themoscowtimes--2020-11-20--Russia Battles Exiled Parishioners for French Church Ownership

The St. Nicholas and St. Alexandra Church in the city of Nice , run by the descendants of emigres who fled the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution , is at the center of a six-year legal dispute .
Following a similarly protracted battle , a French court ruled in 2011 to recognize the Russian state as the legal owner of the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas .
Russia is fighting exiled parishioners for ownership of an Orthodox cathedral in France as the Kremlin is accused of an “ aggressive ” campaign to reclaim pre-revolutionary churches overseas , The Guardian has reported .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked a French court to declare it the legal owner of the St. Nicholas and St. Alexandra Church , which opened in 1859 .
The Orthodox Russian Cultural Association ( ACOR ) in Nice , which risks losing control of the church after 93 years , described Russia ’ s 2014 demand to expel them as part of an “ aggressive strategy ” to take back possession of pre-revolutionary Orthodox churches abroad .
The Guardian cited ACOR vice president Alexis Obolensky as telling French media that the descendants of Russian emigres were scrambling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , including in Argentina and South Korea .
“ I ’ ll lose all faith in French justice ” if the court rules against the emigres , Obolensky told the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper .
ACOR-Nice sued Russia for control of the Saint Nicholas and Saint Alexandra Church in 2015 , citing a revised title to the land , according to Novaya Gazeta .
The following year , when the Moscow Patriarchate and its supporters broke into the Nice Orthodox cemetery , Obolensky hoisted a message written in white cloth : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re not in Crimea and Ukraine !
Leave our dead rest in peace !
” Russia ’ s quest for legal ownership of the tsarist-era churches and graves , The New York Times reported at the time , is part of the Kremlin ’ s broader push to claim legal succession “ of ‘ Holy Russia , ’ and as a champion of traditional values against the decadent heresies , notably liberal democracy , promoted by the United States and what they frequently call ‘ Gayropa ’ [ Gay Europe ] .
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The St. Nicholas and St. Alexandra Church in the city of Nice, run by the descendants of emigres who fled the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, is at the center of a six-year legal dispute. Following a similarly protracted battle, a French court ruled in 2011 to recognize the Russian state as the legal owner of the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas.
Russia is fighting exiled parishioners for ownership of an Orthodox cathedral in France as the Kremlin is accused of an “aggressive” campaign to reclaim pre-revolutionary churches overseas, The Guardian has reported .
On Wednesday, The Guardian reported that Russia asked a French court to declare it the legal owner of the St. Nicholas and St. Alexandra Church, which opened in 1859.
A verdict is expected on Feb. 25, 2021.
The Orthodox Russian Cultural Association (ACOR) in Nice, which risks losing control of the church after 93 years, described Russia’s 2014 demand to expel them as part of an “aggressive strategy” to take back possession of pre-revolutionary Orthodox churches abroad.
The Guardian cited ACOR vice president Alexis Obolensky as telling French media that the descendants of Russian emigres were scrambling to maintain control of churches all over the world, including in Argentina and South Korea.
“I’ll lose all faith in French justice” if the court rules against the emigres, Obolensky told the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper.
ACOR-Nice sued Russia for control of the Saint Nicholas and Saint Alexandra Church in 2015, citing a revised title to the land, according to Novaya Gazeta.
The following year, when the Moscow Patriarchate and its supporters broke into the Nice Orthodox cemetery, Obolensky hoisted a message written in white cloth:
“Hands off, Putin! We’re not in Crimea and Ukraine! Leave our dead rest in peace!”
Russia’s quest for legal ownership of the tsarist-era churches and graves, The New York Times reported at the time, is part of the Kremlin’s broader push to claim legal succession “of ‘Holy Russia,’ and as a champion of traditional values against the decadent heresies, notably liberal democracy, promoted by the United States and what they frequently call ‘Gayropa’ [Gay Europe].”


themoscowtimes--2020-11-19--Belarus Adds Opposition Telegram Channel Founders to Terror List

Protests in the ex-Soviet country broke out in early August after strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko won a disputed reelection for a sixth term .
Belarusian authorities on Wednesday added the creators of the Nexta Live opposition Telegram channel , which mobilized protesters during the country 's ongoing post-election rallies , to a list of terrorists .
The opposition believe political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was the true winner of the election and demand Lukashenko 's resignation .
Nexta Live — a Telegram channel with more than 1.7 million subscribers — has helped coordinate the mass demonstrations that have been ongoing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Putilo , 22 , and 25-year-old Roman Protasevich , who until recently was the channel 's editor , appeared on the Belarus KGB list of `` individuals involved in terrorist activity '' when it was updated Wednesday .
According to the document available online , Putilo and Protasevich were included on the list based on earlier charges of causing mass unrest , an offense that can lead to up to 15 years of imprisonment .
The two bloggers are currently the only Belarusian citizens on the KGB list of some 700 individuals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries .
`` In Belarus terrorism is punishable by life imprisonment or death , '' Nexta wrote on its Twitter account on Thursday .
Putilo and Protasevich — who currently reside in Poland — are also facing criminal charges for inciting social hatred against government and law enforcement officials .
Both have been added to international wanted lists in Belarus and in Russia , which backs Lukashenko .
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned the Polish ambassador to Belarus demanding extradition of the two activists .
A Belarus court in October branded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and ordered it blocked .
Telegram is a hugely popular social media platform in the former Soviet Union as a messaging service both for private communication and sharing information and news .

Protests in the ex-Soviet country broke out in early August after strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko won a disputed reelection for a sixth term.
Belarusian authorities on Wednesday added the creators of the Nexta Live opposition Telegram channel, which mobilized protesters during the country's ongoing post-election rallies, to a list of terrorists.
The opposition believe political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was the true winner of the election and demand Lukashenko's resignation.
Nexta Live — a Telegram channel with more than 1.7 million subscribers — has helped coordinate the mass demonstrations that have been ongoing for over three months.
Nexta founder Stepan Putilo, 22, and 25-year-old Roman Protasevich, who until recently was the channel's editor, appeared on the Belarus KGB list of "individuals involved in terrorist activity" when it was updated Wednesday.
According to the document available online, Putilo and Protasevich were included on the list based on earlier charges of causing mass unrest, an offense that can lead to up to 15 years of imprisonment.
The two bloggers are currently the only Belarusian citizens on the KGB list of some 700 individuals, consisting mostly of nationals of Middle Eastern countries.
"In Belarus terrorism is punishable by life imprisonment or death," Nexta wrote on its Twitter account on Thursday.
Putilo and Protasevich — who currently reside in Poland — are also facing criminal charges for inciting social hatred against government and law enforcement officials.
Both have been added to international wanted lists in Belarus and in Russia, which backs Lukashenko.
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned the Polish ambassador to Belarus demanding extradition of the two activists.
A Belarus court in October branded the Nexta Live channel as "extremist" and ordered it blocked.
Telegram is a hugely popular social media platform in the former Soviet Union as a messaging service both for private communication and sharing information and news.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-20--Swiss Prosecutors to Close Magnitsky Probe – Reports

Swiss prosecutors opened the money-laundering probe in 2011 after Hermitage Capital , once the largest foreign investor in Russia , claimed that a former Russian tax official moved fraudulent tax refunds through Swiss bank accounts .
Magnitsky , who died of untreated illness in Russian jail in 2009 , alleged that Russian Interior Ministry officials fraudulently collected a $ 230 million tax refund on behalf of Hermitage .
Swiss prosecutors plan to close a nearly decade-old money laundering investigation into allegations made by the late lawyer Sergei Magnitsky , Bloomberg reported Thursday .
In a Nov. 6 letter to Hermitage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to close the case soon and confiscate as much as $ 4 million from Swiss bank accounts controlled by entities in the case , according to Bloomberg .
Hermitage reportedly responded by saying that Swiss law enforcement “ capitulated to the Russians.
” The London-based firm vowed to challenge the decision and request further investigation before a Dec. 8 deadline , Bloomberg reported .
The Daily Beast reported that the Swiss prosecutors used “ sophisticated financial analysis to dilute the value of the laundered money so that most of it can be returned.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutors will return 99 % of the frozen assets to one Russian national implicated in the tax fraud case and 100 % to another .
A third figure is expected to receive between 55-87 % of the frozen funds .
“ This reinforces the worst stereotypes of Swiss justice , ” Hermitage founder Bill Browder told The Daily Beast .
“ To give so much money back to Russians who were involved in the Magnitsky affair while most other countries have sanctioned these individuals is a stain on Switzerland.
” Magnitsky ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Magnitsky Act in 2012 , initially sanctioning officials linked to his death and later expanding it to target human rights offenders worldwide .
A number of Western countries have moved to adopt similar legislation .

Swiss prosecutors opened the money-laundering probe in 2011 after Hermitage Capital, once the largest foreign investor in Russia, claimed that a former Russian tax official moved fraudulent tax refunds through Swiss bank accounts. Magnitsky, who died of untreated illness in Russian jail in 2009, alleged that Russian Interior Ministry officials fraudulently collected a $230 million tax refund on behalf of Hermitage.
Swiss prosecutors plan to close a nearly decade-old money laundering investigation into allegations made by the late lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, Bloomberg reported Thursday.
In a Nov. 6 letter to Hermitage, Swiss federal prosecutors outlined their intention to close the case soon and confiscate as much as $4 million from Swiss bank accounts controlled by entities in the case, according to Bloomberg.
Hermitage reportedly responded by saying that Swiss law enforcement “capitulated to the Russians.” The London-based firm vowed to challenge the decision and request further investigation before a Dec. 8 deadline, Bloomberg reported.
The Daily Beast reported that the Swiss prosecutors used “sophisticated financial analysis to dilute the value of the laundered money so that most of it can be returned.”
The outlet estimated that the Swiss prosecutors will return 99% of the frozen assets to one Russian national implicated in the tax fraud case and 100% to another. A third figure is expected to receive between 55-87% of the frozen funds.
“This reinforces the worst stereotypes of Swiss justice,” Hermitage founder Bill Browder told The Daily Beast.
“To give so much money back to Russians who were involved in the Magnitsky affair while most other countries have sanctioned these individuals is a stain on Switzerland.”
Magnitsky’s death led to the United States passing the Magnitsky Act in 2012, initially sanctioning officials linked to his death and later expanding it to target human rights offenders worldwide. A number of Western countries have moved to adopt similar legislation.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-21--Russia Imposes Reciprocal Sanctions on 25 UK Officials

`` In response to unfriendly actions by the British authorities and on the basis of reciprocity , the Russian side made a decision to impose personal sanctions on 25 representatives of Great Britain who are now banned from entering Russian territory , '' said a Foreign Ministry statement .
Russia on Saturday imposed sanctions on 25 British officials , responding to penalties Britain imposed in July against the same number of Russians over human rights violations .
In July , Britain sanctioned 25 Russian officials for their alleged involvement in the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky , barring them from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British assets .
Those targeted include Alexander Bastrykin , the head of the powerful Investigative Committee that reports directly to President Vladimir Putin .
Magnitsky , a tax consultant for British financier William Browder , died in prison of untreated illness in 2009 after accusing Russian officials of a $ 230-million tax fraud .
Russia rejected the claims and convicted Magnitsky of fraud , having put him on trial posthumously .
Foreign ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova on Saturday described the British sanctions in July as `` an attempt to interfere in the internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimate aim of the penalties was to `` exert pressure on the Russian justice system , '' she added .
Russia has been hit with a series of sanctions by Western countries over a series of disagreements .
They include the annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 , the alleged interference in elections abroad and the 2018 poisoning of former intelligence officer Sergei Skripal in Britain .

"In response to unfriendly actions by the British authorities and on the basis of reciprocity, the Russian side made a decision to impose personal sanctions on 25 representatives of Great Britain who are now banned from entering Russian territory," said a Foreign Ministry statement.
Russia on Saturday imposed sanctions on 25 British officials, responding to penalties Britain imposed in July against the same number of Russians over human rights violations.
In July, Britain sanctioned 25 Russian officials for their alleged involvement in the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, barring them from travelling to the UK and freezing their British assets.
Those targeted include Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the powerful Investigative Committee that reports directly to President Vladimir Putin.
Magnitsky, a tax consultant for British financier William Browder, died in prison of untreated illness in 2009 after accusing Russian officials of a $230-million tax fraud.
Russia rejected the claims and convicted Magnitsky of fraud, having put him on trial posthumously.
Foreign ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova on Saturday described the British sanctions in July as "an attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of another state."
The ultimate aim of the penalties was to "exert pressure on the Russian justice system," she added.
Russia has been hit with a series of sanctions by Western countries over a series of disagreements.
They include the annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, the alleged interference in elections abroad and the 2018 poisoning of former intelligence officer Sergei Skripal in Britain.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-21--Russia Extends Western Food Imports Embargo to End 2021

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday extended an embargo on Western food imports introduced in 2014 until the end of @ @ @ @ @ that mainly affects EU imports .
The Russian embargo was in response to EU sanctions @ @ @ @ @ of the Crimean peninsula , sanctions that Brussels renewed for another six months at the @ @ @ @ @ EU has refused to recognize Russian 's March 2014 annexation of Crimea and has condemned @ @ @ @ @ that control parts of eastern Ukraine that border Russia as a violation of international law @ @ @ @ @ all parts of the Russian economy and that , combined with the fall in oil @ @ @ @ @ country into the longest recession since Putin took power in 2000 .
Russian authorities have @ @ @ @ @ allowed it to develop its domestic industries including farming , thanks to substantial subsidies .

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday extended an embargo on Western food imports introduced in 2014 until the end of 2021, an economic measure that mainly affects EU imports.
The Russian embargo was in response to EU sanctions introduced after Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula, sanctions that Brussels renewed for another six months at the end of June.
The EU has refused to recognize Russian's March 2014 annexation of Crimea and has condemned Moscow's support for separatists that control parts of eastern Ukraine that border Russia as a violation of international law.
Western sanctions have hit all parts of the Russian economy and that, combined with the fall in oil prices, helped push the country into the longest recession since Putin took power in 2000.
Russian authorities have insisted that the sanctions have allowed it to develop its domestic industries including farming, thanks to substantial subsidies.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-21--Russia Virus Toll, Deaths, Hit New Highs

Health officials reported 24,822 new infections and 476 deaths , bringing the national total to 2,064,748 million cases and 35,778 fatalities since the beginning of the year .
Russia on Saturday registered record numbers for daily infections and deaths from the coronavirus , two days after having passed 2 million cases .
While those figures suggest a lower death rate than elsewhere in the world , they need to be treated with caution .
The official Russian death toll only includes those in which Covid has been established as the primary cause of death after an autopsy .
Data published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month indicated excess deaths of more than 117,000 year-on-year between March and September , suggesting that virus fatalities could be much higher .
Most of the new cases announced Saturday were recorded in Moscow ( 7,168 ) and in the country 's second city , St. Petersburg ( 2,476 ) , with other regions recording figures in the tens or hundreds .
`` We are getting a lot of calls at the moment , '' Dmitri , a St. Petersburg ambulance driver , told AFP .
`` The number of sick people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he worked with collecting samples to identify cases visited around 20 addresses every day , he said .
`` People are scared , and they are calling for a doctor as soon as they get a little cough , '' said Lyudmila , one of the two nurses on the team .
On Wednesday , Russian President Vladimir Putin described the surge in infections and deaths as `` alarming . ''
He acknowledged that several regions were experiencing medicine shortages and long waiting times for ambulances , but said authorities were in control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month for `` targeted and justified '' measures to fight the spread of the virus , which the regions could take on their own initiative .
Russia in August registered the world 's first coronavirus vaccine , Sputnik V — named after the Soviet-era satellite — but before beginning large-scale clinical trials .
Its developers have since reported that interim test results showed the vaccine to be 92 % effective , slightly lower than its international competitors .
Last month , Putin announced that Russia had registered a second coronavirus vaccine , EpiVacCorona @

Health officials reported 24,822 new infections and 476 deaths, bringing the national total to 2,064,748 million cases and 35,778 fatalities since the beginning of the year.
Russia on Saturday registered record numbers for daily infections and deaths from the coronavirus, two days after having passed 2 million cases.
While those figures suggest a lower death rate than elsewhere in the world, they need to be treated with caution. The official Russian death toll only includes those in which Covid has been established as the primary cause of death after an autopsy.
Data published by Russia's federal statistics service earlier this month indicated excess deaths of more than 117,000 year-on-year between March and September, suggesting that virus fatalities could be much higher.
Most of the new cases announced Saturday were recorded in Moscow (7,168) and in the country's second city, St. Petersburg (2,476), with other regions recording figures in the tens or hundreds.
"We are getting a lot of calls at the moment," Dmitri, a St. Petersburg ambulance driver, told AFP. "The number of sick people is growing."
The medical team he worked with collecting samples to identify cases visited around 20 addresses every day, he said.
"People are scared, and they are calling for a doctor as soon as they get a little cough," said Lyudmila, one of the two nurses on the team.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the surge in infections and deaths as "alarming."
He acknowledged that several regions were experiencing medicine shortages and long waiting times for ambulances, but said authorities were in control of the situation.
Putin called last month for "targeted and justified" measures to fight the spread of the virus, which the regions could take on their own initiative.
Russia in August registered the world's first coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V — named after the Soviet-era satellite — but before beginning large-scale clinical trials.
Its developers have since reported that interim test results showed the vaccine to be 92% effective, slightly lower than its international competitors.
Last month, Putin announced that Russia had registered a second coronavirus vaccine, EpiVacCorona.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-21--Armenia PM Urges Stronger Military Links With Russia

Pashinyan was speaking during a meeting in Yerevan with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu , a day after Azerbaijani troops moved into territory formerly held by Armenian separatist troops bordering Nagorno-Karabakh .
`` Of course , there were hard times before the war , but the situation today is even more difficult . ''
`` We hope we can reinforce cooperation with Russia not only in the security sector but also military and technical cooperation , '' he said , according to his press service .
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called Saturday for greater military cooperation with Russia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into territory in Nagorno-Karabakh previously held by Armenian separatist forces .
Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed a Russian-brokered ceasefire on Nov. 9 after six weeks of fighting in the self-proclaimed republic .
Under the agreement , Azerbaijan will regain control of three districts been controlled by the separatists since the 1990s .
Around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers will be deployed in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh under the terms of the deal .
`` For us , the main thing is to prevent bloodshed , '' Shoigu said Saturday .
He was part of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov .
Separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh and several surrounding districts had captured the territory and claimed independence following a post-Soviet 1990s war that left around 30,000 dead .
Their claim was not recognized internationally , however , even by Armenia .
As part of the peace accord , Armenia agreed to return 15 to 20 percent of Nagorno-Karabakh territory captured by Azerbaijan in recent fighting , including the historic town of Shusha .
Some opposition figures have denounced Pashinyan as a traitor for having agreed to what they see as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but while he has sacked defense and foreign ministers , he has refused calls for him to step down .
Armenian police told AFP they had detained dozens of protesters Friday at a rally in Yerevan where demonstrators calling for Pashinyan to resign formed a human chain and blocked major roads .

Pashinyan was speaking during a meeting in Yerevan with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu after Azerbaijani troops Friday moved into the Aghdam district bordering Nagorno-Karabakh.
"Of course, there were hard times before the war but the situation today is even more difficult."
"We hope we can reinforce cooperation with Russia not only in the security sector but also military and technical cooperation," he said, according to his press service.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called Saturday for greater military cooperation with Russia, a day after Azerbaijani troops began moving into disputed territory previously held by Armenian separatist forces.
Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a Russian-brokered ceasefire on November 9 after six weeks of fighting over the self-proclaimed republic. Under the agreement, Azerbaijan will regain control of three districts that have been controlled by the separatists since the 1990s.
Around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers have deployed in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh under the terms of the deal and Shoigu said Saturday they had secured the return of 7,000 refugees to the disputed territory who were displaced during the recent fighting.
"For us, the main thing is to prevent bloodshed," Shoigu said Saturday. He was part of a major Russian delegation in Yerevan that also included Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Lavrov described the visit as a signal of Russia's "support" for Armenian authorities, who have come under growing pressure from the opposition for ceding territory to Azerbaijan.
'Social, moral and economic crisis'
Armenia replaced its defense minister Friday in an effort to placate demonstrators who stormed government buildings after the deal was announced and have taken to the streets almost daily since.
Lavrov said that "attempts to question this agreement both domestically and internationally are unacceptable."
Several thousand people gathered again in Yerevan Saturday to voice their opposition to the deal and demand Pashinyan's resignation.
The prime minister was responsible for "a crisis of dignity in our society, a social, moral and economic crisis," former rights ombudsman in Nagorno-Karabakh Ruben Melkonyan said at the rally.
"Only after Pashinyan leaves can we find our dignity again and get back on our feet," he added.
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev later Saturday thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin personally for Moscow's role in brokering the ceasefire when the Russian delegation visited Baku.
"We also welcome the active negotiations between Russia and Turkey on the creation of a monitoring center to control the ceasefire regime," he said.
Azerbaijan has been pushing for its close ally Turkey to play a central role in the implementation of the agreement, after Ankara was widely accused of supplying mercenaries from Syria to bolster Baku's army during the fighting.
Russia has insisted that Turkish troops would not be involved in the peacekeeping mission, saying representatives from Ankara would instead oversee the truce from monitoring stations in Azerbaijan.