themoscowtimes--2020-06-04--Massive Siberian Oil Spill Causes $80M in Waterway Damage – Greenpeace

President Vladimir Putin ordered a state of emergency Wednesday five days after more than 20,000 metric tons of diesel fuel spilled into rivers near the city of Norilsk .
The declaration is needed to bring in federal resources for the cleanup effort .
A massive diesel spill into a Siberian river caused at least 6 billion rubles ( more than $ 76 million ) in damages to waterways above the Arctic Circle , Greenpeace Russia said Wednesday .
“ Using the environment ministry 's methodology for assessing the environmental damage to water bodies , it may amount to 6 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s head of energy , Vladimir Chuprov .
“ The installed buoys will only help collect a small part of the pollution , leading us to say that nearly all the diesel fuel will remain in the environment , ” Chuprov said in a statement .
The estimate does not include damages to soil and the atmosphere from greenhouse gas emissions , the environmental NGO added .
Satellite images after the leak showed crimson water in the Ambarnaya river and nearby residents posted videos on social media of the polluted water .
Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Resources Use estimated the overall damage at “ several dozen , perhaps hundreds of billions of rubles.
” Russia ’ s Federal Fisheries Agency forecast that it could take “ more than a decade ” to restore the local aquatic ecosystem , saying the scale of the damage is underestimated .
Putin on Wednesday lambasted the head of the metals giant Norilsk Nickel subsidiary that owns the power plant , NTEK , after regional officials said the company failed to report the incident .
Norilsk Nickel said the tank began leaking last Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in place for 30 years without difficulty '' began to sink .
Norilsk was constructed on permafrost and its infrastructure is threatened by melting ice caused by climate change .
Russia 's Investigative Committee , which handles major crimes , announced that it launched four criminal probes into the accident and detained an employee of the power plant .

President Vladimir Putin ordered a state of emergency Wednesday five days after more than 20,000 metric tons of diesel fuel spilled into rivers near the city of Norilsk. The declaration is needed to bring in federal resources for the cleanup effort.
A massive diesel spill into a Siberian river caused at least 6 billion rubles (more than $76 million) in damages to waterways above the Arctic Circle, Greenpeace Russia said Wednesday.
“Using the environment ministry's methodology for assessing the environmental damage to water bodies, it may amount to 6 billion rubles,” said Greenpeace Russia’s head of energy, Vladimir Chuprov.
“The installed booms will only help collect a small part of the pollution, leading us to say that nearly all the diesel fuel will remain in the environment,” Chuprov said in a statement.
The estimate does not include damages to soil and the atmosphere from greenhouse gas emissions, the environmental NGO added.
Satellite images after the leak showed crimson water in the Ambarnaya river and nearby residents posted videos on social media of the polluted water.
Russia’s Federal Inspection Service for Natural Resources Use estimated the overall damage at “several dozen, perhaps hundreds of billions of rubles.”
Russia’s Federal Fisheries Agency forecast that it could take “more than a decade” to restore the local aquatic ecosystem, saying the scale of the damage is underestimated.
Putin on Wednesday lambasted the head of the metals giant Norilsk Nickel subsidiary that owns the power plant, NTEK, after regional officials said the company failed to report the incident. Norilsk Nickel said the tank began leaking last Friday after supporting pillars that had "held it in place for 30 years without difficulty" began to sink.
Norilsk was constructed on permafrost and its infrastructure is threatened by melting ice caused by climate change.
Russia's Investigative Committee, which handles major crimes, announced that it launched four criminal probes into the accident and detained an employee of the power plant.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-04--Russia's Coronavirus Cases Surpass 441K as Restrictions Ease

New infections have been steadily dropping since mid-May when officials were reporting daily increases of around 11,000 cases .
Officials @ @ @ @ @ count is the result of mass testing and that a steady decline in new infections @ @ @ @ @ mean the country can begin to return to normal .
Yet critics have cast doubt @ @ @ @ @ the authorities of under-reporting deaths and threatening a new wave of infections by lifting restrictions @ @ @ @ @ on Monday announced that a postponed nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that could extend his @ @ @ @ @ ahead on July 1 .
The authorities have also rescheduled Russia 's massive May 9 @ @ @ @ @ June 24 .
Moscow , the epicenter of Russia 's pandemic with around half of @ @ @ @ @ , on Monday eased a nine-week lockdown allowing shops to reopen and residents to leave @ @ @ @ @ .
Putin was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Tuesday to discuss @ @ @ @ @ badly hit by lockdown measures and a sharp fall in oil prices .

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--2020-06-04--St. Petersburg’s Mortality Spikes by 30% in May – Official Data

St. Petersburg saw 6,427 deaths in May this year , about 28 % more than the nine-year average of 5,027 for May , according to civil registry data .
Russia ’ s second-largest city St. Petersburg recorded almost 30 % more deaths in May 2020 compared to its average May total over the past decade , official data said Wednesday .
The figures , first published by Reuters , suggest that more people may have died from Covid-19 in St. Petersburg last month than its officially reported toll of 171 .
Russian officials have warned that the country could see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around two to three weeks after infections peaked in late April .
St. Petersburg ’ s mortality data comes after Moscow health authorities more than doubled the Russian capital ’ s April coronavirus death count last week .
The numbers follow weeks of questions surrounding Russia ’ s relatively low coronavirus death rate of around 1 % despite having the world ’ s third-highest number of cases .
Major Western outlets faced accusations of spreading fake news after reporting that Russia ’ s coronavirus-related deaths could be 70 % higher than officially confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also announced Wednesday that it would change its methodology for counting coronavirus fatalities , which it said would speed up reporting .
Russia ’ s Health Ministry announced last week that it would no longer include asymptomatic coronavirus patients in its daily count of new infections and deaths .
Alexei Yakovlev , infectious diseases department head at St. Petersburg State University , told Reuters that “ pretty much all recent pneumonia deaths ” can be traced to Covid-19 .
“ There have never been so many cases of pneumonia , not ever , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And since there ’ s no other flu or infection going around right now , it leads one to believe that [ the figures ] are due to the coronavirus , ” he added .

St. Petersburg saw 6,427 deaths in May this year, about 28% more than the nine-year average of 5,027 for May, according to civil registry data.
Russia’s second-largest city St. Petersburg recorded almost 30% more deaths in May 2020 compared to its average May total over the past decade, official data said Wednesday.
The figures, first published by Reuters, suggest that more people may have died from Covid-19 in St. Petersburg last month than its officially reported toll of 171. Russian officials have warned that the country could see a spike in mortality in May, around two to three weeks after infections peaked in late April.
St. Petersburg’s mortality data comes after Moscow health authorities more than doubled the Russian capital’s April coronavirus death count last week.
The numbers follow weeks of questions surrounding Russia’s relatively low coronavirus death rate of around 1% despite having the world’s third-highest number of cases. Major Western outlets faced accusations of spreading fake news after reporting that Russia’s coronavirus-related deaths could be 70% higher than officially confirmed.
St. Petersburg’s health committee also announced Wednesday that it would change its methodology for counting coronavirus fatalities, which it said would speed up reporting. Russia’s Health Ministry announced last week that it would no longer include asymptomatic coronavirus patients in its daily count of new infections and deaths.
Alexei Yakovlev, infectious diseases department head at St. Petersburg State University, told Reuters that “pretty much all recent pneumonia deaths” can be traced to Covid-19.
“There have never been so many cases of pneumonia, not ever,” Yakovlev was quoted as saying.
“And since there’s no other flu or infection going around right now, it leads one to believe that [the figures] are due to the coronavirus,” he added.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-04--Russian Court in Crimea Jails Jehovah's Witness for 6 Years

A court in Russian-annexed Crimea on Thursday sentenced a Jehovah 's Witness to six years in prison for organizing an extremist organisation , in the latest harsh sentence against the Christian movement .
Crimea 's Supreme Court at an appeal hearing sentenced Artyom Gerasimov to six years in a penal colony , the Jehovah 's Witnesses religious organization said in a statement , adding that the defence will mount a further appeal against the ruling .
In 2017 , Russia listed the group as an extremist organization and it has since issued a series of long sentences against believers including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was given a six-year term in February 2019 .
Jarrod Lopes , spokesman for Jehovah ’ s Witnesses , said that Thursday 's ruling by the Crimean Supreme Court brought `` religious persecution to a new level of cruelty '' .
`` Since the 2017 Russian Supreme Court 's ruling that effectively banned Jehovah 's Witnesses , this is the first time an appeal has resulted in a more severe punishment , '' he said in a statement .
Gerasimov was initially fined in March by a court in the Black Sea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stood trial with him , Sergei Filatov , was jailed for six years .
Investigators said a group of believers held religious services which was classified as extremist activity .
Prosecutors filed an appeal after , asking for Gerasimov to serve a six and a half year term .

A court in Russian-annexed Crimea on Thursday sentenced a Jehovah's Witness to six years in prison for organizing an extremist organisation, in the latest harsh sentence against the Christian movement.
Crimea's Supreme Court at an appeal hearing sentenced Artyom Gerasimov to six years in a penal colony, the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization said in a statement, adding that the defence will mount a further appeal against the ruling.
In 2017, Russia listed the group as an extremist organization and it has since issued a series of long sentences against believers including a Danish citizen, Dennis Christensen, who was given a six-year term in February 2019.
Jarrod Lopes, spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses, said that Thursday's ruling by the Crimean Supreme Court brought "religious persecution to a new level of cruelty".
"Since the 2017 Russian Supreme Court's ruling that effectively banned Jehovah's Witnesses, this is the first time an appeal has resulted in a more severe punishment," he said in a statement.
Gerasimov was initially fined in March by a court in the Black Sea city of Yalta while another believer who stood trial with him, Sergei Filatov, was jailed for six years.
Investigators said a group of believers held religious services which was classified as extremist activity.
Prosecutors filed an appeal after, asking for Gerasimov to serve a six and a half year term.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-04--Russia to Start Testing Coronavirus Vaccine on Paid Participants – Head of Study

Russia plans to start clinical testing of a coronavirus vaccine on paid volunteers from the general public from next week , Vadim Tarasov , the director of the institute in charge of the study told The Moscow Times on Thursday .
According to Tarasov , there will be 50 participants , and those who complete the full trial will be paid 100,000 rubles ( $ 1,450 ) for their involvement in the study .
Others will receive 20,000 rubles ( $ 288 ) .
The potential vaccine was developed by the state-run Gamalei National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of participants for this trial from our database of volunteers , ” said Tarasov , Director of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology at First Moscow State Medical University .
An information sheet and a signup form were circulated on social media on Monday by students at the prestigious First Moscow State Medical University .
The guide states that from June 7 , “ healthy men and women between the ages of 18-60 ” can participate in the trial .
Tarasov confirmed that both documents were genuine .
In the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be isolated at a medical facility in Zvenigorod , a town 50 kilometers southwest of Moscow , from June 9 to 22 .
The treatment center is tied to the First Moscow State Medical University .
During the second part of the trial from June 23 to July 20 , when the vaccine will be administered , participants will move to the Scientific and Practical Center of Interventional Cardioangiology in Moscow .

Russia plans to start clinical testing of a coronavirus vaccine on paid volunteers from the general public from next week, Vadim Tarasov, the director of the institute in charge of the study told The Moscow Times on Thursday.
According to Tarasov, there will be 50 participants, and those who complete the full trial will be paid 100,000 rubles ($1,450) for their involvement in the study. Others will receive 20,000 rubles ($288). The potential vaccine was developed by the state-run Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology.
“We have already selected a number of participants for this trial from our database of volunteers,” said Tarasov, Director of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology at First Moscow State Medical University.
An information sheet and a signup form were circulated on social media on Monday by students at the prestigious First Moscow State Medical University. The guide states that from June 7, “healthy men and women between the ages of 18-60” can participate in the trial. Tarasov confirmed that both documents were genuine.
In the first phase of the trial, each participant will be isolated at a medical facility in Zvenigorod, a town 50 kilometers southwest of Moscow, from June 9 to 22. The treatment center is tied to the First Moscow State Medical University. During the second part of the trial from June 23 to July 20, when the vaccine will be administered, participants will move to the Scientific and Practical Center of Interventional Cardioangiology in Moscow.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-04--Coronavirus Seals Off City Near Secret Russian Nuclear Accident Site

The governor of the Arkhangelsk region signed an order to close public access to the city of Severodvinsk this Saturday , the city ’ s press service said Thursday .
Severodvinsk is near the Nyonoksa testing site where an August 2019 explosion during a rocket engine test killed five Russian nuclear workers and led to a radiation spike .
Authorities have blocked access to a city in far northern Russia located near the site of last year ’ s mysterious nuclear testing accident as the coronavirus outbreak there intensified .
Severodvinsk will set up checkpoints Friday and restrict entry and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers and people attending funerals , going to country houses or transiting through the city .
“ The measure remains in effect until special orders , ” the city ’ s press service said in a statement .
Around 700 people have been infected with Covid-19 at two of the city ’ s major shipyards since April , an unnamed shipbuilding industry source told the Vedomosti business daily .
The Sevmash and Zvezdochka shipyards reportedly saw more than 200 new cases in the past week alone .
The outbreak has prompted federal health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Severodvinsk to limit their activities .
The Arkhangelsk region has confirmed 2,496 coronavirus infections since the start of the outbreak .
Severodvinsk accounts for roughly half of the region ’ s overall cases .
Last August , a missile exploded during what is believed to have been a recovery operation .
The secrecy surrounding the accident has led outside observers to speculate that the explosion involved the Burevestnik nuclear-powered intercontinental cruise missile , dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO .
President Vladimir Putin later said the accident occurred during testing of what he @ @ @ @ @ @

The governor of the Arkhangelsk region signed an order to close public access to the city of Severodvinsk this Saturday, the city’s press service said Thursday. Severodvinsk is near the Nyonoksa testing site where an August 2019 explosion during a rocket engine test killed five Russian nuclear workers and led to a radiation spike.
Authorities have blocked access to a city in far northern Russia located near the site of last year’s mysterious nuclear testing accident as the coronavirus outbreak there intensified.
Severodvinsk will set up checkpoints Friday and restrict entry and exit starting midnight Saturday to everyone except workers and people attending funerals, going to country houses or transiting through the city.
“The measure remains in effect until special orders,” the city’s press service said in a statement.
Around 700 people have been infected with Covid-19 at two of the city’s major shipyards since April, an unnamed shipbuilding industry source told the Vedomosti business daily. The Sevmash and Zvezdochka shipyards reportedly saw more than 200 new cases in the past week alone.
The outbreak has prompted federal health officials last week to order enterprises in Severodvinsk to limit their activities.
The Arkhangelsk region has confirmed 2,496 coronavirus infections since the start of the outbreak. Severodvinsk accounts for roughly half of the region’s overall cases.
Last August, a missile exploded during what is believed to have been a recovery operation. The secrecy surrounding the accident has led outside observers to speculate that the explosion involved the Burevestnik nuclear-powered intercontinental cruise missile, dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO.
President Vladimir Putin later said the accident occurred during testing of what he called promising new weapons systems.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-04--Putin Zeroes in on New Virus Hotspot in Far East Russia

Putin shifted his focus to the remote Zabaikalsky region of 1 million residents some 5,000 kilometers east of Moscow two weeks after intervening in the epidemic sweeping the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan .
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the military to set up a field hospital in a Far East Russian region he described as the latest coronavirus hotspot as Russia 's outbreak continues to shift outside Moscow .
“ I ’ d like to draw your attention to the growth of cases in the Zabaikalsky region .
The situation there is still difficult , ” Putin said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ask the defense minister to immediately begin deploying a hospital in the Zabaikalsky region fitted with all the needed equipment and specialists , ” Putin said .
Unlike Dagestan , the Zabaikalsky region is among Russia ’ s least-affected regions with 1,257 coronavirus cases and 24 deaths out of more than 441,000 cases and almost 5,400 deaths nationwide .
It has reported an average of 44 daily Covid-19 cases compared to Dagestan ’ s 125 cases over the past 10 days .
The Defense Ministry announced later Thursday it will deploy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region from the neighboring republic of Buryatia .
The Russian military has set up 16 field hospitals across the country since the start of the country 's Covid-19 outbreak in March .
Russia also faced questions over its geopolitical motivations after sending an aid package to Italy and providing ventilators to the United States .

Putin shifted his focus to the remote Zabaikalsky region of 1 million residents some 5,000 kilometers east of Moscow two weeks after intervening in the epidemic sweeping the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan.
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the military to set up a field hospital in a Far East Russian region he described as the latest coronavirus hotspot as Russia's outbreak continues to shift outside Moscow.
“I’d like to draw your attention to the growth of cases in the Zabaikalsky region. The situation there is still difficult,” Putin said in a televised Russian Security Council session.
“I ask the defense minister to immediately begin deploying a hospital in the Zabaikalsky region fitted with all the needed equipment and specialists,” Putin said.
Unlike Dagestan, the Zabaikalsky region is among Russia’s least-affected regions with 1,257 coronavirus cases and 24 deaths out of more than 441,000 cases and almost 5,400 deaths nationwide. It has reported an average of 44 daily Covid-19 cases compared to Dagestan’s 125 cases over the past 10 days.
The Defense Ministry announced later Thursday it will deploy a 100-bed field hospital in the Zabaikalsky region from the neighboring republic of Buryatia.
The Russian military has set up 16 field hospitals across the country since the start of the country's Covid-19 outbreak in March. Russia also faced questions over its geopolitical motivations after sending an aid package to Italy and providing ventilators to the United States.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-04--Russia Struggles to Clean Up Arctic River Fuel Spill

A diesel reservoir collapsed at a power station outside the northern Siberian city of Norilsk on Friday , releasing 15,000 tons of fuel into a river and 6,000 tons into the soil , according to Russia 's state environmental watchdog .
Russian emergency workers and marine clean-up specialists on Thursday intensified efforts to clean up a major fuel spill that environmentalists say is the first such accident in the Arctic polar region .
President Vladimir Putin has ordered a state of emergency to deal with the disaster .
Reinforcements arrived at the remote location on Thursday , said Andrei Malov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service , which cleans up marine spills and was called in at the weekend .
`` There have n't been such spills in the Arctic before , '' he told AFP .
`` It needs to be collected very quickly because the fuel is dissolving in the water . ''
The Ambarnaya River , which is the worst-affected by the spill , feeds into Lake Pyasino , a major body of water and the source of the Pyasina River that is vitally important to the entire Taimyr peninsula .
Malov said the service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Ambarnaya River to stop the spill going into the lake and was using special devices to skim off the fuel .
But the clean-up mission is being hampered by the lack of roads in the area and chilly weather that has already caused blocks of ice to breach the barriers , releasing more fuel towards the lake , Malov said .
`` It 's swampy territory , and everything can only be delivered there on all-terrain vehicles , '' Malov said , predicting that the collected fuel will have to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tanks .
The difficult terrain prompted some officials to suggest the fuel should be burned off at the scene , but Russia 's environmental watchdog chief Svetlana Radionova on Thursday ruled this out .
`` There will not be any burning of the petroleum products , '' she was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying , also promising to consult with the scientific community on the best course of action .
Putin on Wednesday lambasted the delay in cleanup response , although Norilsk Nickel , the metals giant whose subsidiary owns the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the proper agencies immediately .
Russia 's Investigative Committee , which probes major crimes , said it launched three probes into environmental pollution and violations of safety rules .
A court in Norilsk on Thursday arrested an employee of NTEK , the energy subsidiary that owns the reservoir , although the reason was not disclosed .

A diesel reservoir collapsed at a power station outside the northern Siberian city of Norilsk on Friday, releasing 15,000 tons of fuel into a river and 6,000 tons into the soil, according to Russia's state environmental watchdog.
Russian emergency workers and marine clean-up specialists on Thursday intensified efforts to clean up a major fuel spill that environmentalists say is the first such accident in the Arctic polar region.
President Vladimir Putin has ordered a state of emergency to deal with the disaster.
Reinforcements arrived at the remote location on Thursday, said Andrei Malov, spokesman for Russia's Marine Rescue Service, which cleans up marine spills and was called in at the weekend.
"There haven't been such spills in the Arctic before," he told AFP. "It needs to be collected very quickly because the fuel is dissolving in the water."
The Ambarnaya River, which is the worst-affected by the spill, feeds into Lake Pyasino, a major body of water and the source of the Pyasina River that is vitally important to the entire Taimyr peninsula.
'Swampy territory'
Malov said the service has put up six oil containment booms in the Ambarnaya River to stop the spill going into the lake and was using special devices to skim off the fuel.
But the clean-up mission is being hampered by the lack of roads in the area and chilly weather that has already caused blocks of ice to breach the barriers, releasing more fuel towards the lake, Malov said.
"It's swampy territory, and everything can only be delivered there on all-terrain vehicles," Malov said, predicting that the collected fuel will have to stay on site until the winter in special tanks.
The difficult terrain prompted some officials to suggest the fuel should be burned off at the scene, but Russia's environmental watchdog chief Svetlana Radionova on Thursday ruled this out.
"There will not be any burning of the petroleum products," she was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying, also promising to consult with the scientific community on the best course of action.
Putin on Wednesday lambasted the delay in cleanup response, although Norilsk Nickel, the metals giant whose subsidiary owns the collapsed fuel reservoir, insists it notified the proper agencies immediately.
Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it launched three probes into environmental pollution and violations of safety rules.
A court in Norilsk on Thursday arrested an employee of NTEK, the energy subsidiary that owns the reservoir, although the reason was not disclosed.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-05--Czechs Expel Russian Diplomats Over Poison Plot Hoax

The Czech Republic has expelled two Russian diplomats after a Russian embassy employee spread a hoax about a planned poison @ @ @ @ @ , officials said on Friday .
`` One embassy employee sent deliberately made-up information about @ @ @ @ @ politicians to ( the intelligence service ) BIS , '' Prime Minister Andrej Babis told @ @

In April, Respekt newspaper cited security sources as saying that a Russian national using a diplomatic passport had arrived in Prague carrying ricin, a toxic poison that can be used as a biological weapon.
The Czech Republic has expelled two Russian diplomats after a Russian embassy employee spread a hoax about a planned poison attack on three Prague politicians, officials said on Friday.
Around the same time, three Prague politicians who had each made political gestures that angered Russia were placed under police protection.
"One embassy employee sent deliberately made-up information about a planned attack on Czech politicians to BIS," said Prime Minister Andrej Babis, referring to the Czech intelligence service.
"We have adopted appropriate and adequate measures and declared two embassy staff personae non gratae."
The case further soured already tricky relations between Prague and the Kremlin, with Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying in April that the Respekt report was "misinformation" and "sick fantasies."
The Russian embassy in Prague dismissed the expulsion on its Facebook page as "provocation."
"Based on ungrounded accusations in the media from the beginning, this hostile step shows Prague is not interested in normalizing Russian-Czech relations, which have recently degraded, for which we cannot be blamed," the embassy said.
'Cheap thriller'
One of the three politicians named in the hoax, Ondrej Kolar, had spearheaded the April removal of a Cold War-era statue dedicated to Soviet general Ivan Konev — a hero to many Russians but a symbol of Soviet-era oppression to many Czechs.
Another of those targeted, Prague mayor Zdenek Hrib, supported renaming the Prague square where the Russian embassy is based after Boris Nemtsov, a Russian opposition leader murdered in 2015.
And the district run by Pavel Novotny, the third politician mentioned in the hoax, installed a memorial to the so-called Vlasov Army — Red Army defectors who helped to liberate Prague in May 1945.
Mikhail Bryukhanov, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's international cooperation agency Rossotrudnichestvo, said both of the expelled diplomats were its employees.
Speaking to the state-run RIA Novosti news agency, Bryukhanov said one was Andrei Konchakov, the interim head of Rossotrudnichestvo's Czech branch.
Czech media have previously said Konchakov had arrived in Prague in March, suggesting he was the supposed man with ricin in his suitcase.
"The Czech Republic has invented this 'ricin scandal,' a mean story out of a cheap thriller.
"The decision is absolutely unjustified and it obviously won't help relations between the two countries," Bryukhanov said.
Babis cited intelligence information as showing the hoax was the result of infighting at the Russian embassy.
"Besides burdening our security forces, (the employee) caused further complications in Czech-Russian relations and harmed the good reputation of the Russian Federation in the Czech Republic," said the billionaire populist prime minister.
Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek said Russia's approach had left his country with no option other than to expel the diplomats "even though we're aware of the expected reciprocal steps."


themoscowtimes--2020-06-05--In Siberian Fuel Spill, Climate Change Is Seen as Major Factor

Over the past year , Siberia has seen disaster on a biblical scale .
Last spring , forest fires enveloped an area larger than Greece , causing $ 100 million in damage .
In what Greenpeace called a “ climate catastrophe , ” the fires emitted more carbon dioxide in June alone than Sweden does in an entire year .
Then , as those fires were raging , a cyclone struck the Irkutsk region , triggering what scientists said were the worst floods in the area in 180 years .
Now , melting permafrost is believed to have caused one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history , after a diesel fuel reservoir at a power plant outside the Krasnoyarsk region city of Norilsk collapsed last Friday , turning a nearby river burnt red .
“ Of course we still need to do a full inspection — and I am demanding that foreign investigators be brought in as well — but it appears that melting permafrost caused this tragedy , ” Sergei Shakhmatov , former deputy ecological minister for Krasnoyarsk and director of Russia ’ s Greens Party , told The Moscow Times by phone after touring the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tragedy is serious , ” he added .
“ I have never seen something of this scale before.
” On Thursday , Russia ’ s environmental watchdog said 15,000 metric tons of diesel fuel were released into the Ambarnaya River and 6,000 into the surrounding soil .
The size of the disaster has been compared to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 , when 37,000 metric tons of oil leaked off the coast of Alaska .
The Investigative Committee has since opened three investigations into environmental pollution and violations of safety rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly at play , they emphasize that climate change is a major factor — and that it is high time for the authorities to begin taking adaptation measures seriously .
“ We ’ ve known what is happening for a long time — and knowing this , we need to conduct a review so we can better understand all of the risks for our infrastructure , ” said Mikhail Yulkin , Director of the Center for Environmental Investment .
As the world ’ s temperatures warm , Siberia is heating up at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the planet .
That is causing the permafrost — what up until recently was permanently frozen packed ice and dirt — to melt .
For Russia , the phenomenon poses a grave risk : much of the infrastructure for extracting the resources that drive the country ’ s economy sits atop the permafrost that covers two-thirds of the country .
In a study published last year , researchers found that the value of buildings and infrastructure on Russian permafrost amounts to $ 300 billion .
“ People don ’ t comprehend the scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not even thinking about it , ” Aleksandr N. Fedorov , deputy director of the Melnikov Permafrost Institute , told The New York Times last year .
Yet not only has the process been going on for a long time , Yulkin noted that Russian authorities have long been aware of it .
“ Photos of crumbling buildings in places like Norilsk are no longer a novelty , ” he said .
Yulkin , who advises resource-rich regions like Siberia ’ s Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous district on how to adapt to melting permafrost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Russia ’ s state weather and environment service Roshydromet on the country ’ s climate risks — much of which was dedicated to melting permafrost .
In retrospect , one line about the site of the recent oil spill disaster sticks out .
“ In Norilsk , the number of buildings damaged over the last 10 years turned out to be higher than over the previous 50 years , ” the report reads .
After last week ’ s spill , the Russian mining conglomerate Norilsk Nickel , which owns the fuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when its supporting pillars began to sink .
While the company said that the pillars had “ held it in place for 30 years without difficulty , ” its Chief Operating Officer Sergei Dyachenko acknowledged that melting permafrost was likely at play .
“ We believe that something happened in the ground , ” he said Thursday .
“ Perhaps it was thawing .
”

Over the past year, Siberia has seen disaster on a biblical scale. Last spring, forest fires enveloped an area larger than Greece, causing $100 million in damage. In what Greenpeace called a “climate catastrophe,” the fires emitted more carbon dioxide in June alone than Sweden does in an entire year. Then, as those fires were raging, a cyclone struck the Irkutsk region, triggering what scientists said were the worst floods in the area in 180 years. Now, melting permafrost is believed to have caused one of the worst oil spills in Arctic history, after a diesel fuel reservoir at a power plant outside the Krasnoyarsk region city of Norilsk collapsed last Friday, turning a nearby river burnt red. “Of course we still need to do a full inspection — and I am demanding that foreign investigators be brought in as well — but it appears that melting permafrost caused this tragedy,” Sergei Shakhmatov, former deputy ecological minister for Krasnoyarsk and director of Russia’s Greens Party, told The Moscow Times by phone after touring the site of the spill Thursday. “This tragedy is serious,” he added. “I have never seen something of this scale before.”
On Thursday, Russia’s environmental watchdog said 15,000 metric tons of diesel fuel were released into the Ambarnaya River and 6,000 into the surrounding soil. The size of the disaster has been compared to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, when 37,000 metric tons of oil leaked off the coast of Alaska. The Investigative Committee has since opened three investigations into environmental pollution and violations of safety rules. But while experts say negligence is certainly at play, they emphasize that climate change is a major factor — and that it is high time for the authorities to begin taking adaptation measures seriously. “We’ve known what is happening for a long time — and knowing this, we need to conduct a review so we can better understand all of the risks for our infrastructure,” said Mikhail Yulkin, Director of the Center for Environmental Investment. As the world’s temperatures warm, Siberia is heating up at a much faster rate than the rest of the planet. That is causing the permafrost — what up until recently was permanently frozen packed ice and dirt — to melt. For Russia, the phenomenon poses a grave risk: much of the infrastructure for extracting the resources that drive the country’s economy sits atop the permafrost that covers two-thirds of the country. In a study published last year, researchers found that the value of buildings and infrastructure on Russian permafrost amounts to $300 billion. “People don’t comprehend the scale of this change, and our government is not even thinking about it,” Alexander Fedorov, deputy director of the Melnikov Permafrost Institute, told The New York Times last year.
news Siberia in Midst of Freak Heat Wave Read more
Yet not only has the process been going on for a long time, Yulkin noted that Russian authorities have long been aware of it. “Photos of crumbling buildings in places like Norilsk are no longer a novelty,” he said. Yulkin, who advises resource-rich regions like Siberia’s Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous district on how to adapt to melting permafrost, pointed to a 2017 report published by Russia’s state weather and environment service Roshydromet on the country’s climate risks — much of which was dedicated to melting permafrost. In retrospect, one line about the site of the recent oil spill disaster sticks out. “In Norilsk, the number of buildings damaged over the last 10 years turned out to be higher than over the previous 50 years,” the report reads. After last week’s spill, the Russian mining conglomerate Norilsk Nickel, which owns the fuel reservoir, said the tank was damaged when its supporting pillars began to sink. While the company said that the pillars had “held it in place for 30 years without difficulty,” its Chief Operating Officer Sergei Dyachenko acknowledged that melting permafrost was likely at play. “We believe that something happened in the ground,” he said Thursday. “Perhaps it was thawing.”


themoscowtimes--2020-06-05--Russia Says Has Stopped Spread of Arctic Fuel Spill

`` We have stopped the spread of the petroleum products , '' the spokeswoman for the taskforce in charge of the accident clean-up said .
Russia has managed to contain a massive diesel spill into a river in the Arctic , a spokeswoman for the emergencies ministry told AFP on Friday .
`` They are contained in all directions , they are not going anywhere now . ''
Environmentalists said the oil spill , which took place last Friday , was the worst such accident ever in the Arctic region .
The accident happened when a diesel reservoir collapsed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Norilsk .
It caused 15,000 tons of fuel to leak into a river and 6,000 tons into the soil , according to Russia 's state environmental watchdog .
The power plant is owned by a subsidiary of Russian metals giant Norilsk Nickel .
President Vladimir Putin has ordered a state of emergency to deal with the disaster and Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev flew in to manage the clean-up operation that currently involves around 100 people .
Zinichev was set to report back to Putin later Friday .
Greenpeace Russia said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a scale in the Arctic '' and comparable to the Exxon Valdez disaster off the coast of Alaska in 1989 .
The Ambarnaya River , which is affected by the spill , feeds into Lake Pyasino , a major body of water and the source of the Pyasina River that is vitally important to the entire Taimyr peninsula .
The clean-up operation placed oil containment booms in the Ambarnaya River to stop the diesel fuel going into the lake and was using special devices to skim off the fuel .
The emergencies ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop ( the spread ) thanks to the booms . ''
The ministry said Friday it had removed more than 200 tons of the fuel .
The spill also polluted 180,000 square meters of land before hitting the river , regional prosecutors said .

A national-level state of emergency was announced after 21,000 tons of diesel fuel spilled from a reservoir that collapsed last Friday outside Norilsk, polluting huge stretches of river in remote tundra with bright red patches visible from space.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said he expected metals giant Norilsk Nickel to fully restore the environment after an unprecedented Arctic fuel spill, as responders said they had managed to stop the slick from spreading further.
The metals giant, which owns the reservoir through a subsidiary, tried to contain the damage on its own for two days before specialists were called in from companies and agencies across Russia, the delay making Putin furious this week.
An emergency ministry spokeswoman told AFP on Friday that the spill had been contained and was not spreading any further.
Speaking with officials at the site by video call, Putin told Norilsk Nickel chief Vladimir Potanin he expected the company to pay for a comprehensive cleanup.
"It's necessary to carry out all the compensatory measures to restore biodiversity and the environment," he said, pointing out that had the company replaced the old reservoir, it would not be faced with such expenses now.
He said condition of all similar structures "should be carefully analyzed" in the country.
Potanin estimated that the operations would cost about 10 billion rubles ($146 million), on top of any fines.
"We will spend whatever is needed," said Potanin. "We will return the ecosystem back to normal."
Investigators are probing the accident on three different charges, and have arrested one person who works at the power plant where the reservoir is located.
Russia's environmental watchdog is calculating damage to the environment, its chief Svetlana Radionova said, calling the accident "unprecedented in scope."
Red river
Environmentalists said the oil spill was the worst such accident ever in the Arctic region and the second worst in modern Russian history.
The Ambarnaya River, which is affected by the spill, feeds into Lake Pyasino, a major body of water and the source of the Pyasina River that is vitally important to the entire Taimyr peninsula.
Satellite images released by the European Space Agency and Russia's Roscosmos show a large spot of reddish fuel had traveled over 20 kilometers (12 miles) toward the lake up the river, where the main cleanup effort was located.
Spill responders have managed to contain its spread with floating barriers to prevent it from reaching the lake, and are now scooping up the liquid, which will be stored in sealed tanks until the ground freezes in winter, Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev said.
The emergencies ministry said Friday it had removed more than 200 tons of the fuel.
But Russia's fisheries agency and some environmentalists have said that the barriers are unable to stop the majority of the pollution, which can quickly dissolve or sink.
The spill also polluted 180,000 square meters of land before hitting the river, regional prosecutors said.
The area has been pummelled by decades of pollution from metals production and other industrial activity in Norilsk, and World Wildlife Fund expert Alexei Knizhnikov said local residents, who include indigenous groups like the Nenets, have long since stopped fishing in the river.
Rivers around Norilsk, which is Russia's most polluted city, were previously colored red on several occasions because of accidents or runoff of substances from Norilsk Nickel's main plant.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-05--Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod to Allow E-Voting for Putin’s Constitutional Amendments

The vote was originally set for April 22 but was pushed back to July 1 due to the coronavirus .
The proposed changes to Russia 's Constitution would allow Putin — who has been in office either as president or prime minister since 1999 — to serve two more six-year terms without taking a break .
Moscow and central Russia ’ s Nizhny Novgorod region will be able to cast their votes online on a set of constitutional amendments that would allow President Vladimir Putin to extend his rule into the next decade , election officials said Thursday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has approved e-voting bids from Moscow and the Nizhny Novgorod region , rejecting bids from three other regions including St. Petersburg .
The e-voting system will be based on the technology used during the 2019 municipal elections in the Russian capital , Communications Minister Maksut Shadayev said according to the Kommersant business daily .
A French cryptographer said he was able to hack into the e-voting system ahead of last year 's vote , exposing a security breach in its protocol in 20 minutes .
“ It ’ s hard to believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way that all voters could trust its results , ” Vasily Vaisenberg , an expert at the Golos vote-monitoring NGO , told Kommersant .
The technology allows a maximum of 10 million voters to be casting ballots online at a time , according to CEC deputy chief Nikolai Bulayev .
Shadayev maintained that the system will be “ stable and reliable.
” Moscow plans to test the e-voting system sometime after next Friday .
Putin approved election law changes last month that allow Russians to vote online , prompting questions over whether the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote on the Constitution .
Observers have said that he expanded voting options , including e-voting and allowing early voting the day after Russia ’ s rescheduled Victory Day parade , to ensure high turnout .
Polls have shown a majority or close to a majority of Russians expressing willingness to vote in favor of the amendments , which in addition to resetting presidential term counts enshrine social guarantees .
Putin has seen his popularity fall to historic lows since he first introduced the package of amendments amid a sweeping government shake-up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his handling of the economic fallout from the coronavirus .

The vote was originally set for April 22 but was pushed back to July 1 due to the coronavirus. The proposed changes to Russia's Constitution would allow Putin — who has been in office either as president or prime minister since 1999 — to serve two more six-year terms without taking a break.
Moscow and central Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region will be able to cast their votes online on a set of constitutional amendments that would allow President Vladimir Putin to extend his rule into the next decade, election officials said Thursday.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) said it has approved e-voting bids from Moscow and the Nizhny Novgorod region, rejecting bids from three other regions including St. Petersburg.
The e-voting system will be based on the technology used during the 2019 municipal elections in the Russian capital, Communications Minister Maksut Shadayev said according to the Kommersant business daily. A French cryptographer said he was able to hack into the e-voting system ahead of last year's vote, exposing a security breach in its protocol in 20 minutes.
“It’s hard to believe that Moscow will conduct e-voting in a way that all voters could trust its results,” Vasily Vaisenberg, an expert at the Golos vote-monitoring NGO, told Kommersant.
The technology allows a maximum of 10 million voters to be casting ballots online at a time, according to CEC deputy chief Nikolai Bulayev. Shadayev maintained that the system will be “stable and reliable.”
Moscow plans to test the e-voting system sometime after next Friday.
Putin approved election law changes last month that allow Russians to vote online, prompting questions over whether the new rules will apply to the upcoming vote on the Constitution.
Observers have said that he expanded voting options, including e-voting and allowing early voting the day after Russia’s rescheduled Victory Day parade, to ensure high turnout. Polls have shown a majority or close to a majority of Russians expressing willingness to vote in favor of the amendments, which in addition to resetting presidential term counts enshrine social guarantees.
Putin has seen his popularity fall to historic lows since he first introduced the package of amendments amid a sweeping government shake-up in January, with public discontent brewing over his handling of the economic fallout from the coronavirus.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-05--Pro-Kremlin Outlets in the Crosshairs as Facebook Starts Labeling State Media

The move comes after Facebook faced scrutiny for failing to stem foreign interference in the 2016 U.S. election and amid heated debate over how the social network handles posts containing misinformation and inflammatory statements , including from U.S. President Donald Trump .
Facebook has started labeling media organizations whose editorial decisions may be under the influence of governments , including Russia , and said it will begin blocking ads from those outlets later this year .
The Kremlin-funded RT broadcaster and Sputnik news agency are among the outlets that will receive labels aimed at informing users about who owns the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RIA Novosti news agency , which together with Sputnik operates under the Rossiya Segodnya umbrella , has also received the label .
RT and Sputnik had registered as foreign agents in the years after the 2016 U.S. presidential election .
A U.S. intelligence report described the outlets as arms of “ Russia ’ s state-run propaganda machine ” that contributed to election interference measures including hacking and an influence campaign on social media .
An RT spokeswoman described Facebook ’ s decision to CNBC as “ the definition of a technological dictatorship ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very ‘ fake news ’ that Facebook is supposedly trying to combat.
” As part of its efforts to protect the 2020 U.S. election , Facebook announced plans in October to begin flagging state-controlled media outlets and content “ that has been rated false or partly false by a third-party fact-checker.
” '' We believe people should know if the news they read is coming from a publication that may be under the influence of a government , '' Facebook cybersecurity policy head Nathaniel Gleicher said in a blog post Thursday .
Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labels to ads by such news outlets , blocking them entirely ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November `` to provide an extra layer of protection against various types of foreign influence in the public debate , '' according to Gleicher .
Facebook 's definition of state-controlled media includes influence over editorial content as well as financial backing of outlets , he explained .
Labels will appear globally in Facebook 's advertising library and on pages .
In the U.S. , labels will also appear on posts in News Feeds at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` If we determine that there are enough protections in place to ensure editorial independence , we will not apply the label , '' Gleicher said .
Facebook said it consulted `` more than 65 experts around the world specializing in media , governance , and human rights and development '' to establish its policy on state media .
YouTube began in early 2018 identifying channels predominantly carrying news items that are wholly or partly funded by national governments , to help viewers make informed decisions .
By mid-2019 , the Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26 Russian channels , some of which were accused of spreading disinformation .

The move comes after Facebook faced scrutiny for failing to stem foreign interference in the 2016 U.S. election and amid heated debate over how the social network handles posts containing misinformation and inflammatory statements, including from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Facebook has started labeling media organizations whose editorial decisions may be under the influence of governments, including Russia, and said it will begin blocking ads from those outlets later this year.
The Kremlin-funded RT broadcaster and Sputnik news agency are among the outlets that will receive labels aimed at informing users about who owns the entities, CNBC reported Thursday.
The RIA Novosti news agency, which together with Sputnik operates under the Rossiya Segodnya umbrella, has also received the label.
RT and Sputnik had registered as foreign agents in the years after the 2016 U.S. presidential election. A U.S. intelligence report described the outlets as arms of “Russia’s state-run propaganda machine” that contributed to election interference measures including hacking and an influence campaign on social media.
An RT spokeswoman described Facebook’s decision to CNBC as “the definition of a technological dictatorship” and “a prime example of the very ‘fake news’ that Facebook is supposedly trying to combat.”
As part of its efforts to protect the 2020 U.S. election, Facebook announced plans in October to begin flagging state-controlled media outlets and content “that has been rated false or partly false by a third-party fact-checker.”
"We believe people should know if the news they read is coming from a publication that may be under the influence of a government," Facebook cybersecurity policy head Nathaniel Gleicher said in a blog post Thursday.
Facebook later this year will begin adding similar labels to ads by such news outlets, blocking them entirely ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November "to provide an extra layer of protection against various types of foreign influence in the public debate," according to Gleicher.
Facebook's definition of state-controlled media includes influence over editorial content as well as financial backing of outlets, he explained.
Labels will appear globally in Facebook's advertising library and on pages. In the U.S., labels will also appear on posts in News Feeds at the leading social network, according to Gleicher.
"If we determine that there are enough protections in place to ensure editorial independence, we will not apply the label," Gleicher said.
Facebook said it consulted "more than 65 experts around the world specializing in media, governance, and human rights and development" to establish its policy on state media.
YouTube began in early 2018 identifying channels predominantly carrying news items that are wholly or partly funded by national governments, to help viewers make informed decisions. By mid-2019, the Google company had added the state-funding disclaimer to 26 Russian channels, some of which were accused of spreading disinformation.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.