themoscowtimes--2020-12-07--Chechen Who Beheaded French Teacher Buried on Home Soil – Reports

Moscow-born Abdullakh Anzorov , 18 , was shot dead by police on Oct. 16 after decapitating history teacher Samuel Paty @ @ @ @ @ Muhammad cartoons in a class on freedom of expression .
French and Western leaders condemned @ @ @ @ @ and athletic figures from Russia ’ s Muslim-majority North Caucasus accused President Emmanuel Macron of @ @ @ @ @ refugee who beheaded a teacher in France this fall has been buried with honors on @ @ @ @ @ Baza Telegram channel reported Sunday .
According to Baza , around 200 relatives and friends @ @ @ @ @ the funeral in central Chechnya ’ s Urus-Martanovsky district .
Video published by Baza showed @ @ @ @ @ ” ( “ God is Great ” ) as they walked alongside the pallbearers carrying @ @ @ @ @ Local authorities took special security measures , deploying dozens of police officers to secure the @ @ @ @ @ to enter , Baza said .
Last week , Russian media reported that a street @ @ @ @ @ village of Shalazhi had been unofficially renamed in his honor .

Moscow-born Abdullakh Anzorov, 18, was shot dead by police on Oct. 16 after decapitating history teacher Samuel Paty, who had displayed Prophet Muhammad cartoons in a class on freedom of expression. French and Western leaders condemned the attack, while religious and athletic figures from Russia’s Muslim-majority North Caucasus accused President Emmanuel Macron of provoking attacks.
A Chechen refugee who beheaded a teacher in France this fall has been buried with honors on his home soil, the Baza Telegram channel reported Sunday.
According to Baza, around 200 relatives and friends of the Anzorov family attended the funeral in central Chechnya’s Urus-Martanovsky district.
Video published by Baza showed attendees shouting “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Great”) as they walked alongside the pallbearers carrying Anzorov’s coffin.
Local authorities took special security measures, deploying dozens of police officers to secure the village and allowing only residents to enter, Baza said.
France reportedly repatriated Anzorov’s body on Sunday.
Last week, Russian media reported that a street in Anzorov’s home village of Shalazhi had been unofficially renamed in his honor.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-07--News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

Opposition protesters in Belarus rallied Sunday in the latest of nearly four months of demonstrations against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko .
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said up to 7 million people have to be inoculated as part of the voluntary Covid-19 vaccination drive .
Around 2 million Russians are expected to be vaccinated with the free two-shot jab in December .
In contrast to mass Sunday protests that have taken place since the August vote , the opposition has for weeks sought to foil a toughening crackdown by staging numerous smaller protests .
Minsk police said that around 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protests in Minsk .
Russia lashed out at the United States as a “ revisionist power ” after its immigration authorities classified Russians born on the disputed Kuril Islands who apply for diversity visas as Japanese nationals .
Japan , which claims the islands as its Northern Territories , and Russia have yet to strike a formal peace deal over the territorial dispute .
Villagers in the Far East republic of Sakha held an online bovine beauty pageant , with contestants from across Russia ’ s largest federal subject submitting photos of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Tootoy wearing sailor ’ s jackets and caps were named the winners of the second annual contest .

Opposition protesters in Belarus rallied Sunday in the latest of nearly four months of demonstrations against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said up to 7 million people have to be inoculated as part of the voluntary Covid-19 vaccination drive. Around 2 million Russians are expected to be vaccinated with the free two-shot jab in December.
In contrast to mass Sunday protests that have taken place since the August vote, the opposition has for weeks sought to foil a toughening crackdown by staging numerous smaller protests. Minsk police said that around 300 people were taken into police custody during the protests in Minsk.
Revisionist power
Russia lashed out at the United States as a “revisionist power” after its immigration authorities classified Russians born on the disputed Kuril Islands who apply for diversity visas as Japanese nationals.
Japan, which claims the islands as its Northern Territories, and Russia have yet to strike a formal peace deal over the territorial dispute.
Cattle call
Villagers in the Far East republic of Sakha held an online bovine beauty pageant, with contestants from across Russia’s largest federal subject submitting photos of their best-dressed livestock.
Twin bulls Ootoy and Tootoy wearing sailor’s jackets and caps were named the winners of the second annual contest.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-07--Russian Sentenced to Jail in France for Money Laundering

Prosecutors had said that Alexander Vinnik sent emails to his targets masquerading as invoices , whose attached document , when opened , activated malware that shut down the computer and encrypted its contents .
A French court on Monday sentenced a Russian to five years in prison for money laundering , but cleared him of an original charge of defrauding nearly 200 people using ransomware .
A message would appear on the hacked computer with instructions to pay a ransom in the online currency bitcoin to regain control of the machine .
Among the 188 victims of the attacks — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were local authorities , businesses and individuals in France .
The prosecution had accused Vinnik of making 135 million euros ( $ 164 million ) from these attacks , and called for a 10-year sentence against the 41-year-old when the trial opened in October .
But the court cleared him of the randomware attack charges .
`` All these accusations have collapsed because Alexander Vinnik had nothing to do with them , '' said one of his lawyers , Frederic Belot .
The court did , however , find him guilty of laundering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which a software called Locky was used .
In addition to the prison sentence , he was fined 100,000 euros ( $ 121,000 ) .
Vinnik had always denied any connection with the Locky malware , claiming he had been `` an ordinary freelance operator '' for the BTC-e platform which received the extorted sums had been paid .
His lawyer said he would `` probably '' appeal Monday 's verdict .
Vinnik is also wanted in the United States and his native Russia .
Investigators had described the system used in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass mail-shots of the `` contaminated '' emails via a botnet , a network of already infected computers .
The way that the paid ransoms were subsequently laundered to make it difficult to trace was equally sophisticated , the indictment said .
Prosecutors identified 20 businesses in six cities across France among victims and , following the money trail through various bank accounts , identified one as belonging to Vinnik .
US investigators suspect Vinnik of being the mastermind of what they say has become one of the main ways cybercriminals launder their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France in January from Greece , where he had been arrested on an American warrant in 2017 .
He allegedly operated the BTC-e bitcoin exchange until his arrest at the northern Greek tourist resort of Halkidiki , which set off a three-way extradition tussle between the United States , France and Russia .
A US indictment accuses Vinnik of 21 charges ranging from identity theft and facilitating drug trafficking to money laundering .
He tried unsuccessfully to be extradited to Russia , where he is wanted on lesser fraud charges involving just 9,500 @ @

Prosecutors had said that Alexander Vinnik sent emails to his targets masquerading as invoices, whose attached document, when opened, activated malware that shut down the computer and encrypted its contents.
A French court on Monday sentenced a Russian to five years in prison for money laundering, but cleared him of an original charge of defrauding nearly 200 people using ransomware.
A message would appear on the hacked computer with instructions to pay a ransom in the online currency bitcoin to regain control of the machine.
Among the 188 victims of the attacks — which happened between 2016 and 2018 — were local authorities, businesses and individuals in France.
The prosecution had accused Vinnik of making 135 million euros ($164 million) from these attacks, and called for a 10-year sentence against the 41-year-old when the trial opened in October.
But the court cleared him of the randomware attack charges.
"All these accusations have collapsed because Alexander Vinnik had nothing to do with them," said one of his lawyers, Frederic Belot.
The court did, however, find him guilty of laundering the money extorted through the attacks in which a software called Locky was used. In addition to the prison sentence, he was fined 100,000 euros ($121,000).
Appeal likely
Vinnik had always denied any connection with the Locky malware, claiming he had been "an ordinary freelance operator" for the BTC-e platform which received the extorted sums had been paid.
His lawyer said he would "probably" appeal Monday's verdict.
Vinnik is also wanted in the United States and his native Russia.
Investigators had described the system used in the malware attacks as extremely elaborate, involving mass mail-shots of the "contaminated" emails via a botnet, a network of already infected computers.
The way that the paid ransoms were subsequently laundered to make it difficult to trace was equally sophisticated, the indictment said.
Prosecutors identified 20 businesses in six cities across France among victims and, following the money trail through various bank accounts, identified one as belonging to Vinnik.
US investigators suspect Vinnik of being the mastermind of what they say has become one of the main ways cybercriminals launder their illegal gains.
Vinnik was extradited to France in January from Greece, where he had been arrested on an American warrant in 2017.
He allegedly operated the BTC-e bitcoin exchange until his arrest at the northern Greek tourist resort of Halkidiki, which set off a three-way extradition tussle between the United States, France and Russia.
Greece eventually served the European warrant issued by France.
A US indictment accuses Vinnik of 21 charges ranging from identity theft and facilitating drug trafficking to money laundering.
He tried unsuccessfully to be extradited to Russia, where he is wanted on lesser fraud charges involving just 9,500 euros.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-07--Russia Bolsters Military Forces in Baltic Exclave Amid NATO Fears

Admiral Alexander Nosatov , the commander of Russia ’ s Baltic Fleet , accused the Western military bloc of deploying an armored tank and several battalion-tactical groups to the exclave ’ s borders .
Other NATO strike units and subunits have also been deployed to the immediate vicinity of Kaliningrad ’ s borders , he said .
Russia is looking to expand its military power in Kaliningrad by adding a new division that includes motorized rifle , artillery and tank regiments amid NATO buildup along the border with Russia ’ s Baltic exclave , a naval admiral said Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the leadership of the Armed Forces was forced to take retaliatory measures .
One of them was the formation of a full-fledged motorized rifle division , which has become part of the army corps of the Baltic Fleet , '' Nosatov told the Defense Ministry ’ s Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper .
“ The new unit includes motorized rifle , artillery and separate tank regiments , ” said Nosatov .
Nosatov said the reinforcement of Kaliningrad ’ s forces would continue through next year .
Kaliningrad is bordered by NATO members Poland and Lithuania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baltic Fleet .
Tensions between Russia and the Western military bloc remain at post-Cold War highs over Moscow ’ s 2014 annexation of Crimea .
In a report published last week , NATO identified Russia as one of its main threats for the next decade and proposed strengthening NATO 's capabilities to counter threats from Russia .
`` By economic and social standards , Russia is a fading power , but it has shown that it is capable of territorial aggression and is likely to remain the main threat to NATO in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .

Admiral Alexander Nosatov, the commander of Russia’s Baltic Fleet, accused the Western military bloc of deploying an armored tank and several battalion-tactical groups to the exclave’s borders. Other NATO strike units and subunits have also been deployed to the immediate vicinity of Kaliningrad’s borders, he said.
Russia is looking to expand its military power in Kaliningrad by adding a new division that includes motorized rifle, artillery and tank regiments amid NATO buildup along the border with Russia’s Baltic exclave, a naval admiral said Monday.
"In response to this threat, the leadership of the Armed Forces was forced to take retaliatory measures. One of them was the formation of a full-fledged motorized rifle division, which has become part of the army corps of the Baltic Fleet," Nosatov told the Defense Ministry’s Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper.
“The new unit includes motorized rifle, artillery and separate tank regiments,” said Nosatov.
Nosatov said the reinforcement of Kaliningrad’s forces would continue through next year.
Kaliningrad is bordered by NATO members Poland and Lithuania and is home to Russia’s Baltic Fleet. Tensions between Russia and the Western military bloc remain at post-Cold War highs over Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
In a report published last week, NATO identified Russia as one of its main threats for the next decade and proposed strengthening NATO's capabilities to counter threats from Russia.
"By economic and social standards, Russia is a fading power, but it has shown that it is capable of territorial aggression and is likely to remain the main threat to NATO in the next decade," the NATO report said.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-08--No Alcohol for 2 Months, Russia Tells Coronavirus Vaccine Recipients

Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova ’ s instructions follow Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova ’ s recommendations to avoid alcohol and immunosuppressants for 42 days because the two-shot vaccine is administered with a 21-day gap between doses .
Recipients of Russia ’ s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine should abstain from alcohol for nearly two months before and after immunization , the head of Russia ’ s consumer safety watchdog said Tuesday .
“ The intake of alcohol needs to stop at least two weeks prior to immunization , ” Popova said in an interview with Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda .
Recipients should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days after the first injection , ” Popova added .
“ Immunity is being formed and one needs to take care.
” “ It ’ s a strain on the body .
If we want to stay healthy and have a strong immune response , do n't drink alcohol , ” she pleaded with Russians , who are among the world ’ s highest alcohol consumers despite seeing a significant decline in consumption since 2003 .
Popova also advised against smoking before and after vaccination because tobacco smoke irritates the lung and skews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Alexander Gintsburg , the head of the state-run Gamaleya research center that developed Sputnik V , said that while one should n't abuse alcohol before or after vaccination , `` a single glass of champagne never hurt anyone . ''
Russia 's Covid-19 vaccination drive for high-risk volunteers began in Moscow this weekend despite Sputnik V still undergoing post-registration clinical trials for safety .
Its developers say the adenovirus-based vaccine is 95 % effective against the virus .
Health officials estimate that 100,000 Russians have received Sputnik V , including trial participants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has the world ’ s fourth-highest Covid-19 caseload of over 2.5 million and the 10th-highest fatality count with 44,000 deaths .

Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova’s instructions follow Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova’s recommendations to avoid alcohol and immunosuppressants for 42 days because the two-shot vaccine is administered with a 21-day gap between doses.
Recipients of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine should abstain from alcohol for nearly two months before and after immunization, the head of Russia’s consumer safety watchdog said Tuesday.
“The intake of alcohol needs to stop at least two weeks prior to immunization,” Popova said in an interview with Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda.
Recipients should then abstain from alcohol for “42 days after the first injection,” Popova added. “Immunity is being formed and one needs to take care.”
“It’s a strain on the body. If we want to stay healthy and have a strong immune response, don't drink alcohol,” she pleaded with Russians, who are among the world’s highest alcohol consumers despite seeing a significant decline in consumption since 2003.
Popova also advised against smoking before and after vaccination because tobacco smoke irritates the lung and skews immune responses.
Following Popova's comments, Alexander Gintsburg, the head of the state-run Gamaleya research center that developed Sputnik V, said that while one shouldn't abuse alcohol before or after vaccination, "a single glass of champagne never hurt anyone."
Russia's Covid-19 vaccination drive for high-risk volunteers began in Moscow this weekend despite Sputnik V still undergoing post-registration clinical trials for safety. Its developers say the adenovirus-based vaccine is 95% effective against the virus.
Health officials estimate that 100,000 Russians have received Sputnik V, including trial participants and members of the military.
Russia has the world’s fourth-highest Covid-19 caseload of over 2.5 million and the 10th-highest fatality count with 44,000 deaths.