themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--U.S. Witness to Implicate ‘Putin’s Chef’ Prigozhin in Election Meddling – Politico

The St. Petersburg-based Concord Management and Consulting firm goes on trial in the United States in April after it was charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. for its meddling role in the 2016 election .
Prosecutors have said Prigozhin , who has ties to President Vladimir Putin , controls Concord .
A secret witness will implicate Kremlin-linked catering magnate Yevgeny Prigozhin in plans to influence elections abroad at a trial next month , Politico reported Wednesday , citing a U.S. prosecutor .
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Jones said at a Feb. 21 hearing that an unnamed witness is prepared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place at a face-to-face meeting with Prigozhin , Politico reported .
“ The purpose of that testimony is purely to establish Prigozhin ’ s knowledge of the [ Prigozhin-linked Internet Research Agency ] activities and his oversight of that , ” Jones was quoted as saying .
Jones said the discussions the witness plans to recount dealt with election meddling in a country outside the U.S. , but did n't specify which country .
Previous reports have linked Prigozhin to election influence campaigns in African countries .
It is unknown whether the witness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged interference in U.S. elections , the outlet said .
Prosecutors said Monday they plan to ask permission for one of their witnesses to testify under a pseudonym , Politico reported .
The news website said it ’ s unclear if that witness and the witness who is prepared to testify about election-related discussions with Prigozhin are the same person .
Intelligence experts criticized the prosecution ’ s decision to field the witness while attempting to protect their identity from possible Russian government reprisals as fraught .
“ It seems like the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mostly symbolic outcome , ” Steven Aftergood , who studies classified information for the Federation of American Scientists , told Politico .
Aftergood noted that the outcome of the trial , which none of the 13 indicted defendants including Prigozhin are expected to attend , “ is speculative at best .
”

The St. Petersburg-based Concord Management and Consulting firm goes on trial in the United States in April after it was charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. for its meddling role in the 2016 election. Prosecutors have said Prigozhin, who has ties to President Vladimir Putin, controls Concord.
A secret witness will implicate Kremlin-linked catering magnate Yevgeny Prigozhin in plans to influence elections abroad at a trial next month, Politico reported Wednesday, citing a U.S. prosecutor.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Jones said at a Feb. 21 hearing that an unnamed witness is prepared to testify about election-related discussions that took place at a face-to-face meeting with Prigozhin, Politico reported.
“The purpose of that testimony is purely to establish Prigozhin’s knowledge of the [Prigozhin-linked Internet Research Agency] activities and his oversight of that,” Jones was quoted as saying.
Jones said the discussions the witness plans to recount dealt with election meddling in a country outside the U.S., but didn't specify which country. Previous reports have linked Prigozhin to election influence campaigns in African countries.
It is unknown whether the witness has similar knowledge about Russia’s alleged interference in U.S. elections, the outlet said.
Prosecutors said Monday they plan to ask permission for one of their witnesses to testify under a pseudonym, Politico reported. The news website said it’s unclear if that witness and the witness who is prepared to testify about election-related discussions with Prigozhin are the same person.
Intelligence experts criticized the prosecution’s decision to field the witness while attempting to protect their identity from possible Russian government reprisals as fraught.
“It seems like the government is risking quite a bit for a mostly symbolic outcome,” Steven Aftergood, who studies classified information for the Federation of American Scientists, told Politico.
Aftergood noted that the outcome of the trial, which none of the 13 indicted defendants including Prigozhin are expected to attend, “is speculative at best.”


themoscowtimes--2020-03-05--Russian Planes Targeted in Wave of Bomb Threats

Three Russian passenger planes flying domestic routes on Thursday were targeted with anonymous bomb threats while airborne , local media said .
Anonymous messages were passed to emergency services and a Moscow airport warning that the planes had a bomb on board , Russian news agencies said .
One plane was flying from Saint Petersburg to the Crimean city of Simferopol for Rossiya airline , Interfax news agency reported .
Threats also targeted Aeroflot planes flying from Moscow 's Sheremetyevo airport to the northwestern city of Syktyvkar and the Siberian city of Omsk .
Crews opted not to divert the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destinations , and no bombs were found on board .
President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the security services were working to identify the culprit .
`` Let 's hope that sooner or later they will be caught and punished in accordance with the law , '' Peskov told reporters .
A spokesman for Sheremetyevo airport refused to comment to AFP on the bomb threats and spokespeople for Russia 's Transport Police said they were unaware of the incidents .
On Tuesday , two Russian planes flying to Moscow from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Siberian city of Novosibirsk made emergency landings while en route due to anonymous bomb threats .
In recent months Russia has seen a raft of bomb hoaxes that forced the evacuation of courts , schools and malls .
The warnings of planted bombs , all of them false , have been sent to numerous Russian cities , targeting the capital in particular .
Authorities have so far appeared unable to find who is behind the threats , even after months of disruption to public life .
The false threats have been linked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currency .

Three Russian passenger planes flying domestic routes on Thursday were targeted with anonymous bomb threats while airborne, local media said.
Anonymous messages were passed to emergency services and a Moscow airport warning that the planes had a bomb on board, Russian news agencies said.
One plane was flying from Saint Petersburg to the Crimean city of Simferopol for Rossiya airline, Interfax news agency reported.
Threats also targeted Aeroflot planes flying from Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport to the northwestern city of Syktyvkar and the Siberian city of Omsk.
Crews opted not to divert the planes, which landed safely at their destinations, and no bombs were found on board.
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the security services were working to identify the culprit.
"Let's hope that sooner or later they will be caught and punished in accordance with the law," Peskov told reporters.
A spokesman for Sheremetyevo airport refused to comment to AFP on the bomb threats and spokespeople for Russia's Transport Police said they were unaware of the incidents.
On Tuesday, two Russian planes flying to Moscow from the far eastern city of Vladivostok and the Siberian city of Novosibirsk made emergency landings while en route due to anonymous bomb threats.
In recent months Russia has seen a raft of bomb hoaxes that forced the evacuation of courts, schools and malls.
The warnings of planted bombs, all of them false, have been sent to numerous Russian cities, targeting the capital in particular.
Authorities have so far appeared unable to find who is behind the threats, even after months of disruption to public life.
The false threats have been linked to a blackmail scheme demanding the Bitcoin virtual currency.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-05--First Moscow Coronavirus Patient Tests ‘Negative’

The first Russian national to test positive for the coronavirus while in the country has received a test result indicating he no longer has the virus , he told The Moscow Times on Thursday .
David Berov , 29 , was quarantined in Moscow on Feb. 27 , less than a week after returning from a ski trip in northern Italy , a hub for the coronavirus outbreak .
Officials had confirmed on Monday he was infected with the coronavirus .
Doctors plan to do two more tests to confirm that he is free of the virus and then discharge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Berov ’ s negative result brings the total number of known coronavirus cases in Russia down to six .
Two patients , who are Chinese nationals , recovered last month .
Another patient is an Italian exchange student who tested positive for the virus after arriving in Russia on Feb. 29 .
Students at St. Petersburg ’ s university dormitory where he had been staying have been placed under quarantine and banned from leaving the building .
The three other patients are Russians who contracted the virus onboard a quarantined cruise ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnosis prompted questions over why he was hospitalized in a room with five other returnees from other hubs for the outbreak .
The head doctor who had informed Berov of his diagnosis was unable to say whether he had caught the coronavirus in Italy or in the hospital .
Moscow City Hall announced Tuesday that everyone arriving from coronavirus hubs showing symptoms will be placed in a newly built hospital that can accommodate patients in individual rooms .

The first Russian national to test positive for the coronavirus while in the country has received a test result indicating he no longer has the virus, he told The Moscow Times on Thursday.
David Berov, 29, was quarantined in Moscow on Feb. 27, less than a week after returning from a ski trip in northern Italy, a hub for the coronavirus outbreak.
Officials had confirmed on Monday he was infected with the coronavirus.
Doctors plan to do two more tests to confirm that he is free of the virus and then discharge him, Berov told The Moscow Times.
So far in Russia seven people, including Berov, have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Two patients, who are Chinese nationals, recovered last month. Another patient is an Italian exchange student who tested positive for the virus after arriving in Russia on Feb. 29. Students at St. Petersburg’s university dormitory where he had been staying have been placed under quarantine and banned from leaving the building.
The three other patients are Russians who contracted the virus onboard a quarantined cruise ship in Japan.
Berov’s positive diagnosis prompted questions over why he was hospitalized in a room with five other returnees from other hubs for the outbreak.
The head doctor who had informed Berov of his diagnosis was unable to say whether he had caught the coronavirus in Italy or in the hospital.
Moscow City Hall announced Tuesday that everyone arriving from coronavirus hubs showing symptoms will be placed in a newly built hospital that can accommodate patients in individual rooms.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-05--‘Extremist’ Jehovah’s Witness Jailed in Crimea

A court in annexed Crimea sentenced a Jehovah ’ s Witness to six years in prison on charges of extremism @ @ @ @ @ on the religious group in Russia .
Sergei Filatov , the local branch leader , @ @ @ @ @ up in raids in the Crimean town of Dzhankoy in 2018 .
Russia , which @ @ @ @ @ from Ukraine in 2014 , declared the Jehovah ’ s Witnesses an “ extremist ” @ @ @ @ @ Moscow-administered court found Filatov guilty of continuing the activities of the Jehovah ’ s Witness @ @ @ @ @ the Dzhankoy District Court said in a statement .

A court in annexed Crimea sentenced a Jehovah’s Witness to six years in prison on charges of extremism Thursday in the ongoing crackdown on the religious group in Russia.
Sergei Filatov, the local branch leader, was among several worshippers swept up in raids in the Crimean town of Dzhankoy in 2018. Russia, which seized the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, declared the Jehovah’s Witnesses an “extremist” organization in 2017.
The Moscow-administered court found Filatov guilty of continuing the activities of the Jehovah’s Witness branch despite its ban, the Dzhankoy District Court said in a statement.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-05--Moscow to ‘Shut Down’ in Case of Coronavirus Outbreak

Temperature checks in arrivals for international flights at Moscow ’ s airports , at metro stations and in schools and kindergartens are part of City Hall ’ s “ Plan A ” preventive measures , according to the reports .
Russia has confirmed seven coronavirus cases , two of whom have recovered last month , with the latest case reported Thursday .
Moscow authorities have drafted an emergency plan that envisions a shutdown of the Russian capital in case of a coronavirus outbreak , BBC Russia and the Vedomosti business daily reported Wednesday .
The first part of “ Plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its first coronavirus case , which happened Monday , according to a Feb. 27 letter signed by deputy mayor Anastasia Rakova cited by BBC Russia and Vedomosti .
It provides for quarantining everyone who had contact with the patient , and disinfecting their homes , workplaces and schools .
The second part of “ Plan B ” could potentially close down schools , parks , stadiums , malls , museums , cinemas and libraries , and ban public events , the reports said .
It also provides for a coronavirus map to appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and for authorities to notify Muscovites by text about further infections .
Public transportation , malls , restaurants , train stations and airports will be disinfected every four hours , according to the reported “ Plan B.
” As a last-resort measure , Moscow ’ s authorities will consider declaring a state of emergency if both plans fail to prevent the spread of the coronavirus , the reports said .
The emergency will shut down all but the most essential businesses and organizations , halt transportation and ban entry into or exit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .
Moscow will also be placed under curfew , with violators subject to detention by police and National Guard troops .
Experts interviewed by Vedomosti said Moscow was unlikely to declare a state of emergency unless there ’ s an exponential growth of coronavirus cases .
The Russian government needs to approve Moscow ’ s three-step plan before it comes into force because it entails an emergency declaration , an unnamed source close to Moscow City Hall told Vedomosti .

Temperature checks in arrivals for international flights at Moscow’s airports, at metro stations and in schools and kindergartens are part of City Hall’s “Plan A” preventive measures, according to the reports.
Russia has confirmed seven coronavirus cases, two of whom have recovered last month, with the latest case reported Thursday.
Moscow authorities have drafted an emergency plan that envisions a shutdown of the Russian capital in case of a coronavirus outbreak, BBC Russia and the Vedomosti business daily reported Wednesday.
The first part of “Plan B” took effect after Moscow confirmed its first coronavirus case, which happened Monday, according to a Feb. 27 letter signed by deputy mayor Anastasia Rakova cited by BBC Russia and Vedomosti. It provides for quarantining everyone who had contact with the patient, and disinfecting their homes, workplaces and schools.
The second part of “Plan B” could potentially close down schools, parks, stadiums, malls, museums, cinemas and libraries, and ban public events, the reports said.
It also provides for a coronavirus map to appear on Moscow City Hall’s website, and for authorities to notify Muscovites by text about further infections. Public transportation, malls, restaurants, train stations and airports will be disinfected every four hours, according to the reported “Plan B.”
As a last-resort measure, Moscow’s authorities will consider declaring a state of emergency if both plans fail to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the reports said.
The emergency will shut down all but the most essential businesses and organizations, halt transportation and ban entry into or exit from Moscow, BBC Russia and Vedomosti reported.
Moscow will also be placed under curfew, with violators subject to detention by police and National Guard troops. Experts interviewed by Vedomosti said Moscow was unlikely to declare a state of emergency unless there’s an exponential growth of coronavirus cases.
The Russian government needs to approve Moscow’s three-step plan before it comes into force because it entails an emergency declaration, an unnamed source close to Moscow City Hall told Vedomosti.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-05--Warm Winter Wakes Moscow’s Bears Early

Warm Winter Wakes Moscow’s Bears Early

This unseasonably mild winter has caused the in Moscow Zoo bears to wake up earlier than usual , the city @ @ @ @ @ office said Wednesday .
Last year , the two Himalayan bears and one Kamchatka brown @ @ @ @ @ hibernation in April .
“ Our zoologists were preparing for the bears to wake up @ @ @ @ @ warm winter , ” said Moscow Zoo ’ s CEO Svetlana Akulova in a statement @ @ @ @ @ the 28-year-old brown bear , and Alladin and Budur , the 25 and 26-year-old Himalayan @ @ @ @ @ out of their pens at the “ Island of the Bears ” enclosure Friday .

This unseasonably mild winter has caused the in Moscow Zoo bears to wake up earlier than usual, the city’s mayor’s office said Wednesday.
Last year, the two Himalayan bears and one Kamchatka brown bear began coming out of hibernation in April.
“Our zoologists were preparing for the bears to wake up earlier due to the abnormally warm winter,” said Moscow Zoo’s CEO Svetlana Akulova in a statement.
She said Roza, the 28-year-old brown bear, and Alladin and Budur, the 25 and 26-year-old Himalayan bears, will start coming out of their pens at the “Island of the Bears” enclosure Friday.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-05--Putin, Erdogan Seek to Ease Syria Tensions at High-Stakes Talks

The leaders of Russia and Turkey meet in Moscow on Thursday in a bid to ease tensions that have threatened to bring their two countries into direct conflict in Syria .
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would be looking for Russia 's Vladimir Putin to agree to a rapid ceasefire in Idlib , the northwestern province of Syria where Ankara is battling Moscow-backed regime forces .
Intense fighting has killed dozens of Turkish soldiers in Idlib in recent weeks , as Ankara for the first time launched a direct offensive against President Bashar al-Assad 's regime .
Erdogan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe support his efforts in Syria and prompting a new migration crisis by opening Turkey 's border with Greece to refugees and migrants .
`` ( I hope ) there will be a ceasefire swiftly established in Idlib , '' Erdogan said Wednesday ahead of the talks .
Ankara wants Assad 's forces to cease an assault on Idlib , the last rebel stronghold in Syria , and pull back behind lines agreed under a 2018 deal with Russia brokered in Sochi .
Turkey has long backed certain rebel groups against Assad but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influx of refugees , as close to a million civilians in Idlib have been displaced by the regime 's latest assault .
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday the two leaders would discuss the causes and effects of the crisis and `` joint measures '' they could agree to defuse it .
But Moscow — which launched an air campaign in support of Assad in 2015 — will be keen to send a message that Turkey can not stand in the way of Syria eventually retaking full control of its territory .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the talks between Putin and Erdogan but it 'll be for show , '' a Western diplomat told AFP .
`` I believe Putin will tell Erdogan that 's it for his actions in Syria . ''

The leaders of Russia and Turkey meet in Moscow on Thursday in a bid to ease tensions that have threatened to bring their two countries into direct conflict in Syria.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would be looking for Russia's Vladimir Putin to agree to a rapid ceasefire in Idlib, the northwestern province of Syria where Ankara is battling Moscow-backed regime forces.
Intense fighting has killed dozens of Turkish soldiers in Idlib in recent weeks, as Ankara for the first time launched a direct offensive against President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Erdogan upped the stakes last week, demanding Europe support his efforts in Syria and prompting a new migration crisis by opening Turkey's border with Greece to refugees and migrants.
"(I hope) there will be a ceasefire swiftly established in Idlib," Erdogan said Wednesday ahead of the talks.
Ankara wants Assad's forces to cease an assault on Idlib, the last rebel stronghold in Syria, and pull back behind lines agreed under a 2018 deal with Russia brokered in Sochi.
Turkey has long backed certain rebel groups against Assad but its priority now is to stop another influx of refugees, as close to a million civilians in Idlib have been displaced by the regime's latest assault.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday the two leaders would discuss the causes and effects of the crisis and "joint measures" they could agree to defuse it.
But Moscow — which launched an air campaign in support of Assad in 2015 — will be keen to send a message that Turkey cannot stand in the way of Syria eventually retaking full control of its territory.
"There might be a ceasefire announced after the talks between Putin and Erdogan but it'll be for show," a Western diplomat told AFP.
"I believe Putin will tell Erdogan that's it for his actions in Syria."


themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | March 5

Russia has a total of seven confirmed coronavirus cases , two of whom have since recovered last month .
As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 3,000 people continues to spread around the world , Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk , including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China and temporarily banning Chinese citizens from entering the country .
Below are the latest updates on Russia ’ s response to the coronavirus — Moscow authorities have drafted an emergency plan that envisions a near shutdown of the Russian capital in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials confirmed a seventh coronavirus infection in the country .
The patient is an Italian citizen who had arrived to Russia on Feb. 29 , asked for medical help on March 2 and tested positive for the virus .
He is being treated at an undisclosed hospital .
— Russian businesses have started to cancel foreign business trips and participation in international conferences after a recommendation from the Health Ministry to restrict foreign travel .
— Students at a university dormitary in St. Petersburg have been placed under quarantine and prohibited from leaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italian exchange student who had been living there .
The number of patients in the city that are being monitored for coronavirus symptoms has nearly doubled to 44 people .
— Two Russian citizens have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in the United Arab Emirates , the country 's health ministry said .
— Russia has temporarily banned the export of medical masks , gloves , bandages and protective suits .
— President Vladimir Putin said that fake news reports about coronavirus were being sent to Russia from abroad to spread panic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens were correctly informed about the situation in Russia .
— Russian gas giant Gazprom has suspended foreign trips for its staff due to the coronavirus outbreak , a company spokesman said .
— The Moscow metro has begun random checks of passengers ' temperatures at station entrances , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
— A Russian national who was quarantined in a Moscow hospital after recently returning from northern Italy , a hub for the coronavirus outbreak , has the coronavirus , the state-run RIA Novosti reported .
The man , 29-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first known Russian national to test positive for coronavirus while in the country .
— The impact of coronavirus on the Russian economy will be deeper than originally expected , Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said .
The ruble 's depreciation and stock market decline have gained momentum since mid-February due to the fast-spreading coronavirus and concerns about its economic impact , which sent oil prices crashing .
— Schools across Moscow have canceled swimming classes and large-scale events to prevent the spread of the flu and respiratory infections , the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 letter cited by Interfax .
— Moscow authorities are deporting 88 foreign nationals who violated quarantine measures imposed on them as a precaution against coronavirus , the state-run RIA news agency cited Moscow 's deputy mayor as saying .
— A Russian citizen has tested positive with coronavirus in Azerbaijan after arriving there from Iran , Interfax reported .
It marks the fourth case of coronavirus among Russian citizens and the first infection in Azerbaijan .
— The Russian government temporarily barred Iranian citizens from entering Russia and said it would also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from March 1 as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus , decrees published online showed .
— The government also said it would not allow in any foreign citizens traveling from Iran or South Korea , and ordered the Foreign Ministry to suspend the issue of visas to Iranian citizens .
— Russia will suspend its train service from Moscow to the southern French city of Nice starting March 4 , the state-run TASS news agency reported , citing the Transport Ministry .
The ministry said the train link would be suspended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus in Russia .
— Moscow authorities have identified 88 people who violated the city 's self-isolation orders after returning from China , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
The Russian capital deployed its facial recognition network to enforce the quarantine .
— Russia has developed five prototypes for a coronavirus vaccine , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Russia 's Federal Tourism Agency recommended national tour operators suspend tours to Italy , South Korea and Iran until the outbreaks of coronavirus there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspend flights between Russia and South Korea from March 1 over coronavirus fears , except those operated by Aeroflot and Aurora , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Golikova said Russia would also stop issuing visas to some Iranian citizens from Feb. 28 and was advising Russians against traveling to Italy .
— Other restrictions related to the outbreak which have been previously announced will be extended by one month to April 1 , Golikova said .
— The Chinese Embassy in Russia has reportedly asked Moscow authorities to stop the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's public transport .
According to Novaya Gazeta , the embassy 's letter said that Moscow police and subway workers had begun questioning passengers believed to be Chinese to check for signs of coronavirus , something that is n't being done anywhere else in the world .
— Two Russian citizens are among the hundreds of tourists being quarantined in a seaside resort on Tenerife , one of the Canary Islands , after an Italian doctor who was staying there tested positive for coronavirus , Interfax reported .
— Seven Russian passengers from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placed in a two-week quarantine in a Vladivostok hospital .
— Nearly all of the 25 Ukrainian nationals onboard the quarantined ship have refused to be evacuated to their home country after violent protests against coronavirus evacuees broke out there .
— Around 2,500 people arriving from China have been ordered placed under quarantine for the coronavirus and monitored by the Russian capital ’ s facial-recognition technology , Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .

Russia has confirmed 18,315,292 cases of coronavirus and 378,784 deaths , according to the national coronavirus information center. Russia’s total excess fatality count since the start of the coronavirus pandemic is at least 995,000. Under half the population is fully vaccinated.
— QR codes will be issued to Russians who test positive for Covid-19 antibodies, regardless of their vaccination status.
— Russians will be able to take an antibody test to obtain a coronavirus health pass from Feb. 21, the Health Ministry said Tuesday.
— Russia reported more than 200,000 new Covid-19 infections for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
— After a three-day decline, Russia saw an an increase of Covid-19 infections with a total of 179,284 new infections and 748 deaths.
Russians and foreigners will be able to receive a coronavirus QR-code health pass based on the results of an antibody test from Monday.
Russia reported 137,642 new Covid-19 infections and 785 deaths over the last 24 hours.
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Feb. 10
— Russia reported a total of 197,076 new infections and 701 deaths.
Feb. 9
— Russia reported a total of 183,103 new infections and 669 deaths.
Feb. 8
— Russia reported a total of 165,643 new infections and 698 deaths.
— Almost 12,000 children with Covid-19 are currently being treated in hospitals, while children make up about 20% of the country's total number of coronavirus cases, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko announced.
Feb. 7
— Russia reported 171,905 new coronavirus infections and 609 deaths.
Feb. 6
— Russia reported a record 180,071 new coronavirus infections and 661 deaths.
Feb. 5
— Russia reported another record number of new coronavirus infections. A total of 177,282 new infections and 714 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
Feb. 4
— Russia reported another record number of new coronavirus infections. A total of 168,201 new infections and 682 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine has a 70.5% efficacy against the Delta variant of the coronavirus six months after vaccination, the jab’s developers said Friday. The findings were published as part of the results of Phase 3 medical trials into the vaccine. Omicron has displaced Delta as the dominant strain of the coronavirus in Moscow and is sweeping rapidly across the country.
Feb. 3
— Russia reported a new record number of new coronavirus infections. A total of 155,768 new infections and 667 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Russia plans to cancel mandatory isolation requirements for people who come into contact with somebody infected with Covid-19, Anna Popova, the head of the Rospotrebnadzor consumer health watchdog said Friday. She said the forced quarantine rules “have lost their reasoning” with the surge in Omicron cases.
Feb. 2
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the fifth consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 141,883 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 678 fatalities.
Feb. 1
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the fourth consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 125,836 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 663 fatalities.
— Russia's Labor Ministry has recommended that all enterprises send as many of their employees to remote work as possible due to the surge in Covid-19 cases.
— A growing number of Russian regions are re-introducing coronavirus lockdown measures due to the surging Omicron variant, even as the Kremlin on Monday repeated that there will be no nationwide lockdown due to the variant’s spread. Fifteen regions across the country have suspended routine medical care due to the overwhelming number of hospitalizations, while five regions have sent schoolchildren to remote learning and four regions banned mass gatherings. The Tula region south of Moscow took the most drastic step in the latest virus surge by announcing a 10-day regionwide holiday.
Jan. 31
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 124,070 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 621 fatalities.
— Russia’s excess fatalities reached 995,000 by the end of 2021, according to The Moscow Times’ analysis of official statistics. The country also saw its largest natural population decline since the end of the Soviet Union, registering a fall of more than one million in 2021, the Rosstat statistics service said Friday.
Jan. 30
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the second consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 121,228 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 617 fatalities.
Jan. 29
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the first time ever. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 113,112 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 668 fatalities.
— Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was "clear that the real number of people who have Covid-19 is slightly higher than the official statistics."
— Moscow does not plan to introduce new lockdown measures in response to the Omicron variant, the RBC news website reported, citing two sources close to the Mayor's Office.
Jan. 28
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the eighth day running. A total of 98,040 new infections and 673 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours. Case numbers have doubled in the span of a week.
Jan. 27
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the seventh day running. A total of 88,816 new infections and 665 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours. Case numbers have doubled in the span of a week.
— The number of Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital in the capital jumped 22% on Thursday and is now running close to peaks recorded during the two previous waves of the virus in 2021.
Jan. 26
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the sixth day running. A total of 74,692 new infections and 657 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Children in St. Petersburg will be barred from sporting, cultural and entertainment establishments from Jan. 28-Feb. 13, city authorities announced.
— Russia has cut the quarantine period for people infected with Covid-19 from 14 to seven days, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced Tuesday.
Jan. 25
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the fifth day running. A total of 67,809 new infections and 681 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Around 70% of people infected with the Omicron variant in Russia are unvaccinated, said Anna Popova, the head of Russia’s consumer health watchdog, in a televised meeting.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the capital was likely to see growing coronavirus cases for at least two more weeks, as the Omicron variant fuels a record rise in infections.
Jan. 24
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the fourth day running. A total of 65,109 new infections and 655 deaths were recorded.
Jan. 23
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the third day running. A total of 63,205 new infections were recorded over the last 24 hours and 679 deaths.
Jan. 22
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections as the Omicron variant continued its rapid spread across the country. A total of 57,212 new infections were recorded over the last 24 hours and 681 deaths.
Jan. 21
— Amid rising cases, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on extended a requirement for businesses in the capital to ensure 30% of their employers were working from home.
— Russia plans to cut the isolation period from 14 to seven days for those infected with Covid-19, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said.
— Russian lawmakers have agreed to withdraw from consideration an unpopular bill for QR-code health passes to enter public spaces, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said.
Jan. 19
— Russia reported 33,899 new Covid-19 infections and 698 deaths.
— Cases in Russia’s second city of St. Petersburg set a new record high Wednesday with 4,382 new confirmed cases. In Moscow, where Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Omicron has become the dominant strain, new infections set their third-highest daily toll since the start of the pandemic on Wednesday of 8,795.
Jan. 18
— Russia reported 31,252 new Covid-19 infections and 688 deaths.
Jan. 17
— Russia reported 30,726 new Covid-19 infections and 670 deaths.
— The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is still awaiting additional documentation on Sputnik V before it can proceed with the vaccine approval process, the EU’s Ambassador to Moscow said Monday. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Russia said Sunday the vaccine’s developers had submitted all the required information needed for its approval process, and further inspections will take place in February, though other WHO officials later appeared to contradict this, saying they were still waiting for a full data package from Russia.
Jan. 16
— Russia reported 29,230 new Covid-19 infections and 686 deaths.
Jan. 15
— Russia reported 27,179 new Covid-19 infections and 723 deaths.
Jan. 14
— Russia reported 23,820 new Covid-19 cases and 739 deaths
— Russia will delay controversial legislation over the use of coronavirus health passes for access to public spaces, officials said Friday, citing “new challenges” presented by the Omicron variant.
— Foreigners will be able to obtain a coronavirus health pass — QR code — in Russia by taking an antibody test, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said Friday. The passes will be valid for six months.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Friday that Omicron had become the dominant coronavirus strain in the Russian capital, accounting for more than half of all new infections.
Jan. 13
— Russia reported 21,155 new Covid-19 infections — a 17.8% increase overnight — and 740 deaths.
Jan. 12
— Russia reported 17,946 new Covid-19 infections and 745 deaths.
— Russia has so far confirmed 698 official cases of the Omicron variant, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova announced at a meeting on Wednesday.
— President Vladimir Putin said health authorities only have “a couple of weeks” to prepare for the next wave of the pandemic.
— Russia delivered fewer than 80 million doses of its Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines to other countries in 2021, according to Unicef data cited by The Washington Post. The jab’s developers had initially planned to export doses for more than 500 million people, but have been beset by production and delivery delays. The vaccine has also yet to be approved by either the World Health Organization (WHO) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Jan. 11
— Russia reported 17,525 new Covid-19 infections and 783 deaths.
— The presence of the Omicron variant in the Russian capital is already “significant,” Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. He warned that the city would see a major increase in infections within 7-10 days, adding that “it is quite possible that we will face a worse situation than in previous waves.”
— Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered the military to limit vacations and trips abroad for servicemen and women due to the spread of the Omicron variant.
— Russia will be “covered” by the Omicron variant and should brace for a “very high” number of Covid-19 cases, Alexander Gintsburg, the head of the state-run Gamaleya Institute which developed the country’s Sputnik V vaccine, said.
Jan. 10
— Russia confirmed 15,830 Covid-19 infections and 741 deaths.
Jan. 9
— Russia confirmed 16,246 Covid-19 infections and 763 deaths.
Jan. 8
— Russia confirmed 16,568 Covid-19 infections and 796 deaths.
Jan. 7
— Russia confirmed 16,735 Covid-19 infections and 787 deaths.
Jan. 6
— Russia confirmed 15,316 Covid-19 infections and 802 deaths.
Jan.5
— Russia confirmed 15,772 Covid-19 infections and 828 deaths.
Jan. 4
— Russia confirmed 15,903 Covid-19 infections and 834 deaths.
Jan. 3
— Russia confirmed 16,343 Covid-19 infections and 835 deaths.
Jan. 2
— Russia confirmed 18,233 Covid-19 infections and 811 deaths.
Jan. 1
— Russia confirmed 19,751 Covid-19 infections and 847 deaths.
Dec. 31
— Russia confirmed 20,638 Covid-19 infections and 912 deaths.
— Russia recorded more than 115,000 excess deaths during November 2021, according to official statistics published Thursday — a new record high since the start of the pandemic.
— Russia's Health Ministry on Thursday advised Russians against traveling abroad for the New Year holiday due to the spread of the Omicron variant.
— Over 100 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in Russia, Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova said Thursday.
Dec. 30
— Russia confirmed 21,073 Covid-19 infections and 926 deaths. Cases in Moscow rose from 1,798 on Wednesday to 2,661 on Thursday, a nearly 50% increase.
Dec. 29
— Russia confirmed 21,119 Covid-19 infections and 932 deaths.
Dec. 28
— Russia confirmed 21,922 Covid-19 infections and 935 deaths.
Dec. 27
— Russia confirmed 23,210 Covid-19 infections and 937 deaths.
Dec. 26
— Russia confirmed 23,721 Covid-19 infections and 968 deaths.
Dec. 25
— Russia confirmed 24,946 Covid-19 infections and 981 deaths.
Dec. 24
— Russia confirmed 24,703 Covid-19 infections and 998 deaths.
Dec. 23
— Russia confirmed 25,667 Covid-19 infections and 1,002 deaths.
— Moscow confirmed over 3,000 new Covid cases, a 60% jump compared to Wednesday.
Dec. 22
— Russia on Wednesday confirmed 25,264 Covid-19 infections and 1,020 deaths.
Dec. 21
— Russia on Tuesday confirmed 25,907 Covid-19 infections and 1,027 deaths.
— Russia has detected 41 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 so far, health authorities said Tuesday.
Dec. 20
— Russia confirmed 27,022 Covid-19 infections and 1,019 deaths.
Dec. 19
— Russia confirmed 27,967 Covid-19 infections and 1,024 deaths.
— Russia could send free shipments of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine to Africa in the future, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which finances and promotes the jab, has said.
Dec. 18
— Russia confirmed 27,434 Covid-19 infections and 1,076 deaths.
Dec. 17
— Russia confirmed 27,743 Covid-19 infections and 1,080 deaths.
— Russia claimed its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine provides “robust” long-term protection against the Omicron variant, disputing the findings of an independent study which found the Russian jab produced no antibody response whatsoever to the new highly transmissible variant.
Dec. 16
— Russia has detected the Omicron variant in 25 people so far, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said.
— Russia confirmed 28,486 Covid-19 infections and 1,133 deaths.
— Russian lawmakers approved legislation in a first reading that will require people to show health passes to access public places like bars and restaurants, as the country gears up for a winter Covid wave.
— Russia has not yet provided all the information requested by the WHO to certify the country’s flagship Sputnik V vaccine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. “It's true that some information needed for certification has not yet been submitted. We had a different understanding of what information was needed and how it has to be submitted, we have different standards, etc," Peskov told journalists, adding that the Kremlin is not worried by the lengthy approval process the vaccine has faced.
Dec. 15
—Russians with coronavirus antibodies from both foreign and domestic vaccines will be able to get a QR code valid for six months, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said Monday.
— Russia will scrap the proposed bill that would require QR codes to access public transport, State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin announced on his Telegram channel on Sunday.
Dec. 6
— Russia has confirmed its first reported cases of the Omicron variant. The new strain was detected in two people who traveled into the country from South Africa, Russia’s consumer and health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said. Another 10 Russians who returned from South Africa have tested positive for the coronavirus and their samples are currently being analyzed to determine the variant, the agency added.
Dec. 3
— Russia said it recorded its deadliest month in decades in October, with the total number of excess deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic surpassing 810,000.
Dec. 2
— Russia will require citizens entering the country from South Africa or neighboring countries to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival due to the Omicron variant starting Dec. 2, Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova announced.
Nov. 30
— Russian President Vladimir Putin called for mutual recognition of vaccines against the coronavirus to help curtail the pandemic, as concern grows around the world about the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
— Russians returning from countries with which Moscow has not formally restored air travel will have to quarantine for 14 days, Anna Popova, the head of Russia’s Rospotrebnadzor consumer and health watchdog said. The validity of health passes obtained by a negative PCR test will also be reduced from 72 to 48 hours. Popova also advised Russians not to travel abroad for New Year holidays as part of a package of recommendations outlined in response to the Omicron variant.
— Putin has ordered the government to create an updated action plan for the Omicron strain by next week, he said at an investment forum.
Nov. 29
— As many as 1,500 Russian tourists have been left stranded in South Africa as countries scramble to ban flights from the region, media reported Monday.
— The backers of the Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V said Monday that the jab is effective against the new Omicron coronavirus variant but they were also developing an adapted booster.
Nov. 28
— The new Omicron variant may be spreading across Russia by tourists returning from Egypt, Senator and Honored Doctor of Russia Vladimir Krugly said Sunday. Russia’s consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, which leads the country’s Covid-19 response efforts, later denied Krugly’s claims.
Nov. 25
— St. Petersburg aims to vaccinate 80% of its population by mid-January through vaccination, its Governor Alexander Beglov said Thursday. He said 67% of the city is currently vaccinated.
— Russian lawmakers are seeking to recognize those vaccinated against the coronavirus with foreign jabs, the Izvestia daily reported Thursday.
Nov. 24
— President Vladimir Putin repeated his stance that Covid-19 vaccination should be voluntary as regions and cities tighten restrictions on the unvaccinated.
— He added that he has received a nasal Covid-19 vaccine, days after saying he received a Sputnik Light booster shot.
— Russia has registered a Covid-19 vaccine for children 12 to 17 years old, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova announced.
Nov. 23
— Russia and Hungary have agreed to mutually recognize each others' vaccination certificates, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, marking the first such agreement between Russia and another country.
Nov. 22
— A Siberian region of Russia has become the first in the country to impose self-isolation rules for residents who haven’t yet been vaccinated against Covid-19.
— The republic of Tatarstan became the first Russian province to enforce QR code passes on public transit earlier Monday.
Nov. 21
— President Vladimir Putin said he had had a third dose of a Covid vaccine. "I had it two hours ago," Putin said on state television channel Rossiya 24, assuring viewers that his booster injection of the Sputnik vaccine had been painless.
Nov. 19
— Russia's herd immunity has surpassed 50%, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said.
Nov. 17
— Two more Russian coronavirus vaccines are currently undergoing preclinical trials, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said. So far, Russia has authorized four vaccines: Sputnik V, the one-dose Sputnik Light, EpiVacCorona and CoviVak.
— There is "no end in sight" to the Covid-19 pandemic in Russia yet, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
— A Far East Russian region has become the first in the country to introduce vaccine passports for internal flights as federal lawmakers race to mandate health passes for public transport and other areas.
Nov. 16
— Russia will resume air travel with Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Costa Rica and Mongolia from Dec. 1, authorities announced. It will also lift all remaining restrictions on flights with Mexico, Cuba and Qatar starting that day. Starting Dec. 12, train connections to Finland will resume.
Nov. 16
— U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has received approval to conduct trials of Paxlovid, a novel oral antiviral treatment aimed at preventing and treating Covid-19. Ninety people in a handful of Russian cities will take part in the trials.
Nov. 12
— Russia will introduce health passes for access to public places, restaurants and intercity trains and planes in a radical move designed to boost Russia's sluggish vaccination campaign.
Nov. 9
— St. Petersburg mandated vaccination against Covid-19 for all residents over 60 years old as well as people with certain chronic illnesses.
— Russia is now the world leader in coronavirus deaths for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
— The developer of Russia's coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V has said Moscow should make jabs mandatory as inoculation rates remain low despite record deaths and campaigning by authorities.
Nov. 8
— Russia’s nationwide paid holiday aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus came to an end Monday. Some regions are keeping the restrictions in place and many others are implementing digital passes showing proof of vaccination or recent Covid-19 recovery.
— QR codes proving one's vaccination continue to be valid for one year after vaccination, Russia's Health Ministry and Digital Development Ministry said Monday following reports that the validity period had changed to 6 months.
Nov. 2
— Russia's single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine produces a strong antibody response among recipients, according to research published in leading medical journal The Lancet. Sputnik Light is the first dose of Russia's two-dose Sputnik V vaccine, which is the backbone of Russia's domestic vaccination campaign and is being sold around the world.
Nov. 1
— Russian authorities said that doctors were under "extraordinary" strain due to surging coronavirus cases in Europe's worst-hit country.
— The Novgorod region in northwestern Russia has become the first region to extend the non-working week. It will order all non-essential workers to take a mandated paid holiday for an additional week after Nov. 7.
Oct. 27
— The Kremlin cautioned Russians against traveling during the Oct. 30-Nov. 7 non-working period ordered by Moscow to stem a spike in coronavirus infections and deaths.
— The Israeli government will allow tourists vaccinated with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine to enter the country starting Nov. 15.
Oct. 26
— All of Russia's 85 regions across 11 time zones have now mandated vaccines for certain categories of workers, Anna Popova, who heads the federal health watchdog that is leading the country’s response to the virus, said.
— The European Union expects countries including Russia to investigate the sale of fake Covid-19 certificates online and take appropriate measures, an EU spokesperson told RBC. The cybersecurity company Kaspersky said last week that it uncovered counterfeit travel certificates made to look as if they were issued in France or Poland being sold for an average price of $300 on the Telegram messaging app.
— Authorities in annexed Crimea said they plan to purchase mobile refrigerators to store bodies in the city of Simferopol as Covid-19 deaths continue to rise and the city's morgues are overwhelmed.
Oct. 25
— Russian authorities were investigating nurses and a doctor in St. Petersburg accused of selling fake coronavirus vaccination certificates, as the country faces a deadly new wave. The Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said a doctor and three nurses are suspected of pocketing at least 100,000 rubles ($1,430) from 12 people after selling official certificates without having administered jabs.
— President Vladimir Putin instructed regional leaders to order restaurants to close between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. and to ban all entertainment events.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin imposed a partial citywide lockdown between Oct. 28-Nov. 7 to stem the spread of the virus.
— The restrictions suspend businesses, services, catering, sports, recreation, entertainment and film screenings with the exception of the sale of essential goods like medicines and food. Mass events, except those authorized by health officials, will be banned, and theater and museum attendance will be capped at 50% with mask-wearing and digital-code rules in place. In-person public services will be suspended and kindergarteners and school students sent home between Oct. 28 and Nov. 7.
The Moscow region introduced identical restrictions shortly after Sobyanin’s announcement.
— President Vladimir Putin will not meet people face-to-face during Russia's nationwide week-long paid holiday starting on Oct. 30 designed to curb Covid infections amid record deaths, his spokesman said.
— The pace of vaccinations in Russia has accelerated following a string of regions imposing vaccine mandates for workers in certain sectors of the economy and vaccine passports for entry into indoor venues, according to the Gogov website which tracks vaccine uptake across the country. It estimates Russia is administering more than 300,000 first doses each day — up from around 120,000 a day earlier October.
Oct. 23
— Russia's second city St. Petersburg will impose a partial lockdown from Oct. 30-Nov. 7, authorities announced.
Oct. 21
— Sochi is bracing for an influx of tourists during public holidays starting Oct. 30 designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Occupancy rates in hotels are set to be at least 75%, the city’s mayor said — equivalent to peak summer months at the Black Sea resort. The city has introduced vaccine passports for entry into restaurants and bars in a bid to stop the spread of the virus despite the mass inflow of tourists.
— Russia has detected a new sub-variant of the Delta strain of the coronavirus, which risks compounding the country’s spiraling infections and deaths, a senior Russian government scientist warned.
— The European Union’s drug regulator will not approve Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine until at least the first months of 2022, Reuters reported.
Oct. 20
— President Vladimir Putin announced a non-working week in Russia from Oct. 30-Nov. 7. Putin pleaded with Russians to get vaccinated and said the public holidays could be extended further if cases do not start to fall.
— Nationwide, 87% of hospital beds reserved for coronavirus patients are occupied, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said in a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Oct. 19
— Some 1,100 medical staff died from Covid-19 in Russia during the first six months of 2021, the chair of the State Duma’s budget committee said. That is more than twice the number who succumbed to the virus in 2020, he added.
— Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has backed plans for a nationwide non-working week starting Oct. 30. The proposal was put forward by Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova during a televised government meeting. Mishustin said the strict measures — effectively a paid vacation or orders for workers at non-essential businesses to stop going into their place of work — were “now necessary” given increased numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Golikova said some regions should introduce the non-working week earlier, on Oct. 23 and also called for unvaccinated pensioners to start self-isolating at home.
Oct. 18
— Russia's second city, St. Petersburg, announced it would tighten restrictions to battle a surge in Covid-19 cases, introducing a health pass to regulate access to crowd events.
— Moscow authorities will start fining public transport passengers whose face masks do not cover their nose and mouth, a transit official said.
— South Africa's health products regulator said it would not approve Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine due to concerns it could increase the risk of HIV infection among men. The decision was based on earlier studies testing the safety of a modified form of adenovirus — a type of virus that causes respiratory infections — known as the Ad5 and contained in the Russian jab.
— Russia will allow family members of foreigners who live in Russia to enter the country, the Foreign Ministry said. The relaxation will allow people from countries not yet on Russia’s designated list of open countries to receive a special entry permit to come to Russia, provided they have a close relative living in Russia.
Oct. 16
— According to Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova, 38 of Russia’s 85 regions have introduced vaccine mandates for certain categories of citizens and employees working in designated sectors of the economy, such as retail and hospitality.
Oct. 15
— Russia will resume regular air travel with the Bahamas, Iran, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Slovenia, Tunisia, Sweden and Thailand starting Nov. 9, the national Covid-19 headquarters announced.
Oct. 14
— Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has called on doctors who are self-isolating or even retired due to the pandemic to get vaccinated and return to work due to record increases in Covid-19 infections and deaths.
Oct. 12
— The Moscow region that surrounds the capital has imposed vaccine mandates for sales, food, transport, public service, hair salon and fitness club employees.
— Roughly 235,000 of Russia's 255,000 Covid hospital beds nationwide are occupied, with 6,000 patients on ventilators, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said.
— Russia’s western exclave of Kaliningrad has suspended planned medical procedures as it battles an “extremely difficult” surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. The central Mari El region also canceled routine operations and medical treatment from Tuesday, warning that it had run out of free hospital beds and may soon have to start treating patients in corridors.
Oct. 11
— The Kremlin described Russia's Covid fatality toll as "high" and the country's vaccination rate as "unacceptably" low, even as it rejected new restrictions so as to protect the economy.
— Moscow launched free express coronavirus tests at 20 locations across the city, as the capital continues to battle with rising infection rates. The tests give a result in 15 minutes, but are less effective than the gold standard PCR tests. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said rapid testing would allow “socially responsible citizens” to ensure they are not spreading the virus.
— The Leningrad region that surrounds St. Petersburg will require residents to present QR codes proving their vaccination status or a negative PCR test in order to enter theaters, cinemas, swimming pools and gyms through Nov. 15.
Oct. 8
— Russia reported 65,000 excess fatalities in August in a 45% jump on pre-pandemic mortality rates, official data showed. The country's overall number of excess deaths since the start of the coronavirus stands at 660,000.
— EU Ambassador to Russia Markus Ederer said that the country "has repeatedly postponed" the timing of the inspection requested by the European Medicines Agency which has slowed down the approval process of the vaccine in the EU. The Russian Ministry of Health responded by saying that it presented the EU with all the necessary documents that the block requested.
Oct. 7
— A World Health Organization delegation will visit Russia this month as part of its approval procedure for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriyev said.
— The problem behind WHO's suspension of Sputnik V's approval process has been resolved, said Mariangela Simao, WHO's assistant director general for access to medicines, vaccines and pharmaceuticals.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has announced that mass PCR testing will be introduced in Russia's capital in 1-2 weeks.
— Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said the federal government recommends Russian regions introduce QR-codes for attending mass events, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Oct. 4
— Russia’s top cabinet official on Monday criticized the country's stalling vaccination rates for failing to slow the spread of Covid-19 as Russians die in numbers not seen since the start of the pandemic.
AFP contributed reporting.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-05--Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | March 5

Russia has a total of seven confirmed coronavirus cases , two of whom have since recovered last month .
As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 3,000 people continues to spread around the world , Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk , including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China and temporarily banning Chinese citizens from entering the country .
Below are the latest updates on Russia ’ s response to the coronavirus — Russia cancelled its flagship annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum this year as a precaution against coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov as saying on Thursday .
The forum , usually chaired by President Vladimir Putin , was due to be held in St Petersburg on June 3-6 .
— Russia 's state carrier Aeroflot said it would suspend its flights to and from Hong Kong amid fears over coronavirus .
The airline will continue flying from Moscow to Hong Kong until March 7 and from Hong Kong to Moscow until March 8 , after which those services will be suspended .
— Moscow authorities have drafted an emergency plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian capital in case of a coronavirus outbreak .
— Officials confirmed a seventh coronavirus infection in the country .
The patient is an Italian citizen who had arrived to Russia on Feb. 29 , asked for medical help on March 2 and tested positive for the virus .
He is being treated at an undisclosed hospital .
— Russian businesses have started to cancel foreign business trips and participation in international conferences after a recommendation from the Health Ministry to restrict foreign travel .
— Students at a university dormitary in St. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prohibited from leaving the building after the hospitalization of an Italian exchange student who had been living there .
The number of patients in the city that are being monitored for coronavirus symptoms has nearly doubled to 44 people .
— Two Russian citizens have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in the United Arab Emirates , the country 's health ministry said .
— Russia has temporarily banned the export of medical masks , gloves , bandages and protective suits .
— President Vladimir Putin said that fake news reports about coronavirus were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread panic .
He urged the government to ensure that citizens were correctly informed about the situation in Russia .
— Russian gas giant Gazprom has suspended foreign trips for its staff due to the coronavirus outbreak , a company spokesman said .
— The Moscow metro has begun random checks of passengers ' temperatures at station entrances , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
— A Russian national who was quarantined in a Moscow hospital after recently returning from northern Italy , a hub for the coronavirus outbreak , has the coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man , 29-year-old Moscow resident David Berov , is the first known Russian national to test positive for coronavirus while in the country .
— The impact of coronavirus on the Russian economy will be deeper than originally expected , Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said .
The ruble 's depreciation and stock market decline have gained momentum since mid-February due to the fast-spreading coronavirus and concerns about its economic impact , which sent oil prices crashing .
— Schools across Moscow have canceled swimming classes and large-scale events to prevent the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city ’ s education officials said in a Feb. 28 letter cited by Interfax .
— Moscow authorities are deporting 88 foreign nationals who violated quarantine measures imposed on them as a precaution against coronavirus , the state-run RIA news agency cited Moscow 's deputy mayor as saying .
— A Russian citizen has tested positive with coronavirus in Azerbaijan after arriving there from Iran , Interfax reported .
It marks the fourth case of coronavirus among Russian citizens and the first infection in Azerbaijan .
— The Russian government temporarily barred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would also restrict the entry of South Korean citizens from March 1 as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus , decrees published online showed .
— The government also said it would not allow in any foreign citizens traveling from Iran or South Korea , and ordered the Foreign Ministry to suspend the issue of visas to Iranian citizens .
— Russia will suspend its train service from Moscow to the southern French city of Nice starting March 4 , the state-run TASS news agency reported , citing the Transport Ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be suspended until further notice as part of wider measures aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus in Russia .
— Moscow authorities have identified 88 people who violated the city 's self-isolation orders after returning from China , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
The Russian capital deployed its facial recognition network to enforce the quarantine .
— Russia has developed five prototypes for a coronavirus vaccine , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Russia 's Federal Tourism Agency recommended national tour operators suspend tours to Italy , South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus there are brought under control .
— Moscow will suspend flights between Russia and South Korea from March 1 over coronavirus fears , except those operated by Aeroflot and Aurora , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Golikova said Russia would also stop issuing visas to some Iranian citizens from Feb. 28 and was advising Russians against traveling to Italy .
— Other restrictions related to the outbreak which have been previously announced will be extended by one month to April 1 , Golikova said .
— The Chinese Embassy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop the profiling of Chinese nationals on the city 's public transport .
According to Novaya Gazeta , the embassy 's letter said that Moscow police and subway workers had begun questioning passengers believed to be Chinese to check for signs of coronavirus , something that is n't being done anywhere else in the world .
— Two Russian citizens are among the hundreds of tourists being quarantined in a seaside resort on Tenerife , one of the Canary Islands , after an Italian doctor who was staying there tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship have been placed in a two-week quarantine in a Vladivostok hospital .
— Nearly all of the 25 Ukrainian nationals onboard the quarantined ship have refused to be evacuated to their home country after violent protests against coronavirus evacuees broke out there .
— Around 2,500 people arriving from China have been ordered placed under quarantine for the coronavirus and monitored by the Russian capital ’ s facial-recognition technology , Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .


themoscowtimes--2020-03-05--Turkey, Russia Agree Ceasefire in Syria's Idlib

Turkey and Russia announced a ceasefire in northern Syria on Thursday , agreeing to end weeks of heavy fighting that sparked a humanitarian disaster and raised fears of their armies clashing .
After more than six hours of talks in Moscow , Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on the ceasefire to take effect from midnight on Friday .
The agreement will also create a security corridor along the key M4 highway in northern Syria , where Turkish and Russian forces will launch joint patrols from March 15 .
The deal aims to put a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the northwestern province of Syria where Ankara is battling Moscow-backed government forces .
Nearly a million of civilians have fled their homes due to the violence and dozens of Turkish soldiers have been killed .
Putin told a joint press conference after the talks that the agreement would `` serve as a good basis for ending fighting '' in Idlib and for `` stopping the suffering of the civilian population '' .
`` The object is to avoid the humanitarian crisis getting worse , '' Erdogan said , though he added that Turkey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all its strength against any attack '' by Damascus .
The situation in Idlib , the last rebel stronghold in Syria 's nine-year civil war , had become critical as Ankara for the first time launched a direct offensive against President Bashar al-Assad 's forces .

Turkey and Russia announced a ceasefire in northern Syria on Thursday, agreeing to end weeks of heavy fighting that sparked a humanitarian disaster and raised fears of their armies clashing.
After more than six hours of talks in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on the ceasefire to take effect from midnight on Friday.
The agreement will also create a security corridor along the key M4 highway in northern Syria, where Turkish and Russian forces will launch joint patrols from March 15.
The deal aims to put a stop to intense fighting in Idlib, the northwestern province of Syria where Ankara is battling Moscow-backed government forces.
Nearly a million civilians have fled their homes due to the violence and dozens of Turkish soldiers have been killed.
Putin told a joint press conference after the talks that the agreement would "serve as a good basis for ending fighting" in Idlib and for "stopping the suffering of the civilian population."
"The object is to avoid the humanitarian crisis getting worse," Erdogan said, though he added that Turkey reserved the right to "retaliate with all its strength against any attack" by Damascus.
The situation in Idlib, the last rebel stronghold in Syria's nine-year civil war, had become critical as Ankara for the first time launched a direct offensive against President Bashar al-Assad's forces.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-05--Coronavirus Hits Russian Tourism for $400M Loss

Russia 's tourism sector has already taken a 27 billion ruble ( $ 406 million ) hit from the impact of coronavirus , the head of the Russian Association of Tour Operators said on Thursday in a plea for government support .
The coronavirus outbreak has caused havoc across the global travel industry as companies restrict employee trips , airlines axe flights , major events are postponed and holidaymakers choose to stay at home or delay their travel .
Russia has restricted flights to China , Iran and South Korea and warned against travel to those countries , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destination for Russian tourists .
In the past week , the number of bookings with Russian tour operators has slumped 20 % to 25 % from the previous week , with some agencies reporting no sales at all , lobby group chief Maya Lomidze told a news conference in Moscow .
`` The situation is unprecedented , and demands unprecedented measures be taken in support , '' she said after a letter published by the association warned that the sector could collapse .
The industry is not only struggling with a fall in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trips to countries such as Italy that have been designated dangerous by the government following the outbreak , the letter said .
Lomidze said this was a severe blow : `` I am not able to forecast right now how many companies will close but absolutely everyone is suffering . ''
Foreign tourists are still coming to Russia but the lobby group has seen a wave of cancellations by tour groups from Asian countries and expects 20 % to 25 % fewer tourists from the region to visit this year compared with 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China and Iran from entering the country and has imposed strict restrictions on who can visit from South Korea .

Russia's tourism sector has already taken a 27 billion ruble ($406 million) hit from the impact of coronavirus, the head of the Russian Association of Tour Operators said on Thursday in a plea for government support.
The coronavirus outbreak has caused havoc across the global travel industry as companies restrict employee trips, airlines axe flights, major events are postponed and holidaymakers choose to stay at home or delay their travel.
Russia has restricted flights to China, Iran and South Korea and warned against travel to those countries, as well as to Italy which is a popular destination for Russian tourists.
In the past week, the number of bookings with Russian tour operators has slumped 20% to 25% from the previous week, with some agencies reporting no sales at all, lobby group chief Maya Lomidze told a news conference in Moscow.
"The situation is unprecedented, and demands unprecedented measures be taken in support," she said after a letter published by the association warned that the sector could collapse.
The industry is not only struggling with a fall in demand. Tour operators must refund cancelled trips to countries such as Italy that have been designated dangerous by the government following the outbreak, the letter said.
Lomidze said this was a severe blow: "I am not able to forecast right now how many companies will close but absolutely everyone is suffering."
Foreign tourists are still coming to Russia but the lobby group has seen a wave of cancellations by tour groups from Asian countries and expects 20% to 25% fewer tourists from the region to visit this year compared with 2019.
Russia has temporarily banned travellers from China and Iran from entering the country and has imposed strict restrictions on who can visit from South Korea.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-05--OPEC Backs Biggest Oil Cut Since 2008 Crisis, Awaits Russia

But Riyadh , the biggest OPEC producer , and other OPEC states have struggled to persuade Russia to support the move .
Moscow has till now indicated it would back an extension but not a new cut .
Saudi Arabia has been pushing OPEC and its allies , including Russia , for a big cut up to 1.5 million BPD for the second quarter of 2020 while extending existing cuts of 2.1 million BPD , which expire this month , to the end of 2020 .
Demand growth forecasts in 2020 have been slashed as factories have been disrupted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another business activity has slowed .
The oil demand outlook has been pummelled by global measures to halt the spread of the virus , prompting the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to consider its deepest cut since the 2008 financial crisis .
OPEC agreed on Thursday to cut oil output by an extra 1.5 million barrels per day ( BPD ) in the second quarter of 2020 to support prices that have been hit by the coronavirus outbreak but made its action conditional on Russia and others joining in .
Russia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 in the informal group known as OPEC+ , has in the past been hesitant during talks but has signed up at the last minute .
Moscow will take part in the OPEC+ ministerial meeting in Vienna on Friday .
OPEC said in a statement after its ministers met that the coronavirus outbreak created an `` unprecedented situation '' with risks `` skewed to the downside '' , adding that action was needed .
It said ministers agreed to an extra supply cut of 1.5 million BPD until June , out of which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BPD .
The group said this was in addition to extending existing supply curbs to the end of 2020 .
OPEC holds its next ministerial meeting on June 9 .
OPEC sources have previously signaled that preliminary discussions with Russia about the cuts held this week in the Austrian capital had been trickier than before .
`` The worst-case scenario is an extension , '' said an OPEC source when asked what would happen if Russia refused to join a new cut on Friday .
In a sign that bargaining was not over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow had still not reached a deal with OPEC and it was ready for a possible drop in oil prices .
Suhail al-Mazroui , energy minister of the United Arab Emirates , said OPEC would not carry the burden of cuts alone and non-OPEC states had to join in .
`` We are all in this together .
So it ’ s not going to be us making a decision alone , '' he said .
This year 's price slide of about 20 % has made it tough for OPEC states to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its books would be balanced at prices as low as $ 40 a barrel .
Brent oil prices rose 0.6 % on news of OPEC 's plan to cut but later fell below $ 51 per barrel on Siluanov 's comments .
The weakness highlights general uncertainty about the real impact on global oil demand as the virus continues spreading .

OPEC agreed on Thursday to cut oil output by an extra 1.5 million barrels per day (BPD) in the second quarter of 2020 to support prices that have been hit by the coronavirus outbreak but made its action conditional on Russia and others joining in. The oil demand outlook has been pummelled by global measures to halt the spread of the virus, prompting the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to consider its deepest cut since the 2008 financial crisis. Demand growth forecasts in 2020 have been slashed as factories have been disrupted, people have been deterred from traveling and another business activity has slowed. Saudi Arabia has been pushing OPEC and its allies, including Russia, for a big cut up to 1.5 million BPD for the second quarter of 2020 while extending existing cuts of 2.1 million BPD, which expire this month, to the end of 2020. But Riyadh, the biggest OPEC producer, and other OPEC states have struggled to persuade Russia to support the move. Moscow has till now indicated it would back an extension but not a new cut.
news OPEC Could Deepen Oil Supply Cuts With or Without Russia Read more
Russia, which has co-operated on output policy since 2016 in the informal group known as OPEC+, has in the past been hesitant during talks but has signed up at the last minute. Moscow will take part in the OPEC+ ministerial meeting in Vienna on Friday. OPEC said in a statement after its ministers met that the coronavirus outbreak created an "unprecedented situation" with risks "skewed to the downside", adding that action was needed. It said ministers agreed to an extra supply cut of 1.5 million BPD until June, out of which non-OPEC states were expected to contribute 500,000 BPD. The group said this was in addition to extending existing supply curbs to the end of 2020. OPEC holds its next ministerial meeting on June 9. Worst case scenario OPEC sources have previously signaled that preliminary discussions with Russia about the cuts held this week in the Austrian capital had been trickier than before. "The worst-case scenario is an extension," said an OPEC source when asked what would happen if Russia refused to join a new cut on Friday. In a sign that bargaining was not over, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said Moscow had still not reached a deal with OPEC and it was ready for a possible drop in oil prices. Suhail al-Mazroui, energy minister of the United Arab Emirates, said OPEC would not carry the burden of cuts alone and non-OPEC states had to join in. "We are all in this together. So it’s not going to be us making a decision alone," he said. This year's price slide of about 20% has made it tough for OPEC states to balance their budgets, while Moscow said its books would be balanced at prices as low as $40 a barrel. Brent oil prices rose 0.6% on news of OPEC's plan to cut but later fell below $51 per barrel on Siluanov's comments. The weakness highlights general uncertainty about the real impact on global oil demand as the virus continues spreading.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-05--Russia and Turkey Scramble to Avoid Conflict. And What do U.S. Democratic Primaries Mean for Moscow?

This week on the podcast : — The leaders of Russia and Turkey meet in Moscow on Thursday in a bid to de-escalate fighting in Syria which has brought the two countries to the brink of direct military confrontation .
It is the latest episode in a fraught nine-year civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands , created millions of refugees and reshaped geopolitics in the Middle East .
Financial Times Bureau Chief Henry Foy joins us in the studio to discuss what is at stake for both countries .
— Following Super Tuesday in the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-way fight between Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former vice president Joe Biden to secure the Democratic nomination and go head-to-head with Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election .
On the line to discuss where the candidates sit on Russia , journalist Ben Judah , author of “ Fragile Empire : How Russia fell In and Out of Love with Vladimir Putin ” , and who is now on the campaign trail in the U.S. reporting on Bernie Sanders ’ bid for the White House .
From Russia With News is hosted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sauer .
The episode was recorded and edited at CM Records Studio in central Moscow .
Russia ’ s Syria gamble under pressure as Turkey attacks in Idlib Hawks say Sanders will be weak on Russia .
But Putin should fear a President Bernie

This week on the podcast:
— The leaders of Russia and Turkey meet in Moscow on Thursday in a bid to de-escalate fighting in Syria which has brought the two countries to the brink of direct military confrontation. It is the latest episode in a fraught nine-year civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands, created millions of refugees and reshaped geopolitics in the Middle East. Financial Times Bureau Chief Henry Foy joins us in the studio to discuss what is at stake for both countries.
— Following Super Tuesday in the United States, it is shaping up to be a two-way fight between Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former vice president Joe Biden to secure the Democratic nomination and go head-to-head with Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. On the line to discuss where the candidates sit on Russia, journalist Ben Judah, author of “Fragile Empire: How Russia fell In and Out of Love with Vladimir Putin”, and who is now on the campaign trail in the U.S. reporting on Bernie Sanders’ bid for the White House.
From Russia With News is hosted by Jake Cordell and produced by Pjotr Sauer. The episode was recorded and edited at CM Records Studio in central Moscow.
Read More:
Russia’s Syria gamble under pressure as Turkey attacks in Idlib
Hawks say Sanders will be weak on Russia. But Putin should fear a President Bernie


themoscowtimes--2020-03-06--Alcohol Deaths Plummet as ‘Warmest Winter’ Hits Russia

Experts are attributing a sharp drop in the number of deaths from alcohol poisoning in Russia to the unseasonably warm @ @ @ @ @ died from alcohol poisoning in January 2020 , down 37.3 % from January 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ for Alcohol Policy Development said Thursday .
The past winter was the warmest since records @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Hydrometeorology Center announced the same day .
Russia ’ s consumer protection union @ @ @ @ @ a key role in that drop , Interfax reported .
Union leader Pavel Shapkin said @ @ @ @ @ between an increase in temperatures and a decline in alcohol consumption .
“ An average @ @ @ @ @ reduces the burden of alcohol on the population ’ s health by the same 10 @ @ @ @ @ Interfax .
“ As a result , the negative outcomes of alcohol consumption have dramatically @ @ @ @ @ quoted as saying .

Experts are attributing a sharp drop in the number of deaths from alcohol poisoning in Russia to the unseasonably warm winter.
Some 619 people died from alcohol poisoning in January 2020, down 37.3% from January 2019, Russia’s National Center for Alcohol Policy Development said Thursday. The past winter was the warmest since records began in 1891, Russia’s Hydrometeorology Center announced the same day.
Russia’s consumer protection union said the mild winter played a key role in that drop, Interfax reported. Union leader Pavel Shapkin said there is a direct correlation between an increase in temperatures and a decline in alcohol consumption.
“An average 10-degree temperature rise above normal reduces the burden of alcohol on the population’s health by the same 10 degrees,” Shapkin told Interfax.
“As a result, the negative outcomes of alcohol consumption have dramatically decreased,” Shapkin was quoted as saying.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-06--Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | March 6

Russia has a total of seven confirmed coronavirus cases , two of whom have since recovered last month .
As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 3,000 people continues to spread around the world , Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk , including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China and temporarily banning Chinese citizens from entering the country .
Below are the latest updates on Russia ’ s response to the coronavirus — Russian officials have conducted more than 51,000 tests for the coronavirus nationwide , the consumer protection watchdog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed , including two Chinese nationals who have since recovered .
— Seven Russian passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship who were placed in a two-week quarantine in Russia 's Far East have been discharged .
Two other quarantined patients are awaiting test results .
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced a “ high alert regime , ” ordering self-isolation for Russians returning from China , South Korea , Iran , France , Germany , Italy and Spain .
— Russia cancelled its flagship annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Interfax news agency cited First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov as saying on Thursday .
The forum , usually chaired by President Vladimir Putin , was due to be held in St Petersburg on June 3-6 .
— Russia 's state carrier Aeroflot said it would suspend its flights to and from Hong Kong amid fears over coronavirus .
The airline will continue flying from Moscow to Hong Kong until March 7 and from Hong Kong to Moscow until March 8 , after which those services will be suspended .
— Moscow authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a near shutdown of the Russian capital in case of a coronavirus outbreak .
— Officials confirmed a seventh coronavirus infection in the country .
The patient is an Italian citizen who had arrived to Russia on Feb. 29 , asked for medical help on March 2 and tested positive for the virus .
He is being treated at an undisclosed hospital .
— Russian businesses have started to cancel foreign business trips and participation in international conferences after a recommendation from the Health Ministry to restrict foreign travel .
— Students at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been placed under quarantine and prohibited from leaving the building after the hospitalization of an Italian exchange student who had been living there .
The number of patients in the city that are being monitored for coronavirus symptoms has nearly doubled to 44 people .
— Two Russian citizens have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in the United Arab Emirates , the country 's health ministry said .
— Russia has temporarily banned the export of medical masks , gloves , bandages and protective suits .
— President Vladimir Putin said that fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Russia from abroad to spread panic .
He urged the government to ensure that citizens were correctly informed about the situation in Russia .
— Russian gas giant Gazprom has suspended foreign trips for its staff due to the coronavirus outbreak , a company spokesman said .
— The Moscow metro has begun random checks of passengers ' temperatures at station entrances , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
— A Russian national who was quarantined in a Moscow hospital after recently returning from northern Italy , a hub for the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RIA Novosti reported .
The man , 29-year-old Moscow resident David Berov , is the first known Russian national to test positive for coronavirus while in the country .
— The impact of coronavirus on the Russian economy will be deeper than originally expected , Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said .
The ruble 's depreciation and stock market decline have gained momentum since mid-February due to the fast-spreading coronavirus and concerns about its economic impact , which sent oil prices crashing .
— Schools across Moscow have canceled swimming classes and large-scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flu and respiratory infections , the city ’ s education officials said in a Feb. 28 letter cited by Interfax .
— Moscow authorities are deporting 88 foreign nationals who violated quarantine measures imposed on them as a precaution against coronavirus , the state-run RIA news agency cited Moscow 's deputy mayor as saying .
— A Russian citizen has tested positive with coronavirus in Azerbaijan after arriving there from Iran , Interfax reported .
It marks the fourth case of coronavirus among Russian citizens and the first infection in Azerbaijan .
— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from entering Russia and said it would also restrict the entry of South Korean citizens from March 1 as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus , decrees published online showed .
— The government also said it would not allow in any foreign citizens traveling from Iran or South Korea , and ordered the Foreign Ministry to suspend the issue of visas to Iranian citizens .
— Russia will suspend its train service from Moscow to the southern French city of Nice starting March 4 , the state-run TASS news agency reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministry said the train link would be suspended until further notice as part of wider measures aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus in Russia .
— Moscow authorities have identified 88 people who violated the city 's self-isolation orders after returning from China , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
The Russian capital deployed its facial recognition network to enforce the quarantine .
— Russia has developed five prototypes for a coronavirus vaccine , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Russia 's Federal Tourism Agency recommended national tour operators suspend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran until the outbreaks of coronavirus there are brought under control .
— Moscow will suspend flights between Russia and South Korea from March 1 over coronavirus fears , except those operated by Aeroflot and Aurora , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Golikova said Russia would also stop issuing visas to some Iranian citizens from Feb. 28 and was advising Russians against traveling to Italy .
— Other restrictions related to the outbreak which have been previously announced will be extended by one month to April 1 , Golikova said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has reportedly asked Moscow authorities to stop the profiling of Chinese nationals on the city 's public transport .
According to Novaya Gazeta , the embassy 's letter said that Moscow police and subway workers had begun questioning passengers believed to be Chinese to check for signs of coronavirus , something that is n't being done anywhere else in the world .
— Two Russian citizens are among the hundreds of tourists being quarantined in a seaside resort on Tenerife , one of the Canary Islands , after an Italian doctor who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Interfax reported .
— Seven Russian passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship have been placed in a two-week quarantine in a Vladivostok hospital .
— Nearly all of the 25 Ukrainian nationals onboard the quarantined ship have refused to be evacuated to their home country after violent protests against coronavirus evacuees broke out there .
— Around 2,500 people arriving from China have been ordered placed under quarantine for the coronavirus and monitored by the Russian capital ’ s facial-recognition technology , Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .


themoscowtimes--2020-03-06--Russian Game Designer Launches Political Party

The move has raised eyebrows among political pundits who see Makarov ’ s announcement as part of a larger game orchestrated by the Kremlin to dilute the opposition and fend off rivals .
And the new party — which Makarov is financing himself — will be “ neither for , nor against ” President Vladimir Putin ’ s Kremlin , he said .
“ From our point of view , the system is simply technologically outdated , ” he said .
“ The biggest problem [ with politics ] is the mechanism of how power is built , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wanted to create a system where party members can use technology to have a direct say in politics .
Yet on the sidelines of a digital technologies conference in Moscow on Thursday , the 40-year-old online gaming legend launched his latest creation : the Direct Democracy party .
Before Vyacheslav Makarov announced in January he was leaving gaming , few could have expected the man who helped create the mega-hit World of Tanks wanted a career in Russian politics .
Ahead of regional elections in September and legislative elections due next year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onto Russia ’ s political scene .
“ For the Truth ” was founded in early February by author and nationalist Zakhar Prilepin , 44 , who reportedly fought in 2017 alongside pro-Russian separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine .
He says his party has the support of US actor and Kremlin fan Steven Seagal , but vehemently denies setting it up at the request of the authorities .
The eco-friendly Green Alternative party , “ A Dignified Life ” — created by former nationalist deputy Roman Khudyakov to win youth votes — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those to emerge since January alone .
The justice ministry registered 39 new parties in 2019 , almost half of them in the last four months of the year .
The fact that anti-corruption activist and senior opposition figure Alexei Navalny is still barred from registering his party has fuelled speculation of a Kremlin ploy .
Navalny ’ s allies have tried in vain to register a political party for seven years and his Anti-Corruption Fund is under investigation for money laundering — charges Navalny ’ s supporters say are politically motivated .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these fresh parties will fill the void left by Navalny , who wants to overhaul Russia ’ s political landscape and regularly calls for street protests against Putin ’ s rule .
“ The aim of these new parties is to give the illusion of political competition , to attract new voters and to neutralise a more dangerous opposition , ” says political analyst Ekaterina Schulmann .
Observers say it ’ s also unlikely that any of the new parties will meet the five percent threshold needed to enter parliament .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk of a decline in the popularity of the ruling United Russia party , ” said Tatiana Stanovaya of the R.Politik think tank .
United Russia is experiencing a slump in support over Russia ’ s ailing economy , with just 33 percent of voters saying they will cast their ballots for the once-dominant party in upcoming elections , according to state polling agency VTsIOM .
The figures mark a steep decline from 2016 , when United Russia won 54 percent of votes in legislative elections .
Another recent entry to politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hit rock group Leningrad .
Shnurov joined the Growth Party — founded in 2016 by a Putin ally — last month , taking care to delete old social media comments critical of the president .
This sudden burst of activity , says Stanovaya , is designed by the Kremlin to draw attention from Russia ’ s difficulties .

Before Vyacheslav Makarov announced in January he was leaving gaming, few could have expected the man who helped create the mega-hit World of Tanks wanted a career in Russian politics. Yet on the sidelines of a digital technologies conference in Moscow on Thursday, the 40-year-old online gaming legend launched his latest creation: the Direct Democracy party. “The biggest problem [with politics] is the mechanism of how power is built,” he told AFP at the launch, saying he wanted to create a system where party members can use technology to have a direct say in politics. “From our point of view, the system is simply technologically outdated,” he said. And the new party — which Makarov is financing himself — will be “neither for, nor against” President Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin, he said. The move has raised eyebrows among political pundits who see Makarov’s announcement as part of a larger game orchestrated by the Kremlin to dilute the opposition and fend off rivals.
Ahead of regional elections in September and legislative elections due next year, a flurry of parties have rushed onto Russia’s political scene. “For the Truth” was founded in early February by author and nationalist Zakhar Prilepin, 44, who reportedly fought in 2017 alongside pro-Russian separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine. He says his party has the support of US actor and Kremlin fan Steven Seagal, but vehemently denies setting it up at the request of the authorities. The eco-friendly Green Alternative party, “A Dignified Life” — created by former nationalist deputy Roman Khudyakov to win youth votes — and the pro-business New People party are among those to emerge since January alone. 'Illusion of competition' The justice ministry registered 39 new parties in 2019, almost half of them in the last four months of the year. The fact that anti-corruption activist and senior opposition figure Alexei Navalny is still barred from registering his party has fuelled speculation of a Kremlin ploy. Navalny’s allies have tried in vain to register a political party for seven years and his Anti-Corruption Fund is under investigation for money laundering — charges Navalny’s supporters say are politically motivated. Analysts say it is unlikely that any of these fresh parties will fill the void left by Navalny, who wants to overhaul Russia’s political landscape and regularly calls for street protests against Putin’s rule. “The aim of these new parties is to give the illusion of political competition, to attract new voters and to neutralise a more dangerous opposition,” says political analyst Ekaterina Schulmann. Observers say it’s also unlikely that any of the new parties will meet the five percent threshold needed to enter parliament. “The main objective is really to minimise the risk of a decline in the popularity of the ruling United Russia party,” said Tatiana Stanovaya of the R.Politik think tank. Ruling party woes United Russia is experiencing a slump in support over Russia’s ailing economy, with just 33 percent of voters saying they will cast their ballots for the once-dominant party in upcoming elections, according to state polling agency VTsIOM. The figures mark a steep decline from 2016, when United Russia won 54 percent of votes in legislative elections. Another recent entry to politics was Sergei Shnurov, the lead singer of hit rock group Leningrad. Shnurov joined the Growth Party — founded in 2016 by a Putin ally — last month, taking care to delete old social media comments critical of the president. This sudden burst of activity, says Stanovaya, is designed by the Kremlin to draw attention from Russia’s difficulties.