themoscowtimes--2020-02-25--Bellingcat Names Russian Diplomat as Bulgarian Poisoning Suspect

One of three Russian men charged with poisoning a Bulgarian arms dealer was an accredited diplomat , according to a joint investigation by Russia ’ s The Insider news website , the investigative outlet Bellingcat and Swiss media .
Bulgarian prosecutors charged three Russians including Georgy Gorshkov last month with the attempted murder of arms factory owner Emilian Gebrev and two other Bulgarians in spring 2015 .
The prosecutors said European arrest warrants had been issued and that they would seek the Russians ’ extradition to Bulgaria .
Gorshkov was in 2017 accredited as third secretary of the Russian mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under his real name , Yegor A. Gordiyenko , the Bellingcat-led investigation said Tuesday .
Bulgarian prosecutors said Friday that Gorshkov had used the initials E.A.G .
The first letter matches the Russian-language spelling of the name “ Yegor.
” WTO ’ s director of external relations Keith Rockwell confirmed to the Swiss outlet Tages-Anzeiger that Gordiyenko ’ s accreditation ran from 2017-2020 .
A Swiss foreign ministry spokesperson said his diplomatic accreditation was rescinded on Oct. 31 , 2018 .
“ As he was accredited by Russia through the end of 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when a Russian diplomat is simultaneously wanted for attempted murder under an Interpol Red Notice , ” Bellingcat wrote .
Gordiyenko is not listed in any archived copy of the Russian Foreign Ministry ’ s diplomatic lists .
“ We have no information of the above-mentioned person , ” the spokeswoman for Russia ’ s mission to the WTO told Tages-Anzeiger .
Gordiyenko left Switzerland for an unknown reason on Oct. 25 , 2018 , and hasn ’ t traveled outside Russia since , according to Bellingcat .
The website attributed Gordiyenko ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigations into the suspects in the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal in Britain .
The Skripal poisoning suspects include Sergei Fedotov , an alias allegedly used by elite GRU military intelligence operative Denis Sergeyev .
Sergeyev ’ s name has appeared in connection with other suspected Russian activities that a New York Times report linked to Unit 29155 , an elite GRU sub-unit tasked with “ destabilizing ” Europe .
Using their respective aliases , Gordiyenko and Sergeyev left Bulgaria together after Gebrev ’ s second poisoning attempt in May 2015 , Bellingcat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ Georgy Gorshkov ’ s ” last trip abroad .
Face verification software showed a visual match between the passport photos of “ Georgy Gorshkov ” and Yegor Gordiyenko , Bellingcat wrote .
Bulgaria reopened its investigation in 2018 after Gebrev told prosecutors he had reason to believe the substance used on him might have been similar to a nerve agent used against Skripal .
Both Gebrev and Skripal survived the poisoning attempts .

One of three Russian men charged with poisoning a Bulgarian arms dealer was an accredited diplomat, according to a joint investigation by Russia’s The Insider news website, the investigative outlet Bellingcat and Swiss media. Bulgarian prosecutors charged three Russians including Georgy Gorshkov last month with the attempted murder of arms factory owner Emilian Gebrev and two other Bulgarians in spring 2015. The prosecutors said European arrest warrants had been issued and that they would seek the Russians’ extradition to Bulgaria.
Previously we had not named the real identity of one of these indicted GRU officers, Georgy Gorshkov. Now we can confirm this is in fact Egor Gordienko. Following the unsuccessful Bulgarian operation, he was posted to serve as 3rd Secretary at the Russian WTO Mission in Geneva. pic.twitter.com/bsKcQKtgFe — Bellingcat (@bellingcat) February 25, 2020
Gorshkov was in 2017 accredited as third secretary of the Russian mission to the World Trade Organization in Switzerland under his real name, Yegor A. Gordiyenko, the Bellingcat-led investigation said Tuesday. Bulgarian prosecutors said Friday that Gorshkov had used the initials E.A.G. The first letter matches the Russian-language spelling of the name “Yegor.” WTO’s director of external relations Keith Rockwell confirmed to the Swiss outlet Tages-Anzeiger that Gordiyenko’s accreditation ran from 2017-2020. A Swiss foreign ministry spokesperson said his diplomatic accreditation was rescinded on Oct. 31, 2018. “As he was accredited by Russia through the end of 2020, this marks the first known case when a Russian diplomat is simultaneously wanted for attempted murder under an Interpol Red Notice,” Bellingcat wrote.
news Bulgaria Charges 3 Russians Over Poisoning Possibly Linked to Skripal Case Read more
Gordiyenko is not listed in any archived copy of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic lists. “We have no information of the above-mentioned person,” the spokeswoman for Russia’s mission to the WTO told Tages-Anzeiger. Gordiyenko left Switzerland for an unknown reason on Oct. 25, 2018, and hasn’t traveled outside Russia since, according to Bellingcat. The website attributed Gordiyenko’s abrupt departure to the string of investigations into the suspects in the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal in Britain. The Skripal poisoning suspects include Sergei Fedotov, an alias allegedly used by elite GRU military intelligence operative Denis Sergeyev. Sergeyev’s name has appeared in connection with other suspected Russian activities that a New York Times report linked to Unit 29155, an elite GRU sub-unit tasked with “destabilizing” Europe.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-25--Russian TV Airs 13M Names of Soviet WWII Casualties Ahead of 75th Victory Day

The project is a collaboration between Russia ’ s Defense Ministry and Memory of the People , an internet database that documents the conflict that Russia calls the “ Great Patriotic War.
” By airing the names , Rossia 24 said it aims to remember all the heroes of World War II regardless of rank or decoration , and to create an objective reminder of the true cost of the war .
A Russian state-run television channel is airing the names of the nearly 13 million Soviet soldiers killed in World War II in the weeks leading up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nazi Germany .
The 24/7 broadcast began on Feb. 23 , also known as Defender of the Fatherland Day , and is timed to end on May 9 , when Russia celebrates Victory Day .
The on-air display appears as a black-and-orange sidebar next to the channel ’ s regular programming and displays 100 names per minute .
It will take 76 days to air all 12.6 million names .
Victory Day , which marks the Nazi surrender to the Soviet Union in 1945 , is Russia 's most important national holiday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least one member in the war .
While many Russians see the holiday as a strong source of national pride , critics in recent years have accused the Kremlin of co-opting Victory Day to boost its image and silence criticism .

The project is a collaboration between Russia’s Defense Ministry and Memory of the People, an internet database that documents the conflict that Russia calls the “Great Patriotic War.” By airing the names, Rossia 24 said it aims to remember all the heroes of World War II regardless of rank or decoration, and to create an objective reminder of the true cost of the war.
A Russian state-run television channel is airing the names of the nearly 13 million Soviet soldiers killed in World War II in the weeks leading up to the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
The 24/7 broadcast began on Feb. 23, also known as Defender of the Fatherland Day, and is timed to end on May 9, when Russia celebrates Victory Day.
The on-air display appears as a black-and-orange sidebar next to the channel’s regular programming and displays 100 names per minute. It will take 76 days to air all 12.6 million names.
Victory Day, which marks the Nazi surrender to the Soviet Union in 1945, is Russia's most important national holiday, with nearly every Russian family losing at least one member in the war. While many Russians see the holiday as a strong source of national pride, critics in recent years have accused the Kremlin of co-opting Victory Day to boost its image and silence criticism.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-25--Russian Police Charged Over Musician's Gruesome Beheading

Dmitry Fyodorov ’ s body was found on a railway in the city of Omsk on Dec. 26 in what police called either a suicide or a tragic accident .
A week earlier , the 25-year-old drummer had recorded a video claiming that police planted drugs on him and forced him to confess to charges of drug distribution .
Siberian law enforcement officers have been charged with abuse of power two months after a musician they had detained on drug charges was found decapitated , a city councilman said Monday .
Investigators allege that the city ’ s National Guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fyodorov ’ s Dec. 15 detention , according to a document shared by Omsk councilman Dmitry Petrenko .
The violations could indicate that the unidentified officers may have “ committed illegal actions against the interests of the service , ” Petrenko said .
“ Thanks to the unprecedented outcry in Omsk , this caused an uproar even in Moscow ...
It ’ s too early to evaluate the results , but it ’ s still a start , ” Petrenko wrote on social media Monday .
The charges , according to the screenshot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jan. 24 .
That month , five former police officers in Moscow were criminally charged with framing anti-corruption journalist Ivan Golunov last summer .
Golunov ’ s brief arrest in June 2019 caused a widespread outcry and renewed focus on fabricated drug cases , which activists and surveyed Russians claim is a common law enforcement tactic .
Russia imprisons the most people per capita in Europe for drug-related crimes .
This has led the controversial drug law that criminalizes the purchase , possession and distribution of narcotics to be given the nickname “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It could happen to anyone , ” Fyodorov warned in the video he recorded before his death .

Dmitry Fyodorov’s body was found on a railway in the city of Omsk on Dec. 26 in what police called either a suicide or a tragic accident. A week earlier, the 25-year-old drummer had recorded a video claiming that police planted drugs on him and forced him to confess to charges of drug distribution.
Siberian law enforcement officers have been charged with abuse of power two months after a musician they had detained on drug charges was found decapitated, a city councilman said Monday.
Investigators allege that the city’s National Guard and police officers committed procedural violations during Fyodorov’s Dec. 15 detention, according to a document shared by Omsk councilman Dmitry Petrenko.
The violations could indicate that the unidentified officers may have “committed illegal actions against the interests of the service,” Petrenko said.
“Thanks to the unprecedented outcry in Omsk, this caused an uproar even in Moscow... It’s too early to evaluate the results, but it’s still a start,” Petrenko wrote on social media Monday.
The charges, according to the screenshot of the document, were filed on Jan. 24. That month, five former police officers in Moscow were criminally charged with framing anti-corruption journalist Ivan Golunov last summer.
Golunov’s brief arrest in June 2019 caused a widespread outcry and renewed focus on fabricated drug cases, which activists and surveyed Russians claim is a common law enforcement tactic.
Russia imprisons the most people per capita in Europe for drug-related crimes. This has led the controversial drug law that criminalizes the purchase, possession and distribution of narcotics to be given the nickname “the people’s article.”
“It could happen to anyone,” Fyodorov warned in the video he recorded before his death.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-25--Dmitry Yazov, 95, Dies in Moscow

Dmitry Yazov, 95, Dies in Moscow

Dmitry Yazov , the last appointed Marshal of the Soviet Union , died on Tuesday in Moscow after a long illness .
With a career extending from the Siege of Leningrad to the 1991 August Coup , Yazov was one of the most decorated and controversial Russian military figures of the twentieth century .
Born in 1924 in the Omsk oblast , Yazov enlisted in the Red Army in 1941 at age 17 .
During World War II he would be honored for his service on the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts , thus laying the groundwork for his ascension through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over the next 50 years , Yazov would make a brilliant military career , holding a number of high positions and serving as Minister of Defense .
In 1990 he was appointed Marshal of the Soviet Union , the nation ’ s highest military rank .
He would be the last person to receive this appointment before the collapse of the Soviet Union .
A dedicated communist and staunch conservative , Yazov disapproved of perestroika and was part of the “ Gang of Eight , ” a committee of high-ranking Soviet officials who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mikhail Gorbachev .
He did , however , pull back the troops after the first bloodshed in the capital .
He was nevertheless imprisoned following the coup ’ s failure and remained in detention for 18 months before being granted amnesty by newly-appointed Russian president Boris Yeltsin .
Following his release from prison , Yazov ’ s military career came to an end and he went on to work in various advisory and administrative positions in military academies , ministries , and organizations , including a 2008 appointment as general inspector of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yazov was sentenced in absentia to 10 years imprisonment for war crimes relating to his involvement in the violent Soviet military offense against members of the 1991 Lithuainian pro-independence movement .
Russia denied extradition requests and Yazov remained free .
Yazov has remained a symbol of the Soviet military both within Russia and abroad .
He appears as himself in Tom Clancy ’ s spy-thriller “ The Cardinal of the Kremlin , ” and has been praised in his homeland .
His death marks the end of the line of surviving Marshals of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be held on February 28 at Moscow ’ s Federal Military Memorial Cemetery .

Dmitry Yazov, the last appointed Marshal of the Soviet Union, died on Tuesday in Moscow after a long illness. With a career extending from the Siege of Leningrad to the 1991 August Coup, Yazov was one of the most decorated and controversial Russian military figures of the twentieth century.
Born in 1924 in the Omsk oblast, Yazov enlisted in the Red Army in 1941 at age 17. During World War II he would be honored for his service on the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts, thus laying the groundwork for his ascension through the ranks of the Soviet military. Over the next 50 years, Yazov would make a brilliant military career, holding a number of high positions and serving as Minister of Defense. In 1990 he was appointed Marshal of the Soviet Union, the nation’s highest military rank. He would be the last person to receive this appointment before the collapse of the Soviet Union.
A dedicated communist and staunch conservative, Yazov disapproved of perestroika and was part of the “Gang of Eight,” a committee of high-ranking Soviet officials who fomented the 1991 coup against general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. He did, however, pull back the troops after the first bloodshed in the capital. He was nevertheless imprisoned following the coup’s failure and remained in detention for 18 months before being granted amnesty by newly-appointed Russian president Boris Yeltsin.
Following his release from prison, Yazov’s military career came to an end and he went on to work in various advisory and administrative positions in military academies, ministries, and organizations, including a 2008 appointment as general inspector of the Russian Defense Ministry.
In 2019, Yazov was sentenced in absentia to 10 years imprisonment for war crimes relating to his involvement in the violent Soviet military offense against members of the 1991 Lithuainian pro-independence movement. Russia denied extradition requests and Yazov remained free.
Yazov has remained a symbol of the Soviet military both within Russia and abroad. He appears as himself in Tom Clancy’s spy-thriller “The Cardinal of the Kremlin,” and has been praised in his homeland. His death marks the end of the line of surviving Marshals of the Soviet Union.
Funeral proceedings will be held on February 28 at Moscow’s Federal Military Memorial Cemetery.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-25--MH17 Investigators Have an Eyewitness, Dutch Prosecutor Says

A Dutch court will on March 9 hear the case against three Russian suspects and one Ukrainian over the downing of the aircraft , which killed all 298 people on board .
None of the Russian suspects are expected to appear in court because Russia does not extradite its citizens .
Dutch prosecutors have at least one eyewitness in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine , lead prosecutor Fred Westerbeke said two weeks ahead of the first court hearing into the tragedy .
“ I ’ d say I have an eyewitness .
And how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how many , ” Westerbeke said in an interview with CBS News ’ “ 60 Minutes ” on Sunday .
Westerbeke did not identify the witnesses , but the “ 60 Minutes ” report implied that Ukrainian villagers near where flight MH17 was shot down “ supplied yet another layer of evidence.
” Dutch media later reported that there are 13 witnesses whose identities have been classified and one public witness .
Investigators say the missile that hit the plane over territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine came from a launcher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the border .
Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said she was “ disgusted ” by the report , which included Westerbeke ’ s claim of an MH17 eyewitness .
“ They made a farce out of a tragedy , ” she wrote on Facebook , adding a mock quote of what the witness ’ testimony might sound like .
Westerbeke accused Russian officials of not cooperating with the MH17 investigation in the “ 60 Minutes ” interview .
“ [ W ] hat they should have done is give us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we needed , ” he said .
“ They should have come forward … and they never did .
”

A Dutch court will on March 9 hear the case against three Russian suspects and one Ukrainian over the downing of the aircraft, which killed all 298 people on board. None of the Russian suspects are expected to appear in court because Russia does not extradite its citizens.
Dutch prosecutors have at least one eyewitness in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, lead prosecutor Fred Westerbeke said two weeks ahead of the first court hearing into the tragedy.
“I’d say I have an eyewitness. And how many, I didn’t say how many,” Westerbeke said in an interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes” on Sunday.
Westerbeke did not identify the witnesses, but the “60 Minutes” report implied that Ukrainian villagers near where flight MH17 was shot down “supplied yet another layer of evidence.”
Dutch media later reported that there are 13 witnesses whose identities have been classified and one public witness.
Investigators say the missile that hit the plane over territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine came from a launcher transported from a Russian military base across the border.
Russia denies wrongdoing.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said she was “disgusted” by the report, which included Westerbeke’s claim of an MH17 eyewitness.
“They made a farce out of a tragedy,” she wrote on Facebook, adding a mock quote of what the witness’ testimony might sound like.
Westerbeke accused Russian officials of not cooperating with the MH17 investigation in the “60 Minutes” interview.
“[W]hat they should have done is give us all the information and all the proof we needed,” he said. “They should have come forward … and they never did.”


themoscowtimes--2020-02-25--Russia to Expand Surveillance to Tattoo, Iris, Voice Recognition – RBC

Russia ’ s police force is developing technology that would allow them to identify criminal suspects by tattoo , iris and voice , the RBC news website reported Monday .
Moscow rolled out its facial recognition system , one of the world ’ s largest , on Jan. 1 .
Opponents have filed lawsuits against the Russian capital ’ s use of facial recognition over privacy concerns , while activists have campaigned against it by applying face paint in public .
The Interior Ministry ’ s biometric database that will include tattoo , iris and voice recognition is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , RBC reported , citing an adviser to the minister .
The police force is testing additional recognition systems , including the ability to identify people by gait , an unnamed source close to the Interior Ministry told RBC .
The Interior Ministry has requested “ several billion rubles ” ( 1 billion rubles = $ 16 million ) for the system ’ s initial development , RBC cited an unnamed source familiar with the ministry ’ s plans as saying .
The technology will reportedly receive funding from the Moscow city government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Moscow has spent or allocated at least $ 53.3 million on hardware for its facial recognition project , Reuters reported last month .
The Russian capital has one of the world 's largest video surveillance networks , with over 170,000 cameras throughout the city .
Facial recognition software is operational in 105,000 cameras installed at entrances to buildings , an unnamed source told Reuters last month .
Starting in September , facial recognition will be introduced in the Moscow metro .

Russia’s police force is developing technology that would allow them to identify criminal suspects by tattoo, iris and voice, the RBC news website reported Monday. Moscow rolled out its facial recognition system, one of the world’s largest, on Jan. 1. Opponents have filed lawsuits against the Russian capital’s use of facial recognition over privacy concerns, while activists have campaigned against it by applying face paint in public.
The Interior Ministry’s biometric database that will include tattoo, iris and voice recognition is expected to go online by the end of 2021, RBC reported, citing an adviser to the minister. The police force is testing additional recognition systems, including the ability to identify people by gait, an unnamed source close to the Interior Ministry told RBC. The Interior Ministry has requested “several billion rubles” (1 billion rubles = $16 million) for the system’s initial development, RBC cited an unnamed source familiar with the ministry’s plans as saying.
news Moscow Deploys Facial Recognition in Mass Coronavirus Quarantine Read more


themoscowtimes--2020-02-25--‘It’s Like Nirvana’: Inside the Banya, Russia’s Centuries-Old Winter Refuge

The wind was whipping up snow , which meant that there was no place in the world Alexei Koltsov would rather be than the banya — the Russian bathhouse .
“ You come in here from the freezing cold and the heat presses up to you , ” Koltsov told me , wrapping his arms around himself as he spoke .
“ It ’ s like that feeling yogis talk about — nirvana.
” Every Sunday at 10 in the morning for the past 15 years , Koltsov , 47 , has gone to the same banya in central Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like for many Russians , what was once a space for maintaining good hygiene has turned into a refuge that is part wellness center , part social gathering space and , depending on how one approaches it , part watering hole .
This past Sunday , about 40 men were seated in booths in the Seleznyovskiye hangout area waiting for Koltsov , who sells plumbing equipment in his day job , to conjure up fresh steam .
The banya , which has been running since 1851 , according to its website , relies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Each takes their own approach .
Kolstov started by tossing bucket after bucket of water into an oven filled with iron ingots that banya staff had heated overnight .
Then he laid out aromatic twigs of sagebrush ; others prefer garlic or horseradish .
Soon , Koltsov deemed it ready for the rest of the men to come into the steam room and seat themselves around the space .
“ Let ’ s pray , ” he prompted the group .
In a different banya I once heard : “ We go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man picked up a large paddle-shaped fan to disperse the steam evenly .
Then we exited and dunked ourselves in an ice-cold pool , lowering our body temperatures and slowing down our racing hearts .
Usually , Koltsov said , the crew sees a bigger turnout .
But this Sunday happened to be Defenders of the Fatherland Day , or Men ’ s Day , and some of the men had chosen to spend the morning with their families .
“ We felt there was no better way to celebrate the occasion than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Koltsov said of those who had remained steadfast in their routine .
The banya , however , isn ’ t limited just to men .
Russian bathhouses are typically divided into men and women ’ s sections , so that visitors can strip off comfortably for maximum body exposure to the steam .
Lore has it , for instance , that poet Alexander Pushkin ’ s wife Natalya Goncharova was a regular visitor to Seleznyovskiye .
Gender division dates back to at least the beginning of the Soviet period .
After the October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Kremlin ’ s grounds were allotted different times for using the banya .
But in 1919 , women complained to the Council of People 's Commissars about their morning time slot , which didn ’ t leave them enough time to dry their hair before work and meant they caught colds .
But the banya long preceded the Bolsheviks .
According to Viktoria Lipinskaya , a researcher at the Institute of Anthropology and Ethnography at the Russian Academy of Sciences , it first popped up in Novgorod , at the time a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s northwest , in the 11th century , before spreading east to Siberia .
“ The Novgorodtsy were looking for ways to stay warm , just like the Finns who came up with their own sauna , ” said Lipinskaya .
But unlike the Finnish sauna , which produces dry heat , the Russian version is humid .
“ This helps the steam get deep into the body ’ s cellular structure , ” Lipinskaya explained , adding that the body is stressed during this process , so it ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with alcohol , as “ our men like to do.
” “ These were meant to be hygienic places , ” she said .
“ Women gave birth in banyas.
” Misusing the banya can indeed be dangerous .
One current Moscow-based foreign correspondent recently recalled how , at a banya in the Russian capital one winter afternoon several years ago , a man suffered a heart attack in the hangout area .
Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene .
But to the correspondent ’ s surprise , as the attendees waited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his body with a sheet and continued steaming .
“ Banyas are like a legal drug , ” explained Eduard Dudin , who along with his wife runs Zdrava , a health center in central Moscow that includes three steam rooms .
“ Your body starts to need it.
” The main reason , Dudin said , is that the banya “ is a sacred space that unites all four elements — fire , air , water and soil.
” “ And when they all come together you get the fifth element : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dudin , who began going to the banya as a child in a Siberian village , now runs an annual competition for banshchiki — steam makers — in Crimea and is working with the Labor Ministry to get the profession recognized officially .
He also welcomes into his center multiple times a week a group of banya devotees that first brought the Russian banya practice to Burning Man , the nine-day alternative gathering in the Nevada desert , in 2016 .
In Russia , the group is trying to bring the banya into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to banya they take off their social masks , ” Oleg Tolstoy , a 37-year-old group member , told me .
“ You take off your clothes ; you place your trust in others .
This is a place that is great for your psychological health too , where you can have deep conversations.
” Last Monday , I visited the center with Tolstoy ’ s group .
One banshchik led us in what I took to be the more modern approach .
She had a dozen of us , both men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands and hum together as she maneuvered the steam .
At first I felt like laughing ; then , as Tolstoy had predicted , my social mask slid off and I relaxed into the steam .

The wind was whipping up snow, which meant that there was no place in the world Alexei Koltsov would rather be than the banya — the Russian bathhouse. “You come in here from the freezing cold and the heat presses up to you,” Koltsov told me, wrapping his arms around himself as he spoke. “It’s like that feeling yogis talk about — nirvana.” Every Sunday at 10 in the morning for the past 15 years, Koltsov, 47, has gone to the same banya in central Moscow: Seleznyovskiye Bani. For him, like for many Russians, what was once a space for maintaining good hygiene has turned into a refuge that is part wellness center, part social gathering space and, depending on how one approaches it, part watering hole.
news Talking Russian Politics in an American Banya Read more
This past Sunday, about 40 men were seated in booths in the Seleznyovskiye hangout area waiting for Koltsov, who sells plumbing equipment in his day job, to conjure up fresh steam. The banya, which has been running since 1851, according to its website, relies on regulars to keep the steam going. Each takes their own approach. Kolstov started by tossing bucket after bucket of water into an oven filled with iron ingots that banya staff had heated overnight. Then he laid out aromatic twigs of sagebrush; others prefer garlic or horseradish. Soon, Koltsov deemed it ready for the rest of the men to come into the steam room and seat themselves around the space. “Let’s pray,” he prompted the group. In a different banya I once heard: “We go with God." Inside, a man picked up a large paddle-shaped fan to disperse the steam evenly. Then we exited and dunked ourselves in an ice-cold pool, lowering our body temperatures and slowing down our racing hearts. Usually, Koltsov said, the crew sees a bigger turnout. But this Sunday happened to be Defenders of the Fatherland Day, or Men’s Day, and some of the men had chosen to spend the morning with their families. “We felt there was no better way to celebrate the occasion than by going to the banya,” Koltsov said of those who had remained steadfast in their routine.
A dunk in an ice-cold pool slows down racing hearts after the heat of the steam room. Dmitry Feoktistov / TASS
The banya, however, isn’t limited just to men. Russian bathhouses are typically divided into men and women’s sections, so that visitors can strip off comfortably for maximum body exposure to the steam. Lore has it, for instance, that poet Alexander Pushkin’s wife Natalya Goncharova was a regular visitor to Seleznyovskiye. Gender division dates back to at least the beginning of the Soviet period. After the October Revolution, men and women living on the Kremlin’s grounds were allotted different times for using the banya. But in 1919, women complained to the Council of People's Commissars about their morning time slot, which didn’t leave them enough time to dry their hair before work and meant they caught colds. But the banya long preceded the Bolsheviks. According to Viktoria Lipinskaya, a researcher at the Institute of Anthropology and Ethnography at the Russian Academy of Sciences, it first popped up in Novgorod, at the time a collection of Slavic tribes in the country’s northwest, in the 11th century, before spreading east to Siberia. “The Novgorodtsy were looking for ways to stay warm, just like the Finns who came up with their own sauna,” said Lipinskaya. But unlike the Finnish sauna, which produces dry heat, the Russian version is humid. “This helps the steam get deep into the body’s cellular structure,” Lipinskaya explained, adding that the body is stressed during this process, so it’s not a good idea to mix banya sessions with alcohol, as “our men like to do.” “These were meant to be hygienic places,” she said. “Women gave birth in banyas.”
"Banyas are like a legal drug." Vladimir Smirnov / TASS
Misusing the banya can indeed be dangerous. One current Moscow-based foreign correspondent recently recalled how, at a banya in the Russian capital one winter afternoon several years ago, a man suffered a heart attack in the hangout area. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. But to the correspondent’s surprise, as the attendees waited for police to arrive, they covered his body with a sheet and continued steaming. “Banyas are like a legal drug,” explained Eduard Dudin, who along with his wife runs Zdrava, a health center in central Moscow that includes three steam rooms. “Your body starts to need it.” The main reason, Dudin said, is that the banya “is a sacred space that unites all four elements — fire, air, water and soil.” “And when they all come together you get the fifth element: the soul — or the steam.” Dudin, who began going to the banya as a child in a Siberian village, now runs an annual competition for banshchiki — steam makers — in Crimea and is working with the Labor Ministry to get the profession recognized officially. He also welcomes into his center multiple times a week a group of banya devotees that first brought the Russian banya practice to Burning Man, the nine-day alternative gathering in the Nevada desert, in 2016. In Russia, the group is trying to bring the banya into the modern era. “When people go to banya they take off their social masks,” Oleg Tolstoy, a 37-year-old group member, told me. “You take off your clothes; you place your trust in others. This is a place that is great for your psychological health too, where you can have deep conversations.” Last Monday, I visited the center with Tolstoy’s group. One banshchik led us in what I took to be the more modern approach. She had a dozen of us, both men and women, get undressed, hold hands and hum together as she maneuvered the steam. At first I felt like laughing; then, as Tolstoy had predicted, my social mask slid off and I relaxed into the steam.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-25--Russia Outraged by ‘Mini’ U.S. Nuclear Drill

During the simulation the official described as a “ mini-exercise , ” “ Russia decides to use a low-yield limited nuclear weapon against a [ U.S. ] site on NATO territory.
” The United States has staged a mock limited nuclear strike on Russia , an unnamed senior Pentagon official said in an unprecedented disclosure that angered Russian lawmakers .
“ In the course of [ the ] exercise , we simulated responding with a nuclear weapon , ” the official said Friday .
“ It was a limited response.
” The United States regularly practices the mechanics of nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Defense Industrial Association trade magazine reported Friday .
However , the outlet noted that it is “ unusual ” for senior defense officials to disclose the simulations ’ results or for the defense secretary to participate .
Russian lawmakers accused the U.S. of sowing fear within Europe and defended its military presence there .
“ The first goal is to get the population used to such an inconceivable conflict resolution scenario as a Russian-NATO nuclear strike , ” said Alexander Sherin , the second in command in the lower-house State Duma ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal is to intimidate Europe ’ s population and justify the presence of American bases on their territory as guarantors of security , ” Sherin told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency .
State Duma deputy Alexei Chepa called the limited nuclear exercise “ a good PR campaign ” for the U.S. to pressure European NATO members to increase their financial contributions .
Olga Kovitdi , a member of the upper-house defense committee , called the U.S. a master of “ bluffing and imitations.
” Her colleague , foreign-affairs committee member Sergei Tsekov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behaving like “ sick people.
” Earlier in February , the Pentagon said it deployed low-yield nuclear missiles on submarines .
Russia said the U.S. deployment of the W76-2 ballistic missile warhead alarmed Moscow because it could lead to limited nuclear war .
Russia 's misgivings over U.S. nuclear policy have grown since Washington pulled out of a landmark strategic arms accord , the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty ( INF ) , in August , citing violations by Russia that Moscow denies .
This leaves the New START accord , signed in 2010 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control treaty between the world 's two biggest nuclear powers .
New START limits the number of long-range nuclear warheads they can deploy .

During the simulation the official described as a “mini-exercise,” “Russia decides to use a low-yield limited nuclear weapon against a [U.S.] site on NATO territory.”
The United States has staged a mock limited nuclear strike on Russia, an unnamed senior Pentagon official said in an unprecedented disclosure that angered Russian lawmakers.
“In the course of [the] exercise, we simulated responding with a nuclear weapon,” the official said Friday. “It was a limited response.”
The United States regularly practices the mechanics of nuclear warfare, the U.S. government’s National Defense Industrial Association trade magazine reported Friday. However, the outlet noted that it is “unusual” for senior defense officials to disclose the simulations’ results or for the defense secretary to participate.
Russian lawmakers accused the U.S. of sowing fear within Europe and defended its military presence there.
“The first goal is to get the population used to such an inconceivable conflict resolution scenario as a Russian-NATO nuclear strike,” said Alexander Sherin, the second in command in the lower-house State Duma’s defense committee.
“The second goal is to intimidate Europe’s population and justify the presence of American bases on their territory as guarantors of security,” Sherin told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.
State Duma deputy Alexei Chepa called the limited nuclear exercise “a good PR campaign” for the U.S. to pressure European NATO members to increase their financial contributions.
Olga Kovitdi, a member of the upper-house defense committee, called the U.S. a master of “bluffing and imitations.” Her colleague, foreign-affairs committee member Sergei Tsekov, said that the Pentagon officials were behaving like “sick people.”
Earlier in February, the Pentagon said it deployed low-yield nuclear missiles on submarines. Russia said the U.S. deployment of the W76-2 ballistic missile warhead alarmed Moscow because it could lead to limited nuclear war.
Russia's misgivings over U.S. nuclear policy have grown since Washington pulled out of a landmark strategic arms accord, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), in August, citing violations by Russia that Moscow denies.
This leaves the New START accord, signed in 2010, as the last major nuclear arms control treaty between the world's two biggest nuclear powers. New START limits the number of long-range nuclear warheads they can deploy.
Reuters contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-28--Could Russia Go to War With Turkey in Syria?

The killing of 33 soldiers by fire from forces of Russia 's ally the Syrian regime — the biggest Turkish military loss on the battlefield in recent years — raised fears of war between the two historic rivals .
Russia has no appetite for a military confrontation with Turkey in Idlib but the Kremlin wo n't step back from its support for the Syrian regime 's campaign to regain control of the province .
But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin of Russia were quick to hold telephone talks and plan a summit as soon as next week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a conciliatory tone .
The two men — both leading post-imperial societies they took over in the wake of economic crises — have since 2016 forged an alliance that has riled the West and will be wary of undermining it for now .
`` Russia is definitely not looking for a full-scale military confrontation with Turkey , nor is Turkey interested in confronting Moscow over Idlib , '' said Igor Delanoe , deputy director of the Franco-Russian Observatory in Moscow .
`` The stakes are too high , especially for Ankara , considering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its hands to retaliate , '' he told AFP .
Russia has built the TurkStream gas pipeline across the Black Sea , is constructing Turkey 's first nuclear power plant and above all has delivered an S-400 air defense system in a move that horrified NATO , of which Turkey is a key member .
Delanoe said Moscow believed Ankara had failed to comply with a 2018 agreement on Idlib to root out more extreme rebel fighters and the incident had given Turkey a taste of `` what could be the cost of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The incident came as tensions soared after Erdogan — who has vowed not to take a step back in Idlib — gave Syrian forces a Feb. 29 deadline to pull back from their positions .
Idlib is the last remaining rebel bastion in Syria and Turkey wants to keep its influence over the area even once Syria 's civil war ends .
Yet this is an obstacle to Moscow 's ambition of seeing President Bashar al-Assad regain control of the entire country and confirming the greatest Russian military victory of the post-Soviet era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Has said that Russia 's `` long-term strategy '' for Syria had not changed but it was keen not to antagonize Turkey , especially given the closeness of economic and energy ties as well as the cooperation on the S-400s .
`` A full military confrontation in Syria is now less possible '' after a day of intense diplomacy , he told AFP , while warning that `` risks are brimming on the ground '' and any clash could send tensions spiralling again .
`` Russia is going to continue its operations in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take a step back soon , '' he added .
While Russian officials were careful not to provoke Turkey any further , the Kremlin said the Turkish troops were not manning observation points agreed under a 2018 deal but positioned among armed groups deemed by Moscow to be `` terrorists . ''
Relations between modern Russia and Turkey — whose predecessor empires fought centuries of wars over influence in the Black Sea region — have swung back and forth over the last years .
There were fears of military confrontation in November 2015 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over Syria .
But a reconciliation deal was clinched in 2016 and Putin rapidly backed Erdogan when he faced a coup bid that summer .
Even the assassination of Russia 's ambassador to Ankara in December 2016 by an off-duty police officer did not derail the intensification of ties as both sides began a joint effort to bring peace to Syria .
Alexey Khlebnikov , Middle East Analyst at the Russian International Affairs Council , founded by the Kremlin to advise on foreign policy issues , said that while risks existed , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
He said Russia 's immediate priority was not to have Damascus retake all of Idlib but to have the strategic M4 and M5 highways under Syrian army control .
`` So far , all indicators show that the two countries are ready for de-escalation , '' he said , but added : `` The risks of an incidental escalation are way higher now .
An escalation might happen and we ca n't rule it out . ''

The killing of 33 soldiers by fire from forces of Russia's ally the Syrian regime — the biggest Turkish military loss on the battlefield in recent years — raised fears of war between the two historic rivals.
Russia has no appetite for a military confrontation with Turkey in Idlib but the Kremlin won't step back from its support for the Syrian regime's campaign to regain control of the province.
But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin of Russia were quick to hold telephone talks and plan a summit as soon as next week in Moscow, with Russian officials striking a conciliatory tone.
The two men — both leading post-imperial societies they took over in the wake of economic crises — have since 2016 forged an alliance that has riled the West and will be wary of undermining it for now.
"Russia is definitely not looking for a full-scale military confrontation with Turkey, nor is Turkey interested in confronting Moscow over Idlib," said Igor Delanoe, deputy director of the Franco-Russian Observatory in Moscow.
"The stakes are too high, especially for Ankara, considering all the economic leverage Moscow has in its hands to retaliate," he told AFP.
Russia has built the TurkStream gas pipeline across the Black Sea, is constructing Turkey's first nuclear power plant and above all has delivered an S-400 air defense system in a move that horrified NATO, of which Turkey is a key member.
Delanoe said Moscow believed Ankara had failed to comply with a 2018 agreement on Idlib to root out more extreme rebel fighters and the incident had given Turkey a taste of "what could be the cost of a military adventure in Idlib."
'No step back soon'
The incident came as tensions soared after Erdogan — who has vowed not to take a step back in Idlib — gave Syrian forces a Feb. 29 deadline to pull back from their positions.
Idlib is the last remaining rebel bastion in Syria and Turkey wants to keep its influence over the area even once Syria's civil war ends.
Yet this is an obstacle to Moscow's ambition of seeing President Bashar al-Assad regain control of the entire country and confirming the greatest Russian military victory of the post-Soviet era.
Moscow-based expert on Turkey-Russia relations Kerim Has said that Russia's "long-term strategy" for Syria had not changed but it was keen not to antagonize Turkey, especially given the closeness of economic and energy ties as well as the cooperation on the S-400s.
"A full military confrontation in Syria is now less possible" after a day of intense diplomacy, he told AFP, while warning that "risks are brimming on the ground" and any clash could send tensions spiralling again.
"Russia is going to continue its operations in Idlib. It is not going to take a step back soon," he added.
While Russian officials were careful not to provoke Turkey any further, the Kremlin said the Turkish troops were not manning observation points agreed under a 2018 deal but positioned among armed groups deemed by Moscow to be "terrorists."
'Worst-case scenario'
Relations between modern Russia and Turkey — whose predecessor empires fought centuries of wars over influence in the Black Sea region — have swung back and forth over the last years.
There were fears of military confrontation in November 2015 when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane over Syria. But a reconciliation deal was clinched in 2016 and Putin rapidly backed Erdogan when he faced a coup bid that summer.
Even the assassination of Russia's ambassador to Ankara in December 2016 by an off-duty police officer did not derail the intensification of ties as both sides began a joint effort to bring peace to Syria.
Alexey Khlebnikov, Middle East Analyst at the Russian International Affairs Council, founded by the Kremlin to advise on foreign policy issues, said that while risks existed, a direct confrontation was the "worst-case scenario."
He said Russia's immediate priority was not to have Damascus retake all of Idlib but to have the strategic M4 and M5 highways under Syrian army control.
"So far, all indicators show that the two countries are ready for de-escalation," he said, but added: "The risks of an incidental escalation are way higher now. An escalation might happen and we can't rule it out."


themoscowtimes--2020-03-01--Russia's Sputnik Says Turkey Editor-in-Chief Released

Istanbul police on Sunday released the editor-in-chief of the Turkish edition of Sputnik , the Russian news website said , as tensions escalated between Ankara and Moscow .
Sputnik Turkey 's editor-in-chief Mahir Boztepe was detained and taken to the Istanbul police headquarters but released a couple of hours later , the website said .
The Ankara public prosecutor 's office launched a probe into Boztepe on suspicion of `` degrading the Turkish people , the Turkish state , state institutions '' and `` disrupting the unity and territorial integrity of the state '' , state news agency Anadolu reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov spoke on the phone , officials said .
Lavrov `` stressed the need to quickly settle the Sputnik journalists and collaborators ' situation in Ankara and to ensure their safety , '' the Russian foreign ministry said .
They also discussed a meeting expected this week between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russia 's Vladimir Putin , it said .
Turkish media reported the meeting would take place on March 5 but Kremlin spokesman , Dmitri Peskov , said it could be on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier said that `` protesters '' entered three journalists ' homes on Saturday night in Ankara and threatened them .
Margarita Simonyan , editor-in-chief of Rossiya Segodnya which owns Sputnik , had criticised the earlier detention of the three journalists in Ankara .
Sputnik said they were then taken to an Ankara court for questioning on Sunday but were freed afterwards .
The Turkish branch of Reporters Without Borders ( RSF ) tweeted on Sunday that police took statements from the three journalists in Ankara after Sputnik published an article in English titled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why Turkey Was Given A Corner Of Syria By France 80 Years Ago . ''
Colonial power France ceded the southern region to Turkey in 1938 .
The relationship between Russia and Turkey has been strained since attacks blamed on the Russian-backed Syrian regime killed dozens of Turkish soldiers last week in the northwestern rebel-held Syrian province of Idlib .
While Ankara backs Syrian opposition fighters , Russia is a close ally of Damascus and has provided air power during the recent assault on Idlib .
Ties between the two countries deteriorated after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 , but a rapprochement in 2016 led to closer links in multiple areas including energy and in Syria .

Istanbul police on Sunday released the editor-in-chief of the Turkish edition of Sputnik, the Russian news website said, as tensions escalated between Ankara and Moscow.
Sputnik Turkey's editor-in-chief Mahir Boztepe was detained and taken to the Istanbul police headquarters but released a couple of hours later, the website said.
The Ankara public prosecutor's office launched a probe into Boztepe on suspicion of "degrading the Turkish people, the Turkish state, state institutions" and "disrupting the unity and territorial integrity of the state", state news agency Anadolu reported.
The release comes after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov spoke on the phone, officials said.
Lavrov "stressed the need to quickly settle the Sputnik journalists and collaborators' situation in Ankara and to ensure their safety," the Russian foreign ministry said.
They also discussed a meeting expected this week between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russia's Vladimir Putin, it said.
Turkish media reported the meeting would take place on March 5 but Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, said it could be on Thursday or Friday.
The Russian ministry earlier said that "protesters" entered three journalists' homes on Saturday night in Ankara and threatened them.
Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of Rossiya Segodnya which owns Sputnik, had criticised the earlier detention of the three journalists in Ankara.
Sputnik said they were then taken to an Ankara court for questioning on Sunday but were freed afterwards.
Turkish police also searched the Russian news website's Istanbul office.
The Turkish branch of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) tweeted on Sunday that police took statements from the three journalists in Ankara after Sputnik published an article in English titled: "The 'Stolen Province': Why Turkey Was Given A Corner Of Syria By France 80 Years Ago."
Colonial power France ceded the southern region to Turkey in 1938.
The relationship between Russia and Turkey has been strained since attacks blamed on the Russian-backed Syrian regime killed dozens of Turkish soldiers last week in the northwestern rebel-held Syrian province of Idlib.
While Ankara backs Syrian opposition fighters, Russia is a close ally of Damascus and has provided air power during the recent assault on Idlib.
Ties between the two countries deteriorated after Turkey shot down a Russian plane in 2015, but a rapprochement in 2016 led to closer links in multiple areas including energy and in Syria.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-01--Russian, Turkish Foreign Ministers Discuss Improving Working Relations

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Chavushoglu agreed on the need to create a `` favorable @ @ @ @ @ relations between their countries , the Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ of the adoption of measures to create a favourable atmosphere that will facilitate the effectiveness @ @ @ @ @ implementation of agreements in support of the Syrian settlement and other issues on the agenda @ @ @ @ @ the ministry said .
Lavrov and Chavushoglu , in a phone call , also discussed @ @ @ @ @ between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan .
The Kremlin hopes @ @ @ @ @ his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan will hold talks in Moscow on March 5 or March @ @ @ @ @ Peskov said on Sunday , Interfax news agency reported .
The talks will not be @ @ @ @ @ confirm their focus on resolving the situation in Syria 's Idlib region , where the @ @ @ @ @ sides in a conflict , Peskov said .

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Chavushoglu agreed on the need to create a "favorable atmosphere" to improve working relations between their countries, the Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday.
"The ministers have declared in favour of the adoption of measures to create a favourable atmosphere that will facilitate the effectiveness of the dialogue on the implementation of agreements in support of the Syrian settlement and other issues on the agenda of Russian-Turkish relations," the ministry said.
Lavrov and Chavushoglu, in a phone call, also discussed preparations for the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan.
The Kremlin hopes Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan will hold talks in Moscow on March 5 or March 6, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday, Interfax news agency reported.
The talks will not be easy, but both leaders confirm their focus on resolving the situation in Syria's Idlib region, where the two countries are backing opposing sides in a conflict, Peskov said.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-01--Turkey Destroys Scores of Syrian Army Targets, Says Turkish Defense Minister

Turkey said on Sunday it had destroyed air defense systems , more than 100 tanks and downed two planes belonging to the Syrian army as part of an operation it launched after an airstrike killed dozens of its soldiers last week .
Tensions in northwest Syria have escalated sharply as fighting between Turkey-backed rebels and Russian-backed Syrian government forces risks bringing the two regional powers into direct confrontation .
Diplomatic efforts by Ankara and Moscow to defuse tensions have so far fallen short of achieving a ceasefire in the Idlib region of northwest Syria , the country 's last major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war .
Ankara has ramped up its attacks , including drone strikes , against the Syrian army since Thursday , when 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Damascus .
Another soldier was killed on Friday , bringing February 's death toll to 55 .
Syria 's army warned on Sunday it would take down any planes or drones breaching the air space over the northwest , which has been controlled for years by its ally Moscow .
`` We have neither the intention nor the notion to face Russia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Syrian ) regime to end the massacre and thereby prevent , stop radicalization and migration , '' Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said .
He dubbed the operation , Turkey 's fourth in Syria , `` Spring Shield '' .
Akar said Turkey had destroyed a drone , eight helicopters , 103 tanks , 72 howitzers , rocket launchers , and six air defense systems among other military equipment since Feb. 27 .
Akar added that 2,212 members of the Syrian forces had been `` neutralized '' , a term used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Syrian Observatory , a Britain-based war monitor , said 74 Syrian government troops and pro-Damascus fighters had been killed since Feb. 27 .
Turkey 's Defence Ministry said one of its drones had been downed on Sunday and that it had shot down two Syrian planes .
Syrian state news agency SANA said the pilots escaped in parachutes and were fine .

Turkey said on Sunday it had destroyed air defense systems, more than 100 tanks and downed two planes belonging to the Syrian army as part of an operation it launched after an airstrike killed dozens of its soldiers last week.
Tensions in northwest Syria have escalated sharply as fighting between Turkey-backed rebels and Russian-backed Syrian government forces risks bringing the two regional powers into direct confrontation.
Diplomatic efforts by Ankara and Moscow to defuse tensions have so far fallen short of achieving a ceasefire in the Idlib region of northwest Syria, the country's last major rebel stronghold after nine years of civil war.
Ankara has ramped up its attacks, including drone strikes, against the Syrian army since Thursday, when 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Damascus. Another soldier was killed on Friday, bringing February's death toll to 55.
Syria's army warned on Sunday it would take down any planes or drones breaching the air space over the northwest, which has been controlled for years by its ally Moscow.
"We have neither the intention nor the notion to face Russia. Our only intention there is for the (Syrian) regime to end the massacre and thereby prevent, stop radicalization and migration," Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said.
He dubbed the operation, Turkey's fourth in Syria, "Spring Shield." Akar said Turkey had destroyed a drone, eight helicopters, 103 tanks, 72 howitzers, rocket launchers and six air defense systems among other military equipment since Feb. 27.
Akar added that 2,212 members of the Syrian forces had been "neutralized," a term used to designate killed, wounded or captured. The Syrian Observatory, a Britain-based war monitor, said 74 Syrian government troops and pro-Damascus fighters had been killed since Feb. 27.
Turkey's Defense Ministry said one of its drones had been downed on Sunday and that it had shot down two Syrian planes. Syrian state news agency SANA said the pilots escaped in parachutes and were fine.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-01--Kiev Says Russia and Ukraine in Talks for Next Prisoner Swap in March

Ukraine said on Sunday it had held talks with the Kremlin on swapping all remaining prisoners from the conflict in east Ukraine , and the next exchange might take place later this month .
Russia 's President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy agreed in December to send prisoners home , and scores were handed over just before the end of the year .
But many others are still being held , casting a shadow over efforts to roll out a peace deal and , eventually , settle the status of the disputed region where the fighting raged between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of the Ukraine president 's office , Andriy Yermak , met senior Kremlin official Dmitry Kozak in Minsk , the presidency said .
`` The parties discussed the issues of the mutual release of the detainees , '' and the plan was to hold the next exchange in March , it added , without giving details on the size of that swap .
The conflict that broke out in 2014 killed more than 13,000 people , left a large swathe of Ukraine de facto controlled by the separatists and aggravated the deepest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The full release of prisoners could help thaw relations that have been frozen since Russian forces annexed Ukraine 's Crimea region in 2014 .

Ukraine said on Sunday it had held talks with the Kremlin on swapping all remaining prisoners from the conflict in east Ukraine, and the next exchange might take place later this month.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy agreed in December to send prisoners home, and scores were handed over just before the end of the year.
But many others are still being held, casting a shadow over efforts to roll out a peace deal and, eventually, settle the status of the disputed region where the fighting raged between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists.
The head of the Ukraine president's office, Andriy Yermak, met senior Kremlin official Dmitry Kozak in Minsk, the presidency said.
"The parties discussed the issues of the mutual release of the detainees," and the plan was to hold the next exchange in March, it added, without giving details on the size of that swap. The conflict that broke out in 2014 killed more than 13,000 people, left a large swathe of Ukraine de facto controlled by the separatists and aggravated the deepest east-west rift since the Cold War.
The full release of prisoners could help thaw relations that have been frozen since Russian forces annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-01--Putin Says Current Oil Prices Acceptable, Hints at OPEC Cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that current oil prices were acceptable and that Russia had the tools to react to any negative effects of the spread of the coronavirus on the global economy , but offered a chink of light to OPEC as the producer group pushes for deeper supply cuts .
Putin added that he sees the OPEC+ group as an effective mechanism to preserve long-term stability , adding that Russia had to be prepared for different scenarios on oil markets following a global fall in oil prices on coronavirus concerns .
Moscow has been resisting further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries ( OPEC ) and its allies , known as OPEC+ , will not necessarily revive demand , sources said .
OPEC+ is due to meet in Vienna this week to decide on production policy when its existing supply pact expires at the end of March .
Several key members of Saudi Arabia-led OPEC are leaning towards a bigger than previously expected output cut , four sources with knowledge of the talks have told Reuters , but Russia has yet to make clear its stance on proposals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stress that for the Russian budget , for our economy , the current oil prices level is acceptable , '' Putin told a meeting with Russian energy officials and producers to discuss the coronavirus and its implications .
The price of Brent crude slumped to $ 50.05 on Friday , its lowest since late 2018 , on fears that the coronavirus outbreak will trigger oil demand destruction .
Russia , which has more than $ 560 billion in its reserves , envisages in its budget an average Brent crude price of $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Our accumulated reserves , including the National Wealth Fund , are enough for ensuring a stable situation , the fulfilment of all budget and social liabilities , even under a possible deterioration of the global economic situation , '' Putin said .
He added , however , that this does not set aside the need for action , `` including together with foreign partners '' .
Putin also highlighted the difficulty in forecasting moves in oil prices and acknowledged that Russia needs to be ready for various scenarios .
OPEC+ has `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure long-term stability on global energy markets '' , he told the meeting , with his comments released on the Kremlin website .
`` Thanks to that , we have obtained extra budget revenues and , what is important , provided a possibility for upstream companies to confidently invest in promising development projects . ''
Putin asked meeting participants for their views on further possible action on the global oil market and said he hoped that steps taken by Russia to prevent the spread of the coronavirus were effective .
`` The situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Russia has limited entry for Chinese , South Korean and Iranian citizens and said it will deport 88 foreign nationals for alleged violations of quarantine measures .
Three Russian nationals are receiving treatment in Russia after contracting the virus on a cruise ship in Japan , authorities have said .
Two Chinese nationals were taken to hospital in Russia with the virus but have since recovered .
Last week the rouble slid beyond 67 per dollar to its weakest since early 2019 and the stock market dropped , pricing in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Turkey over Syria .

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that current oil prices were acceptable and that Russia had the tools to react to any negative effects of the spread of the coronavirus on the global economy, but offered a chink of light to OPEC as the producer group pushes for deeper supply cuts. Putin added that he sees the OPEC+ group as an effective mechanism to preserve long-term stability, adding that Russia had to be prepared for different scenarios on oil markets following a global fall in oil prices on coronavirus concerns.
Moscow has been resisting further curbs, arguing that reduced output by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, known as OPEC+, will not necessarily revive demand, sources said. OPEC+ is due to meet in Vienna this week to decide on production policy when its existing supply pact expires at the end of March. Several key members of Saudi Arabia-led OPEC are leaning towards a bigger than previously expected output cut, four sources with knowledge of the talks have told Reuters, but Russia has yet to make clear its stance on proposals for further cuts. "I want to stress that for the Russian budget, for our economy, the current oil prices level is acceptable," Putin told a meeting with Russian energy officials and producers to discuss the coronavirus and its implications. The price of Brent crude slumped to $50.05 on Friday, its lowest since late 2018, on fears that the coronavirus outbreak will trigger oil demand destruction. Russia, which has more than $560 billion in its reserves, envisages in its budget an average Brent crude price of $42.40 a barrel, Putin said. "Our accumulated reserves, including the National Wealth Fund, are enough for ensuring a stable situation, the fulfilment of all budget and social liabilities, even under a possible deterioration of the global economic situation," Putin said.
Forecasting difficulty


themoscowtimes--2020-03-01--OPEC Could Deepen Oil Supply Cuts With or Without Russia

OPEC could agree on deeper oil supply cuts this week , with or without Russia 's support , to halt the slide in crude prices triggered by the global spread of the coronavirus , said two sources familiar with the talks .
Moscow is resisting further output curbs , arguing that reduced production by the Saudi Arabia-led Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries ( OPEC ) and its allies , a group known as OPEC+ , will not necessarily revive oil demand , the sources said .
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday said that current prices are acceptable for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - a key member of OPEC+ - has sufficient resources to contend with any deterioration in the global economy .
`` Saudi Arabia wants to hold prices from falling , but Russia is still not agreeing .
So the only way might be for OPEC to cut alone , which will not send a good signal to the market , '' one of the sources said .
`` There should be a cut , there is no other option , '' another source said , adding that another option might be for OPEC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prices force Moscow to come on board .

OPEC could agree on deeper oil supply cuts this week, with or without Russia's support, to halt the slide in crude prices triggered by the global spread of the coronavirus, said two sources familiar with the talks.
Moscow is resisting further output curbs, arguing that reduced production by the Saudi Arabia-led Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, will not necessarily revive oil demand, the sources said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday said that current prices are acceptable for his country's budget and that Russia - a key member of OPEC+ - has sufficient resources to contend with any deterioration in the global economy.
"Saudi Arabia wants to hold prices from falling, but Russia is still not agreeing. So the only way might be for OPEC to cut alone, which will not send a good signal to the market," one of the sources said.
"There should be a cut, there is no other option," another source said, adding that another option might be for OPEC to delay a decision until low oil prices force Moscow to come on board.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-01--France's Macron Urges Turkey and Russia to Agree Ceasefire in Syria

French President Emmanuel Macron urged his Russian and Turkish counterparts on Saturday to halt hostilities in Syria and agree to @ @ @ @ @ office said .
Macron told the Russian and Turkish leaders in separate phone calls that @ @ @ @ @ about the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe '' caused by the Syrian offensive and its allies in @ @ @ @ @ `` The President of the Republic stressed that an immediate cease to hostilities was needed @ @ @ @ @ Turkey to establish a durable and verifiable ceasefire as they committed to France and Germany @ @ @ @ @ Istanbul in the autumn 2018 , '' his office said in a statement .
Macron @ @ @ @ @ over the recent deaths of its soldiers in Syria , and urged Turkey to cooperate @ @ @ @ @ migrant flows .

French President Emmanuel Macron urged his Russian and Turkish counterparts on Saturday to halt hostilities in Syria and agree to a lasting ceasefire, his office said.
Macron told the Russian and Turkish leaders in separate phone calls that he was "deeply concerned about the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe" caused by the Syrian offensive and its allies in the province of Idlib.
"The President of the Republic stressed that an immediate cease to hostilities was needed and called on Russia and Turkey to establish a durable and verifiable ceasefire as they committed to France and Germany at the four-way summit in Istanbul in the autumn 2018," his office said in a statement.
Macron also expressed solidarity with Turkey over the recent deaths of its soldiers in Syria, and urged Turkey to cooperate with the European Union on migrant flows.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-29--‘United Dissatisfaction’: Tens of Thousands Across Russia Rally for Slain Opposition Leader

In what has become an annual Russian tradition , thousands rallied across the country on Saturday to march for Boris Nemtsov , a key opposition figure shot and killed five years ago this month on a Moscow bridge just steps from the Kremlin .
While the killer has been found guilty and sentenced to prison , Nemtsov ’ s family and allies claim that the authorities have neglected to bring the masterminds to justice .
Activists say they will continue marching every year until those responsible are found and prosecuted .
Each year , however , new indignities pile up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved by the authorities , has become a platform for the beleaguered Russian opposition to express all that is irritating it .
“ We must fight to ensure that there are no contract killings and torture in our country , that the police are honest , that the courts are impartial and that punishment for committing a crime is inevitable , ” Russia ’ s main opposition critic Alexei Navalny wrote on Facebook in a call for people to attend the march .
The weeks leading up to this year ’ s event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dissatisfied about .
Among the most prominent affronts was what critics are calling a “ constitutional coup.
” During his annual state-of-the-nation address in mid-January , President Vladimir Putin proposed a raft of constitutional amendments that critics said could allow him to stay in power beyond the end of his term in 2024 .
This week a lawmaker announced that Putin had agreed to a nationwide vote on the amendments on April 22 .
Observers have argued that among Putin ’ s proposed changes to the 1993 document , some would strengthen parliament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Russian leader appears to be keeping various doors open for a new position after he leaves the Kremlin .
Organizers of the Nemtsov march used the upcoming vote on the constitutional changes as a call to action .
“ There are moments when you can ’ t sit at home , ” opposition politician Ilya Yashin said in a video address .
“ Putin should not rule forever .
It ’ s time to remind him of that.
” According to White Counter , an NGO that tallies up participants who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rallies , 22,300 people attended the headliner in the Russian capital — more than doubling the count at last year ’ s rally .
Interior Ministry estimates cited by Interfax put the number of participants in Moscow at 10,500 .
Marches also took place in other large cities including Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg , where six of the 2,000 demonstrators were detained .
“ This will perhaps be the most important opposition rally in recent years , ” Yashin predicted .
At the rally , marchers chanted “ Russia without Putin ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usurpation.
” They also unfurled a banner reading “ change power not the constitution.
” But among the crowd , there was also a sense of resignation .
“ I ’ m not exactly sure what these changes are , but I ’ m positive they ’ re so the authorities can stay in power , ” said Filip Kazakov , a 34-year-old small business owner .
“ I don ’ t think there ’ s much we can do about it .
What ’ s important is that we remind those in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a survey published by the independent Levada Center pollster on the eve of the Nemtsov march , a quarter of voters will support the constitutional proposals , while 56 % said they did not understand why the changes are needed .
“ There ’ s nothing in the amendments that can explicitly trigger outrage , ” said political scientist Yekaterina Schulmann .
“ If it was clearly written that two-term limits for presidents would be cancelled then maybe you could inspire civil society protest .
But it ’ s hard for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out what ’ s wrong specifically with them.
” Navalny , notably , avoided mentioning the constitutional changes in his call for people to attend the march .
Earlier , he had called for a wait-and-see approach .
“ Putin surprised the opposition , ” said political analyst Gleb Pavlovsky .
“ They weren ’ t ready for his move and their response has been feeble.
” On Saturday , though , there were other indignities to rally around .
Earlier this month , a court in central Russia jailed seven members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Network — to prison terms between six and 18 years .
The jailed activists had accused security officers of torturing them into incriminating themselves , allegations which Russia ’ s Federal Security Service ( FSB ) called a “ professional necessity.
” At the rally , marchers called for the activists to be released .
And on Thursday , on the anniversary of Nemtsov ’ s murder , Putin handed an award to Chechen lawmaker Suleiman Geremeyev , the uncle of Ruslan Geremeyev , one of the alleged organizers of the shooting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ slap in the face .
The rally was also the first protest gathering in the Russian capital since the wave of protests last summer for fair elections that left a number of activists facing years behind bars , including Konstantin Kotov , who was handed a four-year prison sentence for attending multiple rallies unsanctioned by the authorities .
On Saturday , marchers carried signs calling for their freedom .
“ This has become an event for us to express our united dissatisfaction , ” said Sergei Stenken , a 46-year-old systems administrator .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ past year and this is the time to show that we aren ’ t ignoring it .
”

In what has become an annual Russian tradition, thousands rallied across the country on Saturday to march for Boris Nemtsov, a key opposition figure shot and killed five years ago this month on a Moscow bridge just steps from the Kremlin. While the killer has been found guilty and sentenced to prison, Nemtsov’s family and allies claim that the authorities have neglected to bring the masterminds to justice. Activists say they will continue marching every year until those responsible are found and prosecuted. Each year, however, new indignities pile up — and the march, which is approved by the authorities, has become a platform for the beleaguered Russian opposition to express all that is irritating it. “We must fight to ensure that there are no contract killings and torture in our country, that the police are honest, that the courts are impartial and that punishment for committing a crime is inevitable,” Russia’s main opposition critic Alexei Navalny wrote on Facebook in a call for people to attend the march.
The weeks leading up to this year’s event offered much for the opposition to be dissatisfied about. Among the most prominent affronts was what critics are calling a “constitutional coup.” During his annual state-of-the-nation address in mid-January, President Vladimir Putin proposed a raft of constitutional amendments that critics said could allow him to stay in power beyond the end of his term in 2024. This week a lawmaker announced that Putin had agreed to a nationwide vote on the amendments on April 22. Observers have argued that among Putin’s proposed changes to the 1993 document, some would strengthen parliament and other government bodies. Analysts say the Russian leader appears to be keeping various doors open for a new position after he leaves the Kremlin. Organizers of the Nemtsov march used the upcoming vote on the constitutional changes as a call to action. “There are moments when you can’t sit at home,” opposition politician Ilya Yashin said in a video address. “Putin should not rule forever. It’s time to remind him of that.”
According to White Counter, an NGO that tallies up participants who have passed through the security frames surrounding approved rallies, 22,300 people attended the headliner in the Russian capital — more than doubling the count at last year’s rally. Interior Ministry estimates cited by Interfax put the number of participants in Moscow at 10,500. Marches also took place in other large cities including Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg, where six of the 2,000 demonstrators were detained. “This will perhaps be the most important opposition rally in recent years,” Yashin predicted. At the rally, marchers chanted “Russia without Putin” and carried posters saying “no to constitutional usurpation.” They also unfurled a banner reading “change power not the constitution.” But among the crowd, there was also a sense of resignation. “I’m not exactly sure what these changes are, but I’m positive they’re so the authorities can stay in power,” said Filip Kazakov, a 34-year-old small business owner. “I don’t think there’s much we can do about it. What’s important is that we remind those in power that dissenting voices exist.”
According to a survey published by the independent Levada Center pollster on the eve of the Nemtsov march, a quarter of voters will support the constitutional proposals, while 56% said they did not understand why the changes are needed. “There’s nothing in the amendments that can explicitly trigger outrage,” said political scientist Yekaterina Schulmann. “If it was clearly written that two-term limits for presidents would be cancelled then maybe you could inspire civil society protest. But it’s hard for people to look at the changes and point out what’s wrong specifically with them.” Navalny, notably, avoided mentioning the constitutional changes in his call for people to attend the march. Earlier, he had called for a wait-and-see approach. “Putin surprised the opposition,” said political analyst Gleb Pavlovsky. “They weren’t ready for his move and their response has been feeble.” On Saturday, though, there were other indignities to rally around.


themoscowtimes--2020-02-29--Three Die at Moscow Party After Dry Ice Thrown Into Pool

Three people have died at a Moscow birthday party after around 30 kilograms of dry ice meant to create special effects was tipped into a pool , investigators and reports said Saturday .
The party at the Moscow pool complex late Friday was to mark the birthday of Ekaterina Didenko , a popular Instagram influencer focusing on pharmaceutical products with more than a million followers .
Two people died at the scene while a third died in hospital , Russia 's investigative committee said in a statement , announcing a criminal probe into the incident .
Didenko 's husband Valentin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital , the TASS news agency reported .
Four other people suffered chemical burns and poisoning .
The RIA Novosti news agency said the victims had jumped into the pool after the dry ice had been tipped into the water and suffered chemical reactions .
The Mash news channel on messenger service Telegram posted tearful videos it said were of Ekaterina Didenko firstly at the hospital saying she had survived and then , in a distraught state , paying tribute to her husband after his death was confirmed .
The dry ice was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pool .
When dry ice — the solid form of carbon dioxide — is dropped into water it creates swirling clouds but can also cause an explosion .

Three people have died at a Moscow birthday party after around 30 kilograms of dry ice meant to create special effects was tipped into a pool, investigators and reports said Saturday.
The party at the Moscow pool complex late Friday was to mark the birthday of Ekaterina Didenko, a popular Instagram influencer focusing on pharmaceutical products with more than a million followers.
Two people died at the scene while a third died in hospital, Russia's investigative committee said in a statement, announcing a criminal probe into the incident.
Didenko's husband Valentin was the man who died later in hospital, the TASS news agency reported. Four other people suffered chemical burns and poisoning.
The RIA Novosti news agency said the victims had jumped into the pool after the dry ice had been tipped into the water and suffered chemical reactions.
The Mash news channel on messenger service Telegram posted tearful videos it said were of Ekaterina Didenko firstly at the hospital saying she had survived and then, in a distraught state, paying tribute to her husband after his death was confirmed.
The dry ice was intended to create a fog cloud over the pool. When dry ice — the solid form of carbon dioxide — is dropped into water it creates swirling clouds but can also cause an explosion.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-02--Russia May Have Committed War Crimes in Syria – U.N.

Russia killed civilians in air strikes in Syria and rebels allied to Turkey carried out murder and pillage in Kurdish @ @ @ @ @ Monday , actions it said could amount to war crimes by both Moscow and Ankara @ @ @ @ @ U.N. commission , covering the period from July 2019 to Feb. 2020 , found that @ @ @ @ @ a popular market and a camp for displaced people that killed dozens of civilians in @ @ @ @ @ In both incidents , the Russian Air Force did not direct the attacks at a @ @ @ @ @ to the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks in civilian areas , ” it said @ @ @ @ @ by rebels allied to Turkey during an assault on Kurdish-held areas , and said that @ @ @ @ @ under the control of Turkish military forces , those commanders may be liable for war @ @ @ @ @ , led by Paulo Pinheiro , called for ensuring accountability for a “ multitude of @ @ @

A report by a U.N. commission found that Russia — the Syrian government's main ally against rebels and militants — conducted air strikes on a popular market and a camp for displaced people that killed dozens of civilians in July and August.
Russia killed civilians in air strikes in Syria last year while rebels allied to Turkey carried out murder and pillage in Kurdish areas, U.N. investigators said on Monday — actions it said could amount to war crimes by both Moscow and Ankara.
"In both incidents, the Russian Air Force did not direct the attacks at a specific military objective, amounting to the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks in civilian areas," the report said.
It also described abuses by rebels allied to Turkey during an assault on Kurdish-held areas, and said that if the rebels were acting under the control of Turkish military forces, those commanders may be liable for war crimes.
Paulo Pinheiro, the commission's chairman, said it had added names linked to the latest crimes to its confidential list of suspected perpetrators. It has received 200 requests from judicial authorities worldwide for information on crimes committed during Syria's nine-year war, he told a news briefing.
In the report, which covered the period from July 2019 to February 2020, investigators denounced "deliberate" attacks by the Syrian government and allied forces on protected civilian sites, including hospitals and schools.
"There is a war crime of intentionally terrorising a population to force it to move. We are seeing that picture emerging very clearly for example in Idlib where, because these places are being bombed, people are having to move out," said panel member Hanny Megally.
Russian-backed Syrian government forces have thrust deep into Idlib province in the far northwest in a campaign to retake the last country's significant rebel pocket. The onslaught has forced around one million civilians to flee.
Up to 10 children have died from the cold in the last weeks due to living in the open at the Turkish border, Megally said.
The U.N. report blamed Russia for an air strike in the city of Maarat al-Numan on July 22 when at least 43 civilians were killed. Two residential buildings and 25 shops were destroyed after at least two Russian planes left Hmeimim air base and circled the area, it said.
Weeks later, an attack on the Haas compound for displaced killed at least 20 people, including eight women and six children, and injured 40 others, the report said.
It also called on Turkey to investigate whether it was responsible for an air strike on a civilian convoy near Ras al Ain that killed 11 people last October. Turkey has denied a role in the strike, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said was conducted by Turkish aircraft.


themoscowtimes--2020-03-02--Russian Billionaire Banker Tinkov Faces Extradition to U.S. Over Taxes

TCS said Friday that Tinkov is attending February-April court hearings in London initiated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service .
Russian billionaire banker Oleg Tinkov has posted bail in London to avoid extradition to the United States on allegations of underreporting his income on his tax returns , the TCS financial group that he founded confirmed Monday .
“ Tinkov is expected to remain in London for the duration of these proceedings , having been granted bail after a warrant for his detention was issued , ” TCS said in the latest statement .
The financial group ’ s announcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million pounds ( $ 26.9 million ) in bail to avoid detention while he battles extradition to the U.S .
The IRS accuses Tinkov of filing a false tax return and underreporting his 2013 income , the Daily Express tabloid reported Sunday .
TCS said that Tinkov held a U.S. passport until 2013 .
Renouncing U.S. citizenship carries an “ exit tax ” penalty .
The U.S. also taxes its citizens who live and earn income abroad .
Tinkov launched Tinkoff Bank , Russia ’ s first remote-service lender , in 2006 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrendered his passports and has to report to police three times a week , according to the Daily Express .
The hearings won ’ t impact Tinkoff Group ’ s operating companies , including its bank , insurance and mobile operations , TCS said .
“ Tinkov has informed us that his legal team is working to resolve this issue as soon as possible , ” the financial group said .
Forbes ranks Tinkov , 52 , as Russia ’ s 47th wealthiest businessman , with a net worth of $ 2.2 billion @

TCS said Friday that Tinkov is attending February-April court hearings in London initiated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
Russian billionaire banker Oleg Tinkov has posted bail in London to avoid extradition to the United States on allegations of underreporting his income on his tax returns, the TCS financial group that he founded confirmed Monday.
“Tinkov is expected to remain in London for the duration of these proceedings, having been granted bail after a warrant for his detention was issued,” TCS said in the latest statement.
The financial group’s announcement follows media reports that Tinkov paid 20 million pounds ($26.9 million) in bail to avoid detention while he battles extradition to the U.S.
The IRS accuses Tinkov of filing a false tax return and underreporting his 2013 income, the Daily Express tabloid reported Sunday.
TCS said that Tinkov held a U.S. passport until 2013. Renouncing U.S. citizenship carries an “exit tax” penalty.
The U.S. also taxes its citizens who live and earn income abroad. Tinkov launched Tinkoff Bank, Russia’s first remote-service lender, in 2006.
Tinkov is under strict curfew, has surrendered his passports and has to report to police three times a week, according to the Daily Express.
The hearings won’t impact Tinkoff Group’s operating companies, including its bank, insurance and mobile operations, TCS said.
“Tinkov has informed us that his legal team is working to resolve this issue as soon as possible,” the financial group said.
Forbes ranks Tinkov, 52, as Russia’s 47th wealthiest businessman, with a net worth of $2.2 billion.