themoscowtimes--2020-07-28--Russia Coronavirus Cases Pass 820K

Russia Coronavirus Cases Pass 820K

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow , the western Siberian region of Khanty-Mansiysk and Sverdlovsk in the @ @ @ @ @ rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries , raising speculation that Moscow could @ @ @ @ @ authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military @ @ @ @ @ nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that now allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power @ @ @ @ @ were initially postponed due the epidemic .
Moscow plans to open cinemas and theaters on @ @ @ @ @ capital , masks are mandatory in stores and on public transport but not in the @ @ @ @ @ Russia are working on a coronavirus vaccine .
Last week the Russian Defense Ministry said @ @ @ @ @ safe '' vaccine following clinical trials on a group of volunteers .
The trials are @ @ @ @ @ Ministry expects clinical trials to be fully completed in the coming weeks .

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


themoscowtimes--2020-07-28--Russian Court Fines Kremlin Critic Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation

A court in 2017 ordered parts of the film deleted when it ruled in favour of a lawsuit lodged by billionaire Alisher Usmanov , who is mentioned in the film .
Published in 2017 by Navalny 's FBK anti-corruption foundation , it has been viewed on YouTube over 35 million times .
The film is an expose which accuses former prime minister Dmitry Medvedev of controlling a huge luxury property empire .
Russian judges on Tuesday slapped the anti-corruption group founded by Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny with fines and convicted its director for refusing to delete a film about President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow court ruled that FBK director Ivan Zhdanov failed to comply with the ruling , punishing him with a fine of 100,000 rubles ( $ 1,380 ) , Zhdanov posted on Twitter .
The ally of Navalny said he had expected the punishment to be more severe .
`` The worst thing about this punishment is having the criminal conviction itself , '' he said after the ruling .
`` However if somebody needs [ me ] to have a conviction for our film to be on YouTube , our best investigation on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In separate rulings earlier Tuesday , another court also fined FBK for violating Russia 's controversial law on 'foreign agents ' — legislation under which many non-governmental organisations have been prosecuted since 2012 .
Russia last year ruled that the foundation , which investigates corruption among Russian elites , is a 'foreign agent ' arguing it had received money from abroad for political activities and must label all of its material with the denigrating term .
The foundation argued that it had promptly returned unsolicited donations made from abroad , calling them a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with regular fines since the 'foreign agent ' ruling , and the two issued Tuesday amount to 600,000 rubles ( about $ 8,300 ) .
A top critic of the Kremlin , Navalny has a national network of supporters many of whom have been targeted in police raids or had their accounts frozen over the past year .

A court in 2017 ordered parts of the film deleted when it ruled in favour of a lawsuit lodged by billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who is mentioned in the film.
Published in 2017 by Navalny's FBK anti-corruption foundation, it has been viewed on YouTube over 35 million times.
The film is an expose which accuses former prime minister Dmitry Medvedev of controlling a huge luxury property empire.
Russian judges on Tuesday slapped the anti-corruption group founded by Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny with fines and convicted its director for refusing to delete a film about President Vladimir Putin's top ally.
A Moscow court ruled that FBK director Ivan Zhdanov failed to comply with the ruling, punishing him with a fine of 100,000 rubles ($1,380), Zhdanov posted on Twitter.
The ally of Navalny said he had expected the punishment to be more severe.
"The worst thing about this punishment is having the criminal conviction itself," he said after the ruling.
"However if somebody needs [me] to have a conviction for our film to be on YouTube, our best investigation on corruption... so be it."
In separate rulings earlier Tuesday, another court also fined FBK for violating Russia's controversial law on 'foreign agents' — legislation under which many non-governmental organisations have been prosecuted since 2012.
Russia last year ruled that the foundation, which investigates corruption among Russian elites, is a 'foreign agent' arguing it had received money from abroad for political activities and must label all of its material with the denigrating term.
The foundation argued that it had promptly returned unsolicited donations made from abroad, calling them a provocation.
The group has been hit with regular fines since the 'foreign agent' ruling, and the two issued Tuesday amount to 600,000 rubles (about $8,300).
A top critic of the Kremlin, Navalny has a national network of supporters many of whom have been targeted in police raids or had their accounts frozen over the past year.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-28--Russian Ex-Journalist Charged With Treason Rejects Deal Requiring Him to Reveal Sources

Ivan Safronov , a journalist-turned-space adviser arrested on treason charges , has turned down a plea deal that would have @ @ @ @ @ journalistic sources , his lawyer told Interfax on Tuesday .
Safronov , who was a @ @ @ @ @ before becoming media adviser to the head of Russia ’ s state space agency Roscosmos @ @ @ @ @ this month in a case his supporters say lacks evidence .
As a journalist , @ @ @ @ @ ’ s defense and space sectors .
Investigators “ casually ” told Safronov that a @ @ @ @ @ shares his sources would be his “ best way out , ” his lawyer Ivan @ @ @ @ @ `` did not even discuss it , '' Interfax cited Pavlov as saying .

Ivan Safronov, a journalist-turned-space adviser arrested on treason charges, has turned down a plea deal that would have required him to disclose his journalistic sources, his lawyer told Interfax on Tuesday.
Safronov, who was a well-respected reporter for 10 years before becoming media adviser to the head of Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos, was charged with treason this month in a case his supporters say lacks evidence. As a journalist, he wrote stories about Russia’s defense and space sectors.
Investigators “casually” told Safronov that a plea bargain in which he shares his sources would be his “best way out,” his lawyer Ivan Pavlov told Interfax.
Safronov "did not even discuss it," Interfax cited Pavlov as saying.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-28--Northern Russian Region Counts More Covid-19 Cases Than Neighboring Norway or Finland

Finland and Norway each have populations about seven times higher than that of the Murmansk region .
The Murmansk region has confirmed a total of 9,791 coronavirus cases as of Tuesday .
To the region 's east , Finland has confirmed 7,404 cases and Norway has registered 9,132 .
The number of infections in northern Russia ’ s Murmansk region has surpassed those of the two countries it neighbors , according to official data .
Of the Murmansk region 's overall cases , 2,299 are at Belokamenka , Novatek ’ s huge construction site by the Kola Bay .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are spread across the region that geographically covers the Kola Peninsula in Russia ’ s northwestern corner .
The number of Covid-19 infections in the Murmansk region has more than doubled since Governor Andri Chibis started to lift its strict lockdown measures in late June .
On June 21 , the region had registered 4,431 cases .
While the outbreak at Belokamenka seems to be more or less under control with two new cases in the last day , the outbreak in the city of Murmansk is more severe with 113 new cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the regional coronavirus task force .
In Severomorsk , where people stood shoulder-by-shoulder on Sunday to watch the annual Navy Day parade , the number of cases increased by 28 since yesterday .
The total number of infections at the Northern Fleet ’ s main base is now 798 .
Russia confirmed 5,395 new coronavirus infections Tuesday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 823,515 .

Finland and Norway each have populations about seven times higher than that of the Murmansk region.
The Murmansk region has confirmed a total of 9,791 coronavirus cases as of Tuesday. To the region's east, Finland has confirmed 7,404 cases and Norway has registered 9,132.
The number of infections in northern Russia’s Murmansk region has surpassed those of the two countries it neighbors, according to official data.
Of the Murmansk region's overall cases, 2,299 are at Belokamenka, Novatek’s huge construction site by the Kola Bay. The rest of its cases, 7,492, are spread across the region that geographically covers the Kola Peninsula in Russia’s northwestern corner.
The number of Covid-19 infections in the Murmansk region has more than doubled since Governor Andri Chibis started to lift its strict lockdown measures in late June. On June 21, the region had registered 4,431 cases.
While the outbreak at Belokamenka seems to be more or less under control with two new cases in the last day, the outbreak in the city of Murmansk is more severe with 113 new cases recorded in the past 24 hours, according to the regional coronavirus task force.
In Severomorsk, where people stood shoulder-by-shoulder on Sunday to watch the annual Navy Day parade, the number of cases increased by 28 since yesterday. The total number of infections at the Northern Fleet’s main base is now 798.
Russia confirmed 5,395 new coronavirus infections Tuesday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 823,515.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-29--Belarus Detains 33 Russian Wagner Mercenaries Ahead of Presidential Election – Report

Belarussian law enforcement has detained 33 mercenaries from the private Russian military contractor Wagner Group less than two weeks before the country 's presidential election , the Belarus state-run Belta news agency reported Wednesday .
The Wagner Group , a U.S.-sanctioned outfit with links to the Kremlin through catering magnate Yevgeny Prigozhin , has been reported to be fighting in Syria , eastern Ukraine and other conflict-torn countries on behalf of the Russian government .
`` Information was received about the arrival of more than 200 militants in Belarussian territory to destabilize the situation during the election campaign , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The men 's behavior was `` uncharacteristic for Russian tourists '' because they did n't drink and their `` uniform military-style clothing '' drew attention , the news agency said .
Forces from the Belarus KGB and the Minsk special police detained 32 people in Minsk overnight .
A 33rd person was detained in the south of the country , Belta reported .
Belarus ' Interior Ministry and Investigative Committee have n't yet commented on the report .
The Russian Embassy in Minsk said Belarussian law enforcement has n't informed them of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said `` two or three '' of the detained Russians had served in his former battalion in the conflict in eastern Ukraine .
Protests have swept across Belarus in the lead-up to its Aug. 9 presidential election in which incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko is seeking his sixth term .
Protesters first took to the streets after Lukashenko ’ s main rivals were jailed or barred from running and have since rallied behind the wife of a jailed opposition candidate .
Authorities in Belarus have cracked down on the opposition and detained more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lukashenko has previously accused foreign powers of seeking to destabilize Belarus and organize a popular uprising in the run-up to the vote .
Last week he threatened to deport foreign journalists who he accused of stirring up protests against him .
Lukashenko has been in power since 1994 .
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe , an international election and war monitor , has not recognized any polls in Belarus as free and fair since 1995 .
This story is being updated .

Belarussian law enforcement has detained 33 mercenaries from the private Russian military contractor Wagner Group less than two weeks before the country's presidential election, the Belarus state-run Belta news agency reported Wednesday. The surprise announcement is the latest twist in an extraordinary election campaign that has seen strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko jail his key would-be rivals ahead of the vote. The Wagner Group, a U.S.-sanctioned outfit with links to the Kremlin through catering magnate Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been reported to be fighting in Syria, eastern Ukraine and other conflict-torn countries on behalf of the Russian government. "Information was received about the arrival of more than 200 militants in Belarussian territory to destabilize the situation during the election campaign," Belta wrote, citing law enforcement agencies. The state news agency did not explain where the remaining suspected militants were.
Video of the arrest of the alleged Russian Wagner private military contractors near Minsk by the Belarusian KGB’s Alfa group. 5/https://t.co/UpMtWTY0F1 pic.twitter.com/QiHFjZ9jO6 — Rob Lee (@RALee85) July 29, 2020
The men's behavior was "uncharacteristic for Russian tourists" because they didn't drink and their "uniform military-style clothing" drew attention, the news agency said. Forces from the Belarus KGB and the Minsk special police detained 32 people in Minsk overnight. A 33rd person was detained in the south of the country, Belta reported. Lukashenko demanded an explanation from Moscow at an emergency government meeting following the report's publication. Moscow did not release an immediate comment. Russian author Zakhar Prilepin said "two or three" of the detained Russians had served in his former battalion in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. National television showed several Russian passports that allegedly belong to the detained men, as well as stacks of dollar bills, packets of condoms and pieces of paper with Arabic script. Belarussian television also broadcast footage of a group of men who it said arrived in the country on July 25 and a raid on the premises where they were staying. Some of the men were shown lying face down wearing just their underwear. The alleged mercenaries may have been on their way to Sudan, the U.S.-funded Svoboda.org news website reported, citing video footage that showed Sudanese currency and a telephone card depicting the Khatmiya Mosque in Kassala among the detained men's belongings. Previous news reports have said the Wagner Group is active in Sudan.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-29--Putin’s Trust Rating Falls to New Low Amid Far East Protests

Russians ’ trust in President Vladimir Putin fell to a new low in July as tens of thousands of protesters @ @ @ @ @ anti-Kremlin protests in the Far East , according to newly published results from the independent @ @ @ @ @ 23 % of respondents named Putin when asked to identify which politicians they trust the @ @ @ @ @ said Wednesday .
That figure is less than half of what it was in November @ @ @ @ @ of Russian respondents named Putin as the politician they trust the most , and three @ @ @ @ @ was last month .

Russians’ trust in President Vladimir Putin fell to a new low in July as tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in anti-Kremlin protests in the Far East, according to newly published results from the independent Levada Center pollster.
Only 23% of respondents named Putin when asked to identify which politicians they trust the most, the Levada Center said Wednesday.
That figure is less than half of what it was in November 2017, when 59% of Russian respondents named Putin as the politician they trust the most, and three percentage points lower than it was last month.
Putin’s approval rating remained steady at 60%.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-29--Russia to Help Syria Build Replica Hagia Sophia Following Turkish Mosque Conversion

Russia will help Syria construct a replica of the Hagia Sophia that will operate as an Orthodox cathedral , a @ @ @ @ @ Turkey converted the iconic Istanbul museum into a mosque this month .
The UNESCO World @ @ @ @ @ has sparked outcry worldwide , with political and religious leaders saying the structure had been @ @ @ @ @ unity .
Russia will provide funding for the miniature Hagia Sophia in the western Syrian @ @ @ @ @ the importance of `` peaceful dialogue '' between faiths , conservative lawmaker Vitaly Milonov said @ @ @ @ @ Turkey , is a country that clearly shows the possibility of peaceful and positive interfaith @ @ @ @ @ the state-run RIA Novosti news agency earlier this month .
“ President Bashar al-Assad would @ @ @ @ @ one denomination to another.
” Preparations for its construction in the Hama province city of @ @ @ @ @ , the Lebanese Al-Modon news outlet reported Tuesday .

Russia will help Syria construct a replica of the Hagia Sophia that will operate as an Orthodox cathedral, a Russian lawmaker has said after Turkey converted the iconic Istanbul museum into a mosque this month.
The UNESCO World Heritage site’s conversion has sparked outcry worldwide, with political and religious leaders saying the structure had been an important symbol of interfaith unity.
Russia will provide funding for the miniature Hagia Sophia in the western Syrian province of Hama to show the importance of "peaceful dialogue" between faiths, conservative lawmaker Vitaly Milonov said.
"Syria, unlike Turkey, is a country that clearly shows the possibility of peaceful and positive interfaith dialogue," Milonov told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency earlier this month. “President Bashar al-Assad would never transfer a cathedral from one denomination to another.”
Preparations for its construction in the Hama province city of Al-Suqaylabiyah will begin next month, the Lebanese Al-Modon news outlet reported Tuesday.