themoscowtimes--2020-04-21--Africa Asks Russia for Coronavirus Aid: Foreign Ministry

The continent has reported 23,499 cases and 1,161 deaths across 54 countries as of late Monday , according to a tally by the pan-African news outlet African Arguments .
African leaders and financial institutions have warned that they are uniquely vulnerable to the pandemic without additional support from outside .
A number of unidentified African countries have asked Russia to assist them in the fight against coronavirus , Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday .
“ The Africans need a wide range of medical equipment , including ventilators , test systems , personal protective equipment , disinfectants and supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the state-run TASS news agency .
“ These applications are carefully reviewed and considered in accordance with the severity of the situation in a particular country , ” it was quoted as saying .
The requests come after the G20 , which includes Russia , agreed to freeze debt payments for the world ’ s poorest countries , many of which are in Africa .
Experts warn that the continent may be unable to stop the spread of Covid-19 because of its weak health systems combined with lockdown measures and low demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ traditional sources of revenue .
The IMF expects the continent 's gross domestic product to shrink by 1.6 % in 2020 , `` the worst result ever recorded , '' and the World Bank has warned that the region could slip into its first recession in 25 years .
Russia , which has delivered coronavirus assistance to longtime allies like Serbia and Venezuela as well as Italy and the United States , has reported a total of 52,763 cases — the 10th-highest number worldwide — and 456 deaths as of Tuesday .

The continent has reported 23,499 cases and 1,161 deaths across 54 countries as of late Monday, according to a tally by the pan-African news outlet African Arguments. African leaders and financial institutions have warned that they are uniquely vulnerable to the pandemic without additional support from outside.
A number of unidentified African countries have asked Russia to assist them in the fight against coronavirus, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
“The Africans need a wide range of medical equipment, including ventilators, test systems, personal protective equipment, disinfectants and supplies,” the Foreign Ministry in Moscow told the state-run TASS news agency.
“These applications are carefully reviewed and considered in accordance with the severity of the situation in a particular country,” it was quoted as saying.
The requests come after the G20, which includes Russia, agreed to freeze debt payments for the world’s poorest countries, many of which are in Africa.
Experts warn that the continent may be unable to stop the spread of Covid-19 because of its weak health systems combined with lockdown measures and low demand for minerals and tourism, the countries’ traditional sources of revenue.
The IMF expects the continent's gross domestic product to shrink by 1.6% in 2020, "the worst result ever recorded," and the World Bank has warned that the region could slip into its first recession in 25 years.
Russia, which has delivered coronavirus assistance to longtime allies like Serbia and Venezuela as well as Italy and the United States, has reported a total of 52,763 cases — the 10th-highest number worldwide — and 456 deaths as of Tuesday.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.


themoscowtimes--2020-04-21--Yandex Offers Free Coronavirus Tests in Moscow as City Bears the Brunt of Russia’s Outbreak

Moscow , a city of more than 12.5 million , accounts for more than half of Russia ’ s 52,763 coronavirus cases and 456 deaths .
Yandex previously said that only Muscovites aged 65 and older would be eligible for the free tests .
Russian tech giant Yandex said Monday that it will offer free coronavirus tests to everyone in Moscow as the city grapples with a rapid rise in infections .
“ People who keep working and ensuring a safe life for citizens in this difficult time — on the streets , in shops , in social facilities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Yandex managing director Tigran Khudaverdyan said .
“ That ’ s why we decided to conduct all testing for free , ” he said in a statement .
Its offer is part of a wide-ranging assistance program , with support from the Russian Direct Investment Fund ( RDIF ) , that provides medical and social services during the outbreak .
Yandex said it will finance the testing from its own funds and donations , but did not specify its cost .
“ Timely testing is an important step not only in preventing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also in minimizing its aftereffects and helping to restore life and economic activity back to normal throughout the country as soon as possible , ” said RDIF head Kirill Dmitriyev .
Participants seeking a free Covid-19 test are invited to fill out a form on the program ’ s website .
A worker from one of Yandex 's partner laboratories will then go to the person 's residence and collect a nasal swab .
The tech firm said it has donated 10,000 coronavirus tests through the program so far .
Yandex said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Russian regions “ in the future.
” Russia 's number of coronavirus infections , which is still relatively low compared to western European countries , has drawn skepticism and Moscow health officials have warned that many coronavirus tests return false negative results .
Officials have forecast that the Russian capital will see its peak number of infections in the next two to three weeks .

Moscow, a city of more than 12.5 million, accounts for more than half of Russia’s 52,763 coronavirus cases and 456 deaths. Yandex previously said that only Muscovites aged 65 and older would be eligible for the free tests.
Russian tech giant Yandex said Monday that it will offer free coronavirus tests to everyone in Moscow as the city grapples with a rapid rise in infections.
“People who keep working and ensuring a safe life for citizens in this difficult time — on the streets, in shops, in social facilities, in delivery — should be tested,” Yandex managing director Tigran Khudaverdyan said.
“That’s why we decided to conduct all testing for free,” he said in a statement.
Its offer is part of a wide-ranging assistance program, with support from the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), that provides medical and social services during the outbreak. Yandex said it will finance the testing from its own funds and donations, but did not specify its cost.
“Timely testing is an important step not only in preventing the spread of the virus, but also in minimizing its aftereffects and helping to restore life and economic activity back to normal throughout the country as soon as possible,” said RDIF head Kirill Dmitriyev.
Participants seeking a free Covid-19 test are invited to fill out a form on the program’s website. A worker from one of Yandex's partner laboratories will then go to the person's residence and collect a nasal swab.
The tech firm said it has donated 10,000 coronavirus tests through the program so far.
Yandex said it plans to expand the free tests to other Russian regions “in the future.”
Russia's number of coronavirus infections, which is still relatively low compared to western European countries, has drawn skepticism and Moscow health officials have warned that many coronavirus tests return false negative results.
Officials have forecast that the Russian capital will see its peak number of infections in the next two to three weeks.


themoscowtimes--2020-04-21--FSB Stops Refugees in Barents Sea

FSB Stops Refugees in Barents Sea

Today marks what is likely the first-ever attempt by individuals to enter Schengen Europe via the Barents Sea .
The attempt occurred on Oct. 8 , 2019 , but first became known to the public today as the verdict from the Pechenga District Court was announced by the Murmansk region prosecutor 's office .
Three Syrian citizens boarded a small motorboat in Devkina Zavod Bay in the Pechenga Fjord and departed toward the maritime border with Norway .
While at sea , the motorboat was stopped by Russian FSB coast guards and the three passengers were arrested .
In court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of conspiracy to get to Norway without proper permission and documents .
Liinakhamari ( Devkina Zavod Bay ) in the Pechenga Fjord is the westernmost fjord on Russia ’ s Kola Peninsula and the only place between Murmansk and the state border where civilians can reach the coast without entering military restricted areas .
Liinakhamari is a restricted border area , but not under military naval authority .
By sea , the distance from Liinakhamari to the Russian-Norwegian border in Grense Jakobselv is some 35 kilometers ( 19 nautical miles ) .
Never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the north via the sea .
Two of the Syrian citizens were sentenced to 10 months imprisonment in a penal colony , while the third was sentenced to eight months .
Following the migrant crisis in autumn 2015 , when some 5,500 people entered northern Norway from Russia , there have been several attempts by third-country residents to make it over the 200-kilometer land border .
Many were arrested on the Russian side , particularly in the summer and autumn of 2017 .

Today marks what is likely the first-ever attempt by individuals to enter Schengen Europe via the Barents Sea.
The attempt occurred on Oct. 8, 2019, but first became known to the public today as the verdict from the Pechenga District Court was announced by the Murmansk region prosecutor's office.
Three Syrian citizens boarded a small motorboat in Devkina Zavod Bay in the Pechenga Fjord and departed toward the maritime border with Norway. While at sea, the motorboat was stopped by Russian FSB coast guards and the three passengers were arrested.
In court, all three pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to get to Norway without proper permission and documents.
Liinakhamari (Devkina Zavod Bay) in the Pechenga Fjord is the westernmost fjord on Russia’s Kola Peninsula and the only place between Murmansk and the state border where civilians can reach the coast without entering military restricted areas.
Liinakhamari is a restricted border area, but not under military naval authority.
By sea, the distance from Liinakhamari to the Russian-Norwegian border in Grense Jakobselv is some 35 kilometers (19 nautical miles).
Never have any migrants succeeded in entering Norway in the north via the sea.
Two of the Syrian citizens were sentenced to 10 months imprisonment in a penal colony, while the third was sentenced to eight months.
Following the migrant crisis in autumn 2015, when some 5,500 people entered northern Norway from Russia, there have been several attempts by third-country residents to make it over the 200-kilometer land border.
Many were arrested on the Russian side, particularly in the summer and autumn of 2017.


themoscowtimes--2020-04-21--Russian Jets Buzz U.S., NATO Aircraft Over Baltic and Mediterranean

Russian jets have been involved in several flybys with U.S. and NATO aircraft over the Mediterranean and Baltic seas in recent days .
The series of interceptions end a pause of at least six months in Russian and U.S. aircraft buzzing each other in Europe and the Mediterranean .
A Russian Su-35 fighter intercepted the U.S. Navy ’ s P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft in an “ unsafe and unprofessional manner ” within 25 feet Sunday , the U.S. Navy said in a statement .
It said a similar interaction occurred Wednesday over the same waters where an Su-35 flew an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a P-8A .
Russia ’ s military defended the intercept as compliant with international rules for the use of airspace over international waters .
“ A fighter from the air defense forces on duty at [ Russia ’ s ] Khmeimim air base [ in Syria ] was raised to identify the target , ” the Defense Ministry was quoted by the state-run TASS news agency as saying .
The ministry said the Russian fighter identified the U.S. Navy aircraft by its tail number and took it for escort .
The P-8A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , NATO ’ s Allied Air Command said Monday that its aircraft intercepted two Russian fighter jets Friday “ overflying ” a U.S. Navy destroyer deployed in the Baltic Sea near Lithuania .
Russian and NATO aircraft have conducted thousands of intercepts over international waters in the past four years , the top U.S. commander in Europe said in December .
Russia hadn ’ t buzzed U.S. aircraft and ships in Europe and the Mediterranean in the three months leading up to December , the commander , Gen. Tod Wolters , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia have reported numerous airspace violations by military aircraft in eastern Europe since 2014 , when Moscow ’ s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine froze relations between the sides .
The United States reported several Russian incursions last year , including in airspace near Alaska and Syria .

Russian jets have been involved in several flybys with U.S. and NATO aircraft over the Mediterranean and Baltic seas in recent days. The series of interceptions end a pause of at least six months in Russian and U.S. aircraft buzzing each other in Europe and the Mediterranean.
JUST IN: For the second time in four days, Russian pilots flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner while intercepting a #USNavy P-8A Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft in @USNavyEurope.
Full Details: https://t.co/vHcJZhmk5u pic.twitter.com/mKMW9s9RFR — U.S. Navy (@USNavy) April 20, 2020
A Russian Su-35 fighter intercepted the U.S. Navy’s P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft in an “unsafe and unprofessional manner” within 25 feet Sunday, the U.S. Navy said in a statement. It said a similar interaction occurred Wednesday over the same waters where an Su-35 flew an “inverted” maneuver within 25 feet of a P-8A. Russia’s military defended the intercept as compliant with international rules for the use of airspace over international waters. “A fighter from the air defense forces on duty at [Russia’s] Khmeimim air base [in Syria] was raised to identify the target,” the Defense Ministry was quoted by the state-run TASS news agency as saying. The ministry said the Russian fighter identified the U.S. Navy aircraft by its tail number and took it for escort. The P-8A then changed course away from Khmeimim.


themoscowtimes--2020-04-21--Russia's Coronavirus Cases Rise By 5,642 Overnight

Russia ’ s officially reported numbers — which are still relatively lower than those in European countries — have sparked suspicion .
Experts warn that Russia 's testing capacity is hampered by bureaucracy , while officials warn that the real number of cases is likely much higher .
The majority of Russia 's cases are in Moscow .
Since March 30 , all of Moscow 's 12 million residents have been ordered to stay in their homes with few exceptions .
Moscow Deputy mayor Anastasia Rakova has warned the city `` will face difficult weeks '' ahead .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next two to three weeks , '' she said in a video released on social media Friday .
Under confinement rules that Muscovites have to observe until at least May 1 , they are only allowed to leave their homes to go to work , walk their dogs , take out trash or visit their nearest shop .
This week city authorities tightened the lockdown by introducing a digital permit system , requiring that anyone travelling by car or public transport obtain a pass .
Russia has carried out more than 1.7 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about their reliability .
Worldwide , the virus has infected over 2.4 million people .

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--2020-04-21--Luxury Moscow Clinic Becomes Coronavirus 'Battleground'

A small elderly woman lies curled up in bedsheets with an oxygen tube in her nose , coughing as doctors cocooned in white suits care for her .
In a nearby bed , an elderly man is on a ventilator .
In another a woman in her 50s lies on her belly to improve her oxygen saturation .
This is the intensive care ward at a branch of Moscow 's K+31 private hospital .
Until a week ago , it was a luxurious private clinic where you could get a nose job .
Yet as the capital shoulders the weight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 26,000 cases , the facility has switched entirely to treating coronavirus patients .
`` There 's not a single empty bed , '' says chief doctor Boris Churadze .
In the state-run hospital next door , where 500 patients are being treated , the situation is the same , he says .
He calls the virus fight a `` battlefield , '' where medics combat an invisible enemy with homicidal intentions .
The situation is set to deteriorate in the next two or three weeks , he warns , predicting `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the peak . ''
`` I think we are talking about new cases multiplying day by day , five or 10-fold . ''
The burly middle-aged man with curly ginger hair from Georgia came to Russia to study medicine and specialized in critical care .
The virus is a `` major test for the health system , for Moscow 's medicine , '' he says , vowing : `` We will overcome it . ''
Tens of thousands of beds have been made available in Moscow and the recent opening of large new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better overcome this difficult situation , '' Churadze told AFP .
Yet virus treatment at this facility is not accessible to most Muscovites .
It takes cash-paying patients or those with private health insurance and a course of treatment costs tens of thousands of dollars , Churadze says .
The private hospital group that owns it , Medinvest , also runs a much bigger coronavirus hospital for public health patients .
The entire hospital , including administrative floors , has been divided into `` green '' or clean and infectious `` red '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` red zone , '' medics put on full personal protection , including goggles , hooded white suits , one or more masks , shoe coverings and two pairs of gloves , helped by special staff .
`` It 's an absolutely new reality '' for medics , Churadze said .
Doctors are kitted out with protective gear but getting hold of this equipment is a challenge , Churadze says .
`` A black market for personal protective equipment has even appeared and a lot of people are making money from this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , doctor Sergei Sevalkin is helping treat a patient in her late 60s .
`` We 've held out a week and now it 's a bit easier , '' he says .
`` We have one patient in a serious condition who was transferred from another hospital . ''
Working for hours in a protective suit is one of the hardest parts of treating virus patients , he says .
`` After a shift you feel like ripping it off . ''
Another doctor , Kamila Tuichiyeva , works to categorise new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their condition .
`` The whole team has got used to things now and I think we 've got into an even rhythm , '' she says .
Like many staff , she has moved into a hotel to avoid infecting family members , and plans to live there for the duration .
Yet she denies feeling any `` kind of heroism . ''
`` Yes we are working with a dangerous infection , but it 's ordinary work , nothing special . ''
Yet the chief doctor says he disagrees and says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough team . ''
`` I 'm proud of my people , that 's the truth . ''

A small elderly woman lies curled up in bedsheets with an oxygen tube in her nose, coughing as doctors cocooned in white suits care for her. In a nearby bed, an elderly man is on a ventilator. In another a woman in her 50s lies on her belly to improve her oxygen saturation.
news Russian Clinics Repurpose Snorkels to Fight Coronavirus Read more
This is the intensive care ward at a branch of Moscow's K+31 private hospital. Until a week ago, it was a luxurious private clinic where you could get a nose job. Yet as the capital shoulders the weight of Russia's virus onslaught, with more than 26,000 cases, the facility has switched entirely to treating coronavirus patients. "There's not a single empty bed," says chief doctor Boris Churadze. In the state-run hospital next door, where 500 patients are being treated, the situation is the same, he says. He calls the virus fight a "battlefield," where medics combat an invisible enemy with homicidal intentions. The situation is set to deteriorate in the next two or three weeks, he warns, predicting "mid-May will be the absolute top of the peak." "I think we are talking about new cases multiplying day by day, five or 10-fold."
"There's not a single empty bed." Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP
The burly middle-aged man with curly ginger hair from Georgia came to Russia to study medicine and specialized in critical care. The virus is a "major test for the health system, for Moscow's medicine," he says, vowing: "We will overcome it." Red and green zones Tens of thousands of beds have been made available in Moscow and the recent opening of large new virus hospitals "will allow us to better overcome this difficult situation," Churadze told AFP. Yet virus treatment at this facility is not accessible to most Muscovites. It takes cash-paying patients or those with private health insurance and a course of treatment costs tens of thousands of dollars, Churadze says. The private hospital group that owns it, Medinvest, also runs a much bigger coronavirus hospital for public health patients. The entire hospital, including administrative floors, has been divided into "green" or clean and infectious "red" areas, including lifts.
Until a week ago the hospital was a luxurious private clinic where you could get a nose job. Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP


themoscowtimes--2020-04-21--Russia's Hermitage Museum Calls for State Support as Coronavirus Craters Earnings

The head of Russia 's renowned Hermitage Museum said on Tuesday the government should ensure the survival of museums which are struggling during a coronavirus lockdown .
Since the introduction of a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people in mid-March , museums across Russia have gradually closed their doors to the public .
President Vladimir Putin then declared April a non-working month , encouraging Russians to stay home to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
Mikhail Piotrovsky said the Hermitage Museum had already lost half of its annual budget and was now in talks with the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The state must ensure the survival of culture , '' Piotrovsky said during an online news conference .
Piotrovsky said that once the lockdown is over the museum would need about a month to prepare for a re-opening .
The museum was founded in 1764 under Empress Catherine the Great and features more than 3 million works of art and world culture artifacts .
Nearly 5 million people visited the Hermitage last year .
Since the beginning of the lockdown , the museum has been organizing virtual tours which have become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said museum staff also kept feeding its `` famous '' cats that live there and hunt for mice and rats .
Cats first found a home at the Hermitage long before it became a museum open to the public in the 1850s .
They are now hugely popular with tourists who snap up souvenirs and postcards adorned with cat pictures on sale in the museum 's shops .

The head of Russia's renowned Hermitage Museum said on Tuesday the government should ensure the survival of museums which are struggling during a coronavirus lockdown. Since the introduction of a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people in mid-March, museums across Russia have gradually closed their doors to the public.
President Vladimir Putin then declared April a non-working month, encouraging Russians to stay home to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Mikhail Piotrovsky said the Hermitage Museum had already lost half of its annual budget and was now in talks with the government in the hope to secure financial aid. "The state must ensure the survival of culture," Piotrovsky said during an online news conference. The museum earned 2.5 billion rubles ($32 million) in 2018. Piotrovsky said that once the lockdown is over the museum would need about a month to prepare for a re-opening.
news Take a Hermitage Tour Read more


themoscowtimes--2020-04-21--Russian Opposition Plans Online Coronavirus Lockdown Protest

During an online YouTube rally next Tuesday , Moscow councillors Yulia Galyamina , Ilya Azar and their allies also plan to seek an amnesty for prisoners and oppose President Vladimir Putin 's plan to change the Constitution in a move that could allow him to stay in power until 2036 .
Russia 's opposition has called for an online protest next week to press the Kremlin for financial aid for people struggling under the coronavirus lockdown .
Putin has been forced to defer a key vote on the proposed amendment .
`` We demand that the president and the Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the crisis , '' the organizers said in a manifesto posted on Galyamina 's Facebook page .
The organizers invited supporters to send them `` virtual '' placards that will be shown live during the protest .
The coronavirus outbreak and a fall in oil prices have hit the Russian economy , and many have been left without jobs .
Putin has urged Russians to stay home and told their employers to continue paying their salaries but given the companies little tangible support .
Anger is growing at what many say is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people and for small and medium-sized businesses .
Some are also concerned that many medics and clinics complain of protective gear shortages .
Russia on Tuesday reported 52,763 coronavirus cases and 456 fatalities , and Putin has warned that the peak has not yet passed .
It was not immediately clear if top opposition leader Alexei Navalny planned to join the online rally .
But in a blog post on Monday , the 43-year-old politician said the government had enough resources and should in April support Russians with coronavirus payouts of 20,000 rubles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 rubles per child .
He urged Russians to join a public campaign to urge the Kremlin to distribute the money .
Citing data from Moscow 's Higher School of Economics , Navalny said that a quarter of Russians have lost their income during the lockdown .
On Monday , hundreds of people defied social distancing recommendations in the city of Vladikavkaz in the Northern Caucasus to protest against the coronavirus restrictions and economic hardship , in one of the first major lockdown protests in the country .
OVD-Info , which tracks opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part and 69 were detained .
Protest organizer Vadim Cheldiyev , who is an opera singer , has been detained for two months .
Also on Monday , Russians held online protests in several cities using a mobile application of the internet giant Yandex .

During an online YouTube rally next Tuesday, Moscow councillors Yulia Galyamina, Ilya Azar and their allies also plan to seek an amnesty for prisoners and oppose President Vladimir Putin's plan to change the Constitution in a move that could allow him to stay in power until 2036.
Russia's opposition has called for an online protest next week to press the Kremlin for financial aid for people struggling under the coronavirus lockdown.
Putin has been forced to defer a key vote on the proposed amendment.
"We demand that the president and the Russian government adopt emergency measures to save people during the crisis," the organizers said in a manifesto posted on Galyamina's Facebook page.
The organizers invited supporters to send them "virtual" placards that will be shown live during the protest.
The coronavirus outbreak and a fall in oil prices have hit the Russian economy, and many have been left without jobs.
Putin has urged Russians to stay home and told their employers to continue paying their salaries but given the companies little tangible support.
Anger is growing at what many say is a lack of adequate support for ordinary people and for small and medium-sized businesses.
Some are also concerned that many medics and clinics complain of protective gear shortages.
Russia on Tuesday reported 52,763 coronavirus cases and 456 fatalities, and Putin has warned that the peak has not yet passed.
It was not immediately clear if top opposition leader Alexei Navalny planned to join the online rally.
But in a blog post on Monday, the 43-year-old politician said the government had enough resources and should in April support Russians with coronavirus payouts of 20,000 rubles ($260) per adult and 10,000 rubles per child.
He urged Russians to join a public campaign to urge the Kremlin to distribute the money.
Citing data from Moscow's Higher School of Economics, Navalny said that a quarter of Russians have lost their income during the lockdown.
On Monday, hundreds of people defied social distancing recommendations in the city of Vladikavkaz in the Northern Caucasus to protest against the coronavirus restrictions and economic hardship, in one of the first major lockdown protests in the country.
OVD-Info, which tracks opposition protests, said around 2,000 people took part and 69 were detained.
Protest organizer Vadim Cheldiyev, who is an opera singer, has been detained for two months.
Also on Monday, Russians held online protests in several cities using a mobile application of the internet giant Yandex.