themoscowtimes--2020-05-20--Russia Cordons Virus-Hit Gold Mine in Siberia

The Olimpiada mine in Siberia with nearly 6,000 employees has emerged among the biggest incubators of Russia ’ s Covid-19 outbreak since early May .
Its owner Polyus said the outbreak has not affected operations and the mine will stay open .
Authorities have cordoned off Russia ’ s largest gold mine after nearly 900 workers there became infected with coronavirus , miners have told the Sibir.Realii news outlet .
At least 866 miners returned positive primary tests for Covid-19 , Polyus CEO Pavel Grachev said Monday .
The Krasnoyarsk regional crisis center later said secondary tests confirmed nearly 400 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection has already spread , we ’ ll all get infected .
Everyone understands this and people are already losing their nerve , ” an unnamed Olimpiada miner told Sibir.Realii last Thursday .
“ They brought in the National Guard so that we don ’ t start a riot , surrounded us like in prisons with patrols everywhere , ” the miner told the Siberian desk of the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty news outlet .
Other miners complained of cramped and unsanitary conditions under quarantine .
Polyus said that police patrols were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in line with the Krasnoyarsk governor ’ s orders , according to Sibir.Realii .
Authorities have also set up an entry and exit checkpoint to prevent the virus from spreading to nearby villages .
President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian military to send 200 troops , 77 medical personnel and 100 pieces of equipment to combat the outbreak in the Krasnoyarsk region .
Putin ordered the construction of a 1,000-bed makeshift hospital to support a 400-bed hospital erected at Olimpiada earlier in May .
The Krasnoyarsk region has confirmed 2,445 cases of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia ’ s overall case count stands at 308,705 , the second-highest in the world , with 2,972 deaths .

The Olimpiada mine in Siberia with nearly 6,000 employees has emerged among the biggest incubators of Russia’s Covid-19 outbreak since early May. Its owner Polyus said the outbreak has not affected operations and the mine will stay open.
Authorities have cordoned off Russia’s largest gold mine after nearly 900 workers there became infected with coronavirus, miners have told the Sibir.Realii news outlet.
At least 866 miners returned positive primary tests for Covid-19, Polyus CEO Pavel Grachev said Monday. The Krasnoyarsk regional crisis center later said secondary tests confirmed nearly 400 miners with Covid-19.
“If the infection has already spread, we’ll all get infected. Everyone understands this and people are already losing their nerve,” an unnamed Olimpiada miner told Sibir.Realii last Thursday.
“They brought in the National Guard so that we don’t start a riot, surrounded us like in prisons with patrols everywhere,” the miner told the Siberian desk of the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty news outlet.
Other miners complained of cramped and unsanitary conditions under quarantine.
Polyus said that police patrols were working to stop the spread of Covid-19 in line with the Krasnoyarsk governor’s orders, according to Sibir.Realii. Authorities have also set up an entry and exit checkpoint to prevent the virus from spreading to nearby villages.
President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian military to send 200 troops, 77 medical personnel and 100 pieces of equipment to combat the outbreak in the Krasnoyarsk region. Putin ordered the construction of a 1,000-bed makeshift hospital to support a 400-bed hospital erected at Olimpiada earlier in May.
The Krasnoyarsk region has confirmed 2,445 cases of coronavirus and 21 deaths as of Wednesday. Russia’s overall case count stands at 308,705, the second-highest in the world, with 2,972 deaths.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-20--Russia's Coronavirus Cases Surpass 300K as New Infections Plateau

Russia has recorded far fewer deaths than other countries with large outbreaks , but critics have cast doubt on the low official mortality rate and accused authorities of under-reporting in order to play down the scale of the crisis .
Russian health officials say one of the reasons the count is lower than in the United States and parts of western Europe is that only deaths directly caused by the virus are being included .
Authorities also say that since the virus came later to Russia , there was more time to prepare hospital beds and launch wide-scale testing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time on Wednesday , Russia recorded more people recovering in the last 24 hours — 9,262 — than the number of people testing positive , with active cases dropping by 633 .
One of Russia 's most high-profile virus cases , Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin , returned to work on Tuesday after receiving treatment for the illness in hospital .
Russia has the second-highest number of infections behind only the United States , but the number of new cases has fallen below 10,000 for five days in a row .
The North Caucasus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus hotspot , with the fifth highest number of infections .
The Muslim-majority region confirmed a total of 36 deaths .
Dagestan , with a population of 2.9 million , has more than 3,600 confirmed cases of the virus and local officials have described the situation as a `` catastrophe '' with hospitals overwhelmed .
President Vladimir Putin highlighted the region 's grave situation this week , pledging to send aid and implement `` urgent measures . ''

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Russia's fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures.
Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that now allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036.
Both events were initially postponed due the epidemic.
Moscow opened cinemas and theaters on Aug. 1. In the capital, masks are mandatory in stores and on public transport but not in the streets.
Several institutes in Russia are working on a coronavirus vaccine.
The Russian Defense Ministry has said it developed a "safe" vaccine following clinical trials on a group of volunteers.
The trials are ongoing, and the Defense Ministry expects clinical trials to be fully completed in the coming weeks.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-20--MH17 Suspect Admits ‘Moral Responsibility’ for Downing Jet

Igor Girkin , 49 , is one of three Russian suspects who , along with one Ukrainian suspect , are accused by a Dutch-led investigation of shooting down MH17 over eastern Ukraine on July 17 , 2014 , during the war between pro-Russian separatists and Kiev .
None of the defendants , who are also charged with murdering MH17 's passengers , are expected to attend their trial in the Netherlands , which has been suspended until June .
A Russian suspect in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 has said he feels “ a moral responsibility ” for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to admit to downing the passenger jet , Britain ’ s The Times newspaper reported Wednesday .
“ In as much as I was the commander of the rebels and a participant in the conflict , I feel a moral responsibility for these deaths , ” Girkin told The Times .
Girkin , a Russian army veteran and ex-Federal Security Service ( FSB ) officer , was adamant that the pro-Russian separatists under his command “ did not bring down the plane.
” As a former defense minister in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close adviser to annexed Crimea ’ s Russia-backed government , Girkin is believed to be the most senior military officer in the area who was in direct contact with Russia at the time of the plane ’ s downing .
Girkin now lives in Moscow , where he has been spotted on a number of occasions .
His remarks to The Times follow an interview with Ukrainian media personality Dmitry Gordon which sparked public outrage in Ukraine .
Gordon said Monday that he had interviewed Girkin and former Crimean prosecutor and current Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Ukraine ’ s special services .
“ No one has ever done such interviews before , and no one in Ukraine has ever interviewed Poklonskaya or Girkin regarding treason and crimes committed with [ their ] participation , ” Gordon said in response to the criticism .
One of the families of MH17 ’ s Australian victims reportedly criticized Girkin ’ s admission of moral guilt .
Asked by The Times if his words could be interpreted as an admission of the Russian military ’ s guilt , Girkin said “ people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and refused to comment further .

Igor Girkin, 49, is one of three Russian suspects who, along with one Ukrainian suspect, are accused by a Dutch-led investigation of shooting down MH17 over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, during the war between pro-Russian separatists and Kiev. None of the defendants, who are also charged with murdering MH17's passengers, are expected to attend their trial in the Netherlands, which has been suspended until June.
A Russian suspect in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 has said he feels “a moral responsibility” for the deaths of 298 people but refused to admit to downing the passenger jet, Britain’s The Times newspaper reported Wednesday.
“In as much as I was the commander of the rebels and a participant in the conflict, I feel a moral responsibility for these deaths,” Girkin told The Times.
Girkin, a Russian army veteran and ex-Federal Security Service (FSB) officer, was adamant that the pro-Russian separatists under his command “did not bring down the plane.”
As a former defense minister in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) and close adviser to annexed Crimea’s Russia-backed government, Girkin is believed to be the most senior military officer in the area who was in direct contact with Russia at the time of the plane’s downing. Girkin now lives in Moscow, where he has been spotted on a number of occasions.
His remarks to The Times follow an interview with Ukrainian media personality Dmitry Gordon which sparked public outrage in Ukraine. Gordon said Monday that he had interviewed Girkin and former Crimean prosecutor and current Russian lawmaker Natalia Poklonskaya “in collaboration” with Ukraine’s special services.
“No one has ever done such interviews before, and no one in Ukraine has ever interviewed Poklonskaya or Girkin regarding treason and crimes committed with [their] participation,” Gordon said in response to the criticism.
One of the families of MH17’s Australian victims reportedly criticized Girkin’s admission of moral guilt.
Asked by The Times if his words could be interpreted as an admission of the Russian military’s guilt, Girkin said “people can interpret this as they like” and refused to comment further.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-20--Russian Coronavirus Nurse Scolded for Wearing Bikini Under See-Through Gown

The nurse from the Tula region south of Moscow gained instant internet fame after a photo showing her making the rounds in the provocative garb with an elderly patient looking on in the background went viral in less than 24 hours .
A Russian coronavirus nurse has been verbally reprimanded for wearing a bikini beneath a see-through protective gown while tending to patients , the local press reported Tuesday .
Local news outlets reported that she had put on a bikini under her gown because “ it gets too hot in the protective equipment [ for clothes ] .
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unnamed nurse works in the district hospital ’ s red zone for coronavirus patients .
“ The men in the ward had nothing against the medic ’ s outfit , ” the Newstula.ru website reported , citing an unnamed person who shared the photo .
Still , the Tula region ’ s health department “ took disciplinary action in the form of a reprimand ” against the nurse “ for violating the dress code , ” the outlet reported later that day .
Authorities also held an “ explanatory conversation ” with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and outer appearance and stepped up controls over staffers responsible for PPE .
Meanwhile , activist doctor Anastasia Vasilyeva accused the nurse ’ s employers of issuing low-quality PPE to medics .
“ You can see in the picture she was wearing some kind of plastic suit , ” the Daily Storm news outlet quoted Vasilyeva as saying .
“ An anti-plague suit shouldn ’ t be transparent and must be made of a completely different fabric .
”

The nurse from the Tula region south of Moscow gained instant internet fame after a photo showing her making the rounds in the provocative garb with an elderly patient looking on in the background went viral in less than 24 hours.
A Russian coronavirus nurse has been verbally reprimanded for wearing a bikini beneath a see-through protective gown while tending to patients, local press reported Tuesday.
Local news outlets reported that she had put on a bikini under her gown because “it gets too hot in the protective equipment [for clothes].” The government-run Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper reported that the unnamed nurse works in the district hospital’s red zone for coronavirus patients.
“The men in the ward had nothing against the medic’s outfit,” the Newstula.ru website reported, citing an unnamed person who shared the photo.
Still, the Tula region’s health department “took disciplinary action in the form of a reprimand” against the nurse “for violating the dress code,” the outlet reported later that day.
Authorities also held an “explanatory conversation” with her colleagues on requirements for sanitary clothing and outer appearance and stepped up controls over staffers responsible for PPE.
Meanwhile, activist doctor Anastasia Vasilyeva accused the nurse’s employers of issuing low-quality PPE to medics.
“You can see in the picture she was wearing some kind of plastic suit,” the Daily Storm news outlet quoted Vasilyeva as saying. “An anti-plague suit shouldn’t be transparent and must be made of a completely different fabric.”


themoscowtimes--2020-05-20--Russia’s Top University Ignores ‘Commonplace’ Sexual Harassment Amid Controversy

Current and former students and professors last week urged MSU to take steps to protect students in an open letter published by the student outlet Doxa , calling student-faculty sexual relations “ a frequent and even common practice within the walls of the university.
” The letter followed Doxa ’ s series of reports this month on sexual harassment at MSU and other Russian academic institutions as well as an MSU history student ’ s account in late April of harassment by an ethnic studies professor .
Officials at the prestigious Moscow State University are refusing to investigate widespread claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some students face veiled threats of academic retribution for speaking out , the Meduza news website reported Tuesday .
Professor Sergei Knyazev , a professor at MSU 's Russian language department , resigned and admitted he had relations with students following the publication of Doxa 's article describing widespread sexual harassment within the university 's philology faculty .
“ Instructors often allow themselves to make ambiguous hints , violate personal space [ and ] flirt with students , which definitely oversteps the boundaries of academic ethics .
To us , this seems unacceptable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Meduza .
A survey by the MSU philology department ’ s student council found that 11 out of 104 students said they had faced harassment from faculty members .
The student council said it has received 28 reports of harassment and was ready to discuss its poll results with faculty leadership .
MSU ’ s philology and history departments have refused to investigate the claims leveled against their faculty members .
The high-profile harassment reports sparked widespread online discussion which has been roughly split between two camps : professors rushing to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , versus students pointing to an unequal power dynamic that complicates the issue of consent .
An MSU student who has spoken out in support of fellow students has also received thinly veiled threats from professors suggesting that she could face hurdles in graduating this year , Meduza reported .
Doxa itself faced accusations of violating journalistic standards in its report on harassment within MSU ’ s philology department .
It has since retracted some of the report ’ s key claims after receiving complaints over its use of third-party accounts and publishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We oppose harassment of any kind and we also consider it unacceptable to slander anyone , ” MSU ’ s initiative group of current and former students and employees said Tuesday .

Current and former students and professors last week urged MSU to take steps to protect students in an open letter published by the student outlet Doxa, calling student-faculty sexual relations “a frequent and even common practice within the walls of the university.” The letter followed Doxa’s series of reports this month on sexual harassment at MSU and other Russian academic institutions as well as an MSU history student’s account in late April of harassment by an ethnic studies professor.
Officials at the prestigious Moscow State University are refusing to investigate widespread claims of sexual harassment by faculty members while some students face veiled threats of academic retribution for speaking out, the Meduza news website reported Tuesday.
Professor Sergei Knyazev, a professor at MSU's Russian language department, resigned and admitted he had relations with students following the publication of Doxa's article describing widespread sexual harassment within the university's philology faculty.
“Instructors often allow themselves to make ambiguous hints, violate personal space [and] flirt with students, which definitely oversteps the boundaries of academic ethics. To us, this seems unacceptable,” states the open letter translated by Meduza.
A survey by the MSU philology department’s student council found that 11 out of 104 students said they had faced harassment from faculty members. The student council said it has received 28 reports of harassment and was ready to discuss its poll results with faculty leadership.
MSU’s philology and history departments have refused to investigate the claims leveled against their faculty members.
The high-profile harassment reports sparked widespread online discussion which has been roughly split between two camps: professors rushing to the defense of colleagues and blaming the students, versus students pointing to an unequal power dynamic that complicates the issue of consent.
An MSU student who has spoken out in support of fellow students has also received thinly veiled threats from professors suggesting that she could face hurdles in graduating this year, Meduza reported.
Doxa itself faced accusations of violating journalistic standards in its report on harassment within MSU’s philology department. It has since retracted some of the report’s key claims after receiving complaints over its use of third-party accounts and publishing stories without their subjects’ permission.
“We oppose harassment of any kind and we also consider it unacceptable to slander anyone,” MSU’s initiative group of current and former students and employees said Tuesday.