themoscowtimes--2020-07-07--Russia's Coronavirus Cases Approach 700K

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

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


themoscowtimes--2020-07-07--Russia Warns Against Marmot Hunting Amid Plague Scare

Russian health officials have stepped up border controls and are warning residents in Western Siberia not to hunt and eat @ @ @ @ @ China reported three cases of bubonic plague , the state-run TASS news agency reported Monday @ @ @ @ @ its western region of Khovd near the border with Russia after identifying two suspected cases @ @ @ @ @ consumption of meat from the large rodents .
On Sunday , authorities in the city @ @ @ @ @ Chinese region of Inner Mongolia issued a notice after a hospital reported a case of @ @ @ @ @ the deadliest diseases in history .
Russia ’ s consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said its @ @ @ @ @ Altai republic have begun patrolling a district near Khovd to warn shepherds about the dangers @ @ @ @ @ to TASS .
“ They are curbing illegal hunting on marmots and conducting an awareness @ @ @ @ @ strict rules , ” Rospotrebnadzor was quoted as saying .

Russian health officials have stepped up border controls and are warning residents in Western Siberia not to hunt and eat marmots after neighboring Mongolia and China reported three cases of bubonic plague, the state-run TASS news agency reported Monday.
Mongolia last week quarantined its western region of Khovd near the border with Russia after identifying two suspected cases of bubonic plague linked to consumption of meat from the large rodents. On Sunday, authorities in the city of Bayan Nur in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia issued a notice after a hospital reported a case of the plague — one of the deadliest diseases in history.
Russia’s consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said its officials and authorities in the Altai republic have begun patrolling a district near Khovd to warn shepherds about the dangers of hunting marmot, according to TASS.
“They are curbing illegal hunting on marmots and conducting an awareness campaign with breeders about the strict rules,” Rospotrebnadzor was quoted as saying.


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

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

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


themoscowtimes--2020-07-07--Colleagues Rally Behind Russian Former Journalist Detained for Treason

Allegations that former journalist Ivan Safronov passed state secrets to foreign intelligence strain credulity , his colleagues told The Moscow Times after he was detained on suspicion of state treason .
Special agents detained Safronov outside his apartment earlier Tuesday , only two months after he left his decade-long journalism career to become an adviser to Russia ’ s space chief Dmitry Rogozin .
Safronov was a defense correspondent at the Kommersant business daily for 10 years , and for Vedomosti between 2019 and May this year .
“ I ’ ll never believe that Vanya could give or sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harm Russia ’ s interests to foreigners , ” said Safronov ’ s former colleague , deputy head of Kommersant ’ s foreign desk Yelena Chernenko , who was later detained by police when she joined solo picketers outside Federal Security Services ( FSB ) headquarters in central Moscow .
“ I think it ’ s a complete stitch-up , ” Chernenko told The Moscow Times by phone , linking the treason case to her colleague ’ s journalism despite the Kremlin ’ s denial of such suggestions .
“ He wrote things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .

Allegations that former journalist Ivan Safronov passed state secrets to foreign intelligence strain credulity, his colleagues told The Moscow Times after he was detained on suspicion of state treason.
Special agents detained Safronov outside his apartment earlier Tuesday, only two months after he left his decade-long journalism career to become an adviser to Russia’s space chief Dmitry Rogozin. Safronov was a defense correspondent at the Kommersant business daily for 10 years, and for Vedomosti between 2019 and May this year.
“I’ll never believe that Vanya could give or sell state secrets or any information that could harm Russia’s interests to foreigners,” said Safronov’s former colleague, deputy head of Kommersant’s foreign desk Yelena Chernenko, who was later detained by police when she joined solo picketers outside Federal Security Services (FSB) headquarters in central Moscow.
“I think it’s a complete stitch-up,” Chernenko told The Moscow Times by phone, linking the treason case to her colleague’s journalism despite the Kremlin’s denial of such suggestions.
“He wrote things that clearly displeased the authorities,” she said.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-08--What a Growing List of ‘Instructional’ Court Cases in Russia Have in Common

On Tuesday , the day after journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva escaped prison time for writing a column , she spent the morning walking around her home city of Pskov in northwestern Russia , enjoying her newfound freedom .
When she returned to her apartment in the early afternoon , the 40-year-old sat down to read and reply to the messages of support filling her inboxes .
But as soon as she went on the internet , she was quickly brought back to reality .
A fellow journalist had been detained by the Federal Security Service ( FSB ) for what appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s view , Russia ’ s security services were sending a message .
“ It ’ s starting to look like a war between the security services and journalists , as if they are in one country and journalists are in another and so they are seen as enemies the security services feel they have to fight with , ” Prokopyeva told The Moscow Times by phone Tuesday .
“ It feels like a real danger.
” Prokopyeva was referring to the case of Ivan Safronov , a former defense reporter who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dmitry Rogozin , the head of Russia ’ s state space agency Roscosmos .
On Tuesday , Safronov was charged with treason .
He faces up to 20 years in prison for allegedly passing state secrets to Czech security services during his time as a journalist .
In Prokopyeva ’ s case , prosecutors had demanded she be sentenced to six years behind bars for allegedly justifying a 17-year-old anarchist ’ s November 2018 suicide bombing in the lobby of an FSB building in Arkhangelsk in northern Russia .
Her crime was linking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members , to the political climate under President Vladimir Putin .
Yet despite the harsh request from prosecutors , when her sentencing came Monday , the judge was lenient , ruling only that Prokopyeva pay a 500,000-ruble ( $ 6,985 ) fine .
Still , as Prokopyeva was quick to point out , she was nonetheless found guilty .
That means her name will remain in a government database of extremists .
“ It ’ s a dual feeling , ” Prokopyeva said .
“ On the one hand you escaped the worst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not a victory.
” The resolution of Prokopyeva ’ s case was starkly similar to one handed down just over a week earlier to prominent theater director Kirill Serebrennikov , whose productions are often critical of the state .
After prosecutors demanded that Serebrennikov be sentenced to six years in a penal colony , a judge handed down what appeared to be a compassionate ruling .
Although Serebrennikov was found guilty of helping to steal 133 million rubles ( $ 1,864,660 ) from the state , he was given a suspended sentence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) fine .
Both cases had been seen by critics as politically motivated , drawing condemnation at home and abroad .
That outrage , analysts say , prompted the courts to use an increasingly popular tactic of satisfying the security services that built the cases while also damping down public discontent .
“ The logic of the security services is that punishment has to be the maximum , while the job of the presidential administration is to make sure the сhief isn ’ t agitated , ” said Tatiana Stanovaya , founder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Putin and public outcries .
Vitaly Churkasov , a lawyer with the Agora human rights group and a member of Prokyopyeva ’ s defense team , echoed the view that the tactic is a compromise between different government factions , describing the ruling as a way for “ the wolves to be sated and the sheep to remain intact.
” “ The outrage would have been a headache for the authorities , ” he said .
“ But in this way they are still able to send a message about what will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t show loyalty.
” For Andrei Kolesnikov , chair of the Russian Domestic Politics program at the Carnegie Moscow Center , the point of the sentencing is its “ instructional ” nature .
“ The authorities are showing that if you voice political disagreement , you will be judged a criminal and an enemy of the state , even if the public calms down and forgets that ultimately these innocent people are considered guilty , ” Kolesnikov said .
But even more than that , Kolesnikov said , the cases are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against opposition-minded Russians that he believes will increase in the wake of this month ’ s constitutional referendum vote that has given Putin the opportunity to rule until 2036 .
“ The political atmosphere right now is : those who are not with us are against us , ” he said .
Kolesnikov cited the case of Yury Dmitriyev , a 64-year-old gulag historian , who is awaiting sentencing in a case critics believe was drummed up to silence him .
On Tuesday , prosecutors asked that he be handed 15 years in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this is a demonstration of how the authorities will act in the coming years , ” Kolesnikov said .
In what turned out to be a prescient episode of his podcast on Sunday , Mark Galeotti , an expert on Russia ’ s security services , warned that “ there is a sense that hard rains are going to fall.
” But he also underscored the role public outcries can play .
He pointed to the 5.5- and 7-year sentences for terrorism handed out last month to two members of the Set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were fabricated .
What saved Serebrennikov from the same fate , Galeotti said , was his level of public support .
On Tuesday , Ivan Pavlov , a lawyer for journalist Safronov who also defended the last Russian journalist tried for espionage — Grigory Pasko , in 2001 — wrote on Facebook that how journalists react to the arrest will determine not only the “ fate of your colleague , but of the journalistic profession in Russia.
” Some journalists wryly complained that with so many cases against journalists they didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avatars to slogans of support , a practice that became popular during the huge public outcry over the arrest of journalist Ivan Golunov on fabricated drug charges last summer .
But many nonetheless joined pickets outside the FSB ’ s headquarters on Lubyanka Square in Moscow on Tuesday demanding an open trial for Safronov , and 28 people — mostly journalists — were detained .

On Tuesday, the day after journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva escaped prison time for writing a column, she spent the morning walking around her home city of Pskov in northwestern Russia, enjoying her newfound freedom. When she returned to her apartment in the early afternoon, the 40-year-old sat down to read and reply to the messages of support filling her inboxes. But as soon as she went on the internet, she was quickly brought back to reality. A fellow journalist had been detained by the Federal Security Service (FSB) for what appeared to be similar reasons. In Prokopyeva’s view, Russia’s security services were sending a message. “It’s starting to look like a war between the security services and journalists, as if they are in one country and journalists are in another and so they are seen as enemies the security services feel they have to fight with,” Prokopyeva told The Moscow Times by phone Tuesday. “It feels like a real danger.” Prokopyeva was referring to the case of Ivan Safronov, a former defense reporter who recently started working as an aide to Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos. On Tuesday, Safronov was charged with treason. He faces up to 20 years in prison for allegedly passing state secrets to Czech security services during his time as a journalist. In Prokopyeva’s case, prosecutors had demanded she be sentenced to six years behind bars for allegedly justifying a 17-year-old anarchist’s November 2018 suicide bombing in the lobby of an FSB building in Arkhangelsk in northern Russia. Her crime was linking the attack, which injured three service members, to the political climate under President Vladimir Putin. Yet despite the harsh request from prosecutors, when her sentencing came Monday, the judge was lenient, ruling only that Prokopyeva pay a 500,000-ruble ($6,985) fine. Still, as Prokopyeva was quick to point out, she was nonetheless found guilty. That means her name will remain in a government database of extremists. “It’s a dual feeling,” Prokopyeva said. “On the one hand you escaped the worst. On the other, it’s not a victory.”
The resolution of Prokopyeva’s case was starkly similar to one handed down just over a week earlier to prominent theater director Kirill Serebrennikov, whose productions are often critical of the state. After prosecutors demanded that Serebrennikov be sentenced to six years in a penal colony, a judge handed down what appeared to be a compassionate ruling. Although Serebrennikov was found guilty of helping to steal 133 million rubles ($1,864,660) from the state, he was given a suspended sentence and an 800,000 ruble ($11,216) fine. Both cases had been seen by critics as politically motivated, drawing condemnation at home and abroad. That outrage, analysts say, prompted the courts to use an increasingly popular tactic of satisfying the security services that built the cases while also damping down public discontent. “The logic of the security services is that punishment has to be the maximum, while the job of the presidential administration is to make sure the сhief isn’t agitated,” said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the R.Politik political analysis project, referring to Putin and public outcries. Vitaly Cherkasov, a lawyer with the Agora human rights group and a member of Prokyopyeva’s defense team, echoed the view that the tactic is a compromise between different government factions, describing the ruling as a way for “the wolves to be sated and the sheep to remain intact.” “The outrage would have been a headache for the authorities,” he said. “But in this way they are still able to send a message about what will — and could — happen if you don’t show loyalty.”
For Andrei Kolesnikov, chair of the Russian Domestic Politics program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, the point of the sentencing is its “instructional” nature. “The authorities are showing that if you voice political disagreement, you will be judged a criminal and an enemy of the state, even if the public calms down and forgets that ultimately these innocent people are considered guilty,” Kolesnikov said. But even more than that, Kolesnikov said, the cases are part of a new wave of repressions against opposition-minded Russians that he believes will increase in the wake of this month’s constitutional referendum vote that has given Putin the opportunity to rule until 2036. “The political atmosphere right now is: those who are not with us are against us,” he said. Kolesnikov cited the case of Yury Dmitriyev, a 64-year-old gulag historian, who is awaiting sentencing in a case critics believe was drummed up to silence him. On Tuesday, prosecutors asked that he be handed 15 years in a strict-regime penal colony. “All of this is a demonstration of how the authorities will act in the coming years,” Kolesnikov said.
news A Gulag Historian Returns to Prison Read more
In what turned out to be a prescient episode of his podcast on Sunday, Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russia’s security services, warned that “there is a sense that hard rains are going to fall.” But he also underscored the role public outcries can play. He pointed to the 5.5- and 7-year sentences for terrorism handed out last month to two members of the Set anti-fascist activist group that rights groups say were fabricated. What saved Serebrennikov from the same fate, Galeotti said, was his level of public support. On Tuesday, Ivan Pavlov, a lawyer for journalist Safronov who also defended the last Russian journalist tried for espionage — Grigory Pasko, in 2001 — wrote on Facebook that how journalists react to the arrest will determine not only the “fate of your colleague, but of the journalistic profession in Russia.” Some journalists wryly complained that with so many cases against journalists they didn’t have time to change their social media avatars to slogans of support, a practice that became popular during the huge public outcry over the arrest of journalist Ivan Golunov on fabricated drug charges last summer. But many nonetheless joined pickets outside the FSB’s headquarters on Lubyanka Square in Moscow on Tuesday demanding an open trial for Safronov, and 28 people — mostly journalists — were detained.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-08--Russia Tells U.S. to 'Mind Own Business' Over Media Freedom

Moscow has told the U.S. embassy to `` mind your own business '' after Washington 's diplomatic mission raised concern about curbs on media freedom in Russia .
Rebecca Ross , the spokeswoman for the U.S. embassy , on Tuesday expressed concern about a clampdown on journalists in Russia .
`` Watching arrest after arrest of Russian journalists – it 's starting to look like a concerted campaign against # MediaFreedom , '' she tweeted .
`` Mind your own business , '' the Russian foreign ministry tweeted in response late Tuesday .
Earlier that day the FSB security agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , arrested a respected former journalist , Ivan Safronov , 30 , on suspicion of state treason .
His detention sparked uproar among supporters and journalists who say his arrest is punishment for his coverage of Russia 's defense sector .
A member of Safronov 's defense team , Yevgeny Smirnov , said the former journalist , who used to work for Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers , is suspected of cooperating with Czech intelligence since 2012 .
The FSB investigators believe that the Czech intelligence acts under the guidance of the United States @ @ @ @ @

Moscow has told the U.S. embassy to "mind your own business" after Washington's diplomatic mission raised concern about curbs on media freedom in Russia.
Rebecca Ross, the spokeswoman for the U.S. embassy, on Tuesday expressed concern about a clampdown on journalists in Russia.
"Watching arrest after arrest of Russian journalists – it's starting to look like a concerted campaign against #MediaFreedom," she tweeted.
"Mind your own business," the Russian foreign ministry tweeted in response late Tuesday.
Earlier that day the FSB security agency, the successor to the Soviet-era KGB, arrested a respected former journalist, Ivan Safronov, 30, on suspicion of state treason.
His detention sparked uproar among supporters and journalists who say his arrest is punishment for his coverage of Russia's defense sector.
A member of Safronov's defense team, Yevgeny Smirnov, said the former journalist, who used to work for Kommersant and Vedomosti newspapers, is suspected of cooperating with Czech intelligence since 2012.
The FSB investigators believe that the Czech intelligence acts under the guidance of the United States, Smirnov told AFP.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-08--Russia Runs Bubonic Plague Checks on Rodents

Russian health officials in Siberia have begun testing rodents for bubonic plague after several cases were registered in neighboring Mongolia @ @ @ @ @ protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said there ’ s no risk of plague outbreaks spreading to Russia @ @ @ @ @ travel restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The World Health Organization ( WHO @ @ @ @ @ of the bubonic plague moving beyond China .
However , Rospotrebnadzor ’ s branch in @ @ @ @ @ warned that neighboring Russian regions could trigger a domestic outbreak .
“ Internal risks are @ @ @ @ @ be imported from the republics of Tyva and Altai and the Zabaikalsky region where there @ @ @ @ @ of the plague , ” it said in a statement Wednesday .
“ Zoological and @ @ @ @ @ ( small mouse-like mammals ) for plague microbes are being conducted in the border areas @ @ @ @ @ said .

Russian health officials in Siberia have begun testing rodents for bubonic plague after several cases were registered in neighboring Mongolia and China.
The consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said there’s no risk of plague outbreaks spreading to Russia because of border closures and travel restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) also played down risks of the bubonic plague moving beyond China.
However, Rospotrebnadzor’s branch in the Siberian republic of Buryatia warned that neighboring Russian regions could trigger a domestic outbreak.
“Internal risks are increasing that the infection could be imported from the republics of Tyva and Altai and the Zabaikalsky region where there are active natural transboundary hotbeds of the plague,” it said in a statement Wednesday.
“Zoological and veterinary epidemiology inspections of objects (small mouse-like mammals) for plague microbes are being conducted in the border areas with Mongolia,” it said.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-08--Ukraine Detains Alleged Russian Separatist Agent

“ Citizen K. served as one of the so-called DPR ’ s ‘ curators ’ through the [ GRU ] from 2014-2020 , ” the SBU said in a statement Tuesday .
The SBU security service identified the suspect as Ukrainian citizen Andrei Nikolayevich , whose last name was only given as the initial K. He is alleged to be a “ freelance representative ” for the GRU Russian military intelligence agency in the separatist Donetsk People ’ s Republic ( DPR ) , helping it create an intelligence unit , and other units .
Ukraine ’ s security service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agent in Kiev suspected of overseeing separatist forces in eastern Ukraine .
In 2014 , Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and a war that has killed more than 13,000 people broke out between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels in the eastern Ukrainian region called the Donbass .
Western countries accuse Russia of providing troops , equipment and funding to the separatists and have sanctioned Moscow over its role in the conflict .
Intercepted phone calls published on Tuesday by the SBU showed suspect K ’ s alleged conversations with two Russian suspects in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 .
A number of high-ranking Russian officials , including the head of Russia ’ s FSB security agency Alexander Bortnikov and former Kremlin aide Vladislav Surkov , were named in the conversations .
The Dutch-led investigation accuses three Russian nationals and one Ukrainian of playing key roles in transporting and launching the missile system that brought down MH17 in July 2014 and killed 298 mostly Dutch citizens .
Several former fighters have told the investigation that the FSB and the GRU were involved in the daily management of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ K. of creating a terrorist group and said it plans to indict him in the near future .
The charges carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison .

“Citizen K. served as one of the so-called DPR’s ‘curators’ through the [GRU] from 2014-2020,” the SBU said in a statement Tuesday.
The SBU security service identified the suspect as Ukrainian citizen Andrei Nikolayevich, whose last name was only given as the initial K. He is alleged to be a “freelance representative” for the GRU Russian military intelligence agency in the separatist Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), helping it create an intelligence unit, and other units.
Ukraine’s security service said it has detained an alleged Russian agent in Kiev suspected of overseeing separatist forces in eastern Ukraine.
In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and a war that has killed more than 13,000 people broke out between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels in the eastern Ukrainian region called the Donbass.
Western countries accuse Russia of providing troops, equipment and funding to the separatists and have sanctioned Moscow over its role in the conflict.
Intercepted phone calls published on Tuesday by the SBU showed suspect K’s alleged conversations with two Russian suspects in the murder trial over the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. A number of high-ranking Russian officials, including the head of Russia’s FSB security agency Alexander Bortnikov and former Kremlin aide Vladislav Surkov, were named in the conversations.
The Dutch-led investigation accuses three Russian nationals and one Ukrainian of playing key roles in transporting and launching the missile system that brought down MH17 in July 2014 and killed 298 mostly Dutch citizens.
Several former fighters have told the investigation that the FSB and the GRU were involved in the daily management of the DPR.
The SBU accused the suspect K. of creating a terrorist group and said it plans to indict him in the near future. The charges carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.