themoscowtimes--2020-09-25--Moscow Urges Return to Remote Work Amid Rebounding Coronavirus Cases

The city of 12.7 million confirmed more than 1,000 Covid-19 cases for the first time in three months Thursday .
Hospitalizations in the Russian capital have gone up by 30 % in the past week , officials said .
Moscow is urging its businesses to reinstate work-from-home measures and elderly residents to avoid going outside starting next week as the city sees a new uptick in coronavirus cases , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Friday .
Sobyanin urged Moscow ’ s businesses to send “ as many employees as possible ” to remote work , he wrote on his official website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as younger residents who suffer from chronic diseases , are also “ strongly recommended ” to work from home and stay in their homes as much as possible .
“ Please temporarily stop contacts with relatives and friends who live separately , ” Sobyanin said to the vulnerable residents .
Before Friday ’ s announcement , officials had sought to reassure the public that Russia will not go into lockdown as it did in spring despite the rising cases .
Authorities began fining and closing down Moscow supermarkets and shopping malls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health officials have argued that , instead of a second wave currently observed elsewhere in Europe , Russia is still experiencing its first coronavirus wave that hasn ’ t gone away .
They also link the recent uptick to the start of flu season .
“ With the first victories [ in fighting Covid-19 ] came a sense of complacency .
Surely , each of us caught ourselves thinking that we can now relax and not pay attention to the danger , ” Sobyanin wrote .
“ Unfortunately , that ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet been defeated and the pandemic is still ongoing , ” he added .
Russia ’ s number of daily new cases has risen from below 5,000 in mid-to-late August to more than 6,000 in the past five days .
More than 1.12 million cases have been officially confirmed in Russia , the fourth-highest number of infections in the world .
President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he “ really wouldn ’ t like to return to the restrictive measures we introduced this spring .
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The city of 12.7 million confirmed more than 1,000 Covid-19 cases for the first time in three months Thursday. Hospitalizations in the Russian capital have gone up by 30% in the past week, officials said .
Moscow is urging its businesses to reinstate work-from-home measures and elderly residents to avoid going outside starting next week as the city sees a new uptick in coronavirus cases, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Friday.
Sobyanin urged Moscow’s businesses to send “as many employees as possible” to remote work, he wrote on his official website.
Muscovites aged 65 and older, as well as younger residents who suffer from chronic diseases, are also “strongly recommended” to work from home and stay in their homes as much as possible.
“Please temporarily stop contacts with relatives and friends who live separately,” Sobyanin said to the vulnerable residents.
Before Friday’s announcement, officials had sought to reassure the public that Russia will not go into lockdown as it did in spring despite the rising cases.
Authorities began fining and closing down Moscow supermarkets and shopping malls this week for violating mask-wearing rules.
Health officials have argued that, instead of a second wave currently observed elsewhere in Europe, Russia is still experiencing its first coronavirus wave that hasn’t gone away. They also link the recent uptick to the start of flu season.
“With the first victories [in fighting Covid-19] came a sense of complacency. Surely, each of us caught ourselves thinking that we can now relax and not pay attention to the danger,” Sobyanin wrote.
“Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The virus has not yet been defeated and the pandemic is still ongoing,” he added.
Russia’s number of daily new cases has risen from below 5,000 in mid-to-late August to more than 6,000 in the past five days.
More than 1.12 million cases have been officially confirmed in Russia, the fourth-highest number of infections in the world.
President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he “really wouldn’t like to return to the restrictive measures we introduced this spring.”


themoscowtimes--2020-09-25--Cosmonauts Not Ready to Try Russia's Virus Vaccine

Russian cosmonauts set to blast off for the International Space Station said on Thursday it was too early to get a coronavirus vaccine touted by President Vladimir Putin .
`` I 'd personally say that I would not get vaccinated because I tread very carefully on this issue , '' said Sergei Ryzhikov , the 46-year-old leader of the next expedition to the ISS in October .
He and other cosmonauts wore face masks at the Star City training centre outside Moscow during an online news conference .
The cosmonaut 's comments came after Putin touted Russia 's coronavirus vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sputnik V '' after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space in 1957 .
`` As soon as the vaccine is tried and tested and proves its reliability then a decision will be taken to recommend that cosmonauts get vaccinated , '' said fellow cosmonaut , 37-year-old Sergei Kud-Sverchkov .
He said the decision was down to the doctors in charge of cosmonauts ' healthcare including immunisation .
Russia has raised concerns among Western scientists by announcing that its vaccine had received approval before full clinical trials have been completed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early trials , Russia has not yet completed the final phase of clinical testing , in which large numbers of people receive either the vaccine or a placebo .
Nevertheless , Russia has already vaccinated high-profile officials including Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin .
Putin has said that one of his daughters was vaccinated , suffering only a mild reaction .
Astronauts routinely undergo a quarantine period before blasting off to space .
`` The International Space Station is the safest place now , '' Ryzhikov added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccinated because we strictly follow all sanitary rules . ''

Russian cosmonauts set to blast off for the International Space Station said on Thursday it was too early to get a coronavirus vaccine touted by President Vladimir Putin.
"I'd personally say that I would not get vaccinated because I tread very carefully on this issue," said Sergei Ryzhikov, the 46-year-old leader of the next expedition to the ISS in October.
He and other cosmonauts wore face masks at the Star City training centre outside Moscow during an online news conference.
The cosmonaut's comments came after Putin touted Russia's coronavirus vaccine developed in record time and named "Sputnik V" after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space in 1957.
"As soon as the vaccine is tried and tested and proves its reliability then a decision will be taken to recommend that cosmonauts get vaccinated," said fellow cosmonaut, 37-year-old Sergei Kud-Sverchkov.
He said the decision was down to the doctors in charge of cosmonauts' healthcare including immunisation.
Russia has raised concerns among Western scientists by announcing that its vaccine had received approval before full clinical trials have been completed.
While the vaccine showed promising results in early trials, Russia has not yet completed the final phase of clinical testing, in which large numbers of people receive either the vaccine or a placebo.
Nevertheless, Russia has already vaccinated high-profile officials including Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Putin has said that one of his daughters was vaccinated, suffering only a mild reaction.
Astronauts routinely undergo a quarantine period before blasting off to space.
"The International Space Station is the safest place now," Ryzhikov added.
"We don't have to be vaccinated because we strictly follow all sanitary rules."


themoscowtimes--2020-09-23--Russia’s Nuclear Imports Likely Larger Than Declared – Greenpeace

European enrichment firm Urenco resumed exports of uranium hexafluoride , a byproduct known as “ tails , ” last year after a 10-year pause initiated by Russia ’ s state nuclear agency Rosatom .
The shipments have sparked outcry from environmental activists , who say importing nuclear waste is illegal and threatens human and environmental safety .
A series of nuclear byproduct shipments to Russia from Germany is likely importing more than officially declared , Greenpeace Russia said Tuesday .
The latest batch of “ tails ” to arrive at Russia ’ s northern port of Ust-Luga could contain up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ byproducts instead of the declared 600 tons , Greenpeace energy campaigner Rashid Alimov told the Sever.Realii news website , citing documents shared by German activists .
From 2019-2022 , Urenco plans to ship a total of 12,000 metric tons of uranium tails from the German city of Gronau to Russia , though this number is likely higher in reality , Greenpeace Russia said .
The uranium hexafluoride is transported by train from Ust-Luga to a storage facility at the Ural Electrochemical Combine plant located 70 kilometers north of Russia ’ s fourth-largest city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imported uranium tails will be recycled , with the resulting uranium-235 sold back to Germany and any other remaining materials used in fast nuclear reactors that are not yet built .
In a statement to The Moscow Times , Rosatom said it is working alongside nuclear regulators and international watchdogs to ensure `` the highest standards of safety '' in its operations .
It has also launched an expert panel on depleted uranium processing that includes leading scientists and members of environmental groups .
`` Rosatom is the world ’ s leader in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at making nuclear energy virtually waste-free , '' a Rosatom representative said .
`` Nuclear energy is absolutely vital to fight climate change and saves thousands of lives every year as it prevents vast amount of harmful emissions by replacing highly polluting fossil fuel-based ‘ dispatchable ’ energy sources such as coal and lignite .
We are absolutely convinced that fuel reprocessing works must go ahead to ensure that our net-zero future , unthinkable without nuclear energy , is achieved in the most sustainable way . ''
While the final tails shipment under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to be conducted in October , Greenpeace said that future cooperation plans between the two agencies mean more uranium hexafluoride will likely be imported to Russia .
NGOs and lawmakers from Russia , Germany and the Netherlands unsuccessfully lobbied German and Russian leaders in June to end the shipments .
Greenpeace estimates that Russia already stores 1 million metric tons of uranium hexafluoride .

European enrichment firm Urenco resumed exports of uranium hexafluoride, a byproduct known as “tails,” last year after a 10-year pause initiated by Russia’s state nuclear agency Rosatom. The shipments have sparked outcry from environmental activists, who say importing nuclear waste is illegal and threatens human and environmental safety.
A series of nuclear byproduct shipments to Russia from Germany is likely importing more than officially declared, Greenpeace Russia said Tuesday.
The latest batch of “tails” to arrive at Russia’s northern port of Ust-Luga could contain up to 900 metric tons of uranium enrichment byproducts instead of the declared 600 tons, Greenpeace energy campaigner Rashid Alimov told the Sever.Realii news website, citing documents shared by German activists.
From 2019-2022, Urenco plans to ship a total of 12,000 metric tons of uranium tails from the German city of Gronau to Russia, though this number is likely higher in reality, Greenpeace Russia said.
The uranium hexafluoride is transported by train from Ust-Luga to a storage facility at the Ural Electrochemical Combine plant located 70 kilometers north of Russia’s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg.
Rosatom has said the imported uranium tails will be recycled, with the resulting uranium-235 sold back to Germany and any other remaining materials used in fast nuclear reactors that are not yet built.
In a statement to The Moscow Times, Rosatom said it is working alongside nuclear regulators and international watchdogs to ensure "the highest standards of safety" in its operations. It has also launched an expert panel on depleted uranium processing that includes leading scientists and members of environmental groups.
"Rosatom is the world’s leader in fuel reprocessing and deploys state-of-the-art technologies aiming at making nuclear energy virtually waste-free," a Rosatom representative said. "Nuclear energy is absolutely vital to fight climate change and saves thousands of lives every year as it prevents vast amount of harmful emissions by replacing highly polluting fossil fuel-based ‘dispatchable’ energy sources such as coal and lignite. We are absolutely convinced that fuel reprocessing works must go ahead to ensure that our net-zero future, unthinkable without nuclear energy, is achieved in the most sustainable way."
While the final tails shipment under Unerco and Rosatom’s current contract is expected to be conducted in October, Greenpeace said that future cooperation plans between the two agencies mean more uranium hexafluoride will likely be imported to Russia.
NGOs and lawmakers from Russia, Germany and the Netherlands unsuccessfully lobbied German and Russian leaders in June to end the shipments.
Greenpeace estimates that Russia already stores 1 million metric tons of uranium hexafluoride.


themoscowtimes--2020-09-25--Russia Accuses Germany of Refusing to Cooperate on Navalny Medical Probe

Russia on Friday accused Germany of refusing to cooperate with it to establish the cause of opposition leader Alexei Navalny 's illness as he continues to recover in Berlin .
The 44-year-old lawyer and anti-corruption campaigner collapsed on a flight to Moscow from Siberia in what his allies say was a state-sanctioned poison attack .
He was discharged from a hospital in Berlin this week after receiving treatment for a month .
The foreign ministry said in a statement that doctors in Siberia had passed information to their colleagues in Berlin and that Russia was ready to collaborate for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
`` Unfortunately , in response we received a categorical refusal from the German government to cooperate in establishing the truth about the situation with Alexei Navalny , '' the statement said .
Labs in Germany , France and Sweden have said they confirmed the staunch critic of President Vladimir Putin was poisoned with Novichok , a Soviet military-grade nerve agent .
The Kremlin has denied the allegations and accused Western leaders of launching a disinformation campaign over the opposition leader 's illness .
The foreign ministry called Germany 's conclusion that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and said it was reached `` in the atmosphere of ongoing anti-Russian hysteria in the West '' .
Russia insists medical tests its doctors carried out found no poison in Navalny 's body .
It says it lacks grounds for a criminal investigation , despite international calls for a transparent probe .
Navalny 's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said Friday that his recovery would `` take a long time '' and that he would undergo rehabilitation in Germany .
In a blog post on earlier on Friday , Navalny thanked Russian pilots who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ill and the paramedics who first treated him .

Russia on Friday accused Germany of refusing to cooperate with it to establish the cause of opposition leader Alexei Navalny's illness as he continues to recover in Berlin.
The 44-year-old lawyer and anti-corruption campaigner collapsed on a flight to Moscow from Siberia in what his allies say was a state-sanctioned poison attack.
He was discharged from a hospital in Berlin this week after receiving treatment for a month.
The foreign ministry said in a statement that doctors in Siberia had passed information to their colleagues in Berlin and that Russia was ready to collaborate for the sake of Navalny's "speedy recovery".
"Unfortunately, in response we received a categorical refusal from the German government to cooperate in establishing the truth about the situation with Alexei Navalny," the statement said.
Labs in Germany, France and Sweden have said they confirmed the staunch critic of President Vladimir Putin was poisoned with Novichok, a Soviet military-grade nerve agent.
The Kremlin has denied the allegations and accused Western leaders of launching a disinformation campaign over the opposition leader's illness.
The foreign ministry called Germany's conclusion that Navalny was poisoned with Novichok "predictable" and said it was reached "in the atmosphere of ongoing anti-Russian hysteria in the West".
Russia insists medical tests its doctors carried out found no poison in Navalny's body. It says it lacks grounds for a criminal investigation, despite international calls for a transparent probe.
Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said Friday that his recovery would "take a long time" and that he would undergo rehabilitation in Germany.
In a blog post on earlier on Friday, Navalny thanked Russian pilots who made an emergency landing when he fell ill and the paramedics who first treated him.


themoscowtimes--2020-09-25--Germany Presses Russia to Release UN Report on Libya Arms

Germany on Friday pressed Russia and China to allow the release of an interim UN report on violations of the arms embargo on Libya that found violations by Moscow-linked fighters .
`` We have not been able to reach an agreement on this point .
I hope that the two delegations who have problems with this will give a green light , '' Guenter Sautter , Germany 's deputy ambassador to the United Nations , told reporters before a closed-door Security Council meeting sought by Berlin .
The interim report by experts , submitted to the Security Council in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wagner Group , a Russian military contractor reputed to be close to the Kremlin , have committed numerous violations .
Germany , which heads the committee on the Libya sanctions , wants to `` make sure that we have transparency on this issue , '' Sautter said .
`` We need to name and blame and shame those who blatantly violate the arms embargo , '' he said .
The document , seen by AFP , found rising international support at the time to both strongman Khalifa Haftar -- who is backed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United Arab Emirates -- and the UN-recognized government that has support from Turkey .
`` The arms embargo remains totally ineffective .
In the cases of those member-states directly supporting the parties to the conflict the violations are extensive , blatant and with complete disregard for the sanctions measures , '' it said .
The report points to violations by the United Arab Emirates , Jordan , Egypt , Syria , Russia , Qatar and Turkey .
Asked about the report by AFP in a discussion with several journalists , the foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anwar Gargash , rejected the accusations and said his country would not comment on a report it had not read .
`` We categorically deny these .
Our position is very clear , especially since the Berlin conference ( in January ) , of the necessity of a ceasefire , '' he said .
The UN-backed government and Haftar-linked parliament in eastern Libya last month reached a fragile ceasefire , raising hopes of bringing peace to a nation in turmoil since the Western-backed overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 .

Germany on Friday pressed Russia and China to allow the release of an interim UN report on violations of the arms embargo on Libya that found violations by Moscow-linked fighters.
"We have not been able to reach an agreement on this point. I hope that the two delegations who have problems with this will give a green light," Guenter Sautter, Germany's deputy ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters before a closed-door Security Council meeting sought by Berlin.
The interim report by experts, submitted to the Security Council in August and widely leaked, said that the Wagner Group, a Russian military contractor reputed to be close to the Kremlin, have committed numerous violations.
Interim reports are generally not released, unlike final reports.
Germany, which heads the committee on the Libya sanctions, wants to "make sure that we have transparency on this issue," Sautter said.
"We need to name and blame and shame those who blatantly violate the arms embargo," he said.
The document, seen by AFP, found rising international support at the time to both strongman Khalifa Haftar -- who is backed by Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- and the UN-recognized government that has support from Turkey.
"The arms embargo remains totally ineffective. In the cases of those member-states directly supporting the parties to the conflict the violations are extensive, blatant and with complete disregard for the sanctions measures," it said.
The report points to violations by the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Russia, Qatar and Turkey.
Asked about the report by AFP in a discussion with several journalists, the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, Anwar Gargash, rejected the accusations and said his country would not comment on a report it had not read.
"We categorically deny these. Our position is very clear, especially since the Berlin conference (in January), of the necessity of a ceasefire," he said.
The UN-backed government and Haftar-linked parliament in eastern Libya last month reached a fragile ceasefire, raising hopes of bringing peace to a nation in turmoil since the Western-backed overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.


themoscowtimes--2020-09-25--Russian Ruble Tumbles on Second Wave Fears

The Russian ruble has fallen to fresh lows at the end of the trading week as markets around the world remain on edge over a surge in coronavirus cases across Europe .
The ruble shed 1.8 % against the U.S. dollar — a significant movement in the foreign currency markets — to print 78.4 on Friday afternoon in Moscow .
That was the ruble ’ s lowest reading against the greenback in more than five months .
The ruble also fell steeply against the euro , down 1.2 % at 91.6 to its weakest level since February 2016 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last few months as coronavirus cases have ticked up , neighboring Belarus was rocked by protests and the poisoning of Alexei Navalny raised the prospect of new sanctions against Russia .
Since the beginning of June the ruble has lost 14 % against the dollar , after initially recovering most of the steep losses seen in March and April when global oil prices collapsed .
The poor performance was also the result of a strong dollar , which investors have poured into as a possible safe haven , fearful of another round of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new quarantine measures to fight off a second wave of the coronavirus .
Moscow on Friday told elderly residents and those with health conditions to stay home , while asking the capital ’ s employers to return their staff to work-from-home routines .
The Russian stock market was also down 2 % in dollar terms Friday .

The Russian ruble has fallen to fresh lows at the end of the trading week as markets around the world remain on edge over a surge in coronavirus cases across Europe.
The ruble shed 1.8% against the U.S. dollar — a significant movement in the foreign currency markets — to print 78.4 on Friday afternoon in Moscow. That was the ruble’s lowest reading against the greenback in more than five months.
The ruble also fell steeply against the euro, down 1.2% at 91.6 to its weakest level since February 2016.
The currency has been under pressure over the last few months as coronavirus cases have ticked up, neighboring Belarus was rocked by protests and the poisoning of Alexei Navalny raised the prospect of new sanctions against Russia. Since the beginning of June the ruble has lost 14% against the dollar, after initially recovering most of the steep losses seen in March and April when global oil prices collapsed.
The poor performance was also the result of a strong dollar, which investors have poured into as a possible safe haven, fearful of another round of economic turbulence as countries across Europe impose new quarantine measures to fight off a second wave of the coronavirus.
Moscow on Friday told elderly residents and those with health conditions to stay home, while asking the capital’s employers to return their staff to work-from-home routines.
The Russian stock market was also down 2% in dollar terms Friday.


themoscowtimes--2020-09-25--Moscow Recommends Coronavirus Self-Isolation for Pregnant Women

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin previously urged the elderly and those suffering from chronic diseases to go into self-isolation as the city of 12.7 million confirmed 1,560 new Covid-19 cases for the first time in three months .
Hospitalizations in the Russian capital have gone up by 30 % in the past week , officials said .
Moscow health authorities have urged pregnant women to self-isolate indoors as the city saw a new uptick in coronavirus cases on Friday .
Moscow ’ s health department said it has expanded its list of residents required to self-isolate to include pregnant women and women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as those with immune system disorders , genitourinary diseases , musculoskeletal disorders and endocrine system disorders .
“ Experience in the fight against coronavirus has shown that these categories are also in the risk group , ” it said in a statement on its website .
“ When they contract a new coronavirus infection , they are more likely to have complications and a severe course of the disease.
” The mayor ’ s office reiterated that authorities will not enforce its recommendations with fines .
Russia ’ s number of daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in mid-to-late August to more than 6,000 in the past seven days .
On Friday , Russia ’ s coronavirus task force confirmed 7,212 new infections nationwide .
More than 1.13 million cases have been officially confirmed in Russia , the fourth-highest number of infections in the world .
Sobyanin on Friday also urged the Russian capital ’ s businesses to send as many employees as possible to work from home .

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin previously urged the elderly and those suffering from chronic diseases to go into self-isolation as the city of 12.7 million confirmed 1,560 new Covid-19 cases for the first time in three months. Hospitalizations in the Russian capital have gone up by 30% in the past week, officials said .
Moscow health authorities have urged pregnant women to self-isolate indoors as the city saw a new uptick in coronavirus cases on Friday.
Moscow’s health department said it has expanded its list of residents required to self-isolate to include pregnant women and women who have recently given birth, as well as those with immune system disorders, genitourinary diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and endocrine system disorders.
“Experience in the fight against coronavirus has shown that these categories are also in the risk group,” it said in a statement on its website. “When they contract a new coronavirus infection, they are more likely to have complications and a severe course of the disease.”
The mayor’s office reiterated that authorities will not enforce its recommendations with fines.
Russia’s number of daily new cases has risen from below 5,000 in mid-to-late August to more than 6,000 in the past seven days. On Friday, Russia’s coronavirus task force confirmed 7,212 new infections nationwide.
More than 1.13 million cases have been officially confirmed in Russia, the fourth-highest number of infections in the world.
Sobyanin on Friday also urged the Russian capital’s businesses to send as many employees as possible to work from home.