themoscowtimes--2020-11-12--Russia to Open Nuclear Warship Logistics Hub in Sudan

Under the draft deal published on the government website , the Russian Navy will station up to four warships , including those with nuclear capabilities , and up to 300 service members in a Sudanese port .
Russia plans to open a military logistics hub for nuclear warships in Sudan , according to a draft deal that also allows Russia to ferry weapons in and out of the volatile northeast African country .
The yet-to-be-signed agreement also allows Russia to send weapons , ammunition and supplies for the warships and exempts Russia from import duty and inspection .
In exchange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in search-and-rescue operations and support in antisabotage efforts .
The geographic coordinates cited in the document suggest that the Russian Navy ’ s logistics hub will be located in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan .
The Meduza news website reported a sighting of four vessels resembling warships at the location .
The agreement states that Russia ’ s logistics hub “ is defensive and not directed against other countries ” and “ meets the goals of maintaining peace and stability in the region.
” Russia and Sudan signed a seven-year military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has in recent years pushed to regain its Soviet-era strategic influence in Africa with investments in its energy and mineral industries .
Russia recognized the new leadership in Sudan after longtime leader and close Moscow ally Omar al-Bashir was ousted in a military coup last year .
This fall , Sudan joined the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in recognizing and normalizing ties with Israel , leading U.S. President Donald Trump 's administration to remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism .

Under the draft deal published on the government website, the Russian Navy will station up to four warships, including those with nuclear capabilities, and up to 300 service members in a Sudanese port.
Russia plans to open a military logistics hub for nuclear warships in Sudan, according to a draft deal that also allows Russia to ferry weapons in and out of the volatile northeast African country.
The yet-to-be-signed agreement also allows Russia to send weapons, ammunition and supplies for the warships and exempts Russia from import duty and inspection.
In exchange, Russia will provide Sudan free assistance in search-and-rescue operations and support in antisabotage efforts.
The geographic coordinates cited in the document suggest that the Russian Navy’s logistics hub will be located in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. The Meduza news website reported a sighting of four vessels resembling warships at the location.
The agreement states that Russia’s logistics hub “is defensive and not directed against other countries” and “meets the goals of maintaining peace and stability in the region.” Russia and Sudan signed a seven-year military cooperation deal in May 2019.
Russia has in recent years pushed to regain its Soviet-era strategic influence in Africa with investments in its energy and mineral industries.
Russia recognized the new leadership in Sudan after longtime leader and close Moscow ally Omar al-Bashir was ousted in a military coup last year.
This fall, Sudan joined the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in recognizing and normalizing ties with Israel, leading U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-13--St. Petersburg Authorities Disrupt LGBT Film Fest Opening

The Side By Side film festival has been subjected to numerous disruptions , bomb threats and protests in its 13-year history .
Last year , the film festival ’ s opening was disrupted by bomb threats , forcing organizers to call off one of the scheduled film screenings .
St. Petersburg police and officials from Russia ’ s consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor disrupted the opening night of Russia ’ s only annual LGBT film festival , its organizers said .
Police and Rospotrebnadzor employees arrived at Side By Side 's opening screening Thursday night and ordered festivalgoers to leave without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Mediazona news website .
`` The police came without giving any reason .
Rospotrebnadzor had the right to impartially check for coronavirus prevention measures , ” the Side by Side film festival ’ s spokesperson Alina Pchelintseva told Mediazona .
“ One police officer broke into the cinema hall and , using force and rude language , demanded that all visitors urgently leave the space , ” she said .
“ The tough police actions forced us to cancel the film screening for the safety of the audience.
” As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ display of LGBT `` propaganda '' toward minors , the Side By Side festival is one of the few spaces where Russia 's LGBT community can watch movies about themselves on a big screen and participate in discussions about issues affecting them .
Days before the start of the festival , local police and prosecutors had asked organizers whether minors would be admitted to the event , the Fontanka.ru news site reported Monday .
Mediazona cited one of the festival 's jury members Renat Davletgildeyev as saying that the the security forces ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vitaly Milonov .
One of the authors of Russia ’ s “ gay propaganda ” law , Milonov has previously attempted to shut down the festival in past years .
Davletgildeyev added that about 10 masked men arrived with the police and `` shouted homophobic slogans , '' demanding to `` stop the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations among minors.
” Despite the disruptions , organizers say Side By Side ’ s schedule of online screenings will continue to run until Nov. 19 .

The Side By Side film festival has been subjected to numerous disruptions, bomb threats and protests in its 13-year history. Last year, the film festival’s opening was disrupted by bomb threats, forcing organizers to call off one of the scheduled film screenings.
St. Petersburg police and officials from Russia’s consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor disrupted the opening night of Russia’s only annual LGBT film festival, its organizers said.
Police and Rospotrebnadzor employees arrived at Side By Side's opening screening Thursday night and ordered festivalgoers to leave without giving an explanation why, festival organizers told the Mediazona news website.
"The police came without giving any reason. Rospotrebnadzor had the right to impartially check for coronavirus prevention measures,” the Side by Side film festival’s spokesperson Alina Pchelintseva told Mediazona.
“One police officer broke into the cinema hall and, using force and rude language, demanded that all visitors urgently leave the space,” she said. “The tough police actions forced us to cancel the film screening for the safety of the audience.”
As a Russian law passed in 2013 prohibits the display of LGBT "propaganda" toward minors, the Side By Side festival is one of the few spaces where Russia's LGBT community can watch movies about themselves on a big screen and participate in discussions about issues affecting them.
Days before the start of the festival, local police and prosecutors had asked organizers whether minors would be admitted to the event, the Fontanka.ru news site reported Monday.
Mediazona cited one of the festival's jury members Renat Davletgildeyev as saying that the the security forces’ visit could be linked to anti-LGBT lawmaker Vitaly Milonov. One of the authors of Russia’s “gay propaganda” law, Milonov has previously attempted to shut down the festival in past years.
Davletgildeyev added that about 10 masked men arrived with the police and "shouted homophobic slogans," demanding to "stop the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations among minors.”
Despite the disruptions, organizers say Side By Side’s schedule of online screenings will continue to run until Nov. 19.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-13--More Countries Line Up for Russia’s Sputnik V Coronavirus Vaccine

More than 50 countries have requested to buy or localize production of Russia ’ s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine as the race for a safe and effective vaccine that could end the deadly pandemic heats up across the globe .
In recent weeks , the Russian Direct Investment Fund ( RDIF ) that is marketing Sputnik V has announced plans to sell : 100 million doses to India , 50 million to Brazil , 35 million to Uzbekistan and 32 million to Mexico , as well as 25 million to Nepal and Egypt each .
Here ’ s a look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struck deals to conduct trials or produce Sputnik V — or been asked to help in its production : Hungary is set to become the first EU member state to carry out trials of Sputnik V , its authorities said , with the first samples of the jab expected to arrive from Russia by the end of next week .
South Korea 's GL Rapha biotechnology firm has signed on to produce over 150 million Sputnik V doses per year , the RDIF said .
Production is expected to begin next month and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global distribution .
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez , who is currently visiting Moscow , offered to localize the production of Sputnik V after its Phase 3 trials of 1,500 vaccines and 500 placebos in the Latin American country wrap up .
Turkey ’ s health ministry has voiced interest in localizing the production of Sputnik V after trials , according to Russia ’ s Health Ministry .
President Vladimir Putin asked his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for France 's help in producing a coronavirus vaccine in a Nov. 7 phone call , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` evasive '' when responding to Putin 's request , saying it should first be discussed with the scientific community .

More than 50 countries have requested to buy or localize production of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine as the race for a safe and effective vaccine that could end the deadly pandemic heats up across the globe.
In recent weeks, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) that is marketing Sputnik V has announced plans to sell: 100 million doses to India, 50 million to Brazil, 35 million to Uzbekistan and 32 million to Mexico, as well as 25 million to Nepal and Egypt each.
Here’s a look at several other countries that have recently struck deals to conduct trials or produce Sputnik V — or been asked to help in its production:
Hungary
Hungary is set to become the first EU member state to carry out trials of Sputnik V, its authorities said, with the first samples of the jab expected to arrive from Russia by the end of next week.
South Korea
South Korea's GL Rapha biotechnology firm has signed on to produce over 150 million Sputnik V doses per year, the RDIF said. Production is expected to begin next month and South Korea-made doses will be intended for global distribution.
Venezuela
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who is currently visiting Moscow, offered to localize the production of Sputnik V after its Phase 3 trials of 1,500 vaccines and 500 placebos in the Latin American country wrap up.
Turkey
Turkey’s health ministry has voiced interest in localizing the production of Sputnik V after trials, according to Russia’s Health Ministry.
France?
President Vladimir Putin asked his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for France's help in producing a coronavirus vaccine in a Nov. 7 phone call, French media reported. Macron was reportedly "evasive" when responding to Putin's request, saying it should first be discussed with the scientific community.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-13--Russian Mayor of City Targeted in Navalny Probe Arrested

The arrest comes two months after Kremlin critic Navalny published the investigation alleging corruption by local officials in Tomsk .
The mayor of a Siberian city that was at the center of a corruption expose by opposition leader Alexei Navalny was arrested Friday for abuse of power , regional officials and Russian media said .
Navalny , 44 , fell ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow in August and was flown to Germany for treatment where doctors said he was poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent .
The Investigative Committee , which probes major crimes , said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened into Ivan Klyayn , 61 , who has been mayor of Tomsk since 2013 .
`` A criminal investigation for abuse of power has been opened , '' the statement said , adding that searches were underway at Klyayn 's home and office .
The Investigative Committee said Klyayn — a main shareholder of a local brewery — ordered subordinates in 2016 to falsify information about land next to the brewery to prevent a local businessman from starting construction there .
The businessman suffered `` significant damage '' as a result , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agents of the Federal Security Service dressed in black detaining Klyayn during a morning meeting with local officials .
Law enforcement sources later confirmed the arrest to Russian news agencies .
In his probe published in September , Navalny said that Tomsk is a city `` where everything is permeated with corruption , which influences the life of every person . ''
His investigation alleged that members of the ruling United Russia party had awarded public contracts to companies secretly controlled by party officials .
Two of Navalny 's allies won local parliament @ @ @ @ @ @

The arrest comes two months after Kremlin critic Navalny published the investigation alleging corruption by local officials in Tomsk.
The mayor of a Siberian city that was at the center of a corruption expose by opposition leader Alexei Navalny was arrested Friday for abuse of power, regional officials and Russian media said.
Navalny, 44, fell ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow in August and was flown to Germany for treatment where doctors said he was poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent.
The Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said in a statement that a probe had been opened into Ivan Klyayn, 61, who has been mayor of Tomsk since 2013.
"A criminal investigation for abuse of power has been opened," the statement said, adding that searches were underway at Klyayn's home and office.
The Investigative Committee said Klyayn — a main shareholder of a local brewery — ordered subordinates in 2016 to falsify information about land next to the brewery to prevent a local businessman from starting construction there.
The businessman suffered "significant damage" as a result, the statement said.
State television showed agents of the Federal Security Service dressed in black detaining Klyayn during a morning meeting with local officials. Law enforcement sources later confirmed the arrest to Russian news agencies.
In his probe published in September, Navalny said that Tomsk is a city "where everything is permeated with corruption, which influences the life of every person."
His investigation alleged that members of the ruling United Russia party had awarded public contracts to companies secretly controlled by party officials.
Navalny's probe did not mention Klyayn.
Two of Navalny's allies won local parliament seats in Tomsk in September.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-13--A Russian Town Gets Rid of Its Lenin Street and Emotions Run High

In a cramped office decorated with posters of Stalin , a veteran Communist Party member addresses a group of concerned citizens , banging his fist on a desk.
“ Friends , we are at war , ” Alexander Golovanov declares .
“ They want to take away our history and pride.
” The ancient town of Tarusa , 140 kilometers south of Moscow , still has a statue of Lenin in its central square , and until recently its communist party headquarters were located on Lenin Street .
But in October , the town council voted to replace the Soviet-era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with pre-revolutionary names , splitting opinion and dredging up Russia ’ s complicated relationship with its past .
Lenin Street is now Kaluzhskaya Street , a reference to the surrounding region .
Other streets named after communist leaders including Anatoly Lunacharsky and Marxist revolutionaries like Rosa Luxemburg have also been renamed .
“ We wanted to show that our town is more than just its Soviet history , it has a longstanding culture going back over 700 years ” , Sergei Manakov , a local deputy from the ruling United Russia party who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ names told The Moscow Times .
“ You can find a street named after Lenin in every corner of Russia .
This way we stand out.
” According to research conducted by Yandex in October 2017 , there are 5,776 streets in Russia named after Lenin .
Tarusa isn ’ t the only place in Russia to have renamed them .
Moscow and St.Petersburg — formerly known as Leningrad — changed many street names honoring communist leaders in the early 1990s .
However , what is currently happening in Tarusa runs against recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kolesnikov of the Moscow Carnegie Center .
He pointed to the fact Russians have expressed increasingly positive opinions about the Soviet Union over the years , with nostalgia toward the U.S.S.R. and approval of Stalin hitting record highs in the past year or so .
Three out of four Russians think the Soviet era was the best time in their country ’ s history , according to a March survey by independent Levada Center pollster .
Tarusa ’ s decision to de-sovietize its streets has polarized its 10,000 inhabitants .
Sergei Yelizarov , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renamings said he hoped the switch would lead to a “ shift in thinking among our residents.
” “ When walking the streets , we want Turasian ’ s to identify with our town and not with an ideology that is long gone ” Both Manakov and Yelizarov stressed that the renaming of the streets only applies to the old town and there is “ absolutely no talk ” of tearing down the Lenin statue that dominates the newer central square of Tarusa .
Nevertheless , the town ’ s decision has enraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gennady Zyuganov who called the new law “ a humiliation of the great Soviet era .
“ Tarusian officials have followed the path of Bandera , the Nazis and fascists , ” Zyuganov said , referencing a Ukrainian early-twentieth-century ultranationalist leader .
He warned that the town was on the brink of the large-scale decommunization seen in Ukraine since 2015 , a process that is frequently criticized by Russian state media and officials .

In a cramped office decorated with posters of Stalin, a veteran Communist Party member addresses a group of concerned citizens, banging his fist on a desk.“Friends, we are at war,” Alexander Golovanov declares.
“They want to take away our history and pride.”
The ancient town of Tarusa, 140 kilometers south of Moscow, still has a statue of Lenin in its central square, and until recently its communist party headquarters were located on Lenin Street. But in October, the town council voted to replace the Soviet-era names of 15 streets and one square with pre-revolutionary names, splitting opinion and dredging up Russia’s complicated relationship with its past.
Lenin Street is now Kaluzhskaya Street, a reference to the surrounding region. Other streets named after communist leaders including Anatoly Lunacharsky and Marxist revolutionaries like Rosa Luxemburg have also been renamed.
“We wanted to show that our town is more than just its Soviet history, it has a longstanding culture going back over 700 years”, Sergei Manakov, a local deputy from the ruling United Russia party who voted in favor of changing the street names told The Moscow Times.
“You can find a street named after Lenin in every corner of Russia. This way we stand out.”
According to research conducted by Yandex in October 2017, there are 5,776 streets in Russia named after Lenin. Tarusa isn’t the only place in Russia to have renamed them. Moscow and St.Petersburg — formerly known as Leningrad — changed many street names honoring communist leaders in the early 1990s.
However, what is currently happening in Tarusa runs against recent “state-directed trends,” said Andrei Kolesnikov of the Moscow Carnegie Center. He pointed to the fact Russians have expressed increasingly positive opinions about the Soviet Union over the years, with nostalgia toward the U.S.S.R. and approval of Stalin hitting record highs in the past year or so.
Three out of four Russians think the Soviet era was the best time in their country’s history, according to a March survey by independent Levada Center pollster.
Tarusa’s decision to de-sovietize its streets has polarized its 10,000 inhabitants.
Sergei Yelizarov, another deputy who was instrumental in the renamings said he hoped the switch would lead to a “shift in thinking among our residents.”
“When walking the streets, we want Turasian’s to identify with our town and not with an ideology that is long gone”
Both Manakov and Yelizarov stressed that the renaming of the streets only applies to the old town and there is “absolutely no talk” of tearing down the Lenin statue that dominates the newer central square of Tarusa.
Nevertheless, the town’s decision has enraged Russia’s longtime Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov who called the new law “a humiliation of the great Soviet era.
“Tarusian officials have followed the path of Bandera, the Nazis and fascists,” Zyuganov said, referencing a Ukrainian early-twentieth-century ultranationalist leader. He warned that the town was on the brink of the large-scale decommunization seen in Ukraine since 2015, a process that is frequently criticized by Russian state media and officials.