they are forced and temporary .
Profit and money are important .
But the health and life of people are paramount , ” Klitschko said .
Kiev ’ s supermarkets , pharmacies , banks and gas stations will continue to work without changes .
The shutdown will last at least until the end of March but it might be prolonged .
The city authorities also recommend Kiev residents to use public transport as little as possible , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities .
This story was originally published by The Kyiv Post .

The decision furthers the restrictions that Ukraine imposed earlier to prevent the coronavirus spread by closing all educational institutions and banning mass events.
Starting from March 17 all restaurants, night clubs, gyms, beauty salons, and shopping malls will have to shut down in Kiev, the city’s mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on March 16.
The same measures have recently been established in other Ukrainian cities including Lviv, Odesa, and Ivano-Frankivsk.
Ukraine has five registered cases of Covid-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus. It has been detected in 170,000 people and killed 6,520 people worldwide.
“We have to buy time,” Klitschko said in a statement. “Rigorous and timely action is crucial to curb the rapid spread of Covid-19 in the capital.”
The new restrictions order all eateries, such as restaurants, cafes, and bars, to close. They will be able to take orders online and do delivery.
All entertainment establishments including shopping malls, night clubs and gaming clubs will stop operating. Gyms, beauty and tattoo salons and spas are also on the list.
“We understand that this is an inconvenience for the city residents and a loss for the business. But they are forced and temporary. Profit and money are important. But the health and life of people are paramount,” Klitschko said.
Kiev’s supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and gas stations will continue to work without changes.
The shutdown will last at least until the end of March but it might be prolonged.
The city authorities also recommend Kiev residents to use public transport as little as possible, as well as cut traveling to other cities.
This story was originally published by The Kyiv Post.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-16--Russian Priests, Cossacks Negotiated Ukraine’s Surrender During Crimean Annexation – Meduza

On Feb. 27 , 2014 , masked troops in unmarked uniforms seized the Crimean parliament building , leading to the installation of a pro-Russian government on the peninsula and a referendum the next month in which participants voted to be part of Russia .
Moscow rejects the term “ annexation ” and denies reports of Russian soldiers being present on the peninsula ahead of the referendum .
Priests from the Russian Orthodox Church and Cossacks followed Defense Ministry orders to negotiate the Ukrainian army ’ s surrender during Moscow ’ s annexation of Crimea , the independent Meduza news website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the land grab .
According to Meduza , Orthodox priests and Cossacks joined the unmarked soldiers in blocking Ukrainian troops from their military bases and negotiated the troops ’ surrender ahead of the Crimean referendum .
One of the priests involved in the negotiations , Father Dimitry Vasilenkov , told Meduza that he “ was in Crimea through the Defense Ministry ” but refused to discuss it further .
“ The gates of the [ Ukrainian ] units opened because of [ Father Dimitry ] , ” an unnamed special forces veteran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and unmarked soldiers delivered an ultimatum to the Ukrainian forces : Anyone refusing to join the “ Crimean side of power ” must lay down their arms or face an assault .
Nearly all Ukrainian forces on the peninsula surrendered afterward .
The groups of Orthodox priests and Cossacks were formed in southern Russia 's Krasnodar region and traveled to Crimean territory from there , Meduza reported .
Archbishop Kliment , the head of the Crimean diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church , told Meduza that these priests had “ followed orders given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukrainian troops to surrender , the Russian Orthodox priests also hid pro-Russian militia and weapons inside their churches , Meduza reported .
Cossacks coming from Russia also lived and hid weapons inside church walls , Archbishop Kliment told Meduza .
Vasilenkov and other priests who negotiated with the Ukrainian military were later given state awards by President Vladimir Putin .
Priests who helped hide Cossacks and weapons were also awarded and promoted .
The international community has largely refused to recognize the March 2014 Crimean referendum , which saw 95.5 % of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow 's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine spurred U.S. and European sanctions against Russia and plunged Western relations with the Kremlin to their worst level since the Cold War .

On Feb. 27, 2014, masked troops in unmarked uniforms seized the Crimean parliament building, leading to the installation of a pro-Russian government on the peninsula and a referendum the next month in which participants voted to be part of Russia. Moscow rejects the term “annexation” and denies reports of Russian soldiers being present on the peninsula ahead of the referendum.
Priests from the Russian Orthodox Church and Cossacks followed Defense Ministry orders to negotiate the Ukrainian army’s surrender during Moscow’s annexation of Crimea, the independent Meduza news website has reported ahead of the sixth anniversary of the land grab.
According to Meduza, Orthodox priests and Cossacks joined the unmarked soldiers in blocking Ukrainian troops from their military bases and negotiated the troops’ surrender ahead of the Crimean referendum.
One of the priests involved in the negotiations, Father Dimitry Vasilenkov, told Meduza that he “was in Crimea through the Defense Ministry” but refused to discuss it further.
“The gates of the [Ukrainian] units opened because of [Father Dimitry],” an unnamed special forces veteran told Meduza.
The priests, Cossacks and unmarked soldiers delivered an ultimatum to the Ukrainian forces: Anyone refusing to join the “Crimean side of power” must lay down their arms or face an assault. Nearly all Ukrainian forces on the peninsula surrendered afterward.
The groups of Orthodox priests and Cossacks were formed in southern Russia's Krasnodar region and traveled to Crimean territory from there, Meduza reported. Archbishop Kliment, the head of the Crimean diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, told Meduza that these priests had “followed orders given at the highest level.”
Besides convincing Ukrainian troops to surrender, the Russian Orthodox priests also hid pro-Russian militia and weapons inside their churches, Meduza reported. Cossacks coming from Russia also lived and hid weapons inside church walls, Archbishop Kliment told Meduza.
Vasilenkov and other priests who negotiated with the Ukrainian military were later given state awards by President Vladimir Putin. Priests who helped hide Cossacks and weapons were also awarded and promoted.
The international community has largely refused to recognize the March 2014 Crimean referendum, which saw 95.5% of people vote in favor of joining Russia. Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine spurred U.S. and European sanctions against Russia and plunged Western relations with the Kremlin to their worst level since the Cold War.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-16--Russia Lifts House Arrest of LGBT Activist Facing Pornography Charges

Yulia Tsvetkova , 26 , has been under house arrest since November in the remote Far Eastern city of Komsomolsk-on Amur , some 6,000 kilometers ( 3,800 miles ) east of Moscow .
Russia on Monday lifted the house arrest of an LGBT rights activist accused of distributing pornography for posting drawings of vaginas on a body-positive social media page .
Amnesty International said the case was absurd and labeled her a prisoner of conscience .
A district court ruled she can now leave her home but must comply with a travel ban , Tsvetkova said .
`` Today they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she wrote on Facebook after the hearing , calling the ruling an encouraging sign .
`` The investigation has big plans .
But perhaps we had a small victory today , '' she said , noting the case had not been closed .
Tsvetkova faces up to six years behind bars over the pornography charges .
She was previously fined for violating a controversial Russian law against gay propaganda .
`` She still risks a real prison sentence , '' Amnesty International 's Russia director Natalia Zvyagina said in a statement after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all charges against Yulia and an end to her persecution . ''
As part of her activism , Tsvetkova hosted lectures for the LGBT community and held classes on sex education , which is prohibited at Russian schools .
She has reported receiving death threats from a homophobic group .
She told AFP earlier that she had maintained a social media page called `` Vagina Monologues '' for six months as a `` hobby . ''
She said she believes the authorities are using the pornography charge as a pretext for cracking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy to pin on people and carries a long sentence .
The prosecution asked for her house arrest to be lifted because she has still not been charged , reported OVD-Info , a website that tracks detentions at political protests .
It is unclear when the trial will begin .
Her arrest prompted pickets and an online flash-mob where artists posted works of art depicting vaginas .

Yulia Tsvetkova, 26, has been under house arrest since November in the remote Far Eastern city of Komsomolsk-on Amur, some 6,000 kilometers (3,800 miles) east of Moscow.
Russia on Monday lifted the house arrest of an LGBT rights activist accused of distributing pornography for posting drawings of vaginas on a body-positive social media page.
Amnesty International said the case was absurd and labeled her a prisoner of conscience.
A district court ruled she can now leave her home but must comply with a travel ban, Tsvetkova said.
"Today they will take off my bracelet," she wrote on Facebook after the hearing, calling the ruling an encouraging sign.
"The investigation has big plans. But perhaps we had a small victory today," she said, noting the case had not been closed.
Tsvetkova faces up to six years behind bars over the pornography charges. She was previously fined for violating a controversial Russian law against gay propaganda.
"She still risks a real prison sentence," Amnesty International's Russia director Natalia Zvyagina said in a statement after the ruling, calling for "the lifting of all charges against Yulia and an end to her persecution."
As part of her activism, Tsvetkova hosted lectures for the LGBT community and held classes on sex education, which is prohibited at Russian schools.
She has reported receiving death threats from a homophobic group.
She told AFP earlier that she had maintained a social media page called "Vagina Monologues" for six months as a "hobby."
She said she believes the authorities are using the pornography charge as a pretext for cracking down on LGBT activists because it is easy to pin on people and carries a long sentence.
The prosecution asked for her house arrest to be lifted because she has still not been charged, reported OVD-Info, a website that tracks detentions at political protests.
It is unclear when the trial will begin.
Her arrest prompted pickets and an online flash-mob where artists posted works of art depicting vaginas.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-16--St. Petersburg Football Fans Chant 'We Will All Die' at a Match

Fans at a football match in St. Petersburg chanted `` we will all die , '' in light of the @ @ @ @ @ is one of the few countries still holding public sporting events .

Fans at a football match in St. Petersburg chanted "we will all die," in light of the growing coronavirus pandemic.
Russia is one of the few countries still holding public sporting events.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-17--Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | March 17

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 7,100 people continues to spread around the world , Russia has stepped up its measures to tackle the pandemic and prevent its spread within the country .
There have been 93 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far .
Below are the latest updates on Russia ’ s response to the coronavirus — Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin 's cabinet plans to unveil a slew of new economic and regulatory measures to reduce the coronavirus ' impact on Wednesday , including creating an anti-crisis fund of 300 billion rubles ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens and the Russian economy and compensating quarantined citizens , including freelancers and the self-employed , for lost income .
— Ukraine has temporarily closed 107 of its border checkpoints , including those with neighboring Russia , as it seeks to prevent the coronavirus from spreading .
Ukraine has registered five cases of coronavirus .
— Russia 's airlines could lose 100 billion rubles ( $ 1.4 billion ) due to the coronavirus outbreak and risk going bankrupt , the head of Russia 's Federal Air Transport Agency , also known as Rosaviatsiya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agriculture Ministry has ordered all of Russia 's regions to ready a two-month food supply to prevent shortages .
— The Russian Orthodox Church is instigating an unprecedented list of measures aiming to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in its sacred spaces nationwide , it said in a statement .
— Russia 's Energy Ministry has suspended the majority of its foreign and domestic business trips , with the exception of urgent cases , to prevent the spread of the coronavirus , Deputy Energy Minister Anastasia Bondarenko said .
— Kremlin spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Putin is preparing an address to the nation about the coronavirus .
— Russia 's consumer protection watchdog , Rospotrebnadzor , announced it will test everyone in Russia who has been in Europe in the past two weeks for the coronavirus .
— All football , hockey and basketball games will be suspended in Russia until April 10 , the state-run TASS news agency reported , citing a source to Russia 's national leagues .
The Russian Football Union confirmed the news .
— Russia will ban the entry of foreign nationals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 in response to the coronavirus outbreak , the government said .
The ban will not apply to diplomatic representatives , airplane crew members and some other categories of people .
— The number of coronavirus infections in Russia has risen to 93 , a 47 % increase from the previous day , the state-run TASS news agency reported , citing Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova .
— European Union leaders are considering temporarily banning all non-essential travel into the Schengen borderless travel zone by non-EU citizens , the BBC reported , citing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow has banned all public events larger than 50 people from now until April 10 , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in a new decree .
Older citizens are also advised to stay at home .
— From March 21 to April 12 , all schools and universities will be closed , Sobyanin said .
— An Irish citizen has been hospitalized with suspected coronavirus infection in the city of Murmansk in Russia ’ s Arctic after participating in a chess tournament .
— People entering Russia from the United States , Britain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all other non-EU countries in Europe — as well as those who live with them — will now be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival .
— Starting today , coronavirus tests will be available for free in St. Petersburg , city health officials said .
— President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a special working group within the State Council to fight the spread of the coronavirus .
Putin put Sobyanin in charge of the new group , which will also include government officials .
— Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that higher educational institutions switch to distance learning from Monday .
— Russia has closed its border with neighboring Belarus as a `` proactive step '' to halt the coronavirus ' spread , the state-run TASS news agency quoted Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin as saying .
— A Russian patient has escaped from coronavirus quarantine near Moscow , the hospital ’ s head physician said Monday .
The woman has been detained and returned to the hospital after police found her at her home .
— Russia registered four more cases of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of infections to 63 .
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin denied that the authorities are downplaying the numbers of coronavirus patients in the capital .
— The Russian protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor confirmed the first community transmission of the coronavirus in Russia , RBC reported , but this information was later removed from Rospotrebnadzor 's statement .
— Rospotrebnadzor also said it ran just over 104,000 coronavirus tests since the start of the outbreak while 14,742 people are currently being monitored for coronavirus .
— A Russian Orthodox Church spokesperson said it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proceedings .
— Russian Railways announced it would stop international passenger trains from Moscow to Berlin and Paris .
Earlier it was announced that train connections to and from Ukraine , Moldova and Latvia will be suspended .
— Russia has confirmed 14 new cases of coronavirus , bringing the total to 59 , the state-run RIA news agency reported .
Nine of the new cases are in Moscow , one in the Moscow region , one in St. Petersburg , two in Kemerovo and one in Kaliningrad .
— Moscow 's chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on new measures to combat coronavirus , including compulsory hospitalization of patients with atypical course of flu and banning visitors in hospitals , orphanages and boarding schools .
— Russia will close its land borders with Poland and Norway to foreigners in a bid to limit the spread of the new coronavirus , Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said in a statement .
— Moscow and the Moscow region will make school attendance optional starting on Monday in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
— Moscow authorities recommended that private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ switch to online teaching , the RBC news website reported .
— Russia confirmed 11 new cases of coronavirus , bringing the total to 45 , the RBC news website reported , citing the country 's coronavirus crisis center .
— Russia is limiting flights with Europe from Monday to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
— Prominent Russian-Azerbaijani artist Aidan Salakhova says she has been quarantined in a hospital after returning from Italy on a flight that was carrying two people infected with coronavirus .
All the passengers on Salakhova 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well .
— Two Russian tourists in Israel have been diagnosed with coronavirus .
— St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region banned events with more than 1,000 people .
— The Kremlin told journalists who cover President Vladimir Putin to stay away from official events if they felt unwell as a precautionary measure to protect Kremlin staff from the coronavirus .
— Polish President Andrzej Duda will not travel to Russia next month due to the coronavirus , missing ceremonies marking the 10-year anniversary of a plane crash which killed Poland 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commanders .
— Russia 's border will temporarily be closed to Italian citizens and foreigners traveling from Italy starting today as Italy continues to grapple with the worst coronavirus outbreak in Europe .
— Russia has confirmed six new cases of coronavirus , bringing the total number of cases to 34 , Interfax reported , citing the country 's coronavirus crisis center .
Four of the new cases are in Moscow , one in Krasnodar and one in Kaliningrad .
— The Moscow region 's governor has announced a `` high alert '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , banning all large events over 5,000 people and encouraging companies to allow their employees to telecommute .
The remote-working measures do not apply to the city of Moscow , home to 12 million people .
— A joint Russian-European mission to Mars has been postponed for two years , the Russian and European space agencies said Thursday , citing the coronavirus and technical issues .
— A religious procession in central Russia aimed at fighting the coronavirus has been canceled due to the threat of the virus itself .
— About @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deported from Russia because they violated their self-quarantine orders , the Kommersant business daily reported .
— Russian scientists say they have developed a device that can test for coronavirus in 15 minutes , the state-run TASS news agency reported .
The device could be made available to consumers as early as this autumn .
— State Duma lawmaker Sergei Katasonov did not self-quarantine after returning from France and was present at work for several days before his colleagues told him to go home , libertarian party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky has said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ belongs to , proposed stripping him of his parliamentary powers as punishment .
— The World Health Organization declared that the coronavirus is a pandemic as the number of cases worldwide surpassed 112,000 in 114 different countries .
— Russia will suspend most flights to and from Italy , Germany , France and Spain over the coronavirus outbreak , starting from Friday , Russia 's coronavirus crisis center said in a statement .
Russia will also stop issuing tourist visas to Italian citizens to prevent a spread of the virus , the center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases in Russia rose to 28 from 20 .
All the people tested positive in the last day had previously traveled to Italy , according to the coronavirus crisis center 's statement .
— Moscow has banned large events of more than 5,000 people until April 10 in a move to prevent the spread of the virus , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in a decree .
The ban applies to `` sports , entertainment , public and other mass events , '' the decree says .
Critics accused the city of using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent people from protesting President Vladimir Putin 's constitutional reforms that could allow him to stay in power past his term limit .
— Thailand has suspended visas on arrival for citizens of 18 countries including Russia in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
— State Duma Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy is isolating himself in self-quarantine after returning to Moscow from Paris , he wrote on Facebook , adding that he is `` completely healthy '' and will work from home .
— Russia 's Defense Ministry has canceled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat of coronavirus .
The defense and international affairs conference , which would have been attended by more than 1,000 delegates from 115 countries , had been scheduled for April 22-23 .
— Russia 's consumer safety watchdog recommended that people avoid public transport , shopping malls and other public places at rush hour as a precaution against the coronavirus , the state-run RIA news agency reported .
`` Refrain from visiting public places : shopping centers , sports and entertainment events and transport during rush hour , '' the Rospotrebnadzor watchdog was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in Moscow have been diagnosed with coronavirus overnight , the RBC news website reported , citing a report from city officials it obtained .
The three individuals had recently visited Italy .
—Moscow city authorities threatened prison terms of up to five years for people failing to self-isolate in their homes for two weeks after visiting countries hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak .
— Russia confirmed four new cases of coronavirus , taking the total number to 17 — three of whom have since recovered .
— Russia has reported six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 hours , including five in Moscow and one in Nizhny Novgorod 400 kilometers east of the capital .
All six cases were contracted in Italy , one of several virus hubs outside China , the authorities said .
— Russian officials have conducted more than 51,000 tests for the coronavirus nationwide , the consumer protection watchdog said .
— Seven Russian passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship who were placed in a two-week quarantine in Russia 's Far East have been discharged .
Two other quarantined patients are awaiting test results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ high alert regime , ” ordering self-isolation for Russians returning from China , South Korea , Iran , France , Germany , Italy and Spain .
—Russia canceled its flagship annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum this year as a precaution against coronavirus .
The forum , usually chaired by President Vladimir Putin , was due to be held in St. Petersburg on June 3-6 .
—Russia 's state carrier Aeroflot said it would suspend its flights to and from Hong Kong amid fears over coronavirus .
The airline will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 7 and from Hong Kong to Moscow until March 8 , after which those services will be suspended .
— Moscow authorities have drafted an emergency plan that envisions a near shutdown of the Russian capital in case of a coronavirus outbreak .
— Officials confirmed a seventh coronavirus infection in the country .
The patient is an Italian citizen who had arrived to Russia on Feb. 29 , asked for medical help on March 2 and tested positive for the virus .
He is being treated at an undisclosed hospital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign business trips and participation in international conferences after a recommendation from the Health Ministry to restrict foreign travel .
— Students at a university dormitory in St. Petersburg have been placed under quarantine and prohibited from leaving the building after the hospitalization of an Italian exchange student who had been living there .
The number of patients in the city that are being monitored for coronavirus symptoms has nearly doubled to 44 people .
— Two Russian citizens have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in the United Arab Emirates , the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has temporarily banned the export of medical masks , gloves , bandages and protective suits .
— President Vladimir Putin said that fake news reports about coronavirus were being sent to Russia from abroad to spread panic .
He urged the government to ensure that citizens were correctly informed about the situation in Russia .
— Russian gas giant Gazprom has suspended foreign trips for its staff due to the coronavirus outbreak , a company spokesman said .
— The Moscow metro has begun random checks of passengers ' temperatures at station entrances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Russian national who was quarantined in a Moscow hospital after recently returning from northern Italy , a hub for the coronavirus outbreak , has the coronavirus .
The man , 29-year-old Moscow resident David Berov , is the first known Russian national to test positive for coronavirus while in the country .
— The impact of coronavirus on the Russian economy will be deeper than originally expected , Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said .
The ruble 's depreciation and stock market decline have gained momentum since mid-February due to the fast-spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which sent oil prices crashing .
— Schools across Moscow have canceled swimming classes and large-scale events to prevent the spread of the flu and respiratory infections , the city ’ s education officials said in a Feb. 28 letter cited by Interfax .
— Moscow authorities are deporting 88 foreign nationals who violated quarantine measures imposed on them as a precaution against coronavirus , the state-run RIA news agency cited Moscow 's deputy mayor as saying .
— A Russian citizen has tested positive with coronavirus in Azerbaijan after arriving there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marks the fourth case of coronavirus among Russian citizens and the first infection in Azerbaijan .
— The Russian government temporarily barred Iranian citizens from entering Russia and said it would also restrict the entry of South Korean citizens from March 1 as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus , decrees published online showed .
— The government also said it would not allow in any foreign citizens traveling from Iran or South Korea , and ordered the Foreign Ministry to suspend the issue of visas to Iranian citizens .
— Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the southern French city of Nice starting March 4 , the state-run TASS news agency reported , citing the Transport Ministry .
The ministry said the train link would be suspended until further notice as part of wider measures aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus in Russia .
— Moscow authorities have identified 88 people who violated the city 's self-isolation orders after returning from China , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
The Russian capital deployed its facial recognition network to enforce the quarantine .
— Russia has developed five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Russia 's Federal Tourism Agency recommended national tour operators suspend tours to Italy , South Korea and Iran until the outbreaks of coronavirus there are brought under control .
— Moscow will suspend flights between Russia and South Korea from March 1 over coronavirus fears , except those operated by Aeroflot and Aurora , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Golikova said Russia would also stop issuing visas to some Iranian citizens from Feb. 28 and was advising Russians against traveling to Italy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which have been previously announced will be extended by one month to April 1 , Golikova said .
— The Chinese Embassy in Russia has asked Moscow authorities to stop the profiling of Chinese nationals on the city 's public transport .
According to Novaya Gazeta , the embassy 's letter said that Moscow police and subway workers had begun questioning passengers believed to be Chinese to check for signs of coronavirus , something that is n't being done anywhere else in the world .
— Two Russian citizens are among the hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resort on Tenerife , one of the Canary Islands , after an Italian doctor who was staying there tested positive for coronavirus , Interfax reported .
— Nearly all of the 25 Ukrainian nationals onboard the quarantined ship have refused to be evacuated to their home country after violent protests against coronavirus evacuees broke out there .
— Around 2,500 people arriving from China have been ordered placed under quarantine for the coronavirus and monitored by the Russian capital ’ s facial-recognition technology , Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
— Finance Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the coronavirus had caused a drop in Chinese trade with Russia of 1 billion rubles ( $ 15.68 million ) a day .
— Two Russian citizens from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship were diagnosed with the new coronavirus , bringing the total number of infected Russian nationals to three .
— Russia 's ban on the entry of Chinese citizens to its territory has gone into effect .
The temporary suspension will be for Chinese citizens entering Russia for employment , private , educational and tourist purposes .
— The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus outbreak in China have left a quarantine area in Siberia ’ s Tyumen region following a 14-day quarantine .
— Russia discharged a Chinese national from the hospital in the Siberian city of Chita after he recovered from coronavirus infection , the second of Russia 's first two confirmed cases of coronavirus to recover .
— The coronavirus outbreak may delay Russia 's delivery of S-400 air defense systems to China , the state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport said .
— Authorities in the Chelyabinsk region 1,500 kilometers east of Moscow walked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center after local residents formed a human shield to prevent entry to Chinese nationals .
— The Kremlin has started checking the body temperatures of individuals attending events with President Vladimir Putin as a `` precautionary measure , '' spokesman Dmitry Peskov said .
— Russia will temporarily restrict the entry of foreigners arriving from China , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
She said the restrictions would not apply to Moscow 's Sheremetyevo Airport , the capital 's main international airport .
— Russia 's second-largest food retailer Magnit said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China due to the spread of the coronavirus and logistical complications .
— State-run Russian Railways said it would halt passenger trains to China , including the Beijing-Moscow route , until further notice .
— In addition to observing personal hygiene , the consumer protection watchdog advised against loose hair , as well as kissing and hugging in public .
— Russian state lender VTB said it has temporarily suspended all business trips by its employees to China and several other Asian countries .
Reuters and AFP contributed reporting to this article .

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--2020-03-17--Dutch MH17 Trial to Continue Behind Closed Doors Due to Coronavirus

The trial in the Netherlands of four men accused of murder over the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 @ @ @ @ @ later this month due to the coronavirus outbreak , the court said on Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ against three Russians and one Ukrainian began in Amsterdam last week .
Prosecutors allege that @ @ @ @ @ the Russian missile system used to shoot down the civilian aircraft , killing all onboard @ @ @ @ @ , most were Dutch .
The next hearing on March 23 will be closed to @ @ @ @ @ victims , and the number of prosecutors and lawyers allowed into the courtroom will also @ @ @ @ @ said .
Thereafter the case is scheduled to continue in June .
MH17 was flying @ @ @ @ @ on July 17 , 2014 , when it was shot down by a missile fired @ @ @ @ @ rebels amid fighting in eastern Ukraine , killing all 298 aboard .
Russia has denied @ @ @

The trial in the Netherlands of four men accused of murder over the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 will continue behind closed doors later this month due to the coronavirus outbreak, the court said on Tuesday.
Pre-trial hearings in the case against three Russians and one Ukrainian began in Amsterdam last week. Prosecutors allege that the defendants helped to arrange the Russian missile system used to shoot down the civilian aircraft, killing all onboard. Of the 298 victims, most were Dutch.
The next hearing on March 23 will be closed to press and relatives of the victims, and the number of prosecutors and lawyers allowed into the courtroom will also be limited, the court said.
Thereafter the case is scheduled to continue in June.
MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014, when it was shot down by a missile fired from territory held by pro-Moscow rebels amid fighting in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 aboard. Russia has denied any involvement.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-17--Russian Orthodox Church Adopts Sweeping Anti-Coronavirus Rules

The Russian Orthodox Church is instigating an unprecedented list of measures aiming to combat the spread of the coronavirus in @ @ @ @ @ it said in a statement Tuesday .
The Church drew controversy in recent weeks after @ @ @ @ @ lining up to kiss a holy relic in St. Petersburg ’ s Kazan Cathedral as @ @ @ @ @ wipe it with a cloth after every few uses .
The new orders , approved @ @ @ @ @ , include new sanitary standards for general liturgy services as well as baptism , communion @ @ @ @ @ also outline general hygiene recommendations for churches .
Churches are advised to refrain from allowing @ @ @ @ @ at the end of a liturgy , the document says .
Instead , priests should @ @ @ @ @ tops of worshippers ’ heads .
Worshippers will still be able to kiss icons , @ @ @ @ @ churches are ordered to disinfect the icons between each use .

The Russian Orthodox Church is instigating an unprecedented list of measures aiming to combat the spread of the coronavirus in its sacred spaces nationwide, it said in a statement Tuesday.
The Church drew controversy in recent weeks after video showed hundreds of worshippers lining up to kiss a holy relic in St. Petersburg’s Kazan Cathedral as a worker stood nearby to wipe it with a cloth after every few uses.
The new orders, approved by Church leader Patriarch Kirill, include new sanitary standards for general liturgy services as well as baptism, communion and other sacraments. They also outline general hygiene recommendations for churches.
Churches are advised to refrain from allowing worshippers to kiss the cross at the end of a liturgy, the document says. Instead, priests should touch the cross to the tops of worshippers’ heads. Worshippers will still be able to kiss icons, the document says, but churches are ordered to disinfect the icons between each use.