themoscowtimes--2020-02-07--Moscow Activists Protest Widespread Facial Recognition With Face Paint

A Moscow activist campaign is encouraging people to protect their privacy by covering their faces in bright , bold designs .
Police-controlled facial recognition technology has been expanding in Moscow ’ s wide-reaching surveillance network since 2017 .
While law enforcement says the technology helps catch wanted criminals , critics have spoken out against what they say is non-consensual identification and the potential for citizens ’ data to be sold to third parties .
The Telegram-based campaign , called “ Sledui ” ( Follow ) , advises followers to paint their faces with bright , asymmetric patterns and thick black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sledui says its primary goal is to act as a visible symbol of discontent with the city ’ s facial recognition system , which it says lacks transparency and was implemented without input from the public .
“ We do not want to enter the lenses of CCTV cameras without our consent .
We do not want new technologies to lead to total control .
… To protect ourselves from surveillance and facial recognition for a few minutes , we use makeup — makeup as a symbol of disobedience , ” artist and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page .
Sledui 's Telegram channel , which has more than 240 followers , publishes instructions for creating a design and encourages members to upload photos of themselves once they ’ ve painted their faces .
This is not the first time concerned citizens have taken the fight against facial recognition into their own hands .
In 2017 , a Yandex employee designed a makeup pattern which blocked facial recognition algorithms , but ended the project out of concern that his designs could be used to commit crimes .
The following year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an American artist ’ s face in public for a week .
Moscow has one of the world 's largest video surveillance networks , with over 170,000 cameras throughout the city .
Starting in September , facial recognition technology will be introduced in the Moscow metro .

A Moscow activist campaign is encouraging people to protect their privacy by covering their faces in bright, bold designs. Police-controlled facial recognition technology has been expanding in Moscow’s wide-reaching surveillance network since 2017. While law enforcement says the technology helps catch wanted criminals, critics have spoken out against what they say is non-consensual identification and the potential for citizens’ data to be sold to third parties.
The Telegram-based campaign, called “Sledui” (Follow), advises followers to paint their faces with bright, asymmetric patterns and thick black marks to throw off facial recognition. Sledui says its primary goal is to act as a visible symbol of discontent with the city’s facial recognition system, which it says lacks transparency and was implemented without input from the public. “We do not want to enter the lenses of CCTV cameras without our consent. We do not want new technologies to lead to total control. … To protect ourselves from surveillance and facial recognition for a few minutes, we use makeup — makeup as a symbol of disobedience,” artist and activist Ekaterina Nenasheva wrote on her Facebook page. Sledui's Telegram channel, which has more than 240 followers, publishes instructions for creating a design and encourages members to upload photos of themselves once they’ve painted their faces.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-07--Russia Simplifies Foreign Students' Work Rights

Currently , international students are only allowed to work without a permit if the job is at their state-accredited university and they work in their free time or during the holidays .
Foreign students will be able to work without obtaining a permit while studying in Russia under a new law President Vladimir Putin signed Thursday .
Foreign students will be allowed to find employment based on a reduced list of required documents , Russia ’ s state-run TASS news agency reported .
They won ’ t be subject to work-permit quotas as a result .
The employment contracts are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their studies .
The new law easing current work-permit requirements for students comes into effect within 180 days of Putin ’ s signing , or Aug. 4 .
Education professionals expect the simplified rules to reduce dropout rates over an inability to afford tuition fees and living expenses , the Professionals in International Education ( PIE ) website reported last fall when the legislation was introduced .
Russia is the world ’ s seventh-most-popular destination for international students , according to PIE .
The Institute for International Education estimated the number of international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China and India , at almost 335,000 in 2019 .

Currently, international students are only allowed to work without a permit if the job is at their state-accredited university and they work in their free time or during the holidays.
Foreign students will be able to work without obtaining a permit while studying in Russia under a new law President Vladimir Putin signed Thursday.
Foreign students will be allowed to find employment based on a reduced list of required documents, Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reported. They won’t be subject to work-permit quotas as a result.
The employment contracts are subject to termination at the end of their studies.
The new law easing current work-permit requirements for students comes into effect within 180 days of Putin’s signing, or Aug. 4.
Education professionals expect the simplified rules to reduce dropout rates over an inability to afford tuition fees and living expenses, the Professionals in International Education (PIE) website reported last fall when the legislation was introduced.
Russia is the world’s seventh-most-popular destination for international students, according to PIE.
The Institute for International Education estimated the number of international students in Russia, including those from China and India, at almost 335,000 in 2019.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-09--Boeing Plane Makes Hard Landing in Northwest Russia, No Injuries

A Boeing 737 airliner with 94 people on board made a hard landing in northwestern Russia on Sunday , carrier @ @ @ @ @ one was badly hurt .
It said the airliner , arriving at Usinsk airport in @ @ @ @ @ kilometers from Moscow , made the hard landing because of wind shear — a sudden @ @ @ @ @ direction .
The plane 's main landing gear was damaged in the landing but the @ @ @ @ @ aircraft to a halt on the runway , UTair said in a statement .
All @ @ @ @ @ the airliner .
Pictures posted on the websites of the regional government and emergency situations @ @ @ @ @ flat on its belly on a runway covered partly with snow .

A Boeing 737 airliner with 94 people on board made a hard landing in northwestern Russia on Sunday, carrier UTair said, but no one was badly hurt.
It said the airliner, arriving at Usinsk airport in the Komi Republic about 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) from Moscow, made the hard landing because of wind shear — a sudden change of wind velocity and/or direction.
The plane's main landing gear was damaged in the landing but the crew managed to bring the aircraft to a halt on the runway, UTair said in a statement. All passengers and crew safely left the airliner.
Pictures posted on the websites of the regional government and emergency situations ministry showed the airliner lying flat on its belly on a runway covered partly with snow.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-10--Controversial Scholar Jordan Peterson Treated for Addiction in Russia

Controversial Canadian author and academic Jordan Peterson has been treated for addiction to anti-anxiety medication in Russia , his daughter has said .
Peterson rose to fame in conservative circles in 2016 for opposing what calls “ radical political correctness authoritarianism , ” and his polarizing stances have drawn widespread controversy .
He is estimated to have authored 50 books , including in the self-help genre , and sold more than 30 million copies .
Peterson ’ s family sought treatment for his “ physical dependency ” to benzodiazepine in Russia last month after failed attempts in North America , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We had to seek an emergency benzodiazepine detox , which we could only find in Russia , ” she said in a YouTube video viewed 2 million times .
Doctors in Russia placed Peterson in an eight-day induced coma after diagnosing him with a fever and pneumonia on arrival .
Peterson said her father was “ on the mend ” but “ has a long way to recover fully.
” “ He almost died from what the medical system did to him in the West , ” Mikhaila said in a video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Post publication .
“ The decision to bring him to Russia was made in extreme desperation when we couldn ’ t find any better option , ” she said .
She did not disclose where in Russia Peterson ’ s treatment took place , but the CBC News broadcaster reported the location as Moscow .
`` My family has put a stop to any more information , '' Mikhaila told CBC News .
`` When dad 's ready , he 'll start talking about details . ''

Controversial Canadian author and academic Jordan Peterson has been treated for addiction to anti-anxiety medication in Russia, his daughter has said.
Peterson rose to fame in conservative circles in 2016 for opposing what calls “radical political correctness authoritarianism,” and his polarizing stances have drawn widespread controversy. He is estimated to have authored 50 books, including in the self-help genre, and sold more than 30 million copies.
Peterson’s family sought treatment for his “physical dependency” to benzodiazepine in Russia last month after failed attempts in North America, his daughter Mikhaila Peterson said Friday.
“We had to seek an emergency benzodiazepine detox, which we could only find in Russia,” she said in a YouTube video viewed 2 million times.
Doctors in Russia placed Peterson in an eight-day induced coma after diagnosing him with a fever and pneumonia on arrival. Peterson said her father was “on the mend” but “has a long way to recover fully.”
“He almost died from what the medical system did to him in the West,” Mikhaila said in a video and script provided to Canada’s National Post publication.
“The decision to bring him to Russia was made in extreme desperation when we couldn’t find any better option,” she said.
She did not disclose where in Russia Peterson’s treatment took place, but the CBC News broadcaster reported the location as Moscow.
"My family has put a stop to any more information," Mikhaila told CBC News. "When dad's ready, he'll start talking about details."


themoscowtimes--2020-02-10--Radiation Spike Detected Near Moscow Highway Construction Site

A controversial highway construction site in Moscow has revealed radiation levels 60 times above normal , a local assemblyman said Sunday in a finding that the authorities later disputed .
Authorities plan to start building a 28-kilometer southeastern highway this year that activists warn will release cancer-causing radioactive dust into the air and water .
Equipment installed alongside the highway registered at least five spikes in background radiation over a 48-hour period , municipal deputy Dmitry Sarayev wrote on Facebook .
Emergency and radioactive-waste management officials who arrived at the site late Sunday said that the equipment malfunctioned , Sarayev @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Emergency Situations Ministry said the report of high radiation “ does not correspond to reality.
” Background radiation levels detected by state equipment do not exceed the normal range , it said in an online statement .
Greenpeace Russia has demanded that the highway construction be halted .
State-run safety tests last year revealed radiation levels 200 times higher than the norm near the planned highway .
The NGO and hired experts found five locations on the highway route between the Moscow Polymetals Plant and the Moskvorechye commuter rail station where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal level of radiation .
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin last month admitted the existence of “ radioactive spots ” along the Moscow River and promised to move some of the contaminated soil outside city limits .
Greenpeace accused Sobyanin of not doing enough to prevent what they see as a radioactive incident waiting to happen .

A controversial highway construction site in Moscow has revealed radiation levels 60 times above normal, a local assemblyman said Sunday in a finding that the authorities later disputed. Authorities plan to start building a 28-kilometer southeastern highway this year that activists warn will release cancer-causing radioactive dust into the air and water.
Equipment installed alongside the highway registered at least five spikes in background radiation over a 48-hour period, municipal deputy Dmitry Sarayev wrote on Facebook. Emergency and radioactive-waste management officials who arrived at the site late Sunday said that the equipment malfunctioned, Sarayev wrote. The Moscow branch of Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry said the report of high radiation “does not correspond to reality.” Background radiation levels detected by state equipment do not exceed the normal range, it said in an online statement.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-10--Putin’s Top Climate Adviser Calls for Urgent Climate Action

Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday , Ruslan Edelgeriev said Russia failed to achieve Putin ’ s goal of reducing the share of fossil fuels in the country ’ s economy by 40 % from 2007-2020 .
The actual decrease was just 12 % .
President Vladimir Putin 's senior adviser on climate change has called for Russia to take urgent action toward climate change , including taking more substantive steps to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels .
If current rates of reduction don ’ t change , Russia won ’ t reach this goal until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious problem , ” Edelgeriev said .
He pointed to natural disasters like last summer ’ s widespread wildfires in Siberia as a sign that Russia needs to take action against climate change .
“ On a global scale , they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions .
They cause both economic and social damage , as well as harm to public health .
Some people believe that forest fires are a natural phenomenon .
...
I believe that we can ’ t afford to assume that they ’ re burning as part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary to intervene and ensure that the forests don ’ t burn , ” he said .
Despite the negative trends , Russia has made some progress in reducing its coal and oil consumption , Edelgeriev said .
From 2015-2018 , these products ' share as energy sources has fallen by 4 % , while natural gas has risen by about 3.5 % per year .
Russia is the world 's fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases .
While Putin has signed decrees aimed at cutting Russia ’ s emissions , he has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would send humanity back to the prehistoric period and maintained that “ we 're not really sure ” why climate change is happening .
Edelgeriev said that arguing over the causes of climate change is pointless : “ The climate has changed and is changing , so the questions are how can we influence it so that it doesn ’ t change further , how to adapt to what has changed and determining what to do next.
” Earlier this year , Russia 's government announced a plan of action to both mitigate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by climate change .
Russia needs to gradually reduce its carbon emissions “ as all big countries do , ” Alexey Kokorin , WWF Russia ’ s climate and energy head , told The Moscow Times .
“ It ’ s not good to be an outsider .
Russia should n't be an empire of climate evil , because it will be very easy for us to impose measures to reduce emissions , ” Kokorin said .

Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday, Ruslan Edelgeriev said Russia failed to achieve Putin’s goal of reducing the share of fossil fuels in the country’s economy by 40% from 2007-2020. The actual decrease was just 12%.
President Vladimir Putin's senior adviser on climate change has called for Russia to take urgent action toward climate change, including taking more substantive steps to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.
If current rates of reduction don’t change, Russia won’t reach this goal until 2043, which would be a “serious problem,” Edelgeriev said.
He pointed to natural disasters like last summer’s widespread wildfires in Siberia as a sign that Russia needs to take action against climate change.
“On a global scale, they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. They cause both economic and social damage, as well as harm to public health. Some people believe that forest fires are a natural phenomenon. ... I believe that we can’t afford to assume that they’re burning as part of a natural process — it’s necessary to intervene and ensure that the forests don’t burn,” he said.
Despite the negative trends, Russia has made some progress in reducing its coal and oil consumption, Edelgeriev said. From 2015-2018, these products' share as energy sources has fallen by 4%, while natural gas has risen by about 3.5% per year.
Russia is the world's fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. While Putin has signed decrees aimed at cutting Russia’s emissions, he has also said that switching entirely to renewable energy would send humanity back to the prehistoric period and maintained that “we're not really sure” why climate change is happening.
Edelgeriev said that arguing over the causes of climate change is pointless: “The climate has changed and is changing, so the questions are how can we influence it so that it doesn’t change further, how to adapt to what has changed and determining what to do next.”
Earlier this year, Russia's government announced a plan of action to both mitigate damage and take advantage of opportunities created by climate change.
Russia needs to gradually reduce its carbon emissions “as all big countries do,” Alexey Kokorin, WWF Russia’s climate and energy head, told The Moscow Times.
“It’s not good to be an outsider. Russia shouldn't be an empire of climate evil, because it will be very easy for us to impose measures to reduce emissions,” Kokorin said.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-10--Russian Anti-Fascists Jailed on Terror Charges Despite Outcry

Seven members of the group Set — Russian for “ Network ” — were detained in the city of Penza along with four other members in St. Petersburg in 2017 .
Investigators claim that they planned attacks during the 2018 presidential election and the football World Cup , while rights groups say that the case is “ fabricated ” and based on testimonies obtained through torture .
A court in central Russia has jailed members of an anti-fascist activist group for up to 18 years on terrorism charges , the Mediazona news website reported Monday .
A court in Penza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prison terms between six and 18 years , according to Mediazona .
The activists ’ supporters chanted “ freedom to political prisoners ” in the courtroom after the judge read out the guilty verdict , according to video shared by the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper .
The defendants have the right to appeal the sentences , a judge was cited as saying .
The jailed activists have accused security officers of torturing them into incriminating themselves .
Russia ’ s Federal Security Service ( FSB ) responded to the allegations by saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asked about the case on a conference call , the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin was aware of the case , but that it would not be appropriate for him to intervene in it .
`` The president has repeatedly looked into this situation and repeatedly ordered everything to be checked thoroughly to make sure everything is in line with the law , '' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters .
Opposition leader Alexei Navalny described the sentences as `` horrific '' in a post on Twitter .
`` These very young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were beaten out using torture .
Any minister in the Russian government is 10 times more of a criminal and a threat to society than these guys , '' he said .
The first member of the group to be sentenced , Igor Shishkin , was handed a three-and-a-half-year sentence in January 2019 after making a deal with investigators .
It was not immediately clear when the verdict will be read out in the St. Petersburg Set case .
Authorities blacklisted Set as a terrorist organization in 2019 , placing it alongside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State terrorist organization .

Seven members of the group Set — Russian for “Network” — were detained in the city of Penza along with four other members in St. Petersburg in 2017. Investigators claim that they planned attacks during the 2018 presidential election and the football World Cup, while rights groups say that the case is “fabricated” and based on testimonies obtained through torture.
A court in central Russia has jailed members of an anti-fascist activist group for up to 18 years on terrorism charges, the Mediazona news website reported Monday.
A court in Penza has sentenced the seven members of Set to prison terms between six and 18 years, according to Mediazona.
The activists’ supporters chanted “freedom to political prisoners” in the courtroom after the judge read out the guilty verdict, according to video shared by the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper.
The defendants have the right to appeal the sentences, a judge was cited as saying.
The jailed activists have accused security officers of torturing them into incriminating themselves. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) responded to the allegations by saying it was a “professional necessity.”
Asked about the case on a conference call, the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin was aware of the case, but that it would not be appropriate for him to intervene in it.
"The president has repeatedly looked into this situation and repeatedly ordered everything to be checked thoroughly to make sure everything is in line with the law," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Opposition leader Alexei Navalny described the sentences as "horrific" in a post on Twitter.
"These very young people's testimony about an imaginary terrorist organization were beaten out using torture. Any minister in the Russian government is 10 times more of a criminal and a threat to society than these guys," he said.
The first member of the group to be sentenced, Igor Shishkin, was handed a three-and-a-half-year sentence in January 2019 after making a deal with investigators.
It was not immediately clear when the verdict will be read out in the St. Petersburg Set case.
Authorities blacklisted Set as a terrorist organization in 2019, placing it alongside the Taliban, al-Qaeda and the banned Islamic State terrorist organization.
Reuters contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-10--2 Russian Children Killed in Thai Boat Crash

Two Russian children have been killed in a head-on speedboat collision in the Thai resort island of Phuket , authorities @ @ @ @ @ News outlet , citing a tourism police official , identified the victims as a 12-year-old @ @ @ @ @ Russia ’ s Embassy in Thailand said one of the hospitals that treated the injured @ @ @ @ @ two children .
Twenty-one tourists were hospitalized with injuries , it added .
Russia ’ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement authority that handles major crimes , has announced an inspection into the incident @ @ @ @ @ by Russian-speaking news outlets showed the moment of the collision .

Two Russian children have been killed in a head-on speedboat collision in the Thai resort island of Phuket, authorities said Monday.
The Phuket News outlet, citing a tourism police official, identified the victims as a 12-year-old boy and six-year-old girl.
Russia’s Embassy in Thailand said one of the hospitals that treated the injured had confirmed the deaths of two children.
Twenty-one tourists were hospitalized with injuries, it added.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, the law enforcement authority that handles major crimes, has announced an inspection into the incident.
Security camera footage shared by Russian-speaking news outlets showed the moment of the collision.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-10--Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Feb. 10

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 400 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 and suspending e-visas and work visas for Chinese nationals .
Russia has reported its first two cases of coronavirus and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who had been isolated .
Below are the latest updates on Russia ’ s response to the coronavirus — China ’ s Hainan Airlines and China Southern Airlines plan to lay off more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to foreign staff as the coronavirus outbreak has halted travel into and out of China , the state-run TASS news agency reported .
`` All foreign pilots will be sent to temporary downtime without salary until the company notifies the pilots about the possibility of returning to work if the situation improves , '' TASS cited a China Southern Airlines message to pilots as saying .
— Authorities in the Chelyabinsk region 1,500 kilometers east of Moscow have walked back plans to set up a quarantine center after local residents formed a human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
— Prisoners in the Kursk region have begun making face masks to be used in correctional facilities after a spike in demand , Interfax cited the region 's penitentiary service as saying Friday .
`` The masks made at penitentiary production sites are in no way inferior to those from the pharmacy , '' the regional penitentiary service was quoted as saying .
— The Kremlin has started checking the body temperatures of individuals attending events with President Vladimir Putin as a `` precautionary measure , '' spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed stripping pharmacies of their licenses if they raise prices for anti-virus masks amid the coronavirus outbreak .
— Russia said it will take between eight and 10 months to develop a vaccine against coronavirus , Interfax cited Health Minister Mikhail Murashko as saying .
— Russia has set up a quarantine area in Siberia 's Tyumen region for Russians being evacuated from the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak .
All evacuated citizens will be held in quarantine for 14 days .
— Russia will from Tuesday temporarily restrict the entry of foreigners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 due to coronavirus concerns .
The forum , which is attended by a string of high-ranking officials and foreign investors , had been set to take place Feb. 12-14 .
— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region and the nearby Samara region on the Volga river some 900 kilometers ( 560 miles ) east of Moscow — temporarily closed schools amid increased cases of flu which officials said were not linked to coronavirus .

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--2020-02-10--Putin’s Power Play May Hinge on New Premier’s Economic Revival

If Vladimir Putin plans to keep power in Russia beyond 2024 , he must solve a more immediate problem .
How can he keep his iron grip on parliament at elections next year when the ruling party is so unpopular ?
United Russia is near a historic low in opinion polls after five years of economic stagnation .
The Kremlin faces the task of retaining the party ’ s constitutional super-majority in the lower house of parliament without resorting to the sort of tactics that ignited protests in the past against alleged mass fraud .
The president is counting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a perhaps short-lived upturn in the economy that ’ s sufficient to boost living standards in time for the authorities to claim credit at the State Duma elections , according to three people close to the government “ Putin has built a cabinet that will be associated with a spurt of growth , ” said Mikhail Dmitriev , the economist who correctly predicted the largest protests of Putin ’ s rule in 2011 and 2012 .
“ The authorities know perfectly well they have only 18 months left before the elections to fix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soviet ruler Josef Stalin must step down as president in 2024 to avoid violating term limits .
Putin unveiled proposals for sweeping changes to the constitution on Jan. 15 and replaced long-serving Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev .
The constitutional changes , which may be confirmed as soon as April , would limit the president ’ s authority while bolstering the Duma .
They would also hand new powers to the State Council , currently an advisory body headed by Putin that may become a vehicle for him to continue to rule once he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia ’ s new first deputy prime minister , vowed to oversee a “ serious injection of liquidity ” into the economy at a government meeting with Putin on Wednesday .
About 300 billion rubles ( $ 4.7 billion ) a year will be spent from the National Wellbeing Fund and the government will work closely with the central bank to avoid a jump in inflation , he said .
Some officials expect annual economic growth in 2020 and 2021 to accelerate to as much as 2.5 % from just 1.3 % last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
A burst of spending under the former government and six straight interest rate cuts by the central bank since June are being bolstered by a fresh injection of public funds that could total $ 34 billion this year .
The previous government ran the widest budget surplus in a decade but made little progress on the so-called National Projects , a $ 400-billion infrastructure investment plan that ’ s the centerpiece of Putin ’ s domestic agenda in his final term .
“ You don ’ t need to be super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a result of the policy shifts , said Sofya Donets , an economist at Renaissance Capital in Moscow , who has one of the most optimistic forecasts for 2020 .
A lackluster showing for United Russia in the September 2021 elections could hamstring Putin ’ s plans by potentially depriving him of the two-thirds majority he ’ d need to make any further changes to the country ’ s basic law .
With the party ’ s rating hovering at around a third , the Kremlin considered changing the make-up of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s prospects .
This would have halved the share of deputies elected by party list to 25 % , with the remainder representing local districts where many pro-Kremlin candidates run nominally as independents to avoid the stigma of association with United Russia .
That option is not being discussed now , said one person close to the Kremlin .
Such a move isn ’ t likely to give the ruling party the support it wants in the 2021 elections , the Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Research Foundation , which works with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .
The party holds 341 seats in the current parliament even though it gained only 54 % support at the last elections in 2016 .
Instead , the Kremlin is calculating that a new cabinet stacked with advocates of more state spending and demonstrating a good economic track record will keep the Duma in Putin ’ s hands , two people close to the government said .
“ We may not get another chance ” to invest on such a scale , Putin told the government .
“ We may not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we ’ ve got for our national development goals again in the coming years , or maybe decades.
” United Russia still faces an uphill battle .
Putin ’ s public approval ratings , though high by Western standards , have tumbled amid anger at decisions in 2018 to raise the pension age and increase the value-added tax .
Allegations of massive ballot-rigging in 2011 parliamentary elections , coupled with Putin ’ s decision to return to the presidency after four years as prime minister , sparked the biggest challenge to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2000 as hundreds of thousands joined protests .
A resurgence of protests in Moscow last summer , when opposition candidates were barred from city council elections , triggered alarm bells in the Kremlin about the risks of fresh unrest from any perceived rigging of the Duma vote , said one person close to the Russian leader .
“ The key is improving the economy and easing social tensions , ” said Alexei Mukhin , head of the Moscow-based Center for Political Information .
“ Mishustin ’ s government must spend its pot @ @ @ @ @

If Vladimir Putin plans to keep power in Russia beyond 2024, he must solve a more immediate problem. How can he keep his iron grip on parliament at elections next year when the ruling party is so unpopular? United Russia is near a historic low in opinion polls after five years of economic stagnation. The Kremlin faces the task of retaining the party’s constitutional super-majority in the lower house of parliament without resorting to the sort of tactics that ignited protests in the past against alleged mass fraud. The president is counting on new Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to spark a perhaps short-lived upturn in the economy that’s sufficient to boost living standards in time for the authorities to claim credit at the State Duma elections, according to three people close to the government “Putin has built a cabinet that will be associated with a spurt of growth,” said Mikhail Dmitriev, the economist who correctly predicted the largest protests of Putin’s rule in 2011 and 2012. “The authorities know perfectly well they have only 18 months left before the elections to fix this.” The longest-serving Kremlin leader since Soviet ruler Josef Stalin must step down as president in 2024 to avoid violating term limits. Putin unveiled proposals for sweeping changes to the constitution on Jan. 15 and replaced long-serving Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The constitutional changes, which may be confirmed as soon as April, would limit the president’s authority while bolstering the Duma.
They would also hand new powers to the State Council, currently an advisory body headed by Putin that may become a vehicle for him to continue to rule once he leaves the Kremlin. Growth surge Andrey Belousov, Russia’s new first deputy prime minister, vowed to oversee a “serious injection of liquidity” into the economy at a government meeting with Putin on Wednesday. About 300 billion rubles ($4.7 billion) a year will be spent from the National Wellbeing Fund and the government will work closely with the central bank to avoid a jump in inflation, he said. Some officials expect annual economic growth in 2020 and 2021 to accelerate to as much as 2.5% from just 1.3% last year, the slowest expansion in three years. A burst of spending under the former government and six straight interest rate cuts by the central bank since June are being bolstered by a fresh injection of public funds that could total $34 billion this year. The previous government ran the widest budget surplus in a decade but made little progress on the so-called National Projects, a $400-billion infrastructure investment plan that’s the centerpiece of Putin’s domestic agenda in his final term.
“You don’t need to be super bright to forecast higher economic growth” as a result of the policy shifts, said Sofya Donets, an economist at Renaissance Capital in Moscow, who has one of the most optimistic forecasts for 2020. Election risk A lackluster showing for United Russia in the September 2021 elections could hamstring Putin’s plans by potentially depriving him of the two-thirds majority he’d need to make any further changes to the country’s basic law.
With the party’s rating hovering at around a third, the Kremlin considered changing the make-up of the 450-seat legislature to boost United Russia’s prospects. This would have halved the share of deputies elected by party list to 25%, with the remainder representing local districts where many pro-Kremlin candidates run nominally as independents to avoid the stigma of association with United Russia.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-10--News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

Two Russian children — a 12-year-old boy and six-year-old girl — were killed in a head-on speedboat collision in the @ @ @ @ @ , local media reported Monday .
Twenty-two other tourists were hospitalized with injuries as authorities @ @ @ @ @ to the outlet Phuket News .
Belarussian refineries will buy Russian crude oil at global @ @ @ @ @ s state news agency Belta cited First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Krutoi as saying .
@ @ @ @ @ outcome of Friday ’ s talks between Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir @ @ @ @ @ airliner with 94 people on board made a hard landing in northwestern Russia , carrier @ @ @ @ @ one was badly hurt .
It said the airliner , arriving at Usinsk airport in @ @ @ @ @ 1,500 kilometers from Moscow , made the hard landing because of wind shear — a @ @ @ @ @ and/or direction .

Deadly collision
Two Russian children — a 12-year-old boy and six-year-old girl — were killed in a head-on speedboat collision in the Thai resort island of Phuket, local media reported Monday.
Twenty-two other tourists were hospitalized with injuries as authorities investigated the incident, according to the outlet Phuket News.
Global treatment
Belarussian refineries will buy Russian crude oil at global prices, the country’s state news agency Belta cited First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Krutoi as saying.
Krutoi was commenting on the outcome of Friday’s talks between Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Belly landing
A Boeing 737 airliner with 94 people on board made a hard landing in northwestern Russia, carrier UTair said, but no one was badly hurt.
It said the airliner, arriving at Usinsk airport in the republic of Komi about 1,500 kilometers from Moscow, made the hard landing because of wind shear — a sudden change of wind velocity and/or direction.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-09--Boeing Plane Makes Hard Landing in Northwest Russia, All 94 on Board Safe

A Boeing 737 airliner with 94 people on board made a hard landing in northwestern Russia on Sunday , carrier @ @ @ @ @ one was badly hurt .
It said the airliner , arriving at Usinsk airport in @ @ @ @ @ kilometers ( 932 miles ) from Moscow , made the hard landing because of wind @ @ @ @ @ of wind velocity and/or direction .
The plane 's main landing gear was damaged in @ @ @ @ @ managed to bring the aircraft to a halt on the runway , UTair said in @ @ @ @ @ and crew safely left the airliner .
Pictures posted on the websites of the regional @ @ @ @ @ showed the airliner lying flat on its belly on a runway covered partly with snow @


themoscowtimes--2020-02-10--Russia Extends House Arrest of U.S. Investor Calvey Until May 13

A Moscow court ruled on Monday to extend until May 13 the house arrest of U.S. investor Michael Calvey , @ @ @ @ @ group Baring Vostok who faces charges of embezzlement , the state-run TASS news agency reported @ @ @ @ @ to extend the house arrest of Calvey 's French colleague Phillipe Delpal until May 13 @ @ @ @

Calvey and other executives at the group were detained in February 2019. They have denied wrongdoing and said the charges against them are being used to pressure them in a business dispute over control of Vostochny Bank.
A Moscow court decided on Monday to extend until May 13 the house arrest of U.S. investor Michael Calvey, an executive at private equity group Baring Vostok who faces charges of embezzlement, an official at the firm said.
The case against Baring Vostok has rattled Russia's business community and prompted several prominent officials and businessmen to voice concerns about the treatment of the executives.
The court also ruled on Monday to lift a freeze on 2.5 billion rubles ($39 million) worth of shares in Vostochny Bank that were frozen as part of the case, the Baring Vostok representative said.
The shares are held by Evison Holdings, a subsidiary of Baring Vostok, the representative said.
Calvey's French colleague Phillipe Delpal also saw his house arrest extended until May 13 on Monday.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-10--Moscow Metro Coronavirus Prankster Faces Prison Time

Police in Moscow have detained a prankster over a video showing imitated coronavirus seizures on a crowded metro car , authorities told Interfax on Monday .
A video attributed to blogger “ Kara.prank ” depicted a passenger in a face mask collapsing and convulsing as fellow passengers scrambled out of the wagon at the next stop .
The video disappeared from the user ’ s social media accounts by Monday .
Police spokeswoman Irina Volk told Interfax that the prank was filmed on Feb. 2 .
“ One of the suspected hooligans was detained .
We ’ re searching for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying .
The suspect , who was not identified by name , faces up to five years in prison on criminal charges of hooliganism .
Media reports identified him as blogger Karomat Dzhaborov .
On Sunday , the Instagram user “ Kara.prank ” said he was being held inside a metro police station and called on his followers for support .
“ They want to jail me , ” he wrote Sunday .
On Friday , the Moscow metro said it asked authorities to find other pranksters after media reports said two people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asian passengers through a train carriage .
While the coronavirus outbreak has infected tens of thousands and killed more than 900 worldwide , only two infections have been confirmed within Russia .

Police in Moscow have detained a prankster over a video showing imitated coronavirus seizures on a crowded metro car, authorities told Interfax on Monday. A video attributed to blogger “Kara.prank” depicted a passenger in a face mask collapsing and convulsing as fellow passengers scrambled out of the wagon at the next stop. The video disappeared from the user’s social media accounts by Monday.
Police spokeswoman Irina Volk told Interfax that the prank was filmed on Feb. 2. “One of the suspected hooligans was detained. We’re searching for accomplices,” she was quoted as saying. The suspect, who was not identified by name, faces up to five years in prison on criminal charges of hooliganism. Media reports identified him as blogger Karomat Dzhaborov.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-10--Russia Quarantines Chinese Diplomat as Coronavirus Precaution

Consul General Cui Shaochun arrived in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg on Thursday to take up his new post but @ @ @ @ @ home for two weeks , Russian Foreign Ministry official Alexander Kharlov was quoted as saying @ @ @ @ @ a Chinese diplomat as a safety precaution against the coronavirus outbreak , Interfax reported on @ @ @ @ @ in Yekaterinburg did not answer calls on Monday .
Russia has reported two cases of @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of Russian and Chinese nationals who recently arrived from China to screen them for @ @ @ @ @ people who were evacuated from the epicenter of the outbreak , the Chinese city of @ @ @ @ @ in a fenced-off recreation facility in Siberia near the location where one of the infected @ @ @ @ @ More than 100 Chinese citizens are quarantined in a sanatorium in Yekaterinburg or in a @ @ @ @ @ .
The overall death toll from the epidemic has passed 900 , with all but @ @ @ @ @ mainland China .

Consul General Cui Shaochun arrived in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg on Thursday to take up his new post but was told to stay at home for two weeks, Russian Foreign Ministry official Alexander Kharlov was quoted as saying.
Russian authorities have quarantined a Chinese diplomat as a safety precaution against the coronavirus outbreak, Interfax reported on Monday.
The Chinese consulate in Yekaterinburg did not answer calls on Monday.
Russia has reported two cases of the coronavirus and has isolated hundreds of Russian and Chinese nationals who recently arrived from China to screen them for the virus.
Nearly 150 people who were evacuated from the epicenter of the outbreak, the Chinese city of Wuhan, have been placed in a fenced-off recreation facility in Siberia near the location where one of the infected people is receiving treatment.
More than 100 Chinese citizens are quarantined in a sanatorium in Yekaterinburg or in a dormitory in a nearby town.
The overall death toll from the epidemic has passed 900, with all but two of the deaths in mainland China.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-10--Russia Scraps Criticized Restrictions on Scientists’ Foreign Contacts

The February 2019 order that was made public months later had advised government-affiliated scientists to seek formal approval before meeting foreign colleagues and to bring companions to such meetings .
The Education and Science Ministry had said the rules should be seen as recommendations , while the Kremlin said that it was concerned about foreign espionage .
Russia has scrapped highly criticized restrictions on its scientists a year after issuing them , the Education and Science Ministry 's newly appointed chief was quoted as saying Monday .
“ That order is canceled , ” Education and Science Minister Valery Falkov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month ’ s cabinet reshuffle , said at a press conference , according to Interfax .
“ We ’ re interested in pursuing cooperation based on the principles of open science , ” the state-run RIA Novosti news agency quoted Falkov as saying .
The scrapped directive had urged scientists to inform their superiors in advance of plans to meet foreign scientists and also to report back on what was discussed .
It also largely banned foreign scientists from using cellphones , cameras and other recording devices inside government agencies .
Critics of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improve Russia ’ s security and would only increase the country ’ s isolation .
It had been enacted at a time of increased tension between Russia and the West , as well as treason charges leveled against a number of Russian scientists for handing over secret documents to foreigners .
Kremlin critics have called the charges unfounded .

The February 2019 order that was made public months later had advised government-affiliated scientists to seek formal approval before meeting foreign colleagues and to bring companions to such meetings. The Education and Science Ministry had said the rules should be seen as recommendations, while the Kremlin said that it was concerned about foreign espionage.
Russia has scrapped highly criticized restrictions on its scientists a year after issuing them, the Education and Science Ministry's newly appointed chief was quoted as saying Monday.
“That order is canceled,” Education and Science Minister Valery Falkov, one of several newcomers after last month’s cabinet reshuffle, said at a press conference, according to Interfax.
“We’re interested in pursuing cooperation based on the principles of open science,” the state-run RIA Novosti news agency quoted Falkov as saying.
The scrapped directive had urged scientists to inform their superiors in advance of plans to meet foreign scientists and also to report back on what was discussed.
It also largely banned foreign scientists from using cellphones, cameras and other recording devices inside government agencies.
Critics of the order said it would fail to improve Russia’s security and would only increase the country’s isolation.
It had been enacted at a time of increased tension between Russia and the West, as well as treason charges leveled against a number of Russian scientists for handing over secret documents to foreigners. Kremlin critics have called the charges unfounded.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-11--Kremlin to Turkey: Help Stop Attacks on Syrian and Russian Forces in Idlib

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that all attacks on Russian and Syrian government forces in Syria 's Idlib province should @ @ @ @ @ had struck with Turkey on the conflict had to be upheld .
Moscow made its @ @ @ @ @ tensions over Syria between Russia and Turkey , after Syrian government forces took control of @ @ @ @ @ for the first time since 2012 .
Turkey and Russia this week held talks in @ @ @ @ @ dial down confrontations between Ankara and Damascus that have killed 13 Turkish soldiers in Idlib @ @ @ @ @ .
Russia , a close ally of the Syrian government , hashed out a deal @ @ @ @ @ enforce a demilitarized zone in Idlib and another deal in October last year to remove @ @ @ @ @ close to the Turkish border .

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that all attacks on Russian and Syrian government forces in Syria's Idlib province should stop and that agreements it had struck with Turkey on the conflict had to be upheld.
Moscow made its comments, which underscore rising tensions over Syria between Russia and Turkey, after Syrian government forces took control of a highway in northwest Syria for the first time since 2012.
Turkey and Russia this week held talks in Ankara aimed at trying to dial down confrontations between Ankara and Damascus that have killed 13 Turkish soldiers in Idlib province in the past week.
Russia, a close ally of the Syrian government, hashed out a deal with Turkey in 2018 to enforce a demilitarized zone in Idlib and another deal in October last year to remove Kurdish YPG fighters from areas close to the Turkish border.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-11--Russian Politician Resigns Over Illegal Casino in Apartment

Oleg Kalyadin , a member of the ruling United Russia party and the head of a municipal precinct in St. @ @ @ @ @ police discovered an illegal casino in his apartment over the weekend .
Police raided the @ @ @ @ @ a dozen slot machines and poker and roulette tables after breaking down the door .
@ @ @ @ @ apartment , reportedly told police that he was renting out the real estate and had @ @ @ @ @ activities that were taking place inside .

Oleg Kalyadin, a member of the ruling United Russia party and the head of a municipal precinct in St. Petersburg, has resigned after police discovered an illegal casino in his apartment over the weekend. Police raided the apartment Friday night, confiscating a dozen slot machines and poker and roulette tables after breaking down the door. Kalyadin, who owns the apartment, reportedly told police that he was renting out the real estate and had no knowledge of the illegal activities that were taking place inside.
Вот так выглядит подпольное казино, обнаруженное в квартире главы муниципального образования: https://t.co/ToaYdkxK08 pic.twitter.com/joETPkqcIA — 78 | НОВОСТИ (@good78news) February 8, 2020
On Saturday, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported that Kalyadin had resigned from his post as the head of the Vedensky precinct in St. Petersburg’s Petrograd side district. The politician was then kicked out of United Russia after a party meeting Monday, the local Fontanka.ru news website cited a party spokesperson as saying.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-11--Glitches Mar Russia’s Internet Isolation Test – RBC

At least one provider in Russia ’ s Urals Federal District said it was unable to block the popular messaging app Telegram , which a federal court banned in 2018 over encryption keys .
Overall , five providers reported slowdowns , low-quality signals and even temporary outages during the tests , according to RBC .
Russian providers experienced slow connections and disruptions during test runs last fall for compliance with Russia ’ s so-called internet isolation law , according to the providers ’ report to the government cited by the RBC news website Monday .
“ A number of problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RBC quoted an unnamed source close to one of the test ’ s participants as saying .
“ Its main goal was to identify and solve them.
” The providers reportedly submitted their reports detailing the glitches they had encountered in the Urals , which encompass six regions in central Russia , to the Communications Ministry in late November .
Tools including deep package inspection ( DPI ) were installed throughout the district between August and September but were “ switched on for short periods ” in November 2019 , RBC reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ connectivity issues during the tests .
The ministry , the providers and the state communication watchdog Roskomnadzor did not comment on the report .
Russia ’ s internet isolation law came into force on Nov. 1 , in response to what officials call the `` aggressive nature '' of the United States ’ cybersecurity strategy .
One part of the law calls for the creation of an alternative domain name system ( DNS ) that would allow Russia to disconnect from the rest of the internet in case of an emergency .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which allow the authorities to decrypt and block traffic .
The law requires state-run institutions and security services , as well as all communications operators , messengers and email providers , to participate in government-run tests of the network .
Authorities say the tests do not affect regular internet users .
Free speech activists say the “ sovereign internet ” law will lead to increased government surveillance of Russia ’ s cyberspace .
President Vladimir Putin has insisted that Russia does not intend to cut off its internet users from the outside world @

At least one provider in Russia’s Urals Federal District said it was unable to block the popular messaging app Telegram, which a federal court banned in 2018 over encryption keys. Overall, five providers reported slowdowns, low-quality signals and even temporary outages during the tests, according to RBC.
Russian providers experienced slow connections and disruptions during test runs last fall for compliance with Russia’s so-called internet isolation law, according to the providers’ report to the government cited by the RBC news website Monday.
“A number of problems arose during the pilot implementation,” RBC quoted an unnamed source close to one of the test’s participants as saying. “Its main goal was to identify and solve them.”
The providers reportedly submitted their reports detailing the glitches they had encountered in the Urals, which encompass six regions in central Russia, to the Communications Ministry in late November. Tools including deep package inspection (DPI) were installed throughout the district between August and September but were “switched on for short periods” in November 2019, RBC reported.
At least three providers reported having no connectivity issues during the tests.
The ministry, the providers and the state communication watchdog Roskomnadzor did not comment on the report.
Russia’s internet isolation law came into force on Nov. 1, in response to what officials call the "aggressive nature" of the United States’ cybersecurity strategy.
One part of the law calls for the creation of an alternative domain name system (DNS) that would allow Russia to disconnect from the rest of the internet in case of an emergency. Another part requires the installation of DPI tools which allow the authorities to decrypt and block traffic.
The law requires state-run institutions and security services, as well as all communications operators, messengers and email providers, to participate in government-run tests of the network. Authorities say the tests do not affect regular internet users.
Free speech activists say the “sovereign internet” law will lead to increased government surveillance of Russia’s cyberspace. President Vladimir Putin has insisted that Russia does not intend to cut off its internet users from the outside world.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-11--Russian Satellites Stalking U.S. Satellite – Space Force Chief

Gen. John Raymond ’ s statement marks the Space Force ’ s first public confrontation leveled at an adversary in the increasingly competitive space domain , Time magazine reported Monday .
His comments follow amateur space trackers ’ contention two weeks ago that a top-secret Russian inspection satellite had maneuvered suspiciously close to a U.S. spy satellite .
A pair of Russian satellites appear to be following an American satellite in an “ unusual and disturbing ” manner , the head of the United States ’ newly formed Space Force has said .
The Russian satellites ’ behavior “ has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in space , ” Time quoted Raymond as saying .
The U.S. government has expressed concern to Russia via diplomatic channels , Raymond added .
He stressed that the Russian satellites ’ maneuvers place the country in a list of nations that “ have turned space into a warfighting domain , ” CNN reported .
`` Similar activities in any other domain would be interpreted as potentially threatening behavior , '' he was quoted as saying .
Russia launched the inspection satellite , the Kosmos-2542 , into orbit in November .
The Kosmos-2542 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The name “ Kosmos ” is a uniform designation intended to conceal the nature of Soviet and Russian satellites from foreign eyes .
U.S. President Donald Trump established the Space Force , an independent military branch under the Air Force , in December .
His administration ’ s $ 740.5 billion budget proposal for the 2021 fiscal year asks the U.S. Congress to allocate $ 15.4 billion for the Space Force .

Gen. John Raymond’s statement marks the Space Force’s first public confrontation leveled at an adversary in the increasingly competitive space domain, Time magazine reported Monday. His comments follow amateur space trackers’ contention two weeks ago that a top-secret Russian inspection satellite had maneuvered suspiciously close to a U.S. spy satellite.
A pair of Russian satellites appear to be following an American satellite in an “unusual and disturbing” manner, the head of the United States’ newly formed Space Force has said.
The Russian satellites’ behavior “has the potential to create a dangerous situation in space,” Time quoted Raymond as saying.
The U.S. government has expressed concern to Russia via diplomatic channels, Raymond added.
He stressed that the Russian satellites’ maneuvers place the country in a list of nations that “have turned space into a warfighting domain,” CNN reported.
"Similar activities in any other domain would be interpreted as potentially threatening behavior," he was quoted as saying.
Russia launched the inspection satellite, the Kosmos-2542, into orbit in November. The Kosmos-2542 then released a sub-satellite the next month.
The name “Kosmos” is a uniform designation intended to conceal the nature of Soviet and Russian satellites from foreign eyes.
U.S. President Donald Trump established the Space Force, an independent military branch under the Air Force, in December. His administration’s $740.5 billion budget proposal for the 2021 fiscal year asks the U.S. Congress to allocate $15.4 billion for the Space Force.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-11--Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Feb. 11

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 1,000 people continues to spread around the world , Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk , including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border and suspending e-visas and work visas for Chinese nationals .
Russia has reported its first two cases of coronavirus and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who had been isolated .
Below are the latest updates on Russia ’ s response to the coronavirus — Russia 's Transport Ministry is proposing to offer airlines 1.6 billion rubles ( $ 25.05 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flights to China due to the coronavirus outbreak .
— The two people infected with coronavirus in Russia — both Chinese nationals — are being prepared for release after more than a week of being held in quarantine , the head of Russia 's consumer protection agency told the RBC news website .
— The coronavirus outbreak may delay Russia 's delivery of S-400 air defense systems to China , the state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport said .
— The number of payments made in Russia through the Chinese Alipay payment system was down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February compared to the same time last year .
— Russia 's Interior Ministry opened a criminal case of hooliganism after a Moscow man was filmed pretending to have a seizure on the metro while his two accomplices shouted that he was infected with the coronavirus .
The man has been detained while his accomplices are wanted , the Interior Ministry said .
— Russian authorities have quarantined a top Chinese diplomat as a safety precaution against coronavirus shortly after he arrived in Russia to take up his new post , Interfax reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airlines and China Southern Airlines plan to lay off more than 100 Russian pilots amid wider cuts to foreign staff as the coronavirus outbreak has led to reduced travel into and out of China , the state-run TASS news agency reported .
— Authorities in the Chelyabinsk region 1,500 kilometers east of Moscow have walked back plans to set up a quarantine center after local residents formed a human shield to prevent entry to Chinese nationals .
— Prisoners in the Kursk region have begun making face masks to be used in correctional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Interfax cited the region 's penitentiary service as saying Friday .
`` The masks made at penitentiary production sites are in no way inferior to those from the pharmacy , '' the regional penitentiary service was quoted as saying .
— The Kremlin has started checking the body temperatures of individuals attending events with President Vladimir Putin as a `` precautionary measure , '' spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday .


themoscowtimes--2020-02-11--Siberia's Mild Winter Wakes Badger Cubs From Hibernation

Two male badger cubs at a zoo in Siberia have woken from their winter slumber weeks earlier than usual this year because of an unseasonably mild spell of weather .
The badgers usually remain fast asleep until the end of February but were found playing in their enclosure in the Russian city of Irkutsk in the first week of February .
`` The old ones are still sleeping , they will wake up more slowly , '' said Anastasiya Stotskaya , assistant veterinarian at the zoo , adding that the cubs had woken up because of the unusually mild weather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 2 degrees Celsius .
It was minus 24 C on the same day last year .
Stotskaya says she now expects spring to arrive early in Irkutsk as animals are much more sensitive to approaching changes in the weather than humans .
`` The animals feel it much better than we do .
They are more adaptive to various changes ( in nature ) and they feel them much earlier .
This tells us the weather will be much warmer now , '' she said .
A hedgehog named Rambo was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his hibernation also cut short by the mild temperatures .

Two male badger cubs at a zoo in Siberia have woken from their winter slumber weeks earlier than usual this year because of an unseasonably mild spell of weather. The badgers usually remain fast asleep until the end of February but were found playing in their enclosure in the Russian city of Irkutsk in the first week of February.
"The old ones are still sleeping, they will wake up more slowly," said Anastasiya Stotskaya, assistant veterinarian at the zoo, adding that the cubs had woken up because of the unusually mild weather. On Monday, the temperature rose to 2 degrees Celsius. It was minus 24 C on the same day last year. Stotskaya says she now expects spring to arrive early in Irkutsk as animals are much more sensitive to approaching changes in the weather than humans.
news Abnormally Warm Winter Keeps Siberian Bears From Hibernating Read more


themoscowtimes--2020-02-11--Russian Police Detain Pussy Riot Members, Thwarting Photoshoot

The brief detention of Nadya Tolokonnikova and 12 other members during a photoshoot comes a day after police allegedly raided Pussy Riot ’ s music video shoot .
Tolokonnikova tweeted that police accused the group of “ extremism ” and “ gay propaganda ” with the music video .
Police in St. Petersburg have detained members of Pussy Riot for the second consecutive day Monday , disrupting the anti-Kremlin group ’ s attempts to shoot a music video .
Video of the 13 members ’ detention late Monday appeared on Pussy Riot member Pyotr Verzilov ’ s social media accounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged gas leak at the site of the photoshoot , Tolokonnikova explained hours later when everyone was released .
“ When police arrived , there was no carbon monoxide leak , but they found us instead and decided to take us , ” Tolokonnikova said .
Meanwhile , police said they found no violations of the law during Sunday ’ s disrupted music video shoot at St. Petersburg ’ s Lenfilm Studio , Interfax reported Monday .
Tolokonnikova said the disruption cost Pussy Riot $ 15,000 and called on followers to donate money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two other members of Pussy Riot rose to international fame after they were jailed for a controversial performance in a Moscow church in 2012 .
Europe ’ s human rights court awarded them damages in 2018 .
That year , four Pussy Riot members including Verzilov stormed the football pitch during the FIFA World Cup final to demand freedom of expression .
Verzilov was hospitalized after suddenly losing his sight weeks later .

The brief detention of Nadya Tolokonnikova and 12 other members during a photoshoot comes a day after police allegedly raided Pussy Riot’s music video shoot. Tolokonnikova tweeted that police accused the group of “extremism” and “gay propaganda” with the music video.
Police in St. Petersburg have detained members of Pussy Riot for the second consecutive day Monday, disrupting the anti-Kremlin group’s attempts to shoot a music video.
Video of the 13 members’ detention late Monday appeared on Pussy Riot member Pyotr Verzilov’s social media accounts. Police responded to reports of an alleged gas leak at the site of the photoshoot, Tolokonnikova explained hours later when everyone was released.
“When police arrived, there was no carbon monoxide leak, but they found us instead and decided to take us,” Tolokonnikova said.
Meanwhile, police said they found no violations of the law during Sunday’s disrupted music video shoot at St. Petersburg’s Lenfilm Studio, Interfax reported Monday. Tolokonnikova said the disruption cost Pussy Riot $15,000 and called on followers to donate money to recover the costs.
Tolokonnikova and two other members of Pussy Riot rose to international fame after they were jailed for a controversial performance in a Moscow church in 2012. Europe’s human rights court awarded them damages in 2018.
That year, four Pussy Riot members including Verzilov stormed the football pitch during the FIFA World Cup final to demand freedom of expression. Verzilov was hospitalized after suddenly losing his sight weeks later.