themoscowtimes--2020-01-31--Polish Miners Block Coal Trains in Protest Against Russian Imports

Polish miners blocked trains carrying coal to a power plant in the southern town of Laziska Gorne on Friday in @ @ @ @ @ Russia .
Poland generates most of its electricity from coal , but domestic coal production @ @ @ @ @ years due to cost savings and geological problems , which prompted higher imports , mostly @ @ @ @ @ Poland 's biggest coal users , mostly state-run energy groups , signed long-term deals for @ @ @ @ @ 2017-2018 fearing the main domestic coal producer , state-run PGG would be unable to meet @ @ @ @ @ Unions contend such long-term contracts are now curbing local production , putting jobs at risk @ @ @ @ @ Friday 's protest , wading onto rail tracks outside Laziska near the Czech border and @ @ @ @ @ said were delivering coal from Russia , to stop .
`` We protest against the @ @ @ @ @ 's energy companies , especially from buying it from Russia , '' said Patryk Kosela @ @ @ @ @ 80 , the union that organized the protest .

Polish miners blocked trains carrying coal to a power plant in the southern town of Laziska Gorne on Friday in protest against coal imports from Russia.
Poland generates most of its electricity from coal, but domestic coal production has been falling in recent years due to cost savings and geological problems, which prompted higher imports, mostly from Russia.
Some of Poland's biggest coal users, mostly state-run energy groups, signed long-term deals for coal imports from Russia in 2017-2018 fearing the main domestic coal producer, state-run PGG would be unable to meet demand, unions say.
Unions contend such long-term contracts are now curbing local production, putting jobs at risk.
Around 100 miners joined Friday's protest, wading onto rail tracks outside Laziska near the Czech border and forcing trains, which unions said were delivering coal from Russia, to stop.
"We protest against the import of coal by Poland's energy companies, especially from buying it from Russia," said Patryk Kosela, a spokesman at Sierpien 80, the union that organized the protest.


themoscowtimes--2020-01-31--Russia Reports First Coronavirus Cases

Russia Reports First Coronavirus Cases

The two cases were discovered in different parts of the country , one in Tyumen region in west Siberia , the other in Russia 's Far East , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who had been quarantined .
`` They are under strict supervision , isolated and are receiving the necessary treatment .
Both are Chinese citizens , '' she told a news conference .
The two people are in a stable condition , Anna Popova , the head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the same briefing .
Golikova said all Russian airlines , with the exception of national airline Aeroflot , will stop flying to China from midnight on Friday .
Four Chinese airlines will continue flying to Moscow , she added .
Russia has already closed its 4,300-kilometer ( 2,670 mile ) land border with China to pedestrians and vehicles in an effort to protect its population .
Russia said on Friday it would begin moving its citizens out of China via its Far Eastern region on Feb. 1 Golikova said Russia had no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but would restrict Chinese citizens traveling to Russia from Mongolia , in addition to restrictions already announced .
She expressed confidence that the measures taken so far would prevent the virus spreading further in Russia , adding that everyone who had come into contact with the two patients had been examined and hospitalized where necessary .
However , Chinese authorities have struggled to control the spread of the disease despite draconian measures .
The virus has killed 213 people to date , all in China , and prompted the World Health Organization to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries , including the United States , have imposed travel curbs and businesses say they are facing supply problems because of the outbreak .

The two cases were discovered in different parts of the country, one in Tyumen region in west Siberia, the other in Russia's Far East, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said.
Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who had been quarantined.
"They are under strict supervision, isolated and are receiving the necessary treatment. Both are Chinese citizens," she told a news conference.
The two people are in a stable condition, Anna Popova, the head of Russia's consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, told the same briefing.
Golikova said all Russian airlines, with the exception of national airline Aeroflot, will stop flying to China from midnight on Friday. Four Chinese airlines will continue flying to Moscow, she added.
Russia has already closed its 4,300-kilometer (2,670 mile) land border with China to pedestrians and vehicles in an effort to protect its population. Russia said on Friday it would begin moving its citizens out of China via its Far Eastern region on Feb. 1
Golikova said Russia had no plans to limit freight traffic with China but would restrict Chinese citizens traveling to Russia from Mongolia, in addition to restrictions already announced.
She expressed confidence that the measures taken so far would prevent the virus spreading further in Russia, adding that everyone who had come into contact with the two patients had been examined and hospitalized where necessary.
However, Chinese authorities have struggled to control the spread of the disease despite draconian measures. The virus has killed 213 people to date, all in China, and prompted the World Health Organization to declare a global health emergency.
Many countries, including the United States, have imposed travel curbs and businesses say they are facing supply problems because of the outbreak.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-03--Russian Firm Sues Over French Far-Right Leader’s $11M Loan

Marine Le Pen ’ s party took out 9.4 million euros ( $ 10.8 million at the time ) from the Moscow-based First Czech-Russian Bank in 2014 .
Two years later , the bank lost its license and the loan was sold to a little-known Russian company called Konti .
An obscure Russian company is suing the French far-right leader ’ s political party to recover an $ 11 million loan , the investigative website Open Media reported Monday , citing court documents .
Konti , which Open Media says is a Moscow-based car rental agency , transferred the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company , Aviazapchast .
Aviazapchast reportedly sells Russian aircraft navigation equipment and spare parts in Asia and Africa , as well as special metals for India ’ s and Syria ’ s aerospace and aviation industries .
Aviazapchast has filed an arbitration complaint against Le Pen ’ s National Rally party with a Russian court in December 2019 .
The first hearing in the case to recover the $ 11-million loan from Le Pen 's party is scheduled for June 2 , 2020 .
The German Marshall Fund reported in 2018 that Aviazapchast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has links to Russian intelligence services .
The U.S.-based nonprofit said at the time that the loan ’ s value was roughly equal to that of Aviazapchast ’ s pre-tax profit in 2016 .
“ This may indicate that this action could have come at the behest of state actors or the originally arranging network , ” the German Marshall Fund said .

Marine Le Pen’s party took out 9.4 million euros ($10.8 million at the time) from the Moscow-based First Czech-Russian Bank in 2014. Two years later, the bank lost its license and the loan was sold to a little-known Russian company called Konti.
An obscure Russian company is suing the French far-right leader’s political party to recover an $11 million loan, the investigative website Open Media reported Monday, citing court documents.
Konti, which Open Media says is a Moscow-based car rental agency, transferred the right to claim the loan to another Russian company, Aviazapchast. Aviazapchast reportedly sells Russian aircraft navigation equipment and spare parts in Asia and Africa, as well as special metals for India’s and Syria’s aerospace and aviation industries.
Aviazapchast has filed an arbitration complaint against Le Pen’s National Rally party with a Russian court in December 2019.
The first hearing in the case to recover the $11-million loan from Le Pen's party is scheduled for June 2, 2020.
The German Marshall Fund reported in 2018 that Aviazapchast, including its sole shareholder Valery Zakharenkov, has links to Russian intelligence services. The U.S.-based nonprofit said at the time that the loan’s value was roughly equal to that of Aviazapchast’s pre-tax profit in 2016.
“This may indicate that this action could have come at the behest of state actors or the originally arranging network,” the German Marshall Fund said.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-04--Russia and Saudi Arabia to Discuss Oil Cuts as Coronavirus Rocks Market

The call came ahead of a technical OPEC meeting at the cartel ’ s headquarters in Vienna on Tuesday to decide how the group should respond to the crisis .
An emergency meeting of energy ministers from OPEC and other countries , including Russia , which make up the OPEC+ format could take place next week .
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with the King of Saudi Arabia on Monday evening to discuss the market situation , as prices for benchmark Brent crude slipped below $ 55 a barrel — down 15 % from just two weeks ago .
Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries ( OPEC ) , are considering a new round of oil production cuts , as they scramble to respond to falling oil prices amid the coronavirus outbreak .
“ Brent crude below $ 55 a barrel is the stuff of sleepless nights for OPEC and Russia , ” said Jeffrey Halley , an analyst at OANDA .
“ We will almost certainly see some action , sooner rather than later , from the grouping .
Further cuts , though , from OPEC+ are likely only to stabilize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to engineer a structural rally.
” “ With the Wuhan virus presenting an as yet unquantifiable threat to global growth , oil remains one of the most vulnerable commodities to further bad news.
” Russia ’ s energy minister Alexander Novak said he would support an emergency meeting next week to coordinate the group ’ s response .
A Kremlin statement issued after the call between Putin and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz said both countries “ confirmed their readiness to further coordinate actions in the format of OPEC+ to ensure stability of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ticked up Tuesday in response to the news that the group is considering more cuts .
However , when asked Tuesday whether Russia would be willing to cut its own oil production , Putin ’ s spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to answer .
The OPEC+ group has committed to oil production cuts since 2017 , in a bid to stabilize oil prices and avoid pumping too much of the black stuff at low prices .
Russia has been seen as a lukewarm supporter of the deal .
In the latest round of cuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meant it barely had to change its production , and bosses of Russia ’ s oil companies have also questioned how long Moscow should stay in the deal .

The call came ahead of a technical OPEC meeting at the cartel’s headquarters in Vienna on Tuesday to decide how the group should respond to the crisis. An emergency meeting of energy ministers from OPEC and other countries, including Russia, which make up the OPEC+ format could take place next week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with the King of Saudi Arabia on Monday evening to discuss the market situation, as prices for benchmark Brent crude slipped below $55 a barrel — down 15% from just two weeks ago.
Russia, Saudi Arabia and other members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), are considering a new round of oil production cuts, as they scramble to respond to falling oil prices amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“Brent crude below $55 a barrel is the stuff of sleepless nights for OPEC and Russia,” said Jeffrey Halley, an analyst at OANDA. “We will almost certainly see some action, sooner rather than later, from the grouping. Further cuts, though, from OPEC+ are likely only to stabilize prices, not be of the scale to engineer a structural rally.”
“With the Wuhan virus presenting an as yet unquantifiable threat to global growth, oil remains one of the most vulnerable commodities to further bad news.”
Russia’s energy minister Alexander Novak said he would support an emergency meeting next week to coordinate the group’s response. A Kremlin statement issued after the call between Putin and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz said both countries “confirmed their readiness to further coordinate actions in the format of OPEC+ to ensure stability of the global oil market.”
Oil prices ticked up Tuesday in response to the news that the group is considering more cuts.
However, when asked Tuesday whether Russia would be willing to cut its own oil production, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to answer.
The OPEC+ group has committed to oil production cuts since 2017, in a bid to stabilize oil prices and avoid pumping too much of the black stuff at low prices. Russia has been seen as a lukewarm supporter of the deal. In the latest round of cuts, Russia won major technical concessions which meant it barely had to change its production, and bosses of Russia’s oil companies have also questioned how long Moscow should stay in the deal.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-04--Russia Sends Lavrov to Venezuela to 'Counteract' U.S. Sanctions

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Venezuela on Friday in a show of support for President Nicolas Maduro , a socialist who Washington wants out of power .
Russia has helped Maduro weather a political crisis as the United States has targeted Caracas with sanctions and , like dozens of other countries , recognizes opposition politician Juan Guaido as Venezuela 's legitimate interim leader .
Moscow has denounced the U.S. sanctions as illegal and damaging , while Venezuela 's opposition has urged Washington to step up pressure on Russia for its economic , diplomatic and military support of Maduro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , flies to Latin America on Wednesday , stopping in Cuba before heading to Mexico on Thursday and Venezuela the next day .
His trip follows a tour by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of four former Soviet states - Ukraine , Belarus , Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan - in a region that Moscow sees as its backyard .
In Venezuela , Lavrov will meet Maduro as well as Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza for talks that will broach deeper cooperation on energy , mining , transport , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ministry said .
`` The agenda includes a discussion of steps ... to counteract illegal unilateral sanctions that worsen the socioeconomic situation in Venezuela , '' ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said .
The United States last year ratcheted up diplomatic pressure on Venezuela and imposed sanctions on the OPEC member 's state oil company , PDVSA .
Venezuela 's opposition disputed the legitimacy of Maduro 's re-election to a second term in 2018 , and opposition leader Guaido proclaimed himself interim president in January last year , winning the backing of Washington and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power though , backed by the military as well as Russia , China and Cuba .
In Mexico , Lavrov will meet Foreign Secretary Luis Ebrard Casaubon to discuss economic and trade ties as well as cooperation with the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States ( CELAC ) .
In Cuba , Lavrov will meet his counterpart , Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla , Zakharova said .

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Venezuela on Friday in a show of support for President Nicolas Maduro, a socialist who Washington wants out of power. Russia has helped Maduro weather a political crisis as the United States has targeted Caracas with sanctions and, like dozens of other countries, recognizes opposition politician Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate interim leader.
news Planeloads of Cash From Russia Have Been Shipped to Venezuela Read more
Moscow has denounced the U.S. sanctions as illegal and damaging, while Venezuela's opposition has urged Washington to step up pressure on Russia for its economic, diplomatic and military support of Maduro. Lavrov, foreign minister since 2004, flies to Latin America on Wednesday, stopping in Cuba before heading to Mexico on Thursday and Venezuela the next day. His trip follows a tour by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of four former Soviet states - Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan - in a region that Moscow sees as its backyard. In Venezuela, Lavrov will meet Maduro as well as Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza for talks that will broach deeper cooperation on energy, mining, transport, agriculture and defense, Russia's Foreign Ministry said. "The agenda includes a discussion of steps ... to counteract illegal unilateral sanctions that worsen the socioeconomic situation in Venezuela," ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-04--Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Apologizes for ‘Pro-Russian’ Commemoration

Israel ’ s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum has apologized for hosting an “ unbalanced ” forum after the event drew criticism for showing what observers said were pro-Russian videos , Israeli media reported Monday .
The clips shown at the Jan. 23 event in Jerusalem portrayed the Soviet Union as nearly the only victor over Nazi Germany , the Haaretz daily reported Monday , sparking backlash from historians , politicians and other public figures .
It added that the videos showed incorrect depictions of Poland ’ s and its neighbors ’ borders , confused concentration camps with death camps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yad Vashem said that the `` inaccuracies '' at the event marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp `` created an unbalanced impression . ''
Among the inaccuracies , the memorial said , was a lack of any reference to the partition of Poland as a result of the 1939 Soviet-Nazi non-aggression pact .
The videos also failed to acknowledge Nazi Germany ’ s invasion of Western Europe in 1940 .
`` We apologize for the very regrettable mishap that occurred , ” Yad Vashem ’ s head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a letter cited by Haaretz .
“ These videos do not represent the perspective of Yad Vashem 's research on these issues , ” Michman was cited as saying .
The letter cited by Haaretz does n't specify to what degree Yad Vashem was responsible for the content of the ceremony it hosted .
The World Holocaust Forum took place amid a clash of narratives between Russia and Poland over the causes of World War II and their respective roles in the conflict .
Russian President Vladimir Putin , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event , had suggested that Poland ’ s actions had led to the war .
Warsaw has accused Putin of “ renewing Stalinist propaganda ” for claiming that the Soviet occupation of Poland “ saved lives.
” Polish President Andrzej Duda boycotted the Israeli ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz because of Putin ’ s attendance and his exclusion from the podium .
Putin did not attend the commemorative events held that week in Poland .

Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum has apologized for hosting an “unbalanced” forum after the event drew criticism for showing what observers said were pro-Russian videos, Israeli media reported Monday. The clips shown at the Jan. 23 event in Jerusalem portrayed the Soviet Union as nearly the only victor over Nazi Germany, the Haaretz daily reported Monday, sparking backlash from historians, politicians and other public figures. It added that the videos showed incorrect depictions of Poland’s and its neighbors’ borders, confused concentration camps with death camps and made no reference to Ukraine.
Yad Vashem said that the "inaccuracies" at the event marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp "created an unbalanced impression." Among the inaccuracies, the memorial said, was a lack of any reference to the partition of Poland as a result of the 1939 Soviet-Nazi non-aggression pact. The videos also failed to acknowledge Nazi Germany’s invasion of Western Europe in 1940. "We apologize for the very regrettable mishap that occurred,” Yad Vashem’s head of Holocaust research, Dan Michman, said in a letter cited by Haaretz. “These videos do not represent the perspective of Yad Vashem's research on these issues,” Michman was cited as saying.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-04--Russia Sends First Plane to Evacuate Citizens From China's Wuhan – RIA

A first Russian military plane took off on Tuesday to evacuate Russian citizens from the Chinese city of Wuhan , @ @ @ @ @ outbreak , the state-run RIA news agency reported , citing the Defense Ministry .

Scores of Russians began two weeks of quarantine and coronavirus tests in a camp in Siberia on Wednesday after being flown home from China's Wuhan, the city at the epicenter of an outbreak of the fast-spreading disease. Russia, which has restricted crossings along its 4,300 km (2,670-mile) land border with China, last week reported its first two cases of coronavirus, both in Siberia and both involving Chinese nationals.
Nadezhda K., one of the Russian nationals evacuated from Wuhan, has been documenting the evacuation on her Instagram. nd.nadias / Instagram
No infection was detected among the two groups of 144 returnees — including 16 nationals of ex-Soviet countries — who were brought back to Tyumen airport on Wednesday in two military planes, the Defense Ministry said. The global death toll from the outbreak has risen to nearly 500, all but two in mainland China, and infections to close to 25,000. Medical staff in white safety gear met the first Russian plane, an Il-76 military transporter, early on Wednesday, footage posted by the country's coronavirus crisis center showed. All arrivals were being quarantined for two weeks in a camp some 30km (19 miles) outside Tyumen, said Russia's chief medical officer, Anna Popova. The camp is fenced, equipped with CCTV cameras and guarded by military patrols, the crisis center said. A city of 800,000 people, Tyumen is a focal point of Russia's huge oil industry - and for speculation on what impact the virus might have on the country's economy.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-04--Russian World Champion Delivers Food to Raise Money for Tokyo Paralympics

A world paratriathlon champion from Russia has started working as a food delivery courier to raise money to compete in the 2020 Paralympics after regional sports officials allegedly failed to provide financial assistance , Russian media reported Monday .
Mikhail Astashov , 31 , won the 2019 Paratriathlon World Cup .
In November , Astashov told fellow athlete and newly minted federal lawmaker Anton Shipulin that he needed 350,000 rubles ( $ 5,600 ) to attend the Paralympic qualifiers .
Sports officials in the Sverdlovsk region where Astashov lives “ are n't particularly helping him ” cover the costs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have reported .
Bystanders filmed Astashov wearing prosthetic legs and a delivery service uniform in Russia ’ s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg this week .
The Russian tech giant Yandex ’ s food delivery arm told Russian media that Astashov ’ s first official workday began Sunday .
“ He ’ s very motivated to work .
He went on his first shift and completed his first deliveries , ” Yandex Food told the TJournal.ru news website .
It noted that , despite his missing limbs , Astashov easily overcomes obstacles and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivery work .
Yandex Food added that it employs people with disabilities in other Russian cities where it operates .
The Sverdlovsk region ’ s sports administration will provide Astashov the needed help to take part in the Paralympic qualifiers , the administration ’ s top official Leonid Rapoport said Tuesday .
“ We found the resources for him to go through all the stages of preparation , ” Rapoport told the state-run TASS news agency .
Russia ’ s republic of Buryatia , where Astashov was born and which he represents in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget to support the athlete once he qualifies for the Paralympics , according to its chief of youth policy .
“ I don ’ t consider myself a disabled person , ” Astashov told the u-mama.ru website in a November interview .
Tokyo will host the Summer Paralympics between Aug. 25 and Sept. 6 this year .

A world paratriathlon champion from Russia has started working as a food delivery courier to raise money to compete in the 2020 Paralympics after regional sports officials allegedly failed to provide financial assistance, Russian media reported Monday. Mikhail Astashov, 31, won the 2019 Paratriathlon World Cup. In November, Astashov told fellow athlete and newly minted federal lawmaker Anton Shipulin that he needed 350,000 rubles ($5,600) to attend the Paralympic qualifiers.
Sports officials in the Sverdlovsk region where Astashov lives “aren't particularly helping him” cover the costs of the Paralympic qualifying rounds, Telegram channels have reported. Bystanders filmed Astashov wearing prosthetic legs and a delivery service uniform in Russia’s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg this week. The Russian tech giant Yandex’s food delivery arm told Russian media that Astashov’s first official workday began Sunday. “He’s very motivated to work. He went on his first shift and completed his first deliveries,” Yandex Food told the TJournal.ru news website. It noted that, despite his missing limbs, Astashov easily overcomes obstacles and is able to handle the equipment needed for delivery work. Yandex Food added that it employs people with disabilities in other Russian cities where it operates.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-04--Russia Strong-Arms UN to Bolster Assad and Putin’s Mideast Clout

The Syria measure survived in a tense Dec. 27 vote — though diplomats warned that Russia would keep challenging it in future negotiations .
A veto-wielding member of the Security Council , Russia increasingly has used its influence to counter efforts to undermine its Syria campaign .
It has used its veto power 14 times on Syria-related issues since the conflict began , more than any other country over that period by far .
“ Russia is doing everything it can to undermine the UN ’ s work in Syria , and they know one key way to do this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louis Charbonneau , UN director at Human Rights Watch , said in an interview .
“ Russia knows how to take advantage of the UN system to further its goals .
What ’ s not clear is whether the UN has a strategy to deal with Russia.
” While last-minute budget talks aren ’ t unusual at the UN , Moscow ’ s hard-edged diplomacy over Syria is part of an increasingly assertive campaign the permanent Security Council member is waging at the global body as it expands its influence in the Middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aimed at fending off threats to its influence in Syria , where Russian airpower has allowed President Bashar al-Assad to consolidate control over nearly all but the oil-rich northeastern part of Syria .
That ’ s when a Russian official entered the conference room and told more than two dozen diplomats that their agreement wasn ’ t good enough yet , dragging negotiations past Christmas , according to three people who were involved in the talks .
Just days from the start of the new year , disheveled envoys from several countries were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything from the number of translators posted to Geneva to who gets to fly first class .
Talks were paralyzed around a line item representing a sliver of the budget proposal , but one with geopolitical implications — $ 17 million to investigate human rights violations in the nine-year-old Syrian conflict .
It was after midnight in a windowless basement room at the United Nations headquarters in New York , and Russian diplomats were holding the organization ’ s $ 3 billion budget hostage .
The moves are part of President Vladimir Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Middle East as the U.S. seeks to scale back .
Putin ’ s decision to enter the Syria war in 2015 saved the Assad regime and forced other regional powers to coordinate with Moscow over the future of Syria , sidelining a UN-brokered series of peace talks that struggled to get traction .
Russia also widened a breach in U.S.-Turkey relations by convincing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to buy a Russian missile defense system , prompting the Pentagon to kick Ankara out of the F-35 jet program .
And Moscow has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Libya against the UN-backed government .
While President Donald Trump has sent additional forces to the Middle East to confront Iran , he ’ s also escalated demands on other countries and the NATO alliance to do more for regional security , with the goal of winding down American troop commitments in “ endless wars ” from Syria to Afghanistan .
UN diplomats say that Russia is increasingly confident about exercising its power and is pressing back strongly in response to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ’ decision last year to begin a separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including hospitals and schools — in Syria .
The attacks occurred even though those facilities had shared their GPS coordinates with the Russian and Syrian militaries to avoid being accidentally hit .
Just days after the budget battle over the human rights investigation that would gather evidence for possible war crimes tribunals , Russia stared down Western powers in marathon negotiations over humanitarian aid corridors into Syria .
The U.S. and its allies wanted the UN to be granted at least three access points for aid to be delivered over the following 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at two corridors and six months .
Faced with all access being cut if they failed to strike an agreement , Security Council members backed down in January .
But the final result left the civilians struggling in one the world ’ s worst humanitarian disaster zones even more cut off from the outside world .
The decision over aid corridors led to finger-pointing among Western allies , who couldn ’ t agree on a strategy to confront the Russians .
U.K .
Ambassador Karen Pierce called it “ one of the saddest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ playing dice with the lives of the Syrian people in the northeast.
” U.S .
Ambassador Kelly Craft said , “ Russia has been tireless in efforts to support the Assad regime and starve the regime ’ s opponents.
” Russia ’ s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya says conditions on the ground in Syria have changed and that humanitarian assistance is now coming from within Syria .
During a meeting in late January with UN Syria envoy Geir Pedersen , Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western countries of applying “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid sending “ aid to territories controlled by the government.
” Russia initially pressured Guterres to narrow the scope of the inquiry into the targeting of civilian sites so that fewer locations were included , and , diplomats say , has also been trying to keep him from releasing the findings .
In response , the U.K. Mission to the UN circulated a draft letter in December to allies that would urge the secretary-general to make the findings public .
In his latest remarks , Guterres ’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until March 13 and that the secretary-general would decide what to do with it only once he ’ s reviewed the findings .
Russia has also clashed with Western nations at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons , a UN agency .
In January , Russian officials held a presentation in which they claimed evidence from a chemical weapons attack in Syria in 2018 was “ staged.
” U.S .
Ambassador Cherith Norman Chalet called the effort “ a brazen disinformation campaign , waged in advance of the anticipated release ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia and Syria dislike the findings of the UN or the OPCW , they use meetings like this one to undercut those organizations and the facts they provide , ” she said .
The U.S. , U.K. and Netherlands also say Russia has carried out cyberattacks against the Hague-based chemical weapons agency , which is also examining evidence of a nerve-agent attack in the U.K. in 2018 that British officials have blamed on the Kremlin .
Countering criticism of their tactics , Russian diplomats in January convened UN agency leaders in New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s positive contributions to development projects .
Ambassador Nebenzya used the event to highlight Russia ’ s commitment to the development of post-conflict Syria , and criticized countries that tie development funds to political conditions .
Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja ’ afari , sitting across the table , nodded approvingly .
“ Russia , ” Ja ’ afari said , “ has always been the role model .
”

The Syria measure survived in a tense Dec. 27 vote — though diplomats warned that Russia would keep challenging it in future negotiations. A veto-wielding member of the Security Council, Russia increasingly has used its influence to counter efforts to undermine its Syria campaign. It has used its veto power 14 times on Syria-related issues since the conflict began, more than any other country over that period by far.
“Russia is doing everything it can to undermine the UN’s work in Syria, and they know one key way to do this is by going after budgets,” Louis Charbonneau , UN director at Human Rights Watch, said in an interview. “Russia knows how to take advantage of the UN system to further its goals. What’s not clear is whether the UN has a strategy to deal with Russia.”
While last-minute budget talks aren’t unusual at the UN, Moscow’s hard-edged diplomacy over Syria is part of an increasingly assertive campaign the permanent Security Council member is waging at the global body as it expands its influence in the Middle East. It’s an effort aimed at fending off threats to its influence in Syria, where Russian airpower has allowed President Bashar al-Assad to consolidate control over nearly all but the oil-rich northeastern part of Syria.
That’s when a Russian official entered the conference room and told more than two dozen diplomats that their agreement wasn’t good enough yet, dragging negotiations past Christmas, according to three people who were involved in the talks.
Just days from the start of the new year, disheveled envoys from several countries were struggling to broker a deal that covers everything from the number of translators posted to Geneva to who gets to fly first class. Talks were paralyzed around a line item representing a sliver of the budget proposal, but one with geopolitical implications — $17 million to investigate human rights violations in the nine-year-old Syrian conflict.
It was after midnight in a windowless basement room at the United Nations headquarters in New York, and Russian diplomats were holding the organization’s $3 billion budget hostage.
The moves are part of President Vladimir Putin’s broader efforts to shape events in the Middle East as the U.S. seeks to scale back. Putin’s decision to enter the Syria war in 2015 saved the Assad regime and forced other regional powers to coordinate with Moscow over the future of Syria, sidelining a UN-brokered series of peace talks that struggled to get traction.
Russia also widened a breach in U.S.-Turkey relations by convincing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to buy a Russian missile defense system, prompting the Pentagon to kick Ankara out of the F-35 jet program. And Moscow has deployed mercenaries to back General Khalifa Haftar in Libya against the UN-backed government.
While President Donald Trump has sent additional forces to the Middle East to confront Iran, he’s also escalated demands on other countries and the NATO alliance to do more for regional security, with the goal of winding down American troop commitments in “endless wars” from Syria to Afghanistan.
UN diplomats say that Russia is increasingly confident about exercising its power and is pressing back strongly in response to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ decision last year to begin a separate inquiry into attacks on civilian sites — including hospitals and schools — in Syria. The attacks occurred even though those facilities had shared their GPS coordinates with the Russian and Syrian militaries to avoid being accidentally hit.
Just days after the budget battle over the human rights investigation that would gather evidence for possible war crimes tribunals, Russia stared down Western powers in marathon negotiations over humanitarian aid corridors into Syria. The U.S. and its allies wanted the UN to be granted at least three access points for aid to be delivered over the following 12 months. The Russians set a limit at two corridors and six months.
‘Playing dice’
Faced with all access being cut if they failed to strike an agreement, Security Council members backed down in January. But the final result left the civilians struggling in one the world’s worst humanitarian disaster zones even more cut off from the outside world.
The decision over aid corridors led to finger-pointing among Western allies, who couldn’t agree on a strategy to confront the Russians. U.K. Ambassador Karen Pierce called it “one of the saddest” days for Syria, accusing Russia of “playing dice with the lives of the Syrian people in the northeast.” U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft said, “Russia has been tireless in efforts to support the Assad regime and starve the regime’s opponents.”
Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya says conditions on the ground in Syria have changed and that humanitarian assistance is now coming from within Syria. During a meeting in late January with UN Syria envoy Geir Pedersen, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western countries of applying “double standards” in their attempts to avoid sending “aid to territories controlled by the government.”
‘Staged’ attacks
Russia initially pressured Guterres to narrow the scope of the inquiry into the targeting of civilian sites so that fewer locations were included, and, diplomats say, has also been trying to keep him from releasing the findings. In response, the U.K. Mission to the UN circulated a draft letter in December to allies that would urge the secretary-general to make the findings public.
In his latest remarks, Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the report’s submission has been further delayed until March 13 and that the secretary-general would decide what to do with it only once he’s reviewed the findings.
Russia has also clashed with Western nations at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a UN agency. In January, Russian officials held a presentation in which they claimed evidence from a chemical weapons attack in Syria in 2018 was “staged.” U.S. Ambassador Cherith Norman Chalet called the effort “a brazen disinformation campaign, waged in advance of the anticipated release” of an OPCW report.
Russian role model
“When Russia and Syria dislike the findings of the UN or the OPCW, they use meetings like this one to undercut those organizations and the facts they provide,” she said.
The U.S., U.K. and Netherlands also say Russia has carried out cyberattacks against the Hague-based chemical weapons agency, which is also examining evidence of a nerve-agent attack in the U.K. in 2018 that British officials have blamed on the Kremlin.
Countering criticism of their tactics, Russian diplomats in January convened UN agency leaders in New York for an event focusing on the nation’s positive contributions to development projects. Ambassador Nebenzya used the event to highlight Russia’s commitment to the development of post-conflict Syria, and criticized countries that tie development funds to political conditions.
Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari, sitting across the table, nodded approvingly. “Russia,” Ja’afari said, “has always been the role model.”


themoscowtimes--2020-02-04--Coronavirus Update: Russia Acts to Curb Spread

In a bid to contain the outbreak , Russia has also banned Chinese tour groups from coming to Russia and stopped issuing e-visas to Chinese citizens .
Demand for face masks in Russia has risen thirteenfold over the past week .
As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 360 people in China 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 Friday .
Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and said the infected people were Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the latest updates on Russia ’ s response to the coronavirus — Russia will from Tuesday temporarily restrict the entry of foreigners arriving from China , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
She said the restrictions would not , however , apply to Moscow 's Sheremetyevo Airport , the capital 's main international airport .
— Russia may deport foreign citizens found to be infected with coronavirus , Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Monday .
— Russia has postponed the Russian Investment Forum in the Black Sea city of Sochi which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week due to coronavirus concerns , a government order said on Monday .
The forum , which is attended by a string of high-ranking officials and foreign investors , had been set to take place Feb. 12-14 .
— At least two regions — the Ulyanovsk region and the nearby Samara region on the Volga river some 900 kilometers ( 560 miles ) east of Moscow — have closed schools until the end of this week amid increased cases of flu which officials said were not linked to coronavirus .
— Moscow suspended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China and temporarily stopped accepting and issuing documents for work visas to Chinese nationals .
— State-run Russian Railways said it would halt passenger trains to China , including the Beijing-Moscow route , until further notice .
— Russia 's aerospace defense forces , part of the armed forces , will start evacuating Russian citizens from Wuhan and Hubei on Monday .
There are more than 600 Russians there , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova has said .
— Russia 's second-largest food retailer Magnit said it is suspending fruit and vegetable imports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus and logistical complications .
— Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Friday that OPEC+ countries may react if there are significant consequences for the oil market due to the outbreak .
He said that the oil-producing countries have discussed bringing forward the March OPEC+ meeting , adding that they need several more days to monitor the situation .
— As of Friday , Jan. 31 , Russia ’ s consumer protection watchdog said a total of 236 people have been examined for the suspected virus .
Nearly 100 of them have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influenza or the seasonal coronavirus .
— In addition to observing personal hygiene , the consumer protection watchdog advised against loose hair , as well as kissing and hugging in public .
— Apple and Chinese phone manufacturers stopped deliveries into Russia for two weeks , the Kommersant business daily reported .

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--2020-02-04--Russia Postpones Annual Investment Forum Over Coronavirus Concerns

Russia is postponing an annual investment forum in the Black Sea city of Sochi that had been scheduled to take @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus concerns , a government order said on Monday .
The Russian Investment Forum , @ @ @ @ @ string of high-ranking officials and foreign investors , had been set to take place Feb. @ @ @ @ @ did not say when it will be held instead .

Russia is postponing an annual investment forum in the Black Sea city of Sochi that had been scheduled to take place next week due to coronavirus concerns, a government order said on Monday.
The Russian Investment Forum, which is attended by a string of high-ranking officials and foreign investors, had been set to take place Feb. 12-14. The government order did not say when it will be held instead.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-04--Russia Eyes Early Delivery of Advanced S-500 Air Defense System

Russia ’ s advanced S-500 air defense system could be delivered to the military as soon as 2020 , five @ @ @ @ @ , Russia ’ s deputy defense minister has said .
Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko @ @ @ @ @ S-500 , an upgrade of the currently deployed S-400 , was initially scheduled for delivery @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 .
In Monday ’ s interview with a subsidiary of the state-owned Rostec @ @ @ @ @ that air defense troops tested the S-500 using “ new and unparalleled missiles ” in @ @

Russia’s advanced S-500 air defense system could be delivered to the military as soon as 2020, five years earlier than previously disclosed, Russia’s deputy defense minister has said.
Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said last month that the S-500, an upgrade of the currently deployed S-400, was initially scheduled for delivery in 2025 after preliminary tests in 2020. In Monday’s interview with a subsidiary of the state-owned Rostec industrial conglomerate, Krivoruchko noted that air defense troops tested the S-500 using “new and unparalleled missiles” in 2019.