themoscowtimes--2020-10-06--Russia Expands Second Virus Vaccine’s Volunteer Pool Sixfold

The government is expected to approve the peptide-based EpiVacCorona vaccine developed by a Siberian-based biotechnology company on or around Oct. 15 .
It completed trials last month on 100 volunteers who were said to be “ feeling good.
” Russia ’ s second candidate vaccine against the coronavirus will be tested on six times the original number of volunteers as part of final clinical trials for safety and effectiveness , health authorities said Monday .
“ Centers for post-registration trials will be identified after the vaccine is registered and will involve 30,000 volunteers , ” said consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said EpiVacCorona ’ s large-scale trials would only involve 5,000 volunteers in the Novosibirsk region .
Rospotrebnadzor said the first batch of 10,000 doses for “ post-registration studies ” will be released in late October .
Once mass production begins , the vaccine “ will be available to a wide range of citizens , ” the watchdog added .
The Novosibirsk-based Vektor State Virology and Biotechnology Center , a former Soviet bioweapons research lab and EpiVacCorona ’ s developer , says the vaccine will require booster doses every three years .
Though the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety and quality , ” The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that officials would not answer questions about trial results or the approval process .
Russia ’ s first registered Covid-19 vaccine , Sputnik V , began large-scale trials on 40,000 volunteers in September .
Its developer , the Moscow-based Gamaleya research center , said this week that the trials will continue for around three to four months .
Russia has seen its daily Covid-19 cases rise from under 5,000 in August to over 10,000 this week , stoking fears of a second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1.22 million Covid-19 cases have been officially confirmed in Russia , the fourth-highest number of infections in the world .

The government is expected to approve the peptide-based EpiVacCorona vaccine developed by a Siberian-based biotechnology company on or around Oct. 15. It completed trials last month on 100 volunteers who were said to be “feeling good.”
Russia’s second candidate vaccine against the coronavirus will be tested on six times the original number of volunteers as part of final clinical trials for safety and effectiveness, health authorities said Monday.
“Centers for post-registration trials will be identified after the vaccine is registered and will involve 30,000 volunteers,” said consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, according to Interfax.
Previous reporting said EpiVacCorona’s large-scale trials would only involve 5,000 volunteers in the Novosibirsk region.
Rospotrebnadzor said the first batch of 10,000 doses for “post-registration studies” will be released in late October.
Once mass production begins, the vaccine “will be available to a wide range of citizens,” the watchdog added.
The Novosibirsk-based Vektor State Virology and Biotechnology Center, a former Soviet bioweapons research lab and EpiVacCorona’s developer, says the vaccine will require booster doses every three years.
Though the Health Ministry is reviewing EpiVacCorona for “safety and quality,” The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that officials would not answer questions about trial results or the approval process.
Russia’s first registered Covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, began large-scale trials on 40,000 volunteers in September. Its developer, the Moscow-based Gamaleya research center, said this week that the trials will continue for around three to four months.
Russia has seen its daily Covid-19 cases rise from under 5,000 in August to over 10,000 this week, stoking fears of a second wave similar to Europe's.
More than 1.22 million Covid-19 cases have been officially confirmed in Russia, the fourth-highest number of infections in the world.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-06--Kyrgyz Protesters Take Government House, Free Ex-Leader After Post-Vote Clashes

Photos published by Radio Free Europe later showed protesters strolling around the building unhindered .
Police used water cannon , stun grenades and tear gas to disperse protesters attempting to force their way through the gates of the building that houses the former Soviet republic 's parliament and presidential offices .
Opposition supporters hit the streets of the capital Bishkek the previous evening to demand the resignation of pro-Russian President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and a re-run of Sunday 's poll .
Protesters seized Kyrgyzstan 's seat of government and freed a jailed former president on Tuesday after demonstrations against an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clashes with police .
A crowd of around 2,000 people then forced their way into the nearby National Security Committee building , where former president Almazbek Atambayev was jailed .
Adil Turdukuov , an activist and ally of Atambayev who witnessed the release said the ex-leader was freed `` without force or use of any weapons '' and that national security officials had not attempted to halt protesters .
Footage posted on social media showed Atambayev , 64 , greeting supporters after he left jail , where he was serving an 11-year-sentence for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mob boss .
Atambayev was once close with his successor Jeenbekov , but the pair fell out shortly after the 61-year-old won the country 's last presidential election in 2017 .
Both men are viewed as loyal allies of Russia , whose strategic position in the country is likely to remain unaffected despite the unrest .
Russian leader Vladimir Putin tried to broker a peace between the pair last year but could not prevent Atambayev 's arrest .
The two parties that swept Sunday 's poll are supportive of the current president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both were viewed by rival parties of coordinating a massive vote-buying campaign .
Monday 's clashes began after an initially peaceful rally held by losing parties spun out of control .
Police attempted to disperse protesters when they first attempted to force their way to the main government building , known as the White House , on Monday evening .
At one point a Radio Free Europe live feed showed police throwing stun grenades as they struggled to push back protesters , who appeared to have set several bins on fire in one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least 120 people were being treated for injuries , but there were no reports of deaths by late Monday .
Opposition supporters had called for a re-run of Sunday 's election after an international monitoring mission organized by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe called `` credible allegations '' of vote-buying .
The preliminary count showed two pro-presidency parties , Birimdik and Mekenim Kyrgyzstan , who both favor deeper integration with Moscow , together taking around half of the vote .
Birimdik , which includes the president 's younger brother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a re-run of the vote on Monday , but by that time police were already struggling to bring protesters under control .
Opposition parties earlier distanced themselves from the first attempt to storm the government complex .
Ata-Meken member Elvira Surabaldiyeva told AFP her party had no role in the incident , which she blamed on `` provocateurs . ''
But she added that her party would `` stand with the people to the end . ''
Mobile phone and mobile internet connections were poor or non-existent as the night unfolded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vicinity of the protest had begun removing goods from their stores in anticipation of possible looting .
Looting was a feature in two popular uprisings that overthrew authoritarian presidents in 2005 and 2010 , but the former Soviet country has enjoyed relative stability for the last decade .
Dissatisfaction with corruption and the domination of politics by powerful clans has increased with the economic challenges of the coronavirus fallout .
Thousands had gathered in central Bishkek for Monday 's protest to denounce the results of the latest vote .
Popular singers joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded with chants of `` Jeenbekov out . ''
`` The president promised to oversee honest elections .
He did n't keep his word , '' one opposition candidate , Ryskeldi Mombekov , told the protesters .

Photos published by Radio Free Europe later showed protesters strolling around the building unhindered.
Police used water cannon, stun grenades and tear gas to disperse protesters attempting to force their way through the gates of the building that houses the former Soviet republic's parliament and presidential offices.
Opposition supporters hit the streets of the capital Bishkek the previous evening to demand the resignation of pro-Russian President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and a re-run of Sunday's poll.
Protesters seized Kyrgyzstan's seat of government and freed a jailed former president on Tuesday after demonstrations against an election marred by vote-buying accusations spiralled into violent clashes with police.
A crowd of around 2,000 people then forced their way into the nearby National Security Committee building, where former president Almazbek Atambayev was jailed.
Adil Turdukuov, an activist and ally of Atambayev who witnessed the release said the ex-leader was freed "without force or use of any weapons" and that national security officials had not attempted to halt protesters.
"They surrendered," he added.
Footage posted on social media showed Atambayev, 64, greeting supporters after he left jail, where he was serving an 11-year-sentence for his role in the illegal release of a mob boss.
Atambayev was once close with his successor Jeenbekov, but the pair fell out shortly after the 61-year-old won the country's last presidential election in 2017.
Both men are viewed as loyal allies of Russia, whose strategic position in the country is likely to remain unaffected despite the unrest.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin tried to broker a peace between the pair last year but could not prevent Atambayev's arrest.
Clashes through the night
The two parties that swept Sunday's poll are supportive of the current president and hostile towards his predecessor.
But both were viewed by rival parties of coordinating a massive vote-buying campaign.
Monday's clashes began after an initially peaceful rally held by losing parties spun out of control.
Police attempted to disperse protesters when they first attempted to force their way to the main government building, known as the White House, on Monday evening.
At one point a Radio Free Europe live feed showed police throwing stun grenades as they struggled to push back protesters, who appeared to have set several bins on fire in one particularly fierce exchange.
Health authorities said at least 120 people were being treated for injuries, but there were no reports of deaths by late Monday.
Opposition supporters had called for a re-run of Sunday's election after an international monitoring mission organized by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe called "credible allegations" of vote-buying.
The preliminary count showed two pro-presidency parties, Birimdik and Mekenim Kyrgyzstan, who both favor deeper integration with Moscow, together taking around half of the vote.
Birimdik, which includes the president's younger brother Asylbek Jeenbekov, said it was open to a re-run of the vote on Monday, but by that time police were already struggling to bring protesters under control.
Opposition parties earlier distanced themselves from the first attempt to storm the government complex.
Ata-Meken member Elvira Surabaldiyeva told AFP her party had no role in the incident, which she blamed on "provocateurs."
But she added that her party would "stand with the people to the end."
'Jeenbekov out'
Mobile phone and mobile internet connections were poor or non-existent as the night unfolded.
Eyewitnesses told AFP that shop owners in the vicinity of the protest had begun removing goods from their stores in anticipation of possible looting.
Looting was a feature in two popular uprisings that overthrew authoritarian presidents in 2005 and 2010, but the former Soviet country has enjoyed relative stability for the last decade.
Dissatisfaction with corruption and the domination of politics by powerful clans has increased with the economic challenges of the coronavirus fallout.
Thousands had gathered in central Bishkek for Monday's protest to denounce the results of the latest vote.
Popular singers joined politicians in addressing the crowd, who responded with chants of "Jeenbekov out."
"The president promised to oversee honest elections. He didn't keep his word," one opposition candidate, Ryskeldi Mombekov, told the protesters.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-07--Russia Successfully Test-Launches ‘Tsirkon’ Hypersonic Missile

Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported to President Vladimir Putin on his 68th birthday that the Tsirkon 's launch from a guided missile frigate “ directly hit ” its intended target .
Russia has successfully test-fired its highly touted hypersonic cruise missile called Tsirkon in the waters of northwestern Russia , the military said Wednesday .
“ Yesterday at 7:15 a.m. , the Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile for the first time hit a sea target as part of flight tests , ” the state-run TASS news agency quoted Gerasimov as saying .
“ The launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared successful.
” The Admiral Gorshkov frigate test-fired the Tsirkon from the White Sea at a target 450 kilometers away in the Barents Sea , the army general said .
The missile traveled four and a half minutes at the hypersonic speed of more than Mach 8 and a maximum altitude of 28 kilometers , Gerasimov said .
He added that the military plans more test launches of the Tsirkon , which Putin unveiled in 2018 as part of a new generation of advanced weapons .
Gerasimov said the Tsirkon will be deployable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are completed but did not indicate when the missile will enter service .
Tuesday 's test-launch was the second known launch of the Tsirkon this year .
In early January , the Admiral Gorshkov test-launched the Tsirkon from the Barents Sea on a ground target in the northern Urals more than 500 kilometers away .
The Tsirkon program began in 2011 and entered the active testing stage in 2015 .
Previous reporting suggested that the Tsirkon test trials in 2012 were held on board the Tu-22M3 bomber .
Putin has said the Tsirkon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at nine times the speed of sound and hit underwater and ground targets more than 1,000 kilometers away .
Putin warned that Russia would be forced to place hypersonic nuclear missiles on submarines near U.S. waters in response to arms-control tensions .
Washington waved off Putin ’ s warnings as disingenuous propaganda .

Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported to President Vladimir Putin on his 68th birthday that the Tsirkon's launch from a guided missile frigate “directly hit” its intended target.
Russia has successfully test-fired its highly touted hypersonic cruise missile called Tsirkon in the waters of northwestern Russia, the military said Wednesday.
“Yesterday at 7:15 a.m., the Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile for the first time hit a sea target as part of flight tests,” the state-run TASS news agency quoted Gerasimov as saying. “The launch tasks were completed, the shooting was declared successful.”
The Admiral Gorshkov frigate test-fired the Tsirkon from the White Sea at a target 450 kilometers away in the Barents Sea, the army general said.
The missile traveled four and a half minutes at the hypersonic speed of more than Mach 8 and a maximum altitude of 28 kilometers, Gerasimov said.
He added that the military plans more test launches of the Tsirkon, which Putin unveiled in 2018 as part of a new generation of advanced weapons.
Gerasimov said the Tsirkon will be deployable on submarines and surface ships when tests are completed but did not indicate when the missile will enter service.
Tuesday's test-launch was the second known launch of the Tsirkon this year. In early January, the Admiral Gorshkov test-launched the Tsirkon from the Barents Sea on a ground target in the northern Urals more than 500 kilometers away.
The Tsirkon program began in 2011 and entered the active testing stage in 2015. Previous reporting suggested that the Tsirkon test trials in 2012 were held on board the Tu-22M3 bomber.
Putin has said the Tsirkon ground- and sea-based hypersonic rocket can fly at nine times the speed of sound and hit underwater and ground targets more than 1,000 kilometers away.
Putin warned that Russia would be forced to place hypersonic nuclear missiles on submarines near U.S. waters in response to arms-control tensions. Washington waved off Putin’s warnings as disingenuous propaganda.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-07--Navalny Urges EU Entry Bans on Putin's 'Close Circles'

In an interview with Bild daily , the Kremlin critic took aim directly at Valery Gergiev , chief conductor at the Munich Philharmonic , citing the musician as someone who should be held to account for his unapologetic backing for Putin .
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Wednesday urged the European Union to impose tough targeted sanctions including entry bans against key figures in or backing Vladimir Putin 's government over his poisoning .
`` He is the perfect example .
Such people must be put under pressure , '' said Navalny , who is recovering in Berlin from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must be slapped with entry bans and you know what ?
99 % of Russians would welcome that . ''
Navalny stressed that any embargo should not hurt the general Russian population .
Rather , `` the most important is to impose entry bans against those profiting from the regime and to freeze their assets , '' said Navalny .
`` Oligarchs and high ranking officials , Putin 's closest circles , '' he said .
Germany has said lab tests have provided `` unequivocal '' proof that Navalny was poisoned with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sweden and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ( OPCW ) have confirmed results .
Chancellor Angela Merkel 's government , which holds the rotating presidency of the EU , has repeatedly said it would consult with European partners on what action to take .
But it has also stressed that `` any deployment of a chemical weapon is a serious matter and can not remain without consequences . ''
Navalny said that people like Gergiev , who are allowed to enjoy the best of both worlds in both Russia and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choose .
`` If he loves the regime so much and wants Russia to not take the European path , then one must say to him : you 're a very talented musician , but we 're not allowing you to stay on in the EU .
You can enjoy Putin 's regime in Russia . ''
He also had harsh words for German ex-chancellor Gerhard Schroeder , who chairs the board of Russia 's state-controlled oil major Rosneft and heads the shareholders ' committee for the Nord Stream pipeline company .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Europe 's most powerful country , '' Navalny said .
`` Now Schroeder is Putin 's errand boy who is protecting murderers . ''
Schroeder last week dismissed claims of a Kremlin link to the Navalny case as `` speculation . ''

In an interview with Bild daily, the Kremlin critic took aim directly at Valery Gergiev, chief conductor at the Munich Philharmonic, citing the musician as someone who should be held to account for his unapologetic backing for Putin.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Wednesday urged the European Union to impose tough targeted sanctions including entry bans against key figures in or backing Vladimir Putin's government over his poisoning.
"He is the perfect example. Such people must be put under pressure," said Navalny, who is recovering in Berlin from the poisoning.
"People like him must be slapped with entry bans and you know what? 99% of Russians would welcome that."
Navalny stressed that any embargo should not hurt the general Russian population.
Rather, "the most important is to impose entry bans against those profiting from the regime and to freeze their assets," said Navalny.
"Oligarchs and high ranking officials, Putin's closest circles," he said.
'Errand boy'
Germany has said lab tests have provided "unequivocal" proof that Navalny was poisoned with the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok. France, Sweden and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) have confirmed results.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's government, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, has repeatedly said it would consult with European partners on what action to take.
But it has also stressed that "any deployment of a chemical weapon is a serious matter and cannot remain without consequences."
Navalny said that people like Gergiev, who are allowed to enjoy the best of both worlds in both Russia and the EU, should be made to choose.
"If he loves the regime so much and wants Russia to not take the European path, then one must say to him: you're a very talented musician, but we're not allowing you to stay on in the EU. You can enjoy Putin's regime in Russia."
He also had harsh words for German ex-chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who chairs the board of Russia's state-controlled oil major Rosneft and heads the shareholders' committee for the Nord Stream pipeline company.
"He is after all the former chancellor of Europe's most powerful country," Navalny said. "Now Schroeder is Putin's errand boy who is protecting murderers."
Schroeder last week dismissed claims of a Kremlin link to the Navalny case as "speculation."


themoscowtimes--2020-10-07--Pussy Riot Flies LGBT Flags From Gov’t Buildings to Mark Putin’s Birthday

Pussy Riot said it hung the rainbow flags on the facades of “ the most important symbols of Russian statehood.
@ @ @ @ @ group shared photos of its members installing the LGBT flags on the Federal Security Service @ @ @ @ @ police , Supreme Court and Culture Ministry buildings .
Two journalists were detained during the @ @ @ @ @ .
The group listed a set of demands , including the legalization of same-sex “ @ @ @ @ @ to discrimination against LGBT Russians and investigations into the reported kidnappings and killings of LGBT @ @ @ @ @ of Chechnya .
The group also called for the repeal of Russia ’ s controversial @ @ @ @ @ ” toward minors .
“ We give this rainbow to everyone as a symbol of @ @ @ @ @ , ” Pussy Riot said on its Facebook page .

Pussy Riot said it hung the rainbow flags on the facades of “the most important symbols of Russian statehood.”
The anti-Kremlin punk rock group shared photos of its members installing the LGBT flags on the Federal Security Service (FSB), district police, Supreme Court and Culture Ministry buildings. Two journalists were detained during the process, Pussy Riot said.
The group listed a set of demands, including the legalization of same-sex “partnerships,” an end to discrimination against LGBT Russians and investigations into the reported kidnappings and killings of LGBT members in the ultraconservative republic of Chechnya. The group also called for the repeal of Russia’s controversial law banning homosexual “propaganda” toward minors.
“We give this rainbow to everyone as a symbol of the missing love and freedom,” Pussy Riot said on its Facebook page.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-07--High-Stakes 'Russian Hitman' Trial Opens in Berlin

A Russian man went on trial Wednesday over the assassination of a former Chechen commander in a Berlin park , allegedly on Moscow 's orders , a case that risks worsening acrimonious ties between Germany and Russia .
Vadim K. , also known as Vadim S. , stands accused of gunning down a Georgian national identified by German authorities as 40-year-old Tornike K. , in Kleiner Tiergarten park on Aug. 23 last year .
The 55-year-old accused has so far stayed mum over the case , but German prosecutors , who do not release the full names of suspects , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing .
The brazen murder in the heart of the German capital appeared to be a tipping point for Chancellor Angela Merkel , who said in May that the killing `` disrupts a cooperation of trust '' between Berlin and Moscow .
The German leader has always stressed the importance of keeping dialogue open with Russian President Vladimir Putin , but she has sharpened her tone in recent months .
The trial also comes as Europe is already outraged over the poisoning in August of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny , who is receiving @ @ @ @ @ @

A German court on Wednesday put a Russian man on trial over the assassination of a former Chechen commander in a Berlin park, allegedly on Moscow's orders, a case that risks worsening acrimonious ties between Germany and Russia. The 55-year-old named by prosecutors as Vadim Krasikov, alias Vadim Sokolov, stands accused of gunning down 40-year-old Georgian national Tornike Kavtarashvili in the Kleiner Tiergarten park on August 23 last year. The defendant has so far stayed mum over the case, but German prosecutors have alleged that Russia ordered the killing. In court on Wednesday, he told the court through his lawyer Robert Unger that he should be identified only as Vadim Sokolov, who is "Russian, single and a construction engineer." He denied being known as Krasikov, saying "I know of no one by this name."
Prosecutors said the alleged killer was carrying out a "state mission, whether for pay or because he shared the motives of his clients for killing a political opponent...as retaliation for his participation" in a conflict with Russia. The brazen murder in the heart of the German capital appeared to be a tipping point for Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said in May that the killing "disrupts a cooperation of trust" between Berlin and Moscow. The German leader has always stressed the importance of keeping dialogue open with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but she has sharpened her tone in recent months. The trial comes with Europe already outraged over the poisoning in August of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who is receiving treatment in Berlin. Germany has said that tests it carried out showed the 44-year-old was poisoned with a Novichok-type deadly nerve agent -- a finding corroborated by France, Sweden and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Russia denies all allegations over the Berlin murder and Navalny's poisoning. But Merkel's government said Wednesday sanctions from the European Union over the Novichok attack may be "unavoidable." Posed as a tourist Given the high stakes, Wednesday's trial will be closely scrutinized for details pointing to Moscow's alleged involvement. Investigative website Bellingcat, which had named the suspect as Vadim Krasikov, said he grew up in Kazakhstan when it was part of the Soviet Union before moving to the Russian region of Siberia. He received training from Russia's FSB intelligence service and was part of its elite squad, the website said.