themoscowtimes--2020-10-20--Soviet Diehards and Covid-19 Conspiracies: Inside Russia’s Anti-5G Movement

This piece was originally published in Coda Story ’ s Authoritarian Tech channel .
When video blogger Natalia Chernikhovskaya looked out the window of her Moscow apartment building she saw an antenna tower with white panels and a circular dish in the center .
At first , she never suspected it could be the source of unexplained headaches and pains that she began experiencing this spring .
Then she shared the symptoms with her 73,000 YouTube subscribers .
“ Many of them responded that they were also experiencing headaches and that the pain would come in these waves , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s followers then urged her to read about the side effects of radiation from cell phone masts .
This was her introduction to the global anti-5G conspiracy movement .
Reading hundreds of blog and social media posts from the U.S. , U.K. and Europe , she quickly became convinced that there was a connection between the way she felt and what many identified as the catastrophic threat posed by developments in cellular technology .
While often cited as a leading source of global disinformation , Russia has proven fertile ground for this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of uncertainty and fear over the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic , the nation ’ s social media has over the past 12 months experienced a boom in anti-5G content .
Russia ’ s anti-5G movement is “ first and foremost fed by international conspiracy theories in English , ” explained Sarkis Darbinyan , founder of the Moscow-based Digital Rights Center during a telephone conversation .
Internationally , the theory ’ s adherents more or less agree that radiation emitted from cellphone masts leads to an array of health issues including headaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death of large numbers of otherwise healthy birds .
Some followers also think that 5G towers are being erected as part of a covert scheme to subdue populations or to spread the coronavirus .
For many , including those in Russia , anti-mask narratives and coronavirus denialism go hand in hand with their beliefs .
The most universal and foundational position , though , is that state authorities simply can not be trusted .
In many of her YouTube videos , Chernikhovskaya wears a homemade T-shirt bearing a graphic of a medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soon after she began investigating the movement , Chernikhovskaya — who works as a translator and is fluent in English — found an online prophet .
David Icke , a British former sports broadcaster , is a superstar of the conspiracy theory world .
As the author of more than 20 controversial books , his personal appearances draw large crowds everywhere from the U.S. to Albania .
His online videos alone have racked up more than 30 million views .
The discovery of his anti-5G material came as a revelation to Chernikhovskaya .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Covid-19 lockdown measures were imposed around the world so authorities could install 5G masts without attracting widespread attention .
In line with this idea , Chernikhovskaya believed she had identified a pattern between lockdown announcements in the U.K. and Russia and the rollout of the technology .
“ I was really interested in all of this because in Russia we would hear the exact same lockdown announcements as in the U.K. , just two days later , ” she explained .
Anthropologist Aleksandra Arkhipova and her colleagues at Russian State University for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 2 million anti-5G messages posted on social media since January .
Their goal was to examine the intersection between Covid-19 denialist movements and anti-5G activism .
Arkhipova believes that Russia ’ s anti-5G movement is largely composed of individuals who have lost jobs during the pandemic .
This summer , Russia reported unemployment numbers not seen since 2012 and that the average family income has fallen to a level not seen in the past two decades .
Arkhipova also explained that latching onto the anti-5G movement can be almost “ therapeutic ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , as it creates a “ language ” for them to speak out against what they see as wider failings of governments to protect society .
In light of what they view as state negligence regarding 5G , some activists have taken matters into their own hands .
Dozens of social media groups , largely hosted in the Russian platform VK , now feature instructions as to how to dismantle 5G towers .
They clearly reference as examples cases in which activists set fire to masts in Germany and the U.K @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 70 such structures have been attacked .
So far just one has been burned down in Russia .
The incident took place in May , in the North Ossetian town of Nogir .
“ You look at England and Europe and you see birds falling and dying , ” said Anatoli Shatunov , an anti-5G proponent from Shakhti , a city on Russia ’ s border with Ukraine .
“ It ’ s the same thing happening here , it ’ s radiation.
” In May , activists in the nearby port @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arms around a newly installed cell tower , refusing to allow technicians to hook it up , for fear that it would spread the coronavirus .
That same month , a woman in Dagestan called for a cellphone mast to be burned down , referring to it as a “ second Chernobyl ” in an Instagram video that attracted a total of more than 40,000 views .
No one took up her cause and she faced no legal consequences for her words .
This year , the region has reported a surge in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have at times reported just two or three coronavirus deaths , stoking doubts over the government ’ s handling of the pandemic .
Also prominent in Russian anti-5G circles is the Soviet Patriot movement .
Members of this group live in an alternate reality , in which communism never fell .
They are regularly arrested by authorities for refusing to pay taxes to the Russian Federation and some still carry Soviet passports as their only form of government ID .
The involvement of this tendency follows a well-established pattern of disenfranchised individuals with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly susceptible to conspiracy theories .
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet , which Soviet Patriots consider the ruling body of their fictitious state , issued a recent resolution denouncing 5G technology .
It explains that “ it is paramount to prohibit the installation and use of all mobile cellular technology of the fifth generation , or 5G , across the entire territory of the U.S.S.R. ” While the Soviet Patriots may be nostalgic for the authoritarianism of the past , they reject the legitimacy of the Russian Federation and deeply distrust government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology .
Some members believe that Moscow ’ s coronavirus lockdown in the spring was a ruse to keep people off the streets as government officials ran “ radiation tests.
” However , Russia ’ s most popular anti-5G activist is Nikolai Mishustin , a 47-year-old , Moscow-based father of six children .
Mishustin is a member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and regularly posts lengthy video addresses on a range of topics to his 27,000 VK subscribers .
He saves his most vitriolic proclamations for Russia ’ s Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relation .
The Prime Minister has championed nationwide digital reform as well as Moscow ’ s smart city program .
“ The digital swindlers are using our president like a marionette doll , ” Mishustin says in one of his videos .
“ The government is abjectly and cynically forcing this digital apocalypse upon us.
” In August , Chernikhovskaya demanded that city technicians check out the antenna in her courtyard .
Most Russian municipalities provide residents with a service to check radiation levels near their homes .
Outside Chernikhovskaya ’ s building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average levels , immediately debunking her theories .
“ I literally stood right there with them , walked up to the antenna and measured the levels in my apartment , ” Chernikhovskaya said .
The technicians also informed her that there is only one 5G mast in the whole of Russia , located on Moscow ’ s central Tverskaya Street .
It is also not yet operational .
The city plans to roll out 5G no earlier than 2022 , and there is , as yet , no plan in place for nationwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the health implications of 5G , the focus of her YouTube channel has shifted back to coronavirus skepticism .
When she posted footage of the radiation inspection , she said she was surprised that the videos got fewer views than her anti-5G videos .
Those who did watch , weren ’ t happy and made their feelings clear in their comments .
“ I received a flood of criticism , accusing me of being a turncoat , asking me why I was believing these people , ” she said .
This reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Exchange .
Roman Korolev was born in Mosсow , Russia .
He studied philosophy at the Mosсow State University and worked as an executive editor at Novaya Gazeta .
He now works as a freelance journalist with various Russian media outlets .

This piece was originally published in Coda Story’s Authoritarian Tech channel. When video blogger Natalia Chernikhovskaya looked out the window of her Moscow apartment building she saw an antenna tower with white panels and a circular dish in the center. At first, she never suspected it could be the source of unexplained headaches and pains that she began experiencing this spring. Then she shared the symptoms with her 73,000 YouTube subscribers. “Many of them responded that they were also experiencing headaches and that the pain would come in these waves,” she said. Some of 42-year-old Chernikhovskaya’s followers then urged her to read about the side effects of radiation from cell phone masts. This was her introduction to the global anti-5G conspiracy movement. Reading hundreds of blog and social media posts from the U.S., U.K. and Europe, she quickly became convinced that there was a connection between the way she felt and what many identified as the catastrophic threat posed by developments in cellular technology. While often cited as a leading source of global disinformation, Russia has proven fertile ground for this Western-born conspiracy theory. Against a backdrop of uncertainty and fear over the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, the nation’s social media has over the past 12 months experienced a boom in anti-5G content. Russia’s anti-5G movement is “first and foremost fed by international conspiracy theories in English,” explained Sarkis Darbinyan, founder of the Moscow-based Digital Rights Center during a telephone conversation. Internationally, the theory’s adherents more or less agree that radiation emitted from cellphone masts leads to an array of health issues including headaches, insomnia, increased heart rate and the death of large numbers of otherwise healthy birds. Some followers also think that 5G towers are being erected as part of a covert scheme to subdue populations or to spread the coronavirus. For many, including those in Russia, anti-mask narratives and coronavirus denialism go hand in hand with their beliefs. The most universal and foundational position, though, is that state authorities simply cannot be trusted. In many of her YouTube videos, Chernikhovskaya wears a homemade T-shirt bearing a graphic of a medical mask and the slogan “Covid-1984.” Soon after she began investigating the movement, Chernikhovskaya — who works as a translator and is fluent in English — found an online prophet. David Icke, a British former sports broadcaster, is a superstar of the conspiracy theory world. As the author of more than 20 controversial books, his personal appearances draw large crowds everywhere from the U.S. to Albania. His online videos alone have racked up more than 30 million views. The discovery of his anti-5G material came as a revelation to Chernikhovskaya.
Sofiya Voznaya / Coda Story
One strand of the anti-5G movement proposes that Covid-19 lockdown measures were imposed around the world so authorities could install 5G masts without attracting widespread attention. In line with this idea, Chernikhovskaya believed she had identified a pattern between lockdown announcements in the U.K. and Russia and the rollout of the technology. “I was really interested in all of this because in Russia we would hear the exact same lockdown announcements as in the U.K., just two days later,” she explained. Anthropologist Aleksandra Arkhipova and her colleagues at Russian State University for the Humanities have collected and analyzed more than 2 million anti-5G messages posted on social media since January. Their goal was to examine the intersection between Covid-19 denialist movements and anti-5G activism. Arkhipova believes that Russia’s anti-5G movement is largely composed of individuals who have lost jobs during the pandemic. This summer, Russia reported unemployment numbers not seen since 2012 and that the average family income has fallen to a level not seen in the past two decades. Arkhipova also explained that latching onto the anti-5G movement can be almost “therapeutic” for people dealing with the fallout of the coronavirus, as it creates a “language” for them to speak out against what they see as wider failings of governments to protect society. In light of what they view as state negligence regarding 5G, some activists have taken matters into their own hands. Dozens of social media groups, largely hosted in the Russian platform VK, now feature instructions as to how to dismantle 5G towers. They clearly reference as examples cases in which activists set fire to masts in Germany and the U.K. In the U.K. alone, more than 70 such structures have been attacked. So far just one has been burned down in Russia. The incident took place in May, in the North Ossetian town of Nogir. “You look at England and Europe and you see birds falling and dying,” said Anatoli Shatunov, an anti-5G proponent from Shakhti, a city on Russia’s border with Ukraine. “It’s the same thing happening here, it’s radiation.”
news Nobel Literature Laureate Alexievich Backs 5G Coronavirus Conspiracy Theory Read more


themoscowtimes--2020-10-20--Crew in No Danger After ISS Issues Resolved – Russia

The crew aboard the ISS had reported issues with the oxygen production system , a toilet and the oven for preparing food .
The International Space Station is now working normally with no danger to its occupants after the crew managed to resolve a series of technical issues overnight , Russia 's space agency said Tuesday .
`` The problems that occurred on board the ISS during the night of 19-20 October have been fully resolved by the crew , '' Russia 's space agency Roscosmos said in a statement .
`` All the systems of the station are working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crew or the ISS . ''
The crew had reported overnight that the toilet on the Russian segment of the ISS was out of order , that the water systems used to supply oxygen to the crew were empty and that there were problems with heating food .
The issues arose as half of the six person crew — NASA 's Chris Cassidy and cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner — are preparing to leave for an arrival back on Earth early Thursday .
The issues were the latest technical problems to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to manage an array of troubles in recent weeks .
The orbital lab 's first module was launched over two decades ago in 1998 and there have been growing concerns about its age .
Last week , the oxygen supply system in the Zvezda module of the Russian segment of the station failed .
Roscosmos said at the weekend that this has now been repaired .
A small air leak that was detected in August has also now been patched up , after tea leaves from a torn tea bag helped alert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leak .
Quoted by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency last week , veteran Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka said that the Russian equipment on the ISS was well past its use-by date .
`` All modules of the Russian segment are exhausted , '' said Padalka , who holds the world record for most days spent in space .
He added that the two-decade-old equipment should only be used for 15 years .

The crew aboard the ISS had reported issues with the oxygen production system, a toilet and the oven for preparing food.
The International Space Station is now working normally with no danger to its occupants after the crew managed to resolve a series of technical issues overnight, Russia's space agency said Tuesday.
"The problems that occurred on board the ISS during the night of 19-20 October have been fully resolved by the crew," Russia's space agency Roscosmos said in a statement.
"All the systems of the station are working well and there is no danger to the crew or the ISS."
The crew had reported overnight that the toilet on the Russian segment of the ISS was out of order, that the water systems used to supply oxygen to the crew were empty and that there were problems with heating food.
The issues arose as half of the six person crew — NASA's Chris Cassidy and cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner — are preparing to leave for an arrival back on Earth early Thursday.
The issues were the latest technical problems to hit the ISS, whose crew have had to manage an array of troubles in recent weeks.
The orbital lab's first module was launched over two decades ago in 1998 and there have been growing concerns about its age.
Last week, the oxygen supply system in the Zvezda module of the Russian segment of the station failed. Roscosmos said at the weekend that this has now been repaired.
A small air leak that was detected in August has also now been patched up, after tea leaves from a torn tea bag helped alert the crew to the site of the leak.
Quoted by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency last week, veteran Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka said that the Russian equipment on the ISS was well past its use-by date.
"All modules of the Russian segment are exhausted," said Padalka, who holds the world record for most days spent in space.
He added that the two-decade-old equipment should only be used for 15 years.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-20--Ex-Vedomosti Journalists’ VTimes News Website Goes Live

The project came to life after the appointment of a pro-Kremlin editor-in-chief at Vedomosti sparked accusations of censorship and a @ @ @ @ @ .
A group of former Vedomosti business daily senior editors and journalists has launched a @ @ @ @ @ in partnership with The Moscow Times .
VTimes , which aims to continue Vedomosti ’ @ @ @ @ @ objective journalism , will be accessible via the Russian flag icon on The Moscow Times @ @ @ @ @ this day on , you will proceed to the VTimes website when you click on @ @ @ @ @ website .
There you will find an even wider selection of high-quality journalistic materials , @ @ @ @ @ The Moscow Times , ” reads a banner on The Moscow Times ’ Russian-language section @ @ @ @ @ and editors had clashed with acting chief editor Andrei Shmarov , who they accused of @ @ @ @ @ Vladimir Putin and his constitutional amendments .

The project came to life after the appointment of a pro-Kremlin editor-in-chief at Vedomosti sparked accusations of censorship and a mass resignation earlier this year.
A group of former Vedomosti business daily senior editors and journalists has launched a new Russian-language news website Tuesday in partnership with The Moscow Times.
VTimes, which aims to continue Vedomosti’s tradition of independent and objective journalism, will be accessible via the Russian flag icon on The Moscow Times’ homepage.
“From this day on, you will proceed to the VTimes website when you click on the Russian flag on our website. There you will find an even wider selection of high-quality journalistic materials, including the best stories from The Moscow Times,” reads a banner on The Moscow Times’ Russian-language section.
Vedomosti’s writers and editors had clashed with acting chief editor Andrei Shmarov, who they accused of banning negative coverage of President Vladimir Putin and his constitutional amendments.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-20--U.S. Trashes Faulty Russian Ventilators From Virus Aid Package – Reports

FEMA said in May that it had mothballed the 45 Aventa-M ventilators after they were blamed for two fires that killed seven coronavirus patients in Moscow and St. Petersburg .
The agency said it placed the ventilators in storage pending the results of Russia ’ s investigation into the deadly fires .
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA ) has thrown out ventilators shipped from Russia this spring as part of a coronavirus aid exchange , BuzzFeed News reported Monday .
“ The donated ventilators in question were disposed of following strict hazardous waste disposal regulatory guidelines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
The agency did not say when exactly the Russian-made ventilators were discarded , but BuzzFeed News reported that they were never used .
Russia ’ s healthcare regulator suspended the use of Aventa-M following the deadly fires , but then reauthorized it in July after ruling that the ventilators had not caused the deadly hospital fires .
Still , a Russian court last month fined the ventilator ’ s manufacturer , the Ural Instrument Engineering Plant ( UPZ ) , $ 1,300 for breaching licensing requirements that the healthcare regulator uncovered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian state-owned Rostec technology and defense conglomerate that is under U.S. sanctions , which raised questions about the legality of the April 1 ventilator shipment .
Rostec was reported to have delivered around 9,000 Aventa-M ventilators to Russian clinics so far this year .
It is expected to deliver another 3,000 Aventa-M ventilators by the end of 2020 .

FEMA said in May that it had mothballed the 45 Aventa-M ventilators after they were blamed for two fires that killed seven coronavirus patients in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The agency said it placed the ventilators in storage pending the results of Russia’s investigation into the deadly fires.
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has thrown out ventilators shipped from Russia this spring as part of a coronavirus aid exchange, BuzzFeed News reported Monday.
“The donated ventilators in question were disposed of following strict hazardous waste disposal regulatory guidelines,” BuzzFeed News quoted FEMA as saying Monday.
The agency did not say when exactly the Russian-made ventilators were discarded, but BuzzFeed News reported that they were never used.
Russia’s healthcare regulator suspended the use of Aventa-M following the deadly fires, but then reauthorized it in July after ruling that the ventilators had not caused the deadly hospital fires.
Still, a Russian court last month fined the ventilator’s manufacturer, the Ural Instrument Engineering Plant (UPZ), $1,300 for breaching licensing requirements that the healthcare regulator uncovered.
UPZ is a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned Rostec technology and defense conglomerate that is under U.S. sanctions, which raised questions about the legality of the April 1 ventilator shipment.
Rostec was reported to have delivered around 9,000 Aventa-M ventilators to Russian clinics so far this year. It is expected to deliver another 3,000 Aventa-M ventilators by the end of 2020.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-20--U.S. Charges Russians With Cyberattacks on Ukraine, French Elections, Olympics

Six Russian military intelligence officers have been charged in the United States with carrying out cyberattacks on Ukraine 's power grid , the 2017 French elections and the 2018 Winter Olympic Games , the Justice Department announced Monday .
The six GRU agents were also accused of staging a malware attack called `` NotPetya '' that infected computers of businesses worldwide , causing nearly $ 1 billion in losses to three U.S. companies alone .
In addition , they allegedly targeted international investigations into the nerve agent poisoning of Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and parliament in Georgia .
At the same time , British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab accused Russian military intelligence services of carrying out internet reconnaissance missions against targets linked to the Tokyo Olympics , before they were postponed until 2021 by the coronavirus pandemic .
`` The targets included the Games ' organizers , logistics services and sponsors , '' the Foreign Office said in a statement .
U.S. Assistant Attorney General John Demers said the six officers were responsible for `` the most disruptive and destructive series of computer attacks ever attributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said members of the same GRU unit have been charged previously with seeking to disrupt the 2016 U.S. elections — but there were `` no ( 2020 ) election interference allegations '' in this indictment .
The indictment of the six , none of whom are in U.S. custody , was brought by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , where hospitals were allegedly targeted by the NotPetya hackers .
The charges include conspiracy to conduct computer fraud and abuse , conspiracy to commit wire fraud , wire fraud , damaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Demers said the defendants launched destructive malware attacks against the electric power grid in Ukraine in December 2015 and December 2016 .
`` These were the first reported destructive malware attacks against the control systems of civilian critical infrastructure , '' he said .
`` These attacks turned out the lights and turned off the heat in the middle of the Eastern European winter , as the lives of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men , women and children went dark and cold . ''
The Justice Department said the defendants conducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emmanuel Macron 's political party and local French governments prior to the 2017 elections .
Demers said the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea were targeted after Russian athletes were banned from participating under their own flag because of government-sponsored doping efforts .
`` Their cyberattack combined the emotional maturity of a petulant child with the resources of a nation state , '' he said , adding that they attempted to pin it on North Korea .
`` During the opening ceremony , they launched the 'Olympic Destroyer ' malware attack , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting the Games , rendering them inoperable , '' he said .
The 2017 NotPetya attacks were aimed at businesses and critical infrastructure worldwide , and US targets included hospitals , a subsidiary of delivery giant FedEx and a pharmaceutical manufacturer .
In April 2018 , spear phishing campaigns were launched against investigations being carried out into the Skripal poisoning by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ( OPCW ) and the United Kingdom 's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory ( DSTL ) .
In Georgia , a spear phishing campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media company , and in 2019 , efforts were made to compromise the computer network of the country 's parliament , according to the Justice Department .
The six were identified as Yuriy Sergeyevich Andrienko , 32 ; Sergey Vladimirovich Detistov , 35 ; Pavel Valeryevich Frolov , 28 ; Anatoliy Sergeyevich Kovalev , 29 , Artem Valeryevich Ochichenko , 27 ; and Petr Nikolayevich Pliskin , 32 .
Kovalev was indicted previously in 2018 , for attempting to gain access to U.S. computers involved in the administration of the 2016 US elections @

Six Russian military intelligence officers have been charged in the United States with carrying out cyberattacks on Ukraine's power grid, the 2017 French elections and the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, the Justice Department announced Monday.
The six GRU agents were also accused of staging a malware attack called "NotPetya" that infected computers of businesses worldwide, causing nearly $1 billion in losses to three U.S. companies alone.
In addition, they allegedly targeted international investigations into the nerve agent poisoning of Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, as well as waged cyberattacks on media outlets and parliament in Georgia.
At the same time, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab accused Russian military intelligence services of carrying out internet reconnaissance missions against targets linked to the Tokyo Olympics, before they were postponed until 2021 by the coronavirus pandemic.
"The targets included the Games' organizers, logistics services and sponsors," the Foreign Office said in a statement.
U.S. Assistant Attorney General John Demers said the six officers were responsible for "the most disruptive and destructive series of computer attacks ever attributed to a single group."
Demers said members of the same GRU unit have been charged previously with seeking to disrupt the 2016 U.S. elections — but there were "no (2020) election interference allegations" in this indictment.
The indictment of the six, none of whom are in U.S. custody, was brought by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where hospitals were allegedly targeted by the NotPetya hackers.
The charges include conspiracy to conduct computer fraud and abuse, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, damaging protected computers, and aggravated identity theft.
Demers said the defendants launched destructive malware attacks against the electric power grid in Ukraine in December 2015 and December 2016.
"These were the first reported destructive malware attacks against the control systems of civilian critical infrastructure," he said.
"These attacks turned out the lights and turned off the heat in the middle of the Eastern European winter, as the lives of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men, women and children went dark and cold."
'Petulant child'
The Justice Department said the defendants conducted "hack-and-leak" campaigns against French President Emmanuel Macron's political party and local French governments prior to the 2017 elections.
Demers said the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea were targeted after Russian athletes were banned from participating under their own flag because of government-sponsored doping efforts.
"Their cyberattack combined the emotional maturity of a petulant child with the resources of a nation state," he said, adding that they attempted to pin it on North Korea.
"During the opening ceremony, they launched the 'Olympic Destroyer' malware attack, which deleted data from thousands of computers supporting the Games, rendering them inoperable," he said.
The 2017 NotPetya attacks were aimed at businesses and critical infrastructure worldwide, and US targets included hospitals, a subsidiary of delivery giant FedEx and a pharmaceutical manufacturer.
In April 2018, spear phishing campaigns were launched against investigations being carried out into the Skripal poisoning by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Kingdom's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL).
In Georgia, a spear phishing campaign was launched in 2018 against a major media company, and in 2019, efforts were made to compromise the computer network of the country's parliament, according to the Justice Department.
The six were identified as Yuriy Sergeyevich Andrienko, 32; Sergey Vladimirovich Detistov, 35; Pavel Valeryevich Frolov, 28; Anatoliy Sergeyevich Kovalev, 29, Artem Valeryevich Ochichenko, 27; and Petr Nikolayevich Pliskin, 32.
Kovalev was indicted previously in 2018, for attempting to gain access to U.S. computers involved in the administration of the 2016 US elections.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-20--U.S., Russia Edge Back Towards Talks on Nuclear Arms Pact

Russia and the United States on Tuesday were edging closer to breaking an impasse in long-running talks aimed at extending a landmark nuclear arms deal , due to expire within months .
U.S. officials said they were ready to meet Russian diplomats as soon as possible , shortly after Moscow stated it could compromise on an American demand .
The two sides have struggled to find common ground over the fate over the New START treaty , which limits both sides to 1,550 deployed warheads but is due to expire next February .
While the U.S. wants to rework the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of weapons , Russia is willing to extend the agreement for five years without any new conditions — and each side has repeatedly shot down the other 's proposals .
The agreement was signed in 2010 at the peak of hopes for a `` reset '' in relations between the two countries .
Together with the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces ( INF ) treaty , it was considered a centrepiece of international arms control .
However , the United States withdrew from the INF last year after accusing Moscow of violations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US seemed unwilling to compromise on New START — officials dismissing a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend the deal for a year without restricting new weapons development as a `` non-starter '' .
But with U.S. President Donald Trump trailing in polls for next month 's election , his administration has indicated it would support preserving the treaty .
And Russia 's foreign ministry on Tuesday signalled a willingness to compromise , saying it would agree to a U.S. demand for a one-year freeze on developing weapons .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make progress on the issue of nuclear arms control , '' state department spokeswoman Morgan Ortgaus said .
`` The United States is prepared to meet immediately to finalize a verifiable agreement .
We expect Russia to empower its diplomats to do the same . ''
Over the course of months of talks , Washington had demanded that tactical nuclear weapons be covered by the treaty and insisted China must be included — even though Beijing had shown no interest .
But Russia is believed to hold a bigger , more varied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Kremlin sees nuclear weapons as a key strategic asset , as it is massively outspent on defence by Washington .
Russia had 6,375 nuclear warheads at the start of the year , including those that are not deployed , according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute .

Russia and the United States on Tuesday were edging closer to breaking an impasse in long-running talks aimed at extending a landmark nuclear arms deal, due to expire within months.
U.S. officials said they were ready to meet Russian diplomats as soon as possible, shortly after Moscow stated it could compromise on an American demand.
The two sides have struggled to find common ground over the fate over the New START treaty, which limits both sides to 1,550 deployed warheads but is due to expire next February.
While the U.S. wants to rework the deal to include China and cover new kinds of weapons, Russia is willing to extend the agreement for five years without any new conditions — and each side has repeatedly shot down the other's proposals.
The agreement was signed in 2010 at the peak of hopes for a "reset" in relations between the two countries.
Together with the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, it was considered a centerpiece of international arms control.
However, the United States withdrew from the INF last year after accusing Moscow of violations.
Election pressure
As recently as last week, the US seemed unwilling to compromise on New START — officials dismissing a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend the deal for a year without restricting new weapons development as a "non-starter."
But with U.S. President Donald Trump trailing in polls for next month's election, his administration has indicated it would support preserving the treaty.
And Russia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday signalled a willingness to compromise, saying it would agree to a U.S. demand for a one-year freeze on developing weapons.
"We appreciate the Russian Federation's willingness to make progress on the issue of nuclear arms control," state department spokeswoman Morgan Ortgaus said.
"The United States is prepared to meet immediately to finalize a verifiable agreement. We expect Russia to empower its diplomats to do the same."
Over the course of months of talks, Washington had demanded that tactical nuclear weapons be covered by the treaty and insisted China must be included — even though Beijing had shown no interest.
But Russia is believed to hold a bigger, more varied arsenal of tactical weapons.
In general, the Kremlin sees nuclear weapons as a key strategic asset, as it is massively outspent on defence by Washington.
Russia had 6,375 nuclear warheads at the start of the year, including those that are not deployed, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-20--Slight Arctic Warming Could Trigger Abrupt Permafrost Collapse – Study

Three of the region ’ s largest warming events in the past 27,000 years coincided with rapidly thawing and collapsing permafrost , said the study published Friday in the Science Advances journal .
Its findings are based on an analysis of 8-meter sediment cores retrieved from the bottom of the Arctic Ocean off of Eastern Siberia by a team of Russian , Swedish and U.S. scientists in 2014 .
A few degrees of warming in the Arctic could trigger an abrupt thaw of the permafrost that makes up two-thirds of Russia ’ s landmass and a subsequent climate change feedback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on ancient warming episodes .
“ This demonstrates that Arctic warming by only a few degrees may suffice to abruptly activate large-scale permafrost thawing , ” the study 's authors wrote .
The warming works like “ a sensitive trigger for a threshold-like permafrost climate change feedback , ” they added .
Scientists have long argued that climate change could trigger a feedback loop in which melting permafrost releases greenhouse gases like carbon and methane into the atmosphere , further accelerating global warming and permafrost melt .
“ Our study indeed suggests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point in the climate system , ” lead author Jannik Martens told the Inside Climate News website .
When that tipping point will arrive is still an open question , he added .
An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) report last year said Russia ’ s permafrost is expected to thaw at an accelerating rate between now and 2100 .
The IPCC report predicts that 70 % of surface-level permafrost could thaw by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise , shifting the world ’ s “ permafrost border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of Russia ’ s territory is located in the planet ’ s frozen cryosphere .
The country is the world ’ s fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases .
The latest study ’ s co-author Örjan Gustafsson stressed that greenhouse gas emissions from both thawing permafrost and man-made sources will inevitably lead to “ dangerous thresholds.
” “ The only way to limit permafrost-related greenhouse gas releases is to mitigate climate warming by lowering anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions , ” he told Scientific American .

Three of the region’s largest warming events in the past 27,000 years coincided with rapidly thawing and collapsing permafrost, said the study published Friday in the Science Advances journal. Its findings are based on an analysis of 8-meter sediment cores retrieved from the bottom of the Arctic Ocean off of Eastern Siberia by a team of Russian, Swedish and U.S. scientists in 2014.
A few degrees of warming in the Arctic could trigger an abrupt thaw of the permafrost that makes up two-thirds of Russia’s landmass and a subsequent climate change feedback loop, according to a new study based on ancient warming episodes.
“This demonstrates that Arctic warming by only a few degrees may suffice to abruptly activate large-scale permafrost thawing,” the study's authors wrote.
The warming works like “a sensitive trigger for a threshold-like permafrost climate change feedback,” they added.
Scientists have long argued that climate change could trigger a feedback loop in which melting permafrost releases greenhouse gases like carbon and methane into the atmosphere, further accelerating global warming and permafrost melt.
“Our study indeed suggests that abrupt permafrost thawing represents a tipping point in the climate system,” lead author Jannik Martens told the Inside Climate News website.
When that tipping point will arrive is still an open question, he added.
An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report last year said Russia’s permafrost is expected to thaw at an accelerating rate between now and 2100.
The IPCC report predicts that 70% of surface-level permafrost could thaw by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, shifting the world’s “permafrost border” increasingly northward.
More than 65% of Russia’s territory is located in the planet’s frozen cryosphere. The country is the world’s fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
The latest study’s co-author Örjan Gustafsson stressed that greenhouse gas emissions from both thawing permafrost and man-made sources will inevitably lead to “dangerous thresholds.”
“The only way to limit permafrost-related greenhouse gas releases is to mitigate climate warming by lowering anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions,” he told Scientific American.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-20--Russian Eco-Disasters Spark Environmental Fears

The largest country in the world is facing a number of ecological crises .
In the past month alone , @ @ @ @ @ seen mass aquatic die-offs in not one , but two places .
In the Far @ @ @ @ @ up to 95 % of seabed life was wiped out in the Avacha Bay earlier @ @ @ @ @ the local ecosystem .
In the republic of Kalmykia near the Caspian Sea , thousands @ @ @ @ @ on shore this weekend , prompting an investigation .
In Moscow , the nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ sites of pollution were spotted in the Moscow River last week alone .
While federal @ @ @ @ @ a large-scale project to both test pollution levels in the Volga River as well as @ @ @ @ @ of Russia 's fragile ecosystems remain under threat .

The largest country in the world is facing a number of ecological crises.
In the past month alone, Russia’s environment has seen mass aquatic die-offs in not one, but two places.
In the Far East republic of Kamchatka, up to 95% of seabed life was wiped out in the Avacha Bay earlier this month, potentially devastating the local ecosystem.
In the republic of Kalmykia near the Caspian Sea, thousands of dead fish washed up on shore this weekend, prompting an investigation.
In Moscow, the nation’s capital, three different sites of pollution were spotted in the Moscow River last week alone.
While federal authorities have launched projects including a large-scale project to both test pollution levels in the Volga River as well as clean it up, many of Russia's fragile ecosystems remain under threat.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-21--Russia Hosts New Talks in Search of Karabakh Truce

But the two ministers from the Caucasus rivals had no face-to-face encounter in the Russian capital .
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan for separate talks on Tuesday and Wednesday , Lavrov 's ministry said in a statement .
Russia hosted the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan for separate talks this week as world powers seek to step up hitherto failed efforts to agree a lasting truce to halt fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh .
Russia , the United States and other world powers are seeking to step up efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has left hundreds of people dead after two purported ceasefire accords never showed the slightest sign of holding .
The ministers visited Moscow ahead of meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday .
A trilateral meeting in Washington has also been ruled out and they will meet Pompeo separately .
In Russia , the chief diplomats discussed `` urgent matters related to the implementation of agreements to halt fire and creating conditions for a lasting settlement '' of the Karabakh conflict , the statement said .
Azerbaijan 's foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had travelled to Moscow `` for consultations . ''
A truce was agreed in Moscow earlier this month after 11 hours of talks , but the accord had next to no impact on the ground .
A second ceasefire agreed Saturday fell apart almost immediately .
Yerevan says 772 Armenian soldiers and 36 civilians have been killed in the flare-up of fighting .
Baku has reported 63 civilian casualties but has yet to disclose military losses .
Azerbaijan and the Armenian separatists who control its Karabakh region have been locked in a bitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ province since a war in the 1990s that left 30,000 people dead .
Their long-simmering conflict erupted again on September 27 in fierce clashes that raised the alarm over the failure of decades-long international mediation .
Along with France and Russia , the United States co-chairs the so-called Minsk Group of international mediators to the Karabakh peace talks since the 1994 ceasefire .
Baku says its forces have captured ground within Karabakh and that it also now controls other Azerbaijani territory that had been held by Armenian forces .
Azerbaijan 's President Ilham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ceasefire when Aremenia pulls out from Karabakh and all the surrounding regions of Azerbaijan held by Armenian forces .
However Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has urged international recognition of Karabakh , claiming its inhabitants would not be safe under Azerbaijani rule .

But the two ministers from the Caucasus rivals had no face-to-face encounter in the Russian capital.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan for separate talks on Tuesday and Wednesday, Lavrov's ministry said in a statement.
Russia hosted the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan for separate talks this week as world powers seek to step up hitherto failed efforts to agree a lasting truce to halt fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Russia, the United States and other world powers are seeking to step up efforts to persuade both sides to stop fighting that has left hundreds of people dead after two purported ceasefire accords never showed the slightest sign of holding.
The ministers visited Moscow ahead of meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday. A trilateral meeting in Washington has also been ruled out and they will meet Pompeo separately.
In Russia, the chief diplomats discussed "urgent matters related to the implementation of agreements to halt fire and creating conditions for a lasting settlement" of the Karabakh conflict, the statement said.
Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said only that its top diplomat had travelled to Moscow "for consultations."
Armenian foreign ministry spokeswoman Anna Nagdalyan said Mnatsakanyan met Lavrov on Wednesday.
Two broken truces
A truce was agreed in Moscow earlier this month after 11 hours of talks, but the accord had next to no impact on the ground.
A second ceasefire agreed Saturday fell apart almost immediately.
Yerevan says 772 Armenian soldiers and 36 civilians have been killed in the flare-up of fighting.
Baku has reported 63 civilian casualties but has yet to disclose military losses.
Azerbaijan and the Armenian separatists who control its Karabakh region have been locked in a bitter impasse over the fate of the mountainous province since a war in the 1990s that left 30,000 people dead.
Their long-simmering conflict erupted again on September 27 in fierce clashes that raised the alarm over the failure of decades-long international mediation.
Along with France and Russia, the United States co-chairs the so-called Minsk Group of international mediators to the Karabakh peace talks since the 1994 ceasefire.
Baku says its forces have captured ground within Karabakh and that it also now controls other Azerbaijani territory that had been held by Armenian forces.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has said there can only be a ceasefire when Aremenia pulls out from Karabakh and all the surrounding regions of Azerbaijan held by Armenian forces.
However Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has urged international recognition of Karabakh, claiming its inhabitants would not be safe under Azerbaijani rule.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-21--Russian Mayor Urges Kicking Maskless Passengers Off Public Transit

The Sverdlovsk region , where Yekaterinburg is the administrative center , is Russia ’ s fifth most-affected federal subject by the coronavirus pandemic .
It has confirmed a total of 33,425 Covid-19 cases and 718 deaths since the start of the outbreak .
Public transport passengers “ can and should ” kick out fellow passengers who don ’ t wear masks , the mayor of Russia ’ s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg said Tuesday .
Yekaterinburg Mayor Alexander Vysokinsky said in an interview with the city ’ s e1.ru news website that passengers “ can and should ” kick off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent the spread of Covid-19 .
“ We ’ ll have to reinstate restrictions if we don ’ t follow simple rules and [ infections ] increase , ” Vysokinsky said .
His spokesman later accused the media of taking the mayor ’ s words out of context , saying Vysokinsky “ asked everyone to behave responsibly.
” E1.ru reported Wednesday that passengers ’ resistance to wearing masks when boarding buses has severely delayed schedules and in several cases led to mass altercations .
Similar standoffs have been reported in Moscow , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask and glove mandates in the metro and on buses .
Meanwhile , reports citing unnamed medical sources said rising numbers of Covid-19 cases have brought Yekaterinburg ’ s hospitals to full capacity .
Russia has seen a record-breaking surge in Covid-19 infections and deaths in recent weeks but has opted toward targeted restrictions instead of reintroducing strict lockdown measures .
Russia ’ s official number of Covid-19 cases stands at more than 1.4 million , the fourth-highest in the world , with daily figures rising by 14,000 to 16,000 in the past @ @

The Sverdlovsk region, where Yekaterinburg is the administrative center, is Russia’s fifth most-affected federal subject by the coronavirus pandemic. It has confirmed a total of 33,425 Covid-19 cases and 718 deaths since the start of the outbreak.
Public transport passengers “can and should” kick out fellow passengers who don’t wear masks, the mayor of Russia’s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg said Tuesday.
Yekaterinburg Mayor Alexander Vysokinsky said in an interview with the city’s e1.ru news website that passengers “can and should” kick off fellow riders who aren't wearing masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“We’ll have to reinstate restrictions if we don’t follow simple rules and [infections] increase,” Vysokinsky said.
His spokesman later accused the media of taking the mayor’s words out of context, saying Vysokinsky “asked everyone to behave responsibly.”
E1.ru reported Wednesday that passengers’ resistance to wearing masks when boarding buses has severely delayed schedules and in several cases led to mass altercations. Similar standoffs have been reported in Moscow, where authorities stepped up the enforcement of mask and glove mandates in the metro and on buses.
Meanwhile, reports citing unnamed medical sources said rising numbers of Covid-19 cases have brought Yekaterinburg’s hospitals to full capacity.
Russia has seen a record-breaking surge in Covid-19 infections and deaths in recent weeks but has opted toward targeted restrictions instead of reintroducing strict lockdown measures.
Russia’s official number of Covid-19 cases stands at more than 1.4 million, the fourth-highest in the world, with daily figures rising by 14,000 to 16,000 in the past week.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-21--Kyrgyzstan Sets New Polls as New PM Reassures Russia

Kyrgyzstan 's electoral authorities said Wednesday parliamentary polls annulled over unrest would be repeated in December as acting leader Sadyr @ @ @ @ @ of the two countries ' strategic partnership .
The Central Asian country 's elections commission @ @ @ @ @ be held on Dec. 20 , after a previous vote was annulled over political chaos @ @ @ @ @ rattled Russia .
Members of the Central Electoral Commission agreed to the new date unanimously @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
Allegations of vote-buying in the Oct. 4 elections raised by international monitors @ @ @ @ @ protest that escalated into clashes between police and demonstrators .
Central government all but disappeared @ @ @ @ @ as rival groups contested executive positions .
Sooronbay Jeenbekov resigned as president last Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ had been approved as prime minister the day before — to also take over as @ @ @ @ @

Kyrgyzstan's electoral authorities said Wednesday parliamentary polls annulled over unrest would be repeated in December as acting leader Sadyr Japarov moved to assure Russia of the two countries' strategic partnership.
The Central Asian country's elections commission said the fresh elections would be held on Dec. 20, after a previous vote was annulled over political chaos that unseated a president and rattled Russia.
Members of the Central Electoral Commission agreed to the new date unanimously, the body said in a statement.
Allegations of vote-buying in the Oct. 4 elections raised by international monitors and losing parties sparked a protest that escalated into clashes between police and demonstrators.
Central government all but disappeared in the week that followed as rival groups contested executive positions.
Sooronbay Jeenbekov resigned as president last Thursday, allowing populist Japarov — who had been approved as prime minister the day before — to also take over as acting head of state.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-21--Controversial Russian Priest Dies During Coronavirus Rehabilitation

Earlier this year , Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov was crowned “ Sexist of the Year ” by Russian feminists for claiming that women have “ weaker minds ” than men and comparing common-law wives to “ unpaid prostitutes.
” Shortly before his Covid-19 hospitalization in May , Smirnov extolled the infection ’ s positive impact on humanity , saying it encouraged “ volunteerism [ to replace ] egotism.
” A senior Russian priest notorious for making controversial remarks about women has died at age 69 during his rehabilitation from the coronavirus , a Russian Orthodox Church spokesman announced Wednesday .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just become known , ” Vasily Rulinsky , spokesman for the synodal department for church charity , announced on social media .
He did not specify the cause of Smirnov 's death .
Rulinsky said a bishop in Far East Russia held a memorial service for Archpriest Smirnov .
Following his recovery from coronavirus , Smirnov ’ s colleagues told Russian media that he had planned to spend all summer rehabilitating from the illness outside Moscow .
They have maintained that Smirnov did not have a severe case of Covid-19 .
Orthodox media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in critical condition late last month , his second non-Covid-related hospitalization since 2019 .
Unconfirmed reports said he had been diagnosed with brain disease .
During his chairmanship of the Russian Orthodox Church ’ s commission on family , Smirnov made headlines for advising girls to skip school and prepare for childbirth instead , comparing in vitro fertilization to Nazi experiments and claiming that abortion in Russia is worse than the Holocaust .
He had also publicly supported the Russian Orthodox Church 's controversial practice of blessing nuclear weapons , calling them the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its culture . ''
The Russian Orthodox Church had initially resisted recommendations to close its doors to its more than 150 million followers , a move that led to infections and deaths among the clergy .
The church eventually advised worshippers to stay home in late March as the pandemic worsened across Russia .

Earlier this year, Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov was crowned “Sexist of the Year” by Russian feminists for claiming that women have “weaker minds” than men and comparing common-law wives to “unpaid prostitutes.” Shortly before his Covid-19 hospitalization in May, Smirnov extolled the infection’s positive impact on humanity, saying it encouraged “volunteerism [to replace] egotism.”
A senior Russian priest notorious for making controversial remarks about women has died at age 69 during his rehabilitation from the coronavirus, a Russian Orthodox Church spokesman announced Wednesday.
“The death of Father Dimitry Smirnov has just become known,” Vasily Rulinsky, spokesman for the synodal department for church charity, announced on social media. He did not specify the cause of Smirnov's death.
Rulinsky said a bishop in Far East Russia held a memorial service for Archpriest Smirnov.
Following his recovery from coronavirus, Smirnov’s colleagues told Russian media that he had planned to spend all summer rehabilitating from the illness outside Moscow.
They have maintained that Smirnov did not have a severe case of Covid-19.
Orthodox media reported that Smirnov was hospitalized in Moscow in critical condition late last month, his second non-Covid-related hospitalization since 2019.
Unconfirmed reports said he had been diagnosed with brain disease.
During his chairmanship of the Russian Orthodox Church’s commission on family, Smirnov made headlines for advising girls to skip school and prepare for childbirth instead, comparing in vitro fertilization to Nazi experiments and claiming that abortion in Russia is worse than the Holocaust.
He had also publicly supported the Russian Orthodox Church's controversial practice of blessing nuclear weapons, calling them the "salvation of the Russian people and its culture."
The Russian Orthodox Church had initially resisted recommendations to close its doors to its more than 150 million followers, a move that led to infections and deaths among the clergy. The church eventually advised worshippers to stay home in late March as the pandemic worsened across Russia.


themoscowtimes--2020-10-21--Russia Breaks Record for Daily Coronavirus Deaths

The previous highest death toll of 286 Covid-19 deaths was recorded last Thursday .
Russia has confirmed a record daily death toll from the coronavirus at 317 fatalities Wednesday as the country sees a record-breaking surge in cases but resists reintroducing strict lockdown measures .
The new increase brings Russia ’ s overall Covid-19 death toll , as reported by the national information center that collates daily figures from regional centers , to 24,952 .
Monthly state statistics and experts have suggested the real death toll is at least double that figure .
Moscow , the epicenter of Russia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , setting its own record for Covid-19 fatalities .
The city now accounts for 6,121 of Russia 's Covid-19 deaths .
The record daily death toll comes one day after Russia saw its highest one-day increase of 16,319 new Covid-19 infections .
It added 15,700 new infections Wednesday .
Russia ’ s official number of cases stands at 1,447,335 , the fourth-highest in the world .
The surge in new infections comes as authorities continue to rule out a return to strict restrictions to slow the spread of the virus .
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are deemed to be Covid-19 hotspots and are urging residents to follow health guidelines until mass production of Russia ’ s coronavirus vaccine begins in the next few months .
Authorities had introduced unpopular lockdown measures in the spring , including bans on taking non-essential walks outside , when Russia saw fewer than 10,000 daily Covid-19 cases on average .
Senior Russian healthcare professionals have said they expect the country 's number of daily Covid-19 infections to peak at 20,000 before stabilizing by November .

The previous highest death toll of 286 Covid-19 deaths was recorded last Thursday.
Russia has confirmed a record daily death toll from the coronavirus at 317 fatalities Wednesday as the country sees a record-breaking surge in cases but resists reintroducing strict lockdown measures.
The new increase brings Russia’s overall Covid-19 death toll, as reported by the national information center that collates daily figures from regional centers, to 24,952. Monthly state statistics and experts have suggested the real death toll is at least double that figure.
Moscow, the epicenter of Russia’s coronavirus outbreak, confirmed 63 deaths, setting its own record for Covid-19 fatalities. The city now accounts for 6,121 of Russia's Covid-19 deaths.
The record daily death toll comes one day after Russia saw its highest one-day increase of 16,319 new Covid-19 infections. It added 15,700 new infections Wednesday.
Russia’s official number of cases stands at 1,447,335, the fourth-highest in the world.
The surge in new infections comes as authorities continue to rule out a return to strict restrictions to slow the spread of the virus. Instead, they have introduced targeted measures at what are deemed to be Covid-19 hotspots and are urging residents to follow health guidelines until mass production of Russia’s coronavirus vaccine begins in the next few months.
Authorities had introduced unpopular lockdown measures in the spring, including bans on taking non-essential walks outside, when Russia saw fewer than 10,000 daily Covid-19 cases on average.
Senior Russian healthcare professionals have said they expect the country's number of daily Covid-19 infections to peak at 20,000 before stabilizing by November.