themoscowtimes--2020-05-26--Russians’ Confidence in Government Down, Self-Reliance Up During Virus Outbreak – Poll

The results were published nine weeks into a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of Covid-19 that has caused significant damage to an economy already hurt by a devalued currency and an oil-price crash .
Small and medium businesses have criticized state economic support measures as modest and authorities have resisted public pressure to further loosen the purse strings .
Russians ’ trust in state institutions has fallen during the coronavirus outbreak while their sense of self-reliance is up , according to poll results cited by the RBC news website Tuesday .
Some 61 % of Russians surveyed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researcher and the Platforma social forecasting center said they felt less confident that the government would come to their aid during the pandemic , RBC reported .
Only 10 % said they had more confidence that it would help them .
The survey ’ s respondents also reported lower levels of confidence in state media ( 54 % ) , Russian healthcare ( 43 % ) , the stability of their employers ( 42 % ) and people in general ( 24 % ) .
Public organizations were the only institutions to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 22 % ) .
Meanwhile , 28 % of Russians said they felt stronger confidence in themselves , RBC said , a sign of increasing self-reliance .
OMI and Platforma surveyed 1,000 respondents over the age of 18 in cities with populations over 100,000 .
RBC did not indicate when the respondents were polled .
Meanwhile , President Vladimir Putin ’ s disapproval rating inched upward from 33 % in April to 34 % in May in a survey conducted by the independent Levada Center pollster , which published its results Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 59 % .

The results were published nine weeks into a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of Covid-19 that has caused significant damage to an economy already hurt by a devalued currency and an oil-price crash. Small and medium businesses have criticized state economic support measures as modest and authorities have resisted public pressure to further loosen the purse strings.
Russians’ trust in state institutions has fallen during the coronavirus outbreak while their sense of self-reliance is up, according to poll results cited by the RBC news website Tuesday.
Some 61% of Russians surveyed by the Moscow-based Online Market Intelligence (OMI) researcher and the Platforma social forecasting center said they felt less confident that the government would come to their aid during the pandemic, RBC reported. Only 10% said they had more confidence that it would help them.
The survey’s respondents also reported lower levels of confidence in state media (54%), Russian healthcare (43%), the stability of their employers (42%) and people in general (24%). Public organizations were the only institutions to see an increase in trust from the public (22%).
Meanwhile, 28% of Russians said they felt stronger confidence in themselves, RBC said, a sign of increasing self-reliance.
OMI and Platforma surveyed 1,000 respondents over the age of 18 in cities with populations over 100,000. RBC did not indicate when the respondents were polled.
Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin’s disapproval rating inched upward from 33% in April to 34% in May in a survey conducted by the independent Levada Center pollster, which published its results Tuesday. His approval rating held steady at 59%.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-26--Russia's 'Doomsday Drone' Prepares for Testing

The nuclear-powered Poseidon underwater drone will be test-launched from the Belgorod submarine , an unnamed defense industry source told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency Tuesday .
Russia plans to test its unmanned “ doomsday nuke ” in its Arctic waters this fall , one year after a fatal nuclear-powered missile accident led to a radiation spike in a nearby city and grabbed international headlines .
The drone , shaped like a giant torpedo , is built to carry a nuclear warhead weighing up to two megatons and is described by weapons analysts as a “ doomsday nuke.
” Powered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Poseidon has a believed range of 10,000 kilometers across the world ’ s oceans .
Launched from the Barents Sea or other waters in the Arctic , the drone can autonomously cross the North Atlantic .
If detonated off the eastern coast of the United States , the nuclear warhead could create a tens-of-meters-high tsunami wave in addition to damage caused by the nuclear blast itself .
The Barents Observer first reported about the weapon 's existence in 2016 .
In March 2018 , President Vladimir Putin confirmed the existence of the upcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of six new strategic nuclear weapons presented by the president at the time .
In July 2018 , the Defense Ministry released a video showing the workshop where the drone was assembled and an animated film demonstrating how the drone could be used in a real warfare situation .
“ A drone has several advantages .
A submarine with a crew on board is , of course , a powerful weapon , but there are certain restrictions on the human factor .
The Poseidon can practically be on alert and perform assigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GRU colonel Alexander Zhilin told the Kremlin-controlled Sputnik Radio outlet on Tuesday .
Today , Zhilin is head of the Center for Study of Public Applied National Security Problems with the Lobachevsky University in Nizhny Novgorod .
Zhilin dismissed worries about the drones ' potential vulnerabilities to hackers and cyberterrorists .
“ The appearance of this class of drones , of course , requires a lot of responsibility because it is managed via software .
It is clear that there are certain risks when in operation hackers can try to take control .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ designers , I came to the conclusion that there is massive protection against external interference , ” Zhilin told the radio station .
With the deep-diving Poseidon drone , Russia will counter any U.S. missile defense systems and ensure deterrence with a second-strike capability .
The plan is to deploy 16 Poseidon drones on combat duty with the Northern Fleet .
Two special-purpose submarines , the Belgorod and the Khabarovsk , are to carry the weapons .
Both submarines were built at the Sevmash yard in Severodvinsk .
The Belgorod is a prototype @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Oscar-II class nuclear-powered submarine .
It was launched in April 2019 and is expected to start sea trials within a few months .
The second submarine to carry the Poseidon is the Khabarovsk , a special prototype submarine based on the hull of Russia ’ s fourth-generation ballistic missile subs of the Borei class .
RIA Novosti earlier this spring reported that the Khabarovsk will be launched from the workshop at Sevmash as early as June 2020 , followed by a two-year testing period .
Neither RIA Novosti nor Zhilin specified where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , but new submarine-based weapons are normally tested in the White Sea , which has the advantage of not being international waters where other countries ’ navies or spy ships can sail .
Also , the testing areas are close to Severodvinsk where the subs and drones are built .
Last August , a Burevestnik missile exploded during what is believed to have been a recovery operation .
The explosion that killed five men and caused a radiation peak in nearby Severodvinsk happened at a barge located some 4 kilometers from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) missile test site .
Russian officials have not published any information about possible radioactive substances that could be released to the marine environment from the upcoming testing of the 24-meter nuclear-powered underwater drone Poseidon .

The nuclear-powered Poseidon underwater drone will be test-launched from the Belgorod submarine, an unnamed defense industry source told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency Tuesday.
Russia plans to test its unmanned “doomsday nuke” in its Arctic waters this fall, one year after a fatal nuclear-powered missile accident led to a radiation spike in a nearby city and grabbed international headlines.
The drone, shaped like a giant torpedo, is built to carry a nuclear warhead weighing up to two megatons and is described by weapons analysts as a “doomsday nuke.” Powered by a small nuclear reactor, the Poseidon has a believed range of 10,000 kilometers across the world’s oceans.
Launched from the Barents Sea or other waters in the Arctic, the drone can autonomously cross the North Atlantic. If detonated off the eastern coast of the United States, the nuclear warhead could create a tens-of-meters-high tsunami wave in addition to damage caused by the nuclear blast itself.
The Barents Observer first reported about the weapon's existence in 2016. In March 2018, President Vladimir Putin confirmed the existence of the upcoming giant underwater drone. The Poseidon was one of six new strategic nuclear weapons presented by the president at the time.
In July 2018, the Defense Ministry released a video showing the workshop where the drone was assembled and an animated film demonstrating how the drone could be used in a real warfare situation.
“A drone has several advantages. A submarine with a crew on board is, of course, a powerful weapon, but there are certain restrictions on the human factor. The Poseidon can practically be on alert and perform assigned tasks at any time,” former GRU colonel Alexander Zhilin told the Kremlin-controlled Sputnik Radio outlet on Tuesday.
Today, Zhilin is head of the Center for Study of Public Applied National Security Problems with the Lobachevsky University in Nizhny Novgorod.
Safe against hackers
Zhilin dismissed worries about the drones' potential vulnerabilities to hackers and cyberterrorists.
“The appearance of this class of drones, of course, requires a lot of responsibility because it is managed via software. It is clear that there are certain risks when in operation hackers can try to take control. But, talking with our engineers and designers, I came to the conclusion that there is massive protection against external interference,” Zhilin told the radio station.
With the deep-diving Poseidon drone, Russia will counter any U.S. missile defense systems and ensure deterrence with a second-strike capability.
The plan is to deploy 16 Poseidon drones on combat duty with the Northern Fleet. Two special-purpose submarines, the Belgorod and the Khabarovsk, are to carry the weapons. Both submarines were built at the Sevmash yard in Severodvinsk.
The Belgorod is a prototype submarine based on a prolonged hull of an Oscar-II class nuclear-powered submarine. It was launched in April 2019 and is expected to start sea trials within a few months.
The Khabarovsk sub
The second submarine to carry the Poseidon is the Khabarovsk, a special prototype submarine based on the hull of Russia’s fourth-generation ballistic missile subs of the Borei class.
RIA Novosti earlier this spring reported that the Khabarovsk will be launched from the workshop at Sevmash as early as June 2020, followed by a two-year testing period.
Neither RIA Novosti nor Zhilin specified where the Poseidon drone test launch will take place, but new submarine-based weapons are normally tested in the White Sea, which has the advantage of not being international waters where other countries’ navies or spy ships can sail. Also, the testing areas are close to Severodvinsk where the subs and drones are built.
Nuclear-powered missile explosion
Last August, a Burevestnik missile exploded during what is believed to have been a recovery operation. The explosion that killed five men and caused a radiation peak in nearby Severodvinsk happened at a barge located some 4 kilometers from the shore outside Nenoksa (also spelled Nyonoksa) missile test site.
Russian officials have not published any information about possible radioactive substances that could be released to the marine environment from the upcoming testing of the 24-meter nuclear-powered underwater drone Poseidon.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-26--More Russians Have Died in 2020 Than Early 2019, Official Says

“ Over three months in January-March 2019 in Russia , 36,584 working-age people died , while in [ the same period of ] 2020 it was 37,346 , ” Interfax quoted the Health Ministry ’ s chief freelance narcologist Yevgeny Bryun as saying .
More working-age Russians have died in early 2020 than in the early months of 2019 , a senior health expert said Tuesday amid questions over Russia ’ s relatively low coronavirus death toll .
Moscow saw a total of 11,846 deaths in April 2020 , a nearly 16 % spike from 10,005 deaths in April 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Preliminary data first published by The Moscow Times showed 18 % more fatalities in the Russian capital in April 2020 than its average April mortality total over the past decade , suggesting that Moscow ’ s excess deaths could be linked to coronavirus .
Officials say conclusive data for Russia 's April mortalities is expected this Friday .
Bryun attributed the spike in 2020 deaths to alcohol consumption and “ primarily drug problems , not just the viral load.
” Russia 's health minister recently said that alcohol-related deaths have increased during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confined to their homes .
Experts previously noted a sharp drop in the number of deaths from alcohol poisoning in January 2020 due to Russia experiencing its warmest winter on record .
Moscow , the epicenter of Russia ’ s coronavirus outbreak , has seen a low mortality rate compared to other major world capitals , with 2,110 deaths out of its 169,303 infections as of Tuesday .
Critics have cast doubt on the numbers , as Russia only counts the deaths of coronavirus-positive patients toward its total if pathologists say the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Authorities have denied under-reporting Covid-19 deaths and maintained the accuracy of their data keeping .
They have also warned that Covid-19 deaths would dramatically increase in May .

“Over three months in January-March 2019 in Russia, 36,584 working-age people died, while in [the same period of] 2020 it was 37,346,” Interfax quoted the Health Ministry’s chief freelance narcologist Yevgeny Bryun as saying.
More working-age Russians have died in early 2020 than in the early months of 2019, a senior health expert said Tuesday amid questions over Russia’s relatively low coronavirus death toll.
Moscow saw a total of 11,846 deaths in April 2020, a nearly 16% spike from 10,005 deaths in April 2019, Bryun said at a press conference.
Preliminary data first published by The Moscow Times showed 18% more fatalities in the Russian capital in April 2020 than its average April mortality total over the past decade, suggesting that Moscow’s excess deaths could be linked to coronavirus. Officials say conclusive data for Russia's April mortalities is expected this Friday.
Bryun attributed the spike in 2020 deaths to alcohol consumption and “primarily drug problems, not just the viral load.”
Russia's health minister recently said that alcohol-related deaths have increased during the coronavirus outbreak as people have been confined to their homes. Experts previously noted a sharp drop in the number of deaths from alcohol poisoning in January 2020 due to Russia experiencing its warmest winter on record.
Moscow, the epicenter of Russia’s coronavirus outbreak, has seen a low mortality rate compared to other major world capitals, with 2,110 deaths out of its 169,303 infections as of Tuesday.
Critics have cast doubt on the numbers, as Russia only counts the deaths of coronavirus-positive patients toward its total if pathologists say the virus played a direct role in their death. Authorities have denied under-reporting Covid-19 deaths and maintained the accuracy of their data keeping.
They have also warned that Covid-19 deaths would dramatically increase in May.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-26--Russia Sent Warplanes to Back Mercenaries in Libya: US Military

Russia recently sent fighter jets to Libya to support Russian mercenaries fighting for strongman Khalifa Haftar , the U.S. military command for Africa ( Africom ) said Tuesday , in a major escalation in the long-running conflict The military fighter aircraft left Russia and first stopped in Syria where they `` were repainted to camouflage their Russian origin '' before arriving in Libya , said Stuttgart-based Africom .
The U.S. military did not specify when exactly the jets arrived , only saying that it was `` recently '' .
The announcement comes a day after Libya 's UN-recognised government said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commander Haftar had been evacuated from combat zones south of the capital Tripoli .
The retreat follows a series of setbacks for Haftar 's years-long offensive to seize the capital from the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord ( GNA ) .
The Kremlin has always denied involvement in the conflict .
But United Nations experts said in a report last month that the Wagner Group , a shadowy Russian paramilitary organization seen as close to President Vladimir Putin , had sent fighters to back Haftar .
`` For too long , Russia has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the ongoing Libyan conflict .
Well , there is no denying it now , '' said U.S. Army General Stephen Townsend in the Africom statement .
`` Russia is clearly trying to tip the scales in its favour in Libya , '' he added .
`` Just like I saw them doing in Syria , they are expanding their military footprint in Africa using government-supported mercenary groups like Wagner . ''
He described the Russian warplanes deployed to Libya as `` fourth generation jet fighters '' .
Oil-rich Libya plunged into conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising , with rival administrations and militias vying for power .
The conflict worsened when Haftar , who is also backed by Egypt , the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia , launched an offensive on Tripoli in April 2019 .
Africom said Russia 's actions risked prolonging the conflict and exacerbating `` casualties and human suffering on both sides '' .
If confirmed , Russia 's fighter jet deployment would constitute another violation of a much-abused 2011 UN arms embargo .
World leaders agreed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meddling in the conflict that has dragged in major regional rivals .
But the UN has repeatedly warned that both sides have continued to receive arms and fighters .

Russia recently sent fighter jets to Libya to support Russian mercenaries fighting for strongman Khalifa Haftar, the U.S. military command for Africa (Africom) said Tuesday, in a major escalation in the long-running conflict
The military fighter aircraft left Russia and first stopped in Syria where they "were repainted to camouflage their Russian origin" before arriving in Libya, said Stuttgart-based Africom.
The U.S. military did not specify when exactly the jets arrived, only saying that it was "recently".
The announcement comes a day after Libya's UN-recognised government said hundreds of Russian mercenaries backing rival military commander Haftar had been evacuated from combat zones south of the capital Tripoli.
The retreat follows a series of setbacks for Haftar's years-long offensive to seize the capital from the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).
The Kremlin has always denied involvement in the conflict.
But United Nations experts said in a report last month that the Wagner Group, a shadowy Russian paramilitary organization seen as close to President Vladimir Putin, had sent fighters to back Haftar.
"For too long, Russia has denied the full extent of its involvement in the ongoing Libyan conflict. Well, there is no denying it now," said U.S. Army General Stephen Townsend in the Africom statement.
"Russia is clearly trying to tip the scales in its favour in Libya," he added.
"Just like I saw them doing in Syria, they are expanding their military footprint in Africa using government-supported mercenary groups like Wagner."
He described the Russian warplanes deployed to Libya as "fourth generation jet fighters".
Oil-rich Libya plunged into conflict after the ouster and killing of veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising, with rival administrations and militias vying for power.
The conflict worsened when Haftar, who is also backed by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, launched an offensive on Tripoli in April 2019.
Africom said Russia's actions risked prolonging the conflict and exacerbating "casualties and human suffering on both sides".
If confirmed, Russia's fighter jet deployment would constitute another violation of a much-abused 2011 UN arms embargo.
World leaders agreed in January to uphold the embargo and stop meddling in the conflict that has dragged in major regional rivals.
But the UN has repeatedly warned that both sides have continued to receive arms and fighters.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-26--Russia Begins Building First Stealth Bomber – Report

Quoting defense industry sources , TASS said the state-controlled United Aircraft Corporation was overseeing the project .
Russia has begun manufacturing the prototype of its first strategic stealth bomber , the state-run TASS news agency reported Tuesday , as the country presses ahead with the modernization of its military .
It said material was being shipped for the project and that work had begun on the cockpit of the bomber , known as the PAK DA .
`` The final assembly of the entire machine should be complete in 2021 , '' one of the sources told TASS .
Stealth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while carrying large amounts of weaponry .
Russian officials have revealed few details of the project , though last year Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said aircraft maker Tupolev — which is part of United Aircraft Corporation — was in charge .
Reached by AFP , United Aircraft Corporation spokesman Sergei Loktionov declined to comment on the report .
Tupolev also did not immediately reply to a request for comment .
Reports have said the plane will feature a flying wing design similar to U.S. stealth bombers , fly at subsonic speeds and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The U.S. Air Force 's B-2 stealth bombers are among the world 's most feared aircraft .
China is working on its own long-range stealth bomber — the Xian H-20 — with the South China Morning Post reporting this month that it could make its first public appearance at an airshow in November .

Quoting defense industry sources, TASS said the state-controlled United Aircraft Corporation was overseeing the project.
Russia has begun manufacturing the prototype of its first strategic stealth bomber, the state-run TASS news agency reported Tuesday, as the country presses ahead with the modernization of its military.
It said material was being shipped for the project and that work had begun on the cockpit of the bomber, known as the PAK DA.
"The final assembly of the entire machine should be complete in 2021," one of the sources told TASS.
Stealth bombers are designed to evade radar detection while carrying large amounts of weaponry.
Russian officials have revealed few details of the project, though last year Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said aircraft maker Tupolev — which is part of United Aircraft Corporation — was in charge.
Reached by AFP, United Aircraft Corporation spokesman Sergei Loktionov declined to comment on the report. Tupolev also did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Reports have said the plane will feature a flying wing design similar to U.S. stealth bombers, fly at subsonic speeds and carry strategic cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons.
The U.S. Air Force's B-2 stealth bombers are among the world's most feared aircraft.
China is working on its own long-range stealth bomber — the Xian H-20 — with the South China Morning Post reporting this month that it could make its first public appearance at an airshow in November.


themoscowtimes--2020-05-26--Putin Orders June 24 Victory Day Parade as Russia Flattens Virus Curve

Putin postponed the May 9 parade celebrating Victory Day due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus within Russia , saying it would be held later in 2020 .
The number of new cases has remained steady at less than 10,000 in recent days and authorities have begun easing lockdown measures in some parts of the country .
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian military to hold its landmark parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II next month as the country appeared to have stabilized its coronavirus outbreak .
“ I order the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... in Moscow and other cities .
We ’ ll do it on June 24 , ” Putin said Tuesday , pointing to the flattened curve .
The date coincides with the 1945 victory parade in Moscow , Putin said in a televised meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu .
Shoigu told Putin that 5,500 Russian troops have become infected with Covid-19 since March and 3,500 have since recovered .
He said the viral peak in the Russian military passed in late April and the situation is expected to enter a “ planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8,915 new coronavirus infections Tuesday , bringing the country ’ s official number of cases to 362,342 .
Russia commemorates the Soviet Union 's victory over the Nazis each year on May 9 with a massive military display that sees thousands of troops and tanks parade through Red Square and military jets fly in formation over the capital .
This year 's parade was meant to be a major showcase for Putin , with world leaders and veterans from all over Russia invited to watch and take part in events over four days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Immortal Regiment — in which participants march with portraits of relatives who fought in WWII — will be held on July 26 unless there are health risks .

Putin postponed the May 9 parade celebrating Victory Day due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus within Russia, saying it would be held later in 2020. The number of new cases has remained steady at less than 10,000 in recent days and authorities have begun easing lockdown measures in some parts of the country.
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian military to hold its landmark parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II next month as the country appeared to have stabilized its coronavirus outbreak.
“I order the start of preparations for the military parade... in Moscow and other cities. We’ll do it on June 24,” Putin said Tuesday, pointing to the flattened curve.
The date coincides with the 1945 victory parade in Moscow, Putin said in a televised meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Shoigu told Putin that 5,500 Russian troops have become infected with Covid-19 since March and 3,500 have since recovered. He said the viral peak in the Russian military passed in late April and the situation is expected to enter a “planned phase” in June.
Russia confirmed 8,915 new coronavirus infections Tuesday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 362,342.
Russia commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over the Nazis each year on May 9 with a massive military display that sees thousands of troops and tanks parade through Red Square and military jets fly in formation over the capital.
This year's parade was meant to be a major showcase for Putin, with world leaders and veterans from all over Russia invited to watch and take part in events over four days before it was postponed.
Putin added that the Immortal Regiment — in which participants march with portraits of relatives who fought in WWII — will be held on July 26 unless there are health risks.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.