themoscowtimes--2020-10-21--‘Stumbling Into a New Arms Race’: Imagery Shows Russia Preparing for Nuclear-Powered Missile Test

Researchers noted high levels of activity at the dismantled test site for the Burevestnik nuclear-powered unlimited-range cruise missile on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago off of mainland Russia .
NATO dubs the missile Skyfall .
Russia plans to resume tests of its Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile , a move that risks reigniting an arms race with the United States just as the countries appeared on course to renew nuclear arms deal extension talks , according to a new analysis of satellite images .
Planet Lab photographs taken on Sept. 20 showed a rebuilt launch pad , a helicopter landing pad and several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the researchers Michael Duitsman and Jeffrey Lewis said .
Russia had dismantled the Pankovo site in 2018 after a failed test of the Burevestnik in November 2017 .
Russia tested a total of four Burevestnik missiles between November 2017 and February 2018 , each reportedly resulting in a crash .
An attempt to recover one of the missiles in August 2019 from the Barents Sea led to an explosion and the deaths of five Russian nuclear engineers .
“ The activity and new construction are consistent with a resumption of test flights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies said .
CNN reported Tuesday that two unnamed U.S. officials told the outlet that they are aware of Russia ’ s preparations .
“ The United States and Russia seem to be stumbling into a new arms race , ” Lewis told CNN .
The analysis came out as Russia and the U.S. edged closer to breaking an impasse in long-running talks aimed at extending the New START treaty .
New START limits both sides to 1,550 deployed warheads but is due to expire next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a willingness to compromise , saying Tuesday it would agree to a U.S. demand for a one-year freeze on developing weapons .
U.S. officials said shortly afterward they were ready to meet Russian diplomats as soon as possible .
New START , which Moscow and Washington signed in 2010 , does not cover Burevestnik and other advanced weapons that President Vladimir Putin unveiled during his re-election campaign in 2018 .

Researchers noted high levels of activity at the dismantled test site for the Burevestnik nuclear-powered unlimited-range cruise missile on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago off of mainland Russia. NATO dubs the missile Skyfall.
Russia plans to resume tests of its Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile, a move that risks reigniting an arms race with the United States just as the countries appeared on course to renew nuclear arms deal extension talks, according to a new analysis of satellite images.
Planet Lab photographs taken on Sept. 20 showed a rebuilt launch pad, a helicopter landing pad and several shipping containers at the Pankovo test site, the researchers Michael Duitsman and Jeffrey Lewis said.
Russia had dismantled the Pankovo site in 2018 after a failed test of the Burevestnik in November 2017. Russia tested a total of four Burevestnik missiles between November 2017 and February 2018, each reportedly resulting in a crash.
An attempt to recover one of the missiles in August 2019 from the Barents Sea led to an explosion and the deaths of five Russian nuclear engineers.
“The activity and new construction are consistent with a resumption of test flights of the Burevestnik,” Duitsman and Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies said.
CNN reported Tuesday that two unnamed U.S. officials told the outlet that they are aware of Russia’s preparations.
“The United States and Russia seem to be stumbling into a new arms race,” Lewis told CNN.
The analysis came out as Russia and the U.S. edged closer to breaking an impasse in long-running talks aimed at extending the New START treaty. New START limits both sides to 1,550 deployed warheads but is due to expire next February.
Russia's Foreign Ministry signaled a willingness to compromise, saying Tuesday it would agree to a U.S. demand for a one-year freeze on developing weapons. U.S. officials said shortly afterward they were ready to meet Russian diplomats as soon as possible.
New START, which Moscow and Washington signed in 2010, does not cover Burevestnik and other advanced weapons that President Vladimir Putin unveiled during his re-election campaign in 2018.
AFP contributed reporting.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-21--North Pole Ice Cap Too Thin for Testing Russia’s Giant Icebreaker

After reaching the North Pole on her maiden voyage , state nuclear-powered icebreaker agency Atomflot said the Arktika proved its ability to navigate in ice conditions , adding that the vessel sailed through three-meter-thick ice .
Russia ’ s nuclear-powered Arktika icebreaker will need to undergo a second test voyage to prove its capabilities after Arctic sea ice levels were too thin during its first test run .
The statement was likely premature .
The Arktika testing crew 's captain Oleg Shchapin said new ice tests will be needed , the state-run TASS news agency reported Monday .
“ Ice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , because the current ice tests did not work out ; the ice thickness was 1.1 to 1.2 meters .
It was thin and loose , the icebreaker experienced no resistance at all , ” TASS quoted Shchapin as saying .
“ We tried to find a three-meter ice floe , but could not find one , ” he added .
Shchapin did not specify where three-meter-thick ice could be found .
Currently , the entire Northern Sea Route north of Siberia from the Kara Sea to the Bering Strait is open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ north shrank to its second lowest extent in recorded history last month has never been reported weaker and thinner than it was this year .
Multiyear sea ice is currently only found in the waters north of Canada , Alaska and Greenland .
Departing from the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg on Sept. 22 , the Arktika sailed straight to the North Pole before heading south and calling to her new homeport of Murmansk on Oct. 12 .
The official commissioning of the Arktika took place on Wednesday , Oct. 21 , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Mikhail Mishustin .
The prime minister also signed the icebreaker ’ s acceptance decree .
In December , the Arktika will begin plowing through ice along the Northern Sea Route .
Next summer , however , a new starboard propulsion motor will be installed as the original one short-circuited and stopped working after trial sailings in the Gulf of Finland in February .
The Arktika has three similar propulsion motors .
The icebreaker is the first in a series of five nuclear-powered vessels which make up Project 22220 .
The four other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ural , Yakutiya and Chukotka .
They are expected to start operations from 2021 to 2027 .
All will be based in Murmansk , but mainly operate along the eastern section of the Northern Sea Route .
This story was originally published in The Barents Observer .

After reaching the North Pole on her maiden voyage, state nuclear-powered icebreaker agency Atomflot said the Arktika proved its ability to navigate in ice conditions, adding that the vessel sailed through three-meter-thick ice.
Russia’s nuclear-powered Arktika icebreaker will need to undergo a second test voyage to prove its capabilities after Arctic sea ice levels were too thin during its first test run.
The statement was likely premature. The Arktika testing crew's captain Oleg Shchapin said new ice tests will be needed, the state-run TASS news agency reported Monday.
“Ice tests are still ahead, probably this year, because the current ice tests did not work out; the ice thickness was 1.1 to 1.2 meters. It was thin and loose, the icebreaker experienced no resistance at all,” TASS quoted Shchapin as saying.
“We tried to find a three-meter ice floe, but could not find one,” he added.
Shchapin did not specify where three-meter-thick ice could be found. Currently, the entire Northern Sea Route north of Siberia from the Kara Sea to the Bering Strait is open water. The polar ice cap further north shrank to its second lowest extent in recorded history last month has never been reported weaker and thinner than it was this year.
Multiyear sea ice is currently only found in the waters north of Canada, Alaska and Greenland.
Departing from the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg on Sept. 22, the Arktika sailed straight to the North Pole before heading south and calling to her new homeport of Murmansk on Oct. 12.
The official commissioning of the Arktika took place on Wednesday, Oct. 21, in a ceremony in Murmansk attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The prime minister also signed the icebreaker’s acceptance decree.
In December, the Arktika will begin plowing through ice along the Northern Sea Route. Next summer, however, a new starboard propulsion motor will be installed as the original one short-circuited and stopped working after trial sailings in the Gulf of Finland in February. The Arktika has three similar propulsion motors.
The icebreaker is the first in a series of five nuclear-powered vessels which make up Project 22220.
The four other vessels in the class are named Sibir, Ural, Yakutiya and Chukotka. They are expected to start operations from 2021 to 2027.
All will be based in Murmansk, but mainly operate along the eastern section of the Northern Sea Route.
This story was originally published in The Barents Observer.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-21--2nd Coronavirus Wave Could Be 10X Worse in Russia’s Regions, Disease Expert Says

“ The situation in the regions is very different , ” Alexander Lukashev , who heads the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University ’ s ( MSMU ) Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology , Tropical and Vector-Borne Diseases , told state television .
A number of Russian regions risk facing a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic that is 10 times worse than the first , a senior Russian vector-borne disease expert said Tuesday .
Moscow , for example , is the epicenter of Russia ’ s Covid-19 outbreak with over 377,000 confirmed cases , followed by the Moscow region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end , Russia ’ s two least-populated regions , the Nenets and Chukotka autonomous districts , have a combined total caseload of 622 .
“ In some regions , the second wave may well be 10 times larger than the first , ” Lukashev told the Rossia broadcaster .
During the start of the first wave in March , Lukashev said the daily increase in new infections reached 25 % .
“ Now , we ’ re only seeing this picture in certain regions , ” he added , pointing to Moscow and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities , the latter of which has confirmed almost 54,000 Covid-19 cases , as areas where “ the situation is close to manageable.
” The country ’ s official number of Covid-19 cases stands at more than 1.4 million , the fourth-highest in the world .
Russia has seen a record-breaking surge in Covid-19 infections and deaths in recent weeks , with its daily caseload rising from 14,000 to 16,000 and fatalities from 200 to 300 over the past week .
The latest surge has prompted a number of hospitals across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead of reintroducing strict lockdown measures similar to those in spring , authorities have opted toward targeted restrictions .
Epidemiologists at Russia ’ s consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor have forecast that new Covid-19 infections would peak at 20,000 and stabilize by early November as long as people follow health guidelines .

“The situation in the regions is very different,” Alexander Lukashev, who heads the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University’s (MSMU) Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector-Borne Diseases, told state television.
A number of Russian regions risk facing a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic that is 10 times worse than the first, a senior Russian vector-borne disease expert said Tuesday.
Moscow, for example, is the epicenter of Russia’s Covid-19 outbreak with over 377,000 confirmed cases, followed by the Moscow region with almost 82,000. On the opposite end, Russia’s two least-populated regions, the Nenets and Chukotka autonomous districts, have a combined total caseload of 622.
“In some regions, the second wave may well be 10 times larger than the first,” Lukashev told the Rossia broadcaster.
During the start of the first wave in March, Lukashev said the daily increase in new infections reached 25%. “Now, we’re only seeing this picture in certain regions,” he added, pointing to Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Lukashev named those two cities, the latter of which has confirmed almost 54,000 Covid-19 cases, as areas where “the situation is close to manageable.”
The country’s official number of Covid-19 cases stands at more than 1.4 million, the fourth-highest in the world.
Russia has seen a record-breaking surge in Covid-19 infections and deaths in recent weeks, with its daily caseload rising from 14,000 to 16,000 and fatalities from 200 to 300 over the past week. The latest surge has prompted a number of hospitals across the country to stop admitting patients with other illnesses.
Instead of reintroducing strict lockdown measures similar to those in spring, authorities have opted toward targeted restrictions.
Epidemiologists at Russia’s consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor have forecast that new Covid-19 infections would peak at 20,000 and stabilize by early November as long as people follow health guidelines.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-22--Snowden Granted Permanent Russian Residency – Lawyer

Russia granted Snowden , 37 , asylum in 2013 after the former National Security Agency ( NSA ) contractor exposed mass surveillance by U.S. intelligence agencies around the world .
He faces up to 30 years in jail in the United States for violating the Espionage Act , though many civil rights activists see him as a hero .
Russia has granted permanent residency to former U.S. spy agency contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden after his current permit expired , his lawyer told state media Thursday .
“ Snowden was granted an open-ended residence permit earlier today , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anatoly Kucherena as saying .
The lawyer told Interfax that changes made to Russian immigration law in 2019 allowed Snowden to obtain indefinite residency .
Kucherena had said that Snowden ’ s previous permit expired in April but was automatically extended until June due to the coronavirus pandemic , TASS reported .
Snowden applied to extend his residence permit as soon as authorities lifted lockdown measures , the lawyer added .
Snowden , who has led a reclusive life in Russia , is not considering applying for Russian citizenship , Kucherena added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his safety in Russia .
Last year , Snowden said he wanted France and Germany to grant him asylum and expressed willingness to serve time in U.S. prison as long as he is guaranteed a fair trial .

Russia granted Snowden, 37, asylum in 2013 after the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor exposed mass surveillance by U.S. intelligence agencies around the world. He faces up to 30 years in jail in the United States for violating the Espionage Act, though many civil rights activists see him as a hero.
Russia has granted permanent residency to former U.S. spy agency contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden after his current permit expired, his lawyer told state media Thursday.
“Snowden was granted an open-ended residence permit earlier today,” the state-run TASS news agency quoted his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena as saying.
The lawyer told Interfax that changes made to Russian immigration law in 2019 allowed Snowden to obtain indefinite residency.
Kucherena had said that Snowden’s previous permit expired in April but was automatically extended until June due to the coronavirus pandemic, TASS reported. Snowden applied to extend his residence permit as soon as authorities lifted lockdown measures, the lawyer added.
Snowden, who has led a reclusive life in Russia, is not considering applying for Russian citizenship, Kucherena added. The whistleblower has previously expressed concerns for his safety in Russia.
Last year, Snowden said he wanted France and Germany to grant him asylum and expressed willingness to serve time in U.S. prison as long as he is guaranteed a fair trial.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-22--Catholics Will Convert to Orthodoxy Over Pope’s LGBT Support, Russian Church Predicts

Francis became the first pontiff to voice support for same-sex couples in a documentary that premiered in Rome on Wednesday .
His stance marks a departure from the Vatican doctrine office ’ s 2003 document opposing the “ legal recognition of homosexual unions.
” Pope Francis ’ endorsement of same-sex civil unions will lead the Catholic faithful to convert en masse to Orthodox Christianity and Protestantism , a senior Russian Orthodox Church official said Thursday .
Roman Silantyev , the head of human rights at the Orthodox Church ’ s World Russian People ’ s Council , called Pope Francis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degradation.
” “ People will run to the Orthodox and Protestants after that , ” Silantyev told the Podyom news website .
“ This might cause some kind of split since many Catholics are quite conservative.
” His comments come amid Russia ’ s increasing embrace of conservative values , with persisting intolerance toward the LGBT community and criticism of the liberal West .
A majority of Russians voted this summer in favor of constitutional changes which , in addition to allowing President Vladimir Putin to extend his rule , added language defining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a woman to the Constitution .
Russia decriminalized homosexuality in 1993 .
Twenty years later , it banned “ homosexual propaganda toward minors , ” which activists say the authorities use to prevent them from displaying LGBT flags and holding gay pride events .
Silantyev mocked Pope Francis ’ comments on gay civil unions , saying “ perhaps people with those proclivities will get into priesthood… considering the rather massive nature of homosexuality among the clergy there.
” Referencing the sex abuse scandals that have plagued the Catholic Church for over a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since nothing is threatening them , they will use their status to seduce boys.
” “ Our Church doesn ’ t compromise , that ’ s not its style , so to speak , ” Silantyev said .

Francis became the first pontiff to voice support for same-sex couples in a documentary that premiered in Rome on Wednesday. His stance marks a departure from the Vatican doctrine office’s 2003 document opposing the “legal recognition of homosexual unions.”
Pope Francis’ endorsement of same-sex civil unions will lead the Catholic faithful to convert en masse to Orthodox Christianity and Protestantism, a senior Russian Orthodox Church official said Thursday.
Roman Silantyev, the head of human rights at the Orthodox Church’s World Russian People’s Council, called Pope Francis’ comments “a strong step toward degradation.”
“People will run to the Orthodox and Protestants after that,” Silantyev told the Podyom news website. “This might cause some kind of split since many Catholics are quite conservative.”
His comments come amid Russia’s increasing embrace of conservative values, with persisting intolerance toward the LGBT community and criticism of the liberal West. A majority of Russians voted this summer in favor of constitutional changes which, in addition to allowing President Vladimir Putin to extend his rule, added language defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman to the Constitution.
Russia decriminalized homosexuality in 1993. Twenty years later, it banned “homosexual propaganda toward minors,” which activists say the authorities use to prevent them from displaying LGBT flags and holding gay pride events.
Silantyev mocked Pope Francis’ comments on gay civil unions, saying “perhaps people with those proclivities will get into priesthood… considering the rather massive nature of homosexuality among the clergy there.”
Referencing the sex abuse scandals that have plagued the Catholic Church for over a decade, he told Podyom: “Since nothing is threatening them, they will use their status to seduce boys.”
“Our Church doesn’t compromise, that’s not its style, so to speak,” Silantyev said.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-22--Russia to Probe Virus Deaths Caused By Oxygen Shortage

Russia ’ s health watchdog said Wednesday that its affiliate in the Rostov region was looking into the reports that the patients died due to a lack of oxygen in their hospital on Oct. 12 .
The Kremlin said it was confident that regional authorities would conduct an urgent investigation into the “ alarming ” report .
At least 13 coronavirus patients were reported to have died when their oxygen supply ran out at a hospital in southern Russia last week .
“ Oxygen was lacking constantly , but [ that day ] we didn ’ t have it for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unnamed senior health official told Rostov-on-Don ’ s 161.ru news website .
“ Even those who had oxygen were gasping for air like fish thrown out of the water , ” the official in the city 1,000 kilometers south of Moscow said .
Health authorities said an autopsy would determine the causes of the patients ’ deaths , five of whom were reported to be in intensive care .
An unnamed hospital worker told 161.ru that some of the patients “ would have died anyway ” from complications , but added that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been saved had oxygen been still available .
The outlet reported , citing medics , that this was not the first time that patients died at the Rostov-on-Don City Hospital No .
20 after oxygen supplies ran out .
Hospital staffers have to regularly redistribute the oxygen among its critical patients , 161.ru reported .
Rostov-on-Don ’ s administration acknowledged the rising number of Covid-19 hospitalizations but denied that lack of oxygen was to blame for the 13 deaths on Oct. 12 .
“ There were no emergencies with oxygen supplies on those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients ’ deaths , ” the city ’ s deputy mayor for social issues Yelena Kozhukhova said .
On Thursday , the Rostov region ’ s administration said medical oxygen suppliers are meeting local hospitals ’ needs and are running a surplus .
The Rostov region is Russia ’ s sixth most-affected federal subject with 27,840 total Covid-19 cases and 704 deaths confirmed by the national coronavirus information center .
Russia has reported record numbers of new infections and deaths over the past week as disease experts warn that its regions could see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse than the first .

Russia’s health watchdog said Wednesday that its affiliate in the Rostov region was looking into the reports that the patients died due to a lack of oxygen in their hospital on Oct. 12. The Kremlin said it was confident that regional authorities would conduct an urgent investigation into the “alarming” report.
At least 13 coronavirus patients were reported to have died when their oxygen supply ran out at a hospital in southern Russia last week.
“Oxygen was lacking constantly, but [that day] we didn’t have it for two hours on all floors,” an unnamed senior health official told Rostov-on-Don’s 161.ru news website.
“Even those who had oxygen were gasping for air like fish thrown out of the water,” the official in the city 1,000 kilometers south of Moscow said.
Health authorities said an autopsy would determine the causes of the patients’ deaths, five of whom were reported to be in intensive care.
An unnamed hospital worker told 161.ru that some of the patients “would have died anyway” from complications, but added that at least three of them could have been saved had oxygen been still available.
The outlet reported, citing medics, that this was not the first time that patients died at the Rostov-on-Don City Hospital No. 20 after oxygen supplies ran out. Hospital staffers have to regularly redistribute the oxygen among its critical patients, 161.ru reported.
Rostov-on-Don’s administration acknowledged the rising number of Covid-19 hospitalizations but denied that lack of oxygen was to blame for the 13 deaths on Oct. 12.
“There were no emergencies with oxygen supplies on those days that could have led to the patients’ deaths,” the city’s deputy mayor for social issues Yelena Kozhukhova said.
On Thursday, the Rostov region’s administration said medical oxygen suppliers are meeting local hospitals’ needs and are running a surplus.
The Rostov region is Russia’s sixth most-affected federal subject with 27,840 total Covid-19 cases and 704 deaths confirmed by the national coronavirus information center.
Russia has reported record numbers of new infections and deaths over the past week as disease experts warn that its regions could see a second wave that is 10 times worse than the first.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-22--Putin: Russia's Rise in Coronavirus Deaths Due to Improved Methodology

Russia ’ s national coronavirus information center has confirmed a total of 25,242 Covid-19 deaths after reporting record daily fatalities of over 200 in 10 of the last 15 days .
By comparison , daily Covid-19 deaths crossed the 200 mark only three times between the start of Russia ’ s outbreak in March and early October .
Coronavirus deaths are on the rise in Russia partly because of improved cause-of-death methodology , President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday .
“ Unfortunately , our [ Covid-19 ] mortality rate has increased compared to spring , ” Putin said at a meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts say that this is also because they have begun identifying the causes of death better and more rigorously , ” he said , explaining the rise in coronavirus deaths .
Russia ’ s coronavirus information center confirmed 290 Covid-19 deaths Thursday , one day after it reported a record of 317 deaths .
Moscow , the epicenter of Russia ’ s outbreak , has confirmed a record 66 deaths per day for two consecutive days .
Monthly statistics published by Russia ’ s state statistics agency Rosstat place the real number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August , the latest available month , with a mortality ratio of 4.6 % against the global rate of 3-4 % .
Alexei Raksha , a demographic forecaster who left Rosstat this summer after criticizing the information center ’ s figures , told Bloomberg this week that Russia ’ s daily mortality rates are even more undercounted and need to be “ multiplied by three.
” “ Overall mortality has fallen by almost half compared to spring , which is after all the main indicator of the state of the health system as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday ’ s meeting .
Monthly statistics indicate that coronavirus deaths peaked at around 12,500 in May and June , then decreased to 7,500 in August , the latest available month .
Russia confirmed 15,971 new Covid-19 cases Thursday , bringing the total caseload in the world ’ s fourth most-affected country to more than 1.46 million .
Putin also pledged to avoid returning to strict lockdown measures like those Russia imposed in spring despite the record-setting rise in new Covid-19 cases over the past week .
Authorities have introduced targeted measures at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to slow the spread of the disease .

Russia’s national coronavirus information center has confirmed a total of 25,242 Covid-19 deaths after reporting record daily fatalities of over 200 in 10 of the last 15 days. By comparison, daily Covid-19 deaths crossed the 200 mark only three times between the start of Russia’s outbreak in March and early October.
Coronavirus deaths are on the rise in Russia partly because of improved cause-of-death methodology, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, our [Covid-19] mortality rate has increased compared to spring,” Putin said at a meeting with industrialists and entrepreneurs.
“But experts say that this is also because they have begun identifying the causes of death better and more rigorously,” he said, explaining the rise in coronavirus deaths.
Russia’s coronavirus information center confirmed 290 Covid-19 deaths Thursday, one day after it reported a record of 317 deaths.
Moscow, the epicenter of Russia’s outbreak, has confirmed a record 66 deaths per day for two consecutive days.
Monthly statistics published by Russia’s state statistics agency Rosstat place the real number of coronavirus deaths at 45,663 between April and August, the latest available month, with a mortality ratio of 4.6% against the global rate of 3-4%.
Alexei Raksha, a demographic forecaster who left Rosstat this summer after criticizing the information center’s figures, told Bloomberg this week that Russia’s daily mortality rates are even more undercounted and need to be “multiplied by three.”
“Overall mortality has fallen by almost half compared to spring, which is after all the main indicator of the state of the health system as a whole,” Putin said at Wednesday’s meeting.
Monthly statistics indicate that coronavirus deaths peaked at around 12,500 in May and June, then decreased to 7,500 in August, the latest available month.
Russia confirmed 15,971 new Covid-19 cases Thursday, bringing the total caseload in the world’s fourth most-affected country to more than 1.46 million.
Putin also pledged to avoid returning to strict lockdown measures like those Russia imposed in spring despite the record-setting rise in new Covid-19 cases over the past week. Authorities have introduced targeted measures at what they deem to be coronavirus hotspots to slow the spread of the disease.