themoscowtimes--2020-07-29--Russia Coronavirus Cases Approach 830K Amid Vaccine Race, Lifted Lockdown

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--2020-07-29--Fire and Brimstone: The Rise and Fall of Russia’s Coronavirus-Denying Rebel Priest

In a forest outside Yekaterinburg , pilgrims chant and wave banners in their annual midnight procession in honor of Nicholas II , the last Tsar of Russia and a saint in the Russian Orthdox Church .
But this year ’ s pilgrimage to the spot where the emperor and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks on June 16 , 1918 , was unlike any that have gone before .
Local Church officials led one group , while others followed Father Sergei Romanov , a rogue cleric whose denial of the coronavirus and seizure of a monastery this summer have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am ready to give my life for each of you , ” Father Sergei told his followers .
“ Are you sure that those who run the country would do the same ?
” With his long , snow-white hair and beard , flowing black robes and piercing glare , Father Sergei cuts a striking , intimidating figure .
A prominent but controversial figure within the Church , observers say his charisma and plain speaking draw people to him , making his radical , ultraconservative vision of Christianity and espousal of conspiracy theories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s power and influence are fading in the wake of his challenges to the authority of the Church and President Vladimir Putin .
While the renegade priest is now defrocked , disgraced and losing allies , he says he has no intention of stepping down and surrendering the monastery .
The coronavirus pandemic divided the Church this spring , when its leaders imposed safety rules within cathedrals and encouraged its clergy to move services online — but not everyone followed suit .
The debate over the coronavirus and its severity has set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the Church , with its most conservative circles eschewing the public-health measures , according to Ksenia Luchenko , a journalist who specializes in church affairs .
“ Refusal to obey government rules on the closure of churches is seen by some as a new form of martyrdom , ” she wrote in a commentary for Carnegie .
In the Sverdlovsk region , which now has the country ’ s second-highest rate of new coronavirus cases , Father Sergei has been one of the loudest voices of dissent , calling coronavirus restrictions a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who seek to close cathedrals .
“ By closing churches , ” he said in April in a now-deleted video , “ our spiritual leadership is working with the forerunners of the Antichrist , covering up their shallowness and cowardice with an offer to communicate with God online.
” Russian officials accused him of disseminating hate speech with the video , and the Yekaterinburg diocese banned him from public ministry soon after .
After being banned from preaching , Father Sergei set his sights on the Sredneuralsk women ’ s monastery , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he gathered his supporters along with an armed force of Cossacks and Donbass war veterans and surrounded the monastery , forcing out its head abbess , Mother Superior Varvara , and barring representatives from the Yekaterinburg diocese from entering .
The monastery is now home to 530 men , women and children who follow Father Sergei ’ s spiritual leadership , according to his spokesperson Vsevolod Moguchev .
Local media reports have said figures like actor Dmitry Sokolov and hockey star Pavel Datsyuk are among them .
Other worshippers and pilgrims come from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in which he outlines his visions of an impending holy war preceding the end of the world .
Under Father Sergei the monastery operates under a shroud of secrecy , barring journalists from entering and treating would-be observers with hostility .
He posts regular addresses on YouTube , detailing conspiracy theories such as his belief that the coronavirus was manufactured to implant “ surveillance chips ” into the population .
Exorcisms take place in the monastery every day at 6:00 a.m. while he resides there , a reporter for The Independent wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report from BBC Russia detailed alleged physical and psychological abuse of children within the monastery , allegations now being investigated by federal authorities .
“ The monastery operates as it did before — it serves God and cares for children , helps cancer patients , provides food for the poor , ” Moguchev , an Orthodox blogger who started working for Father Sergei to “ tell people the truth that is being hidden by many media outlets and by Church authorities , ” told The Moscow Times .
“ No laws are being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to perform divine services which are illegal and graceless , and is trying to manage the convent instead of its lawful abbess Varvara , ” said Yekaterinburg diocese spokesperson Anzhela Tambova .
“ This is a testament to his profound spiritual ill-being and is increasingly alienating him from the Russian Orthodox Church.
” This month , an ecclesiastical court ruled to defrock Father Sergei over his refusal to follow coronavirus restrictions , a decision confirmed by Patriarch Kirill last Friday .
“ When he started to broadcast his nonsense to millions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ran out , ” religious scholar Roman Silantiyev told The Moscow Times .
The disgraced priest and his followers have likened the ecclesiastical court ’ s ruling to a show trial and continue to occupy the monastery .
From prison to the parish In his former life , the man who changed his secular name to Nikolai Romanov in honor of Russia ’ s last ruling dynasty , was a police officer in Moscow suburb .
While serving a 13-year prison term for murder and armed robbery , to which he pleaded guilty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Orthodox activist .
After he was released from prison in 1997 , the Church allowed him to become a priest , despite his criminal record .
The details of how he rose through the ranks are unclear .
Over the years , he carved out a sphere of notoriety within the Church .
The face of the cult-like tsarebozhniki , or “ tsar worshippers , ” movement that views Nicholas II as a co-redeemer of the Russian people alongside Jesus Christ , he has become a controversial for performing exorcisms on children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ espousing Judeo-masonic conspiracy theories .

In a forest outside Yekaterinburg, pilgrims chant and wave banners in their annual midnight procession in honor of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia and a saint in the Russian Orthdox Church.
But this year’s pilgrimage to the spot where the emperor and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks on July 16, 1918, was unlike any that have gone before. Local Church officials led one group, while others followed Father Sergei Romanov, a rogue cleric whose denial of the coronavirus and seizure of a monastery this summer have cost him his priesthood.
"I am ready to give my life for each of you,” Father Sergei told his followers. “Are you sure that those who run the country would do the same?”
With his long, snow-white hair and beard, flowing black robes and piercing glare, Father Sergei cuts a striking, intimidating figure.
A prominent but controversial figure within the Church, observers say his charisma and plain speaking draw people to him, making his radical, ultraconservative vision of Christianity and espousal of conspiracy theories palatable.
Church officials hope Father Sergei’s power and influence are fading in the wake of his challenges to the authority of the Church and President Vladimir Putin. While the renegade priest is now defrocked, disgraced and losing allies, he says he has no intention of stepping down and surrendering the monastery.
‘Satanic plot’
The coronavirus pandemic divided the Church this spring, when its leaders imposed safety rules within cathedrals and encouraged its clergy to move services online — but not everyone followed suit.
The debate over the coronavirus and its severity has set off “a process of decentralization” within the Church, with its most conservative circles eschewing the public-health measures, according to Ksenia Luchenko, a journalist who specializes in church affairs.
“Refusal to obey government rules on the closure of churches is seen by some as a new form of martyrdom,” she wrote in a commentary for Carnegie.
In the Sverdlovsk region, which now has the country’s second-highest rate of new coronavirus cases, Father Sergei has been one of the loudest voices of dissent, calling coronavirus restrictions a “satanic plot” and blasting those who seek to close cathedrals.
“By closing churches,” he said in April in a now-deleted video, “our spiritual leadership is working with the forerunners of the Antichrist, covering up their shallowness and cowardice with an offer to communicate with God online.”
Russian officials accused him of disseminating hate speech with the video, and the Yekaterinburg diocese banned him from public ministry soon after.
Siege at Sredneuralsk
After being banned from preaching, Father Sergei set his sights on the Sredneuralsk women’s monastery, which he founded in 2005.
In June he gathered his supporters along with an armed force of Cossacks and Donbass war veterans and surrounded the monastery, forcing out its head abbess, Mother Superior Varvara, and barring representatives from the Yekaterinburg diocese from entering.
The monastery is now home to 530 men, women and children who follow Father Sergei’s spiritual leadership, according to his spokesperson Vsevolod Moguchev. Local media reports have said figures like actor Dmitry Sokolov and hockey star Pavel Datsyuk are among them. Other worshippers and pilgrims come from all over Russia to hear his sermons, in which he outlines his visions of an impending holy war preceding the end of the world.
Under Father Sergei the monastery operates under a shroud of secrecy, barring journalists from entering and treating would-be observers with hostility.
He posts regular addresses on YouTube, detailing conspiracy theories such as his belief that the coronavirus was manufactured to implant “surveillance chips” into the population. Exorcisms take place in the monastery every day at 6:00 a.m. while he resides there, a reporter for The Independent wrote in a 2017 eyewitness account. A report from BBC Russia detailed alleged physical and psychological abuse of children within the monastery, allegations now being investigated by federal authorities.
“The monastery operates as it did before — it serves God and cares for children, helps cancer patients, provides food for the poor,” Moguchev, an Orthodox blogger who started working for Father Sergei to “tell people the truth that is being hidden by many media outlets and by Church authorities,” told The Moscow Times. “No laws are being violated.”
The Yekaterinburg diocese disagrees.
“[Father Sergei] continues to perform divine services which are illegal and graceless, and is trying to manage the convent instead of its lawful abbess Varvara,” said Yekaterinburg diocese spokesperson Anzhela Tambova. “This is a testament to his profound spiritual ill-being and is increasingly alienating him from the Russian Orthodox Church.”
This month, an ecclesiastical court ruled to defrock Father Sergei over his refusal to follow coronavirus restrictions, a decision confirmed by Patriarch Kirill last Friday.
“When he started to broadcast his nonsense to millions, [the Church’s] patience ran out,” religious scholar Roman Silantiyev told The Moscow Times.
The disgraced priest and his followers have likened the ecclesiastical court’s ruling to a show trial and continue to occupy the monastery.
From prison to the parish
In his former life, the man who changed his secular name to Nikolai Romanov in honor of Russia’s last ruling dynasty, was a police officer in Moscow suburb.
While serving a 13-year prison term for murder and armed robbery, to which he pleaded guilty, he started developing a reputation as an Orthodox activist. After he was released from prison in 1997, the Church allowed him to become a priest, despite his criminal record. The details of how he rose through the ranks are unclear.
Over the years, he carved out a sphere of notoriety within the Church. The face of the cult-like tsarebozhniki, or “tsar worshippers,” movement that views Nicholas II as a co-redeemer of the Russian people alongside Jesus Christ, he has drawn controversy for performing exorcisms on children, praising Soviet leader Josef Stalin and espousing Judeo-masonic conspiracy theories.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-29--Finland Suspects Russian Jets Violated Airspace

Two Russian fighter jets are suspected of violating Finnish airspace off the coast of Helsinki on Tuesday , the Finnish Defense Ministry said .
The incident `` occurred over the Gulf of Finland near Helsinki at around 2:00 p.m. Finnish time ( 11:00 GMT ) '' and the border surveillance authority has opened an investigation to confirm the violation , the ministry said in a press release .
Two Sukhoi SU-27 jets `` flew in Finnish airspace for about two minutes , '' according to Niina Hyrsky , the ministry 's communications director , who told AFP that Finland had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian Defense Ministry denied the alleged violation , saying its SU-27 jets flew from the republic of Karelia to the Kaliningrad region in accordance with international airspace rules .
Russian military aircraft regularly cross the Gulf of Finland to link the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad , between Lithuania and Poland .
Finland , part of the Russian empire between 1809 and 1917 , fought twice with the U.S.S.R. during the Second World War — first as an independent nation and then as an ally of the Germans — before changing sides in 1944 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been neutral or militarily non-aligned since 1955 and is not a member of NATO .
It is , however , associated with the Atlantic alliance through various cooperation programs .

Two Russian fighter jets are suspected of violating Finnish airspace off the coast of Helsinki on Tuesday, the Finnish Defense Ministry said.
The incident "occurred over the Gulf of Finland near Helsinki at around 2:00 p.m. Finnish time (11:00 GMT)" and the border surveillance authority has opened an investigation to confirm the violation, the ministry said in a press release.
Two Sukhoi SU-27 jets "flew in Finnish airspace for about two minutes," according to Niina Hyrsky, the ministry's communications director, who told AFP that Finland had scrambled planes to identify them.
The Russian Defense Ministry denied the alleged violation, saying its SU-27 jets flew from the republic of Karelia to the Kaliningrad region in accordance with international airspace rules.
Russian military aircraft regularly cross the Gulf of Finland to link the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, between Lithuania and Poland.
Finland, part of the Russian empire between 1809 and 1917, fought twice with the U.S.S.R. during the Second World War — first as an independent nation and then as an ally of the Germans — before changing sides in 1944 to fight against the Nazis.
Finland has been neutral or militarily non-aligned since 1955 and is not a member of NATO. It is, however, associated with the Atlantic alliance through various cooperation programs.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-29--High-Profile Washington Analyst Detained in Belarus

`` I have been arrested , '' Vitali Shkliarov , a Harvard University fellow , said on Telegram without providing further details .
A high-profile political analyst and strategist who has advised presidential candidates in the U.S. , Russia and Ukraine has been detained in Belarus ahead of a tense election .
The 44-year-old was born in the Belarussian city of Gomel but is based in Washington DC .
He has worked on both Barack Obama 's and Bernie Sanders ' presidential campaigns .
He told Russian opposition television channel Dozhd that he had arrived in Belarus in early July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Belarussian television said Shkliarov had advised Sergei Tikhanovsky , one of strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko 's would-be rivals , who is now in jail .
The arrest of Tikhanovsky , a popular 41-year-old YouTube blogger , prevented him from submitting his own presidential bid in time .
In a surprise move , his wife Svetlana stepped in and was allowed to register as a candidate .
In a matter of weeks 37-year-old Tikhanovskaya has gone from an unknown to Lukashenko 's strongest rival .
Shkliarov was detained after the KGB security service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegedly plotting to destabilize the country ahead of the presidential election .
KGB chief Valery Vakulchik told Lukashenko the detained men were members of the Wagner group , a shadowy private military firm reportedly controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin , which promotes Moscow 's interests in Ukraine , Syria and Libya .
The arrests came less than two weeks before Belarus holds a tense presidential election on Aug. 9 , in which Lukashenko is seeking a sixth term , as public discontent builds over his policies .

"I have been arrested," Vitali Shkliarov, a Harvard University fellow, said on Telegram without providing further details.
A high-profile political analyst and strategist who has advised presidential candidates in the U.S., Russia and Ukraine has been detained in Belarus ahead of a tense election.
The 44-year-old was born in the Belarussian city of Gomel but is based in Washington DC.
He has worked on both Barack Obama's and Bernie Sanders' presidential campaigns. He told Russian opposition television channel Dozhd that he had arrived in Belarus in early July.
Citing the country's security service, Belarussian television said Shkliarov had advised Sergei Tikhanovsky, one of strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko's would-be rivals, who is now in jail.
The arrest of Tikhanovsky, a popular 41-year-old YouTube blogger, prevented him from submitting his own presidential bid in time.
In a surprise move, his wife Svetlana stepped in and was allowed to register as a candidate. In a matter of weeks 37-year-old Tikhanovskaya has gone from an unknown to Lukashenko's strongest rival.
Shkliarov was detained after the KGB security service announced it had arrested 33 Russian mercenaries allegedly plotting to destabilize the country ahead of the presidential election.
KGB chief Valery Vakulchik told Lukashenko the detained men were members of the Wagner group, a shadowy private military firm reportedly controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which promotes Moscow's interests in Ukraine, Syria and Libya.
The arrests came less than two weeks before Belarus holds a tense presidential election on Aug. 9, in which Lukashenko is seeking a sixth term, as public discontent builds over his policies.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-29--Russian Prosecutors Demand Nearly 10 Years' Jail for U.S. Ex-Marine

Trevor Reed , a 28-year-old student and former Marine from Texas , allegedly attacked police while drunk after attending a party last year .
Russian prosecutors on Wednesday asked for a sentence of nearly 10 years in a penal colony for a former U.S. marine accused of attacking police officers .
He is accused of grabbing one policeman while being driven to a police station and elbowing another .
A spokeswoman for Moscow 's Golovinsky district court told AFP that prosecutors asked the judge to impose a sentence of 9 years and 8 months , close to the maximum possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be announced Thursday .
Reed has been held in a Moscow prison in pre-trial detention since August 2019 .
He has pleaded not guilty to the charge , saying he remembers nothing of the incident .
His defense team has pointed to discrepancies in the evidence given by the police officers .
The case has attracted attention owing to the lengthy sentence faced by a U.S. citizen and speculation in Russian and U.S. media that Reed could become part of a prisoner swap .
In June , Russia convicted U.S. citizen Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16 years in a penal colony on an espionage charge , also prompting speculation that he could participate in a prisoner swap .
Whelan 's brother David said in a statement on Wednesday that `` our family is not privy to government discussions , if there are any , about Paul 's case . ''

Trevor Reed, a 29-year-old student and former Marine from Texas, allegedly attacked police while drunk after attending a party last year.
Russian prosecutors on Wednesday asked for a sentence of nearly 10 years in a penal colony for a former U.S. marine accused of attacking police officers.
He is accused of grabbing one policeman while being driven to a police station and elbowing another.
A spokeswoman for Moscow's Golovinsky district court told AFP that prosecutors asked the judge to impose a sentence of 9 years and 8 months, close to the maximum possible sentence of 10 years.
The verdict will be announced Thursday.
Reed has been held in a Moscow prison in pre-trial detention since August 2019. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge, saying he remembers nothing of the incident.
His defense team has pointed to discrepancies in the evidence given by the police officers.
The case has attracted attention owing to the lengthy sentence faced by a U.S. citizen and speculation in Russian and U.S. media that Reed could become part of a prisoner swap.
In June, Russia convicted U.S. citizen Paul Whelan, also an ex-Marine, to 16 years in a penal colony on an espionage charge, also prompting speculation that he could participate in a prisoner swap.
Whelan's brother David said in a statement on Wednesday that "our family is not privy to government discussions, if there are any, about Paul's case."


themoscowtimes--2020-07-29--Belarus Leader Demands Russia Provide Explanation Over 'Militants'

The surprise announcement is just the latest twist in an extraordinary election campaign that has seen the 65-year-old leader , who has dominated Belarus for nearly three decades , jail his key would-be rivals ahead of the vote .
Strongman Alexander Lukashenko demanded an explanation from Moscow on Wednesday after Belarus arrested Russian mercenaries allegedly plotting to destabilise the country ahead of next month 's presidential election .
`` It is necessary to immediately turn to appropriate Russian structures so that they explain what is going on , '' Lukashenko told the head of the KGB security service at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Belarus security service arrested a group of 33 Russian fighters allegedly plotting to destabilize the country .
KGB chief Valery Vakulchik told Lukashenko that the detained men were members of the Wagner group , a shadowy private military firm that is reportedly controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and promotes Moscow 's interests in Ukraine , Syria , and Libya .
The arrests came less than two weeks before Belarus holds a tense presidential election on August 9 , in which Lukashenko is seeking a sixth term , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ahead of the polls , opposition protests have erupted across the ex-Soviet country of 9.5 million people , with a 37-year-old woman political novice , Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , quickly emerging as Lukashenko 's main rival .
Lukashenko has accused some of his critics of being controlled by `` puppeteers '' in Moscow .
State news agency Belta said the authorities had received information about the arrival of 200 fighters in Belarus `` to destabilize the situation during the election campaign . ''
Belta said the detained men sported `` military-style clothing '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency also said the alleged militants gave themselves away because unlike ordinary Russian tourists , they did not drink .
`` They did not consume alcohol or visit entertainment venues , they kept to themselves in order not to attract attention , '' Belta said , adding that the men stayed at one of the country 's sanatoriums .
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 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on them .
Some commentators suggested that the detained Russian fighters might have used Belarus as a transit point and were en route to Africa .
Unlike Russia , Belarus has kept its borders open during the coronavirus pandemic and operates flights as usual .
Russian author Zakhar Prilepin , who fought alongside Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine , said he knew some of the detained men .
`` There are several fighters from our battalion , '' said Prilepin .
Prilepin said on Facebook that the fighters were probably en route to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarus `` surely knows very well '' , suggesting that the detentions were a carefully-scripted affair .
The ex-Soviet country 's security service has a history of exposing alleged foreign plots to destabilise the country before major elections .
The Russian Embassy in Minsk said it had been notified of the detention of 32 Russian nationals .
Russia is Minsk 's closest political and economic ally but relations have been strained .
In recent years , Lukashenko has been under increasing pressure to inch closer to Russia but the Belarus leader has rejected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a separate development , Belarus also arrested Vitali Shkliarov , a high-profile Washington-based strategist who has advised presidential candidates in the U.S. , Russia and Ukraine .

The surprise announcement is just the latest twist in an extraordinary election campaign that has seen the 65-year-old leader, who has dominated Belarus for nearly three decades, jail his key would-be rivals ahead of the vote.
Strongman Alexander Lukashenko demanded an explanation from Moscow on Wednesday after Belarus arrested Russian mercenaries allegedly plotting to destabilise the country ahead of next month's presidential election.
"It is necessary to immediately turn to appropriate Russian structures so that they explain what is going on," Lukashenko told the head of the KGB security service at an emergency meeting.
Earlier in the day the Belarus security service arrested a group of 33 Russian fighters allegedly plotting to destabilize the country.
KGB chief Valery Vakulchik told Lukashenko that the detained men were members of the Wagner group, a shadowy private military firm that is reportedly controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and promotes Moscow's interests in Ukraine, Syria, and Libya.
The arrests came less than two weeks before Belarus holds a tense presidential election on August 9, in which Lukashenko is seeking a sixth term, as public discontent builds over his policies.
Ahead of the polls, opposition protests have erupted across the ex-Soviet country of 9.5 million people, with a 37-year-old woman political novice, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, quickly emerging as Lukashenko's main rival.
Lukashenko has accused some of his critics of being controlled by "puppeteers" in Moscow.
State news agency Belta said the authorities had received information about the arrival of 200 fighters in Belarus "to destabilize the situation during the election campaign."
Stacks of dollar bills
Belta said the detained men sported "military-style clothing" and carried heavy cases.
The state news agency also said the alleged militants gave themselves away because unlike ordinary Russian tourists, they did not drink.
"They did not consume alcohol or visit entertainment venues, they kept to themselves in order not to attract attention," Belta said, adding that the men stayed at one of the country's sanatoriums.
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.
The men appeared to also have Sudanese pounds on them.
Some commentators suggested that the detained Russian fighters might have used Belarus as a transit point and were en route to Africa.
Unlike Russia, Belarus has kept its borders open during the coronavirus pandemic and operates flights as usual.
Russian author Zakhar Prilepin, who fought alongside Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, said he knew some of the detained men.
"There are several fighters from our battalion," said Prilepin.
Prilepin said on Facebook that the fighters were probably en route to "some other destination," which Belarus "surely knows very well," suggesting that the detentions were a carefully-scripted affair.
The ex-Soviet country's security service has a history of exposing alleged foreign plots to destabilize the country before major elections.
Adviser arrested
The Russian Embassy in Minsk said it had been notified of the detention of 32 Russian nationals.
Russia is Minsk's closest political and economic ally but relations have been strained.
In recent years, Lukashenko has been under increasing pressure to inch closer to Russia but the Belarus leader has rejected the idea of outright unification with Moscow.
In a separate development, Belarus also arrested Vitali Shkliarov, a high-profile Washington-based strategist who has advised presidential candidates in the U.S., Russia and Ukraine.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-29--Russia Vows 'Promising' Virus Vaccines in September

At a meeting chaired by President Vladimir Putin , Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova singled out two vaccines under development by a research institute in Moscow and a lab in Siberia .
Russia said Wednesday that it plans to begin production of two `` promising '' coronavirus vaccines in September and October as Moscow races to develop a formula before Western countries .
`` Today there are two vaccines that are the most promising , '' Golikova said .
Production of the first , which is being tested by the Moscow-based Gamaleya institute and the defence ministry , is set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine being developed by the Vektor State labratory near the Siberian city of Novosibirsk should be launched in October , she added .
Russia , which has the world 's fourth-largest coronavirus caseload , hopes to be the first country to produce a vaccine .
Scientists in the West have raised concerns about the speed of development of Russian vaccines , suggesting that researchers might be cutting corners after coming under pressure from the authorities to deliver .
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said it was important to achieve a finished product @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` One should be absolutely certain in a vaccine , '' he said .
Kirill Dmitriev , the head of Russia 's sovereign wealth fund which is financing the Gamaleya trials , said the country hoped to be the first to approve a vaccine .
`` It 's a Sputnik moment , '' he told U.S. broadcaster CNN , referring to the launch in 1957 of the world 's first space satellite by Russia .
`` Russia will have got there first , '' Dmitriev forecast .
Russia has reported more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far .

At a meeting chaired by President Vladimir Putin, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova singled out two vaccines under development by a research institute in Moscow and a lab in Siberia.
Russia said Wednesday that it plans to begin production of two "promising" coronavirus vaccines in September and October as Moscow races to develop a formula before Western countries.
"Today there are two vaccines that are the most promising," Golikova said.
Production of the first, which is being tested by the Moscow-based Gamaleya institute and the defence ministry, is set for September, Golikova said.
Another vaccine being developed by the Vektor State labratory near the Siberian city of Novosibirsk should be launched in October, she added.
Russia, which has the world's fourth-largest coronavirus caseload, hopes to be the first country to produce a vaccine.
Scientists in the West have raised concerns about the speed of development of Russian vaccines, suggesting that researchers might be cutting corners after coming under pressure from the authorities to deliver.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said it was important to achieve a finished product in a "careful and balanced way."
"One should be absolutely certain in a vaccine," he said.
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund which is financing the Gamaleya trials, said the country hoped to be the first to approve a vaccine.
"It's a Sputnik moment," he told U.S. broadcaster CNN, referring to the launch in 1957 of the world's first space satellite by Russia.
"Russia will have got there first," Dmitriev forecast.
Russia has reported more than 828,000 coronavirus cases and 13,600 deaths so far.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-30--Tens of Thousands Rally in Belarus Despite Pre-Election Crackdown

Tens of thousands of supporters of President Alexander Lukashenko 's top election rival on Thursday rallied in the Belarussian capital Minsk despite an increasing crackdown on the opposition .
The rally came as Belarus authorities accused top members of the opposition of collaborating with Russian fighters to destabilize the ex-Soviet country .
Backers of political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , a stay-at-home mother-of-two , packed a Minsk square in what appeared to be the largest opposition protest in the ex-Soviet country in a decade , an AFP journalist said .
A sea of people waved flags and ballons emblazoned with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign , a clenched fist , and a heart .
`` Change ! ''
read one of the placards .
The human rights organization Vyasna said at least 63,000 people had turned out .
Earlier Thursday , Belarus investigators accused Tikhanovskaya 's husband , blogger , Sergei Tikhanovsky , and another prominent critic , Mikola Statkevich , of working together with Russian mercenaries to plot mass unrest ahead of the Aug. 9 election .
Both Tikhanovsky and Statkevich were jailed in the run-up to the polls .
The accusation that they were involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twist in an extraordinary election campaign in which the 65-year-old Lukashenko , who has dominated Belarus for nearly three decades , is seeking a sixth term in the face of rising anger over his rule .
Belarussian authorities on Wednesday detained 33 Russian `` militants '' on a mission to destabilize the ex-Soviet country .
The detentions sparked an apparent crisis in ties with ally Moscow which denied any involvement .
Belarussian authorities say the detained men are members of the Wagner group , a shadowy military contractor reportedly controlled by an ally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow 's interests in Syria , Libya and Ukraine .
Addressing her supporters at the rally , Tikhanovskaya , 37 , said authorities were `` ruining '' not only her husband 's life but those of all political prisoners .
`` The situation involving the fighters is very scary , '' she said to shouts of `` Freedom . ''
She denied that the opposition was collaborating with the Russians to stage an uprising .
`` People , what revolution ?
We want honest elections , '' said Tikhanovskaya , who has emerged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would-be candidates were jailed .
She questioned the timing of the arrests , saying Russian private contractors might have been transiting through Belarus for a long time .
`` I have a question : where was the security service before and why are they raising this issue right before the election ? ''
An Investigative Committee also said another criminal probe had been launched against Tikhanovsky for inciting `` social hostility '' and calling for violence against police .
Tikhanovsky , 41 , is a popular blogger , who has nicknamed Lukashenko the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , challenged Lukashenko in a 2010 election and was sentenced to six years in prison afterwards .
Lukashenko 's top election rival , former banker Viktor Babaryko , has been accused of financial crimes and also jailed .
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said claims that `` organisations from Russia are sending some people to destabilize the situation in Belarus '' were `` nothing but insinuations . ''
The Russian Foreign Ministry said its nationals were transiting through Belarus because they worked for a Belarus company , adding that they were en route to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` does not hold water , '' the statement said .
`` An attempt to make what happened look like foreign interference in the republic 's affairs causes bewilderment , to put it mildly , '' Moscow said .
Russia urged a halt to the fanning of tensions ahead of the election .
Moscow is Minsk 's closest political and economic ally but relations have been strained for years .
Lukashenko has been under increasing pressure to move closer to Russia but the Belarus leader has rejected the idea of outright unification .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russians gave Lukashenko an excuse to crack down harder on the opposition while others said Moscow might indeed be considering some action .
Russian political analyst Tatyana Stanovaya said the Kremlin had not apparently given up on its unification plans .
Stanovaya quipped that the Russian fighters might have arrived in Minsk to `` monitor '' the election .

The rally came as Belarus authorities accused top members of the opposition of collaborating with Russian fighters to destabilize the ex-Soviet country.
Tens of thousands of supporters of President Alexander Lukashenko's top election rival on Thursday rallied in the Belarussian capital Minsk despite an increasing crackdown on the opposition.
People are still coming. This must be the most massive political rally in Belarus history. pic.twitter.com/ah9JMA4U0H
The accusation that they were involved with Russian mercenaries was just the latest twist in an extraordinary election campaign in which the 65-year-old Lukashenko, who has dominated Belarus for nearly three decades, is seeking a sixth term in the face of rising anger over his rule.
Both Tikhanovsky and Statkevich were jailed in the run-up to the polls.
Earlier Thursday, Belarus investigators accused Tikhanovskaya's husband, blogger, Sergei Tikhanovsky, and another prominent critic, Mikola Statkevich, of working together with Russian mercenaries to plot mass unrest ahead of the Aug. 9 election.
The human rights organization Vyasna said at least 63,000 people had turned out.
"Change!" read one of the placards.
A sea of people waved flags and ballons emblazoned with the opposition's campaign symbols -- a victory sign, a clenched fist, and a heart.
Backers of political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a stay-at-home mother-of-two, packed a Minsk square in what appeared to be the largest opposition protest in the ex-Soviet country in a decade, an AFP journalist said.
Belarussian authorities on Wednesday detained 33 Russian "militants" on a mission to destabilize the ex-Soviet country.
The detentions sparked an apparent crisis in ties with ally Moscow which denied any involvement.
Belarussian authorities say the detained men are members of the Wagner group, a shadowy military contractor reportedly controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin that promotes Moscow's interests in Syria, Libya and Ukraine.
Addressing her supporters at the rally, Tikhanovskaya, 37, said authorities were "ruining" not only her husband's life but those of all political prisoners.
"The situation involving the fighters is very scary," she said to shouts of "Freedom."
'What revolution?'
She denied that the opposition was collaborating with the Russians to stage an uprising.
"People, what revolution? We want honest elections," said Tikhanovskaya, who has emerged as Lukashenko's top rival after main would-be candidates were jailed.
She questioned the timing of the arrests, saying Russian private contractors might have been transiting through Belarus for a long time.
"I have a question: where was the security service before and why are they raising this issue right before the election?"
Investigators opened a criminal case against "Tikhanovsky, Statkevich and 33 detained Russian citizens."
"They acted together," spokesman Sergei Kabakovich told AFP.
An Investigative Committee also said another criminal probe had been launched against Tikhanovsky for inciting "social hostility" and calling for violence against police.
Tikhanovsky, 41, is a popular blogger, who has nicknamed Lukashenko the "cockroach."
Statkevich, 63, challenged Lukashenko in a 2010 election and was sentenced to six years in prison afterwards.
Lukashenko's top election rival, former banker Viktor Babaryko, has been accused of financial crimes and also jailed.
Moscow denied any involvement.
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said claims that "organisations from Russia are sending some people to destabilize the situation in Belarus" were "nothing but insinuations."
The Russian Foreign Ministry said its nationals were transiting through Belarus because they worked for a Belarus company, adding that they were en route to Istanbul.
Minsk's version of events "does not hold water," the statement said.
"An attempt to make what happened look like foreign interference in the republic's affairs causes bewilderment, to put it mildly," Moscow said.
Russia urged a halt to the fanning of tensions ahead of the election.
'Regime change'
Moscow is Minsk's closest political and economic ally but relations have been strained for years.
Lukashenko has been under increasing pressure to move closer to Russia but the Belarus leader has rejected the idea of outright unification.
Some analysts suggested the arrest of the Russians gave Lukashenko an excuse to crack down harder on the opposition while others said Moscow might indeed be considering some action.
Russian political analyst Tatyana Stanovaya said the Kremlin had not apparently given up on its unification plans.
Stanovaya quipped that the Russian fighters might have arrived in Minsk to "monitor" the election.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-30--EU Sanctions Russian, Chinese 'Cyber Attackers'

An export firm based in North Korea and technology company from Tiajin , China , were also listed .
The European Union imposed its first ever sanctions against alleged cyber attackers on Thursday , targeting Russian and Chinese individuals and a specialist unit of Moscow 's GRU military intelligence agency .
The member states said measures would be taken against six individuals and three entities involved in various actions , including the attempt to hack into the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ( OPCW ) .
They also included suspects said to be involved in the major cyber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' `` NotPetya '' and `` Operation Could Hopper . ''
The individuals will be banned from travel to the European Union and all the targets will be subject to an asset freeze for any funds in areas under EU jurisdiction .
In addition , the European Council of member states said : `` EU persons and entities are forbidden from making funds available to those listed . ''
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the action had been taken `` to better prevent , discourage , deter and respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These attacks , he said , represented `` an external threat to the European Union or its member states '' or had `` a significant effect against third States or international organizations . ''
The best known of the targeted entities is the Main Center for Special Technologies , a unit of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation — better known as the GRU .
This unit , based on Kirova Street in Moscow , is said to have carried out attacks known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hitting EU private companies with ransomware and blocking data .
The sanctions list also accuses GRU agents of carrying out an attack on the Ukrainian power grid in the winters of 2015 and 2016 , resulting in parts of it being shut down .
Four alleged Russian GRU agents — two `` human intelligence support '' officers and two `` cyber operators '' — are also named , for their roles in the April 2018 attempt to penetrate the OPCW agency in The Hague .
The watchdog was investigating reports that Russian-backed Syrian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GRU agents were intercepted trying to penetrate the agency 's wifi from a hire car parked near its headquarters .
`` With these sanctions , the EU is taking a big step towards safer cyber space .
The price for bad behavior is being increased , because the bad guys still get away with it too often , '' said Dutch foreign minister Stef Blok .
`` Now the EU shows that it can take effective action against these and other malicious parties , '' he said .
The other two entities targeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Development Company Ltd , said to be the actor known to cyber war observers as `` Advanced Persistent Threat 10 '' or APT10 .
Haitai is said to have been the source of `` Operation Cloud Hopper , '' which the European Council said `` targeted information systems of multinational companies in six continents ... and gained unauthorised access to commercially sensitive data , resulting in significant economic loss . ''
Another target was Chosun Expo , an export company from North Korea which , under the `` WannaCry '' banner , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Financial Supervision Authority and Sony Pictures Entertainment .
It is alleged to have carried out cyber-theft from the Bangladesh Bank and attempted cyber-theft from the Vietnam Tien Phong Bank .

An export firm based in North Korea and technology company from Tiajin, China, were also listed.
The European Union imposed its first ever sanctions against alleged cyber attackers on Thursday, targeting Russian and Chinese individuals and a specialist unit of Moscow's GRU military intelligence agency.
The member states said measures would be taken against six individuals and three entities involved in various actions, including the attempt to hack into the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
They also included suspects said to be involved in the major cyber assaults known by the nicknames "WannaCry," "NotPetya" and "Operation Could Hopper."
The individuals will be banned from travel to the European Union and all the targets will be subject to an asset freeze for any funds in areas under EU jurisdiction.
In addition, the European Council of member states said: "EU persons and entities are forbidden from making funds available to those listed."
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the action had been taken "to better prevent, discourage, deter and respond to such malicious behavior in cyberspace."
These attacks, he said, represented "an external threat to the European Union or its member states" or had "a significant effect against third States or international organizations."
The best known of the targeted entities is the Main Center for Special Technologies, a unit of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation — better known as the GRU.
This unit, based on Kirova Street in Moscow, is said to have carried out attacks known as NotPetya and EternalPetya in June 2017, hitting EU private companies with ransomware and blocking data.
The sanctions list also accuses GRU agents of carrying out an attack on the Ukrainian power grid in the winters of 2015 and 2016, resulting in parts of it being shut down.
Four alleged Russian GRU agents — two "human intelligence support" officers and two "cyber operators" — are also named, for their roles in the April 2018 attempt to penetrate the OPCW agency in The Hague.
The watchdog was investigating reports that Russian-backed Syrian forces carried out chemical attacks when alleged GRU agents were intercepted trying to penetrate the agency's wifi from a hire car parked near its headquarters.
"With these sanctions, the EU is taking a big step towards safer cyber space. The price for bad behavior is being increased, because the bad guys still get away with it too often," said Dutch foreign minister Stef Blok.
"Now the EU shows that it can take effective action against these and other malicious parties," he said.
The other two entities targeted were Tianjin Huaying Haitai Science and Technology Development Company Ltd, said to be the actor known to cyber war observers as "Advanced Persistent Threat 10" or APT10.
Haitai is said to have been the source of "Operation Cloud Hopper," which the European Council said "targeted information systems of multinational companies in six continents ... and gained unauthorised access to commercially sensitive data, resulting in significant economic loss."
Another target was Chosun Expo, an export company from North Korea which, under the "WannaCry" banner, is said to have helped hack the Polish Financial Supervision Authority and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
It is alleged to have carried out cyber-theft from the Bangladesh Bank and attempted cyber-theft from the Vietnam Tien Phong Bank.