themoscowtimes--2020-07-12--Russia's Coronavirus Cases Near 730K as Restrictions Ease

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

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


themoscowtimes--2020-07-12--Nearly 300 Wildfires in Siberia Amid Record Warm Weather

Freakishly warm weather across large swathes of Siberia since January , combined with low soil moisture , have contributed to a resurgence of wildfires that devastated the region last summer , the European Union 's climate monitoring network said this week .
Russia 's forest service said there were nearly 300 wildfires blazing across the vast country 's northern wilderness on Saturday , as it attempted to contain them with methods including explosives and cloud seeding .
Both the number and intensity of fires in Siberia and parts of Alaska have increased since mid-June , resulting in the highest carbon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tons of CO2 — since records began in 2003 , it said .
Russia 's Aerial Forest Protection Service said it was trying to suppress 136 fires over 43,000 hectares ( 430 square kilometers ) as of Saturday .
Firefighters are using explosives to contain the fires and seeding clouds with silver iodide to encourage rain , it said .
However 159 other fires have been deemed too remote and expensive to handle , with over 333,000 hectares currently ablaze in areas where firefighting efforts have stopped , it said .
The area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week ago , when the service reported fires over a total of 2 million hectares .
From mid-June , regions in Russia 's northern Siberia , including beyond the Arctic circle , have registered unprecedented heat records .
Russia 's weather service expert Roman Vilfand said that anti-cyclones — which create abnormally clear skies with no clouds or rain — had increased in the northern hemisphere .
In the Arctic , where the sun does n't set in the summer , this means that sunlight is heating the Earth 's surface around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires , he said .
On Thursday , the Russian weather service said wildfires this year have already covered an area that is 9.6 % larger than last year over the same period .
Fresh satellite images showed Saturday that the largest fires are still in Russia 's vast republic of Sakha , which is sparsely populated and borders the Arctic Ocean .
Emergencies services in the region , where temperatures have been consistently above 30 degrees Celsius ( 86 degrees Fahrenheit ) , were fighting off the flames near an oil storage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday they declared there was no danger to populated areas .
The region announced a state of emergency on July 2 due to the wildfires , which the governor of Sakha said were caused by `` dry thunderstorms . ''
Greenpeace Russia 's forest program , which analyzes satellite data , said Saturday that a total of 9.26 million hectares — greater than the size of Portugal — have been impacted by wildfires since the beginning of 2020 .
Russia 's weather officials and environmentalists have said climate change is a major factor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exacerbated by an underfunded forest service forced to leave most blazes unattended .

Freakishly warm weather across large swathes of Siberia since January, combined with low soil moisture, have contributed to a resurgence of wildfires that devastated the region last summer, the European Union's climate monitoring network said this week.
Russia's forest service said there were nearly 300 wildfires blazing across the vast country's northern wilderness on Saturday, as it attempted to contain them with methods including explosives and cloud seeding.
Both the number and intensity of fires in Siberia and parts of Alaska have increased since mid-June, resulting in the highest carbon emissions for the month — 59 million tons of CO2 — since records began in 2003, it said.
Russia's Aerial Forest Protection Service said it was trying to suppress 136 fires over 43,000 hectares (430 square kilometers) as of Saturday.
Firefighters are using explosives to contain the fires and seeding clouds with silver iodide to encourage rain, it said.
However 159 other fires have been deemed too remote and expensive to handle, with over 333,000 hectares currently ablaze in areas where firefighting efforts have stopped, it said.
The area currently burning is still considerably smaller than a week ago, when the service reported fires over a total of 2 million hectares.
From mid-June, regions in Russia's northern Siberia, including beyond the Arctic circle, have registered unprecedented heat records.
Russia's weather service expert Roman Vilfand said that anti-cyclones — which create abnormally clear skies with no clouds or rain — had increased in the northern hemisphere.
In the Arctic, where the sun doesn't set in the summer, this means that sunlight is heating the Earth's surface around the clock, increasing the risk of fires, he said.
On Thursday, the Russian weather service said wildfires this year have already covered an area that is 9.6% larger than last year over the same period.
Fresh satellite images showed Saturday that the largest fires are still in Russia's vast republic of Sakha, which is sparsely populated and borders the Arctic Ocean.
Emergencies services in the region, where temperatures have been consistently above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), were fighting off the flames near an oil storage facility most of this week.
On Friday they declared there was no danger to populated areas.
The region announced a state of emergency on July 2 due to the wildfires, which the governor of Sakha said were caused by "dry thunderstorms."
Greenpeace Russia's forest program, which analyzes satellite data, said Saturday that a total of 9.26 million hectares — greater than the size of Portugal — have been impacted by wildfires since the beginning of 2020.
Russia's weather officials and environmentalists have said climate change is a major factor behind the increase in fires, though exacerbated by an underfunded forest service forced to leave most blazes unattended.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-13--Kremlin Pool Journalists Defend Ex-Colleague Indicted for Treason

Kremlin pool reporters have recorded a rare video address in support of a colleague who was indicted on charges of treason Monday .
Ivan Safronov , 30 , was arrested last week , two months after he left his decade-long journalism career and became a media adviser to Russia ’ s space chief .
He faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of state treason in a closed trial .
In a video published to social media Monday , Kremlin pool reporters from both state-run and independent outlets defended Safronov as a professional and questioned the treason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rossiiskaya Gazeta , the state-run news agency TASS and the pro-Kremlin tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets demanded that investigators provide evidence against Safronov .
Pool reporters from the opposition-leaning Dozhd broadcaster , the independent RBC news website and the Vedomosti business newspaper , where Safronov worked for a year before switching careers , also echoed their colleagues ’ calls to carry out an open trial .
Safronov had occasionally filled in for the Kommersant business daily ’ s Kremlin pool reporter Andrei Kolesnikov in his 10 years there .
Members of his defense team say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Czech intelligence since 2012 .
Federal Security Service ( FSB ) investigators believe that Czech intelligence acts under the guidance of the United States .
Colleagues and observers linked Safronov ’ s detention to his reporting on Russian defense matters and criticized investigators for not presenting any evidence .
Meanwhile , police have detained at least 10 journalists who held single pickets in Safronov ’ s support outside the notorious Lefortovo prison where he ’ s being held ahead of his indictment .

Kremlin pool reporters have recorded a rare video address in support of a colleague who was indicted on charges of treason Monday. Ivan Safronov, 30, was arrested last week, two months after he left his decade-long journalism career and became a media adviser to Russia’s space chief. He faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of state treason in a closed trial.
Журналисты кремлевского пула записали видео в поддержку своего бывшего коллеги Ивана Сафронова, арестованного по делу о госизмене. Они требуют, чтобы следствие предоставило обществу доказательства по делу журналистаhttps://t.co/dTcQjICuAZ pic.twitter.com/93pVVIkq2f — РБК (@ru_rbc) July 13, 2020
In a video published to social media Monday, Kremlin pool reporters from both state-run and independent outlets defended Safronov as a professional and questioned the treason charges. Journalists from the government newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta, the state-run news agency TASS and the pro-Kremlin tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets demanded that investigators provide evidence against Safronov. Pool reporters from the opposition-leaning Dozhd broadcaster, the independent RBC news website and the Vedomosti business newspaper, where Safronov worked for a year before switching careers, also echoed their colleagues’ calls to carry out an open trial. Safronov had occasionally filled in for the Kommersant business daily’s Kremlin pool reporter Andrei Kolesnikov in his 10 years there.
Members of his defense team say that Safronov is suspected of cooperating with Czech intelligence since 2012. Federal Security Service (FSB) investigators believe that Czech intelligence acts under the guidance of the United States. Colleagues and observers linked Safronov’s detention to his reporting on Russian defense matters and criticized investigators for not presenting any evidence.
Moscow police have detained at least 10 journalists protesting the arrest of their colleague Ivan Safronov on questionable treason charges https://t.co/TDMsvRwL7I pic.twitter.com/lf84vD5GN3 — Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) July 13, 2020


themoscowtimes--2020-07-13--Kremlin Seeks to Calm Protests Over Governor's Arrest

A Kremlin envoy on Monday sought to de-escalate a political crisis as protests against the arrest of a popular governor in far eastern Russia entered a fourth day .
At the weekend , tens of thousands of people poured onto the streets of Khabarovsk some 6,100 kilometers ( 3,800 miles ) east of Moscow to protest the arrest of regional governor Sergei Furgal in a murder probe .
Furgal was detained last week , flown to Moscow and is to be held in custody until early September on charges of ordering the killings of businessmen 15 years ago .
Large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khabarovsk and nearby towns , in what observers said were the first such rallies there in recent decades .
The protests come after President Vladimir Putin , who has been in power for two decades , this month oversaw a constitutional vote that allows him to extend his hold on power until 2036 .
Furgal , a member of the nationalist LDPR party , won the governor 's seat from a representative of the ruling party in 2018 .
On Monday , rallies resumed in Khabarovsk , which is seven hours ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , local activists said .
Putin 's far eastern envoy , Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev , reportedly flew in at the weekend .
He said Monday that `` people have the right to express their opinion , '' the state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported .
Trutnev did not appear to meet protesters , however .
`` Sergei Ivanovich was and is supported by a large number of people , '' he acknowledged in reference to the governor .
At the same time Trutnev blamed local officials for what he called the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues .
`` I believe that work of the Khabarovsk regional leadership has been poorly organized , '' he said .
In a new protest on Monday , a crowd of protesters gathered outside the regional administration offices , with video footage of the demonstration released by supporters of leading opposition politician Alexei Navalny .
Activists estimated the turnout at around 300 people .
`` Furgal is our choice ! ''
protesters chanted , some pumping their fists in the air , at the fourth demonstration since the governor 's arrest .
LDPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zhirinovsky , has backed Furgal and accused the ruling party of using `` Stalin-era methods . ''
Writing on Telegram on Monday , Zhirinovsky said Furgal was one of Russia 's five most popular regional chiefs .

Protesters in Russia's Far East rallied again Monday in support of a popular regional governor arrested on murder charges, as a Kremlin envoy looked to ease tensions. Several hundred supporters of governor Sergei Furgal demonstrated in the center of the city of Khabarovsk, chanting "Furgal!" and "Freedom!" as passing cars honked their horns in support.
Напоминаем, это ВЕЧЕР ПОНЕДЕЛЬНИКА pic.twitter.com/Ep2IocuxSX — Штаб Навального в Хабаровске (@teamnavalnykhv) July 13, 2020
Local activists said between 500 and 700 people took part, after weekend protests that saw thousands on the streets of Khabarovsk, a city of nearly 600,000 near the border with China. Furgal, of the nationalist LDPR party, was detained last week, flown to Moscow and is to be held in custody until early September on charges of ordering the killings of businessmen 15 years ago. His supporters say the charges are political, after Furgal won the governor's seat from a representative of the ruling United Russia party in 2018. A massive rally on Saturday saw tens of thousands pour onto the streets of Khabarovsk to protest his arrest, with estimates ranging from 10,000 to 40,000 demonstrators. Several thousand more rallied again on Sunday.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-13--Moscow Says Turkey's Hagia Sophia Move an 'Internal Affair'

Turkey 's move followed a court decision last week revoking the museum status of the UNESCO World Heritage site , @ @ @ @ @ outcry .
Russia said Monday that Turkey 's decision to turn the iconic Hagia Sophia @ @ @ @ @ was the country 's own business .
`` We proceed from the fact that this @ @ @ @ @ in which neither us nor others should interfere , '' Russia 's deputy foreign minister @ @ @ @ @ He stressed however the importance of Hagia Sophia for `` world culture and civilization , @ @ @ @ @ .
The Hagia Sophia was constructed as a cathedral during the Byzantine Empire but converted @ @ @ @ @ Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453 .
It is to reopen this month for Muslim @ @ @ @ @ almost nine decades as a museum .
Vershinin 's statement came after the Russian Orthodox @ @ @ @ @ 's decision .
`` The concern of millions of Christians were not heard , '' @ @ @ @ @ on Friday .

Turkey's move followed a court decision last week revoking the museum status of the UNESCO World Heritage site, and has triggered a global outcry.
Russia said Monday that Turkey's decision to turn the iconic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque was the country's own business.
"We proceed from the fact that this is a Turkish internal affair in which neither us nor others should interfere," Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Vershinin told reporters.
He stressed however the importance of Hagia Sophia for "world culture and civilization," Russian news agencies reported.
The Hagia Sophia was constructed as a cathedral during the Byzantine Empire but converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453.
It is to reopen this month for Muslim worship as a mosque after almost nine decades as a museum.
Vershinin's statement came after the Russian Orthodox Church expressed dismay at Turkey's decision.
"The concern of millions of Christians were not heard," Church spokesman Vladimir Legoida said on Friday.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-13--Russia Eyes First Coronavirus Vaccine Launch in Mid-August

The Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University launched clinical trials of the potential Covid-19 vaccine on 38 paid volunteers in June .
Around the same time , Russia ’ s military began a parallel two-month clinical trial of the same vaccine developed by the state-run Gamalei National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology .
Russian scientists said Monday they hope the world ’ s first coronavirus vaccine will be distributed to patients as soon as next month after a medical university in Moscow said it completed clinical trials using human volunteers .
The Gamalei center 's head Alexander Gintsburg told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopes the vaccine will “ enter civil circulation ” on Aug. 12-14 .
He added that he hopes private companies would begin mass production by September .
“ The research has been completed and it proved that the vaccine is safe , ” Yelena Smolyarchuk , the head of Sechenov University ’ s clinical research center , told TASS of its trial .
The Sechenov University 's two groups of volunteers will be discharged Wednesday and next Monday after spending 28 days in isolation to protect them from exposure to other infections , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 to 65 , will be monitored for six more months after their release .
Earlier in July , Smolyarchuk said that some participants experienced typical responses to injections , such as headaches and an elevated body temperature , which resolved within 24 hours .
“ The Russian Health Ministry will make a decision on the substance effectiveness based on the results of ” biochemical tests , the university said in a July 3 press release .
The ministry “ hopes to finalize the trials ... before fall , ” it added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ May that its own scientists were self-administering the vaccine , a move criticized by some experts .
The decision to involve the general public in vaccine trials underscores Russia ’ s desire to move ahead fast with its testing of the sought-after coronavirus vaccine .
Russia has the world ’ s fourth-highest number of coronavirus infections after the United States , Brazil and India .
The Kremlin has previously said the nation ’ s scientists are working on almost 50 different vaccine projects , while scientists have said developing a vaccine is `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race to develop a vaccine that would help the population develop herd immunity is in full swing around the world , recent research suggests that asymptomatic patients could have a weaker immune response to Covid-19 because their antibodies fade as early as two months after infection .

The Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University launched clinical trials of the potential Covid-19 vaccine on 38 paid volunteers in June. Around the same time, Russia’s military began a parallel two-month clinical trial of the same vaccine developed by the state-run Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology.
Russian scientists said Monday they hope the world’s first coronavirus vaccine will be distributed to patients as soon as next month after a medical university in Moscow said it completed clinical trials using human volunteers.
The Gamaleya center's head Alexander Gintsburg told the state-run TASS news agency that he hopes the vaccine will “enter civil circulation” on Aug. 12-14. He added that he hopes private companies would begin mass production by September.
“The research has been completed and it proved that the vaccine is safe,” Yelena Smolyarchuk, the head of the Sechenov University’s clinical research center, told TASS of its trial.
The Sechenov University's two groups of volunteers will be discharged Wednesday and next Monday after spending 28 days in isolation to protect them from exposure to other infections, she added. The volunteers, aged 18 to 65, will be monitored for six more months after their release.
Earlier in July, Smolyarchuk said that some participants experienced typical responses to injections, such as headaches and an elevated body temperature, which resolved within 24 hours.
“The Russian Health Ministry will make a decision on the substance effectiveness based on the results of” biochemical tests, the university said in a July 3 press release.
The ministry “hopes to finalize the trials ... before fall,” it added.
The Gamaleya Research Center said earlier in May that its own scientists were self-administering the vaccine, a move criticized by some experts.
The decision to involve the general public in vaccine trials underscores Russia’s desire to move ahead fast with its testing of the sought-after coronavirus vaccine.
Russia has the world’s fourth-highest number of coronavirus infections after the United States, Brazil and India. The Kremlin has previously said the nation’s scientists are working on almost 50 different vaccine projects, while scientists have said developing a vaccine is "a question of national prestige.”
Though the race to develop a vaccine that would help the population develop herd immunity is in full swing around the world, recent research suggests that asymptomatic patients could have a weaker immune response to Covid-19 because their antibodies fade as early as two months after infection.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-13--Russian Prosecutors Uphold Khachaturyan Sisters’ Murder Charges

Prosecutors late last year ordered investigators to drop the charges against Krestina , Angelina and Maria Khachaturyan , who admitted to killing their father in July 2018 after he subjected them to years of physical , mental and sexual abuse .
The sisters ’ lawyers had hoped that investigators would downgrade the charges of premeditated murder , which carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years , to necessary defense charges .
Russian prosecutors have backtracked on their position to drop murder charges against three teenage sisters accused of killing their abusive father , lawyers told news agencies Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Office has approved the Khachaturyan sisters ’ indictment , ” their lawyer Alexei Liptser told the state-run TASS news agency .
Liptser said the same deputy prosecutor who refused to approve the sisters ’ indictment in December has “ obviously changed his position.
” In May , Russian investigators rejected the prosecutors ’ orders to drop the murder charges .
His colleague Mari Davtyan linked the prosecutors ’ reversal to “ a trend ” of raids and arrests of activists and journalists since Russia adopted a slew of controversial constitutional changes on July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative and economically populist promises to the Constitution , the amendments allow President Vladimir Putin to extend his 20-year rule into 2036 by resetting sitting or former presidents ’ term limits .
The Khachaturyan sisters ’ other lawyer Alexei Parshin told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that he expects a closed trial .
The sisters ’ high-profile case has divided Russian society .
Supporters blame Russia ’ s legal system — which critics say turns a blind eye to domestic abuse — for forcing the teenagers to defend themselves , while opponents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also fueled calls for the repeal of a 2017 law that decriminalized first-time domestic abuse offenses .

Prosecutors late last year ordered investigators to drop the charges against Krestina, Angelina and Maria Khachaturyan, who admitted to killing their father in July 2018 after he subjected them to years of physical, mental and sexual abuse. The sisters’ lawyers had hoped that investigators would downgrade the charges of premeditated murder, which carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years, to necessary defense charges.
Russian prosecutors have backtracked on their position to drop murder charges against three teenage sisters accused of killing their abusive father, lawyers told news agencies Sunday.
“The Prosecutor General’s Office has approved the Khachaturyan sisters’ indictment,” their lawyer Alexei Liptser told the state-run TASS news agency.
Liptser said the same deputy prosecutor who refused to approve the sisters’ indictment in December has “obviously changed his position.” In May, Russian investigators rejected the prosecutors’ orders to drop the murder charges.
His colleague Mari Davtyan linked the prosecutors’ reversal to “a trend” of raids and arrests of activists and journalists since Russia adopted a slew of controversial constitutional changes on July 1.
In addition to adding socially conservative and economically populist promises to the Constitution, the amendments allow President Vladimir Putin to extend his 20-year rule into 2036 by resetting sitting or former presidents’ term limits.
The Khachaturyan sisters’ other lawyer Alexei Parshin told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that he expects a closed trial.
The sisters’ high-profile case has divided Russian society. Supporters blame Russia’s legal system — which critics say turns a blind eye to domestic abuse — for forcing the teenagers to defend themselves, while opponents view them as murderers.
Their case has also fueled calls for the repeal of a 2017 law that decriminalized first-time domestic abuse offenses.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-13--Defrocked Coronavirus-Denying Priest Tells Putin to Step Down

Father Sergei was found guilty of breaking his monastic vows by an ecclesiastical court earlier in July .
He seized the Sredneuralsk women ’ s monastery near Yekaterinburg after religious authorities barred him from preaching in April for refusing to follow coronavirus health guidelines , calling the restrictions a “ satanic plot.
” An ultraconservative , coronavirus-denying priest who was defrocked after capturing a convent in central Russia has called on President Vladimir Putin to give up his powers or face a “ spiritual war.
” “ I offer at an international level that you , Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Father Sergei said in his latest address .
“ Three days and I ’ ll restore order in Russia , ” he said in a video published on his spokesman ’ s YouTube channel Sunday .
“ Otherwise , I ’ ll declare a full-scale spiritual war against you personally , as well as the apostate Patriarch Kirill Gundyayev and the Chabad Berel Lazar , who rules Russia , ” he said , referring to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church , who was born Vladimir Gundyayev , and Russia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former policeman , Father Sergei changed his secular name to Nikolai Romanov in honor of Russia ’ s last emperor and previously spent 13 years in prison for murder .
Before being defrocked he was a prominent but controversial figure in the Orthodox Church , serving as the confessor of sports stars and politicians including Russian lawmaker and former Crimean prosecutor Natalia Poklonskaya .
A BBC Russia report published earlier this month described psychologically abusive treatment toward children living in the monastery .
Father Sergei is at least the second high-profile religious figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The first , Siberian shaman Alexander Gabyshev , has been detained during multiple attempts to trek to Moscow and ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation .

Father Sergei was found guilty of breaking his monastic vows by an ecclesiastical court earlier in July. He seized the Sredneuralsk women’s monastery near Yekaterinburg after religious authorities barred him from preaching in April for refusing to follow coronavirus health guidelines, calling the restrictions a “satanic plot.”
An ultraconservative, coronavirus-denying priest who was defrocked after capturing a convent in central Russia has called on President Vladimir Putin to give up his powers or face a “spiritual war.”
“I offer at an international level that you, Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, transfer powers to me,” Father Sergei said in his latest address.
“Three days and I’ll restore order in Russia,” he said in a video published on his spokesman’s YouTube channel Sunday.
“Otherwise, I’ll declare a full-scale spiritual war against you personally, as well as the apostate Patriarch Kirill Gundyayev and the Chabad Berel Lazar, who rules Russia,” he said, referring to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, who was born Vladimir Gundyayev, and Russia’s chief rabbi Berel Lazar.
A former policeman, Father Sergei changed his secular name to Nikolai Romanov in honor of Russia’s last emperor and previously spent 13 years in prison for murder.
Before being defrocked he was a prominent but controversial figure in the Orthodox Church, serving as the confessor of sports stars and politicians including Russian lawmaker and former Crimean prosecutor Natalia Poklonskaya.
A BBC Russia report published earlier this month described psychologically abusive treatment toward children living in the monastery.
Father Sergei is at least the second high-profile religious figure to seek Putin’s ouster. The first, Siberian shaman Alexander Gabyshev, has been detained during multiple attempts to trek to Moscow and ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.