themoscowtimes--2020-07-19--Russian Envoy Denies Moscow Helped Hackers Target Virus Vaccine

Andrei Kelin said the allegations Thursday by Britain , the United States and Canada that a hacking group called APT29 was behind the online attacks , and `` almost certainly '' linked to Russian intelligence , made `` no sense . ''
Russia 's ambassador to London has denied accusations by Britain and its allies of helping hackers target labs conducting coronavirus vaccine research , in a UK television interview to be broadcast on Sunday .
`` I do n't believe in this story at all , there is no sense in it , '' he told the BBC 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learned about the hacking collective 's existence from British media reports .
`` In this world , to attribute any kind of computer hackers to any country , it is impossible . ''
Kelin , who was appointed Moscow 's top envoy in Britain last November , also rejected a separate claim by London that `` Russian actors '' sought to disrupt last year 's UK general election .
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Thursday the perpetrators had circulated leaked trade documents between Britain and the United States , in a bid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I do not see any point in using this subject as a matter of interference , '' Kelin said .
`` We do not interfere at all .
We do not see any point in interference ... we will try to settle relations and to establish better relations than now . ''
Russia and Britain have been at loggerheads since Moscow was accused of trying to kill double agent Sergei Skripal with a powerful military-grade nerve agent in 2018 .
The attack in Salisbury , southwest England , came 12 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alexander Litvinenko in London .
Again , Russia has denied involvement and Kelin said the country is ready to move on from the controversies .
`` We are prepared to turn the page and we are prepared to do business with Britain , '' he added .

Andrei Kelin said the allegations Thursday by Britain, the United States and Canada that a hacking group called APT29 was behind the online attacks, and "almost certainly" linked to Russian intelligence, made "no sense."
Russia's ambassador to London has denied accusations by Britain and its allies of helping hackers target labs conducting coronavirus vaccine research, in a UK television interview to be broadcast on Sunday.
"I don't believe in this story at all, there is no sense in it," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, adding he had learned about the hacking collective's existence from British media reports.
"In this world, to attribute any kind of computer hackers to any country, it is impossible."
Kelin, who was appointed Moscow's top envoy in Britain last November, also rejected a separate claim by London that "Russian actors" sought to disrupt last year's UK general election.
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Thursday the perpetrators had circulated leaked trade documents between Britain and the United States, in a bid to sow greater division in the contest.
"I do not see any point in using this subject as a matter of interference," Kelin said.
"We do not interfere at all. We do not see any point in interference... we will try to settle relations and to establish better relations than now."
Russia and Britain have been at loggerheads since Moscow was accused of trying to kill double agent Sergei Skripal with a powerful military-grade nerve agent in 2018.
The attack in Salisbury, southwest England, came 12 years after the radiation poisoning of former spy Alexander Litvinenko in London.
Again, Russia has denied involvement and Kelin said the country is ready to move on from the controversies.
"We are prepared to turn the page and we are prepared to do business with Britain," he added.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-20--Siberian Wildfires Cover Area Larger Than Greece – Greenpeace

Wildfires in Russia have burned across an area larger than the size of Greece so far in 2020 , Greenpeace Russia said Monday as it criticized the authorities of inaction .
Using satellite data , Greenpeace Russia estimated that 19 million hectares ( 47 million acres ) burned across Russia 's forests , steppes and fields from January to mid-July .
The country of Greece , by comparison , is more than 13 million hectares in size .
Forest fires — some caused by lightning and others by campfires along river banks — covered 10 million hectares , the environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities to accelerate efforts on stopping toxic smoke haze from covering major cities in the region , including Yakutsk , Ugorsk and Sovetsky .
“ This summer has already brought extreme heat waves , oil spills caused by thawing permafrost , and raging forest fires — what next before we finally act on climate ?
” Greenpeace Russia ’ s head of firefighting Grigory Kuksin said .
Russia 's Federal Forestry Agency has identified 10.1 million hectares of wildfires raging across the country since the start of the year .
More than half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and over 90 % burned in Siberia and the Russian Far East , it said .
Russian officials said Monday that more than 9,000 fires have destroyed 1.2 million hectares of forests .
Last year ’ s wildfires in Siberia burned across an area the size of Belgium at their peak and emitted the equivalent of Sweden ’ s total annual carbon dioxide emissions in one month alone .
Experts warn that this year ’ s blazes , some of which may be remnants from last summer which survived through a historically warm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most destructive in history .
Climate change is heating Russia at a rate more than twice the global average .
The world ’ s fourth-largest greenhouse gas emitter with an economy heavily dependent on oil and gas , Russia has been slow to take steps to curb its carbon emissions .

Wildfires in Russia have burned across an area larger than the size of Greece so far in 2020, Greenpeace Russia said Monday as it criticized the authorities of inaction. Using satellite data, Greenpeace Russia estimated that 19 million hectares (47 million acres) burned across Russia's forests, steppes and fields from January to mid-July. The country of Greece, by comparison, is more than 13 million hectares in size.
news Russian Wildfire Smoke Choking Siberian Cities Read more
Forest fires — some caused by lightning and others by campfires along river banks — covered 10 million hectares, the environmental NGO said. It called on Russian authorities to accelerate efforts on stopping toxic smoke haze from covering major cities in the region, including Yakutsk, Ugorsk and Sovetsky. “This summer has already brought extreme heat waves, oil spills caused by thawing permafrost, and raging forest fires — what next before we finally act on climate?” Greenpeace Russia’s head of firefighting Grigory Kuksin said. Russia's Federal Forestry Agency has identified 10.1 million hectares of wildfires raging across the country since the start of the year. More than half of the blazes were located in forests and over 90% burned in Siberia and the Russian Far East, it said. Russian officials said Monday that more than 9,000 fires have destroyed 1.2 million hectares of forests.
news Nearly 300 Wildfires in Siberia Amid Record Warm Weather Read more


themoscowtimes--2020-07-20--KFC Tests 3D-Printed Chicken Nuggets in Russia

The fast-food chain and Russia ’ s 3D Bioprinting Solutions , founded by the private medical firm Invitro , announced the partnership Thursday amid a growing global race to find safe and authentic-tasting meat alternatives .
KFC has partnered with a Russian biotech research firm to create the world ’ s first laboratory-produced chicken nuggets this fall .
3D Bioprinting Solutions will use chicken cells and plant material to “ reproduce the taste and texture of chicken meat almost without involving animals , ” while KFC will provide its signature breading and spices .
The ingredients will be “ printed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Solutions ' technology .
The idea of growing meat in labs using animal cells has gained popularity in recent years as consumers worldwide seek more ethical and environmentally sound ways to eat meat without resorting to plant-based meat alternatives .
“ Receiving a final product for testing is already planned for the fall of 2020 in Moscow , ” the Russian company said in a press release .
It was not yet clear when the environmentally friendly nuggets would be available to the public .
KFC Russia ’ s general manager Raisa Polyakova @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ working to make it available to thousands of people in Russia and , if possible , around the world.
” When asked about bioprinting KFC ’ s more popular chicken wings and legs , KFC Russia ’ s communications director Irina Gushchina has said it was not yet possible to reproduce bones inside the meat .
Yusef Khesuani , 3D Bioprinting Solutions ' co-founder and managing partner , said the experiment “ will help accelerate the launch of cell-based meat products on the market.
” Domestically produced cultured meat could appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depending on when it is legalized , according to the Ochakov Food Ingredients Plant , which produced the country ’ s first artificially grown piece of meat last year .

The fast-food chain and Russia’s 3D Bioprinting Solutions, founded by the private medical firm Invitro, announced the partnership Thursday amid a growing global race to find safe and authentic-tasting meat alternatives.
KFC has partnered with a Russian biotech research firm to create the world’s first laboratory-produced chicken nuggets this fall.
3D Bioprinting Solutions will use chicken cells and plant material to “reproduce the taste and texture of chicken meat almost without involving animals,” while KFC will provide its signature breading and spices.
The ingredients will be “printed” into chicken nuggets using 3D Bioprinting Solutions' technology.
The idea of growing meat in labs using animal cells has gained popularity in recent years as consumers worldwide seek more ethical and environmentally sound ways to eat meat without resorting to plant-based meat alternatives.
“Receiving a final product for testing is already planned for the fall of 2020 in Moscow,” the Russian company said in a press release.
It was not yet clear when the environmentally friendly nuggets would be available to the public. KFC Russia’s general manager Raisa Polyakova said in the press release that it was “working to make it available to thousands of people in Russia and, if possible, around the world.”
When asked about bioprinting KFC’s more popular chicken wings and legs, KFC Russia’s communications director Irina Gushchina has said it was not yet possible to reproduce bones inside the meat.
Yusef Khesuani, 3D Bioprinting Solutions' co-founder and managing partner, said the experiment “will help accelerate the launch of cell-based meat products on the market.”
Domestically produced cultured meat could appear on Russian shelves as soon as 2023 depending on when it is legalized, according to the Ochakov Food Ingredients Plant, which produced the country’s first artificially grown piece of meat last year.


themoscowtimes--2020-07-20--The Coronavirus Is Crippling Baikonur, the City That Sends Humans Into Space

In blistering 40-degree-Celsius heat Gulnat Kadirbeyeva drives around the outskirts of Baikonur delivering water and basic medicine to people battling severe coronavirus symptoms at home in cramped tower blocks .
Many are decorated with large murals of rockets , a constant reminder of the city ’ s spaceport that is Russia ’ s launchpad into space .
An administrator at a construction company by day , Kadirbeyeva has been volunteering with three friends since July 13 after seeing many of her neighbors and relatives falling ill and finding themselves unable to get help in the two hospitals treating Covid-19 patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like we are living in a zombie town , so many are ill , people are dying .
We decided to take matters into our own hands and started crowdfunding and delivering goods to homes , ” 24-year old Kadirbeyeva told The Moscow Times by phone .
The U.S.S.R. established Baikonur in the desert steppes of modern-day Kazakhstan in 1955 , at the start of the Cold War space race .
Until recently it was the only launchpad in the world sending piloted flights into space .
A decade later , the Soviets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the space center to cater for its every need .
After the collapse of the Soviet Union , Kazakhstan and Russia ’ s new governments agreed that Moscow would rent Baikonur , and in 2005 the lease was extended until 2050 .
Most of the 40,000 people who live in Baikonur work for Russia ’ s space agency Rosksosmos or provide services for those who do .
While locals like Kadirbeyeva have been witnessing firsthand the impact of the virus on their city for over a month , the outside world first got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation last week , when deputy director of Russia ’ s Federal Biomedical Agency Vladimir Romanov announced that 30 people in Baikonur had died from the virus in June .
A day later , Roscosmos chief Dmitriy Rogozin described the situation in the city as “ very difficult , ” strong words from an official in a country that has been accused of downplaying the threat of the coronavirus .
In interviews with The Moscow Times , medics , Roscosmos staff and other residents of Baikonur painted a grim picture of a city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baikonur ’ s first brush with the coronavirus came when Yevgeny Mikrin , designer general of the Energia aerospace and defense corporation , died from Covid-19 after attending the April 9 launch of a three-man crew to the International Space Station in a Russian capsule .
A month later , Kazakhstan lifted its strict lockdown measures , confident it had the virus under control .
But since then , a second wave of infection has hit , leading the country to be seen as the showcase example of opening up too soon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ country had logged over 70,000 cases and 585 deaths .
Kazakhstan has also registered 234,000 cases of pneumonia this year , 56,809 of them in the first week of July alone .
The World Health Organization believes the pneumonia outbreak , which has killed 3,300 people this year , to be undiagnosed coronavirus cases .
Like the rest of the country , Baikonur has seen a spike in coronavirus cases since early June , apparently brought by seasonal workers from other regions of Kazakhstan .
On June 25 , the Baikonur authorities reinstated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus , putting the city in lockdown and declaring a night curfew .
“ We have been completely overwhelmed , the virus has spread so fast , we did not expect it , ” said a nurse at Baikonur ’ s general hospital .
They said the hospital ’ s total of 70 beds have been filled and there is currently not enough space or equipment to treat patients with coronavirus symptoms .
While the official death count stands at 30 , the nurse said the medical team believes the death count @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 , a local businessman who runs a small transportation company said he has been getting “ unnerving ” daily calls from relatives of the deceased with requests to transport their bodies , as the local funeral industry appears to be unable to deal with the death toll from the virus .
Underscoring the severity of the situation , Russia has over the last two weeks sent three aircraft carrying medical specialists and equipment to Baikonur .
Baikonur ’ s unusual status means that coronavirus statistics are hard to verify .
In normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outsiders , including Kazakhs , need permission to enter .
Under quarantine , checkpoints have been set up to shield the city from the rest of Kazakhstan .
Most of its coronavirus patients are being treated at the Central Medical Hospital run by the Russian Federal Medical Biological Agency , and there is confusion over which country is responsible for registering the coronavirus statistics .
On June 7 , Kazakhstan ’ s Vice-Minister of Healthcare Azhar Giniyat said Baikonur ’ s coronavirus numbers are being included in the county ’ s Kyzylorda region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official online statistics provided by Kazakhstan , The Moscow Times found that Baikonur ’ s official death toll of 30 was not added to the count , as Kyzylorda region ’ s death toll stands at seven .
A search through Russia ’ s official coronavirus registry shows that the country also has n't been including Baikonur in its official count .
Local residents said they feel the city is falling through the cracks .
“ If deaths here aren ’ t counted or registered , which country is ultimately responsible for them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who lost his older brother to the virus told The Moscow Times .
As infection rates increase , signs of tensions between ethnic Kazakhs , who make up to 70 % of the population , and Russians are also brewing .
On social media , ethnic Kazakhs have expressed worries that Russia sent medics to treat the Russian workers at Roscosmos .
“ Once Moscow is done launching its spaceships , they will forget about us again .
No planes , doctors or medicine , ” Similar sentiments were echoed in a WhatsApp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to discuss the city 's response to the virus seen by The Moscow Times .
A medic at the Central Medical Hospital rejected that idea , although they said Roscosmos staff were more likely to have the health insurance needed for treatment at the hospital .
In an attempt to soothe the mood , the head of the city 's administration Konstantin Busygin issued a statement on Friday calling for unity in the city .
“ Sometimes you read discussions about what is happening in town ‘ who is at fault , Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bemused .
Like always , we can only succeed together , ” the statement said .
The show must go on Despite the daily reality in Baikonur , Russia ’ s space chief Rogozin has said the launch of the unmanned Progress MS-15 cargo spacecraft planned for Thursday is going ahead .
“ I am not going to move anything .
I am sure we will have enough specialists and needed resources to complete this launch , ” Rogozin said .
He added that Roscosmos can not delay the launch as it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the daily operation of the ISS station .
On June 10 , Roscosmos issued a statement saying none of its workers have been infected with the virus .
The Moscow Times spoke with three employees at Roscosmos in Baikonur who have been diagnosed with the virus since then , as well as two workers at TsENKI , a subsidiary of Roskosmos .
All five said they are experiencing mild symptoms and self-isolating .
For now , Roscosmos employees are confident the space launchpad will be able to continue its vital work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus will spread through the city .
“ Baikonur city is inseparable from the launchpad .
We have got to get this virus under control or there will be no one left to work there , ” said a Roscosmos engineer .

In blistering 40-degree-Celsius heat Gulnat Kadirbeyeva drives around the outskirts of Baikonur delivering water and basic medicine to people battling severe coronavirus symptoms at home in cramped tower blocks. Many are decorated with large murals of rockets, a constant reminder of the city’s spaceport that is Russia’s launchpad into space. An administrator at a construction company by day, Kadirbeyeva has been volunteering with three friends since July 13 after seeing many of her neighbors and relatives falling ill and finding themselves unable to get help in the two hospitals treating Covid-19 patients in the city. “It feels like we are living in a zombie town, so many are ill, people are dying. We decided to take matters into our own hands and started crowdfunding and delivering goods to homes,” 24-year old Kadirbeyeva told The Moscow Times by phone. The U.S.S.R. established Baikonur in the desert steppes of modern-day Kazakhstan in 1955, at the start of the Cold War space race. Until recently it was the only launchpad in the world sending piloted flights into space. A decade later, the Soviets built a custom-made city 40 kilometers from the space center to cater for its every need. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan and Russia’s new governments agreed that Moscow would rent Baikonur, and in 2005 the lease was extended until 2050. Most of the 40,000 people who live in Baikonur work for Russia’s space agency Rosksosmos or provide services for those who do.
Volunteer Gulnat Kadirbeyeva.
While locals like Kadirbeyeva have been witnessing firsthand the impact of the virus on their city for over a month, the outside world first got a sense of the gravity of the situation last week, when deputy director of Russia’s Federal Biomedical Agency Vladimir Romanov announced that 30 people in Baikonur had died from the virus in June. A day later, Roscosmos chief Dmitriy Rogozin described the situation in the city as “very difficult,” strong words from an official in a country that has been accused of downplaying the threat of the coronavirus. In interviews with The Moscow Times, medics, Roscosmos staff and other residents of Baikonur painted a grim picture of a city in the grip of the coronavirus. Opened too soon Baikonur’s first brush with the coronavirus came when Yevgeny Mikrin, designer general of the Energia aerospace and defense corporation, died from Covid-19 after attending the April 9 launch of a three-man crew to the International Space Station in a Russian capsule. A month later, Kazakhstan lifted its strict lockdown measures, confident it had the virus under control. But since then, a second wave of infection has hit, leading the country to be seen as the showcase example of opening up too soon. As of Monday, the central Asian country had logged over 70,000 cases and 585 deaths. Kazakhstan has also registered 234,000 cases of pneumonia this year, 56,809 of them in the first week of July alone. The World Health Organization believes the pneumonia outbreak, which has killed 3,300 people this year, to be undiagnosed coronavirus cases. Like the rest of the country, Baikonur has seen a spike in coronavirus cases since early June, apparently brought by seasonal workers from other regions of Kazakhstan. On June 25, the Baikonur authorities reinstated strict curbs because of the resurgence of the virus, putting the city in lockdown and declaring a night curfew. “We have been completely overwhelmed, the virus has spread so fast, we did not expect it,” said a nurse at Baikonur’s general hospital. They said the hospital’s total of 70 beds have been filled and there is currently not enough space or equipment to treat patients with coronavirus symptoms. While the official death count stands at 30, the nurse said the medical team believes the death count is above 100.
Esbulat Zhetkergenov, 28, a local businessman who runs a small transportation company said he has been getting “unnerving” daily calls from relatives of the deceased with requests to transport their bodies, as the local funeral industry appears to be unable to deal with the death toll from the virus. Underscoring the severity of the situation, Russia has over the last two weeks sent three aircraft carrying medical specialists and equipment to Baikonur. Blurred responsibility Baikonur’s unusual status means that coronavirus statistics are hard to verify. In normal times the city is closed, and outsiders, including Kazakhs, need permission to enter. Under quarantine, checkpoints have been set up to shield the city from the rest of Kazakhstan. Most of its coronavirus patients are being treated at the Central Medical Hospital run by the Russian Federal Medical Biological Agency, and there is confusion over which country is responsible for registering the coronavirus statistics. On June 7, Kazakhstan’s Vice-Minister of Healthcare Azhar Giniyat said Baikonur’s coronavirus numbers are being included in the county’s Kyzylorda region’s statistics. However, in official online statistics provided by Kazakhstan, The Moscow Times found that Baikonur’s official death toll of 30 was not added to the count, as Kyzylorda region’s death toll stands at seven. A search through Russia’s official coronavirus registry shows that the country also hasn't been including Baikonur in its official count.
news Central Asian Migrants Worst Hit by Coronavirus Job Losses in Russia Read more


themoscowtimes--2020-07-20--‘World’s Most Wanted Man’ Under Russian Intelligence Protection – Reports

Wirecard collapsed in June after admitting that 1.9 billion euros ( $ 2.2 billion ) missing from its accounts likely did not exist , in what auditors said appeared to be an `` elaborate and sophisticated fraud.
” German authorities arrested its ex-CEO and former chief operating officer Jan Marsalek , 40 , is on the run from as many as three Western intelligence agencies .
A top executive of disgraced payments company Wirecard is believed to be in hiding near Moscow under the protection of Russia ’ s GRU military intelligence agency , the German newspaper Handelsblatt reported Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world 's most wanted men , is now apparently in Russia , in a GRU safehouse west of Moscow , says @ handelsblatt citing sources via @ CazeresFlorian https : //t.co/PaKimJNpbv Marsalek is believed to be under GRU supervision in a property west of Moscow , Handelsblatt cited unnamed business , judicial and diplomatic sources as saying .
Germany ’ s Der Spiegel news magazine , the investigative website Bellingcat and Russia ’ s The Insider news website reported this weekend that Marsalek fled to Belarus via Estonia hours after his firing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had virtually no border control since 1995 .
Handelsblatt wrote that current political tensions between Belarus and Russia made it “ too risky ” for the GRU to leave Marsalek in Minsk .
Marsalek has “ often styled himself as a secret agent ” in private conversations and “ must have worked closely with the GRU ” during his visits to war-torn Syria and while making investments in Libya , Handelsblatt reported .
Bellingcat ’ s investigation said that the Austrian citizen made more than 60 trips to Russia over the past decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Frankfurt stock exchange until reports by the Financial Times and other media questioned its business and accounting practices .
The Kremlin said Monday it was unaware of Marsalek ’ s whereabouts .

Wirecard collapsed in June after admitting that 1.9 billion euros ($2.2 billion) missing from its accounts likely did not exist, in what auditors said appeared to be an "elaborate and sophisticated fraud.” German authorities arrested its ex-CEO and former chief operating officer Jan Marsalek, 40, is on the run from as many as three Western intelligence agencies.
A top executive of disgraced payments company Wirecard is believed to be in hiding near Moscow under the protection of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, the German newspaper Handelsblatt reported Sunday.
Jan Marsalek, one of the world's most wanted men, is now apparently in Russia, in a GRU safehouse west of Moscow, says @handelsblatt citing sources via @CazeresFlorian https://t.co/PaKimJNpbv
Marsalek is believed to be under GRU supervision in a property west of Moscow, Handelsblatt cited unnamed business, judicial and diplomatic sources as saying.
Germany’s Der Spiegel news magazine, the investigative website Bellingcat and Russia’s The Insider news website reported this weekend that Marsalek fled to Belarus via Estonia hours after his firing on June 18. Belarus and Russia have had virtually no border control since 1995.
Handelsblatt wrote that current political tensions between Belarus and Russia made it “too risky” for the GRU to leave Marsalek in Minsk.
Marsalek has “often styled himself as a secret agent” in private conversations and “must have worked closely with the GRU” during his visits to war-torn Syria and while making investments in Libya, Handelsblatt reported.
Bellingcat’s investigation said that the Austrian citizen made more than 60 trips to Russia over the past decade.
Wirecard had been a rising star on the Frankfurt stock exchange until reports by the Financial Times and other media questioned its business and accounting practices.
The Kremlin said Monday it was unaware of Marsalek’s whereabouts.
AFP contributed reporting to this article.