themoscowtimes--2020-10-27--‘We’re in Hell’: Russia’s Second Wave of Covid-19 Is Catching the Regions Off Guard

In a video widely shared across Russian social media last week , dozens of bodies wrapped in black plastic bags line the walls of a decrepit basement in a hospital in Barnaul , the capital city of the Altai Republic in Siberia .
“ The deceased Covid-19 patients were being stored in the basement of the hospital due to a shortage of pathologists and an increase of coronavirus infections and deaths , ” the region ’ s Health Ministry said in a statement on Thursday , confirming the authenticity of the disturbing footage .
Russia ’ s health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying the region is approaching an “ Italian Scenario , ” a reference to Northern Italy , one of the world ’ s worst-hit areas by the coronavirus .
The Altai Republic — like many other Russian regions — is seeing a record surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths as the country faces a second wave of the coronavirus .
In contrast to the first wave , less than 30 % of all coronavirus cases are in Moscow , and the capital has so far managed to avoid the shortage of hospital staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period during the spring of this year , two doctors working in hospitals in the city told The Moscow Times .
They pointed to the fact that Moscow authorities recently reserved five big hospitals across the city for Covid-19 patients , easing pressure on the others .
“ We are not overwhelmed .
There is a lot work but things are going steady , ” said Alexander Kupurin , a doctor at Moscow ’ s Kommunarka hospital The situation in the regions is very different , according to Vasily Vlassov , an epidemiologist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow .
Vlassov said that while the surge of infections can be partly explained by improved testing , there is an “ undeniable ” increase in numbers of sickness across Russia .
“ And as is usually the case , the regions don ’ t have the same resources as Moscow and St. Petersburg .
And they never really had a break from the virus in the summer.
” Vlassov believes the country is now paying the price for the government ’ s abrupt end to quarantine in May and the subsequent rhetoric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
In May , Russia mostly lifted its quarantine , all but declaring victory over Covid-19 .
Critics have argued that restrictions were eased to boost the public mood ahead of two important political events that had been rescheduled because of the pandemic — a historic referendum on constitutional changes that allowed President Vladimir Putin to run for further terms in office and Moscow ’ s Victory Day parade to mark 75 years since the end of World War II .
“ People were told every day that the virus is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal .
Slowly but surely it crept back in .
This time , the virus has a wider reach across all ages and social classes , ” Vlassov said , adding that while Russians were afraid of the virus in spring , now it is harder to urge them to take precautions .
Medics working in hospitals across Russia ’ s regions described severe shortages of hospital beds and medical staff .
Many voiced their frustration that mistakes made during the first crisis in spring were being repeated , and that authorities had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adequately prepare .
“ We knew it was coming , yet we were caught off guard anyway , ” said Alexei , a surgeon working at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Elista , the capital of the republic of Kalmykia .
He declined to give his surname .
Kalmykia , an impoverished Buddhist region near the Caspian Sea , currently has the highest rate of infections per capita in Russia .
Alexei said the hospital doesn ’ t have enough beds and is being forced to turn away patients who are not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newspaper found that the Novosibirsk and Altai regions are also running out of beds for Covid-19 patients .
As was the case during the first wave , hospitals have also been forced to enforce quarantine or close , as medics lacking proper personal protective equipment have contracted the virus .
On Oct. 20 , medical staff at the four hospitals treating Covid-19 patients in the Urals region of Kurgan sent a letter to Vladimir Putin asking for Russian military doctors to be sent to the region “ or else people will begin to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re in hell ... A huge uncontrolled epidemic is in our region , ” the letter , seen by BBC Russia said .
In the letter , the doctors said the local healthcare system has “ collapsed ” and that they don ’ t have enough medical staff as many have fallen sick .
In other regions , overworked medical workers have been quitting en masse , with some saying they did not receive the promised financial bonuses for treating virus patients .
At the Central Clinical Hospital in Yekaterinburg , Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees have quit since the start of the coronavirus crisis , Novaya Gazeta reported .
“ Doctors are worried that what happened in Dagestan will happen here ” said Natalia , a nurse at the Ust-Kansky regional hospital , a rural Altai city with about 15,000 inhabitants .
The southern republic of Dagestan was one of the hardest-hit regions by the coronavirus in May and at least 40 doctors there were confirmed to have died of Covid-19 .
However , it is not just regional cities that are being hit harder than Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and villages that were shielded from the virus last time due to their rural locations are also now reporting more coronavirus cases , according to local media .
“ This is the logical next step of the virus , which we have seen in previous pandemics .
First it hits the big cities , then it trickles down to smaller communities , ” Vlassov said .
While Russia ’ s official death count of 26,269 places it 43rd on the global list of deaths per capita , Russian and Western demographers have cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s coronavirus statistics have come under scrutiny since the beginning of the outbreak when officials declared robust testing as the reason for the country ’ s curiously low death rate .
However , it soon became clear that the country ’ s methodology — Russia only adds the deaths of coronavirus-positive patients to its total if pathologists say the virus played a direct role — could explain the low death rate .
Recent monthly statistics published by Russia ’ s state statistics agency Rosstat put the real number of coronavirus deaths at 45,663 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available month , with a mortality rate of 4.6 % against the global rate of 3-4 % .
In a July survey , 74 % of Russian doctors said they didn ’ t trust the official statistics .
Mounting anecdotal evidence coming from the regions suggests the death count is also being massaged during the second wave .
In the week when the footage of the bodies in the Altai hospital was circulating , officials only reported 27 Covid-19 deaths for the whole region .
Elsewhere , in the southern city of Rostov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients died in a hospital on Oct. 12 after their oxygen supply ran out .
While local officials were quick to say the patients had not died because of any medical errors , they admitted that 13 patients had died from the virus in the hospital on that day .
The entire Rostov region officially reported only 9 coronavirus deaths on Oct. 12 .
Despite the surging infections , Russia has so far shown little appetite for reintroducing full lockdown or other quarantine measures .
“ Regarding complex total restrictive measures : we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the government has no plans to do this , ” Putin said last Wednesday .
In Moscow , bars and restaurants are heaving as a result of what many have described as `` pandemic fatigue ” after the city was put on prolonged lockdown in the spring .
Hundreds of thousands of Moscow ’ s small businesses have also said they are unable to comply with Mayor Sergei Sobyanin ’ s restrictions ordering the capital ’ s employers to ensure that at least 30 % of their staff are working remotely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ city , Putin ’ s spokesman Dmitry Peskov celebrated his 53rd birthday last week with an indoor party where the country ’ s political and cultural elite were pictured singing and dancing without taking any visible precautions against the virus .
As Russia is unwilling to go into a lockdown , officials expect infections to remain high across the country until February , when the country is hoping to roll out its mass vaccination program .
Until then , Alexei , the doctor in Kalmykia , expects his region to be in for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked about the footage of Peskov ’ s birthday party , he sighed .
“ They are dancing while we are the ones who have to work and fight .
”

In a video widely shared across Russian social media last week, dozens of bodies wrapped in black plastic bags line the walls of a decrepit basement in a hospital in Barnaul, the capital city of the Altai region in Siberia. “The deceased Covid-19 patients were being stored in the basement of the hospital due to a shortage of pathologists and an increase of coronavirus infections and deaths,” the region’s Health Ministry said in a statement on Thursday, confirming the authenticity of the disturbing footage. Russia’s health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor on Saturday sounded a further alarm, saying the region is approaching an “Italian Scenario,” a reference to Northern Italy, one of the world’s worst-hit areas by the coronavirus. The Altai region — like many other Russian regions — is seeing a record surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths as the country faces a second wave of the coronavirus. In contrast to the first wave, less than 30% of all coronavirus cases are in Moscow, and the capital has so far managed to avoid the shortage of hospital staff and beds it experiences for a short period during the spring of this year, two doctors working in hospitals in the city told The Moscow Times. They pointed to the fact that Moscow authorities recently reserved five big hospitals across the city for Covid-19 patients, easing pressure on the others. “We are not overwhelmed. There is a lot work but things are going steady,” said Alexander Kupurin, a doctor at Moscow’s Kommunarka hospital. The situation in the regions is very different, according to Vasily Vlassov, an epidemiologist at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. Vlassov said that while the surge of infections can be partly explained by improved testing, there is an “undeniable” increase in numbers of sickness across Russia. “And as is usually the case, the regions don’t have the same resources as Moscow and St. Petersburg. And they never really had a break from the virus in the summer.” Vlassov believes the country is now paying the price for the government’s abrupt end to quarantine in May and the subsequent rhetoric that “downplayed” the risk from the virus.
In May, Russia mostly lifted its quarantine, all but declaring victory over Covid-19. Critics have argued that restrictions were eased to boost the public mood ahead of two important political events that had been rescheduled because of the pandemic — a historic referendum on constitutional changes that allowed President Vladimir Putin to run for further terms in office and Moscow’s Victory Day parade to mark 75 years since the end of World War II. “People were told every day that the virus is defeated and that life is back to normal. Slowly but surely it crept back in. This time, the virus has a wider reach across all ages and social classes,” Vlassov said, adding that while Russians were afraid of the virus in spring, now it is harder to urge them to take precautions. Medics working in hospitals across Russia’s regions described severe shortages of hospital beds and medical staff. Many voiced their frustration that mistakes made during the first crisis in spring were being repeated, and that authorities had failed to use the summer respite to adequately prepare. “We knew it was coming, yet we were caught off guard anyway,” said Alexei, a surgeon working at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Elista, the capital of the republic of Kalmykia. He declined to give his surname. Kalmykia, an impoverished Buddhist region near the Caspian Sea, currently has the highest rate of infections per capita in Russia. Alexei said the hospital doesn’t have enough beds and is being forced to turn away patients who are not yet critical. A study by the Kommersant newspaper found that the Novosibirsk and Altai regions are also running out of beds for Covid-19 patients. As was the case during the first wave, hospitals have also been forced to enforce quarantine or close, as medics lacking proper personal protective equipment have contracted the virus. On Oct. 20, medical staff at the four hospitals treating Covid-19 patients in the Urals region of Kurgan sent a letter to Vladimir Putin asking for Russian military doctors to be sent to the region “or else people will begin to die in our streets.” “We’re in hell...A huge uncontrolled epidemic is in our region,” the letter seen by BBC Russia said. In the letter, the doctors said the local healthcare system has “collapsed” and that they don’t have enough medical staff as many have fallen sick. In other regions, overworked medical workers have been quitting en masse, with some saying they did not receive the promised financial bonuses for treating virus patients. At the Central Clinical Hospital in Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city, around 80 employees have quit since the start of the coronavirus crisis, Novaya Gazeta reported. “Doctors are worried that what happened in Dagestan will happen here” said Natalia, a nurse at the Ust-Kansky regional hospital, a rural Altai city with about 15,000 inhabitants. “We are barely protected.” The southern republic of Dagestan was one of the hardest-hit regions by the coronavirus in May and at least 40 doctors there were confirmed to have died of Covid-19.
Medics working in hospitals across Russia’s regions described severe shortages of hospital beds and medical staff. MT
However, it is not just regional cities that are being hit harder than Moscow this time around. The smaller towns and villages that were shielded from the virus last time due to their rural locations are also now reporting more coronavirus cases, according to local media. “This is the logical next step of the virus, which we have seen in previous pandemics. First it hits the big cities, then it trickles down to smaller communities,” Vlassov said. Bad Math While Russia’s official death count of 26,269 places it 43rd on the global list of deaths per capita, Russian and Western demographers have cast doubt on these numbers. Russia’s coronavirus statistics have come under scrutiny since the beginning of the outbreak when officials declared robust testing as the reason for the country’s curiously low death rate. However, it soon became clear that the country’s methodology — Russia only adds the deaths of coronavirus-positive patients to its total if pathologists say the virus played a direct role — could explain the low death rate. Recent monthly statistics published by Russia’s state statistics agency Rosstat put the real number of coronavirus deaths at 45,663 between April and August, the latest available month, with a mortality rate of 4.6% against the global rate of 3-4%. In a July survey, 74% of Russian doctors said they didn’t trust the official statistics. Mounting anecdotal evidence coming from the regions suggests the death count is also being massaged during the second wave. In the week when the footage of the bodies in the Altai hospital was circulating, officials only reported 27 Covid-19 deaths for the whole region. Elsewhere, in the southern city of Rostov, local media reported that 13 coronavirus patients died in a hospital on Oct. 12 after their oxygen supply ran out. While local officials were quick to say the patients had not died because of any medical errors, they admitted that 13 patients had died from the virus in the hospital on that day. The entire Rostov region officially reported only 9 coronavirus deaths on Oct. 12. Staying Open Despite the surging infections, Russia has so far shown little appetite for reintroducing full lockdown or other quarantine measures. “Regarding complex total restrictive measures: we do not plan to do this, and the government has no plans to do this,” Putin said last Wednesday.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-27--Russia Reinstates Mask Mandate, Restricts Nightlife to Stop Virus Spread

Russians will be required to wear masks in all crowded places , including public transport , taxis , parking lots and elevators , Rospotrebnadzor said Tuesday .
Russia has reinstated a nationwide mask mandate starting Wednesday amid a record-setting second wave of the coronavirus pandemic , consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor has announced .
Russia imposed a national mask mandate and other quarantine rules to slow the spread of Covid-19 at the start of its outbreak in spring .
Moscow lifted the mandate in mid-July as Covid-19 cases began to decrease , though health officials urged Russians to continue wearing masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rospotrebnadzor has also recommended that all restaurants and other late-night establishments close between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m .
The restrictions come days after Moscow launched a contact-tracing system requiring restaurant and nightclub visitors to register their phone numbers and scan a QR code .
Also starting last week , the Moscow public transportation system began cracking down on its rules by banning passengers without masks or gloves .
The new nationwide rules come amid widespread reports of hospital bed , medication and staff shortages across the country during the second wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past the 1.5 million mark for Covid-19 infections over the weekend and set a daily record of 17,347 new cases Monday .
The Kremlin noted Monday that the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak has shifted from Moscow , which continues to see around one-third of all new infections , to the regions .
Rospotrebnadzor forecast that the Covid-19 pandemic will likely not decline until the summer of 2021 .

Russians will be required to wear masks in all crowded places, including public transport, taxis, parking lots and elevators, Rospotrebnadzor said Tuesday.
Russia has reinstated a nationwide mask mandate starting Wednesday amid a record-setting second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor has announced .
Russia imposed a national mask mandate and other quarantine rules to slow the spread of Covid-19 at the start of its outbreak in spring. Moscow lifted the mandate in mid-July as Covid-19 cases began to decrease, though health officials urged Russians to continue wearing masks to prevent the spread of the disease.
Rospotrebnadzor has also recommended that all restaurants and other late-night establishments close between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The restrictions come days after Moscow launched a contact-tracing system requiring restaurant and nightclub visitors to register their phone numbers and scan a QR code.
Also starting last week, the Moscow public transportation system began cracking down on its rules by banning passengers without masks or gloves.
The new nationwide rules come amid widespread reports of hospital bed, medication and staff shortages across the country during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Russia pushed past the 1.5 million mark for Covid-19 infections over the weekend and set a daily record of 17,347 new cases Monday.
The Kremlin noted Monday that the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak has shifted from Moscow, which continues to see around one-third of all new infections, to the regions.
Rospotrebnadzor forecast that the Covid-19 pandemic will likely not decline until the summer of 2021.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-27--Urals Doctors Appeal for Russian Army Medics as Coronavirus Surges – BBC

The national Covid-19 information center ranks the Kurgan region , with a population below 830,000 , Russia ’ s eighth least-affected subject with 5,462 total infections and a two-week average of 73 new cases .
Hospital staff , according to the BBC , maintain that regional authorities minimize the figures and fail to take appropriate measures .
Medics in the Ural Mountains city of Kurgan have appealed for the Russian government to send in army medics to help the local health care system stretched thin by the coronavirus pandemic , BBC Russia reported Monday .
Hospitals have run out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they wrote in a letter to Anna Popova , Russia ’ s chief sanitary doctor and head of the consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor , the BBC reported .
“ The health care system is in complete collapse , ” medics at three Kurgan region hospitals and one outpatient clinic wrote .
“ We ask you not to look at this through the words of our officials but to send a commission so that its members could see firsthand the hell that ’ s breaking loose with medical care , ” they said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rapid construction of a new infectious diseases hospital comes amid widespread reports of staff and bed shortages across the country during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic .
Russia pushed past the 1.5 million mark for total Covid-19 infections over the weekend and set a daily record of 17,347 new cases Monday .
The Kremlin noted Monday that the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak has shifted from Moscow , which continues to see around one-third of all new infections , to the regions .
Rospotrebnadzor forecast that the Covid-19 pandemic will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 .

The national Covid-19 information center ranks the Kurgan region, with a population below 830,000, Russia’s eighth least-affected subject with 5,462 total infections and a two-week average of 73 new cases. Hospital staff, according to the BBC, maintain that regional authorities minimize the figures and fail to take appropriate measures.
Medics in the Ural Mountains city of Kurgan have appealed for the Russian government to send in army medics to help the local health care system stretched thin by the coronavirus pandemic, BBC Russia reported Monday.
Hospitals have run out of beds, medical personnel and ambulances, they wrote in a letter to Anna Popova, Russia’s chief sanitary doctor and head of the consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, the BBC reported.
“The health care system is in complete collapse,” medics at three Kurgan region hospitals and one outpatient clinic wrote.
“We ask you not to look at this through the words of our officials but to send a commission so that its members could see firsthand the hell that’s breaking loose with medical care,” they said.
The appeal for army medics and the rapid construction of a new infectious diseases hospital comes amid widespread reports of staff and bed shortages across the country during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Russia pushed past the 1.5 million mark for total Covid-19 infections over the weekend and set a daily record of 17,347 new cases Monday.
The Kremlin noted Monday that the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak has shifted from Moscow, which continues to see around one-third of all new infections, to the regions.
Rospotrebnadzor forecast that the Covid-19 pandemic will likely not decline until the summer of 2021.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-26--Third Attempt at Nagorno-Karabakh Ceasefire Collapses Within Minutes

A third attempt at halting weeks of fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh collapsed quickly on Monday with Armenia and Azerbaijan trading accusations of violating the U.S.-brokered ceasefire within minutes .
As fighting over the disputed region enters its second month , international mediators are scrambling to bring a stop to frontline clashes and shelling of civilian areas that have left hundreds dead .
The latest `` humanitarian ceasefire '' was announced by Washington on Sunday , after truces brokered by Russia and France fell apart over previous weekends .
It took less than an hour after the ceasefire was due to begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the first accusations to be made .
Azerbaijan 's foreign ministry said Armenian forces had shelled the town of Terter and nearby villages in `` gross violation '' of the truce .
Armenia 's defence ministry said Azerbaijani forces had violated the truce with artillery fire on combat positions in various parts of the frontline .
Karabakh 's rights ombudsman said a missile strike had hit a village in the region , killing one civilian and wounding two others .
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a bitter conflict over Karabakh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of the mountainous province in a 1990s war that left 30,000 people dead .
Karabakh 's self-declared independence has not been recognized internationally , even by Armenia , and it remains a part of Azerbaijan under international law .
The current fighting broke out on September 27 .
Armenia and Azerbaijan accuse each other of having targeted civilians and of breaking the previous truces .
In an address to the nation , Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Armenia had `` immediately violated '' the ceasefire on Monday .
`` I have ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give in to provocation , '' Aliyev said .
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Twitter that `` despite several provocations , the ceasefire is being maintained .
`` The Armenian side will continue to strictly adhere to the ceasefire regime , '' he said .
After coming under heavy shelling at the start of the fighting , Nagorno-Karabakh 's main city Stepanakert has been quieter in recent days .
AFP journalists in the city on Monday said the night had been calm .
There were fewer sounds of fighting coming from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous days , though rounds of shelling could be heard in the distance .
More than 1,000 people have been reported dead in the fighting , mainly Armenian separatist fighters but also dozens of civilians on both sides .
Azerbaijan has not released any figures on its military casualties and the death toll is believed to be substantially higher , with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying last week that close to 5,000 people had been killed .
Russia , France and the United States are leaders of the `` Minsk Group '' which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a negotiated settlement to the conflict .
This year 's fighting is the heaviest since a 1994 ceasefire , raising fears that both Russia , which has a military alliance with Armenia , and Azerbaijan 's ally Turkey could be further drawn into the conflict .
The latest ceasefire push came after U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun met in Washington Saturday with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and the co-chairs of the Minsk Group .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The State Department said the Minsk co-chairs and the foreign ministers `` agreed to meet again in Geneva on October 29 '' to seek `` all steps necessary to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict '' .
Azerbaijan has claimed to be making significant gains since the fighting began by retaking areas it lost in the 1990s war , in particular in a buffer zone outside Karabakh seized by the Armenians .
`` Armenia has fallen to its knees in front of us on the battlefield and is now trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its forces , '' Aliyev said in his address on Monday .
Armenia has admitted to suffering losses and called on volunteers to join the fighting at the front .
Its defence ministry said Monday there was heavy fighting in the southeast of Karabakh , where Azerbaijan says it has reclaimed a string of settlements and strategic areas

A third attempt at halting weeks of fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh collapsed quickly on Monday with Armenia and Azerbaijan trading accusations of violating the U.S.-brokered ceasefire within minutes.
As fighting over the disputed region enters its second month, international mediators are scrambling to bring a stop to frontline clashes and shelling of civilian areas that have left hundreds dead.
The latest "humanitarian ceasefire" was announced by Washington on Sunday, after truces brokered by Russia and France fell apart over previous weekends.
It took less than an hour after the ceasefire was due to begin at 8:00 am (04:00 GMT) for the first accusations to be made.
Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said Armenian forces had shelled the town of Terter and nearby villages in "gross violation" of the truce.
Armenia's defence ministry said Azerbaijani forces had violated the truce with artillery fire on combat positions in various parts of the frontline.
Karabakh's rights ombudsman said a missile strike had hit a village in the region, killing one civilian and wounding two others.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a bitter conflict over Karabakh since Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized control of the mountainous province in a 1990s war that left 30,000 people dead.
Karabakh's self-declared independence has not been recognized internationally, even by Armenia, and it remains a part of Azerbaijan under international law.
'Provocations'
The current fighting broke out on September 27. Armenia and Azerbaijan accuse each other of having targeted civilians and of breaking the previous truces.
In an address to the nation, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Armenia had "immediately violated" the ceasefire on Monday.
"I have ordered our military to show restraint and not give in to provocation," Aliyev said.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Twitter that "despite several provocations, the ceasefire is being maintained.
"The Armenian side will continue to strictly adhere to the ceasefire regime," he said.
After coming under heavy shelling at the start of the fighting, Nagorno-Karabakh's main city Stepanakert has been quieter in recent days.
AFP journalists in the city on Monday said the night had been calm. There were fewer sounds of fighting coming from the frontline on Monday morning than in previous days, though rounds of shelling could be heard in the distance.
More than 1,000 people have been reported dead in the fighting, mainly Armenian separatist fighters but also dozens of civilians on both sides.
Azerbaijan has not released any figures on its military casualties and the death toll is believed to be substantially higher, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying last week that close to 5,000 people had been killed.
Russia, France and the United States are leaders of the "Minsk Group" which has failed since the 1990s to bring about a negotiated settlement to the conflict.
New talks in Geneva
This year's fighting is the heaviest since a 1994 ceasefire, raising fears that both Russia, which has a military alliance with Armenia, and Azerbaijan's ally Turkey could be further drawn into the conflict.
The latest ceasefire push came after U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun met in Washington Saturday with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and the co-chairs of the Minsk Group.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted that the negotiations had been "intensive".
The State Department said the Minsk co-chairs and the foreign ministers "agreed to meet again in Geneva on October 29" to seek "all steps necessary to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict".
Azerbaijan has claimed to be making significant gains since the fighting began by retaking areas it lost in the 1990s war, in particular in a buffer zone outside Karabakh seized by the Armenians.
"Armenia has fallen to its knees in front of us on the battlefield and is now trying to achieve a ceasefire in order to reassemble its forces," Aliyev said in his address on Monday.
Armenia has admitted to suffering losses and called on volunteers to join the fighting at the front.
Its defence ministry said Monday there was heavy fighting in the southeast of Karabakh, where Azerbaijan says it has reclaimed a string of settlements and strategic areas


themoscowtimes--2020-10-27--Anti-Lukashenko Strike ‘Just the Beginning,’ Belarus Opposition Leader Says

Tikhanovskaya had given Lukashenko until Sunday to quit , halt violence against protesters and release political prisoners , warning he would otherwise face a general strike from Monday .
The 66-year-old Lukashenko , accused by the opposition of stealing August polls , ignored the ultimatum and police cracked down on the latest of a series of opposition protests on Sunday .
Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has called Monday ’ s general strike aimed at putting pressure on President Alexander Lukashenko a “ collective success ” and vowed to continue calling for his resignation .
In a video published on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thanked the nationwide strike ’ s participants and called on more supporters to join the disobedience campaign the following day .
“ Today was an important day , and I believe it was just the beginning , ” Tikhanovskaya said .
Many small businesses , including shops , cafes and online shops , had closed on Monday .
Tikhanovskaya said that workers from major plants including the Grodno Azot chemical plant , the Minsk Automobile Plant and Minsk Tractor Works joined the strike .
Protests were also reported at universities , with students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Belarus State University of Information Technology and Radioelectronics joining marches in central Minsk .
At least 371 strike participants were detained throughout the day , according to the Viasna human rights group .
In her address , Tikhanovskaya called the strike participants “ heroes ” that stood up for their community and the first day of the general strike a “ collective success.
” “ Production shops remained at a standstill to put to work the chain of solidarity , ” she said .
Lukashenko on Tuesday called the strike `` the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of terrorism.
” Speaking at the start of a government meeting , he added that some of the protesters had `` crossed a red line '' and some sought to block railways .
He also called on universities to expel all students who took part in the protests .
Pavel Latushko , a member of the opposition ’ s Coordination Council that was established to oversee a peaceful transition of power to Tikhanovskaya , echoed that sentiment in an interview with the Current Time broadcaster , saying the strike proves that Belarusians are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go till the end.
” Meanwhile , Alexey Dzermant , a political analyst from the Belarusian state-run Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Science , said he believes that the opposition ’ s attempt at a nationwide strike was a failure .
“ The number of protests will decrease , while [ protesters ’ ] radicalism will continue to grow , ” Dzermant told the Echo Moskvy radio station .
The protest movement in Belarus has kept up large demonstrations for more than two months , with tens of thousands taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people died and thousands were arrested in a post-election crackdown , with harrowing accounts emerging of abuse in jails .

Tikhanovskaya had given Lukashenko until Sunday to quit, halt violence against protesters and release political prisoners, warning he would otherwise face a general strike from Monday. The 66-year-old Lukashenko, accused by the opposition of stealing August polls, ignored the ultimatum and police cracked down on the latest of a series of opposition protests on Sunday.
Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has called Monday’s general strike aimed at putting pressure on President Alexander Lukashenko a “collective success” and vowed to continue calling for his resignation.
In a video published on her official Telegram channel Tuesday, Tikhanovskaya thanked the nationwide strike’s participants and called on more supporters to join the disobedience campaign the following day.
“Today was an important day, and I believe it was just the beginning,” Tikhanovskaya said.
Many small businesses, including shops, cafes and online shops, had closed on Monday.
Tikhanovskaya said that workers from major plants including the Grodno Azot chemical plant, the Minsk Automobile Plant and Minsk Tractor Works joined the strike.
Protests were also reported at universities, with students from the Belarus National Technical University and the Belarus State University of Information Technology and Radioelectronics joining marches in central Minsk.
At least 371 strike participants were detained throughout the day, according to the Viasna human rights group.
In her address, Tikhanovskaya called the strike participants “heroes” that stood up for their community and the first day of the general strike a “collective success.”
“Production shops remained at a standstill to put to work the chain of solidarity,” she said.
Lukashenko on Tuesday called the strike "the actions of organized criminal groups with signs of terrorism.” Speaking at the start of a government meeting, he added that some of the protesters had "crossed a red line" and some sought to block railways.
He also called on universities to expel all students who took part in the protests.
Pavel Latushko, a member of the opposition’s Coordination Council that was established to oversee a peaceful transition of power to Tikhanovskaya, echoed that sentiment in an interview with the Current Time broadcaster, saying the strike proves that Belarusians are “aiming for freedom, ready to go till the end.”
Meanwhile, Alexey Dzermant, a political analyst from the Belarusian state-run Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Science, said he believes that the opposition’s attempt at a nationwide strike was a failure.
“The number of protests will decrease, while [protesters’] radicalism will continue to grow,” Dzermant told the Echo Moskvy radio station.
The protest movement in Belarus has kept up large demonstrations for more than two months, with tens of thousands taking to the streets every Sunday.
Several people died and thousands were arrested in a post-election crackdown, with harrowing accounts emerging of abuse in jails.
AFP contributed reporting.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-27--Russia Foreign Minister Self-Isolates After Covid Contact

Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Facebook that the minister , 70 , `` feels well '' but that planned @ @ @ @ @ postponed to a later date .
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will self-isolate after coming @ @ @ @ @ tested positive for Covid-19 , his ministry said Tuesday .
On Monday , Lavrov was @ @ @ @ @ Athens where he was photographed wearing a mask during meetings with Greek officials .
According @ @ @ @ @ this was only the second time Lavrov was seen wearing a mask at a public @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak .
Lavrov had been due to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday for @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday he had planned a visit to Belgrade for a meeting with Serbian President @ @ @ @ @ the fourth-highest virus caseload in the world , with a total of 1,547,774 registered infections @ @ @ @ @ have been on a steady rise and reached record levels in recent days .
On @ @ @ @ @ including with a requirement to wear face masks in many public spaces .

Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Facebook that the minister, 70, "feels well" but that planned visits and meetings will be postponed to a later date.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will self-isolate after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19, his ministry said Tuesday.
On Monday, Lavrov was on a working visit to Athens where he was photographed wearing a mask during meetings with Greek officials.
According to Russian daily Kommersant, this was only the second time Lavrov was seen wearing a mask at a public event since the start of the outbreak.
Lavrov had been due to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday for talks with top officials and on Thursday he had planned a visit to Belgrade for a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
Russia has the fourth-highest virus caseload in the world, with a total of 1,547,774 registered infections and 26,589 deaths.
Infections have been on a steady rise and reached record levels in recent days. On Tuesday the government tightened restrictions including with a requirement to wear face masks in many public spaces.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-27--Azerbaijan Accuses Armenia of Deadly Missile Strike on Civilians

With clashes over the disputed Caucasus region entering a second month , international mediators are pushing to bring a stop to frontline clashes and shelling of civilian areas that have left hundreds dead .
Azerbaijan accused Armenia of a missile attack that killed four civilians Tuesday , as Washington urged the two sides to abide by a ceasefire aimed at halting weeks of fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh .
A U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreed at the weekend — the third attempt at a truce — unraveled within minutes on Monday with the two countries trading accusations of new attacks .
Azerbaijani presidential aide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had fired missiles on a village in the country 's Barda region near the frontline , killing four civilians , including a two-year-old girl , and wounding 13 others .
He claimed cluster bombs had been used and accused Armenia of an `` indiscriminate and targeted attack against civilians . ''
`` In violation of humanitarian ceasefire and in order to compensate their sustained military losses , Armenia resorts to war crimes of killing civilians , '' Hajiyev said in English on Twitter .
Armenian defense ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan denied the claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dirty provocation . ''
Karabakh 's rights ombudsman Artak Beglaryan accused Azerbaijani forces of `` deliberately targeting civilians '' by firing rockets carrying cluster munitions Tuesday into a village in the region 's Martuni district , wounding three women .
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a bitter conflict over Karabakh since Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized control of the mountainous province in a 1990s war that left 30,000 people dead .
Karabakh 's self-declared independence has not been recognized internationally , even by Armenia , and it remains a part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current fighting broke out on Sept. 27 .
Armenia and Azerbaijan accuse each other of having targeted civilians and of breaking the previous truces .
In separate phone calls with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev , U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged them to stand by the ceasefire agreed on Sunday .
Pompeo `` pressed the leaders to abide by their commitments to cease hostilities and pursue a diplomatic solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , '' the State Department said in a statement .
Pompeo told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military solution to this conflict , '' the State Department said .
Russia , France and the United States are leaders of the `` Minsk Group '' which has failed since the 1990s to bring about a negotiated settlement to the conflict .
This year 's fighting is the heaviest since a 1994 ceasefire , raising fears that both Russia , which has a military alliance with Armenia , and Azerbaijan 's ally Turkey could be further drawn into the conflict .
Azerbaijan has claimed to be making significant gains since the fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1990s war , in particular in a buffer zone outside Karabakh seized by the Armenians .
Armenia has admitted to suffering losses and called on volunteers to join the fighting at the front .
The two countries ' defense ministries said fighting was continuing along the frontline on Tuesday .
More than 1,000 people have been reported dead in the fighting , mainly Armenian separatist fighters but also dozens of civilians on both sides .
Azerbaijan has not released any figures on its military casualties and the death toll is believed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vladimir Putin saying last week that close to 5,000 people had been killed .

With clashes over the disputed Caucasus region entering a second month, international mediators are pushing to bring a stop to frontline clashes and shelling of civilian areas that have left hundreds dead.
Azerbaijan accused Armenia of a missile attack that killed four civilians Tuesday, as Washington urged the two sides to abide by a ceasefire aimed at halting weeks of fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh.
A U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreed at the weekend — the third attempt at a truce — unraveled within minutes on Monday with the two countries trading accusations of new attacks.
Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev said Tuesday that Armenian forces had fired missiles on a village in the country's Barda region near the frontline, killing four civilians, including a two-year-old girl, and wounding 13 others.
He claimed cluster bombs had been used and accused Armenia of an "indiscriminate and targeted attack against civilians."
"In violation of humanitarian ceasefire and in order to compensate their sustained military losses, Armenia resorts to war crimes of killing civilians," Hajiyev said in English on Twitter.
Armenian defense ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan denied the claim as "an absolute lie and a dirty provocation."
Karabakh's rights ombudsman Artak Beglaryan accused Azerbaijani forces of "deliberately targeting civilians" by firing rockets carrying cluster munitions Tuesday into a village in the region's Martuni district, wounding three women.
'No military solution'
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a bitter conflict over Karabakh since Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized control of the mountainous province in a 1990s war that left 30,000 people dead.
Karabakh's self-declared independence has not been recognized internationally, even by Armenia, and it remains a part of Azerbaijan under international law.
The current fighting broke out on Sept. 27. Armenia and Azerbaijan accuse each other of having targeted civilians and of breaking the previous truces.
In separate phone calls with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged them to stand by the ceasefire agreed on Sunday.
Pompeo "pressed the leaders to abide by their commitments to cease hostilities and pursue a diplomatic solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the State Department said in a statement.
Pompeo told the two leaders that "there is no military solution to this conflict," the State Department said.
Russia, France and the United States are leaders of the "Minsk Group" which has failed since the 1990s to bring about a negotiated settlement to the conflict.
Fresh frontline fighting
This year's fighting is the heaviest since a 1994 ceasefire, raising fears that both Russia, which has a military alliance with Armenia, and Azerbaijan's ally Turkey could be further drawn into the conflict.
Azerbaijan has claimed to be making significant gains since the fighting began by retaking areas it lost in the 1990s war, in particular in a buffer zone outside Karabakh seized by the Armenians.
Armenia has admitted to suffering losses and called on volunteers to join the fighting at the front.
The two countries' defense ministries said fighting was continuing along the frontline on Tuesday.
More than 1,000 people have been reported dead in the fighting, mainly Armenian separatist fighters but also dozens of civilians on both sides.
Azerbaijan has not released any figures on its military casualties and the death toll is believed to be substantially higher, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying last week that close to 5,000 people had been killed.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-27--'Very Nice': Kazakhstan Adopts Borat’s Catchphrase for Tourism Drive

This time around , they are capitalizing on last week ’ s release of “ Borat Subsequent Moviefilm ” with their own rapidly produced ads , which show foreign visitors as they discover that the real Kazakhstan is “ very nice.
” Back then , Kazakh authorities banned the film and threatened to sue its British creator and actor Sacha Baron Cohen for depicting their country as misogynistic , anti-Semitic and dirt-poor .
( In 2012 , Kazakhstan ’ s foreign minister credited him for boosting international tourism tenfold . )
The lean-in attitude marks a reversal from the confrontational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the release of the first Borat movie in 2006 .
Kazakhstan is adopting its fictional resident Borat Sagdiyev ’ s famous catchphrase as its new tourism slogan alongside the release of the comedy-slash-mockumentary ’ s sequel .
With almost half a million YouTube views in 48 hours , the national Kazakh Tourism company ’ s “ Very Nice ” campaign is generating an overwhelmingly positive reaction from viewers whose impression of Kazakhstan would otherwise come from Cohen ’ s stereotypes .
“ For a tourism campaign , there 's nothing better to hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an American expat in Kazakhstan who came up with the idea of co-opting Borat ’ s catchphrase after learning about the sequel ’ s release , told The Moscow Times .
Keen notes that “ very nice ” works as a tourism slogan to describe both Kazakh food and scenery , as well as the “ classic ‘ Kazakh nice ’ [ that ] is local kindness and hospitality.
” His experience inspired a scene in one of the 12-second ads showing a tourist couple receiving a spontaneous wedding invitation from a Kazakh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you how many weddings I 've been invited to by near-strangers , ” Keen said .
“ People in the country are really very nice , and it 's one thing that stays with every traveler who visits Kazakhstan.
” Cohen echoed that sentiment , telling The New York Times that “ the real Kazakhstan is a beautiful country with a modern , proud society — the opposite of Borat ’ s version.
” To Keen , the Oscar nominee ’ s reaction was the most unexpected result of the ad campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” government-run ads showing Kazakhstan as a tolerant country outside the Kazakh Embassy in Washington in 2006 , Keen said he had expected “ a similarly outrageous ” response from Cohen staying in character in 2020 .
“ But instead Cohen gave a very heartfelt comment , expressing support and even sounding a little contrite.
” Even Kazakhstan ’ s tourism board signaled that there is no bad blood between the two .
“ How can you describe a place this surprising in just two words ?
As a wise man onсe said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kazakh Tourism said at the unveiling of the campaign .

This time around, they are capitalizing on last week’s release of “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” with their own rapidly produced ads, which show foreign visitors as they discover that the real Kazakhstan is “very nice.”
Back then, Kazakh authorities banned the film and threatened to sue its British creator and actor Sacha Baron Cohen for depicting their country as misogynistic, anti-Semitic and dirt-poor. (In 2012, Kazakhstan’s foreign minister credited him for boosting international tourism tenfold.)
The lean-in attitude marks a reversal from the confrontational stance the Central Asian country adopted upon the release of the first Borat movie in 2006.
Kazakhstan is adopting its fictional resident Borat Sagdiyev’s famous catchphrase as its new tourism slogan alongside the release of the comedy-slash-mockumentary’s sequel.
With almost half a million YouTube views in 48 hours, the national Kazakh Tourism company’s “Very Nice” campaign is generating an overwhelmingly positive reaction from viewers whose impression of Kazakhstan would have otherwise come from Cohen’s stereotypes.
“For a tourism campaign, there's nothing better to hear than that,” Dennis Keen, an American expat in Kazakhstan who came up with the idea of co-opting Borat’s catchphrase after learning about the sequel’s release, told The Moscow Times.
Keen notes that “very nice” works as a tourism slogan to describe both Kazakh food and scenery, as well as the “classic ‘Kazakh nice’ [that] is local kindness and hospitality.” His experience inspired a scene in one of the 12-second ads showing a tourist couple receiving a spontaneous wedding invitation from a Kazakh couple.
“I can't tell you how many weddings I've been invited to by near-strangers,” Keen said. “People in the country are really very nice, and it's one thing that stays with every traveler who visits Kazakhstan.”
Cohen echoed that sentiment, telling The New York Times that “the real Kazakhstan is a beautiful country with a modern, proud society — the opposite of Borat’s version.”
To Keen, the Oscar nominee’s reaction was the most unexpected result of the ad campaign. After Borat dismissed as “disgusting fabrications” government-run ads showing Kazakhstan as a tolerant country outside the Kazakh Embassy in Washington in 2006, Keen said he had expected “a similarly outrageous” response from Cohen staying in character in 2020.
“But instead Cohen gave a very heartfelt comment, expressing support and even sounding a little contrite.”
Even Kazakhstan’s tourism board signaled that there is no bad blood between the two.
“How can you describe a place this surprising in just two words? As a wise man onсe said, ‘Very nice!’” Kazakh Tourism said at the unveiling of the campaign.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-27--Russia Seeks Accelerated WHO Registration for Virus Vaccine

Russia announced in August it had registered the world 's first coronavirus vaccine , named Sputnik V after the Soviet-era satellite .
Russia has applied to the World Health Organization for accelerated registration and prequalification of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine , the country 's sovereign wealth fund said on Tuesday .
On Tuesday , the Russian Direct Investment Fund ( RDIF ) , which finances the vaccine , said that accelerated registration would make the Russian vaccine `` available globally in a shorter time frame than usual procedures . ''
`` The Russian Federation has become one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prequalification of its vaccine against the novel coronavirus infection , '' the fund said in a statement .
`` Successful prequalification will enable Sputnik V to be included in the list of medicines used by international procurement agencies and countries to guide bulk purchasing of medicines . ''
Some Western scientists have expressed concern over the Russian vaccine , with some warning that moving too quickly could be dangerous .
Earlier this month President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia had registered its second coronavirus vaccine , EpiVacCorona .
Russia has the fourth-highest virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total of 1,547,774 registered infections and 26,589 deaths .
On Tuesday , health authorities reported a record 320 deaths from the coronavirus over the past 24 hours as officials tightened anti-virus restrictions including enforcing mask-wearing in public spaces .

Russia announced in August it had registered the world's first coronavirus vaccine, named Sputnik V after the Soviet-era satellite.
Russia has applied to the World Health Organization for accelerated registration and prequalification of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, the country's sovereign wealth fund said on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which finances the vaccine, said that accelerated registration would make the Russian vaccine "available globally in a shorter time frame than usual procedures."
"The Russian Federation has become one of the first countries to apply to WHO for prequalification of its vaccine against the novel coronavirus infection," the fund said in a statement.
"Successful prequalification will enable Sputnik V to be included in the list of medicines used by international procurement agencies and countries to guide bulk purchasing of medicines."
Some Western scientists have expressed concern over the Russian vaccine, with some warning that moving too quickly could be dangerous.
Earlier this month President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia had registered its second coronavirus vaccine, EpiVacCorona.
Russia has the fourth-highest virus caseload in the world, with a total of 1,547,774 registered infections and 26,589 deaths.
On Tuesday, health authorities reported a record 320 deaths from the coronavirus over the past 24 hours as officials tightened anti-virus restrictions including enforcing mask-wearing in public spaces.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-27--Putin Orders Government to Improve Abortion Prevention Efforts

Putin ’ s order was made public days after Poland ’ s top court deemed abortions performed in cases of fetal defects to be unconstitutional .
For Poland , which already had some of Europe ’ s strictest abortion laws , the decision amounted to a near-total ban on the procedure , sparking mass protests in over 150 Polish cities .
President Vladimir Putin has urged the government to improve abortion prevention strategies in an effort to reduce the number of terminated pregnancies and offset Russia 's population decline .
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and regional heads will be tasked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategies and developing mechanisms to increase funding for medical organizations that improve their abortion prevention rates , according to Putin ’ s order published Saturday .
Improving access to legal , psychological and medical assistance through the maternity insurance program is outlined in Putin 's order as a key measure expected to dissuade women from abortion .
Russia , which has one of the world 's highest abortion rates , has named abortion reduction as one of its key demographic policy priorities .
In the past five years , pregnancy terminations have decreased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Oleg Salagai said Tuesday .
Russia ’ s efforts to improve abortion prevention have largely failed to revert its looming demographic crisis , however , with the country ’ s population predicted to decline by 352,500 in 2020 compared to a decrease of 32,100 in 2019 .
Russia has one of the world ’ s most liberal abortion laws , with most procedures performed at no cost under the mandatory state health insurance program .
Terminating a pregnancy is allowed up until the 12th week , with abortions at later stages only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of rape or for medical reasons .
The Russian Orthodox Church and conservative lawmakers have pushed for an end to state-funded abortions in recent years .
Women ’ s rights advocates have voiced concern over Russia ’ s move toward tighter restrictions after the government introduced a mandatory waiting period between the abortion request and the procedure itself in 2011 .
Some Russian regions also require women to undergo counseling with a priest or a psychologist before the procedure can be performed .
Russian women reported being denied access to free abortions during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinics postponed scheduled medical procedures .

Putin’s order was made public days after Poland’s top court deemed abortions performed in cases of fetal defects to be unconstitutional. For Poland, which already had some of Europe’s strictest abortion laws, the decision amounted to a near-total ban on the procedure, sparking mass protests in over 150 Polish cities.
President Vladimir Putin has urged the government to improve abortion prevention strategies in an effort to reduce the number of terminated pregnancies and offset Russia's population decline.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and regional heads will be tasked with reassessing Russia’s abortion prevention strategies and developing mechanisms to increase funding for medical organizations that improve their abortion prevention rates, according to Putin’s order published Saturday.
Improving access to legal, psychological and medical assistance through the maternity insurance program is outlined in Putin's order as a key measure expected to dissuade women from abortion.
Russia, which has one of the world's highest abortion rates, has named abortion reduction as one of its key demographic policy priorities. In the past five years, pregnancy terminations have decreased by nearly 30%, Deputy Health Minister Oleg Salagai said Tuesday.
Russia’s efforts to improve abortion prevention have largely failed to revert its looming demographic crisis, however, with the country’s population predicted to decline by 352,500 in 2020 compared to a decrease of 32,100 in 2019.
Russia has one of the world’s most liberal abortion laws, with most procedures performed at no cost under the mandatory state health insurance program. Terminating a pregnancy is allowed up until the 12th week, with abortions at later stages only permitted if the pregnancy was a result of rape or for medical reasons.
The Russian Orthodox Church and conservative lawmakers have pushed for an end to state-funded abortions in recent years.
Women’s rights advocates have voiced concern over Russia’s move toward tighter restrictions after the government introduced a mandatory waiting period between the abortion request and the procedure itself in 2011. Some Russian regions also require women to undergo counseling with a priest or a psychologist before the procedure can be performed.
Russian women reported being denied access to free abortions during the coronavirus lockdown this spring when Russian clinics postponed scheduled medical procedures.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-28--Russia's Tu-154 Jet Completes Final Passenger Voyage

The Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft , a flagship model of Soviet aviation , flew its final passenger flight on Wednesday , @ @ @ @ @ The three-engine medium-haul aircraft carried out its first commercial flight in 1972 , and was @ @ @ @ @ and then Russian domestic aviation from the 1980s to the mid-2000s .
`` We are @ @ @ @ @ of operations of the only remaining Tu-154 aircraft in Russia 's civil aviation , '' @ @ @ @ @ .
This last commercial flight carried 140 passengers from the Far Eastern town of Mirny @ @ @ @ @ `` diamond capital , '' to Novosibirsk in Western Siberia .
`` Thank you Tu-154 @ @ @ @ @ a video posted on social media .
`` A whole era of national aircraft construction @ @ @ @ @ aircraft , '' the airline added .

The Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft, a flagship model of Soviet aviation, flew its final passenger flight on Wednesday, Russian airline Alrosa said.
The three-engine medium-haul aircraft carried out its first commercial flight in 1972, and was the workhorse of the Soviet and then Russian domestic aviation from the 1980s to the mid-2000s.
"We are saddened to announce the end of operations of the only remaining Tu-154 aircraft in Russia's civil aviation," Alrosa said in a statement.
This last commercial flight carried 140 passengers from the Far Eastern town of Mirny, known as Russia's "diamond capital," to Novosibirsk in Western Siberia.
"Thank you Tu-154..." Alrosa said in a video posted on social media.
"A whole era of national aircraft construction is ending with this legendary aircraft," the airline added.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-28--Libyan Government Agrees to Release Russians Accused of Meddling – Bloomberg

The Libyan Government of National Accord ( GNA ) has agreed to release Russian political operatives accused of vote meddling @ @ @ @ @ The agreement between Libya ’ s internationally recognized government and Moscow was made last week @ @ @ @ @ to return to Russia in the coming days , Bloomberg cited unnamed sources close to @ @ @ @ @ Political advisor Maxim Shugaley and his interpreter Samir Hasan Ali Seifan were employed by the @ @ @ @ @ , a pro-government think tank tasked with the diffusion of Russian conservative values and allegedly @ @ @ @ @ Yevgeny Prigozhin , known as “ Putin ’ s Chef.
” Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman @ @ @ @ @ the story , telling Bloomberg in a text message that “ contacts on this issue @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s early yet to talk about any results .
”

The Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) has agreed to release Russian political operatives accused of vote meddling, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
The agreement between Libya’s internationally recognized government and Moscow was made last week and the prisoners are expected to return to Russia in the coming days, Bloomberg cited unnamed sources close to the negotiations as saying.
Political advisor Maxim Shugaley and his interpreter Samir Hasan Ali Seifan were employed by the Foundation for National Values Protection, a pro-government think tank tasked with the diffusion of Russian conservative values and allegedly owned by Kremlin-linked catering magnate Yevgeny Prigozhin, known as “Putin’s Chef.”
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova did not confirm the story, telling Bloomberg in a text message that “contacts on this issue have become more active but it’s early yet to talk about any results.”