themoscowtimes--2020-03-03--Russia Sends Punk-Rave Sensations Little Big to Eurovision

The choice represents a break with Russia ’ s reliance on more traditional pop stars to bring home the trophy and hosting rights for the first time in more than a decade .
This year , the annual festival of kitsch and shameless political voting that draws around 200 million viewers will be held in Rotterdam , The Netherlands .
Little Big , the self-described punk-pop-rave juggernaut behind the infectious Skibidi Challenge , will represent Russia at the Eurovision song contest this spring , organizers announced Monday .
A little big bit of news for you !
Punk-pop-rave band , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ | @ channelone_rus at # ESC2020 🥳 .
Find out more👉 https : //t.co/z13Gxupecw # Eurovision | # OpenUp | # Russia pic.twitter.com/jllgLyVgK9 “ It was really unexpected for us , ” Little Big frontman Ilya Pruskin said in an interview after Russian state television ’ s Channel One announced the band as Russia ’ s representative in the European sing-off .
“ Of course we were happy when the news came .
But then it got a little scary .
It ’ s still a great responsibility to represent Russia , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Little Big is due to unveil its participating song sometime before the March 9 submission deadline .
“ We have huge expectations and we ’ re afraid of not meeting them , ” Pruskin said .
“ I can say that the song will be fun.
” Observers have welcomed the choice , pointing to the band ’ s ability to craft viral , meme-ready hooks and dance moves .
The band 's song “ Skibidi ” went viral around the world last year when band members challenged fans to film themselves performing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The video has racked up more than 360 million views on YouTube since its October 2018 premiere .
Eurovision will be held between May 12 and May 16 .
Russia won its only Eurovision contest in 2008 and has finished in the top five nine times since its debut in 1994 .
Last year , 182 million tuned in to the spectacle .

The choice represents a break with Russia’s reliance on more traditional pop stars to bring home the trophy and hosting rights for the first time in more than a decade. This year, the annual festival of kitsch and shameless political voting that draws around 200 million viewers will be held in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Little Big, the self-described punk-pop-rave juggernaut behind the infectious Skibidi Challenge, will represent Russia at the Eurovision song contest this spring, organizers announced Monday.
A little big bit of news for you! Punk-pop-rave band, Little Big, will sing for Russia🇷🇺 | @channelone_rus at #ESC2020 🥳. Find out more👉 https://t.co/z13Gxupecw #Eurovision | #OpenUp | #Russia pic.twitter.com/jllgLyVgK9
“It was really unexpected for us,” Little Big frontman Ilya Pruskin said in an interview after Russian state television’s Channel One announced the band as Russia’s representative in the European sing-off.
“Of course we were happy when the news came. But then it got a little scary. It’s still a great responsibility to represent Russia,” Pruskin told the Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid.
Little Big is due to unveil its participating song sometime before the March 9 submission deadline.
“We have huge expectations and we’re afraid of not meeting them,” Pruskin said. “I can say that the song will be fun.”
Observers have welcomed the choice, pointing to the band’s ability to craft viral, meme-ready hooks and dance moves. The band's song “Skibidi” went viral around the world last year when band members challenged fans to film themselves performing the dance from the music video. The video has racked up more than 360 million views on YouTube since its October 2018 premiere.
Eurovision will be held between May 12 and May 16.
Russia won its only Eurovision contest in 2008 and has finished in the top five nine times since its debut in 1994.
Last year, 182 million tuned in to the spectacle.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-03--Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | March 3

Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who have since recovered .
The first three Russian citizens have also been infected with the coronavirus onboard a quarantined cruise ship in Japan .
As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 3,000 people continues to spread around the world , Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk , including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China and temporarily banning Chinese citizens from entering the country .
Below are the latest updates on Russia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metro has begun random checks of passengers ' temperatures at station entrances , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
— A Russian national who was quarantined in a Moscow hospital after recently returning from northern Italy , a hub for the coronavirus outbreak , has the coronavirus , the state-run RIA Novosti reported .
The man , 29-year-old Moscow resident David Berov , is the first known Russian national to test positive for coronavirus while in the country .
— The impact of coronavirus on the Russian economy will be deeper than originally expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The ruble 's depreciation and stock market decline have gained momentum since mid-February due to the fast-spreading coronavirus and concerns about its economic impact , which sent oil prices crashing .
— Schools across Moscow have canceled swimming classes and large-scale events to prevent the spread of the flu and respiratory infections , the city ’ s education officials said in a Feb. 28 letter cited by Interfax .
— Moscow authorities are deporting 88 foreign nationals who violated quarantine measures imposed on them as a precaution against coronavirus , the state-run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor as saying .
— A Russian citizen has tested positive with coronavirus in Azerbaijan after arriving there from Iran , Interfax reported .
It marks the fourth case of coronavirus among Russian citizens and the first infection in Azerbaijan .
— The Russian government temporarily barred Iranian citizens from entering Russia and said it would also restrict the entry of South Korean citizens from March 1 as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus , decrees published online showed .
— The government also said it would not allow in any foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and ordered the Foreign Ministry to suspend the issue of visas to Iranian citizens .
— Russia will suspend the train service from Moscow to the southern French city of Nice starting March 4 , the state-run TASS news agency reported , citing the Transport Ministry .
The ministry said the train link would be suspended until further notice as part of wider measures aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus in Russia .
— Moscow authorities have identified 88 people who violated the city 's self-isolation orders after returning from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Russian capital deployed its facial recognition network to enforce the quarantine .
— Russia has developed five prototypes for a coronavirus vaccine , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Russia 's Federal Tourism Agency recommended national tour operators suspend tours to Italy , South Korea and Iran until the outbreaks of coronavirus there are brought under control .
— Moscow will suspend flights between Russia and South Korea from March 1 over coronavirus fears , except those operated by Aeroflot and Aurora , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ issuing visas to some Iranian citizens from Feb. 28 and was advising Russians against traveling to Italy .
— Other restrictions related to the outbreak which have been previously announced will be extended by one month to April 1 , Golikova said .
— The Chinese Embassy in Russia has reportedly asked Moscow authorities to stop the profiling of Chinese nationals on the city 's public transport .
According to Novaya Gazeta , the embassy 's letter said that Moscow police and subway workers had begun questioning passengers believed to be Chinese to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is n't being done anywhere else in the world .
— Two Russian citizens are among the hundreds of tourists being quarantined in a seaside resort on Tenerife , one of the Canary Islands , after an Italian doctor who was staying there tested positive for coronavirus , Interfax reported .
— Seven Russian passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship have been placed in a two-week quarantine in a Vladivostok hospital .
— Nearly all of the 25 Ukrainian nationals onboard the quarantined ship have refused to be evacuated to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evacuees broke out there .
— Around 2,500 people arriving from China have been ordered placed under quarantine for the coronavirus and monitored by the Russian capital ’ s facial-recognition technology , Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .

Russia has confirmed 18,315,292 cases of coronavirus and 378,784 deaths , according to the national coronavirus information center. Russia’s total excess fatality count since the start of the coronavirus pandemic is at least 995,000. Under half the population is fully vaccinated.
— QR codes will be issued to Russians who test positive for Covid-19 antibodies, regardless of their vaccination status.
— Russians will be able to take an antibody test to obtain a coronavirus health pass from Feb. 21, the Health Ministry said Tuesday.
— Russia reported more than 200,000 new Covid-19 infections for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
— After a three-day decline, Russia saw an an increase of Covid-19 infections with a total of 179,284 new infections and 748 deaths.
Russians and foreigners will be able to receive a coronavirus QR-code health pass based on the results of an antibody test from Monday.
Russia reported 137,642 new Covid-19 infections and 785 deaths over the last 24 hours.
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Feb. 10
— Russia reported a total of 197,076 new infections and 701 deaths.
Feb. 9
— Russia reported a total of 183,103 new infections and 669 deaths.
Feb. 8
— Russia reported a total of 165,643 new infections and 698 deaths.
— Almost 12,000 children with Covid-19 are currently being treated in hospitals, while children make up about 20% of the country's total number of coronavirus cases, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko announced.
Feb. 7
— Russia reported 171,905 new coronavirus infections and 609 deaths.
Feb. 6
— Russia reported a record 180,071 new coronavirus infections and 661 deaths.
Feb. 5
— Russia reported another record number of new coronavirus infections. A total of 177,282 new infections and 714 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
Feb. 4
— Russia reported another record number of new coronavirus infections. A total of 168,201 new infections and 682 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine has a 70.5% efficacy against the Delta variant of the coronavirus six months after vaccination, the jab’s developers said Friday. The findings were published as part of the results of Phase 3 medical trials into the vaccine. Omicron has displaced Delta as the dominant strain of the coronavirus in Moscow and is sweeping rapidly across the country.
Feb. 3
— Russia reported a new record number of new coronavirus infections. A total of 155,768 new infections and 667 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Russia plans to cancel mandatory isolation requirements for people who come into contact with somebody infected with Covid-19, Anna Popova, the head of the Rospotrebnadzor consumer health watchdog said Friday. She said the forced quarantine rules “have lost their reasoning” with the surge in Omicron cases.
Feb. 2
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the fifth consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 141,883 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 678 fatalities.
Feb. 1
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the fourth consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 125,836 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 663 fatalities.
— Russia's Labor Ministry has recommended that all enterprises send as many of their employees to remote work as possible due to the surge in Covid-19 cases.
— A growing number of Russian regions are re-introducing coronavirus lockdown measures due to the surging Omicron variant, even as the Kremlin on Monday repeated that there will be no nationwide lockdown due to the variant’s spread. Fifteen regions across the country have suspended routine medical care due to the overwhelming number of hospitalizations, while five regions have sent schoolchildren to remote learning and four regions banned mass gatherings. The Tula region south of Moscow took the most drastic step in the latest virus surge by announcing a 10-day regionwide holiday.
Jan. 31
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 124,070 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 621 fatalities.
— Russia’s excess fatalities reached 995,000 by the end of 2021, according to The Moscow Times’ analysis of official statistics. The country also saw its largest natural population decline since the end of the Soviet Union, registering a fall of more than one million in 2021, the Rosstat statistics service said Friday.
Jan. 30
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the second consecutive day. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 121,228 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 617 fatalities.
Jan. 29
— Russia reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases for the first time ever. The country’s coronavirus task force confirmed 113,112 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours and 668 fatalities.
— Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was "clear that the real number of people who have Covid-19 is slightly higher than the official statistics."
— Moscow does not plan to introduce new lockdown measures in response to the Omicron variant, the RBC news website reported, citing two sources close to the Mayor's Office.
Jan. 28
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the eighth day running. A total of 98,040 new infections and 673 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours. Case numbers have doubled in the span of a week.
Jan. 27
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the seventh day running. A total of 88,816 new infections and 665 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours. Case numbers have doubled in the span of a week.
— The number of Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital in the capital jumped 22% on Thursday and is now running close to peaks recorded during the two previous waves of the virus in 2021.
Jan. 26
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the sixth day running. A total of 74,692 new infections and 657 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Children in St. Petersburg will be barred from sporting, cultural and entertainment establishments from Jan. 28-Feb. 13, city authorities announced.
— Russia has cut the quarantine period for people infected with Covid-19 from 14 to seven days, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced Tuesday.
Jan. 25
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the fifth day running. A total of 67,809 new infections and 681 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours.
— Around 70% of people infected with the Omicron variant in Russia are unvaccinated, said Anna Popova, the head of Russia’s consumer health watchdog, in a televised meeting.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the capital was likely to see growing coronavirus cases for at least two more weeks, as the Omicron variant fuels a record rise in infections.
Jan. 24
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the fourth day running. A total of 65,109 new infections and 655 deaths were recorded.
Jan. 23
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections for the third day running. A total of 63,205 new infections were recorded over the last 24 hours and 679 deaths.
Jan. 22
— Russia reported a record number of new coronavirus infections as the Omicron variant continued its rapid spread across the country. A total of 57,212 new infections were recorded over the last 24 hours and 681 deaths.
Jan. 21
— Amid rising cases, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on extended a requirement for businesses in the capital to ensure 30% of their employers were working from home.
— Russia plans to cut the isolation period from 14 to seven days for those infected with Covid-19, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said.
— Russian lawmakers have agreed to withdraw from consideration an unpopular bill for QR-code health passes to enter public spaces, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said.
Jan. 19
— Russia reported 33,899 new Covid-19 infections and 698 deaths.
— Cases in Russia’s second city of St. Petersburg set a new record high Wednesday with 4,382 new confirmed cases. In Moscow, where Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Omicron has become the dominant strain, new infections set their third-highest daily toll since the start of the pandemic on Wednesday of 8,795.
Jan. 18
— Russia reported 31,252 new Covid-19 infections and 688 deaths.
Jan. 17
— Russia reported 30,726 new Covid-19 infections and 670 deaths.
— The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is still awaiting additional documentation on Sputnik V before it can proceed with the vaccine approval process, the EU’s Ambassador to Moscow said Monday. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Russia said Sunday the vaccine’s developers had submitted all the required information needed for its approval process, and further inspections will take place in February, though other WHO officials later appeared to contradict this, saying they were still waiting for a full data package from Russia.
Jan. 16
— Russia reported 29,230 new Covid-19 infections and 686 deaths.
Jan. 15
— Russia reported 27,179 new Covid-19 infections and 723 deaths.
Jan. 14
— Russia reported 23,820 new Covid-19 cases and 739 deaths
— Russia will delay controversial legislation over the use of coronavirus health passes for access to public spaces, officials said Friday, citing “new challenges” presented by the Omicron variant.
— Foreigners will be able to obtain a coronavirus health pass — QR code — in Russia by taking an antibody test, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said Friday. The passes will be valid for six months.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Friday that Omicron had become the dominant coronavirus strain in the Russian capital, accounting for more than half of all new infections.
Jan. 13
— Russia reported 21,155 new Covid-19 infections — a 17.8% increase overnight — and 740 deaths.
Jan. 12
— Russia reported 17,946 new Covid-19 infections and 745 deaths.
— Russia has so far confirmed 698 official cases of the Omicron variant, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova announced at a meeting on Wednesday.
— President Vladimir Putin said health authorities only have “a couple of weeks” to prepare for the next wave of the pandemic.
— Russia delivered fewer than 80 million doses of its Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines to other countries in 2021, according to Unicef data cited by The Washington Post. The jab’s developers had initially planned to export doses for more than 500 million people, but have been beset by production and delivery delays. The vaccine has also yet to be approved by either the World Health Organization (WHO) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Jan. 11
— Russia reported 17,525 new Covid-19 infections and 783 deaths.
— The presence of the Omicron variant in the Russian capital is already “significant,” Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. He warned that the city would see a major increase in infections within 7-10 days, adding that “it is quite possible that we will face a worse situation than in previous waves.”
— Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered the military to limit vacations and trips abroad for servicemen and women due to the spread of the Omicron variant.
— Russia will be “covered” by the Omicron variant and should brace for a “very high” number of Covid-19 cases, Alexander Gintsburg, the head of the state-run Gamaleya Institute which developed the country’s Sputnik V vaccine, said.
Jan. 10
— Russia confirmed 15,830 Covid-19 infections and 741 deaths.
Jan. 9
— Russia confirmed 16,246 Covid-19 infections and 763 deaths.
Jan. 8
— Russia confirmed 16,568 Covid-19 infections and 796 deaths.
Jan. 7
— Russia confirmed 16,735 Covid-19 infections and 787 deaths.
Jan. 6
— Russia confirmed 15,316 Covid-19 infections and 802 deaths.
Jan.5
— Russia confirmed 15,772 Covid-19 infections and 828 deaths.
Jan. 4
— Russia confirmed 15,903 Covid-19 infections and 834 deaths.
Jan. 3
— Russia confirmed 16,343 Covid-19 infections and 835 deaths.
Jan. 2
— Russia confirmed 18,233 Covid-19 infections and 811 deaths.
Jan. 1
— Russia confirmed 19,751 Covid-19 infections and 847 deaths.
Dec. 31
— Russia confirmed 20,638 Covid-19 infections and 912 deaths.
— Russia recorded more than 115,000 excess deaths during November 2021, according to official statistics published Thursday — a new record high since the start of the pandemic.
— Russia's Health Ministry on Thursday advised Russians against traveling abroad for the New Year holiday due to the spread of the Omicron variant.
— Over 100 cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in Russia, Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova said Thursday.
Dec. 30
— Russia confirmed 21,073 Covid-19 infections and 926 deaths. Cases in Moscow rose from 1,798 on Wednesday to 2,661 on Thursday, a nearly 50% increase.
Dec. 29
— Russia confirmed 21,119 Covid-19 infections and 932 deaths.
Dec. 28
— Russia confirmed 21,922 Covid-19 infections and 935 deaths.
Dec. 27
— Russia confirmed 23,210 Covid-19 infections and 937 deaths.
Dec. 26
— Russia confirmed 23,721 Covid-19 infections and 968 deaths.
Dec. 25
— Russia confirmed 24,946 Covid-19 infections and 981 deaths.
Dec. 24
— Russia confirmed 24,703 Covid-19 infections and 998 deaths.
Dec. 23
— Russia confirmed 25,667 Covid-19 infections and 1,002 deaths.
— Moscow confirmed over 3,000 new Covid cases, a 60% jump compared to Wednesday.
Dec. 22
— Russia on Wednesday confirmed 25,264 Covid-19 infections and 1,020 deaths.
Dec. 21
— Russia on Tuesday confirmed 25,907 Covid-19 infections and 1,027 deaths.
— Russia has detected 41 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 so far, health authorities said Tuesday.
Dec. 20
— Russia confirmed 27,022 Covid-19 infections and 1,019 deaths.
Dec. 19
— Russia confirmed 27,967 Covid-19 infections and 1,024 deaths.
— Russia could send free shipments of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine to Africa in the future, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which finances and promotes the jab, has said.
Dec. 18
— Russia confirmed 27,434 Covid-19 infections and 1,076 deaths.
Dec. 17
— Russia confirmed 27,743 Covid-19 infections and 1,080 deaths.
— Russia claimed its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine provides “robust” long-term protection against the Omicron variant, disputing the findings of an independent study which found the Russian jab produced no antibody response whatsoever to the new highly transmissible variant.
Dec. 16
— Russia has detected the Omicron variant in 25 people so far, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said.
— Russia confirmed 28,486 Covid-19 infections and 1,133 deaths.
— Russian lawmakers approved legislation in a first reading that will require people to show health passes to access public places like bars and restaurants, as the country gears up for a winter Covid wave.
— Russia has not yet provided all the information requested by the WHO to certify the country’s flagship Sputnik V vaccine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. “It's true that some information needed for certification has not yet been submitted. We had a different understanding of what information was needed and how it has to be submitted, we have different standards, etc," Peskov told journalists, adding that the Kremlin is not worried by the lengthy approval process the vaccine has faced.
Dec. 15
—Russians with coronavirus antibodies from both foreign and domestic vaccines will be able to get a QR code valid for six months, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said Monday.
— Russia will scrap the proposed bill that would require QR codes to access public transport, State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin announced on his Telegram channel on Sunday.
Dec. 6
— Russia has confirmed its first reported cases of the Omicron variant. The new strain was detected in two people who traveled into the country from South Africa, Russia’s consumer and health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said. Another 10 Russians who returned from South Africa have tested positive for the coronavirus and their samples are currently being analyzed to determine the variant, the agency added.
Dec. 3
— Russia said it recorded its deadliest month in decades in October, with the total number of excess deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic surpassing 810,000.
Dec. 2
— Russia will require citizens entering the country from South Africa or neighboring countries to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival due to the Omicron variant starting Dec. 2, Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova announced.
Nov. 30
— Russian President Vladimir Putin called for mutual recognition of vaccines against the coronavirus to help curtail the pandemic, as concern grows around the world about the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
— Russians returning from countries with which Moscow has not formally restored air travel will have to quarantine for 14 days, Anna Popova, the head of Russia’s Rospotrebnadzor consumer and health watchdog said. The validity of health passes obtained by a negative PCR test will also be reduced from 72 to 48 hours. Popova also advised Russians not to travel abroad for New Year holidays as part of a package of recommendations outlined in response to the Omicron variant.
— Putin has ordered the government to create an updated action plan for the Omicron strain by next week, he said at an investment forum.
Nov. 29
— As many as 1,500 Russian tourists have been left stranded in South Africa as countries scramble to ban flights from the region, media reported Monday.
— The backers of the Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V said Monday that the jab is effective against the new Omicron coronavirus variant but they were also developing an adapted booster.
Nov. 28
— The new Omicron variant may be spreading across Russia by tourists returning from Egypt, Senator and Honored Doctor of Russia Vladimir Krugly said Sunday. Russia’s consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, which leads the country’s Covid-19 response efforts, later denied Krugly’s claims.
Nov. 25
— St. Petersburg aims to vaccinate 80% of its population by mid-January through vaccination, its Governor Alexander Beglov said Thursday. He said 67% of the city is currently vaccinated.
— Russian lawmakers are seeking to recognize those vaccinated against the coronavirus with foreign jabs, the Izvestia daily reported Thursday.
Nov. 24
— President Vladimir Putin repeated his stance that Covid-19 vaccination should be voluntary as regions and cities tighten restrictions on the unvaccinated.
— He added that he has received a nasal Covid-19 vaccine, days after saying he received a Sputnik Light booster shot.
— Russia has registered a Covid-19 vaccine for children 12 to 17 years old, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova announced.
Nov. 23
— Russia and Hungary have agreed to mutually recognize each others' vaccination certificates, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, marking the first such agreement between Russia and another country.
Nov. 22
— A Siberian region of Russia has become the first in the country to impose self-isolation rules for residents who haven’t yet been vaccinated against Covid-19.
— The republic of Tatarstan became the first Russian province to enforce QR code passes on public transit earlier Monday.
Nov. 21
— President Vladimir Putin said he had had a third dose of a Covid vaccine. "I had it two hours ago," Putin said on state television channel Rossiya 24, assuring viewers that his booster injection of the Sputnik vaccine had been painless.
Nov. 19
— Russia's herd immunity has surpassed 50%, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said.
Nov. 17
— Two more Russian coronavirus vaccines are currently undergoing preclinical trials, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said. So far, Russia has authorized four vaccines: Sputnik V, the one-dose Sputnik Light, EpiVacCorona and CoviVak.
— There is "no end in sight" to the Covid-19 pandemic in Russia yet, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
— A Far East Russian region has become the first in the country to introduce vaccine passports for internal flights as federal lawmakers race to mandate health passes for public transport and other areas.
Nov. 16
— Russia will resume air travel with Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Costa Rica and Mongolia from Dec. 1, authorities announced. It will also lift all remaining restrictions on flights with Mexico, Cuba and Qatar starting that day. Starting Dec. 12, train connections to Finland will resume.
Nov. 16
— U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has received approval to conduct trials of Paxlovid, a novel oral antiviral treatment aimed at preventing and treating Covid-19. Ninety people in a handful of Russian cities will take part in the trials.
Nov. 12
— Russia will introduce health passes for access to public places, restaurants and intercity trains and planes in a radical move designed to boost Russia's sluggish vaccination campaign.
Nov. 9
— St. Petersburg mandated vaccination against Covid-19 for all residents over 60 years old as well as people with certain chronic illnesses.
— Russia is now the world leader in coronavirus deaths for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
— The developer of Russia's coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V has said Moscow should make jabs mandatory as inoculation rates remain low despite record deaths and campaigning by authorities.
Nov. 8
— Russia’s nationwide paid holiday aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus came to an end Monday. Some regions are keeping the restrictions in place and many others are implementing digital passes showing proof of vaccination or recent Covid-19 recovery.
— QR codes proving one's vaccination continue to be valid for one year after vaccination, Russia's Health Ministry and Digital Development Ministry said Monday following reports that the validity period had changed to 6 months.
Nov. 2
— Russia's single-dose Sputnik Light vaccine produces a strong antibody response among recipients, according to research published in leading medical journal The Lancet. Sputnik Light is the first dose of Russia's two-dose Sputnik V vaccine, which is the backbone of Russia's domestic vaccination campaign and is being sold around the world.
Nov. 1
— Russian authorities said that doctors were under "extraordinary" strain due to surging coronavirus cases in Europe's worst-hit country.
— The Novgorod region in northwestern Russia has become the first region to extend the non-working week. It will order all non-essential workers to take a mandated paid holiday for an additional week after Nov. 7.
Oct. 27
— The Kremlin cautioned Russians against traveling during the Oct. 30-Nov. 7 non-working period ordered by Moscow to stem a spike in coronavirus infections and deaths.
— The Israeli government will allow tourists vaccinated with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine to enter the country starting Nov. 15.
Oct. 26
— All of Russia's 85 regions across 11 time zones have now mandated vaccines for certain categories of workers, Anna Popova, who heads the federal health watchdog that is leading the country’s response to the virus, said.
— The European Union expects countries including Russia to investigate the sale of fake Covid-19 certificates online and take appropriate measures, an EU spokesperson told RBC. The cybersecurity company Kaspersky said last week that it uncovered counterfeit travel certificates made to look as if they were issued in France or Poland being sold for an average price of $300 on the Telegram messaging app.
— Authorities in annexed Crimea said they plan to purchase mobile refrigerators to store bodies in the city of Simferopol as Covid-19 deaths continue to rise and the city's morgues are overwhelmed.
Oct. 25
— Russian authorities were investigating nurses and a doctor in St. Petersburg accused of selling fake coronavirus vaccination certificates, as the country faces a deadly new wave. The Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said a doctor and three nurses are suspected of pocketing at least 100,000 rubles ($1,430) from 12 people after selling official certificates without having administered jabs.
— President Vladimir Putin instructed regional leaders to order restaurants to close between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. and to ban all entertainment events.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin imposed a partial citywide lockdown between Oct. 28-Nov. 7 to stem the spread of the virus.
— The restrictions suspend businesses, services, catering, sports, recreation, entertainment and film screenings with the exception of the sale of essential goods like medicines and food. Mass events, except those authorized by health officials, will be banned, and theater and museum attendance will be capped at 50% with mask-wearing and digital-code rules in place. In-person public services will be suspended and kindergarteners and school students sent home between Oct. 28 and Nov. 7.
The Moscow region introduced identical restrictions shortly after Sobyanin’s announcement.
— President Vladimir Putin will not meet people face-to-face during Russia's nationwide week-long paid holiday starting on Oct. 30 designed to curb Covid infections amid record deaths, his spokesman said.
— The pace of vaccinations in Russia has accelerated following a string of regions imposing vaccine mandates for workers in certain sectors of the economy and vaccine passports for entry into indoor venues, according to the Gogov website which tracks vaccine uptake across the country. It estimates Russia is administering more than 300,000 first doses each day — up from around 120,000 a day earlier October.
Oct. 23
— Russia's second city St. Petersburg will impose a partial lockdown from Oct. 30-Nov. 7, authorities announced.
Oct. 21
— Sochi is bracing for an influx of tourists during public holidays starting Oct. 30 designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Occupancy rates in hotels are set to be at least 75%, the city’s mayor said — equivalent to peak summer months at the Black Sea resort. The city has introduced vaccine passports for entry into restaurants and bars in a bid to stop the spread of the virus despite the mass inflow of tourists.
— Russia has detected a new sub-variant of the Delta strain of the coronavirus, which risks compounding the country’s spiraling infections and deaths, a senior Russian government scientist warned.
— The European Union’s drug regulator will not approve Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine until at least the first months of 2022, Reuters reported.
Oct. 20
— President Vladimir Putin announced a non-working week in Russia from Oct. 30-Nov. 7. Putin pleaded with Russians to get vaccinated and said the public holidays could be extended further if cases do not start to fall.
— Nationwide, 87% of hospital beds reserved for coronavirus patients are occupied, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said in a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Oct. 19
— Some 1,100 medical staff died from Covid-19 in Russia during the first six months of 2021, the chair of the State Duma’s budget committee said. That is more than twice the number who succumbed to the virus in 2020, he added.
— Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has backed plans for a nationwide non-working week starting Oct. 30. The proposal was put forward by Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova during a televised government meeting. Mishustin said the strict measures — effectively a paid vacation or orders for workers at non-essential businesses to stop going into their place of work — were “now necessary” given increased numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Golikova said some regions should introduce the non-working week earlier, on Oct. 23 and also called for unvaccinated pensioners to start self-isolating at home.
Oct. 18
— Russia's second city, St. Petersburg, announced it would tighten restrictions to battle a surge in Covid-19 cases, introducing a health pass to regulate access to crowd events.
— Moscow authorities will start fining public transport passengers whose face masks do not cover their nose and mouth, a transit official said.
— South Africa's health products regulator said it would not approve Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine due to concerns it could increase the risk of HIV infection among men. The decision was based on earlier studies testing the safety of a modified form of adenovirus — a type of virus that causes respiratory infections — known as the Ad5 and contained in the Russian jab.
— Russia will allow family members of foreigners who live in Russia to enter the country, the Foreign Ministry said. The relaxation will allow people from countries not yet on Russia’s designated list of open countries to receive a special entry permit to come to Russia, provided they have a close relative living in Russia.
Oct. 16
— According to Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova, 38 of Russia’s 85 regions have introduced vaccine mandates for certain categories of citizens and employees working in designated sectors of the economy, such as retail and hospitality.
Oct. 15
— Russia will resume regular air travel with the Bahamas, Iran, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Slovenia, Tunisia, Sweden and Thailand starting Nov. 9, the national Covid-19 headquarters announced.
Oct. 14
— Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has called on doctors who are self-isolating or even retired due to the pandemic to get vaccinated and return to work due to record increases in Covid-19 infections and deaths.
Oct. 12
— The Moscow region that surrounds the capital has imposed vaccine mandates for sales, food, transport, public service, hair salon and fitness club employees.
— Roughly 235,000 of Russia's 255,000 Covid hospital beds nationwide are occupied, with 6,000 patients on ventilators, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said.
— Russia’s western exclave of Kaliningrad has suspended planned medical procedures as it battles an “extremely difficult” surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. The central Mari El region also canceled routine operations and medical treatment from Tuesday, warning that it had run out of free hospital beds and may soon have to start treating patients in corridors.
Oct. 11
— The Kremlin described Russia's Covid fatality toll as "high" and the country's vaccination rate as "unacceptably" low, even as it rejected new restrictions so as to protect the economy.
— Moscow launched free express coronavirus tests at 20 locations across the city, as the capital continues to battle with rising infection rates. The tests give a result in 15 minutes, but are less effective than the gold standard PCR tests. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said rapid testing would allow “socially responsible citizens” to ensure they are not spreading the virus.
— The Leningrad region that surrounds St. Petersburg will require residents to present QR codes proving their vaccination status or a negative PCR test in order to enter theaters, cinemas, swimming pools and gyms through Nov. 15.
Oct. 8
— Russia reported 65,000 excess fatalities in August in a 45% jump on pre-pandemic mortality rates, official data showed. The country's overall number of excess deaths since the start of the coronavirus stands at 660,000.
— EU Ambassador to Russia Markus Ederer said that the country "has repeatedly postponed" the timing of the inspection requested by the European Medicines Agency which has slowed down the approval process of the vaccine in the EU. The Russian Ministry of Health responded by saying that it presented the EU with all the necessary documents that the block requested.
Oct. 7
— A World Health Organization delegation will visit Russia this month as part of its approval procedure for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriyev said.
— The problem behind WHO's suspension of Sputnik V's approval process has been resolved, said Mariangela Simao, WHO's assistant director general for access to medicines, vaccines and pharmaceuticals.
— Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has announced that mass PCR testing will be introduced in Russia's capital in 1-2 weeks.
— Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said the federal government recommends Russian regions introduce QR-codes for attending mass events, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Oct. 4
— Russia’s top cabinet official on Monday criticized the country's stalling vaccination rates for failing to slow the spread of Covid-19 as Russians die in numbers not seen since the start of the pandemic.
AFP contributed reporting.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-03--Russia Accuses BBC World News of Violating Broadcasting Requirements

Russia 's communications regulator said on Tuesday documents have been submitted to court which accuse the BBC World News channel @ @ @ @ @ Russia .
In monitoring the channel , the regulator , Roskomnadzor , said it detected @ @ @ @ @ the protection of children from information that is harmful to their health and development .
@ @ @ @ @ was scheduled for March 12 .

Russia's communications regulator said on Tuesday documents have been submitted to court which accuse the BBC World News channel of violating broadcasting requirements within Russia.
In monitoring the channel, the regulator, Roskomnadzor, said it detected violations of an order concerning the protection of children from information that is harmful to their health and development.
Roskomnadzor said the court session was scheduled for March 12.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-03--Dutch Military Almost Sent 1,000 Troops to MH17 Crash Site – Telegraaf

The report comes one week ahead of the first hearing in a key trial of three Russian and one Ukrainian suspects in the tragedy .
The suspects , who have not been turned over to the Dutch , face charges of murdering 298 people onboard flight MH17 on July 17 , 2014 .
An elite Dutch military unit was on hair-trigger alert to deploy to separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine to secure the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crash site until a last-minute stand-down order in 2014 , the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported Tuesday .
“ The plan [ involved ] 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area with light weapons and only what fits in their backpacks , ” De Telegraaf wrote , citing Dutch army commander Lt. Gen. Martin Wijnen .
The troops , members of an infantry unit that can be rapidly deployed anywhere in the world , were reportedly ready for departure within 48 hours of being alerted to prepare for the mission .
Around 1,000 more Australian troops , whose citizens were also killed in the downing of MH17 , were set to support the Dutch operation , De Telegraaf reported .
Their planned deployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area of the crash site for a few days to allow aid workers and forensic investigators to recover the bodies .
Authorities in the Hague canceled the mission because the pro-Russian rebels that controlled the territory eventually cooperated in allowing the repatriation of the bodies .
The Netherlands ended up sending 40 unarmed members of its military police to search for the remains of the MH17 crash victims , most of whom were Dutch nationals .
The nixed deployment was also plagued by concerns that a potential clash with local forces on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia .
“ Not what you want with a large , heavily armed Russian force nearby on the other side of the border , ” De Telegraaf wrote .

The report comes one week ahead of the first hearing in a key trial of three Russian and one Ukrainian suspects in the tragedy. The suspects, who have not been turned over to the Dutch, face charges of murdering 298 people onboard flight MH17 on July 17, 2014.
An elite Dutch military unit was on hair-trigger alert to deploy to separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine to secure the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crash site until a last-minute stand-down order in 2014, the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported Tuesday.
“The plan [involved] 1,000 Dutch soldiers who would go into the area with light weapons and only what fits in their backpacks,” De Telegraaf wrote, citing Dutch army commander Lt. Gen. Martin Wijnen.
The troops, members of an infantry unit that can be rapidly deployed anywhere in the world, were reportedly ready for departure within 48 hours of being alerted to prepare for the mission.
Around 1,000 more Australian troops, whose citizens were also killed in the downing of MH17, were set to support the Dutch operation, De Telegraaf reported.
Their planned deployment aimed to take positions around a 35-square-kilometer area of the crash site for a few days to allow aid workers and forensic investigators to recover the bodies.
Authorities in the Hague canceled the mission because the pro-Russian rebels that controlled the territory eventually cooperated in allowing the repatriation of the bodies.
The Netherlands ended up sending 40 unarmed members of its military police to search for the remains of the MH17 crash victims, most of whom were Dutch nationals.
The nixed deployment was also plagued by concerns that a potential clash with local forces on the ground could lead to escalation with neighboring Russia.
“Not what you want with a large, heavily armed Russian force nearby on the other side of the border,” De Telegraaf wrote.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-03--Moscow Metro Launches Random Temperature Checks for Coronavirus

The Moscow metro has begun random checks of passengers ' temperatures at station entrances to check for the coronavirus , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Monday as he announced a slew of measures to prevent its spread .
Russia has reported a total of six coronavirus cases , among them two Chinese citizens who have since recovered .
The latest patient , who recently returned to Moscow from northern Italy , is the first Russian national to test positive for coronavirus while in the country .
Health officials are also conducting body temperature checks among international flight passengers across all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as kindergarteners and schoolchildren , Sobyanin said .
He urged employers to carry out similar body-temperature checks at workplaces .
Separately , Moscow City Hall announced Tuesday that everyone arriving from coronavirus hubs who shows symptoms of the illness will be placed in a newly built hospital in southwestern Moscow .
Authorities say the hospital can accommodate patients in individual rooms unlike other medical facilities where several patients have been placed in the same room .
Sobyanin ’ s earlier statement said that officials are issuing isolation orders to everyone arriving from China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as isolation “ recommendations ” to those arriving from Italy and other countries with coronavirus cases .
The mayor said authorities are continuing daily raids in locations where Chinese citizens are either known to live or visit , a practice that China ’ s Embassy in Moscow has criticized as discriminatory .
Authorities have carried out more than 12,000 coronavirus inspections since Feb. 15 , Sobyanin said , with more than 5,500 people still under observation .

The Moscow metro has begun random checks of passengers' temperatures at station entrances to check for the coronavirus, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Monday as he announced a slew of measures to prevent its spread. Russia has reported a total of six coronavirus cases, among them two Chinese citizens who have since recovered. The latest patient, who recently returned to Moscow from northern Italy, is the first Russian national to test positive for coronavirus while in the country.
Health officials are also conducting body temperature checks among international flight passengers across all of Moscow’s airports, as well as kindergarteners and schoolchildren, Sobyanin said. He urged employers to carry out similar body-temperature checks at workplaces. Separately, Moscow City Hall announced Tuesday that everyone arriving from coronavirus hubs who shows symptoms of the illness will be placed in a newly built hospital in southwestern Moscow. Authorities say the hospital can accommodate patients in individual rooms unlike other medical facilities where several patients have been placed in the same room.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--Dozens of Moscow Football Fans Detained After Mass Brawl

Several clashes took place between fans of FC Spartak and FC Dynamo on the day of the Moscow derby Saturday @ @ @ @ @ violence on the Moscow metro and on other public transportation .
At least 20 football @ @ @ @ @ Moscow after mass brawls broke out over the weekend , the state-run TASS news agency @ @ @ @ @ reported to have opened a criminal inquiry into hooliganism .
Anti-extremism police officers and investigators @ @ @ @ @ fans ’ homes in Moscow , five nearby suburbs and the central Russian city of @ @ @ @ @ told TASS .
“ Twenty people , fans of PFC CSKA , Dynamo and Spartak @ @ @ @ @ the source was quoted as saying .
Most of those detained will likely be released @ @ @ @ @ witnesses , the source said .
The authorities ' recent crackdown on hooliganism led Russian @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented mass walkout in December .
Fan groups have said the crackdown was the latest @ @ @ @ @ and mass detentions of fans in the past year .

Several clashes took place between fans of FC Spartak and FC Dynamo on the day of the Moscow derby Saturday. Footage showed scenes of violence on the Moscow metro and on other public transportation .
At least 20 football fans have been detained in Moscow after mass brawls broke out over the weekend, the state-run TASS news agency reported Wednesday.
Authorities were reported to have opened a criminal inquiry into hooliganism.
Anti-extremism police officers and investigators conducted numerous searches at the fans’ homes in Moscow, five nearby suburbs and the central Russian city of Ufa, an unnamed source told TASS.
“Twenty people, fans of PFC CSKA, Dynamo and Spartak, were detained,” the source was quoted as saying.
Most of those detained will likely be released and called to testify as witnesses, the source said.
The authorities' recent crackdown on hooliganism led Russian football fans to stage an unprecedented mass walkout in December. Fan groups have said the crackdown was the latest in a series of raids and mass detentions of fans in the past year.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--Putin’s Spending Boost Won’t Be Enough To Lift Russians Out of Poverty, Audit Chamber Warns

President Vladimir Putin ’ s new package of social spending initiatives will not be enough to hit the country ’ @ @ @ @ @ a government watchdog has said .
In its assessment of the government ’ s spending @ @ @ @ @ years , the Audit Chamber said the package of new measures , such as higher @ @ @ @ @ spend on housing or their children ’ s education , would still fall short of @ @ @ @ @ to lift an extra one million Russians out of poverty this year , news site @ @ @ @ @ group said the government ’ s idea of the plan ’ s impact “ may @ @ @ @ @ not all measures are aimed directly at low-income households.
” The government hopes to reduce @ @ @ @ @ in poverty — defined as those with a monthly income below $ 180 — to @ @ @ @ @ on its previous target for 2020 of 11.7 % .
In absolute terms , that @ @ @ @ @ Russians living below the threshold .

President Vladimir Putin’s new package of social spending initiatives will not be enough to hit the country’s ambitious poverty-reduction targets, a government watchdog has said.
In its assessment of the government’s spending plans for the next few years, the Audit Chamber said the package of new measures, such as higher allowances for new mothers to spend on housing or their children’s education, would still fall short of the government’s plan to lift an extra one million Russians out of poverty this year, news site RBC has reported.
The group said the government’s idea of the plan’s impact “may be overestimated [since] not all measures are aimed directly at low-income households.”
The government hopes to reduce the share of Russians living in poverty — defined as those with a monthly income below $180 — to 10.8%, an upgrade on its previous target for 2020 of 11.7%. In absolute terms, that would represent around 16 million Russians living below the threshold.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--Is Russia Finally Waking Up to Climate Change?

Even skeptics can no longer ignore the effects of climate change in Russia .
First , there ’ s the weather .
Last year was the hottest on record ; the ice in the Arctic is melting at a dramatic pace , as is the permafrost ; while forest fires and flash floods have ravaged swathes of Siberia , and methane is spewing from a massive fountain in the eastern Siberian Sea .
Then there ’ s the data .
Scientists and academics from Russia ’ s top research centers have long warned that Russia is warming at more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will only increase .
Like their colleagues abroad , a majority link these trends to human activity and the unprecedented release of greenhouse gases over the past century .
In the past year , Russia ’ s government has finally admitted that climate change is a serious threat to Russia ’ s future and has drawn up plans for action .
However , Russian leaders have been reluctant to take steps to reduce the country ’ s greenhouse gas emissions .
While this comes as no surprise , as Russia ’ s economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — it also means the country is doing little to slow global warming .
Russia is the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world — after China , the U.S. and India — contributing around 4.6 % of all global emissions .
Moreover , its per capita emissions are among the highest in the world — 53 % higher than China and 79 % higher than the EU , though 25 % lower than the U.S .
In a move of symbolic importance , Russia finally ratified the Paris agreement last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperatures from increasing 2 % above pre-industrial levels .
However , under its nationally determined contributions , Russia is not required to reduce emissions from current levels nor adopt a long-term carbon reduction strategy .
That ’ s because under the agreement , Moscow committed to emissions reductions of 25-30 % from 1990 levels — but it has been well below those levels ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its industrial output in 1991 .
In recent years , Russia ’ s emissions have been stable , and are projected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this reason , many environmental NGOs have called Russia ’ s climate policies among the world ’ s worst and say that if all countries were to follow Moscow ’ s approach , global warming would exceed 4°C , bringing catastrophic consequences for the planet .
The vast majority of Russia ’ s greenhouse gases are emitted by the energy industry ( 78.9 % ) .
Nearly half of these emissions come from the production of electricity and heat for the general population , while the rest largely come from the production of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used in transportation .
Russia ’ s industrial production accounts for a further 10.8 % of total greenhouse gas emissions — with metals production accounting for most .
Agriculture makes up another 5.9 % of total emissions and waste 4.4 % .
The findings are consistent with the Russian economy ’ s continued dependence on fossil fuels , which accounted for around two-thirds of all Russian exports in 2019 .
Moreover , Russian companies feature prominently among fossil fuel companies that have emitted the most greenhouse gases in recent decades .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Russia ’ s gas giant Gazprom has been the world ’ s third-largest emitter since 1988 ( after the Chinese coal industry and Saudi Arabia ’ s Aramco ) .
Russia ’ s coal industry , Lukoil , Rosneft , Surgutneftgas , Tatneft and Novatek also all feature in the world ’ s top 100 biggest emitters .
Compounding Russia ’ s emission problem is its recent ramping up of coal production , which has increased by more than 30 % over the past decade .
Investments in the industry have surged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction , including in the sensitive Arctic region .
While Russia is projected to replace much of its coal use with natural gas in the coming years — leaving a smaller carbon footprint — it is far from sustainable energy use , with projections that only 4 % of the energy mix will come from renewable sources by 2035 .
Early this year , Russia ’ s government released a national action plan that acknowledged climate change as a serious threat to the country ’ s population and economy and outlined 29 measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The plan cites scientists in admitting that Russia ’ s average temperature is increasing and that much of the country ’ s territory is especially vulnerable to adverse weather .
It calls on ministries and regional governments to draw up plans for adaptation and to prepare for the increased dangers , including droughts , floods , diseases , and economic costs .
Meanwhile , the plan lists possible economic benefits for Russia from climate change that must be exploited — like increased access along the Northern Sea Route due to melting ice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , critics say the plan makes no mention of capping greenhouse gas emissions and is indicative of Russia ’ s focus on adaptation and capitalizing on climate change .
For example , legislation that would have introduced a quota on companies ’ carbon emissions and penalties , as well as a national carbon trading system , was watered down significantly late last year after pressure from a powerful industrial group .
The legislation was stripped down to a five-year audit on companies ’ emissions .
Other signs have been more mixed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Projects , unveiled after his re-election in 2018 to outline Russia ’ s long-term development strategy , made no mention of climate change or greenhouse gas reductions .
While the ecology part of the strategy does include targets like air pollution reduction , reforestation and waste management , it has faced budget cuts and has only seen about two-thirds of its spending goals fulfilled by the end of last year .
Overall , statements by the government about climate change have been mixed .
The Environment Ministry has for years consistently warned that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change , and expressed 95 % confidence that human activity had contributed to global warming .
It has warned of apocalyptic consequences including epidemics , droughts , mass hunger , water emergencies , forest fires , flash floods and melting permafrost .
Alexander Krutikov , Russia ’ s deputy minister for the Far East and Arctic , has warned that economic losses related to the melting permafrost are projected to range between 50 billion and 150 billion rubles ( $ 2.3 billion ) a year .
Russia ’ s Audit Chamber , headed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has said climate change could knock 2-3 % off Russia ’ s GDP by 2030 .
Those looking at Putin for guidance on the issue will find contradictory statements .
While the president has admitted that climate change presents a danger to Russia ’ s national security , he has also stopped short of saying that human activity ( or fossil fuels ) are to blame and has expressed doubts about a shift to renewable energy .
“ When these ideas of reducing energy production to zero or relying only on solar or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humanity could once again end up in caves , simply because it won ’ t consume anything , ” he said at a forum late last year .
The Russian president went on to say that those who call for a zero-carbon energy strategy are “ trying to lead us all into delusions.
” He earlier said that it wasn ’ t clear why global warming is happening .
Some of his pronouncements have been outlandish .
He questioned the need for wind turbines last summer , saying they contribute to bird deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground .
“ This is not a joke , ” he said at the time .
However , Putin ’ s senior advisor on climate change , Ruslan Edelgeriev , earlier this year explicitly said Russia had to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels because they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions .
“ They [ fossil fuels ] contribute to greenhouse gas emissions .
They cause both economic and social damage , as well as harm to public health .
Some people believe that forest fires are a natural phenomenon .
... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afford to assume that they ’ re burning as part of a natural process — it ’ s necessary to intervene and ensure that the forests don ’ t burn , ” he said .
Meanwhile , according to polls , environmental problems are seen by Russians as of paramount concern .
According to a January survey by the independent Levada center pollster , environmental degradation was named by Russians as the biggest threat to humanity in the 21st century .
Climate change came fourth — after international terrorism and wars .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three Russians said they believe global warming is caused by humans .
Meanwhile , political protests in Russia over the past year have shifted toward environmental problems .
These include protests against garbage landfills , air pollution , coal pollution and the destruction of natural habitats .
While the country hasn ’ t seen massive popular movements dedicated to climate change , a small Fridays for Future movement started last year in Moscow .
So far , it ’ s only attracted a few dozen , mostly young , activists , who hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the hopes of raising awareness of the issue .
Despite being few in number , they ’ ve already been invited to hold talks with Kremlin officials .
Slowly but surely , Russia is beginning to realize that climate change is not a distant threat , but something that is happening right now .

Even skeptics can no longer ignore the effects of climate change in Russia. First, there’s the weather. Last year was the hottest on record; the ice in the Arctic is melting at a dramatic pace, as is the permafrost; while forest fires and flash floods have ravaged swathes of Siberia, and methane is spewing from a massive fountain in the eastern Siberian Sea. Then there’s the data. Scientists and academics from Russia’s top research centers have long warned that Russia is warming at more than twice the global average and say this will only increase. Like their colleagues abroad, a majority link these trends to human activity and the unprecedented release of greenhouse gases over the past century. In the past year, Russia’s government has finally admitted that climate change is a serious threat to Russia’s future and has drawn up plans for action. However, Russian leaders have been reluctant to take steps to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. While this comes as no surprise — as Russia’s economy is largely dependent on fossil fuel exports — it also means the country is doing little to slow global warming. Here’s an overview of Russia’s approach: Emissions Russia is the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world — after China, the U.S. and India — contributing around 4.6% of all global emissions. Moreover, its per capita emissions are among the highest in the world — 53% higher than China and 79% higher than the EU, though 25% lower than the U.S.
Top 5 greenhouse gas emitting countries, 2015 data Fossil CO2 and GHG emissions of all world countries 2019 Report
In a move of symbolic importance, Russia finally ratified the Paris agreement last October — which intends to keep global temperatures from increasing 2% above pre-industrial levels. However, under its nationally determined contributions, Russia is not required to reduce emissions from current levels nor adopt a long-term carbon reduction strategy. That’s because under the agreement, Moscow committed to emissions reductions of 25-30% from 1990 levels — but it has been well below those levels ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its industrial output in 1991.
Russia's greenhouse gas emissions without land use, land-use change, and forestry. UNFCCC
In recent years, Russia’s emissions have been stable, and are projected to slightly increase by 2030. For this reason, many environmental NGOs have called Russia’s climate policies among the world’s worst and say that if all countries were to follow Moscow’s approach, global warming would exceed 4°C, bringing catastrophic consequences for the planet. Who’s to blame? The vast majority of Russia’s greenhouse gases are emitted by the energy industry (78.9%). Nearly half of these emissions come from the production of electricity and heat for the general population, while the rest largely come from the production of solid fuels, petroleum refining and fuels used in transportation. Russia’s industrial production accounts for a further 10.8% of total greenhouse gas emissions — with metals production accounting for most. Agriculture makes up another 5.9% of total emissions and waste 4.4%.
Russia's greenhouse gas emissions by sector. UNFCCC
The findings are consistent with the Russian economy’s continued dependence on fossil fuels, which accounted for around two-thirds of all Russian exports in 2019. Moreover, Russian companies feature prominently among fossil fuel companies that have emitted the most greenhouse gases in recent decades. According to the U.K.-based Carbon Disclosure Project environmental NGO, Russia’s gas giant Gazprom has been the world’s third-largest emitter since 1988 (after the Chinese coal industry and Saudi Arabia’s Aramco). Russia’s coal industry, Lukoil, Rosneft, Surgutneftgas, Tatneft and Novatek also all feature in the world’s top 100 biggest emitters. Compounding Russia’s emission problem is its recent ramping up of coal production, which has increased by more than 30% over the past decade. Investments in the industry have surged, with several new coal ports under construction, including in the sensitive Arctic region. While Russia is projected to replace much of its coal use with natural gas in the coming years — leaving a smaller carbon footprint — it is far from sustainable energy use, with projections that only 4% of the energy mix will come from renewable sources by 2035. The government response Early this year, Russia’s government released a national action plan that acknowledged climate change as a serious threat to the country’s population and economy and outlined 29 measures for adaptation to be taken by 2022. The plan cites scientists in admitting that Russia’s average temperature is increasing and that much of the country’s territory is especially vulnerable to adverse weather. It calls on ministries and regional governments to draw up plans for adaptation and to prepare for the increased dangers, including droughts, floods, diseases, and economic costs. Meanwhile, the plan lists possible economic benefits for Russia from climate change that must be exploited — like increased access along the Northern Sea Route due to melting ice and more space for agriculture and livestock.
However, critics say the plan makes no mention of capping greenhouse gas emissions and is indicative of Russia’s focus on adaptation and capitalizing on climate change. For example, legislation that would have introduced a quota on companies’ carbon emissions and penalties, as well as a national carbon trading system, was watered down significantly late last year after pressure from a powerful industrial group. The legislation was stripped down to a five-year audit on companies’ emissions.
Other signs have been more mixed. President Putin’s much-vaunted National Projects, unveiled after his re-election in 2018 to outline Russia’s long-term development strategy, made no mention of climate change or greenhouse gas reductions. While the ecology part of the strategy does include targets like air pollution reduction, reforestation and waste management, it has faced budget cuts and has only seen about two-thirds of its spending goals fulfilled by the end of last year. Overall, statements by the government about climate change have been mixed. The Environment Ministry has for years consistently warned that Russia is being disproportionately affected by climate change, and expressed 95% confidence that human activity had contributed to global warming. It has warned of apocalyptic consequences including epidemics, droughts, mass hunger, water emergencies, forest fires, flash floods and melting permafrost. Alexander Krutikov, Russia’s deputy minister for the Far East and Arctic, has warned that economic losses related to the melting permafrost are projected to range between 50 billion and 150 billion rubles ($2.3 billion) a year.
Russian scientists present climate research findings at a conference on March 2, 2020. Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
Russia’s Audit Chamber, headed by veteran liberal politician Alexei Kudrin, has said climate change could knock 2-3% off Russia’s GDP by 2030. Those looking to Putin for guidance on the issue will find contradictory statements. While the president has admitted that climate change presents a danger to Russia’s national security, he has also stopped short of saying that human activity (or fossil fuels) are to blame and has expressed doubts about a shift to renewable energy. “When these ideas of reducing energy production to zero or relying only on solar or wind power are promoted, I think humanity could once again end up in caves, simply because it won’t consume anything,” he said at a forum late last year. The Russian president went on to say that those who call for a zero-carbon energy strategy are “trying to lead us all into delusions.” He earlier said that it wasn’t clear why global warming is happening. Some of his pronouncements have been outlandish. He questioned the need for wind turbines last summer, saying they contribute to bird deaths and force worms to come out of the ground. “This is not a joke,” he said at the time. However, Putin’s senior advisor on climate change, Ruslan Edelgeriev, earlier this year explicitly said Russia had to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels because they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. “They [fossil fuels] contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. They cause both economic and social damage, as well as harm to public health. Some people believe that forest fires are a natural phenomenon. ... I believe that we can’t afford to assume that they’re burning as part of a natural process — it’s necessary to intervene and ensure that the forests don’t burn,” he said. Responses from civil society Meanwhile, according to polls, environmental problems are seen by Russians as of paramount concern. According to a January survey by the independent Levada center pollster, environmental degradation was named by Russians as the biggest threat to humanity in the 21st century. Climate change came fourth — after international terrorism and wars.
Climate protest in Moscow, July 2019. Fridays for Future


themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--Deadly Russian Plane Crash ‘Not Terrorism,’ Egypt Says

Metrojet Flight 9268 crashed minutes after takeoff from the Egyptian resort Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg on Oct. 31 , 2015 , killing all 224 people onboard .
International investigators established that the Airbus A321 was downed by a bomb , though Egypt continues to claim that it was not a terror attack .
A Russian passenger plane crash in Egypt was not an act of terrorism and the identities of its victims are unknown , an Egyptian appeals court ruled recently , according to the Kommersant business daily .
Thirty of the victims ’ families sued high-level Egyptian officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claiming criminal negligence that allowed terrorists to bring a bomb onboard .
The families also filed lawsuits against Russia ’ s Metrojet airline and the Ingosstrakh insurance company in Egypt ’ s jurisdiction .
An appeals court in Cairo turned down the families ’ lawsuit against Egypt ’ s then-prime minister , as well as the country ’ s interior , finance and aviation chiefs , Kommersant reported .
The decision upheld a lower court ’ s 2018 ruling .
The court also struck down the lawsuit against Metrojet and Ingosstrakh , Kommersant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 224 victims have not been officially established and that it 's impossible to issue compensation to them as a result .
“ [ The defendants ] are well aware that the victims were in fact onboard the plane and the insurance company has a complete list of all the victims ’ relatives , ” Kommersant quoted lawyer David Kukhalashvili as saying .
Zagaynov said they plan to appeal the rulings with Egypt ’ s supreme court .

Metrojet Flight 9268 crashed minutes after takeoff from the Egyptian resort Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg on Oct. 31, 2015, killing all 224 people onboard. International investigators established that the Airbus A321 was downed by a bomb, though Egypt continues to claim that it was not a terror attack.
A Russian passenger plane crash in Egypt was not an act of terrorism and the identities of its victims are unknown, an Egyptian appeals court ruled recently, according to the Kommersant business daily.
Thirty of the victims’ families sued high-level Egyptian officials at the time of the tragedy, claiming criminal negligence that allowed terrorists to bring a bomb onboard. The families also filed lawsuits against Russia’s Metrojet airline and the Ingosstrakh insurance company in Egypt’s jurisdiction.
An appeals court in Cairo turned down the families’ lawsuit against Egypt’s then-prime minister, as well as the country’s interior, finance and aviation chiefs, Kommersant reported. The decision upheld a lower court’s 2018 ruling.
The court also struck down the lawsuit against Metrojet and Ingosstrakh, Kommersant reported, ruling that the identities of the 224 victims have not been officially established and that it's impossible to issue compensation to them as a result.
The families’ lawyer Mikhail Zagaynov called the court rulings “unethical.”
“[The defendants] are well aware that the victims were in fact onboard the plane and the insurance company has a complete list of all the victims’ relatives,” Kommersant quoted lawyer David Kukhalashvili as saying.
Zagaynov said they plan to appeal the rulings with Egypt’s supreme court.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | March 4

Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who have since recovered .
The first three Russian citizens have also been infected with the coronavirus onboard a quarantined cruise ship in Japan .
As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 3,000 people continues to spread around the world , Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk , including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China and temporarily banning Chinese citizens from entering the country .
Below are the latest updates on Russia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in the United Arab Emirates , the country 's health ministry said .
— Russia has temporarily banned the export of medical masks , gloves , bandages and protective suits .
— President Vladimir Putin said that fake news reports about coronavirus were being sent to Russia from abroad to spread panic .
He urged the government to ensure that citizens were correctly informed about the situation in Russia .
— The Moscow metro has begun random checks of passengers ' temperatures at station entrances , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian national who was quarantined in a Moscow hospital after recently returning from northern Italy , a hub for the coronavirus outbreak , has the coronavirus , the state-run RIA Novosti reported .
The man , 29-year-old Moscow resident David Berov , is the first known Russian national to test positive for coronavirus while in the country .
— The impact of coronavirus on the Russian economy will be deeper than originally expected , Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said .
The ruble 's depreciation and stock market decline have gained momentum since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about its economic impact , which sent oil prices crashing .
— Schools across Moscow have canceled swimming classes and large-scale events to prevent the spread of the flu and respiratory infections , the city ’ s education officials said in a Feb. 28 letter cited by Interfax .
— Moscow authorities are deporting 88 foreign nationals who violated quarantine measures imposed on them as a precaution against coronavirus , the state-run RIA news agency cited Moscow 's deputy mayor as saying .
— A Russian citizen has tested positive with coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Interfax reported .
It marks the fourth case of coronavirus among Russian citizens and the first infection in Azerbaijan .
— The Russian government temporarily barred Iranian citizens from entering Russia and said it would also restrict the entry of South Korean citizens from March 1 as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus , decrees published online showed .
— The government also said it would not allow in any foreign citizens traveling from Iran or South Korea , and ordered the Foreign Ministry to suspend the issue of visas to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its train service from Moscow to the southern French city of Nice starting March 4 , the state-run TASS news agency reported , citing the Transport Ministry .
The ministry said the train link would be suspended until further notice as part of wider measures aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus in Russia .
— Moscow authorities have identified 88 people who violated the city 's self-isolation orders after returning from China , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .
The Russian capital deployed its facial recognition network to enforce the quarantine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a coronavirus vaccine , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Russia 's Federal Tourism Agency recommended national tour operators suspend tours to Italy , South Korea and Iran until the outbreaks of coronavirus there are brought under control .
— Moscow will suspend flights between Russia and South Korea from March 1 over coronavirus fears , except those operated by Aeroflot and Aurora , Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said .
— Golikova said Russia would also stop issuing visas to some Iranian citizens from Feb. 28 and was advising Russians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions related to the outbreak which have been previously announced will be extended by one month to April 1 , Golikova said .
— The Chinese Embassy in Russia has reportedly asked Moscow authorities to stop the profiling of Chinese nationals on the city 's public transport .
According to Novaya Gazeta , the embassy 's letter said that Moscow police and subway workers had begun questioning passengers believed to be Chinese to check for signs of coronavirus , something that is n't being done anywhere else in the world .
— Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tourists being quarantined in a seaside resort on Tenerife , one of the Canary Islands , after an Italian doctor who was staying there tested positive for coronavirus , Interfax reported .
— Seven Russian passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship have been placed in a two-week quarantine in a Vladivostok hospital .
— Nearly all of the 25 Ukrainian nationals onboard the quarantined ship have refused to be evacuated to their home country after violent protests against coronavirus evacuees broke out there .
— Around 2,500 people arriving from China have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus and monitored by the Russian capital ’ s facial-recognition technology , Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said .


themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--Russia Bans Export of Masks, Hazmat Suits to Fight Coronavirus

Russia has banned the export of masks , respirators and hazmat suits to ensure access to the items for medics @ @ @ @ @ public , under a decree published Wednesday .
The ban covers 17 types of equipment @ @ @ @ @ shoe covers , gloves , surgical scrubs , gas masks , hazmat suits and `` @ @ @ @ @ The ban aims `` to protect the interests of Russian citizens '' as the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ 3,000 people and infected around 92,000 globally .
It does not affect supplies leaving the @ @ @ @ @ for personal use .
The decree is dated Monday , when it entered force , @ @ @ @ @ on June 1 .

Russia has banned the export of masks, respirators and hazmat suits to ensure access to the items for medics treating coronavirus patients and the public, under a decree published Wednesday.
The ban covers 17 types of equipment including face masks, plastic shoe covers, gloves, surgical scrubs, gas masks, hazmat suits and "reusable anti-plague" suits.
The ban aims "to protect the interests of Russian citizens" as the coronavirus outbreak has killed more than 3,000 people and infected around 92,000 globally.
It does not affect supplies leaving the country as humanitarian aid or for personal use. The decree is dated Monday, when it entered force, and is set to expire on June 1.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--Russian Court Rules in Favor of Facial Recognition Over Privacy Claims

Lawyer and activist Alena Popova and opposition politician Vladimir Milov of the Solidarnost party had filed a case against Moscow ’ s Department of Technology ( DIT ) , which manages the capital ’ s video surveillance program , seeking to ban the technology ’ s use at mass events and protests .
A Moscow court ruled on Tuesday that the city 's facial recognition system does not violate the privacy of its citizens , a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs told Reuters — a blow to activists who had hoped to ban the technology 's use .
Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awarding of a small software contract in December , having already spent at least 3.3 billion rubles ( $ 50 million ) on hardware , and its system now boasts more than 105,000 surveillance cameras fitted with the technology .
The system remained in operation while court proceedings were ongoing , with authorities using the technology to ensure people ordered to remain at home or at their hotels under coronavirus quarantine to do so .
`` This ruling shows there are no legal defenses for facial recognition complaints , '' said Popova 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a November lawsuit dismissed on the same grounds .
The DIT did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment .
On its website , the DIT says it uses video surveillance in crowded areas to `` ensure safety , '' and that video footage is deleted within five days of an incident unless a request by the public or law enforcement is made .

Lawyer and activist Alena Popova and opposition politician Vladimir Milov of the Solidarnost party had filed a case against Moscow’s Department of Technology (DIT), which manages the capital’s video surveillance program, seeking to ban the technology’s use at mass events and protests.
A Moscow court ruled on Tuesday that the city's facial recognition system does not violate the privacy of its citizens, a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs told Reuters — a blow to activists who had hoped to ban the technology's use.
Moscow completed its facial recognition rollout with the awarding of a small software contract in December, having already spent at least 3.3 billion rubles ($50 million) on hardware, and its system now boasts more than 105,000 surveillance cameras fitted with the technology.
The system remained in operation while court proceedings were ongoing, with authorities using the technology to ensure people ordered to remain at home or at their hotels under coronavirus quarantine to do so.
"This ruling shows there are no legal defenses for facial recognition complaints," said Popova's lawyer, Kirill Koroteev.
Popova also had a November lawsuit dismissed on the same grounds.
The DIT did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
On its website, the DIT says it uses video surveillance in crowded areas to "ensure safety," and that video footage is deleted within five days of an incident unless a request by the public or law enforcement is made.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--Russia's Yandex.Taxi Admits to Sharing Riders’ Location With Police

Igor Lyakhovets was among the several police officers who had arrested journalist Ivan Golunov on drug charges in June 2019 .
An unprecedented public outcry led to Golunov ’ s release within a week and the officers ’ eventual arrest for abuse of powers months later .
Russian tech giant Yandex ’ s taxi service shares passengers ’ ride history with law enforcement authorities , according to the testimony of an ex-policeman on trial for wrongfully detaining an investigative journalist .
Lyakhovets testified that he had obtained Golunov ’ s home address from his ride history provided by Yandex.Taxi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Baza news website .
Yandex.Taxi confirmed that it provides its customers ’ ride histories and maintained that the company is legally bound to comply with requests from authorities .
The ride-hailing service declined to specify whether it had shared Golunov ’ s ride history .
“ We know from experience that providing this information is key to solving crimes and sometimes helps save lives , ” spokeswoman Natalya Rozhkova told the Mediazona news website Monday .
The news comes weeks after Russia ’ s The Bell news website reported that the Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country 's major internet companies to give it continuous access to their systems last year .
The orders affect more than 200 Russian internet services , including some Yandex services , which can be blocked for failing to comply .
Critics have accused the Russian government of censorship as it has stepped up internet regulations in recent years .
The expert community was divided over the legality of Yandex.Taxi ’ s actions .
The internet freedom website Roskomsvoboda argued that Yandex.Taxi had the right to ignore Lyakhovets ’ request for Golunov ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submitted the request by email instead of through official channels .
Yandex.Taxi spokesman Vladimir Isayev later wrote that it was an officially filed request .
Russian law requires companies to turn over information if they receive an official request from the authorities .
Yandex.Taxi is said to be considering an initial public offering ( IPO ) .

Igor Lyakhovets was among the several police officers who had arrested journalist Ivan Golunov on drug charges in June 2019. An unprecedented public outcry led to Golunov’s release within a week and the officers’ eventual arrest for abuse of powers months later.
Russian tech giant Yandex’s taxi service shares passengers’ ride history with law enforcement authorities, according to the testimony of an ex-policeman on trial for wrongfully detaining an investigative journalist.
Lyakhovets testified that he had obtained Golunov’s home address from his ride history provided by Yandex.Taxi, according to an account published Saturday by the Baza news website.
Yandex.Taxi confirmed that it provides its customers’ ride histories and maintained that the company is legally bound to comply with requests from authorities. The ride-hailing service declined to specify whether it had shared Golunov’s ride history.
“We know from experience that providing this information is key to solving crimes and sometimes helps save lives,” spokeswoman Natalya Rozhkova told the Mediazona news website Monday.
The news comes weeks after Russia’s The Bell news website reported that the Federal Security Service (FSB) ordered the country's major internet companies to give it continuous access to their systems last year. The orders affect more than 200 Russian internet services, including some Yandex services, which can be blocked for failing to comply.
Critics have accused the Russian government of censorship as it has stepped up internet regulations in recent years.
The expert community was divided over the legality of Yandex.Taxi’s actions.
The internet freedom website Roskomsvoboda argued that Yandex.Taxi had the right to ignore Lyakhovets’ request for Golunov’s ride history.
Golunov suggested that Lyakhovets submitted the request by email instead of through official channels. Yandex.Taxi spokesman Vladimir Isayev later wrote that it was an officially filed request.
Russian law requires companies to turn over information if they receive an official request from the authorities.
Yandex.Taxi is said to be considering an initial public offering (IPO).


themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--Rosneft Joins Russia's Gene-Editing Tech Program

The deal , which President Vladimir Putin ordered in December , aims to accelerate Russia ’ s $ 1.6 billion program to create 30 new varieties of genetically modified crops and animals by 2027 .
Russia ’ s oil giant Rosneft and the Russian government will join forces to develop gene-editing technology , according to a government decree published Wednesday .
Rosneft is tasked with helping Russia stimulate genetic research and lower its dependence on foreign technology , according to the decree signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin .
To that end , Rosneft is to establish an advisory body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Igor Sechin .
Additionally , the sides are expected to create a genetic technology and gene-editing research center to catalyze research in medicine and industry .
Russian researchers have welcomed the $ 1.6 billion gene-editing program , which appears to have exempted some gene-edited products from a 2016 law that banned genetically modified organisms .
New gene-editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 have made it possible to rearrange the genetic code much more precisely and at lower costs than before .
A Chinese scientist caused outrage in 2018 with a claim to have “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biologist last year declared plans to modify the genomes of human embryos and implant them in women .

The deal, which President Vladimir Putin ordered in December, aims to accelerate Russia’s $1.6 billion program to create 30 new varieties of genetically modified crops and animals by 2027.
Russia’s oil giant Rosneft and the Russian government will join forces to develop gene-editing technology, according to a government decree published Wednesday.
Rosneft is tasked with helping Russia stimulate genetic research and lower its dependence on foreign technology, according to the decree signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
To that end, Rosneft is to establish an advisory body on genetic technology development headed by CEO Igor Sechin. Additionally, the sides are expected to create a genetic technology and gene-editing research center to catalyze research in medicine and industry.
Russian researchers have welcomed the $1.6 billion gene-editing program, which appears to have exempted some gene-edited products from a 2016 law that banned genetically modified organisms.
New gene-editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 have made it possible to rearrange the genetic code much more precisely and at lower costs than before.
A Chinese scientist caused outrage in 2018 with a claim to have “gene-edited” babies, while a Russian biologist last year declared plans to modify the genomes of human embryos and implant them in women.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-04--Putin Says Fake Coronavirus Rumors 'Organized From Abroad'

He told ministers the country 's FSB security service had reported to him that false information was being planted to create panic , while in reality the situation is not critical .
False rumors about the new coronavirus circulating in Russia are being directed from abroad , President Vladimir Putin claimed Wednesday at a government meeting .
`` As for these provocative fake stories , the FSB reports they 're mainly organized from abroad ...
The aim of such fake stories is clear : to spread panic among the public . ''
He said Russia had to fight this by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information . ''
`` So far , thank God , nothing critical is happening in our country but people have to know about the real situation . ''
Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova also spoke out against recent `` fake posts '' on social media about the new coronavirus .
These posts have claimed there are `` quite large numbers of sick people in Russia and that the official authorities are hiding this information , '' she said at the meeting .
`` I want to tell you once again that this does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official total of confirmed cases in Russia is six so far , she reiterated .
Moscow 's charges come after U.S. State Department officials told AFP in February that thousands of Russia-linked social media accounts were being used to fuel alarm over the virus .
Philip Reeker , the U.S. acting Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia , said in February that `` Russian malign actors '' were `` spreading disinformation about coronavirus '' and posing a threat to public safety .
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded by condemning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story . ''

He told ministers the country's FSB security service had reported to him that false information was being planted to create panic, while in reality the situation is not critical.
False rumors about the new coronavirus circulating in Russia are being directed from abroad, President Vladimir Putin claimed Wednesday at a government meeting.
"As for these provocative fake stories, the FSB reports they're mainly organized from abroad... The aim of such fake stories is clear: to spread panic among the public."
He said Russia had to fight this by releasing "timely, comprehensive and trustworthy information."
"So far, thank God, nothing critical is happening in our country but people have to know about the real situation."
Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova also spoke out against recent "fake posts" on social media about the new coronavirus.
These posts have claimed there are "quite large numbers of sick people in Russia and that the official authorities are hiding this information," she said at the meeting.
"I want to tell you once again that this doesn't correspond to reality."
The official total of confirmed cases in Russia is six so far, she reiterated.
Moscow's charges come after U.S. State Department officials told AFP in February that thousands of Russia-linked social media accounts were being used to fuel alarm over the virus.
Philip Reeker, the U.S. acting Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, said in February that "Russian malign actors" were "spreading disinformation about coronavirus" and posing a threat to public safety.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded by condemning his comments as a "deliberately false story."