themoscowtimes--2020-05-07--Baltics Accuse Russia of Trying to 'Falsify' History on War Anniversary

In a joint declaration , the presidents of Lithuania , Latvia and Estonia — formerly Soviet-ruled states now on the EU 's eastern flank — called for `` truth and justice '' in recognizing communist-era crimes and Moscow 's responsibility for the outbreak of the war .
The leaders of three Baltic states condemned on Thursday what they described as Russian attempts to `` falsify history '' ahead of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II .
`` Misrepresentation of historical events that led to World War II and the division of Europe in the aftermath of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falsify history and question the very foundation of the contemporary international rules-based order , '' the trio warned .
While honoring `` the sacrifice of all victims and the Allied soldiers who defeated the Nazi regime , '' the presidents said the Soviet Union had also used military force and repression to subjugate their nations during the Cold War .
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said Moscow 's recent attempts to downplay the secret 1939 Nazi-Soviet pact , concluded before the start of WWII to carve up Europe , amounted to `` historic revisionism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rewritten .
When politicians seek to change the historical conclusions , it leads to the wrong conclusions and wrong decisions , '' Nauseda told AFP in an interview .
His Latvian counterpart , Egils Levits , said `` the falsification of history is a kind of hybrid war '' waged by Moscow .
While May 9 is celebrated as Victory Day in Russia , for many in the Baltic states it marks the start of decades of often brutal Soviet occupation rather than liberation .
Moscow refuses to recognize the 1944-45 Soviet takeover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it has never offered an apology or reparations for the post-war takeover .
President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials also recently accused Poland of bearing some responsibility for the outbreak of the war , a claim rejected by Warsaw and its Western allies as false revisionism .
The Baltic trio regained independence from the crumbling Soviet Union in 1990-1991 , before joining the European Union and NATO in 2004 and relations with Russia have been strained ever since .
`` For us , the war ended in 1993 when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Republic of Lithuania , '' Nauseda said .

In a joint declaration, the presidents of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia — formerly Soviet-ruled states now on the EU's eastern flank — called for "truth and justice" in recognizing communist-era crimes and Moscow's responsibility for the outbreak of the war.
The leaders of three Baltic states condemned on Thursday what they described as Russian attempts to "falsify history" ahead of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.
"Misrepresentation of historical events that led to World War II and the division of Europe in the aftermath of the war constitute a regrettable effort to falsify history and question the very foundation of the contemporary international rules-based order," the trio warned.
While honoring "the sacrifice of all victims and the Allied soldiers who defeated the Nazi regime," the presidents said the Soviet Union had also used military force and repression to subjugate their nations during the Cold War.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said Moscow's recent attempts to downplay the secret 1939 Nazi-Soviet pact, concluded before the start of WWII to carve up Europe, amounted to "historic revisionism."
"History must not be rewritten. When politicians seek to change the historical conclusions, it leads to the wrong conclusions and wrong decisions," Nauseda told AFP in an interview.
His Latvian counterpart, Egils Levits, said "the falsification of history is a kind of hybrid war" waged by Moscow.
While May 9 is celebrated as Victory Day in Russia, for many in the Baltic states it marks the start of decades of often brutal Soviet occupation rather than liberation.
Moscow refuses to recognize the 1944-45 Soviet takeover of the Baltic states as an occupation, and it has never offered an apology or reparations for the post-war takeover.
President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials also recently accused Poland of bearing some responsibility for the outbreak of the war, a claim rejected by Warsaw and its Western allies as false revisionism.
The Baltic trio regained independence from the crumbling Soviet Union in 1990-1991, before joining the European Union and NATO in 2004 and relations with Russia have been strained ever since.
"For us, the war ended in 1993 when the last Russian soldier left the territory of the Republic of Lithuania," Nauseda said.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-07--Russia's Coronavirus Cases Soar Past 177K in New One-Day Record

The number of infections in Russia has been rising by more than 10,000 a day since Sunday , in contrast to countries in western Europe that are taking steps to ease lockdown measures .
Officials attribute the increase to mass testing and detecting asymptomatic cases not always counted in other countries .
Health officials said on Thursday they had carried out more than 4.8 million tests .
Russia 's mortality rate is low compared to European countries hit badly by the pandemic , with health officials registering 88 new deaths for a total of 1,625 .
Moscow cites a series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its low mortality rate , including closing its borders and ordering the elderly and those at risk to self-isolate .
But some say the discrepancy is due to how the death count is calculated .
According to official figures on Wednesday , Russia 's death rate was just 0.9 % , compared with Germany , which is lauded for its virus response , with a fatality rate of 4.2 % .
Coronavirus cases have been registered in all of Russia 's 85 regions with Moscow the epicenter of the pandemic where officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Thursday that Muscovites will be required to wear masks and gloves on public transport as restrictions ease and some sectors return to work .
`` We understand that the number of people moving on transport will increase , one way or another , the number of people communicating with each other will increase , '' he said on the Rossiya-24 television channel .
A non-working quarantine period is in place in Russia until May 11 , but Sobyanin has said that stay-at-home restrictions would remain in place beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out only for brief trips to a shop , to walk dogs or to travel to essential jobs with a permit .
President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered regional governors to develop plans to gradually lift anti-virus lockdowns regimes which vary from region to region .
He urged caution , however , warning : `` The price of even the smallest mistake is the safety , lives and health of our people . ''
Since the start of the crisis , Putin 's approval rating has dropped to a historic low , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week it fell to 59 percent in April from 63 percent in March .
Worldwide , the virus has infected over 3.8 million people .

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Russia's fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures.
Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that now allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036.
Both events were initially postponed due the epidemic.
Moscow opened cinemas and theaters on Aug. 1. In the capital, masks are mandatory in stores and on public transport but not in the streets.
Several institutes in Russia are working on a coronavirus vaccine.
The Russian Defense Ministry has said it developed a "safe" vaccine following clinical trials on a group of volunteers.
The trials are ongoing, and the Defense Ministry expects clinical trials to be fully completed in the coming weeks.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-07--Belarus Expels Russian Journalist Over ‘Fake’ Coronavirus Report: Media

Wednesday ’ s report on Channel One alleged that Belarussians mistrust their country ’ s official Covid-19 infection numbers ( 19,255 ) and death count ( 112 ) .
In the video report , Channel One correspondent Alexei Kruchinin visits a cemetery in the Belarussian town of Stolbtsy and describes `` an abundance of fresh graves.
” A Russian journalist has been expelled from Belarus over a report that described the neighboring allied country ’ s dire coronavirus situation , according to the Russian state-run television channel where his report aired .
Belarus ’ foreign ministry told Interfax that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees Wednesday but did not specify the reason or name the employees .
Channel One confirmed on its website that both Kruchinin and cameraman Sergei Panasyuk have been deported and the broadcaster ’ s entire film crew stripped of accreditation .
“ We believe these actions by the Belarussian authorities are absolutely unfounded , ” Channel One ’ s press service said .
Belarussian state-run television said that the Channel One news crew was stripped of accreditation because its segment contained “ fake news ” and “ propaganda.
” “ That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revoked the Channel One film crew ’ s accreditation with a warning : They ’ re ready for tougher measures , ” the Belarus-1 broadcaster wrote in a scathing piece on its website .
Russia ’ s Embassy in Minsk refused to comment on the decision , citing the need to receive an official explanation from the Belarussian authorities .

A Russian journalist has been expelled from Belarus over a report that described the neighboring allied country’s dire coronavirus situation, according to the Russian state-run television channel where his report aired. Wednesday’s report on Channel One alleged that Belarussians mistrust their country’s official Covid-19 infection numbers (19,255) and death count (112). In the video report, Channel One correspondent Alexei Kruchinin visits a cemetery in the Belarussian town of Stolbtsy and describes "an abundance of fresh graves.”
Belarus’ foreign ministry told Interfax that it had revoked accreditation from two Channel One employees Wednesday but did not specify the reason or name the employees. Channel One confirmed on its website that both Kruchinin and cameraman Sergei Panasyuk have been deported and the broadcaster’s entire film crew stripped of accreditation. “We believe these actions by the Belarussian authorities are absolutely unfounded,” Channel One’s press service said. Belarussian state-run television said that the Channel One news crew was stripped of accreditation because its segment contained “fake news” and “propaganda.” “That’s why the Belarussian foreign ministry by law revoked the Channel One film crew’s accreditation with a warning: They’re ready for tougher measures,” the Belarus-1 broadcaster wrote in a scathing piece on its website. Russia’s Embassy in Minsk refused to comment on the decision, citing the need to receive an official explanation from the Belarussian authorities.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-07--Russian Mercenaries Are Fighting in Libya, UN Diplomats Confirm

It was the first time the UN has confirmed claims first made in U.S. media that the group is supporting military strongman Khalifa Haftar .
Moscow has denied being responsible for deploying the group .
Mercenaries from the Wagner Group , a Russian paramilitary organization seen as being close to President Vladimir Putin , are fighting in Libya , UN diplomats said Wednesday , citing an experts ' report on the country 's arms embargo .
The report also revealed that Haftar was being supported by Syrian fighters .
The Wagner Group is a shadowy private security firm and thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in foreign conflicts from Syria and Ukraine to the Central African Republic .
A senior U.S. State Department official has told AFP the group is `` an instrument of the Kremlin 's policy '' in Libya .
`` The Panel has identified the presence of private military operatives from ChVK Wagner in Libya since October 2018 , '' the UN report says , according to several diplomats who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity as the document has not yet been made public .
`` Wagner has been providing technical support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in combat operations and engaging in influence operations , '' the UN report says .
They are also involved in `` more specialized military tasks such as acting as artillery Forward Observation Officers and Forward Air Controllers , providing electronic countermeasures expertise and deploying as sniper teams , '' it continued .
`` Their deployment has acted as an effective force multiplier '' for Haftar , it said .
The experts said they could not independently verify how many Wagner mercenaries were in Libya , but estimated their deployment at between 800 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 24 to the UN Security Council , notes that there are tensions between Wagner and Haftar 's command .
It also revealed that Haftar is receiving help from Syrian fighters , further complicating the conflict .
In February , Turkey said that pro-Turkish Syrians were fighting in Libya in support of the internationally recognized Government of National Accord ( GNA ) .
Haftar has opened a consulate in Damascus , where the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is backed by Russia .
The UN report says Syrian mercenaries are now fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could not identify who was responsible for training and financing them .
The fighters reached Libya via at least 33 flights operated by Damascus-based private Syrian company Cham Wings Airlines since the start of this year , according to the report , adding that they numbered less than 2,000 .
The text is an update of the expert panel 's last annual report from December , which had noted the existence of foreign armed groups from Chad and Sudan in the conflict , but did not mention Wagner .
Pro-Haftar forces have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GNA since April 2019 .
Foreign military involvement has exacerbated the conflict , with the United Arab Emirates and Russia backing Haftar and Ankara supplying the GNA .
A January truce brokered by Turkey and Russia has been repeatedly violated .
Wagner 's involvement in the conflict was first revealed by The New York Times and The Washington Post last year .
The former put their numbers at 200 , while the latter said it could be as high as several thousand .
The UN report does not recommend sanctions against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involvement .
A report by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres submitted to the Security Council on Tuesday and obtained by AFP also mentioned foreign mercenaries but did not identify them or recommend any action against them .

It was the first time the UN has confirmed claims first made in U.S. media that the group is supporting military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Moscow has denied being responsible for deploying the group.
Mercenaries from the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organization seen as being close to President Vladimir Putin, are fighting in Libya, UN diplomats said Wednesday, citing an experts' report on the country's arms embargo.
The report also revealed that Haftar was being supported by Syrian fighters.
The Wagner Group is a shadowy private security firm and thousands of its contractors are believed to be in foreign conflicts from Syria and Ukraine to the Central African Republic.
A senior U.S. State Department official has told AFP the group is "an instrument of the Kremlin's policy" in Libya.
"The Panel has identified the presence of private military operatives from ChVK Wagner in Libya since October 2018," the UN report says, according to several diplomats who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity as the document has not yet been made public.
"Wagner has been providing technical support for the repair of military vehicles, participating in combat operations and engaging in influence operations," the UN report says.
They are also involved in "more specialized military tasks such as acting as artillery Forward Observation Officers and Forward Air Controllers, providing electronic countermeasures expertise and deploying as sniper teams," it continued.
"Their deployment has acted as an effective force multiplier" for Haftar, it said.
The experts said they could not independently verify how many Wagner mercenaries were in Libya, but estimated their deployment at between 800 and 1,200.
The report, submitted on April 24 to the UN Security Council, notes that there are tensions between Wagner and Haftar's command.
No call for sanctions
It also revealed that Haftar is receiving help from Syrian fighters, further complicating the conflict.
In February, Turkey said that pro-Turkish Syrians were fighting in Libya in support of the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).
Haftar has opened a consulate in Damascus, where the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is backed by Russia.
The UN report says Syrian mercenaries are now fighting alongside Haftar — though it said it could not identify who was responsible for training and financing them.
The fighters reached Libya via at least 33 flights operated by Damascus-based private Syrian company Cham Wings Airlines since the start of this year, according to the report, adding that they numbered less than 2,000.
The text is an update of the expert panel's last annual report from December, which had noted the existence of foreign armed groups from Chad and Sudan in the conflict, but did not mention Wagner.
Pro-Haftar forces have been battling to seize the capital Tripoli from the GNA since April 2019.
Foreign military involvement has exacerbated the conflict, with the United Arab Emirates and Russia backing Haftar and Ankara supplying the GNA.
A January truce brokered by Turkey and Russia has been repeatedly violated.
Wagner's involvement in the conflict was first revealed by The New York Times and The Washington Post last year. The former put their numbers at 200, while the latter said it could be as high as several thousand.
The UN report does not recommend sanctions against the groups or any action to prevent their involvement.
A report by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres submitted to the Security Council on Tuesday and obtained by AFP also mentioned foreign mercenaries but did not identify them or recommend any action against them.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-07--Moscow Mayor Extends Anti-Virus Lockdown Until May 31

`` The self-isolation regime of citizens will be extended until May 31 , '' Sobyanin said on his blog .
`` It 's still too early to open restaurants , theaters and sport facilities . ''
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Thursday that lockdown measures in the Russian capital would be extended until May 31 after the country reported a record increase in coronavirus infections .
Moscow has been under lockdown since March 30 , with residents only allowed to leave their homes for brief trips to a shop , to walk dogs or to travel to essential jobs with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Moscow involved in industry and construction would be allowed to resume work on May 12 .
Russia on Thursday reported another record increase in coronavirus infections with more than 11,000 new cases .
A daily government tally in the country saw 11,231 new infections , bringing Russia 's total to 177,160 .
Russia now ranks fourth in the overall number of reported virus cases in Europe and fifth in the world , according to an AFP tally .
Coronavirus cases have been registered in all of Russia 's 85 regions with Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have registered 92,676 infections .
Earlier on Thursday Sobyanin announced that Muscovites would now be required to wear masks and gloves on public transport .
Citing results of screening tests , he said that some 300,000 people in Moscow — or up to 2.5 percent of the city 's population — have been infected .
Writing on his site , he said Muscovites needed to `` get used to the idea '' of having to use protective masks and gloves .

"The self-isolation regime of citizens will be extended until May 31," Sobyanin said on his blog. "It's still too early to open restaurants, theaters and sport facilities."
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Thursday that lockdown measures in the Russian capital would be extended until May 31 after the country reported a record increase in coronavirus infections.
Moscow has been under lockdown since March 30, with residents only allowed to leave their homes for brief trips to a shop, to walk dogs or to travel to essential jobs with a permit.
Sobyanin reiterated that companies in Moscow involved in industry and construction would be allowed to resume work on May 12.
Russia on Thursday reported another record increase in coronavirus infections with more than 11,000 new cases.
A daily government tally in the country saw 11,231 new infections, bringing Russia's total to 177,160.
Russia now ranks fourth in the overall number of reported virus cases in Europe and fifth in the world, according to an AFP tally.
Coronavirus cases have been registered in all of Russia's 85 regions with Moscow the epicenter of the pandemic where officials have registered 92,676 infections.
Earlier on Thursday Sobyanin announced that Muscovites would now be required to wear masks and gloves on public transport.
Citing results of screening tests, he said that some 300,000 people in Moscow — or up to 2.5 percent of the city's population — have been infected.
Writing on his site, he said Muscovites needed to "get used to the idea" of having to use protective masks and gloves.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-07--Russian Medics Demand Putin’s Promised Coronavirus Bonuses

Putin in early April ordered monthly payouts ranging from 25,000 and 50,000 rubles ( $ 300 and $ 600 ) for nurses , paramedics and ambulance drivers and 80,000 rubles ( $ 1,000 ) to doctors treating Covid-19 patients .
Nearly a month later , medics across Russia said they have yet to see Putin ’ s bonuses .
Russian doctors have launched an online petition calling on President Vladimir Putin to pay his promised bonuses to doctors and other healthcare professionals on the frontline of the coronavirus outbreak .
Deistviye ( Action ) , Russia ’ s union of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regional authorities are limiting the number of workers eligible for the bonuses and are using legal loopholes to lower the amounts of money paid out .
“ All this looks like a mockery of medical professionals , who were once deceived by the promise of large salaries in [ Putin ’ s ] May decrees , ” the union said on Change.org Wednesday .
In a petition signed by more than 40,000 people as of Thursday afternoon , Deistviye demanded a tenfold increase of the 56 billion ruble ( $ 710 million ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers should be eligible for the bonuses and should be compensated whether or not they deal directly with Covid-19 patients or if the patients ’ tests are confirmed , the union said .
Additionally , Deistviye called for increased insurance guarantees for medical workers equal to those Russia ’ s military personnel .
Putin signed an act Wednesday promising 2.7 million rubles ( $ 34,000 ) in the event of a worker ’ s death and 68,811 rubles ( $ 870 ) if they become infected .

Putin in early April ordered monthly payouts ranging from 25,000 and 50,000 rubles ($300 and $600) for nurses, paramedics and ambulance drivers and 80,000 rubles ($1,000) to doctors treating Covid-19 patients. Nearly a month later, medics across Russia said they have yet to see Putin’s bonuses.
Russian doctors have launched an online petition calling on President Vladimir Putin to pay his promised bonuses to doctors and other healthcare professionals on the frontline of the coronavirus outbreak.
Deistviye (Action), Russia’s union of healthcare workers, argued that federal and regional authorities are limiting the number of workers eligible for the bonuses and are using legal loopholes to lower the amounts of money paid out.
“All this looks like a mockery of medical professionals, who were once deceived by the promise of large salaries in [Putin’s] May decrees,” the union said on Change.org Wednesday.
In a petition signed by more than 40,000 people as of Thursday afternoon, Deistviye demanded a tenfold increase of the 56 billion ruble ($710 million) bonus fund.
All categories of healthcare workers should be eligible for the bonuses and should be compensated whether or not they deal directly with Covid-19 patients or if the patients’ tests are confirmed, the union said.
Additionally, Deistviye called for increased insurance guarantees for medical workers equal to those Russia’s military personnel. Putin signed an act Wednesday promising 2.7 million rubles ($34,000) in the event of a worker’s death and 68,811 rubles ($870) if they become infected.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-08--Venezuelan Opposition Plotted Russian Ally Maduro’s ‘Capture’ With U.S. Mercenaries: WP

Venezuela announced Monday that it had killed eight and arrested 17 , including two former U.S. Green Berets , on suspicion of trying to topple Maduro in an operation supported by the opposition .
Venezuela 's attorney general said that opposition leader Juan Guaido , who is backed by the U.S. and dozens of countries , had signed a $ 212 million contract with `` hired mercenaries . ''
Members of Venezuela ’ s U.S.-backed opposition negotiated a $ 212.9 million deal to “ capture ” President Nicolas Maduro with a U.S. security firm , The Washington Post reported Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s opposition and the security firm Silvercorp USA published by The Washington Post details the plan to “ capture/detain/remove ” Maduro and install Guaido as president .
The document is allegedly signed by Guaido ’ s adviser Juan Rendon , opposition legislator Sergio Vergara and Silvercorp founder Jordan Goudreau , but not by Guaido himself .
Guaido , whose alleged signature appears on an Oct. 16 , 2019 , general services agreement with the firm , has denied links to Silvercorp .
Canadian-born Goudreau , an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a video , and claims Silvercorp was contracted by Venezuela 's opposition .
He told The Washington Post that he hired the two arrested ex-Green Berets as `` supervisors '' and had known them for years .
In the video , Goudreau shows what he claims is a contract signed by Guaido , whose press team subsequently denied having any agreements with private security firms .
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday that `` It has nothing to do with our government . ''
Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involvement in an alleged mercenary attack in Venezuela `` unconvincing . ''
In a statement , the Russian ministry pointed to earlier warnings by Trump 's administration that `` all options '' are on the table , implying the possibility of military action .
Russia supports Maduro , whom the United States has been unsuccessfully trying to topple for more than a year .
Russia and the U.S. have regularly clashed over Venezuela , with Moscow claiming earlier this year that Washington was attempting to create a pretext for military intervention there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the mercenaries deserve unequivocal and decisive condemnation , '' especially during the coronavirus pandemic .
`` There should be no place on Venezuelan soil for mercenaries sent from elsewhere , '' the ministry said .
It pointed to Venezuela 's claim that the captured men are linked to U.S. special forces .
It condemned `` certain countries '' for their `` political tunnel vision and obsession with removing the lawful president of Venezuela from power . ''
Venezuela , which is almost entirely dependent on its oil revenues , is reeling from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing a shortage of basic necessities .
Poverty has soared while around 5 million people have fled the country , according to United Nations figures .

Venezuela announced Monday that it had killed eight and arrested 17, including two former U.S. Green Berets, on suspicion of trying to topple Maduro in an operation supported by the opposition. Venezuela's attorney general said that opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is backed by the U.S. and dozens of countries, had signed a $212 million contract with "hired mercenaries."
Members of Venezuela’s U.S.-backed opposition negotiated a $212.9 million deal to “capture” President Nicolas Maduro with a U.S. security firm, The Washington Post reported Thursday.
An agreement between members of Venezuela’s opposition and the security firm Silvercorp USA published by The Washington Post details the plan to “capture/detain/remove” Maduro and install Guaido as president.
The document is allegedly signed by Guaido’s adviser Juan Rendon, opposition legislator Sergio Vergara and Silvercorp founder Jordan Goudreau, but not by Guaido himself.
Guaido, whose alleged signature appears on an Oct. 16, 2019, general services agreement with the firm, has denied links to Silvercorp.
Canadian-born Goudreau, an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran, has admitted the existence of the operation in a video, and claims Silvercorp was contracted by Venezuela's opposition. He told The Washington Post that he hired the two arrested ex-Green Berets as "supervisors" and had known them for years.
In the video, Goudreau shows what he claims is a contract signed by Guaido, whose press team subsequently denied having any agreements with private security firms.
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday that "It has nothing to do with our government."
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that it found Washington's denial of involvement in an alleged mercenary attack in Venezuela "unconvincing."
In a statement, the Russian ministry pointed to earlier warnings by Trump's administration that "all options" are on the table, implying the possibility of military action.
Russia supports Maduro, whom the United States has been unsuccessfully trying to topple for more than a year. Russia and the U.S. have regularly clashed over Venezuela, with Moscow claiming earlier this year that Washington was attempting to create a pretext for military intervention there.
The Russian ministry said "the actions of the mercenaries deserve unequivocal and decisive condemnation," especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
"There should be no place on Venezuelan soil for mercenaries sent from elsewhere," the ministry said.
It pointed to Venezuela's claim that the captured men are linked to U.S. special forces.
It condemned "certain countries" for their "political tunnel vision and obsession with removing the lawful president of Venezuela from power."
Venezuela, which is almost entirely dependent on its oil revenues, is reeling from six years of recession, with millions facing a shortage of basic necessities. Poverty has soared while around 5 million people have fled the country, according to United Nations figures.
Contains reporting from AFP.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-08--Russia Is Boasting About Low Coronavirus Deaths. The Numbers Are Deceiving.

Suspicions are growing that Russia is undercounting its coronavirus death toll .
Although the country has the second fastest growing outbreak in the world after the United States , its mortality rate falls far below other countries .
On Friday , Russia reported 187,859 coronavirus cases to only 1,723 deaths , putting it in fifth place globally for case numbers with a mortality rate of only 0.9 % .
But the official coronavirus information page for the Urals region of Chelyabinsk presents two statistics — the only Russian region to do so — that help address the disparity .
Taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a debate beginning to rage over which country has handled the contagion best .
Covid-19 , the page reports , has so far killed three people in the region , while another seven tested positive but died from another cause .
The second figure would have boosted Chelyabinsk ’ s coronavirus death toll by 233 % but was not included in the state toll because Russia does not automatically list Covid-19 as the cause of death if the deceased tested positive for the coronavirus .
According to one expert with knowledge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the practice of publishing both sets of figures looks set to become the norm within weeks , indicating that Russia is becoming increasingly transparent about its classification process .
“ When this all blows over , I believe mortality figures will be in two camps : deaths specifically from Covid-19 and deaths of people who had the virus but weren ’ t killed by it , ” said Andrei Chernyayev , a pulmonologist who helped write the Moscow Health Department ’ s rules for classifying coronavirus deaths .
“ I believe Russia is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belgium and the United States are over counting , ” he added .
While the World Health Organization has published complicated guidelines for classifying coronavirus deaths , experts complained that they arrived late in the pandemic — on April 16 — when many countries had already made their own decisions on categorization .
Plus , experts said , some countries had by then already counted the bulk of their deaths .
Belgium adopted the most liberal method for classifying coronavirus deaths .
To take one example , the country records coronavirus deaths in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only suspected in the deceased , not confirmed .
Unsurprisingly , its coronavirus mortality rate is the highest in the world .
Meanwhile , Italy and the United States — as well as many European countries — automatically classify deaths as caused by the coronavirus if the deceased tested positive .
Russia falls on the more conservative end of the spectrum .
The country has continued relying on its traditional method of determining the underlying cause of death that sees it carry out autopsies in up to 70 % of deaths compared with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Sergei Timonin , a demographer with the Higher School of Economics .
According to Health Ministry guidelines , “ in the absence of clinical manifestations and pathological changes , especially in the lungs ” as a result of the virus , Covid-19 is not listed as the cause of death .
Put another way , if a person has a brain hemorrhage after earlier testing positive for the coronavirus , the cause of death will be classified as the hemorrhage , not Covid-19 , Chernyayev explained .
In recent days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice .
“ We can ’ t put everything down to the coronavirus otherwise we won ’ t act correctly , ” the Health Ministry ’ s head pathologist Georgiy Frank told the Ekho Moskvy radio station Monday .
“ The numbers have to be objective .
Covid is often the cause , but not always.
” In addition to Chelyabinsk , The Moscow Times found three other regions that have announced statistics for deaths from coronavirus and deaths of patients who were coronavirus-positive .
Using the more liberal classification method in Sverdlovsk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while numbers in Saratov would have risen by 200 % and in Ryazan by 60 % .
Russia is planning to make these figures available nationwide by publishing a database that will contain both sets of statistics for all regions “ within several weeks , ” according to Timonin , who has seen the Health Ministry ’ s preliminary dataset .
The Health Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Based on the Health Ministry data he has seen , Timonin said that for Moscow , the epicenter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 956 coronavirus deaths that have been recorded account for only about 35 % of all coronavirus-positive patient deaths in the Russian capital .
“ More than 1,500 additional patients who tested positive for the coronavirus have died , but in those cases pathologists decided the virus did not play a decisive role , ” Timonin said .
Some critics , however , worry that Russia ’ s classification methodology gives officials the ability to pressure pathologists into undercounting coronavirus death totals or massage figures themselves .
“ I myself see that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus in these past two weeks than I saw in official statistics , ” said a pathologist in St. Petersburg who asked to remain anonymous .
The pathologist , however , also noted that because of Russia ’ s intensive classification process there can be a lag of about two to three weeks before coronavirus deaths make it into the official data .
Still , a statistician who works with the Russian government but asked to remain anonymous because they weren ’ t authorized to speak on the subject said that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were manipulating data .
Others have pointed to an unofficial tally by Russian doctors that lists over 100 medical workers who have died from the coronavirus and rivals Italy ’ s count — although the countries ’ death totals differ drastically — as evidence of foul play .
Spikes in cases of pneumonia in certain regions have also sparked suspicion .
And , despite Russia having reportedly carried out over 4 million coronavirus tests , officials themselves have said that the tests often give the wrong result .
Without a positive test result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death having been due to Covid-19 .
Alexander Vanyukov , a surgeon at Moscow ’ s Clinical Hospital No .
52 , told the investigative Proekt outlet last week that he has his doubts over Russia ’ s official statistics .
He explained that , at his hospital , which is one of 20-plus in Moscow and was one of the best prepared for the pandemic , about 10-20 coronavirus patients are dying each day .
“ We will probably never know the real figures .
Or , as one of our colleagues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only in about 30 years on HBO , ” he said , in reference to the channel ’ s popular ‘ Chernobyl ’ series .
Experts who spoke with The Moscow Times said that Russia ’ s method for counting deaths allows for some leeway in interpretation .
But they added that , even if the country is undercounting , they haven ’ t seen any signs that it is doing so on such a massive scale that would suggest its toll is anywhere close to some of the harder hit countries in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at this point , there is no use in comparing mortality rates in various countries .
Instead , Vladimir Shkolnikov , a demographer at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research and director of the Higher School of Economics ’ International Laboratory for Population and Health Research , believes , like many other experts around the world , that the most effective method for understanding the true toll of the coronavirus pandemic is counting excess mortality — or all-cause mortality — deaths during the period .
“ A death is a well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If we see that in a given week there were suddenly a lot more deaths than the same period in previous years , then we can say that there was some short-term factor .
This is what we do for heat waves or flu epidemics.
” Shkolnikov pointed to counts from the EuroMOMO European mortality monitoring project and newspapers like the Financial Times and the New York Times for countries where data is readily available .
In all cases , even in countries counting coronavirus deaths liberally , excess deaths came in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , compiling an excess deaths count for Russia is much trickier .
For one , the federal statistics agency Rosstat will only release figures for April at the end of May or in early June .
But even that is not enough for an accurate count , said Shkolnikov .
“ If the curve in coronavirus cases began growing in the middle of March , the data for the first two weeks will skew our count , ” he explained .
“ We need to look week by week.
” Those numbers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall of the following year — or around September 2021 for the current period .
By then , though , political points will already have been scored .
At the end of April , the head of Russia ’ s health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova boasted on national television to President Vladimir Putin that the country ’ s low mortality rate is a sign it is handling the contagion well .
And in response to an article in the U.K. ’ s Financial Times on the crisis facing Putin due to the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy likewise pointed to the mortality rate .
“ A very biased and shallow analysis , ” he tweeted .
“ Not even mentioned that # Russia has one of the lowest # COVID-related mortality rate in the world ( UK-the highest in Europe ) .
”

Suspicions are growing that Russia is undercounting its coronavirus death toll. Although the country has the second fastest growing outbreak in the world after the United States, its mortality rate falls far below other countries. On Friday, Russia reported 187,859 coronavirus cases to only 1,723 deaths, putting it in fifth place globally for case numbers with a mortality rate of only 0.9%. But the official coronavirus information page for the Urals region of Chelyabinsk presents two statistics — the only Russian region to do so — that help address the disparity. Taken together, they get to the heart of a debate beginning to rage over which country has handled the contagion best. Covid-19, the page reports, has so far killed three people in the region, while another seven tested positive but died from another cause. The second figure would have boosted Chelyabinsk’s coronavirus death toll by 233% but was not included in the state toll because Russia does not automatically list Covid-19 as the cause of death if the deceased tested positive for the coronavirus. According to one expert with knowledge of the Health Ministry’s plans, the practice of publishing both sets of figures looks set to become the norm within weeks, indicating that Russia is becoming increasingly transparent about its classification process. “When this all blows over, I believe mortality figures will be in two camps: deaths specifically from Covid-19 and deaths of people who had the virus but weren’t killed by it,” said Andrei Chernyayev, a pulmonologist who helped write the Moscow Health Department’s rules for classifying coronavirus deaths. “I believe Russia is counting accurately while others like Italy, Belgium and the United States are over counting,” he added. Varying methods While the World Health Organization has published complicated guidelines for classifying coronavirus deaths, experts complained that they arrived late in the pandemic — on April 16 — when many countries had already made their own decisions on categorization. Plus, experts said, some countries had by then already counted the bulk of their deaths. Belgium adopted the most liberal method for classifying coronavirus deaths. To take one example, the country records coronavirus deaths in nursing homes even if the virus was only suspected in the deceased, not confirmed. Unsurprisingly, its coronavirus mortality rate is the highest in the world. Meanwhile, Italy and the United States — as well as many European countries — automatically classify deaths as caused by the coronavirus if the deceased tested positive.
Russia falls on the more conservative end of the spectrum. The country has continued relying on its traditional method of determining the underlying cause of death that sees it carry out autopsies in up to 70% of deaths compared with about 10% in many European countries, said Sergei Timonin, a demographer with the Higher School of Economics. According to Health Ministry guidelines, “in the absence of clinical manifestations and pathological changes, especially in the lungs” as a result of the virus, Covid-19 is not listed as the cause of death. Put another way, if a person has a brain hemorrhage after earlier testing positive for the coronavirus, the cause of death will be classified as the hemorrhage, not Covid-19, Chernyayev explained. Increased transparency In recent days, Russia has become increasingly transparent about this practice. “We can’t put everything down to the coronavirus otherwise we won’t act correctly,” the Health Ministry’s head pathologist Georgiy Frank told the Ekho Moskvy radio station Monday. “The numbers have to be objective. Covid is often the cause, but not always.” In addition to Chelyabinsk, The Moscow Times found three other regions that have announced statistics for deaths from coronavirus and deaths of patients who were coronavirus-positive. Using the more liberal classification method in Sverdlovsk would have increased deaths by 233%, while numbers in Saratov would have risen by 200% and in Ryazan by 60%. Russia is planning to make these figures available nationwide by publishing a database that will contain both sets of statistics for all regions “within several weeks,” according to a source, who has seen the Health Ministry’s preliminary dataset. The Health Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Based on official data, Timonin said that for Moscow, the epicenter of Russia’s coronavirus outbreak, the 956 coronavirus deaths that have been recorded account for only about 35% of all coronavirus-positive patient deaths in the Russian capital. “More than 1,500 additional patients who tested positive for the coronavirus have died, but in those cases pathologists decided the virus did not play a decisive role,” Timonin said. Room for interpretation Some critics, however, worry that Russia’s classification methodology gives officials the ability to pressure pathologists into undercounting coronavirus death totals or massage figures themselves. “I myself see that I have diagnosed more patients who died from the coronavirus in these past two weeks than I saw in official statistics,” said a pathologist in St. Petersburg who asked to remain anonymous. The pathologist, however, also noted that because of Russia’s intensive classification process there can be a lag of about two to three weeks before coronavirus deaths make it into the official data.
Still, a statistician who works with the Russian government but asked to remain anonymous because they weren’t authorized to speak on the subject said that they had already seen evidence that some regions were manipulating data. Others have pointed to an unofficial tally by Russian doctors that lists over 100 medical workers who have died from the coronavirus and rivals Italy’s count — although the countries’ death totals differ drastically — as evidence of foul play. Spikes in cases of pneumonia in certain regions have also sparked suspicion. And, despite Russia having reportedly carried out over 4 million coronavirus tests, officials themselves have said that the tests often give the wrong result. Without a positive test result, a pathologist will not register a death having been due to Covid-19. Alexander Vanyukov, a surgeon at Moscow’s Clinical Hospital No. 52, told the investigative Proekt outlet last week that he has his doubts over Russia’s official statistics. He explained that, at his hospital, which is one of 20-plus in Moscow and was one of the best prepared for the pandemic, about 10-20 coronavirus patients are dying each day. “We will probably never know the real figures. Or, as one of our colleagues joked, we’ll find out only in about 30 years on HBO,” he said, in reference to the channel’s popular ‘Chernobyl’ series. Measuring the true toll Experts who spoke with The Moscow Times said that Russia’s method for counting deaths allows for some leeway in interpretation. But they added that, even if the country is undercounting, they haven’t seen any signs that it is doing so on such a massive scale that would suggest its toll is anywhere close to some of the harder hit countries in the world. They also stressed that, at this point, there is no use in comparing mortality rates in various countries. Instead, Vladimir Shkolnikov, a demographer at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research and director of the Higher School of Economics’ International Laboratory for Population and Health Research, believes, like many other experts around the world, that the most effective method for understanding the true toll of the coronavirus pandemic is counting excess mortality — or all-cause mortality — deaths during the period. “A death is a well registered event,” he said. “If we see that in a given week there were suddenly a lot more deaths than the same period in previous years, then we can say that there was some short-term factor. This is what we do for heat waves or flu epidemics.”


themoscowtimes--2020-05-08--Russia Readies for Ghost Celebrations for 75th V-Day Amid Coronavirus

Each year on May 9 , Russians across the country celebrate Victory Day as the day of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II .
This year 's parade marking the 75th anniversary of Victory Day was meant to be a major showcase for President Vladimir Putin , with world leaders and veterans from all over Russia invited .
But with the spread of the coronavirus showing no sign of slowing down in Russia , what was originally planned to be a display of military might will instead be a ghost celebration .
While the main parade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try to contain the virus , several events are set to take place without the public or via online broadcast .
Here ’ s a look at how Russia plans to celebrate its victory in what Russians call the Great Patriotic War in the time of a pandemic : Instead of the traditional ground parade on Red Square , Russia 's Air Force will stage an air show over the capital and other cities across the country .
“ Seventy-five jets and helicopters will fly over Red Square in a single formation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as saying .
“ There are also planned flyovers in 47 cities across the country and at Russian military bases abroad.
” A total of 660 aircraft will take part in flyovers across Russia on May 9 , making it the largest military air display in the country ’ s history , BBC Russia reported , citing the Defense Ministry .
The flyovers will be broadcast online and on television .
The Immortal Regiment — normally a tradition in which millions of people in Russia parade with portraits of relatives who fought in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an online broadcast this year .
Those interested in participating can submit a photo and brief description of their relatives through an online portal .
If no photo is available , people can still submit their relatives ' names and a brief description .
The broadcast will begin in Russia ’ s Far East and gradually move westward with the time zones .
It ’ s expected that the online “ march , ” which has received more than 2 million submissions so far , will last more than one day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the procession will go to their balconies with photos of their relatives and sing the song ‘ Den Pobedy ’ ( Victory Day ) together .
Shoigu said that campaigns are also underway to allow Russians to send postcards or make phone calls to World War II veterans .
One part of this year ’ s Victory Day celebrations that won ’ t be affected by the coronavirus is the fireworks display that traditionally marks the end of celebrations .
The fireworks will start at 10 p.m. local time across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` Each salvo will be dedicated to the name of a war hero , the name of a military formation or a memorable event , '' Shoigu said .
Russian rock artists such as Uma2rman , Alexander F. Sklyar , Svetlana Surganova and more will perform popular wartime songs in the “ Songs of Victory ” concert , which will air online and on television .
`` The goal of the ‘ Songs of Victory ’ project is to find a new sound within old songs that have been beloved for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizers said .

Each year on May 9, Russians across the country celebrate Victory Day as the day of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. This year's parade marking the 75th anniversary of Victory Day was meant to be a major showcase for President Vladimir Putin, with world leaders and veterans from all over Russia invited. But with the spread of the coronavirus showing no sign of slowing down in Russia, what was originally planned to be a display of military might will instead be a ghost celebration. While the main parade in Moscow has been postponed indefinitely to try to contain the virus, several events are set to take place without the public or via online broadcast. Here’s a look at how Russia plans to celebrate its victory in what Russians call the Great Patriotic War in the time of a pandemic:
Military air show Instead of the traditional ground parade on Red Square, Russia's Air Force will stage an air show over the capital and other cities across the country. “Seventy-five jets and helicopters will fly over Red Square in a single formation,” Interfax quoted Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying. “There are also planned flyovers in 47 cities across the country and at Russian military bases abroad.”
A total of 660 aircraft will take part in flyovers across Russia on May 9, making it the largest military air display in the country’s history, BBC Russia reported, citing the Defense Ministry. The flyovers will be broadcast online and on television. Immortal Regiment The Immortal Regiment — normally a tradition in which millions of people in Russia parade with portraits of relatives who fought in World War II — will take place in an online broadcast this year. Those interested in participating can submit a photo and brief description of their relatives through an online portal. If no photo is available, people can still submit their relatives' names and a brief description. The broadcast will begin in Russia’s Far East and gradually move westward with the time zones. It’s expected that the online “march,” which has received more than 2 million submissions so far, will last more than one day.
At 7 p.m. local time, participants in the procession will go to their balconies with photos of their relatives and sing the song ‘Den Pobedy’ (Victory Day) together. Shoigu said that campaigns are also underway to allow Russians to send postcards or make phone calls to World War II veterans.
Fireworks One part of this year’s Victory Day celebrations that won’t be affected by the coronavirus is the fireworks display that traditionally marks the end of celebrations. The fireworks will start at 10 p.m. local time across the country and will include artillery salvos, Shoigu said. "Each salvo will be dedicated to the name of a war hero, the name of a military formation or a memorable event," Shoigu said.
Online concert Russian rock artists such as Uma2rman, Alexander F. Sklyar, Svetlana Surganova and more will perform popular wartime songs in the “Songs of Victory” concert, which will air online and on television. "The goal of the ‘Songs of Victory’ project is to find a new sound within old songs that have been beloved for generations,” the concert’s organizers said.