themoscowtimes--2020-05-17--Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 17

There have been 281,752 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 2,631 deaths .
As the deadly coronavirus pandemic continues to spread , Russia has gradually become the world 's second most-infected country .
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia as of May 17 .
`` Every three days we will send out 70,000 invitations to Moscow residents '' to have their blood drawn at clinics , he said .
— Clinics in Moscow , the epicenter of Russia 's coronavirus epidemic , will begin mass random testing of residents for coronavirus antibodies on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and voluntary testing will `` show the real picture '' of the epidemic 's stage , since many people may have had the virus without knowing it , Sergei Sobyanin told state television .
— Education and Science Minister Valery Falkov was diagnosed with coronavirus , President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting , making him the fourth minister to catch the virus .
During the meeting , Falkov said he has already recovered and returned to work .
`` Over the past weeks , all our efforts have been aimed first and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemic , '' Putin said in a televised videoconference with scientists and officials .
`` The situation is changing now , and this gives us an opportunity to once again focus on our current and long-term agenda . ''
— President Vladimir Putin said the coronavirus outbreak was easing in Russia , after daily confirmed cases dropped back below 10,000 .
— Russia confirmed 9,974 new coronavirus infections Thursday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 252,245 .
— Yandex will end its free coronavirus testing program , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has carried out 20,000 of the free tests since the program began on April 20 .
— The Russian Premier League 's season will resume June 21 , the Russian Football Union ( RFU ) said Friday .
The matches , which have been suspended since March 17 , will be held without spectators .
— Russia confirmed 10,598 new coronavirus infections Friday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 262,843 .
— Russia confirmed 9,200 new coronavirus infections Saturday , bringing the country ’ s official number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowing of new cases .
— Russia confirmed 9,709 new coronavirus infections Sunday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 281,752 .
— More than 13,000 people in Dagestan have contracted the coronavirus or community-acquired pneumonia ( CAP ) , the region ’ s health minister said Sunday .
A total of 657 people have died from Covid-19 or CAP , including 40 doctors , he added .
According to official statistics , there have been 3,371 coronavirus infections and just 29 deaths from Covid-19 in the region .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia is stabilizing , Anna Popova , the head of public health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said Sunday , as the daily tally fell under 10,000 for the third day this week .
“ We ’ ve moved towards the level of stability that we ’ ve all been waiting for ..
I would say that as of today , we have halted the growth , ” she told the state television channel Rossiya-1 .
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More than 60 % of deaths among Moscow ’ s coronavirus patients are not being counted toward the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , city health officials said Wednesday .
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Clinics in Moscow , the epicenter of Russia 's coronavirus epidemic , will begin mass random testing of residents for coronavirus antibodies on Friday , the mayor said .
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Russia confirmed 9,709 new coronavirus infections Sunday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 281,752 .
Russia now has the world 's second-highest number of coronavirus infections .
Sunday 's statistics prompted the head of Russia 's public health watchdog to say the spread of the virus had stabilized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today and support the only independent , English-language news outlet reporting within Russia .
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— Russia confirmed 10,028 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s official number of cases to 242,271 .
— More than 60 % of deaths among Moscow ’ s coronavirus patients are not being counted toward the city ’ s official virus death toll , city health officials said Wednesday .
— Russian low-cost airline Pobeda will resume its domestic flights on June 1 after suspending all its flights in late March , the RBC news website reported .
— Russia ’ s oldest coronavirus patient , 100-year-old Pelageya Poyarkova , has fully recovered from the illness , the Federal Biomedical Agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia might not see its pre-coronavirus levels of tourism return until January 2021 , officials said Tuesday .
— State Duma deputy Oksana Pushkina has tested positive for the coronavirus , she said .
— Nearly 1,500 doctors and healthcare workers in St. Petersburg have been infected with coronavirus since the epidemic began , Governor Alexander Beglov said .
— Russia confirmed 10,899 new coronavirus infections Tuesday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 232,243 .
— President Vladimir Putin has eased Russia ’ s “ non-working ” period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even as Russia emerges as Europe ’ s new coronavirus hotspot .
— Five people died in a fire in a hospital for coronavirus patients in Russia 's second-largest city of St. Petersburg , with some victims attached to ventilators , officials said .
— President Vladimir Putin ’ s spokesman Dmitry Peskov has been hospitalized with coronavirus , he told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency Tuesday .
— Starting today , Moscow residents will be required to wear face masks and gloves in all public places .
— Russian pharmacy chains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Kommersant business daily .
— Russia confirmed 11,656 new coronavirus infections Monday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 221,344 and marking a new one-day record increase .
— Russia 's second-largest city , St. Petersburg , has extended its coronvirus lockdown until May 31 and will require its residents to wear face masks and gloves in public starting May 12 .
— Russia has conducted more than 5.6 million coronavirus tests , its state consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said , or about 188,000 tests per day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections Sunday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 209,688 .
— Russia confirmed 10,817 new coronavirus infections Saturday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 198,676 .
— President Vladimir Putin called for Russians to stand together on Saturday as the country marked the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II on lockdown over the virus .
`` We know and firmly believe that we are invincible when we stand together , '' Putin said in a televised speech after plans for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Red Square had to be postponed because of the pandemic .
— Moscow 's coronavirus lockdown has been extended until May 31 , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
Starting May 12 , Moscow residents will be required to wear face masks and gloves in all public places and transport , Sobyanin said .
— One person died after a fire broke out in a hospital treating coronavirus patients in northern Moscow , forcing an evacuation , emergencies officials said Saturday .
— Russia confirmed 10,699 new coronavirus infections Friday , bringing the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 187,859 .
Russia is now the fifth most-affected country in terms of infections , surpassing Germany and France on Thursday .
— Russia 's coronavirus lockdown could stay in place until a coronavirus vaccine is developed or until the pandemic ends , said Anna Popova , the head of Russia 's consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor .
— Hundreds of thousands of Moscow ’ s rapid antibody tests labeled as Dutch-made are unreliable at detecting the coronavirus in its early stages , meaning patients who receive false negatives could potentially infect others , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed 11,231 new coronavirus infections Thursday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 177,160 and marking a new one-day record rise in infections .
— The real number of coronavirus infections in Moscow is likely around 300,000 , Sobyanin said .
Officially , the city has 92,676 cases .
— “ I don ’ t want to say this , but we need to prepare for a long period surrounding the spread of the epidemic and the danger of infection .
Such is reality , sadly , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
— Leonid Fedun , the billionaire energy tycoon who co-founded Lukoil and owns FC Spartak Moscow , has been hospitalized with coronavirus .
— Russia confirmed 10,559 new coronavirus infections Wednesday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 165,929 .
— Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova has tested positive for the coronavirus , becoming the third Russian cabinet official to become infected with the virus after construction minister Vladimir Yakushev and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin .
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said stay-at-home restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but companies involved in industry and construction would be allowed to return to work that day .
— Moscow residents could be required to wear face masks in all public spaces as early as next week , the Kommersant business daily reported .
— Russian prosecutors have shot down online conspiracy theories about the coronavirus ’ manmade origins as fake , the Prosecutor General 's Office said in a statement Wednesday .
— Moscow has conducted 1 million coronavirus tests since the start of its outbreak , the city 's coronavirus task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rakova .
More than 40,000 tests are carried out daily .
Nationwide , 4.4 million tests have been carried out .
— Russia confirmed 10,102 new coronavirus infections Tuesday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 155,370 .
— Three Russian journalists have died from the coronavirus , the head of Russia 's Journalists Union told Interfax .
More than 100 have been hospitalized with the virus and more than 500 are self-isolating at home under the supervision of health services .
— Russia has sent medical research supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republic of the Congo to help the African country fight the coronavirus , Interfax reported .
— Russia confirmed 10,581 new coronavirus infections Monday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 145,268 .
— Authorities in St. Petersburg have pledged to pay compensation to doctors who become infected with the coronavirus — but only after an investigation establishes their level of responsibility for getting it , according to newly adopted rules .
— Bosnia denied entry to a team of 24 Russian military medical experts who had come to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
— Starting May 8 , all individuals flying from Moscow to Beijing will be required to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test received 120 hours or less before departure .
— Sergei Bebenin , the speaker of the Leningrad region 's parliament , has been infected with coronavirus , Interfax reported .
— Russia has removed its ban on the export of medical masks and respirators , Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov told the state-run Rossia 1 news channel .
He said there is no shortage of masks or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — The Russian National Guard said it is using drones and a helicopter to enforce self-isolation rules in Moscow and the Moscow region over the May holidays .
The drones and helicopter will send information about violations to officers on the ground , who will then issue fines to violators .
— Russia confirmed 10,633 new coronavirus infections Sunday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 134,687 and marking a new one-day record increase .
— Russia confirmed 9,623 new coronavirus infections Saturday , bringing the country ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marking a new one-day record increase .
— About 2 % of Moscow residents — or more than 250,000 people — have the coronavirus , the mayor of the Russian capital said on Saturday , citing test results .
Around 2,000 Moscow doctors have either recovered from or are currently ill with Covid-19 , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
— Russia confirmed 7,933 new coronavirus infections Friday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 114,431 and marking a new one-day record increase .
— Half of Moscow ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative for the virus , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Thursday amid questions over the accuracy of Russia ’ s tests .
— Eight refrigerated containers to store the bodies of deceased coronavirus patients have been installed at hospitals in St. Petersburg , the local Fontanka.ru news website reported .
The city 's health department told Fontanka that the containers are n't being used yet and are a precautionary step in case the number of deaths rises .
— Russia could possibly tighten its coronavirus lockdown after May 11 if residents do n't follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , consumer protection watchdog head Anna Popova said .
— Moscow is setting up 44 temporary hospitals which will treat up to 10,000 coronavirus patients , deputy mayor Pyotr Biryukov said .
— Russia confirmed 7,099 new coronavirus infections Thursday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 106,498 and marking a new one-day record increase .
— Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has been diagnosed with coronavirus , he said during a video meeting with President Vladimir Putin broadcast on the state-run Rossiya 24 television channel Thursday .
— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guard have contracted coronavirus , the defense force said .
— Residents of the Moscow region will soon be required to wear masks in public places , the governor of the region surrounding the capital said .
— The opening of Russia 's new Orthodox mega-cathedral dedicated to the Armed Forces has been indefinitely postponed due to the coronavirus , Interfax reported .
The cathedral was originally scheduled to open to mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over the Nazis on May 9 .
— Russia confirmed 5,841 new coronavirus infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official number of cases to 99,399 .
— More than 1,000 Russian military personnel have tested positive for coronavirus , the Defense Ministry said .
— Moscow will start constructing temporary hospitals that will hold a total of 10,000 beds for coronavirus patients , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
— Russia will allow its nationals who hold second passports to leave the country amid the coronavirus outbreak , according to a government decree issued Wednesday .
— Konstantin Malofeyev , the billionaire often referred to as Russia 's `` Orthodox tycoon , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Russia has indefinitely extended its entry ban for foreigners , which was originally set to end May 1 , Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said .
— A group suspected of attempting to sell 100 counterfeit ventilators used to treat coronavirus patients have been detained after an armed confrontation outside Moscow , news outlets reported Wednesday .
— Russia confirmed 6,411 new coronavirus infections Tuesday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 93,558 and marking a new one-day record increase .
— President Vladimir Putin has extended the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Russia continued to see sharp daily rises in new coronavirus infections in recent days .
Moscow 's coronavirus lockdown has also been extended until May 11 .
— Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has ordered the federal consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor to draft a coronavirus lockdown exit strategy for the country by Wednesday .
— More than 270 Federal Penitentiary Service ( FSIN ) workers have contracted the coronavirus , the Russian prison authority said .
Its press service said that 40 inmates have tested positive for the virus nationwide .
— A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sergius monastery in Sergiev Posad who was diagnosed with coronavirus died on Sunday two days after he escaped from the hospital and attempted to take his own life , the monastery said .
Following media reports that the priest had set himself on fire , Russian Orthodox Church archpriest Leonid Kalinin told the Govorit Moskva radio station that the 90 % of the priest 's body was covered in burns .
— Russia confirmed 6,198 new coronavirus infections Monday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 87,147 .
Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world 's ninth most-affected country amid the pandemic .
— Russia 's coronavirus lockdown measures may be gradually lightened as soon as May 12 depending on how well people comply with the measures until then , the head of the federal consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said .
— Russian doctors mistrustful of official coronavirus data have launched an unofficial list of their colleagues who have died from the virus .
— The republic of Karelia in northern Russia will create an interactive map of the places where confirmed coronavirus patients in the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house numbers , in order for the region 's residents to avoid these places , its head Artur Parfenchikov wrote .
— The Immortal Regiment , an annual tradition in which millions of people in Russia parade with portraits of relatives who fought in World War II , will take place in an online video broadcast this year as the coronavirus has canceled Victory Day events .
— The head of a Siberian hospital repurposed for coronavirus patients is in critical condition after she fell from the hospital building following a conference call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday .
— President Vladimir Putin is not waiting out the coronavirus pandemic in a bunker , his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said .
— The Nizhny Novgorod region will ban entry into the region unless one has an emergency work permit or proof of residence there , its governor said .
The region has Russia 's fourth-highest number of coronavirus cases , after Moscow , the Moscow region and St. Petersburg .
— Nearly 50 employees at the Mariinsky Hospital in St. Petersburg have tested positive for coronavirus , the local Fontanka.ru news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital will only treat patients with coronavirus , with all other patients transferred to other hospitals .
— At least 874 Russian troops tested positive for Covid-19 between March and April 26 , 19 of whom are in critical or serious condition , the Defense Ministry said .
— Russia confirmed 6,361 new coronavirus infections Sunday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 80,949 and marking the highest one-day increase so far .
Overall , 747 people have been killed by the virus .
— In St. Petersburg , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , officials confirmed .
— Two Russian lawmakers — Leonid Kalashnikov and Dmitry Novikov , both of the Communist Party — have been infected with the coronavirus and are being treated in hospital .
They are the first positive Covid-19 cases to be confirmed from among Russia ’ s 450-seat State Duma .
— Authorities in Russia 's western exclave of Kaliningrad will end the region 's coronavirus lockdown for most residents starting April 29 , Governor Anton Alikhanov said , making it the first Russian region to do so .
Nonessential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ salons and hairdressers will re-open on May 4 .
All residents will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing in public .
— Moscow authorities will not ease the city 's self-isolation orders during the May holidays which include Labor Day and Victory Day , the mayor 's office said .
Meanwhile , the head of Russia ’ s consumer health watchdog argued self-isolation should be extended by at least another two weeks , until the middle of May .
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said he has asked Russia 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fourth- and fifth-year medical students to help treat coronavirus patients .
— More than 40 % of Moscow 's health system is now being used in the city 's fight against coronavirus , deputy mayor for social development Anastasia Rakova said .
— All of Moscow 's doctors and nurses will take an express test to detect the presence of coronavirus antibodies and test their immunity to the virus , Rakova told reporters .
— Russia confirmed 4,774 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 62,773 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the virus in Russia .
— Vladislav Filev , the owner of Russian carrier S7 Airlines , has predicted that international air traffic which has been largely halted due to the pandemic will resume in April 2021 .
— Russia will temporarily suspend deportations of foreigners over the next two months due to the coronavirus outbreak , the Interior Ministry said Thursday .
— More than 100,000 pregnant women will be unable to undergo medical abortions in Moscow because of restrictions during the coronavirus outbreak , the women ’ s rights organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Center has said .
— Russia ’ s Labor Ministry has ordered mental health facilities and nursing homes to quarantine residents and employees for two weeks in a move to fight the coronavirus outbreak , the state-run TASS news agency reported .
— Staff in the neurological department of the Lyubertsy Regional Hospital near Moscow have asked the FSB to investigate the hospital 's administration .
According to the staffers , 52 doctors have been infected with coronavirus due to management 's actions .
— A hospital in the Chelyabinsk region city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients and staff became infected with coronavirus , the region 's governor said .
He added that the outbreak happened as a result of `` a procedural error in providing medical assistance to one of the patients . ''
— Russia confirmed 5,236 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 57,999 .
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin warned that the regions ’ hospitals risk running out of beds within three to four weeks at current rates of infection .
— At least 21 Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week after coronavirus-hit Moscow enacted its system to enforce lockdown measures and slow the deadly outbreak , the Communications and Press Ministry said Wednesday .
— The lives of thousands of Russian patients with rare diseases are in danger because the country ’ s hospitals are being repurposed to address the coronavirus outbreak , the Kommersant business daily reported Wednesday .
— The authors of Russia ’ s delayed domestic abuse law have asked the government to take emergency steps to protect victims during the coronavirus quarantine , the RBC news website reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the holy month of Ramadan , Ravil Gainutdin , the chairman of the Council of Muftis which represents Russia ’ s Muslim community , said on live television .
— The Khabarovsk region in Russia 's Far East has become the third region to require residents to wear face masks in public , following the Amur region and the republic of Tatarstan .
— Russia confirmed 5,642 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 57,999 .
— A new Moscow hospital built in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus patients has admitted its first 20 patients , the Moscow mayor ’ s office said Tuesday as the Russian capital continues to battle an onslaught of new cases .
— A number of unidentified African countries have asked Russia to assist them in the fight against coronavirus , Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry said .
— Authorities in Moscow will start monitoring the movements of all people showing coronavirus symptoms using their cellphone geolocation data .
The city was already tracking the movements of confirmed coronavirus patients who are self-isolating at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yelokhovo Cathedral , Archpriest Alexander Ageykin , has reportedly died from coronavirus .
His death marks the highest-level coronavirus-related death within the Russian Orthodox Church .
— Russian tech giant Yandex said that it will offer free coronavirus tests to everyone in Moscow as the city grapples with a rapid rise in infections .
— Russia confirmed 4,268 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 47,121 .
— The Russian military will quarantine everyone involved in rehearsals for Russia ’ s postponed Victory Day Parade , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some participants have tested positive for the coronavirus .
—Around 500 demonstrators gathered in the southern Russian city of Vladikavkaz to protest against job losses and lack of information about the coronavirus outbreak , the MBKh News website reported Monday .
— Russians should stop coming to Crimea during the coronavirus pandemic , its Moscow-backed leader said Monday after a surge in traffic to the annexed peninsula this weekend .
— Russia has extended visas and other temporary residence permits for foreigners from March 15 to June 15 during the coronavirus pandemic that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Putin ’ s act bans authorities from canceling visas and work permits , as well as from deporting and denying people refugee and temporary asylum status until June 15 .
— Russia says it has so far carried out over 2 million tests nationwide .
— Authorities in Moscow are investigating the death of a woman on a bench outside her home on the day she was discharged after testing negative for the coronavirus .
— Dozens of patients and staff have been infected with the coronavirus at a psychiatric hospital in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — More than half of 149 overall Covid-19 cases in central Russia ’ s Sverdlovsk region are concentrated in one hospital in the regional capital of Yekaterinburg , governor Yevgeny Kuyvashev said .
City hospital No .
1 was placed under quarantine after 78 of its doctors and patients tested positive for the virus , Kuyvashev said on social media .
Most of them are asymptomatic , he added , while one patient is in critical condition .
— Russia confirmed 6,060 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s official number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest one-day record in new cases .
— Millions of Russians celebrated Orthodox Easter amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Russian Patriarch Kirill , who leads 150 million believers , held a service in Moscow 's Christ the Savior Church without worshippers .
President Vladimir Putin did not go to a service as usual but visited a chapel at his country residence .
— Russia confirmed 4,785 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 36,793 and marking the latest one-day record in new cases .
— Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country ’ s official number of cases to 32,008 and marking the latest one-day record in new cases .
— President Vladimir Putin postponed a landmark military parade to mark the 75th anniversary of Soviet victory in World War II .
— Moscow , the epicenter of Russia ’ s coronavirus outbreak , will begin treating respiratory infections as Covid-19 as the disease shows no signs of slowing down , a senior city official has said .
— The Russian government has authorized hospitals to treat coronavirus patients with the untested Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked to deadly side effects .
— Russian national carrier Aeroflot has closed ticket sales for all international flights until Aug. 1 , the Kommersant business daily reported .
— About half of Russia 's coronavirus cases are asymptomatic , the head of consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said .
— St. Petersburg can expect to see anywhere from 40,000 to 120,000 coronavirus cases by June depending on how closely residents follow lockdown orders , Alexei Borovkov , a member of the city 's coronavirus task force , has said .
The city has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia 's Emergency Situations Ministry has advised against wearing face masks for regular trips outside , recommending their use only in crowded places , on public transport or when caring for a sick person .
— Russia confirmed 3,448 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 27,938 and marking the fifth consecutive one-day record in new cases .
— Russian tech giant Yandex will start delivering coronavirus tests to the homes of Moscow residents aged 65 and older .
The first 10,000 tests will be delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the test delivery service will later be expanded to all age groups .
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin signed a decree to provide the city 's doctors with free taxi rides to and from work , as well as free hotel accommodation , during the coronavirus outbreak .
— Moscow authorities said they have switched to random checks of public transit passengers ' quarantine passes rather than checking each person 's pass after large queues formed outside metro stations during rush hour Wednesday .
— President Vladimir Putin believes the global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country to work together with the United States , the Kremlin said .
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday offered to send ventilators to Russia .
— One-third of all coronavirus infections in the Leningrad region are concentrated in a crowded hostel that houses migrant workers involved in construction at an IKEA-owned shopping mall , local media reported .
— Russia confirmed 3,388 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 24,490 and marking the latest one-day record in new cases .
— Russian officials denounced U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut Washington ’ s funding to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov calling the move a “ very selfish approach ” and “ very disturbing.
” — President Vladimir Putin announced a new package of measures to support Russia ’ s businesses hit by the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday .
— Muscovites complained of large queues outside metro stations and severe traffic jams on the first day of the city ’ s mandatory digital lockdown passes , prompting concern that the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' associations have asked Putin to postpone Russia 's annual Victory Day parade in Moscow , which is set for May 9 , due to the coronavirus situation .
This year 's celebrations mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany .
— Russia 's coronavirus information center will be headed by doctor and television presenter Alexander Myasnikov , BBC Russia reported .
Myasnikov previously predicted that it would be `` impossible '' for the virus to spread to Russia .
— The Murmansk region will use electronic bracelets to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home and people suspected of having the coronavirus , the investigative Novaya Gazeta newspaper reported .
— The head of Moscow 's main coronavirus hospital has recovered from the virus two weeks after he tested positive .
— Russia confirmed 2,774 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 21,102 and marking a one-day record in new cases .
— Moscow could face a shortage of hospital beds for coronavirus patients in the next two to three weeks , the city 's health department warned .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be converted to accommodate coronavirus patients , bringing the total number of beds to 21,000 .
Moscow has 13,002 coronavirus cases as of Tuesday .
— Moscow rejected 900,000 applications for digital lockdown passes in the passes ' first day of operation due to residents entering incorrect or inaccurate information , the city 's coronavirus response center said .
The city issued 3.2 million passes for residents to leave their homes on Monday .
— Nine doctors at a hospital in the Moscow region have been infected with coronavirus , the RBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had complained that the hospital does n't isolate patients suspected of having coronavirus and that there 's a shortage of personal protective equipment .
— A lack of aid for Moscow ’ s small and medium businesses hit by the coronavirus lockdown will lead to mass starvation and widespread protests , opposition lawmakers reportedly warned Mayor Sergei Sobyanin .
— A group of liberal Russian economists called on the government to send cash payments to the public in order to avoid an economic crisis caused by the coronavirus , the RBC news website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start checking all cars entering the city for digital lockdown passes starting Wednesday .
— Russia confirmed 2,558 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 18,328 and marking the latest one-day record in new cases .
— Moscow introduced its digital pass system to allow residents to leave their homes this week .
Traffic police have also been deployed at all city entry points to control movement and ask drivers why they ’ re entering the Russian capital during the coronavirus lockdown , according to state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia is worsening and the next few weeks will be `` decisive '' for the country , President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin .
— China 's northeastern Heilongjiang province has tightened its border controls to prevent new coronavirus infections from neighboring Russia , Bloomberg reported .
A growing number of Chinese nationals have returned from Russia with the virus , threatening a new outbreak in the country where the pandemic originated .
— The Russian Orthodox Church 's St. Petersburg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to close their Holy Week and Easter services to the public and broadcast services online .
— Russian Railways will indefinitely suspend free long-distance rail travel for World War II veterans to encourage over-65s to stay home .
The free travel offer had been introduced ahead of the 75th anniversary of Victory Day in May .
— More than 500 Russian writers , publishers and bookstores have signed an open letter asking the government to provide support to the book industry after the coronavirus lockdown shuttered bookstores across the .
country .
— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases up to 15,770 and marking a one-day record in new cases .
— More than half of China 's coronavirus infections reported on Sunday originated from a Russian flight to Shanghai the day before , a potential sign of the severity of Russia 's outbreak , Bloomberg reported .
So far this month , China ’ s northeastern Heilongjiang province has reported more than 100 infections imported from Russia through its land borders .
— Russia confirmed 1,667 new coronavirus infections on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official number of cases up to 13,584 and marking a slight decrease in infections from the previous day .
— Russia confirmed 1,786 new coronavirus infections , bringing its official number of cases up to 11,917 and marking a new record one-day increase .
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced additional lockdown measures from April 13-19 in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus , with all nonessential business and activity suspended .
Grocery stores and pharmacies will stay open , and only the government , hospitals , protective gear manufacturers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All construction and maintenance work is suspended , as are car-sharing services .
— In a statement Friday , Sobyanin also said that Moscow will gradually introduce a digital pass system to enforce lockdown rules starting April 14 .
— Moscow ’ s health department has warned the city ’ s clinics that many coronavirus tests return false negative results , the Kommersant business daily reported .
— President Vladimir Putin spoke with U.S. counterpart Donald Trump for the third time in two weeks , discussing the coronavirus pandemic and global oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambulance service are working at peak capacity after a sharp rise in those hospitalized with serious coronavirus complications , a senior city official said Friday .
— A detention center east of Moscow has been placed under lockdown after the alleged death of one of its inspectors from coronavirus , the Mash Telegram channel reported .
— The Russian Orthodox Church has advised worshippers to pray at home during the Holy Week and Easter , the Church 's most important holidays .
— Russia 's number of coronavirus cases surpassed 10,000 as new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus infections , bringing the total number of cases up to 10,131 and marking a new record one-day increase .
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has temporarily banned Muscovites from visiting the city 's cemeteries except for those attending funerals .
— The health minister of Russia 's northwestern republic of Komi has resigned after the remote region became one of the country 's hotspots for the coronavirus .
— Moscow is planning to track foreign tourists ' movements through smartphone geolocation for coronavirus prevention after Russia reopens its national borders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coronavirus patients in Moscow have started to receive blood plasma transfusions from recovered patients , the city 's deputy mayor for social development said .
Blood plasma from coronavirus survivors has been found to help current patients recover from the virus .
— Russia 's consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnazdor said that more than 1 million coronavirus tests have been carried out across the country .
— Russia confirmed 1,175 new coronavirus cases , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases up to 8,672 and marking a new record one-day increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government to automatically renew documents for Russian citizens , including passports and driver 's licenses , for as long as the coronavirus situation persists .
Speaking at a televised conference , he also ordered the government to create a business support program within five days and said doctors will receive a monthly bonus while dealing with the pandemic .
— Moscow police will now be able to directly issue fines to residents who violate lockdown orders , according to an agreement between the Interior Ministry and the city government .
— Russia has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 30 countries , Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a meeting of the government 's coronavirus task force .
— Russian Railways will reduce the number of Sapsan high-speed trains between Moscow and St. Petersburg to four per day in each direction amid reduced demand due to the coronavirus .
— The airport in Grozny , the capital of Russia 's republic of Chechnya , will require all passengers arriving from Moscow to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test starting April 11 .
— Moscow City Duma deputy Mikhail Timonov has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had attended city council meetings as recently as April 1 , when it voted to impose fines on Muscovites who violate lockdown orders .
— Russia confirmed 1,154 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s number of cases up to 7,497 and marking a new record one-day increase in infections .
— The head of a top Russian research center told Putin that his lab was ready to start human trials of experimental coronavirus vaccines in June .
— Putin has asked health experts whether it would be possible to end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sooner than planned .
He originally declared a `` non-working '' week from March 28 to April 5 , then extended the period until April 30 .
During the meeting , he added that the peak of the coronavirus epidemic in Russia has n't passed yet .
— The head doctor at Moscow 's Davydovsky hospital , Yelena Vasiliyeva , has tested positive for coronavirus , the Mash Telegram channel reported .
Because she continued to work and attend conferences while waiting for the test results , more than 500 patients and doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now self-quarantining and getting tested for the virus .
— Russia 's largest business associations have called on the government to introduce a sweeping package of measures to support employers amid the coronavirus lockdown .
In a letter to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin , firms asked the government to cover two-thirds of employees ' salaries for those who can not work due to the shutdown .
— Russia has conducted more than 795,000 coronavirus tests so far , the federal consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said .
— Russia confirmed 954 new coronavirus infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 6,343 and marking a new record one-day increase .
— Russia will send $ 1 million to the World Health Organization to help in the fight against coronavirus , according to a decree signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin .
— Three Russian Orthodox priests in Moscow have been hospitalized with coronavirus , the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported .
Two other priests are showing symptoms of the virus but their diagnosis has n't been confirmed .
— It is `` unacceptable '' for Russia 's regions to close their borders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mishustin said at a meeting with regional envoys after the republic of Chechnya sealed off its borders .
The Kremlin also called such measures `` excessive . ''
— Russia 's health watchdog Rosdravnadzor has developed an `` express '' coronavirus test that can test at 94 % accuracy within 40 minutes , the Industry and Trade Ministry said .
— Three regions of Russia — the Irkutsk region , Tomsk region and Krasnoyarsk region — have begun ordering all people arriving from Moscow and St. Petersburg to self-isolate for two weeks in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
— Russia confirmed 658 new coronavirus infections , bringing the official number of cases to 5,389 .
Forty-five people have been killed by the virus in Russia .
The majority of new cases were in Moscow , where Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the risk of the coronavirus spreading is the highest in the country .
The capital accounts for 87 % of all confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia .
— President Vladimir Putin announced an extension of the nationwide “ non-working week ” until April 30 after the country registered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added that he would delegate the decisionmaking power on anti-coronavirus measures to regional authorities .
— Russia will halt flights returning its nationals from abroad after midnight Saturday , Interfax cited an unnamed source at an unnamed airline as saying .
Domodedovo , one of Moscow ’ s four international airports , has shut down its international flights board , according to the state-run TASS news agency .
— Russia has sent military medics and equipment to Serbia , the latest country Moscow is helping to fight the global coronavirus pandemic as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that the city will hold off on introducing a QR code pass system to enforce movements under quarantine and extended the quarantine until May 1 .
He said city authorities would reconsider implementing the system if the coronavirus situation worsens or the number of self-isolation violations rises .
— Moscow residents may now only ride together in a private vehicle if they live at the same address , Moscow City Duma speaker Alexei Shaposhnikov said .
— Anastasia Vasiliyeva , the head of the Doctors ’ Alliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny , was detained overnight in the Nizhny Novgorod region .
She and other members of the union were there to donate protective gear to doctors fighting the coronavirus , the union tweeted .
— Russia confirmed 771 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases up to 3,548 and marking a record one-day increase in infections .
— Sobyanin signed a law imposing fines on Muscovites found to be violating the city 's self-isolation orders .
Individuals will be fined up to 4,000 rubles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and up to 5,000 rubles ( $ 63 ) for repeat offenses .
Businesses will be fined up to 40,000 rubles ( $ 500 ) for violating the order .
Legal entities will be fined up to 300,000 rubles ( $ 3,800 ) for first-time offenses and up to 500,000 rubles ( $ 6,300 ) for repeat offenses .
— The United States purchased medical supplies from Russia to battle the deadly coronavirus outbreak in the country , the State Department said , contradicting the Kremlin 's description of the shipment as humanitarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public or reschedule its annual parade in Red Square that commemorates the Soviet victory in World War II due to the coronavirus pandemic , the RBC news website reported .
— The Nizhny Novgorod region has launched a QR code pass system to allow residents to leave their homes for essential reasons .
Moscow has announced it is developing a similar pass system for its 12 million residents but has n't launched it yet .
— One of Moscow ’ s leading cancer hospitals , the Blokhin Cancer Center , has stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the department 's medics tested positive for coronavirus .
All of the chemotherapy department 's employees have been quarantined and its patients are under special supervision , the hospital said .
— Russia 's state statistics service Rosstat has said it may postpone this year 's census until 2021 due to the coronavirus .
— Putin signed legislation imposing severe punishment — including up to five years in prison — for people convicted of spreading false information about the coronavirus .
The legislation also imposes punishments for people breaking coronavirus quarantine rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison .
— Russia confirmed 440 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases up to 2,777 .
— Russia has earmarked almost $ 18 billion to battle the coronavirus pandemic , Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told President Vladimir Putin during a televised video conference with his cabinet .
— Moscow authorities have developed a QR code system to allow residents to leave their homes as well as a smartphone app to monitor coronavirus patients ’ movement in self-isolation , the city ’ s IT chief said Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — President Vladimir Putin is now practicing social distancing with everyone and does n't shake hands , Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters .
He has also started holding meetings remotely .
— A nurse at a police hospital in the Lipetsk region has potentially infected eight of her colleagues with the coronavirus after she returned to work with symptoms instead of self-isolating , the Kommersant business daily reported .
Lipetsk region governor Igor Artamonov condemned what he said was `` criminal negligence '' in a statement .
— Moscow 's Sheremetyevo Airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has closed a third terminal due to reduced air traffic caused by the coronavirus , leaving three terminals open .
— Russia will extend its suspension of football matches in the face of the coronavirus pandemic until May 31 , the Russian football association ( RFS ) said .
— Several regions of Russia have imposed limits on alcohol sales during their self-isolation regimes .
Some cities in Siberia 's republic of Sakha , including Yakutsk , have banned the sale of alcohol altogether .
— Russia 's consumer protection watchdog has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being returned from abroad per day , the Kommersant business daily reported , a move that the Foreign Ministry said `` immediately complicated , and in some places paralyzed , the process of returning '' the approximately 35,000 Russians seeking to return .
— Russia confirmed 500 new coronavirus infections , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases up to 2,337 and marking its sevent consecutive one-day record in new cases .
— Denis Protsenko , the head doctor at the infectious diseases hospital treating Moscow 's coronavirus patients , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state-run Rossia 24 television station reported .
He was photographed shaking hands with President Vladimir Putin six days ago .
— A Russian plane carrying medical equipment and protective gear has departed for the coronavirus-hit United States .
U.S. President Donald Trump had said earlier that Russia sent a `` very , very large planeload '' of medical aid .
`` Trump accepted this humanitarian aid with gratitude , '' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday .
— The Justice Ministry has proposed suspending registrations of marriage and divorce in Russia until at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the coronavirus .
— Moscow has enacted a citywide quarantine from Monday , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said as the city 's number of coronavirus cases surpassed 1,000 over the weekend .
Moscow residents will only be allowed to leave their homes to seek emergency medical care , shop for food or medicine , go to work , walk pets or take out the garbage .
— Russia 's second-largest city St. Petersburg announced stay-at-home orders for their residents following Moscow 's quarantine .
— Moscow 's self-isolation order will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's coronavirus crisis center said .
It later deleted the statement from its Telegram channel .
— In televised comments on state television , President Vladimir Putin said decisive measures by Russia had helped win it time in its battle to contain the coronavirus and to prevent an explosive growth in cases , but that it was vital authorities now used that time effectively .
— Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin asked Russia 's regional governors to consider imposing the same restrictions on movement to halt the spread of the coronavirus that have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news agency reported .
— The makeshift memorial to opposition politician Boris Nemtsov at the site near the Kremlin where he was gunned down in 2015 has been abandoned for the first time since his death due to Moscow 's stay-at-home order , the activists who had maintained a 24/7 watch at the memorial said .
— Several regions of Russia have enacted region-wide stay-at-home orders for residents , following suit with Moscow 's quarantine :


themoscowtimes--2020-05-17--Russians Check Virus Status as Moscow Rolls Out Mass Testing

`` The lockdown is going to be relaxed in the next few weeks and I will start my work again which requires close contact with my clients .
I have to know what my state of health is , '' says Ildar Giniyatullin , a 40-year-old masseur , as he waits for a nurse to take a saliva sample with a cotton swab .
While those in line are observing social distancing , they do not have symptoms of coronavirus .
They have come to the laboratory , part of a commercial chain called Gemotest that carries out a variety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they do not have the virus .
Tucked away in a Moscow office block , the laboratory could pass unnoticed were it not for the line of people waiting , as Russia rolls out mass testing for coronavirus .
With more than 270,000 cases , Russia is currently in second place in the world and Moscow is the country 's worst-affected city .
The authorities say their strategy is mass screening of the population and boast of having carried out 6.6 million tests since the start of the pandemic .
The aim is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms , estimated to be just under half of those infected in Russia .
The authorities also say the plan has helped keep down the mortality rate , which is remarkably low at less than 2,600 people , although critics have cast doubt on this figure .
Russians can use a number of ways to get tested , whether at a laboratory , at work or at home .
The Internet giant Yandex offered a free testing service at home for a few weeks and says it tested 20,000 people .
It has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests are now easily accessible elsewhere .
`` The more people get tested , the easier it will be to halt the epidemic , also the economy will suffer less and there will be more opportunity to take appropriate measures , '' says Dmitry Gordeyev , a specialist in diagnosing infectious diseases at Gemotest .
While Moscow has extended its lockdown for most people to May 31 , some sectors have been allowed to work , such as industry and construction .
In some other regions , life has almost returned to normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to resume at the end of June .
Gemotest , which has branches across Moscow , offered people standard medical tests before the coronavirus outbreak — a popular service as they work faster than state hospitals .
Gemotest started offering coronavirus tests after being supplied with kits by the country 's main virus research center in Siberia , Vektor , which are classed as highly reliable .
Now its laboratories are checking 9,000 tests a day and offer results within three days .
In a Moscow suburb , a startup called Sistema-Biotech , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding , AFK Sistema , is working on a separate project aimed at speeding up mass screening .
The startup has around 30 staff working in a swiftly assembled laboratory in a previously disused hospital building .
They say the test system they have developed will detect a possible virus infection within 30 minutes with equipment that fits into a doctor 's bag .

"The lockdown is going to be relaxed in the next few weeks and I will start my work again which requires close contact with my clients. I have to know what my state of health is," says Ildar Giniyatullin, a 40-year-old masseur, as he waits for a nurse to take a saliva sample with a cotton swab.
While those in line are observing social distancing, they do not have symptoms of coronavirus. They have come to the laboratory, part of a commercial chain called Gemotest that carries out a variety of medical tests, seeking confirmation that they do not have the virus.
Tucked away in a Moscow office block, the laboratory could pass unnoticed were it not for the line of people waiting, as Russia rolls out mass testing for coronavirus.
With more than 270,000 cases, Russia is currently in second place in the world and Moscow is the country's worst-affected city.
The authorities say their strategy is mass screening of the population and boast of having carried out 6.6 million tests since the start of the pandemic.
The aim is to find people who test positive without symptoms, estimated to be just under half of those infected in Russia. The authorities also say the plan has helped keep down the mortality rate, which is remarkably low at less than 2,600 people, although critics have cast doubt on this figure.
Russians can use a number of ways to get tested, whether at a laboratory, at work or at home.
The Internet giant Yandex offered a free testing service at home for a few weeks and says it tested 20,000 people. It has now halted this service, saying free tests are now easily accessible elsewhere.
Tested in 30 minutes
"The more people get tested, the easier it will be to halt the epidemic, also the economy will suffer less and there will be more opportunity to take appropriate measures," says Dmitry Gordeyev, a specialist in diagnosing infectious diseases at Gemotest.
While Moscow has extended its lockdown for most people to May 31, some sectors have been allowed to work, such as industry and construction. In some other regions, life has almost returned to normal and the national football championship is set to resume at the end of June.
Gemotest, which has branches across Moscow, offered people standard medical tests before the coronavirus outbreak — a popular service as they work faster than state hospitals.
Gemotest started offering coronavirus tests after being supplied with kits by the country's main virus research center in Siberia, Vektor, which are classed as highly reliable.
Now its laboratories are checking 9,000 tests a day and offer results within three days.
In a Moscow suburb, a startup called Sistema-Biotech, which is part of a large Russian holding, AFK Sistema, is working on a separate project aimed at speeding up mass screening.
The startup has around 30 staff working in a swiftly assembled laboratory in a previously disused hospital building. They say the test system they have developed will detect a possible virus infection within 30 minutes with equipment that fits into a doctor's bag.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-17--Russia's Coronavirus Cases Surpass 280K

Russia's Coronavirus Cases Surpass 280K

Russia says its high number of cases is due in part to a massive testing campaign that has seen more @ @ @ @ @ out .
Moscow accounts for roughly half of all infections and the city said it @ @ @ @ @ tests for antibodies from Friday .
Russian President Vladimir Putin this week announced that a @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the virus would be eased , even as health officials record a @ @ @ @ @ .
Despite its high number of cases , Russia 's official coronavirus fatality rate is @ @ @ @ @ like the United States , Britain , Italy and Spain .
Authorities say this is @ @ @ @ @ learn lessons from the experiences of western Europe , moving quickly to isolate travellers and @ @ @ @ @ launch a vast campaign to test and quarantine those infected .
But critics have cast @ @ @ @ @ accusing the authorities of under-counting by blaming virus-related deaths on other causes .

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--2020-05-18--Russia Stops Updating Siberian Coronavirus Deaths: Reports

The disparity comes amid questions over Russia ’ s low coronavirus death toll compared to other countries with high Covid-19 case numbers .
Russia only counts the deaths of coronavirus-positive patients toward its official total if pathologists determine that the virus played a direct role in their death , leading critics to say the true toll could be much higher .
Russia ’ s national coronavirus crisis center has stopped updating the latest Covid-19 death counts in at least two Siberian regions while the regions have published new numbers , the Tayga.info news website reported Monday .
The Omsk regional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus as of Monday .
The national crisis center , meanwhile , has reported seven deaths in the region , with the most recent update coming a week ago .
The Irkutsk region has reported six deaths while the national crisis center shows four deaths , with the most recent fatality reported on April 26 .
“ It appears that … the federal crisis center may have simply not reflected deaths over recent days in the Omsk and Irkutsk regions , ” Tayga.info reported .
In the republic of Khakassia , the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counting 10 deaths compared to the regional center ’ s nine .
In the Zabaikalsky region , both national and regional crisis centers reported five overall deaths but on different days .
Additionally , Tayga.info said Russia ’ s crisis center posted Covid-19 case numbers in the Zabaikalsky region , the Irkutsk region and the republic of Buryatia , one or days after regional centers .
Federal data reports 74 deaths from the virus in 10 Siberian regions ( 85 including Zabaikalsky and Buryatia , which are now part of the Far East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District ) .
Tayga.info reported that at least 90 people have died and 9,109 have been infected in Siberia .
Russia ’ s overall coronavirus numbers stood at 290,678 cases and 2,722 deaths as of Monday , according to the national crisis center .

The disparity comes amid questions over Russia’s low coronavirus death toll compared to other countries with high Covid-19 case numbers. Russia only counts the deaths of coronavirus-positive patients toward its official total if pathologists determine that the virus played a direct role in their death, leading critics to say the true toll could be much higher.
Russia’s national coronavirus crisis center has stopped updating the latest Covid-19 death counts in at least two Siberian regions while the regions have published new numbers, the Tayga.info news website reported Monday.
The Omsk regional crisis center has reported 16 deaths from coronavirus as of Monday. The national crisis center, meanwhile, has reported seven deaths in the region, with the most recent update coming a week ago.
The Irkutsk region has reported six deaths while the national crisis center shows four deaths, with the most recent fatality reported on April 26.
“It appears that … the federal crisis center may have simply not reflected deaths over recent days in the Omsk and Irkutsk regions,” Tayga.info reported.
In the republic of Khakassia, the national center actually reported a higher number, counting 10 deaths compared to the regional center’s nine. In the Zabaikalsky region, both national and regional crisis centers reported five overall deaths but on different days.
Additionally, Tayga.info said Russia’s crisis center posted Covid-19 case numbers in the Zabaikalsky region, the Irkutsk region and the republic of Buryatia, one or days after regional centers.
Federal data reports 74 deaths from the virus in 10 Siberian regions (85 including Zabaikalsky and Buryatia, which are now part of the Far East Federal District and not the Siberian Federal District). Tayga.info reported that at least 90 people have died and 9,109 have been infected in Siberia.
Russia’s overall coronavirus numbers stood at 290,678 cases and 2,722 deaths as of Monday, according to the national crisis center.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-18--Putin Intervenes as Russia's Dagestan Faces Virus 'Catastrophe'

For several days now , there have rumours of mounting fatalities and overwhelmed hospitals in the mountainous majority-Muslim region and local medical staff have taken to social media to make frantic appeals .
President Vladimir Putin was forced to intervene personally on Monday in the epidemic sweeping Russia 's North Caucasus region of Dagestan , as local officials described the coronavirus situation as a `` catastrophe . ''
Dagestan 's top cleric , Mufti Akhmad Abdulayev , described the situation as dire and pleaded to the Kremlin for help .
`` The scope of the catastrophe is forcing us to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Putin via video link Monday .
`` Please , bring your attention to Dagestan . ''
The region 's health minister , Dzhamaludin Gadzhiibragimov , said that 657 people had died of pneumonia in the region , including 40 medics .
According to a regional breakdown of Russia 's official coronavirus tally , only 29 Covid-19 deaths have been recorded in the region of 2.9 million people by Monday .
Critics have accused Russian authorities of downplaying the crisis and manipulating the figures by attributing coronavirus deaths to so-called community-acquired pneumonia and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced shortages of protective equipment and tests , and Abdulayev said that many people with the infection die at home and are buried at mass traditional funerals .
`` They are buried according to tradition and nobody counts them , '' Abdulayev said .
Putin promised to send aid to Dagestan , and asked residents not to gather for the Eid celebration marking the end of Ramadan this weekend .
`` The situation in the republic of Dagestan is complicated and of course calls for additional — and urgent — measures , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doctors told AFP they have been overwhelmed by the number of patients , while the lack of medical supplies had left people in the region feeling abandoned .
Ambulance medic Sakinat Magomedova working in the town of Kizilyurt said there were so many pneumonia hospitalisations in April that `` sometimes we did n't have time to disinfect the ambulance '' between calls .
The 45-year-old finally fell ill on April 26 and was diagnosed with pneumonia .
`` I could n't breathe , '' she said .
`` I really thought I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common symptoms of Covid-19 , she said she was never swabbed for coronavirus because there were no tests in her town .
`` People have been abandoned , '' she said .
Another medic , Murad , who declined to give his last name , said he has used the same mask for a month , which he washes in chlorine after each shift .
`` There is an enormous number of patients .
I 've never seen this before , '' he told AFP .
Dagestan 's Governor Vladimir Vasiliev on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but promised to `` clarify '' the number of fatalities among the region 's medics .
State channel Rossiya 24 reported Monday that Dagestan 's statistics could be distorted because `` only 3 % of families give consent to autopsies . ''
Russia enters fatalities into its national coronavirus tally only after an autopsy has confirmed the infection was the primary cause of death .
`` We were faced with total lack of preparation by the healthcare system , '' said Ziautdin Uvaisov , who works in a regional aid organisation called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region did not move fast enough to secure enough tests , or to inform the population about containment measures , adding that locals may be less likely to follow orders .
Tradition in the Caucasus dictates large gatherings for weddings and funerals , and people may have been reluctant to drop the custom despite the rules .
`` The population is very suspicious of the authorities and of official instructions , '' he said .

For several days now, there have rumours of mounting fatalities and overwhelmed hospitals in the mountainous majority-Muslim region and local medical staff have taken to social media to make frantic appeals.
President Vladimir Putin was forced to intervene personally on Monday in the epidemic sweeping Russia's North Caucasus region of Dagestan, as local officials described the coronavirus situation as a "catastrophe."
Dagestan's top cleric, Mufti Akhmad Abdulayev, described the situation as dire and pleaded to the Kremlin for help.
"The scope of the catastrophe is forcing us to appeal to you," he told Putin via video link Monday. "Please, bring your attention to Dagestan."
The region's health minister, Dzhamaludin Gadzhiibragimov, said that 657 people had died of pneumonia in the region, including 40 medics.
According to a regional breakdown of Russia's official coronavirus tally, only 29 Covid-19 deaths have been recorded in the region of 2.9 million people by Monday.
Critics have accused Russian authorities of downplaying the crisis and manipulating the figures by attributing coronavirus deaths to so-called community-acquired pneumonia and other medical conditions.
Medics told AFP they faced shortages of protective equipment and tests, and Abdulayev said that many people with the infection die at home and are buried at mass traditional funerals.
"They are buried according to tradition and nobody counts them," Abdulayev said.
Putin promised to send aid to Dagestan, and asked residents not to gather for the Eid celebration marking the end of Ramadan this weekend.
'Urgent measures'
"The situation in the republic of Dagestan is complicated and of course calls for additional — and urgent — measures," Putin said during the video conference.
Doctors told AFP they have been overwhelmed by the number of patients, while the lack of medical supplies had left people in the region feeling abandoned.
Ambulance medic Sakinat Magomedova working in the town of Kizilyurt said there were so many pneumonia hospitalisations in April that "sometimes we didn't have time to disinfect the ambulance" between calls.
The 45-year-old finally fell ill on April 26 and was diagnosed with pneumonia.
"I couldn't breathe," she said. "I really thought I was going to die."
Despite exhibiting common symptoms of Covid-19, she said she was never swabbed for coronavirus because there were no tests in her town.
"People have been abandoned," she said.
Another medic who declined to give his name said he has used the same mask for a month, which he washes in chlorine after each shift.
"There is an enormous number of patients. I've never seen this before," he told AFP.
'Lack of preparation'
Dagestan's Governor Vladimir Vasiliev on Monday defended the region's official coronavirus statistics, but promised to "clarify" the number of fatalities among the region's medics.
State channel Rossiya 24 reported Monday that Dagestan's statistics could be distorted because "only 3% of families give consent to autopsies."
Russia enters fatalities into its national coronavirus tally only after an autopsy has confirmed the infection was the primary cause of death.
"We were faced with total lack of preparation by the healthcare system," said Ziautdin Uvaisov, who works in a regional aid organisation called Patient's Monitor.
He said the region did not move fast enough to secure enough tests, or to inform the population about containment measures, adding that locals may be less likely to follow orders.
Tradition in the Caucasus dictates large gatherings for weddings and funerals, and people may have been reluctant to drop the custom despite the rules.
"The population is very suspicious of the authorities and of official instructions," he said.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-18--Profit Slumps Herald More Trouble Ahead for Russia’s Corporate Giants

Russia ’ s blue chip companies have posted some of the bleakest financial results for years in the first few months of 2020 , with analysts saying the hit to earnings will only grow sharper .
Energy giants , banks and airlines all saw their earnings slump over the first three months of the year , and the damage could last well beyond the coronavirus as economists don ’ t expect economic activity in Russia to rebound anytime soon .
Just over half of Russia ’ s largest corporates have already published financial results for the first quarter — covering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-March but only the first few weeks of the coronavirus economic slowdown in Europe and Russia .
The figures represent what could be the tip of the iceberg in terms of plunging earnings .
State-owned lender Sberbank — Russia ’ s largest bank — has already seen profits atrophy , down 47 % in the first three months of the year in official results .
Another trading update gave a sign of how bad the earnings picture could get for Russian companies once the period of Russia ’ s “ non-working ” weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is included — profits were down 85 % in April compared to last year .
With most companies only posting results for the first three months of the year , the biggest immediate hit from the coronavirus has not yet been reflected in results .
Regardless , Russian banks are bracing for a much longer hit to earnings than just one or two quarters , Dmitry Puchkaryev , an analyst at BCS , told The Moscow Times .
“ It ’ s not possible to talk about improving results in the banking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the problems in the domestic economy due to the pandemic may have long-lasting consequences for lenders , ” he said .
Sberbank has increased its provisions for losses on its loan book eightfold in response to rising unemployment and falling earnings .
Rival VTB — also state-owned — saw profits down 14 % in the first quarter as it also increased loss provisions and marked down the value of its investments .
Analysts at VTB Capital , the investment arm of VTB , said financial earnings in the sector will likely not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The size of [ government ] aid to the banking sector and borrowers is more modest than during the crises of 2008 and 2014 .
We therefore believe that the effect of the Covid-19 outbreak is likely to be absorbed by banks with delay ... with earnings fully recovering only in 2022 , ” Mikhail Shlemov , an equities analyst at VTB Capital wrote in a research note .
Russia ’ s energy giants are also bracing for a longer-term hit , fuelled by the double whammy of lower oil prices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renewed OPEC+ agreement between Russia and Saudi Arabia .
Oil goliath Rosneft posted its first quarterly loss in eight years , hemorrhaging $ 2.2 billion during the first three months of the year .
That was more than twice as bad as analysts had expected , and came even before the chaos on the oil markets in April .
Rosneft ’ s numbers were the “ first harbinger of real trouble , ” VTB ’ s head of oil and gas research , Dmitry Loukashov said .
“ As the quarantine measures are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the OPEC+ agreement will provide additional support to the market .
However , this can be expected only in the third or fourth quarters if the epidemiological situation stabilizes , ” BCS ’ s Puchkaryev said .
Russian oil companies also face longer-term challenges from the OPEC+ agreement .
The nature of Russian oil extraction means that stopping production at some wells , in the Arctic for instance , could cause them to freeze over , making it both more expensive to restart production and potentially creating a permanent hit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s two flagship technology firms — Yandex and Mail.Ru — was more mixed , with their diversified holdings , earnings streams and cash buffers providing a degree of protection .
Revenues at both grew during the first quarter , up 25 % at Yandex and 14 % at Mail.Ru , while profits fell back — nothing like at Sberbank or Rosneft — in a sign of the firm ’ s sprawling expansion and growing cost bases .
Yandex ’ s profits were down 5 % , while Mail.Ru ’ s fell 22 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to hit both harder in the second quarter , while the quarantine in big cities has seriously affected Yandex ’ s transport units .
Customers at market leader Yandex Taxi dropped 70 % between the beginning and end of March , while a ban on car sharing in Moscow has seen Yandex Drive ’ s fleet of around 20,000 cars sit idle since early April .
Meanwhile , a 75 % jump in the use of online food delivery services , such as express grocery service Yandex Lavka and restaurant delivery app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The company also highlights its almost 200 billion ruble ( $ 2.75 billion ) cash pile as enough to weather the storm .
Mail.Ru ’ s management withdrew its earnings guidance for 2020 — a measure taken by many firms — stating volatility was too high to give an idea of how much cash it will bring in .
Nevertheless , the company struck an upbeat tone in a conference call with investors , pointing to revenues more than doubling at its own food delivery venture , Delivery Club over the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the largest net beneficiary from Covid-19.
” “ We believe this crisis will lead to a permanent shift in consumer and business behavior with increasing digitalization across a broader set of industries and a wider share of the population , ” said Matthew Hammond , Mail.Ru ’ s chief financial officer .
The first stream of earnings results since the coronavirus pandemic started has also revealed some Russian winners from the crisis .
“ Among those companies whose results were not adversely affected by the coronavirus are the Moscow Exchange , Magnit and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Panic on the world markets in the first quarter led to a strong increase in volatility and an increase in trading on the Moscow Exchange .
In March , the trading platform reported record trading volumes , ” he added , pointing to profits jumping 91 % to 5.9 billion rubles ( $ 81 million ) .
Revenues at retailers Magnit and X5 Retail were up by more than 10 % each in the first three months , boosted by panic-buying and orders for people to stay at home .
For most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the true hit of the coronavirus has not yet been reflected in the results reported so far .
The second quarter started with a six-week nationwide “ non-working period ” that shut down 30 % of the Russian economy , and the official lockdowns in Moscow and St. Petersburg are ongoing .
There are concerns that muted levels of government support for households and businesses could mean a slow recovery .
Surveys show that up to 60 % of Russian businesses say government support is either completely useless or just postponing their problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffer — the outlook for salaries and employment is at its worst for five years , a Deloitte survey of Russia ’ s leading chief financial officers ( CFOs ) recently found .

Russia’s blue chip companies have posted some of the bleakest financial results for years in the first few months of 2020, with analysts saying the hit to earnings will only grow sharper. Energy giants, banks and airlines all saw their earnings slump over the first three months of the year, and the damage could last well beyond the coronavirus as economists don’t expect economic activity in Russia to rebound anytime soon. Just over half of Russia’s largest corporates have already published financial results for the first quarter — covering the period of peak financial volatility in mid-March but only the first few weeks of the coronavirus economic slowdown in Europe and Russia. The figures represent what could be the tip of the iceberg in terms of plunging earnings. Banks: Loan losses and macro headaches State-owned lender Sberbank — Russia’s largest bank — has already seen profits atrophy, down 47% in the first three months of the year in official results. Another trading update gave a sign of how bad the earnings picture could get for Russian companies once the period of Russia’s “non-working” weeks, introduced at the end of March, is included — profits were down 85% in April compared to last year. With most companies only posting results for the first three months of the year, the biggest immediate hit from the coronavirus has not yet been reflected in results. Regardless, Russian banks are bracing for a much longer hit to earnings than just one or two quarters, Dmitry Puchkaryev, an analyst at BCS, told The Moscow Times.
“It’s not possible to talk about improving results in the banking sector anytime in the near future, as the problems in the domestic economy due to the pandemic may have long-lasting consequences for lenders,” he said. Sberbank has increased its provisions for losses on its loan book eightfold in response to rising unemployment and falling earnings. Rival VTB — also state-owned — saw profits down 14% in the first quarter as it also increased loss provisions and marked down the value of its investments. Analysts at VTB Capital, the investment arm of VTB, said financial earnings in the sector will likely not bounce back for at least 18 months. “The size of [government] aid to the banking sector and borrowers is more modest than during the crises of 2008 and 2014. We therefore believe that the effect of the Covid-19 outbreak is likely to be absorbed by banks with delay ... with earnings fully recovering only in 2022,” Mikhail Shlemov, an equities analyst at VTB Capital wrote in a research note. Energy: Low prices and low production Russia’s energy giants are also bracing for a longer-term hit, fuelled by the double whammy of lower oil prices and forced output production due to the renewed OPEC+ agreement between Russia and Saudi Arabia. Oil goliath Rosneft posted its first quarterly loss in eight years, hemorrhaging $2.2 billion during the first three months of the year. That was more than twice as bad as analysts had expected, and came even before the chaos on the oil markets in April. Rosneft’s numbers were the “first harbinger of real trouble,” VTB’s head of oil and gas research, Dmitry Loukashov said.
news Russian Oil Major Scraps Dividend as Industry Reels From Oil Price Crash Read more
“As the quarantine measures are curtailed, oil demand may gradually recover, and the OPEC+ agreement will provide additional support to the market. However, this can be expected only in the third or fourth quarters if the epidemiological situation stabilizes,” BCS’s Puchkaryev said. Russian oil companies also face longer-term challenges from the OPEC+ agreement. The nature of Russian oil extraction means that stopping production at some wells, in the Arctic for instance, could cause them to freeze over, making it both more expensive to restart production and potentially creating a permanent hit to output. Technology: Diversified income and deep pockets The picture at Russia’s two flagship technology firms — Yandex and Mail.Ru — was more mixed, with their diversified holdings, earnings streams and cash buffers providing a degree of protection. Revenues at both grew during the first quarter, up 25% at Yandex and 14% at Mail.Ru, while profits fell back — nothing like at Sberbank or Rosneft — in a sign of the firm’s sprawling expansion and growing cost bases. Yandex’s profits were down 5%, while Mail.Ru’s fell 22%. A drop in advertising revenue is expected to hit both harder in the second quarter, while the quarantine in big cities has seriously affected Yandex’s transport units. Customers at market leader Yandex Taxi dropped 70% between the beginning and end of March, while a ban on car sharing in Moscow has seen Yandex Drive’s fleet of around 20,000 cars sit idle since early April. Meanwhile, a 75% jump in the use of online food delivery services, such as express grocery service Yandex Lavka and restaurant delivery app Yandex Eats, has cushioned the fall. The company also highlights its almost 200 billion ruble ($2.75 billion) cash pile as enough to weather the storm.
Mail.Ru’s management withdrew its earnings guidance for 2020 — a measure taken by many firms — stating volatility was too high to give an idea of how much cash it will bring in. Nevertheless, the company struck an upbeat tone in a conference call with investors, pointing to revenues more than doubling at its own food delivery venture, Delivery Club over the last year and highlighting the sector as “the largest net beneficiary from Covid-19.” “We believe this crisis will lead to a permanent shift in consumer and business behavior with increasing digitalization across a broader set of industries and a wider share of the population,” said Matthew Hammond, Mail.Ru’s chief financial officer. Bright spots The first stream of earnings results since the coronavirus pandemic started has also revealed some Russian winners from the crisis. “Among those companies whose results were not adversely affected by the coronavirus are the Moscow Exchange, Magnit and X5 Retail,” said Puchkaryev. “Panic on the world markets in the first quarter led to a strong increase in volatility and an increase in trading on the Moscow Exchange. In March, the trading platform reported record trading volumes,” he added, pointing to profits jumping 91% to 5.9 billion rubles ($81 million). Revenues at retailers Magnit and X5 Retail were up by more than 10% each in the first three months, boosted by panic-buying and orders for people to stay at home. A slow recovery? For most of Russia’s largest companies, the true hit of the coronavirus has not yet been reflected in the results reported so far. The second quarter started with a six-week nationwide “non-working period” that shut down 30% of the Russian economy, and the official lockdowns in Moscow and St. Petersburg are ongoing. There are concerns that muted levels of government support for households and businesses could mean a slow recovery. Surveys show that up to 60% of Russian businesses say government support is either completely useless or just postponing their problems. Consumer spending is also likely to suffer — the outlook for salaries and employment is at its worst for five years, a Deloitte survey of Russia’s leading chief financial officers (CFOs) recently found.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-18--Russian Navy to Bolster Baltic Fleet With 6 New Warships

The move comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and NATO member states in the Baltics .
The Russian Navy has @ @ @ @ @ cutting-edge warships for its Baltic Fleet , Navy commander-in-chief Nikolai Yevmenov said Monday .
All @ @ @ @ @ from Project 22800 will be armed with Kalibr cruise missiles , Yevmenov said in a @ @ @ @ @ Fleet Day that was published on the Defense Ministry ’ s website .
Four of @ @ @ @ @ equipped with Pantsir-M anti-aircraft systems .
`` The Odintsovo [ corvette ] will become the @ @ @ @ @ system will undergo testing on this ship , '' Yevmenov said .
Last summer , @ @ @ @ @ annual “ Ocean Shield ” naval exercises in the Baltic Sea with more than 10,500 @ @ @ @ @ .
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu vowed in 2018 to hold these military maneuvers on a @ @ @

The move comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and NATO member states in the Baltics.
The Russian Navy has ordered a batch of six cutting-edge warships for its Baltic Fleet, Navy commander-in-chief Nikolai Yevmenov said Monday.
All six of the Karakurt-class corvettes from Project 22800 will be armed with Kalibr cruise missiles, Yevmenov said in a telegram to sailors marking Baltic Fleet Day that was published on the Defense Ministry’s website. Four of the vessels will also be equipped with Pantsir-M anti-aircraft systems.
"The Odintsovo [corvette] will become the first one, the Pantsir system will undergo testing on this ship," Yevmenov said.
Last summer, the Navy conducted its second annual “Ocean Shield” naval exercises in the Baltic Sea with more than 10,500 troops and dozens of warships. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu vowed in 2018 to hold these military maneuvers on a regular basis.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-18--Russian PM Says Growth of New Coronavirus Cases Stopped

`` The situation with the spread of the coronavirus infection remains difficult , but we can still acknowledge that we managed to put a stop to the growth of infections , '' Mishustin told a government meeting .
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Monday that the growth in new coronavirus cases had been stopped in Russia , which has recorded the world 's largest number of infections after the United States .
Russia on Monday reported under 9,000 virus infections for the first time since the beginning of May , after seeing a steady daily rise of around 10,000 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a task force responsible for the coronavirus epidemic response , he said the number of Russians recovering from the illness was growing .
`` More and more people are recovering and being discharged from hospitals home , '' Mishustin said .
`` We see in this the result of the systematic work that has been carried out in Russia over the past two months , '' he said .
According to official statistics published Monday , 2,722 patients recovered over the last 24 hours and more than 70,000 Russians are no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister said a nationwide lockdown imposed in late March had played an important role in slowing the rate of new cases .
He said the strict isolation regime `` allowed us to gain time and prevent an explosive increase in the rate , as was the case in a number of foreign countries . ''
Mishustin is the highest-ranking Russian official to have tested positive for the coronavirus after announcing on television he was self-isolating late last month .

"The situation with the spread of the coronavirus infection remains difficult, but we can still acknowledge that we managed to put a stop to the growth of infections," Mishustin told a government meeting.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Monday that the growth in new coronavirus cases had been stopped in Russia, which has recorded the world's largest number of infections after the United States.
Russia on Monday reported under 9,000 virus infections for the first time since the beginning of May, after seeing a steady daily rise of around 10,000 cases for more than two weeks.
Speaking to a task force responsible for the coronavirus epidemic response, he said the number of Russians recovering from the illness was growing.
"More and more people are recovering and being discharged from hospitals home," Mishustin said.
"We see in this the result of the systematic work that has been carried out in Russia over the past two months," he said.
According to official statistics published Monday, 2,722 patients recovered over the last 24 hours and more than 70,000 Russians are no longer infected with the coronavirus.
The prime minister said a nationwide lockdown imposed in late March had played an important role in slowing the rate of new cases.
He said the strict isolation regime "allowed us to gain time and prevent an explosive increase in the rate, as was the case in a number of foreign countries."
Mishustin is the highest-ranking Russian official to have tested positive for the coronavirus after announcing on television he was self-isolating late last month.
Russia has a total of 290,678 coronavirus infections.