themoscowtimes--2020-06-01--News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

Officials also said they were puzzled by the `` hysteria '' around the successful SpaceX flight as Elon Musk taunted Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to beat Moscow to Mars .
Saturday 's launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida was the first of American astronauts from U.S. soil in nine years , and the first ever by a private company .
Russia on Sunday put a brave face on the loss of its space travel monopoly , saying it planned to test two new rockets this year and resume its lunar program in 2021 .
Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the Interior Ministry headquarters Saturday and the Investigative Committee headquarters Sunday .
Saturday ’ s protests continued days of solidarity for a popular journalist and activist who was jailed for 15 days for a similar single-person picket .
Sunday ’ s actions , where seven people were detained and some were charged with violating Moscow ’ s coronavirus quarantine , involved mostly lawyers supporting colleagues in the North Caucasus charged with violence against police .
Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry called on the United States to investigate the “ unfounded brutality ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Russian journalist from the state-run RIA Novosti news agency during protests over the death of a black man at police hands overshadowed by unrest .
Journalists covering nationwide protests over George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis have found themselves under attack , by police and at times by protesters .
Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry denied U.S. claims that it had printed counterfeit currency worth $ 1.1 billion for Libya , which was seized by Malta .
“ It ’ s not the dinars that are counterfeit but America ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. State Department said it “ commends ” Malta ’ s seizure of the banknotes printed by Russia ’ s Goznak .
The Foreign Ministry , responding to U.S. assertion that the money was ordered by an “ illegitimate parallel entity , ” said Libya has two central banks because the country has two de-facto governments .
Russia ’ s Health Ministry has approved the country ’ s first drug to treat patients with the novel coronavirus , an antiviral pill known generically as favipiravir and registered in Russia as Avifavir , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and the ChemRar biotechnology firm .
Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said that clinical trials for a Covid-19 vaccine will start in two weeks .

‘The trampoline is working’ Russia's space agency, hitherto the only one able to fly astronauts to the International Space Station, congratulated SpaceX for its successful launch of a manned rocket.
Officials also said they were puzzled by the "hysteria" around the successful SpaceX flight as Elon Musk taunted Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to beat Moscow to Mars.
Joe Raedle / Getty Images via AFP
Saturday's launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida was the first of American astronauts from U.S. soil in nine years, and the first ever by a private company. Russia on Sunday put a brave face on the loss of its space travel monopoly, saying it planned to test two new rockets this year and resume its lunar program in 2021. Solo pickets Police in Moscow detained demonstrators holding solo pickets outside the Interior Ministry headquarters Saturday and the Investigative Committee headquarters Sunday. Saturday’s protests continued days of solidarity for a popular journalist and activist who was jailed for 15 days for a similar single-person picket. Sunday’s actions, where seven people were detained and some were charged with violating Moscow’s coronavirus quarantine, involved mostly lawyers supporting colleagues in the North Caucasus charged with violence against police.
OVD-Info
U.S. protests Russia’s Foreign Ministry called on the United States to investigate the “unfounded brutality” of a law enforcement officer pepper spraying a Russian journalist from the state-run RIA Novosti news agency during protests over the death of a black man at police hands overshadowed by unrest. Journalists covering nationwide protests over George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis have found themselves under attack, by police and at times by protesters.
John Minchillo / AP / TASS


themoscowtimes--2020-06-01--Trump Puts G7 Summit Proposal to Putin

Trump Puts G7 Summit Proposal to Putin

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday proposed his plan to include Russia in an expanded G7 summit in a phone call with President Vladimir Putin , the Kremlin said .
It said Trump `` informed '' Putin of his plan to hold a rescheduled G7 `` with possible invitation of the leaders of Russia , Australia , India and South Korea , '' without making further comment .
The Kremlin called the conversation as a whole `` constructive , business-like and substantive . ''
The U.S. leader said Saturday he would delay the G7 summit and hold an expanded event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current lineup of countries `` very outdated . ''
The meeting was due to take place via video conference in June but Trump said he would delay it and aim to hold the gathering in-person instead .
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had told journalists earlier Monday that `` we do n't know the details of the proposal '' and said Putin required `` more information which we do not yet have . ''
Trump said Saturday to journalists on Air Force One that he had `` roughly '' broached the topic with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia was thrown out of what was then the G8 in 2014 after it seized Ukraine 's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea , an annexation never recognized by the international community .
The G7 major advanced countries — Britain , Canada , France , Germany , Italy , Japan and the United States — hold annual meetings to discuss international economic coordination .
Trump has previously said he supports returning Russia to the G7 .
On Monday , the Russian leader also congratulated Trump on Saturday 's successful launch of the SpaceX spacecraft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Kremlin said .
The leaders `` confirmed a mutual intention to develop mutually beneficial cooperation in the space sphere , '' it added .
The Kremlin press service said the call noted `` the importance of stepping up Russian-U.S. dialogue in the sphere of strategic stability and confidence-building measures in the military sphere . ''
Putin also thanked the U.S. for sending ventilators to help coronavirus patients .

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday proposed his plan to include Russia in an expanded G7 summit in a phone call with President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said.
It said Trump "informed" Putin of his plan to hold a rescheduled G7 "with possible invitation of the leaders of Russia, Australia, India and South Korea," without making further comment.
The Kremlin called the conversation as a whole "constructive, business-like and substantive."
The U.S. leader said Saturday he would delay the G7 summit and hold an expanded event later, possibly in September, calling the current lineup of countries "very outdated."
The meeting was due to take place via video conference in June but Trump said he would delay it and aim to hold the gathering in-person instead.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had told journalists earlier Monday that "we don't know the details of the proposal" and said Putin required "more information which we do not yet have."
Trump said Saturday to journalists on Air Force One that he had "roughly" broached the topic with leaders of the four other countries.
Russia was thrown out of what was then the G8 in 2014 after it seized Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, an annexation never recognized by the international community.
The G7 major advanced countries — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States — hold annual meetings to discuss international economic coordination.
Trump has previously said he supports returning Russia to the G7.
On Monday, the Russian leader also congratulated Trump on Saturday's successful launch of the SpaceX spacecraft taking astronauts to the International Space Station, the Kremlin said.
The leaders "confirmed a mutual intention to develop mutually beneficial cooperation in the space sphere," it added.
The Kremlin press service said the call noted "the importance of stepping up Russian-U.S. dialogue in the sphere of strategic stability and confidence-building measures in the military sphere."
Putin also thanked the U.S. for sending ventilators to help coronavirus patients.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-01--In Photos: Moscow Takes First Post-Coronavirus Steps Outside

After two long months of being prohibited from taking walks due to the coronavirus , Moscow 's 12.7 million residents @ @ @ @ @ the outdoors on Monday as authorities pointed to a stabilization in new cases .
Shopping @ @ @ @ @ as city officials hoped to give a much-needed boost to the local economy .
Here @ @ @ @ @ 's first day out of quarantine :

In Photos: Moscow Takes First Post-Coronavirus Steps Outside
After two long months of being prohibited from taking walks due to the coronavirus, Moscow's 12.7 million residents were finally allowed to enjoy the outdoors on Monday as authorities pointed to a stabilization in new cases.
Shopping malls and parks also reopened as city officials hoped to give a much-needed boost to the local economy.
Here's a look at Moscow's first day out of quarantine:


themoscowtimes--2020-06-01--Specter of Oil Giant Rosneft Looms Over Russian Independent Media

Andrei Shmarov was appointed in late March , ahead of the sale 's completion .
Journalists say they were barred from covering negative opinion polls of Putin , and that editors interfered in coverage of Rosneft .
Now , reporters at the country 's top liberal business daily Vedomosti — shaken in March by an announcement from owner Demyan Kudryavtsev that he planned to sell the newspaper — have denounced censorship under its new acting editor-in-chief .
Russian oil giant Rosneft , run by a close ally of President Vladimir Putin , is wielding growing influence over Russia 's remaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tightening press freedoms and pressure from the Kremlin .
On Friday , the new owner was announced as the head of a little-known regional news agency called FederalPress , Ivan Yeryomin .
An investigation in May by several Russian news outlets including Vedomosti revealed that Rosneft leveraged control over the paper through debts owed by owner Kudryavtsev to the oil giant 's bank .
Kudryavtsev denied these allegations while Rosneft has not reacted .
`` The real owner is Rosneft through a chain of debt , '' said Vedomosti editor-at-large Maxim Trudolyubov , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it started in 1999 .
Trudolyubov said the new editor-in-chief was `` selected to run the newspaper favorably to the new owner . ''
`` They just wanted to silence it . ''
He described Rosneft chief Igor Sechin as `` some sort of a hitman '' employing aggressive tactics .
`` He plays a complicated game of takeovers to build his empire at the expense of other oligarchs .
It 's about assets , money , influence . ''
The newspaper wrote in a recent editorial : `` Vedomosti will just become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' On Friday , the newspaper wrote that the change of ownership deal undoubtedly had `` not only commercial aims . ''
Its editorial suggested that `` unnamed figures who really stand behind the official buyers ... see the publication as an instrument of influence , not a business . ''
`` This is a public humiliation of the Vedomosti brand and its editorial staff , '' Galina Timchenko , editor-in-chief of Meduza news site , told AFP .
In May , it was the turn of another respected business daily , RBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a record 43 billion rubles ( $ 612 million ) over an article about the oil company 's activities in Venezuela .

Russian oil giant Rosneft, run by a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, is wielding growing influence over Russia's remaining independent media outlets, already squeezed by tightening press freedoms and pressure from the Kremlin. Now, reporters at the country's top liberal business daily Vedomosti — shaken in March by an announcement from owner Demyan Kudryavtsev that he planned to sell the newspaper — have denounced censorship under its new acting editor-in-chief. Andrei Shmarov was appointed in late March, ahead of the sale's completion. Journalists say they were barred from covering negative opinion polls of Putin, and that editors interfered in coverage of Rosneft.
On Friday, the new owner was announced as the head of a little-known regional news agency called FederalPress, Ivan Yeryomin. An investigation in May by several Russian news outlets including Vedomosti revealed that Rosneft leveraged control over the paper through debts owed by owner Kudryavtsev to the oil giant's bank. Kudryavtsev denied these allegations while Rosneft has not reacted. 'Real owner Rosneft' "The real owner is Rosneft through a chain of debt," said Vedomosti editor-at-large Maxim Trudolyubov, who has worked at the paper since it started in 1999. Trudolyubov said the new editor-in-chief was "selected to run the newspaper favorably to the new owner." "They just wanted to silence it." He described Rosneft chief Igor Sechin as "some sort of a hitman" employing aggressive tactics. "He plays a complicated game of takeovers to build his empire at the expense of other oligarchs. It's about assets, money, influence." The newspaper wrote in a recent editorial: "Vedomosti will just become another dependent and controlled media outlet." On Friday, the newspaper wrote that the change of ownership deal undoubtedly had "not only commercial aims." Its editorial suggested that "unnamed figures who really stand behind the official buyers... see the publication as an instrument of influence, not a business." "This is a public humiliation of the Vedomosti brand and its editorial staff," Galina Timchenko, editor-in-chief of Meduza news site, told AFP. In May, it was the turn of another respected business daily, RBC. Rosneft is suing the newspaper for a record 43 billion rubles ($612 million) over an article about the oil company's activities in Venezuela.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-01--Russia Plans July 1 Vote on Putin's Constitutional Amendments After Coronavirus Delay

The vote was originally set for April 22 but pushed back due to the coronavirus .
“ Indeed , July 1 looks like quite a suitable date to hold the Russian vote on the constitutional amendments , ” Putin said during a video conference with members of the constitutional amendments working group after Central Election Committee Head Ella Pamfilova proposed the date .
Russia 's public vote on a set of constitutional amendments that would allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power through 2036 will take place on July 1 , Putin said at a meeting with officials .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting starting June 25 , citing the need to avoid crowds due to the potential spread of the coronavirus .
She offered expanding polling stations to include outdoor locations , mobile voting stations and online voting in certain regions .
“ The longer the vote is delayed , the more the groundwork that was made will be blurred , ” Pamfilova said .
Anna Popova , the head of Russia 's consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor , said during the meeting that holding the vote on July 1 would be safe for the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm by proposing an overhaul of the Constitution , the first changes to the basic law since 1993 .
Since then , he has seen his popularity fall to historic lows , with public discontent brewing over his handling of the economic fallout from the coronavirus .
Early voting on June 25 will start one day after the annual massive military parade in Moscow and across Russian cities , which Putin postponed from its original date of May 9 as coronavirus cases peaked early last month .
Observers have noted that the Kremlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date close to the Victory Day parade and expanding voting options , to ensure high turnout .
State-run and independent polls have shown a majority or close to a majority of Russians expressing willingness to vote in favor of the amendments , which in addition to resetting presidential term limits enshrine social guarantees .

The vote was originally set for April 22 but pushed back due to the coronavirus.
“Indeed, July 1 looks like quite a suitable date to hold the Russian vote on the constitutional amendments,” Putin said during a video conference with members of the constitutional amendments working group after Central Election Committee Head Ella Pamfilova proposed the date.
Russia's public vote on a set of constitutional amendments that would allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power through 2036 will take place on July 1, Putin said at a meeting with officials.
Pamfilova added a proposal to allow early voting starting June 25, citing the need to avoid crowds due to the potential spread of the coronavirus. She offered expanding polling stations to include outdoor locations, mobile voting stations and online voting in certain regions.
“The longer the vote is delayed, the more the groundwork that was made will be blurred,” Pamfilova said.
Anna Popova, the head of Russia's consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, said during the meeting that holding the vote on July 1 would be safe for the public.
Putin in January unleashed a political storm by proposing an overhaul of the Constitution, the first changes to the basic law since 1993.
Since then, he has seen his popularity fall to historic lows, with public discontent brewing over his handling of the economic fallout from the coronavirus.
Early voting on June 25 will start one day after the annual massive military parade in Moscow and across Russian cities, which Putin postponed from its original date of May 9 as coronavirus cases peaked early last month.
Observers have noted that the Kremlin designed the steps, including picking a date close to the Victory Day parade and expanding voting options, to ensure high turnout. State-run and independent polls have shown a majority or close to a majority of Russians expressing willingness to vote in favor of the amendments, which in addition to resetting presidential term limits enshrine social guarantees.