themoscowtimes--2020-07-30--Russian Mercenaries in Belarus: All You Need to Know

“ Lukashenko , of course , was aware of why the Wagner fighters were in Minsk and where they were heading , ” military correspondent Semyon Pegov wrote .
Analysts say it would have been virtually impossible for Lukashenko to be unaware of the Wagner mercenaries ' presence .
Descriptions of the men indicate that they were not trying to keep a low profile .
Their behavior was `` uncharacteristic for Russian tourists '' because they did n't drink and their `` uniform military-style clothing '' drew attention , Belta said .
On Thursday morning , Belarus security council chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been launched and that the men face charges of preparing `` terrorist acts . ''
He said `` a search is going on '' to find the others , complaining that it was `` like looking for needles in a haystack . ''
The ex-Soviet country 's security services on Wednesday arrested a group of 32 Russian fighters as well as one other man in a different location .
State news agency Belta said the authorities had received information about the arrival of 200 fighters in Belarus `` to destabilize the situation during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s all you need to know and wanted to ask about the allegations : The shock announcement is just the latest twist in an extraordinary election campaign that has seen President Alexander Lukashenko , who has dominated Belarus for nearly three decades , jail his key would-be rivals ahead of the vote .
Belarus ' KGB security service said the detained men were members of the Wagner group , a shadowy private military firm reportedly controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin which promotes Moscow 's interests in Ukraine , Syria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries .
Belarus has arrested 33 Russian mercenaries allegedly plotting to destabilize the country ahead of next month 's presidential election .
Are these people really Russian mercenaries ?
Based on the information that has been revealed , yes .
Belta released the names of all 33 men who were detained and Belarussian television aired several of their alleged passport photographs .
“ Our own independent research shows that they really are Wagner fighters , ” Denis Korotkov , a journalist with the Novaya Gazeta newspaper who specializes in covering the Wagner Group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have our own documents identifying a third of the soldiers .
Nine names on the list are not known to us yet .
Around 10 of them fought in Syria , and around the same number fought in Ukraine .
It is harder to provide definite evidence of their involvement in African wars.
” Ukraine 's relations with Russia have been strained since 2014 , when Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula and conflict broke out between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists in the country 's east .
Ukraine 's security service said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detained Russian fighters from Belarus .
Authorities in Belarus later asked Kiev to verify whether any of the detained Russians were involved in crimes committed on Ukrainian territory .
The Russian Embassy in Minsk said Wednesday it had been notified of the detention of 32 Russian nationals .
On Thursday , the Kremlin denied trying to `` destabilize '' Belarus .
Experts have so far pushed forward three main theories as to what happened : The Wagner soldiers were on their way to a third country from Belarus During the coronavirus pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operated international flights as usual .
Russians have used Belarus as a springboard to travel abroad as their own country has grounded international flights .
This is “ the most logical version ” of events , Korotkov said .
“ It is not the usual route used by Wagner , but during the pandemic , it might be useful to use the country as a transit hub for a small number of soldiers.
” The men may have been on their way to Sudan , where the Wagner Group is reportedly active .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ detained men 's belongings .
Military expert Pavel Luzin questioned whether the Wagner Group would use Belarus as a transport hub .
“ I do n't really see how that would work , ” he told the Republic news website .
“ Wagner is all under the roof of military intelligence .
It is convenient for them to work from Russia .
There are many quiet places here , many airports , and much easier .
I 'm not sure that the Russian military intelligence is so at ease in Belarus to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” On Thursday , the Russian ambassador to Minsk said the men were in Belarus on their way to a third country and had stayed in a hotel after missing their flight .
The whole thing is orchestrated ( with or without Russian approval ) to postpone the elections in Belarus Lukashenko is facing the toughest re-election bid of his 26 years in power in the Aug. 9 vote .
Protests swept the country after his main election rivals were jailed or barred from running .
As public discontent builds over his policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters have rallied behind the wife of a jailed opposition candidate .
Analysts say the detentions might give Lukashenko the excuse to either further clamp down on the opposition or cancel the election altogether .
At an emergency meeting of all election candidates Thursday morning , Belarus officials said the rest of the 200 Russian militants are still in Belarus and that they are preparing terror attacks , but that the elections aren ’ t canceled yet .
Belarus investigators on Thursday accused the mercenaries and top Lukashenko critics Sergei Tikhanovsky and Mikola @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential elections .
Tikhanovsky , a popular blogger , was jailed last month , preventing him from submitting his own presidential bid .
Opposition politician Statkevich was also jailed in the run-up to the election .
Belarussian political scientist Valery Karbalevich told Republic that the Belarussian authorities may have brought in the Wagner fighters to “ intimidate the public ” and prevent mass protests on election day .
He said two scenarios were most likely : Either the fighters were really flying somewhere in transit , or “ Moscow is up to date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The case will not go to court , ” Karbalevich said .
Ultimately , Lukashenko could be painting himself into a difficult corner in which he ’ ll have to choose between offending Russia or the West , analysts say .
“ Releasing the fighters without trial would undermine his claims and be a slap in the face to both Ukraine and the United States , which has sanctioned several Wagner entities for their foreign interference efforts , ” wrote Foreign Policy staff writer Amy MacKinnon .
“ Charging them risks provoking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not privy to Belarus ' strategy , journalist and political commentator Artyom Shraibman told The Moscow Times he believes the scandal could seriously damage the relationship between Putin and Lukashenko .
Russia wants to integrate Belarus into its territory In recent years , the two countries have been in talks to integrate closer , even to the point of unifying into a single state .
Despite being under increasing pressure to inch closer to Russia , Lukashenko has rejected the idea of outright unification with Moscow .
On Wednesday , political analyst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has been working with Prigozhin on a project exploring the idea of completely integrating Belarus into Russia ’ s territory .
It ’ s unlikely that the Wagner mercenaries were in Belarus to advance this goal , however , Korotkov believed .
“ These guys are field soldiers — they can fight but they are not experts of political provocations and they are not specialists in clandestine operations , ” he said .
“ It ’ s unclear how they can cause instability within Belarus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
”

“Lukashenko, of course, was aware of why the Wagner fighters were in Minsk and where they were heading,” military correspondent Semyon Pegov wrote .
Analysts say it would have been virtually impossible for Lukashenko to be unaware of the Wagner mercenaries' presence.
Descriptions of the men indicate that they were not trying to keep a low profile. Their behavior was "uncharacteristic for Russian tourists" because they didn't drink and their "uniform military-style clothing" drew attention, Belta said.
On Thursday morning, Belarus security council chief Andrei Ravkov said a criminal probe had been launched and that the men face charges of preparing "terrorist acts." He said "a search is going on" to find the others, complaining that it was "like looking for needles in a haystack."
The ex-Soviet country's security services on Wednesday arrested a group of 32 Russian fighters as well as one other man in a different location.
State news agency Belta said the authorities had received information about the arrival of 200 fighters in Belarus "to destabilize the situation during the election campaign."
Here’s all you need to know and wanted to ask about the allegations:
The shock announcement is just the latest twist in an extraordinary election campaign that has seen President Alexander Lukashenko, who has dominated Belarus for nearly three decades, jail his key would-be rivals ahead of the vote.
Belarus' KGB security service said the detained men were members of the Wagner group, a shadowy private military firm reportedly controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin which promotes Moscow's interests in Ukraine, Syria, Libya and a number of other countries.
Belarus has arrested 33 Russian mercenaries allegedly plotting to destabilize the country ahead of next month's presidential election.
Are these people really Russian mercenaries?
Based on the information that has been revealed, yes. Belta released the names of all 33 men who were detained and Belarussian television aired several of their alleged passport photographs.
“Our own independent research shows that they really are Wagner fighters,” Denis Korotkov, a journalist with the Novaya Gazeta newspaper who specializes in covering the Wagner Group, told The Moscow Times. “We have our own documents identifying a third of the soldiers. Nine names on the list are not known to us yet. Around 10 of them fought in Syria, and around the same number fought in Ukraine. It is harder to provide definite evidence of their involvement in African wars.”
What is Ukraine's role?
Ukraine's relations with Russia have been strained since 2014, when Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula and conflict broke out between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists in the country's east.
Ukraine's security service said Thursday it will seek to extradite the detained Russian fighters from Belarus. Authorities in Belarus later asked Kiev to verify whether any of the detained Russians were involved in crimes committed on Ukrainian territory.
How has Russia responded?
The Russian Embassy in Minsk said Wednesday it had been notified of the detention of 32 Russian nationals.
On Thursday, the Kremlin denied trying to "destabilize" Belarus.
Experts have so far pushed forward three main theories as to what happened:
The Wagner soldiers were on their way to a third country from Belarus
During the coronavirus pandemic, Belarus has kept its borders open and operated international flights as usual. Russians have used Belarus as a springboard to travel abroad as their own country has grounded international flights.
This is “the most logical version” of events, Korotkov said. “It is not the usual route used by Wagner, but during the pandemic, it might be useful to use the country as a transit hub for a small number of soldiers.”
The men may have been on their way to Sudan, where the Wagner Group is reportedly active. Video footage showed Sudanese currency among the detained men's belongings.
Military expert Pavel Luzin questioned whether the Wagner Group would use Belarus as a transport hub.
“I don't really see how that would work,” he told the Republic news website. “Wagner is all under the roof of military intelligence. It is convenient for them to work from Russia. There are many quiet places here, many airports, and much easier. I'm not sure that the Russian military intelligence is so at ease in Belarus to start working with mercenaries on the spot there.”
On Thursday, the Russian ambassador to Minsk said the men were in Belarus on their way to a third country and had stayed in a hotel after missing their flight.
The whole thing is orchestrated (with or without Russian approval) to postpone the elections in Belarus
Lukashenko is facing the toughest re-election bid of his 26 years in power in the Aug. 9 vote.
Protests swept the country after his main election rivals were jailed or barred from running. As public discontent builds over his policies and handling of the coronavirus pandemic, protesters have rallied behind the wife of a jailed opposition candidate.
Analysts say the detentions might give Lukashenko the excuse to either further clamp down on the opposition or cancel the election altogether.
At an emergency meeting of all election candidates Thursday morning, Belarus officials said the rest of the 200 Russian militants are still in Belarus and that they are preparing terror attacks, but that the elections aren’t canceled yet.
Belarus investigators on Thursday accused the mercenaries and top Lukashenko critics Sergei Tikhanovsky and Mikola Statkevich of plotting mass unrest ahead of presidential elections. Tikhanovsky, a popular blogger, was jailed last month, preventing him from submitting his own presidential bid. Opposition politician Statkevich was also jailed in the run-up to the election.
Belarussian political scientist Valery Karbalevich told Republic that the Belarussian authorities may have brought in the Wagner fighters to “intimidate the public” and prevent mass protests on election day.
He said two scenarios were most likely: Either the fighters were really flying somewhere in transit, or “Moscow is up to date and even participates in this game.”
“The case will not go to court,” Karbalevich said.
Ultimately, Lukashenko could be painting himself into a difficult corner in which he’ll have to choose between offending Russia or the West, analysts say.
“Releasing the fighters without trial would undermine his claims and be a slap in the face to both Ukraine and the United States, which has sanctioned several Wagner entities for their foreign interference efforts,” wrote Foreign Policy staff writer Amy MacKinnon. “Charging them risks provoking Russia’s ire.”
If Russia was not privy to Belarus' strategy, journalist and political commentator Artyom Shraibman told The Moscow Times he believes the scandal could seriously damage the relationship between Putin and Lukashenko.
Russia wants to integrate Belarus into its territory
In recent years, the two countries have been in talks to integrate closer, even to the point of unifying into a single state. Despite being under increasing pressure to inch closer to Russia, Lukashenko has rejected the idea of outright unification with Moscow.
On Wednesday, political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya cited an unnamed source as saying that Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has been working with Prigozhin on a project exploring the idea of completely integrating Belarus into Russia’s territory.
It’s unlikely that the Wagner mercenaries were in Belarus to advance this goal, however, Korotkov believed.
“These guys are field soldiers — they can fight but they are not experts of political provocations and they are not specialists in clandestine operations,” he said. “It’s unclear how they can cause instability within Belarus. The Belarussian army would easily overpower them.”


themoscowtimes--2020-07-30--‘The Master and Margarita’ Named Most Popular Russian Prison Read

“ The Master and Margarita , ” Mikhail Bulgakov ’ s classic Soviet tale of when the Devil went down @ @ @ @ @ ranked the most popular book among Russian prisoners , the state-run TASS news agency reported @ @ @ @ @ s “ Crime and Punishment ” ranked second , followed by “ The Count of @ @ @ @ @ Dumas in third , TASS cited the country ’ s prison service as saying .
@ @ @ @ @ Service ( FSIN ) collected data on the most popular books among its inmates as @ @ @ @ @ campaign called “ Books Are Your Friends .
”

“The Master and Margarita,” Mikhail Bulgakov’s classic Soviet tale of when the Devil went down to Moscow, has been ranked the most popular book among Russian prisoners, the state-run TASS news agency reported Thursday.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” ranked second, followed by “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas in third, TASS cited the country’s prison service as saying.
Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) collected data on the most popular books among its inmates as a part of a nationwide campaign called “Books Are Your Friends.”


themoscowtimes--2020-07-30--Ukrainian Rapper Found Dismembered After Overdose Death in St. Petersburg

A Ukrainian rapper was dismembered by his wife after he died of a drug overdose because she “ did n't want him to have an inglorious death , ” the St. Petersburg-based Fontanka.ru news website reported Thursday , citing anonymous law enforcement sources .
Andy Cartwright , who was born Alexander Yushko in Ukraine , died at age 30 .
He is best-known for his appearances on Versus Battle , a Russian YouTube series where rappers compete in live rap battles .
St. Petersburg police on Wednesday received a call from the lawyer of his wife , Marina Kokhal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 25 .
The lawyer reportedly told police that she had wanted to hide the body , so she dismembered him , but couldn ’ t figure out what to do next .
Police entered their apartment in central St. Petersburg and discovered five packages containing body parts in the refrigerator .
Kokhal , who was detained shortly after , explained that she didn ’ t want her husband to have an “ inglorious ” death from an overdose and decided it would be better for him to “ simply disappear , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains along with a knife , a hammer , a hacksaw , a plastic bucket , a pillowcase and a cutting board .
According to Fontanka , no drugs were found in the apartment .
The St. Petersburg Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case into murder .

A Ukrainian rapper was dismembered by his wife after he died of a drug overdose because she “didn't want him to have an inglorious death,” the St. Petersburg-based Fontanka.ru news website reported Thursday, citing anonymous law enforcement sources.
Andy Cartwright, who was born Alexander Yushko in Ukraine, died at age 30. He is best-known for his appearances on Versus Battle, a Russian YouTube series where rappers compete in live rap battles.
St. Petersburg police on Wednesday received a call from the lawyer of his wife, Marina Kokhal, who said the rapper had died on July 25. The lawyer reportedly told police that she had wanted to hide the body, so she dismembered him, but couldn’t figure out what to do next.
Police entered their apartment in central St. Petersburg and discovered five packages containing body parts in the refrigerator.
Kokhal, who was detained shortly after, explained that she didn’t want her husband to have an “inglorious” death from an overdose and decided it would be better for him to “simply disappear,” Fontanka.ru reported.
Police confiscated the human remains along with a knife, a hammer, a hacksaw, a plastic bucket, a pillowcase and a cutting board. According to Fontanka, no drugs were found in the apartment.
The St. Petersburg Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case into murder.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-30--Russian Court Sentences U.S. Ex-Marine to 9 Years for Police Assault

His conviction follows the high-profile trial of another former U.S. marine , Paul Whelan , last month on espionage charges in a case that has fueled speculation of a prisoner exchange with the United States .
A Russian court on Thursday sentenced former U.S. marine Trevor Reed to nine years in prison for assaulting police officers while drunk .
The U.S. ambassador to Russia , John Sullivan , condemned the sentencing of 29-year-old Reed as `` theatre of the absurd . ''
Reed , a student and former marine from Texas , allegedly attacked police after attending a party in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a police station , he purportedly grabbed the arm of a police officer , causing the car they were in to swerve , and elbowed another officer in the abdomen .
Reed appeared wearing a facemask in a cage for defendants in a courtroom in the Russian capital as the judge read out the guilty verdict , saying the police officers had suffered `` mental and physical harm . ''
The court ruled that Reed 's `` state of intoxication '' had played a decisive role in the incident and sentenced him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said an AFP reporter in the courtroom .
Reed denounced the verdict as `` completely political '' and vowed to appeal to the US government for political support .
Reed 's girlfriend Alina Tsybulnik burst into tears after the judge read out the verdict and shouted `` Are you serious ? ''
before police carried her out of the courtroom .
`` This is the image of Russia , '' she shouted .
Sullivan , the U.S. ambassador to Russia , slammed Reed 's trial .
`` Today , U.S. citizen Trevor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years in a Russian prison based on evidence so ridiculous that even the judge laughed in court , '' Sullivan was quoted by the embassy as saying .
`` This was theatre of the absurd , '' he said on Twitter .
Reed has been held in a Moscow prison in pre-trial detention since August 2019 .
He pleaded not guilty to the charges , saying he remembers nothing of the incident .
His family raised the alarm over what they said were irregularities in the proceedings and described the prosecution 's request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Our attorneys said they have never seen an investigation with so many changing stories , questionable documents , denied requests , '' the family said ahead of the verdict .
Joey Reed was present in the courtroom Thursday and told reporters after the ruling that he was planning to appeal directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the trial , which he said was `` completely corrupt . ''
`` We are not arguing about Russian law .
We are arguing about how Russian law is applied , '' he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention because of the lengthy sentence faced by Whelan and suggestions in Russian and U.S. media that Reed could become part of a prisoner swap .
Russia sentenced Whelan to 16 years in a penal colony for espionage .
Whelan 's brother David said in a statement on Wednesday that `` our family is not privy to government discussions , if there are any , about Paul 's case . ''
His lawyer said the ex-marine , who also holds Irish , Canadian and British citizenship , decided not to appeal the conviction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He has said his client could be exchanged for Russian prisoners in the U.S. — arms dealer Viktor Bout and pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko detained for drug trafficking .
U.S. diplomats have also raised concerns over the case against Michael Calvey , a high-profile American investor who was arrested last year for allegedly defrauding a Russian bank .

His conviction follows the high-profile trial of another former U.S. marine, Paul Whelan, last month on espionage charges in a case that has fueled speculation of a prisoner exchange with the United States.
A Russian court on Thursday sentenced former U.S. marine Trevor Reed to nine years in prison for assaulting police officers while drunk.
The U.S. ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, condemned the sentencing of 29-year-old Reed as "theatre of the absurd."
Reed, a student and former marine from Texas, allegedly attacked police after attending a party in Moscow last year.
While being driven to a police station, he purportedly grabbed the arm of a police officer, causing the car they were in to swerve, and elbowed another officer in the abdomen.
Reed appeared wearing a facemask in a cage for defendants in a courtroom in the Russian capital as the judge read out the guilty verdict, saying the police officers had suffered "mental and physical harm."
The court ruled that Reed's "state of intoxication" had played a decisive role in the incident and sentenced him to nine years in a penal colony, said an AFP reporter in the courtroom.
Reed denounced the verdict as "completely political" and vowed to appeal to the US government for political support.
Reed's girlfriend Alina Tsybulnik burst into tears after the judge read out the verdict and shouted "Are you serious?" before police carried her out of the courtroom.
"This is the image of Russia," she shouted.
Sullivan, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, slammed Reed's trial.
"Today, U.S. citizen Trevor Reed was convicted and sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison based on evidence so ridiculous that even the judge laughed in court," Sullivan was quoted by the embassy as saying.
"This was theatre of the absurd," he said on Twitter.
Sullivan also met with Reed's father, Joey Reed.
'Corrupt' trial
Reed has been held in a Moscow prison in pre-trial detention since August 2019. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, saying he remembers nothing of the incident.
His family raised the alarm over what they said were irregularities in the proceedings and described the prosecution's request for a nearly 10-year sentence as unfair.
"Our attorneys said they have never seen an investigation with so many changing stories, questionable documents, denied requests," the family said ahead of the verdict.
Joey Reed was present in the courtroom Thursday and told reporters after the ruling that he was planning to appeal directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the trial, which he said was "completely corrupt."
"We are not arguing about Russian law. We are arguing about how Russian law is applied," he told reporters.
Reed's case has attracted attention because of the lengthy sentence faced by Whelan and suggestions in Russian and U.S. media that Reed could become part of a prisoner swap.
Russia sentenced Whelan to 16 years in a penal colony for espionage.
Whelan's brother David said in a statement on Wednesday that "our family is not privy to government discussions, if there are any, about Paul's case."
His lawyer said the ex-marine, who also holds Irish, Canadian and British citizenship, decided not to appeal the conviction to speed up a possible swap.
He has said his client could be exchanged for Russian prisoners in the U.S. — arms dealer Viktor Bout and pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko detained for drug trafficking.
U.S. diplomats have also raised concerns over the case against Michael Calvey, a high-profile American investor who was arrested last year for allegedly defrauding a Russian bank.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-30--Russia Coronavirus Cases Pass 830K Amid Vaccine Race, Lifted Lockdown

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow , the western Siberian region of Khanty-Mansiysk and Sverdlovsk in the @ @ @ @ @ rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries , raising speculation that Moscow could @ @ @ @ @ authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military @ @ @ @ @ nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that now allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power @ @ @ @ @ were initially postponed due the epidemic .
Moscow plans to open cinemas and theaters on @ @ @ @ @ capital , masks are mandatory in stores and on public transport but not in the @ @ @ @ @ Russia are working on a coronavirus vaccine .
Last week the Russian Defense Ministry said @ @ @ @ @ safe '' vaccine following clinical trials on a group of volunteers .
The trials are @ @ @ @ @ Ministry expects clinical trials to be fully completed in the coming weeks .

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Russia's fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures.
Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that now allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036.
Both events were initially postponed due the epidemic.
Moscow opened cinemas and theaters on Aug. 1. In the capital, masks are mandatory in stores and on public transport but not in the streets.
Several institutes in Russia are working on a coronavirus vaccine.
The Russian Defense Ministry has said it developed a "safe" vaccine following clinical trials on a group of volunteers.
The trials are ongoing, and the Defense Ministry expects clinical trials to be fully completed in the coming weeks.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-30--Russia's Transgender People in Their Own Words

Ale ( Chelyabinsk , 1991 ) and Ishi ( Leningrad , 1989 ) .
Both identify as non-binary .
As an activist Ale is often involved in legal actions against the Russian state .
“ We discuss in online groups plans to change court rulings and to stop new laws almost every hour of the day .
And we inform the people , the press and human rights groups about the situation in Russia.
” Ishi ( right ) : `` Have you ever seen a tree growing at the very edge of a cliff ?
Wind and water wash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The tree is still trying to hold on with those roots that are still in the ground ...
But the water and the wind are unyielding ... One day the tree falls and dies .
Now it lies below the cliff .
Ripped out of the ground alive .
Bushes growing 20 meters from the cliff will never understand .
They do n't have to survive every second .
Due to amendments to the Russian Constitution and new legislation against homosexual and transgender people , I feel like this tree .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last soil that is being washed out of my roots .
And this is me , the tree that is about to fall into the void . ''

Ale (Chelyabinsk, 1991) and Ishi (Leningrad, 1989). Both identify as non-binary. As an activist Ale is often involved in legal actions against the Russian state. “We discuss in online groups plans to change court rulings and to stop new laws almost every hour of the day. And we inform the people, the press and human rights groups about the situation in Russia.”
Ishi (right): "Have you ever seen a tree growing at the very edge of a cliff? Wind and water wash the soil out from under its roots. The tree is still trying to hold on with those roots that are still in the ground ... But the water and the wind are unyielding ... One day the tree falls and dies. Now it lies below the cliff. Ripped out of the ground alive. Bushes growing 20 meters from the cliff will never understand. They don't have to survive every second. Due to amendments to the Russian Constitution and new legislation against homosexual and transgender people, I feel like this tree. I am in despair, because it is the last soil that is being washed out of my roots. And this is me, the tree that is about to fall into the void."


themoscowtimes--2020-07-31--Kremlin Demands Release of Russians Held in Belarus

Belarussian security services on Wednesday arrested the group of Russians , saying they were mercenaries on a mission to destabilise the country in the run-up to the Aug. 9 polls .
The Kremlin on Friday asked ex-Soviet ally Belarus to release 33 Russian men detained in Minsk over an alleged plot to organize riots ahead of next month 's presidential elections .
Belarus ' KGB security service said the men were members of the Wagner group , a notorious private military firm reportedly controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin .
`` We hope that in the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by our Belarussian allies and that the citizens will be released , '' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters .
He added that the `` groundless detention of Russian citizens does not quite fit the parameters of allied relations . ''
Belarus investigators said the men were working with prominent opposition critics Sergei Tikhanovsky and Mikola Statkevich who were both jailed and barred from contesting the ballot .
Peskov on Friday confirmed the Russian men were `` employees of a private security company '' who were staying temporarily in Belarus before traveling onwards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plane , '' he said .
`` They had tickets to Istanbul . ''
During a massive campaign rally in the capital Minsk , Svetlana Tikhanovskaya — the leading rival to Belarussian strongman Alexander Lukashenko — denied claims the opposition was working with Russian mercenaries to incite mass unrest .
Tikhanovskaya , who is married to the jailed blogger Tikhanovsky , said people only wanted a fair election .
She said Russian private contractors might have been using Belarus as a transit point for a long time and questioned the timing of this @ @ @ @

Belarusian security services on Wednesday arrested the group of Russians, saying they were mercenaries on a mission to destabilize the country in the run-up to the Aug. 9 polls.
The Kremlin on Friday asked ex-Soviet ally Belarus to release 33 Russian men detained in Minsk over an alleged plot to organize riots ahead of next month's presidential elections.
Belarus' KGB security service said the men were members of the Wagner group, a notorious private military firm reportedly controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We hope that in the very near future this incident will be explained by our Belarusian allies and that the citizens will be released," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
He added that the "groundless detention of Russian citizens does not quite fit the parameters of allied relations."
Belarus investigators said the men were working with prominent opposition critics Sergei Tikhanovsky and Mikola Statkevich who have both been jailed and barred from contesting the ballot.
Peskov on Friday confirmed the Russian men were "employees of a private security company" who were staying temporarily in Belarus before travelling onwards to Istanbul.
"They missed their plane," he said. "They had tickets to Istanbul."
A senior Belarussian investigator said in televised comments that the men's plans for onward travel were just "an alibi," Tut.by news site reported.
"As the investigation has found out, they did not plan to fly there (to Istanbul)," the head of the investigative team, Alexander Agafonov, was reported as saying in an interview with national television.
The men gave "contradictory" answers, he added.
Eleven of them said they intended to fly to Venezuela, 15 to Turkey, two to Cuba and one to Syria. One "did not know where he was flying to" and the rest refused to testify, Agafonov said.
During a massive campaign rally in the capital Minsk on Thursday, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya — the leading rival to Belarussian strongman Alexander Lukashenko — denied claims the opposition was working with Russian mercenaries to incite mass unrest.
Tikhanovskaya, who is married to the jailed blogger Tikhanovsky, said people only wanted a fair election.
She said Russian private contractors might have been using Belarus as a transit point for a long time and questioned the timing of this week's arrests.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-31--Moscow Cracks Down on Mask and Glove Violations

The Russian capital has required masks and gloves to be worn at all times indoors and on public transportation since May 12 .
About 94 % of shoppers in Moscow stores wore the protective gear in early June , but this percentage dropped to 68 % by mid-July , TASS cited Moscow Mayor ’ s Office official Alexei Nemeryuk as saying .
Authorities in Moscow have issued sweeping fines for violating face mask and glove requirements in recent weeks as the city looks to enforce coronavirus safety rules , the state-run TASS news agency reported Friday .
Officers issued more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million ) in fines to more than 6,000 businesses that were found to have violated the requirement , Nemeryuk said .
Two shops were shut down over “ numerous violations , ” he added .
Moscow metro police also staged raids over the past week to crack down on mask violations .
Since May 12 , more than 37,000 metro passengers have been fined .
Individuals face fines between 4,000 and 5,000 rubles for violating the rules , while businesses , enterprises and legal entities face fines between 100,000 rubles and 300,000 rubles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s highest numbers of new coronavirus infections , recording 650 to 700 new cases per day in recent weeks , a number higher than in other European capitals .
At its peak in early May , Moscow registered around 6,000 new cases per day .
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Thursday said the city has reached its `` minimum '' level of new coronavirus cases .
It wo n't be possible for the numbers to go much lower as `` millions of people move around the city , '' he added .
Earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ unlikely ” the Russian capital would see a second wave of coronavirus infections .

The Russian capital has required masks and gloves to be worn at all times indoors and on public transportation since May 12. About 94% of shoppers in Moscow stores wore the protective gear in early June, but this percentage dropped to 68% by mid-July, TASS cited Moscow Mayor’s Office official Alexei Nemeryuk as saying.
Authorities in Moscow have issued sweeping fines for violating face mask and glove requirements in recent weeks as the city looks to enforce coronavirus safety rules, the state-run TASS news agency reported Friday.
Officers issued more than 300 million rubles ($4 million) in fines to more than 6,000 businesses that were found to have violated the requirement, Nemeryuk said.
Two shops were shut down over “numerous violations,” he added.
Moscow metro police also staged raids over the past week to crack down on mask violations. Since May 12, more than 37,000 metro passengers have been fined.
Individuals face fines between 4,000 and 5,000 rubles for violating the rules, while businesses, enterprises and legal entities face fines between 100,000 rubles and 300,000 rubles.
Moscow continues to see the country’s highest numbers of new coronavirus infections, recording 650 to 700 new cases per day in recent weeks, a number higher than in other European capitals. At its peak in early May, Moscow registered around 6,000 new cases per day.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Thursday said the city has reached its "minimum" level of new coronavirus cases. It won't be possible for the numbers to go much lower as "millions of people move around the city," he added.
Earlier this month, Sobyanin said it was “unlikely” the Russian capital would see a second wave of coronavirus infections.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-31--Belarus Strengthens Border Security Amid Search for 170 Russian Mercenaries

Belarussian authorities on Wednesday detained 33 people it said were Russian mercenaries sent to “ destabilize ” the country ahead of its election .
They had received information about the arrival of about 200 fighters in Belarus in total .
Belarus is cracking down on its border with Russia as it searches for 170 mercenaries it says are from the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group military contractor .
Belarus will “ significantly strengthen ” its security presence at its borders , `` including the border with Russia , ” security council chief Andrei Ravkov told reporters after an emergency government meeting Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cross the state border , including on the land border .
Ravkov on Thursday said `` a search is going on '' to find the remaining fighters , complaining that it was `` like looking for needles in a haystack . ''
Belarussian journalists who drove to the land border with Russia reported seeing no expanded military or police presence there as of Thursday .
Russia has denied that the detained men were sent to destabilize Belarus .
Its ambassador to Minsk said the men were in Belarus on their way to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotel after missing their flight .
The high-profile arrests come as Lukashenko , who has been in power for nearly three decades , is seeking a sixth term in the Aug. 9 election despite rising anger against his authoritarian rule .
Belarus and Russia have had virtually no border control since 1995 .
Russia ’ s western neighbor has been one of the only countries to keep its borders open during the coronavirus crisis , and Russians have used Belarus as a springboard to travel abroad after their own country grounded international flights @

Belarussian authorities on Wednesday detained 33 people it said were Russian mercenaries sent to “destabilize” the country ahead of its election. They had received information about the arrival of about 200 fighters in Belarus in total.
Belarus is cracking down on its border with Russia as it searches for 170 mercenaries it says are from the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group military contractor.
Belarus will “significantly strengthen” its security presence at its borders, "including the border with Russia,” security council chief Andrei Ravkov told reporters after an emergency government meeting Wednesday. This will include tracking individuals who cross the state border, including on the land border.
Ravkov on Thursday said "a search is going on" to find the remaining fighters, complaining that it was "like looking for needles in a haystack."
Belarussian journalists who drove to the land border with Russia reported seeing no expanded military or police presence there as of Thursday.
Russia has denied that the detained men were sent to destabilize Belarus. Its ambassador to Minsk said the men were in Belarus on their way to a third country and had stayed in a hotel after missing their flight.
The high-profile arrests come as Lukashenko, who has been in power for nearly three decades, is seeking a sixth term in the Aug. 9 election despite rising anger against his authoritarian rule.
Belarus and Russia have had virtually no border control since 1995. Russia’s western neighbor has been one of the only countries to keep its borders open during the coronavirus crisis, and Russians have used Belarus as a springboard to travel abroad after their own country grounded international flights.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-31--Russia Records Over 5,400 Coronavirus Cases Amid Vaccine Race, Lifted Lockdown