themoscowtimes--2020-09-28--News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

Arch foes Armenia and Azerbaijan were on the brink of all-out conflict Sunday after deadly clashes that claimed at least 24 lives sparked international calls for a halt to fighting .
France , Germany , Italy and the EU swiftly urged an `` immediate ceasefire '' to the worst clashes since 2016 in the Armenia-backed breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh , while Russian President Vladimir Putin called for `` an end to hostilities.
” Muslim Azerbaijan ’ s ally Turkey blamed majority Christian Armenia for the flare-up and promised Baku its `` full support . ''
Belarusian police detained around 200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the streets in support of opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya days after the country 's strongman president staged a secret inauguration .
The opposition movement calling for an end to President Alexander Lukashenko 's regime has kept up a wave of large-scale demonstrations since his disputed Aug. 9 election win , with around 100,000 or more people taking to the streets every weekend .
Some 30,000 fans attended the Russian Formula One Grand Prix in Sochi , the highest number of this year ’ s coronavirus-hit season , as organizers confirmed seven infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spike so far .
Finnish racer Valtteri Bottas took full advantage of a troubled day for his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to claim the ninth win of his career Sunday .
Athletics ' global governing body said Saturday it had given the Russian federation an additional five months to produce a comprehensive plan to fight doping and be reinstated to the sport or face expulsion .
World Athletics had originally given the Russian federation ( RUSAF ) until the end of this month to come up with the plan but it has now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2021 .
Yakutsk , one of Russia ’ s coldest cities , has been choking for the past week under heavy smog brought by dozens of wildfires raging around the city .
The Far East republic of Sakha is experiencing one of its longest wildfire seasons following a record-setting Arctic summer , according to The Siberian Times .

Karabakh flare-up Arch foes Armenia and Azerbaijan were on the brink of all-out conflict Sunday after deadly clashes that claimed at least 24 lives sparked international calls for a halt to fighting.
news Clashes Between Azerbaijan and Armenia Separatists Leave at Least 23 Dead Read more
France, Germany, Italy and the EU swiftly urged an "immediate ceasefire" to the worst clashes since 2016 in the Armenia-backed breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, while Russian President Vladimir Putin called for "an end to hostilities.” Muslim Azerbaijan’s ally Turkey blamed majority Christian Armenia for the flare-up and promised Baku its "full support." ‘People’s inauguration’ Belarusian police detained around 200 people Sunday as tens of thousands took to the streets in support of opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya days after the country's strongman president staged a secret inauguration.
#Belarus The best video that shows the scale of the rally in #Minsk and people's inauguration of #Tsikhanouskaya. Despite brutal detentions, people have gathered yet again. Day 50 and the 8th consecutive Sunday of the protests - the largest and longest ever in Belarus pic.twitter.com/T9HQ4Z4DNS — Hanna Liubakova (@HannaLiubakova) September 27, 2020
The opposition movement calling for an end to President Alexander Lukashenko's regime has kept up a wave of large-scale demonstrations since his disputed Aug. 9 election win, with around 100,000 or more people taking to the streets every weekend. F1 run Some 30,000 fans attended the Russian Formula One Grand Prix in Sochi, the highest number of this year’s coronavirus-hit season, as organizers confirmed seven infections in the sport’s biggest Covid-19 spike so far.
Yuri Kochetkov / Pool / AFP


themoscowtimes--2020-09-29--Death Toll Rises in Armenia-Azerbaijan Fight Despite Calls for Pause

Fierce fighting raged between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces on Monday , sparking bellicose rhetoric from regional power Turkey despite international pleas for a halt in fighting between the longtime enemies .
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a territorial dispute over the ethnic Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh for decades , with deadly fighting flaring up earlier this year and in 2016 .
The region declared its independence from Azerbaijan after a war in the early 1990s that claimed 30,000 lives but is not recognized by any country — including Armenia — and is still considered part of Azerbaijan by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azerbaijan and majority-Christian Armenia could embroil regional players such as Russia , which has a military alliance with Armenia , and Turkey , which backs Azerbaijan .
Karabakh 's defense ministry said 27 fighters were killed in fighting Monday — after previously reporting 28 — bringing their total military losses to 58 .
The overall death toll rose to 67 including nine civilian deaths : seven in Azerbaijan and two on the Armenian side .
Azerbaijan has not reported any military casualties , but Armenian separatist officials released footage showing burnt-out armored vehicles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldiers in camouflage it said were Azerbaijani troops .
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Monday ordered partial military mobilization and General Mais Barkhudarov vowed to `` fight to the last drop of blood in order to completely destroy the enemy and win . ''
With each side blaming the other for the latest fighting , world leaders have urged calm as fears rise of a full-scale conflict .
The UN Security Council was to meet on Tuesday at 5:00 pm ( 2100 GMT ) for emergency talks on Karabakh behind closed doors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peskov said Russia was monitoring the situation closely and that the current priority was to `` stop the hostilities , not to deal with who is right and who is wrong . ''
But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded Armenia end its `` occupation '' of Karabakh .
`` The time has come for the crisis in the region that started with the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh to be put to an end , '' Erdogan said .
`` Now Azerbaijan must take matters into its own hands . ''
Armenia has accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan .
A war monitor Monday said Turkey has sent at least 300 proxies from northern Syria to join Azerbaijani forces .
Turkey informed the fighters that they would be tasked with `` guarding border regions '' in Azerbaijan in return for wages of up to $ 2,000 , said Rami Abdul Rahman , the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights .
The report comes after the European Union warned regional powers not to interfere in the fighting and condemned a `` serious escalation '' that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EU and Russia , France , Germany , Italy and the United States have urged a ceasefire .
Armenian defense ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan said heavy fighting had continued early Monday morning and Armenian separatist forces had won back positions taken Sunday by Azerbaijan .
Azerbaijani forces `` are striking enemy positions ... and have taken several strategic positions around the village of Talysh , '' the defense ministry said .
`` The enemy is retreating , '' it added .
Armenian military officials said Azerbaijani forces were continuing to attack rebel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's defense ministry accused separatist forces of shelling civilian targets in the town of Terter .
'We are not afraid of war ' Baku claimed to have killed 550 separatist troops , a report denied by Armenia .
The escalation has stirred an outpouring of patriotic fervor in both countries .
`` We have been waiting for this day for so long .
The fighting must not stop until we force Armenia to return our lands , '' Vidadi Alekperov , a 39-year-old waiter in Baku , told AFP .
`` I 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Yerevan , 67-year-old Vardan Harutyunyan said Armenia had been anticipating the attack .
`` The ( Karabakh ) question can only be resolved militarily .
We are not afraid of a war , '' he said .
Armenia and Karabakh declared martial law and military mobilisation Sunday , while Azerbaijan imposed military rule and a curfew in large cities .
Talks to resolve the conflict — one of the worst to emerge from the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union — have largely stalled since a 1994 ceasefire agreement .
Analysts told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up their efforts to prevent an even worse escalation .
France , Russia and the United States have mediated peace efforts as the `` Minsk Group '' but the last big push for a peace deal collapsed in 2010 .

Fierce fighting raged between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces on Monday, sparking bellicose rhetoric from regional power Turkey despite international pleas for a halt in fighting between the longtime enemies. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a territorial dispute over the ethnic Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh for decades, with deadly fighting flaring up earlier this year and in 2016.
The region declared its independence from Azerbaijan after a war in the early 1990s that claimed 30,000 lives but is not recognized by any country — including Armenia — and is still considered part of Azerbaijan by the international community. Fighting between Muslim Azerbaijan and majority-Christian Armenia could embroil regional players such as Russia, which has a military alliance with Armenia, and Turkey, which backs Azerbaijan. Karabakh's defense ministry said 27 fighters were killed in fighting Monday — after previously reporting 28 — bringing their total military losses to 58. The overall death toll rose to 67 including nine civilian deaths: seven in Azerbaijan and two on the Armenian side. Azerbaijan has not reported any military casualties, but Armenian separatist officials released footage showing burnt-out armored vehicles and the bloodied and charred remains of soldiers in camouflage it said were Azerbaijani troops. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Monday ordered partial military mobilization and General Mais Barkhudarov vowed to "fight to the last drop of blood in order to completely destroy the enemy and win." With each side blaming the other for the latest fighting, world leaders have urged calm as fears rise of a full-scale conflict. The UN Security Council was to meet on Tuesday at 5:00 pm (2100 GMT) for emergency talks on Karabakh behind closed doors, diplomats told AFP. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was monitoring the situation closely and that the current priority was to "stop the hostilities, not to deal with who is right and who is wrong."


themoscowtimes--2020-09-28--Macron Ready to Meet Belarus Opposition Leader

Tikhanovskaya , who fled to Vilnius after claiming victory in a disputed election , told AFP on Monday she had requested a meeting and called on Macron to help mediate in the crisis .
French President Emmanuel Macron is ready to meet with Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on a visit to Lithuania , a government spokesman said Monday , in what would be a major show of support for the activist .
`` The protests are not going to stop , '' the 38-year-old said in an interview , adding that Belarus `` badly needs '' a dialogue between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is `` no more blood . ''
A French government spokesman said Macron would meet with Tikhanovskaya `` if she asks '' during his three-day visit to Lithuania and Latvia starting Monday — the first by a French head of state to the Baltic region in two decades .
In her interview , Tikhanovskaya said Macron could encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin , a key ally of Belarusian strongman president Alexander Lukashenko , to take part in the dialogue .
Ahead of his arrival in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius , Macron said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go '' after 26 years in power in the former Soviet republic .
He added he was impressed with the courage of protesters , who on Sunday staged their 50th day of demonstrations against Lukashenko since his disputed election win last month .
Belarusian police on Sunday detained around 200 people as tens of thousands took to the streets days after Lukashenko staged a secret inauguration .
Tikhanovskaya , whose blogger husband remains in a Belarus prison , also on Monday called for EU sanctions against businesses that support Lukashenko 's government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should stop short of general economic sanctions as `` ordinary people will suffer most '' from them .
The French president would be Tikhanovskaya 's most high-profile meeting with an international leader so far since the election and the protests which she has helped inspire .
She has previously met with leaders in neighboring Poland and Lithuania , which have taken a lead in European diplomacy on Belarus , and with EU foreign ministers in Brussels .
The EU is considering personal sanctions against Lukashenko and other high-profile figures seen as responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jailed or forced out most of the country 's prominent opposition activists .

Tikhanovskaya, who fled to Vilnius after claiming victory in a disputed election, told AFP on Monday she had requested a meeting and called on Macron to help mediate in the crisis.
French President Emmanuel Macron is ready to meet with Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on a visit to Lithuania, a government spokesman said Monday, in what would be a major show of support for the activist.
"The protests are not going to stop," the 38-year-old said in an interview, adding that Belarus "badly needs" a dialogue between government and opposition in order to ensure there is "no more blood."
A French government spokesman said Macron would meet with Tikhanovskaya "if she asks" during his three-day visit to Lithuania and Latvia starting Monday — the first by a French head of state to the Baltic region in two decades.
In her interview, Tikhanovskaya said Macron could encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of Belarusian strongman president Alexander Lukashenko, to take part in the dialogue.
Ahead of his arrival in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, Macron said it was clear that Lukashenko "has to go" after 26 years in power in the former Soviet republic.
He added he was impressed with the courage of protesters, who on Sunday staged their 50th day of demonstrations against Lukashenko since his disputed election win last month.
Belarusian police on Sunday detained around 200 people as tens of thousands took to the streets days after Lukashenko staged a secret inauguration.
Tikhanovskaya, whose blogger husband remains in a Belarus prison, also on Monday called for EU sanctions against businesses that support Lukashenko's government.
But she emphasized that the EU should stop short of general economic sanctions as "ordinary people will suffer most" from them.
Highest-profile meeting yet?
The French president would be Tikhanovskaya's most high-profile meeting with an international leader so far since the election and the protests which she has helped inspire.
She has previously met with leaders in neighboring Poland and Lithuania, which have taken a lead in European diplomacy on Belarus, and with EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
The EU is considering personal sanctions against Lukashenko and other high-profile figures seen as responsible for the violent crackdown.
Lukashenko has also jailed or forced out most of the country's prominent opposition activists.


themoscowtimes--2020-09-28--5K Recruits Receive Russia’s Coronavirus Vaccine

Moscow ’ s state-run Gamaleya research center , which developed the Sputnik V vaccine , has said post-registration clinical trials that began earlier this month would involve more than 40,000 recruits in Russia .
Small batches of the vaccine have also been distributed across Russia 's regions as part of a parallel vaccination drive .
Around 5,000 volunteers including those who are at higher risk of severe infection have received Russia ’ s coronavirus vaccine as part of final clinical trials for safety and effectiveness , its developer said Monday .
“ To date , more than 5,000 citizens have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of clinical trials and civilian circulation , ” said Gamaleya chief Alexander Gintsburg , according to the government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta .
Some of the side effects included fever and pain at the injection site , which the microbiologist maintains are common for other vaccinations .
“ No cases of adverse reactions and side effects other than those described in the instructions were recorded , ” Gintsburg said .
Russia ’ s state health watchdog Roszdravnadzor said the test subjects include Russians at higher risk of contracting severe Covid-19 cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency .
Its spokeswoman Alla Samoylova did not disclose how many high-risk subjects have been vaccinated , only saying that “ we ’ re not observing any serious side effects.
” Phase 3 trials of Sputnik V , an adenovirus-based vector vaccine distributed in two doses , are expected to wrap up in May 2021 .
Separately , Russia ’ s sovereign wealth fund that bankrolls Sputnik V announced Friday that it delivered the first batch to neighboring Belarus , where trials are expected to begin on 100 volunteers this Thursday .
President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has been battling post-election protests against his rule since Aug. 9 , first shipments of the vaccine .
Russia has the world ’ s fourth-highest number of infections at 1.15 million .
Its daily caseload has risen sharply over the past two weeks , stoking fears of a second wave .

Moscow’s state-run Gamaleya research center, which developed the Sputnik V vaccine, has said post-registration clinical trials that began earlier this month would involve more than 40,000 recruits in Russia. Small batches of the vaccine have also been distributed across Russia's regions as part of a parallel vaccination drive.
Around 5,000 volunteers including those who are at higher risk of severe infection have received Russia’s coronavirus vaccine as part of final clinical trials for safety and effectiveness, its developer said Monday.
“To date, more than 5,000 citizens have been vaccinated with the Sputnik V vaccine as part of clinical trials and civilian circulation,” said Gamaleya chief Alexander Gintsburg, according to the government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta.
Some of the side effects included fever and pain at the injection site, which the microbiologist maintains are common for other vaccinations.
“No cases of adverse reactions and side effects other than those described in the instructions were recorded,” Gintsburg said.
Russia’s state health watchdog Roszdravnadzor said the test subjects include Russians at higher risk of contracting severe Covid-19 cases, according to the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.
Its spokeswoman Alla Samoylova did not disclose how many high-risk subjects have been vaccinated, only saying that “we’re not observing any serious side effects.”
Phase 3 trials of Sputnik V, an adenovirus-based vector vaccine distributed in two doses, are expected to wrap up in May 2021.
Separately, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund that bankrolls Sputnik V announced Friday that it delivered the first batch to neighboring Belarus, where trials are expected to begin on 100 volunteers this Thursday.
President Vladimir Putin had promised the Belarusian president, who has been battling post-election protests against his rule since Aug. 9, first shipments of the vaccine.
Russia has the world’s fourth-highest number of infections at 1.15 million. Its daily caseload has risen sharply over the past two weeks, stoking fears of a second wave.


themoscowtimes--2020-09-29--Less Than 7% of Russia's Waste Is Recycled – Official Analysis

Under President Vladimir Putin ’ s $ 360 billion National Projects domestic agenda , Russia aims to recycle 60 % of its trash by 2030 with the help of 200 new waste-sorting facilities .
Since entering into force on Jan. 1 , 2019 , the trash reform program has been criticized for increasing garbage collection costs instead of streamlining and modernizing the process as intended .
No more than 7 % of Russia 's waste is recycled while the rest largely ends up in toxic landfills harmful to the environment and human health , Russian state auditors have said Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trash reform launched in 2019 , the situation in this area still remains dysfunctional , ” Russia ’ s Audit Chamber said in its latest waste management report .
“ Recycling does not exceed 7 % , while more than 90 % is still sent to scrap yards and landfills that often don ’ t meet the standards of environmental legislation , poisoning the air , water and soil , ” the Audit Chamber ’ s report said .
That figure compares to more than two-thirds of Germany ’ s waste and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s waste recycled in 2017 .
In its report , the Audit Chamber predicted that state-sanctioned landfills in more than half of Russia ’ s regions will run out of space by 2024 due to increasing solid waste generation and lack of capacity .
The budgetary watchdog also warned that Putin ’ s goal of eliminating landfills within city limits will fail because the National Projects envision the removal of 191 out of the 916 landfills within city borders .
Overall , the Audit Chamber estimated that there were around 8,323 landfills at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Under President Vladimir Putin’s $360 billion National Projects domestic agenda, Russia aims to recycle 60% of its trash by 2030 with the help of 200 new waste-sorting facilities. Since entering into force on Jan. 1, 2019, the trash reform program has been criticized for increasing garbage collection costs instead of streamlining and modernizing the process as intended.
No more than 7% of Russia's waste is recycled while the rest largely ends up in toxic landfills harmful to the environment and human health, Russian state auditors have said Tuesday.
“Analysis showed that, despite the trash reform launched in 2019, the situation in this area still remains dysfunctional,” Russia’s Audit Chamber said in its latest waste management report.
“Recycling does not exceed 7%, while more than 90% is still sent to scrap yards and landfills that often don’t meet the standards of environmental legislation, poisoning the air, water and soil,” the Audit Chamber’s report said.
That figure compares to more than two-thirds of Germany’s waste and more than 40% of France’s waste recycled in 2017.
In its report, the Audit Chamber predicted that state-sanctioned landfills in more than half of Russia’s regions will run out of space by 2024 due to increasing solid waste generation and lack of capacity.
The budgetary watchdog also warned that Putin’s goal of eliminating landfills within city limits will fail because the National Projects envision the removal of 191 out of the 916 landfills within city borders.
Overall, the Audit Chamber estimated that there were around 8,323 landfills at the time the National Projects were drafted.


themoscowtimes--2020-09-29--Kremlin Urges Turkey to Work for Ceasefire in Karabakh

Moscow 's appeal came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday demanded Armenia put an end to its `` occupation '' of Nagorno-Karabakh and called for Armenia to leave the territory , which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan .
Russia on Tuesday urged Turkey to work to bring an end to deadly clashes in the Nagorno-Karabakh separatist region as Ankara has strongly backed Azerbaijan .
`` We call on all sides , especially partner countries such as Turkey to do all they can for a ceasefire and get back to a peaceful settlement of this conflict using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists .
`` Any statements about some kind of support and military activity undoubtedly add fuel to the flames .
We are categorically against this . ''
Armenia has accused Turkey of sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan , its close ally .
Peskov said that Russia was in `` constant contact '' with all three countries .
Russia is part of a military alliance of former Soviet states that includes Armenia and has a military base there .
However Russia supplies weapons to both Yerevan and Baku .
France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mediated peace efforts as the `` Minsk Group , '' but the last big push for a peace deal collapsed in 2010 .

Moscow's appeal came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday demanded Armenia put an end to its "occupation" of Nagorno-Karabakh and called for Armenia to leave the territory, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.
Russia on Tuesday urged Turkey to work to bring an end to deadly clashes in the Nagorno-Karabakh separatist region as Ankara has strongly backed Azerbaijan.
"We call on all sides, especially partner countries such as Turkey to do all they can for a ceasefire and get back to a peaceful settlement of this conflict using political and diplomatic means," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.
"Any statements about some kind of support and military activity undoubtedly add fuel to the flames. We are categorically against this."
Armenia has accused Turkey of sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan, its close ally.
Turkey and Armenia have extremely strained ties.
Peskov said that Russia was in "constant contact" with all three countries.
Russia is part of a military alliance of former Soviet states that includes Armenia and has a military base there.
However Russia supplies weapons to both Yerevan and Baku.
France, Russia and the United States have mediated peace efforts as the "Minsk Group," but the last big push for a peace deal collapsed in 2010.