themoscowtimes--2020-06-21--Lenin Statue Unveiled in Western Germany After Legal Battle

A divisive new monument to Soviet leader Lenin was unveiled in Germany on Saturday , in the middle of a global row over the controversial background of historical figures immortalised as statues .
More than 30 years after the post-World War II communist experiment on German soil ended , the tiny Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany ( MLPD ) installed Lenin 's likeness in the western city of Gelsenkirchen .
A few hundred gathered for the ceremony , marked by fluttering red flags and the smell of grilled sausages .
`` Criticism of capitalism and the search for social alternatives is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's no public discussion of socialism as an alternative , '' MLPD chair Gabi Fechtner said .
The MLPD says it is the first such statue ever to be erected on the territory of the former West Germany , decades after the eastern German Democratic Republic communist state collapsed along with its deadly Berlin Wall and Stasi secret police .
`` The time for monuments to racists , anti-Semites , fascists , anti-communists and other relics of the past has clearly passed , '' said Fechtner in an earlier statement .
`` Lenin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an early fighter for freedom and democracy . ''
Not everyone in Gelsenkirchen , a centre of the former industrial and mining powerhouse Ruhr region , has welcomed the over two-metre ( 6.5 feet ) likeness , produced in former Czechoslovakia in 1957 .
`` Lenin stands for violence , repression , terrorism and horrific human suffering , '' representatives from mainstream parties on the district council in Gelsenkirchen-West said in a resolution passed in early March .
The council `` will not tolerate such an anti-democratic symbol in its district , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal means '' be used to block its installation .
But later in March the upper state court in Muenster rejected an attempt to stop the statue that it argued would impact a historic building on the same site .
The MLPD trumpeted interest from as far away as Russia , but urged guests to maintain social distancing and wear nose and mouth coverings against coronavirus infection .
The worldwide Black Lives Matter movement following the death of African-American George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis on May 25 has found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ splattered red paint on a statue of Otto von Bismarck in Hamburg 's Altona district this week .

A divisive new monument to Soviet leader Lenin was unveiled in Germany on Saturday, in the middle of a global row over the controversial background of historical figures immortalised as statues.
More than 30 years after the post-World War II communist experiment on German soil ended, the tiny Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany (MLPD) installed Lenin's likeness in the western city of Gelsenkirchen.
A few hundred gathered for the ceremony, marked by fluttering red flags and the smell of grilled sausages.
"Criticism of capitalism and the search for social alternatives is everywhere. We're criticising that there's no public discussion of socialism as an alternative," MLPD chair Gabi Fechtner said.
The MLPD says it is the first such statue ever to be erected on the territory of the former West Germany, decades after the eastern German Democratic Republic communist state collapsed along with its deadly Berlin Wall and Stasi secret police.
"The time for monuments to racists, anti-Semites, fascists, anti-communists and other relics of the past has clearly passed," said Fechtner in an earlier statement.
"Lenin was an ahead-of-his-time thinker of world-historical importance, an early fighter for freedom and democracy."
Not everyone in Gelsenkirchen, a centre of the former industrial and mining powerhouse Ruhr region, has welcomed the over two-metre (6.5 feet) likeness, produced in former Czechoslovakia in 1957.
"Lenin stands for violence, repression, terrorism and horrific human suffering," representatives from mainstream parties on the district council in Gelsenkirchen-West said in a resolution passed in early March.
The council "will not tolerate such an anti-democratic symbol in its district," it added, urging "all legal means" be used to block its installation.
But later in March the upper state court in Muenster rejected an attempt to stop the statue that it argued would impact a historic building on the same site.
The MLPD trumpeted interest from as far away as Russia, but urged guests to maintain social distancing and wear nose and mouth coverings against coronavirus infection.
Paint-splattered Bismarck
The worldwide Black Lives Matter movement following the death of African-American George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis on May 25 has found some echo in Germany.
Unknown people splattered red paint on a statue of Otto von Bismarck in Hamburg's Altona district this week.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-22--Putin Hails Russian War Dead at Giant New Army Cathedral

Nearly 100 meters ( 330 feet ) high and crowned by six golden domes , the Cathedral of the Armed Forces in a military theme park outside Moscow is now Russia 's third-largest Orthodox Christian church .
President Vladimir Putin paid homage to Russia 's World War II dead on Monday as he visited an enormous new Orthodox cathedral built to honor the military .
It sparked controversy earlier this year when it was revealed that it would include mosaics featuring Putin and Soviet-era dictator Josef Stalin .
The mosaics were eventually removed at Putin 's request .
`` For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who fought , those who died , who with their strength brought us closer to victory in the Great Patriotic War , is sacred , '' Putin said in a televised ceremony , using the Russian name for the war .
`` We are improving the Armed Forces , we are equipping them with new material , their combat capacity is increasing , '' Putin said alongside the head of the Russian Orthodox Church , Patriarch Kirill .
The ceremony was held on the 79th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military parade planned on Wednesday to mark 75 years since victory in the war .
Putin was forced to reschedule the parade from May 9 because of the coronavirus pandemic , which has seen Russia record the world 's third-highest number of cases .
He has also rescheduled a public vote on constitutional reforms , initially planned for April , for July 1 .
Among other changes , the reforms will reset presidential term limits , allowing Putin to potentially stay in the Kremlin until 2036 .
In power for 20 years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power and Orthodox Christian values to boost his support among Russians .

Nearly 100 meters (330 feet) high and crowned by six golden domes, the Cathedral of the Armed Forces in a military theme park outside Moscow is now Russia's third-largest Orthodox Christian church.
President Vladimir Putin paid homage to Russia's World War II dead on Monday as he visited an enormous new Orthodox cathedral built to honor the military.
It sparked controversy earlier this year when it was revealed that it would include mosaics featuring Putin and Soviet-era dictator Josef Stalin. The mosaics were eventually removed at Putin's request.
"For us Russians, the memory of all those who fought, those who died, who with their strength brought us closer to victory in the Great Patriotic War, is sacred," Putin said in a televised ceremony, using the Russian name for the war.
"We are improving the Armed Forces, we are equipping them with new material, their combat capacity is increasing," Putin said alongside the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill.
The ceremony was held on the 79th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union and ahead of a huge military parade planned on Wednesday to mark 75 years since victory in the war.
Putin was forced to reschedule the parade from May 9 because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen Russia record the world's third-highest number of cases.
He has also rescheduled a public vote on constitutional reforms, initially planned for April, for July 1. Among other changes, the reforms will reset presidential term limits, allowing Putin to potentially stay in the Kremlin until 2036.
In power for 20 years, Putin often vaunts the country's military power and Orthodox Christian values to boost his support among Russians.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-22--Prosecutors Seek 6-Year Jail Term for Russian Director

Serebrennikov is charged with creating an organized criminal group with his colleagues and embezzling more than $ 2 million of state funding for a theatre project called Platforma .
Russian prosecutors on Monday called for a six-year prison sentence for acclaimed director Kirill Serebrennikov , accused of embezzling public funds in a case that has stirred criticism at home and abroad .
He has insisted the money was used properly and calls the charges `` absurd . ''
The prosecution asked the judge to sentence Serebrennikov to six years in prison and a fine of 800,000 rubles ( $ 11,536 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow court said .
The 50-year-old head of Moscow 's Gogol Center theatre — who supporters say is facing politically motivated charges — was detained in August 2017 .
In April last year , he and his co-defendants Sofia Apfelbaum and Yury Itin were released from house arrest in a ruling which allowed the director to leave his apartment in Moscow and communicate freely .
The prosecution on Monday requested jail terms of four years and fines of 200,000 rubles each for Apfelbaum and Itin .
It requested five years in prison and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defendant , Alexey Malobrodsky .
The embezzlement trial has attracted international attention and calls for his release everywhere from Hollywood to Cannes .
In 2012 , Serebrennikov was appointed as the director of the small state-funded Gogol Centre , which he turned into one of Moscow 's best theatres and a favorite of the liberal intelligentsia .
Yet Serebrennikov 's work has angered cultural conservatives in Russia who see his frequent use of on-stage nudity and obscene language , as well as modern adaptations of classics , as a step too far .

Serebrennikov is charged with creating an organized criminal group with his colleagues and embezzling more than $2 million of state funding for a theater project called Platforma.
Russian prosecutors on Monday called for a six-year prison sentence for acclaimed director Kirill Serebrennikov, accused of embezzling public funds in a case that has stirred criticism at home and abroad.
He has insisted the money was used properly and calls the charges "absurd."
The prosecution asked the judge to sentence Serebrennikov to six years in prison and a fine of 800,000 rubles ($11,536), an AFP reporter in the Moscow court said.
The 50-year-old head of Moscow's Gogol Center theater — who supporters say is facing politically motivated charges — was detained in August 2017.
In April last year, he and his co-defendants Sofia Apfelbaum and Yury Itin were released from house arrest in a ruling which allowed the director to leave his apartment in Moscow and communicate freely.
The prosecution on Monday requested jail terms of four years and fines of 200,000 rubles each for Apfelbaum and Itin.
It requested five years in prison and a 300,000 ruble fine for a fourth defendant, Alexey Malobrodsky.
The embezzlement trial has attracted international attention and calls for his release everywhere from Hollywood to Cannes.
In 2012, Serebrennikov was appointed as the director of the small state-funded Gogol Center, which he turned into one of Moscow's best theaters and a favorite of the liberal intelligentsia.
Yet Serebrennikov's work has angered cultural conservatives in Russia who see his frequent use of on-stage nudity and obscene language, as well as modern adaptations of classics, as a step too far.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-22--Russia Jails 2 Anti-Fascists, Ending Terror Case Plagued by Torture Claims

A court in St. Petersburg has sentenced two members of an anti-fascist activist group on terrorism charges , the final verdicts in a case the authorities say has prevented high-profile attacks and rights groups condemn as fabricated , the Mediazona news website reported Monday .
Eight members of the Set activist group — Russian for “ Network ” — were previously sentenced in 2019 and early 2020 to jail terms ranging between 3.5 years and 18 years .
Investigators claimed that they planned attacks during Russia ’ s 2018 presidential election and the football World Cup , while activists say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testimonies obtained through torture .
St. Petersburg ’ s military court sentenced Viktor Filinkov , 25 , to seven years and Yuli Boyarshinov , 28 , to 5.5 years in a penal colony on charges of associating with a terror group , according to Mediazona .
Prosecutors had requested nine years for Filinkov and six years for Boyarshinov .
Filinkov denied the charges and said his initial guilty plea was obtained under duress .
Boyarshinov had pleaded guilty to the charges , saying he was unaware that Set was a terror group when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged being beaten and tased in the woods for several hours to obtain a confession .
Boyarshin claimed that he was placed in a “ confession cell ” in pre-trial detention where cellmates had allegedly beaten the confession out of him .
“ It ’ s built on fantasies — that ’ s exactly how the ‘ Network terrorist community ’ was created , ” Filinkov was quoted as saying during closing statements last week .
Police detained at least 20 people who gathered outside the courthouse in support of Filinkov and Boyarshinov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that monitors police arrests .
They were heard shouting slogans including “ anti-fascists aren ’ t terrorists , ” according to Mediazona .

A court in St. Petersburg has sentenced two members of an anti-fascist activist group on terrorism charges, the final verdicts in a case the authorities say has prevented high-profile attacks and rights groups condemn as fabricated, the Mediazona news website reported Monday. Eight members of the Set activist group — Russian for “Network” — were previously sentenced in 2019 and early 2020 to jail terms ranging between 3.5 years and 18 years. Investigators claimed that they planned attacks during Russia’s 2018 presidential election and the football World Cup, while activists say the case against them was built on testimonies obtained through torture.
St. Petersburg’s military court sentenced Viktor Filinkov, 25, to seven years and Yuli Boyarshinov, 28, to 5.5 years in a penal colony on charges of associating with a terror group, according to Mediazona. Prosecutors had requested nine years for Filinkov and six years for Boyarshinov. Filinkov denied the charges and said his initial guilty plea was obtained under duress. Boyarshinov had pleaded guilty to the charges, saying he was unaware that Set was a terror group when he had joined it. Filinkov has alleged being beaten and tased in the woods for several hours to obtain a confession. Boyarshin claimed that he was placed in a “confession cell” in pre-trial detention where cellmates had allegedly beaten the confession out of him.
Задержания после оглашения приговора Виктору Филинкову и Юлию Бояршинову.
Фото: Давид Френкель / Медиазонаhttps://t.co/ibTpUPy5CP pic.twitter.com/IythHchpju — Медиазона (@mediazzzona) June 22, 2020


themoscowtimes--2020-06-22--Arctic Temperatures Hit Record High in Russia Amid Heat Wave

Russia recorded an all-time heat record above the Arctic Circle on Saturday as Siberia continues to swelter under a historic heatwave , according to Russian weather data .
The extreme weather in the town of Verkhoyansk comes as Siberia has seen a prolonged heatwave linked to wildfires , a massive oil spill thought to have been caused by melting permafrost , crop failures linked to drought and an infestation of tree-eating moths .
The 38 degrees Celsius recorded by the Pogoda i Klimat weather portal in Verkhoyansk on June 20 , if accurate , may have set a new record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meteorologists say .
The current record high temperature north of the Arctic Circle of 37.8 C was set in Fort Yukon , Alaska , in June 1915 .
Verkhoyansk holds the Guinness World Record for the highest recorded temperature range of 105 C , fluctuating from minus 68 C to a high of 37 C. The previous temperature record for the isolated town of around 1,300 residents stood at 37.3 C in July 1988 .
The gas-rich town ’ s forecast for the rest of the week hovers in the low-to-mid 30s C @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its average highs for late June .
Russia has just experienced its warmest winter in 130 years and its capital Moscow broke a 128-year heat record last week .
Parts of Siberia saw temperatures higher than average this spring , with some towns in the Arctic Circle beating their previous records by double digits and temperatures reaching the mid-20s and low-30s .
May alone was up to 10 degrees Celsius warmer than average .
Scientists told The Guardian that Russia , which is warming more than twice as fast as the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in January-May 2020 .
Average temperatures , which are 5.3 С above the 1951-1980 average , have surpassed the previous record by a `` massive '' 1.9 C , Berkeley Earth project lead scientist Robert Rohde said .
Scientists expect 2020 to rank among the world ’ s five warmest years in recorded history .

The extreme weather in the town of Verkhoyansk comes as Siberia has seen a prolonged heatwave linked to wildfires, a massive oil spill thought to have been caused by melting permafrost, crop failures linked to drought and an infestation of tree-eating moths.
Russia recorded an all-time heat record above the Arctic Circle on Saturday as Siberia continues to swelter under a historic heatwave, according to Russian weather data.
Verkhoyansk holds the Guinness World Record for the highest recorded temperature range of 105 C, fluctuating from minus 68 C to a high of 37 C. The previous temperature record for the isolated town of around 1,300 residents stood at 37.3 C in July 1988.
The current record high temperature north of the Arctic Circle of 37.8 C was set in Fort Yukon, Alaska, in June 1915.
The 38 degrees Celsius recorded by the Pogoda i Klimat weather portal in Verkhoyansk on June 20, if accurate, may have set a new record for anywhere in the Arctic Circle, meteorologists say.
The gas-rich town’s forecast for the rest of the week hovers in the low-to-mid 30s C, a full 10 degrees warmer than its average highs for late June.
Russia has just experienced its warmest winter in 130 years and its capital Moscow broke a 128-year heat record last week.
Parts of Siberia saw temperatures higher than average this spring, with some towns in the Arctic Circle beating their previous records by double digits and temperatures reaching the mid-20s and low-30s. May alone was up to 10 degrees Celsius warmer than average.
Sergei Semyonov of the Yu. A. Izrael Institute of Global Climate and Ecology in Moscow said that such heat waves aren't necessarily new to Siberia, but that climate change is increasing their severity and length.
"This [heat] could have an impact on wildfires. It's not just important to take care of the trees, but also of people. Local forest crews and workers can barely endure such weather, for example," he told The Moscow Times.
Andrei Kiselev, Ph.D., a leading climatologist at the Voeikov Geophysical Observatory in St. Petersburg, said it's no longer possible to prevent climate change altogether and that efforts to adapt to the changing climate should be prioritized instead.
"Special building technology can be developed for new constructions in permafrost zones. ... And it will be necessary to adapt existing infrastructure to the changing environment," he told The Moscow Times.
Scientists told The Guardian that Russia, which is warming more than twice as fast as the rest of the world, has experienced record temperatures in January-May 2020. Average temperatures, which are 5.3 С above the 1951-1980 average, have surpassed the previous record by a "massive" 1.9 C, Berkeley Earth project lead scientist Robert Rohde said.
Scientists expect 2020 to rank among the world’s five warmest years in recorded history.