themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--Russia to Suspend Flights With UK Amid Mutated Virus Fears

Russia will halt all flights with Britain from midnight Tuesday , joining the growing list of countries to suspend air @ @ @ @ @ concerns of a more-infectious coronavirus strain found there .
Nearly 30 other countries have banned @ @ @ @ @ due to the mutation .
Russia 's travel ban will last for one week , @ @ @ @ @ agency reported .

Russia will halt all flights with Britain from midnight Tuesday, joining the growing list of countries to suspend air travel with the country amid concerns of a more-infectious coronavirus strain found there.
Nearly 30 other countries have banned travel to and from Britain due to the mutation. Russia's travel ban will last for one week, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--Russia Denies Role in U.S. Cyber Attacks

U.S. lawmakers over the weekend urged a tough response to a huge cyber attack on government agencies and criticized U.S. President Donald Trump 's unwillingness to point the finger at Russia which has been widely blamed for the hack .
The Kremlin on Monday denied any role in recent cyber attacks on the United States , saying American accusations that Russia was behind a major security breach lacked evidence .
President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said public debate in Washington about the breaches `` has nothing to do with us . ''
`` Russia is not involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
The attackers managed to breach computer networks using enterprise management network software made by the Texas-based IT company SolarWinds .
U.S. government agencies including the Treasury were among those reportedly affected , but it also hit targets worldwide with the list of victims still emerging , researchers say .
`` Any accusations of Russia 's involvement are absolutely unfounded and are a continuation of blind Russophobia , '' Peskov said .
The Kremlin has previously denied U.S. claims that Russian intelligence was behind cyber attacks targeting Ukraine 's power grid , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Winter Olympic Games among other hacks .

U.S. lawmakers over the weekend urged a tough response to a huge cyber attack on government agencies and criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's unwillingness to point the finger at Russia which has been widely blamed for the hack.
The Kremlin on Monday denied any role in recent cyber attacks on the United States, saying American accusations that Russia was behind a major security breach lacked evidence.
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said public debate in Washington about the breaches "has nothing to do with us."
"Russia is not involved in these attacks," Peskov told reporters Monday.
The attackers managed to breach computer networks using enterprise management network software made by the Texas-based IT company SolarWinds.
U.S. government agencies including the Treasury were among those reportedly affected, but it also hit targets worldwide with the list of victims still emerging, researchers say.
"Any accusations of Russia's involvement are absolutely unfounded and are a continuation of blind Russophobia," Peskov said.
The Kremlin has previously denied U.S. claims that Russian intelligence was behind cyber attacks targeting Ukraine's power grid, the 2017 French election and the 2018 Winter Olympic Games among other hacks.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--Alexander Kurlyandsky, Creator of 'Nu, Pogodi!',  Dead at 82

Alexander Kurlyandsky , creator of the `` Nu , Pogodi ! ''
( `` Just You Wait ! ''
) cartoon series and dozen of other popular animated films , died on Dec. 20 at the age of 82 .
There was no information about cause of death .
Kurlyandsky created the cartoon series about the Wolf chasing after the much more clever Hare in 1969 .
The cartoons have almost no dialog except for the Wolf 's `` Just you wait ! ''
after another unsuccesfull attempt at catching the Hare .
He went on to write 20 series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2014 `` Nu , Pogodi ! ''
was voted the most popular cartoon series of all time in Russia .
Over the course of his long career , Kurlyandsky created and wrote over 40 animated series , including `` The Return of the Prodigal Parrot '' starring Kesha , and `` The Great Gosha , '' a series for adults about a Soviet everyman .
He also wrote for the children 's show `` Yeralash . ''
In addition to his prolific work for the small screen , Kurlyandsky wrote many books for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a book of scifi short stories called `` Last Champion '' with Eduard Uspendsky .
Below is a New Year 's series of `` Nu , Pogodi ! ''

Alexander Kurlyandsky, creator of the "Nu, Pogodi!" ("Just You Wait!") cartoon series and dozen of other popular animated films, died on Dec. 20 at the age of 82. There was no information about cause of death.
Kurlyandsky created the cartoon series about the Wolf chasing after the much more clever Hare in 1969. The cartoons have almost no dialog except for the Wolf's "Just you wait!" after another unsuccessful attempt at catching the Hare. He went on to write 20 series, which ran until 2006. In 2014 "Nu, Pogodi!" was voted the most popular cartoon series of all time in Russia.
Over the course of his long career, Kurlyandsky created and wrote over 40 animated series, including "The Return of the Prodigal Parrot" starring Kesha, and "The Great Gosha," a series for adults about a Soviet everyman. He also wrote for the children's show "Yeralash."
In addition to his prolific work for the small screen, Kurlyandsky wrote many books for children as well as adults, include a book of scifi short stories called "Last Champion" with Eduard Uspendsky.
Below is a New Year's series of "Nu, Pogodi!"


themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--6-Year-Old Russian Girl Named Among Top-Earning YouTubers for Second Year

Hailing from southern Russia , Radzinskaya broke the internet with her videos of unboxing toys , visiting amusement parks and having playdates .
At just 6 years old , Anastasia Radzinskaya has made the Forbes list of high-earning YouTubers once again .
She ranks in 7th place on this year ’ s Forbes ranking with estimated earnings of $ 18.5 million , a four-spot drop from 2019 when she came in third with earnings of $ 18 million .
Much of her earnings come through partnerships with brands like Legoland and Dannon , Forbes said .
Radzinskaya , who goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Krasnodar , where doctors diagnosed her with cerebral palsy ; her parents feared she might not be able to talk .
She and her parents eventually moved to Florida and entered the lucrative world of children ’ s YouTube — to massive success .
Today , Nastya has 190.6 million subscribers across her multiple YouTube channels , with her Russian-English language “ Like Nastya ” channel boasting 65.9 million subscribers as of Monday .
Most of her videos feature her father Yuri .
Nastya also has 3 million followers on TikTok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ licensing program , according to Forbes .
Nine-year old Ryan Kaji outearned Nastya once again this year by bringing in between $ 29.5 million and $ 12.2 billion from June 2019 and June 2020 , according to Forbes estimates .
Kaji has been named the highest earner on YouTube by Forbes for two years in a row .
This year , even some adults making kid-oriented videos appeared on the Forbes list .
Thirty-two-year-old Stevin John , who goes by the nickname Blippi on YouTube , came in eighth place right after Nastya @ @ @ @

Hailing from southern Russia, Radzinskaya broke the internet with her videos of unboxing toys, visiting amusement parks and having playdates.
At just 6 years old, Anastasia Radzinskaya has made the Forbes list of high-earning YouTubers once again.
She ranks in 7th place on this year’s Forbes ranking with estimated earnings of $18.5 million, a four-spot drop from 2019 when she came in third with earnings of $18 million. Much of her earnings come through partnerships with brands like Legoland and Dannon, Forbes said.
Radzinskaya, who goes by Nastya, was born in the city of Krasnodar, where doctors diagnosed her with cerebral palsy; her parents feared she might not be able to talk. She and her parents eventually moved to Florida and entered the lucrative world of children’s YouTube — to massive success.
Today, Nastya has 190.6 million subscribers across her multiple YouTube channels, with her Russian-English language “Like Nastya” channel boasting 65.9 million subscribers as of Monday.
Most of her videos feature her father Yuri. Nastya also has 3 million followers on TikTok and is planning to launch her own licensing program, according to Forbes.
Nine-year old Ryan Kaji outearned Nastya once again this year by bringing in between $29.5 million and $12.2 billion from June 2019 and June 2020, according to Forbes estimates. Kaji has been named the highest earner on YouTube by Forbes for two years in a row.
This year, even some adults making kid-oriented videos appeared on the Forbes list. Thirty-two-year-old Stevin John, who goes by the nickname Blippi on YouTube, came in eighth place right after Nastya on the list.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--Moscow School Survey Tests Teachers’ Political Loyalty – Reports

The survey asks teachers whether they participated in pro-Kremlin or opposition rallies in recent years , as well as whether they backed coups to achieve political change , Dozhd reported .
The teachers are also reportedly asked whether they discuss current global and national events with their students .
Public schools across Moscow have received a survey that measures their teachers ’ political activity and loyalty to the authorities , the independent Dozhd broadcaster reported Sunday .
Citing two unnamed teachers , the outlet said that superintendents are pressing their subordinates to take the survey authored by the Russian Presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( RANEPA ) .
“ This questionnaire is one of the hottest news [ items ] in the professional community , ” Dozhd quoted Dmitry Rogozin , principal investigator at RANEPA ’ s survey research methodology lab , as saying .
The Moscow Education Department said Monday that it was not involved in RANEPA ’ s survey , the state-run TASS news agency reported .
“ The Department of Education did not send these questions to the schools , ” it said , adding that RANEPA had chosen the questions and is processing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey comes amid record low popularity for the ruling elites and follows survey results showing support for President Vladimir Putin dropping by half among young voters in the past year .

The survey asks teachers whether they participated in pro-Kremlin or opposition rallies in recent years, as well as whether they backed coups to achieve political change, Dozhd reported. The teachers are also reportedly asked whether they discuss current global and national events with their students.
Public schools across Moscow have received a survey that measures their teachers’ political activity and loyalty to the authorities, the independent Dozhd broadcaster reported Sunday.
Citing two unnamed teachers, the outlet said that superintendents are pressing their subordinates to take the survey authored by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA).
“This questionnaire is one of the hottest news [items] in the professional community,” Dozhd quoted Dmitry Rogozin, principal investigator at RANEPA’s survey research methodology lab, as saying.
The Moscow Education Department said Monday that it was not involved in RANEPA’s survey, the state-run TASS news agency reported.
“The Department of Education did not send these questions to the schools,” it said, adding that RANEPA had chosen the questions and is processing results independently.
The teachers’ loyalty survey comes amid record low popularity for the ruling elites and follows survey results showing support for President Vladimir Putin dropping by half among young voters in the past year.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--Russia Plays Down Britain’s Infectious Coronavirus Strain

Britain announced a strict lockdown in several parts of the country just ahead of the Christmas holiday after the mutation , which is up to 70 % more infectious than previous variants , was found to be spreading quickly throughout London as well as southeast and eastern England .
Russian disease specialists and other medical experts say concerns over a new , more infectious coronavirus strain in Britain are overblown as the country has so far resisted the global scramble to block flights from the United Kingdom .
Further studies are needed to determine whether the new strain will become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Novosibirsk-based Federal Research Center of Fundamental and Translational Medicine ’ s Department of Experimental Modeling and Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases .
“ The virus mutates at a high rate all the time , ” Shetsopalov told Interfax .
“ The mortality rate of the disease it causes doesn ’ t change and stays within the 1-3 % range.
” While at least 27 countries have halted flights to and from Britain over the concerns , Russian state media report that passengers are disembarking from London-Moscow flights “ as normal.
” Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state media that the situation with flights from Britain is “ under control.
” Cardiologist and former head of Russia ’ s Covid-19 information center Alexander Myasnikov called the dozens of other countries ’ travel bans “ absolutely meaningless.
” “ This ‘ new ’ mutation has been known there since September , ” Myasnikov wrote on social media .
“ This means that this new mutation has long since crossed the English borders.
” Doctor of medical science Viktor Zuev said he was “ surprised ” the virus took this long to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal ” given its global reach .
Coronavirus vaccines rolled out in countries including Russia should still retain their useful properties because the mutated virus has kept its antigenicity , or recognition by immune antibodies , Zuev told The Moscow Times .
But he and other Russian colleagues have also welcomed the idea of Russia imposing a travel ban similar to those imposed around the world toward Britain .
“ While our task force says the issue is under control… some oligarch or mid-level official is already bringing us a fresh portion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruined by restrictions , ” State Duma lawmaker Dmitry Ionin wrote on social media .

Britain announced a strict lockdown in several parts of the country just ahead of the Christmas holiday after the mutation, which is up to 70% more infectious than previous variants, was found to be spreading quickly throughout London as well as southeast and eastern England.
Russian disease specialists and other medical experts say concerns over a new, more infectious coronavirus strain in Britain are overblown as the country has so far resisted the global scramble to block flights from the United Kingdom.
Further studies are needed to determine whether the new strain will become dominant, said Alexander Shestopalov, head of the Novosibirsk-based Federal Research Center of Fundamental and Translational Medicine’s Department of Experimental Modeling and Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases.
“The virus mutates at a high rate all the time,” Shetsopalov told Interfax. “The mortality rate of the disease it causes doesn’t change and stays within the 1-3% range.”
While at least 27 countries have halted flights to and from Britain over the concerns, Russian state media report that passengers are disembarking from London-Moscow flights “as normal.” Russia’s national Covid-19 task force told state media that the situation with flights from Britain is “under control.”
Cardiologist and former head of Russia’s Covid-19 information center Alexander Myasnikov called the dozens of other countries’ travel bans “absolutely meaningless.”
“This ‘new’ mutation has been known there since September,” Myasnikov wrote on social media. “This means that this new mutation has long since crossed the English borders.”
Doctor of medical science Viktor Zuev said he was “surprised” the virus took this long to mutate, but called the process “normal” given its global reach.
Coronavirus vaccines rolled out in countries including Russia should still retain their useful properties because the mutated virus has kept its antigenicity, or recognition by immune antibodies, Zuev told The Moscow Times.
But he and other Russian colleagues have also welcomed the idea of Russia imposing a travel ban similar to those imposed around the world toward Britain.
“While our task force says the issue is under control… some oligarch or mid-level official is already bringing us a fresh portion of Covid called N501Y after a British weekend ruined by restrictions,” State Duma lawmaker Dmitry Ionin wrote on social media.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--Kremlin Voices 'Serious Concern' Over C.Africa Crisis

The Kremlin said Monday it was closely following the crisis unfolding in the Central African Republic after the government alleged an attempted coup ahead of elections this week .
President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman Dmitry Peskov however did not comment on reports earlier Monday that Russia had dispatched `` hundreds '' of troops to the impoverished country .
`` We are of course monitoring and analyzing the situation , '' Peskov told reporters , describing the crisis as `` a cause for serious concern . ''
The Russian Foreign and Defense Ministries did not provide an immediate comment on reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AFP .
The Central African Republic said Monday that Russia and Rwanda had sent in hundreds of troops after an alleged coup bid ahead of weekend presidential and parliamentary polls .
The government in the deeply unstable country on Saturday accused former president Francois Bozize of an attempted putsch after three powerful rebel groups merged and started to advance on the capital Bangui .
`` Russia has sent several hundred soldiers and heavy weapons '' in the framework of a bilateral cooperation agreement , government spokesman Ange Maxime Kazagui said .
During the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of client states in Africa .
Under President Vladimir Putin , Russia has sought to expand its footprint on the continent , with analysts pointing to the presence in several countries of the pro-Kremlin mercenary group Wagner .
Moscow has been leading a vast diplomatic and financial offensive in the former French colony since 2018 in return for major concessions to Russian companies for the exploitation of minerals , particularly gold and diamonds .

The Kremlin said Monday it was closely following the crisis unfolding in the Central African Republic after the government alleged an attempted coup ahead of elections this week.
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov however did not comment on reports earlier Monday that Russia had dispatched "hundreds" of troops to the impoverished country.
"We are of course monitoring and analyzing the situation," Peskov told reporters, describing the crisis as "a cause for serious concern."
The Russian Foreign and Defense Ministries did not provide an immediate comment on reports of the troop deployment when reached by AFP.
The Central African Republic said Monday that Russia and Rwanda had sent in hundreds of troops after an alleged coup bid ahead of weekend presidential and parliamentary polls.
The government in the deeply unstable country on Saturday accused former president Francois Bozize of an attempted putsch after three powerful rebel groups merged and started to advance on the capital Bangui.
"Russia has sent several hundred soldiers and heavy weapons" in the framework of a bilateral cooperation agreement, government spokesman Ange Maxime Kazagui said.
During the Soviet Union, Moscow supported a number of client states in Africa.
Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has sought to expand its footprint on the continent, with analysts pointing to the presence in several countries of the pro-Kremlin mercenary group Wagner.
Moscow has been leading a vast diplomatic and financial offensive in the former French colony since 2018 in return for major concessions to Russian companies for the exploitation of minerals, particularly gold and diamonds.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--A Feminist Pro-Kremlin Lawmaker Who Supports LGBT Rights

When Oksana Pushkina was named one of the BBC ’ s women of the year on Nov. 23 , it raised eyebrows among her fellow deputies in Russia ’ s State Duma .
“ Some of my colleagues told me that it ’ s clear now — I ’ m obviously a foreign agent , ” she joked in an interview with the internet television channel Dozhd .
Appearing on Dozhd — an independent channel with an opposition-minded audience — was fitting for Pushkina .
A self-described feminist with pro-LGBT and pro-choice views , the charismatic former television host is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia ’ s parliament .
She is also a firm supporter of President Vladimir Putin and an elected representative of his United Russia party .
With Russia ’ s turn to social conservatism deepening and its parliament increasingly stripped of power , that makes her one of the most distinctive voices in Russian politics today .
“ Oksana is in many ways unique , ” said Yekaterina Schulmann , a political scientist who studies the Russian legislature .
This year alone Pushkina — who remains loyal to the Kremlin on the big questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned against the “ Polish path ” of abortion restrictions , signalled openness to same sex marriage and suggested that stay-at-home parents should be paid by the state .
Yet despite her contrarian views , Pushkina denies being anything other than a true supporter of the Russian government .
“ Even though it seems like it , I ’ m not part of the opposition and my views are not at all oppositional .
They are just common sense , ” she told The Moscow Times .
For Pushkina , born in 1963 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finnish border , liberal politics are a natural product of her background .
Graduating from Leningrad State University ’ s journalism faculty in 1985 , Pushkina embarked on a television career just as Mikhail Gorbachev ’ s breakneck liberalization of the Soviet Union was unfolding .
The anarchic , freewheeling spirit of Perestroika was formative to her politics .
“ Since then I ’ ve always valued pluralism and had a respect for differing opinions , ” she said .
Likewise , Pushkina ’ s feminism — which in 2018 made her the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Slutsky after he was accused of sexually harassing journalists — is rooted in her own experience of late Soviet television .
“ It was all very simple , ” she told television presenter Tina Kandelaki in December .
“ You would come to the office and the director would tell you that if you sleep with him you ’ ll get onto the staff.
” Most influential , however , were four years spent working in San Francisco in the mid-1990s .
Against the backdrop of America ’ s then-nascent religious right gaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radical fringes resorting to violence — Pushkina developed a lasting distaste for politics mixed with religion .
“ I saw in the 1990s how American radicals would blow up clinics and murder doctors who performed abortions .
At the time , Russia was in an appalling economic crisis , but I couldn ’ t even imagine such things happening here.
” Today , with Russia ’ s own religious right on the rise and advocating restrictions on homosexuality and abortion , Pushkina described a feeling of “ deja vu.
” “ All the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see in Russia now.
” This year , having been targeted in the courts by Orthodox fundamentalist groups for her support of a bill to re-criminalize domestic violence , Pushkina suggested that draconian new laws criminalizing “ foreign agents ” in Russia — which she supported in the Duma — be deployed against the pro-Kremlin conservatives she accuses of receiving support from America ’ s Christian right .
“ I am for preserving and strengthening the current political system , ” she said .
“ I see the real threat to the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home in 1998 , Pushkina landed a show on NTV , then Russia ’ s most popular television channel , known for its hard-hitting reporting .
“ Oksana Pushkina ’ s Feminine View , ” the program she hosted from 1999 to 2013 , was a Russian take on western talk show formats .
It was , however , in its own way radical .
Focusing on ordinary women and children mistreated by abusive or absent relatives and spouses , Pushkina cast light on the systemic disadvantages suffered by women in Russian society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows , ” said Alyona Popova , a feminist activist who has worked with Pushkina on anti-domestic violence legislation .
“ Her interviews always had a very clear feminist message , focusing on issues that affected women.
” With the rise to power of Vladimir Putin , NTV was forcibly taken over by Gazprom .
With it came a pro-Kremlin shift in the station ’ s editorial line .
Even so , as one of Russia ’ s most prominent television hosts in an increasingly government-controlled broadcasting sphere , Pushkina — a self-described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her coverage overlapping with Kremlin political priorities .
In 2004 , ahead of a Ukrainian presidential election that would grow into the Orange Revolution , Pushkina ’ s program , widely watched by Russian-speaking Ukrainians , featured a flattering profile of pro-Moscow candidate Viktor Yanukovych , who was portrayed as a loving family man .
In 2011 , Ramzan Kadyrov , the pro-Kremlin leader of Chechnya who has since been accused of overseeing violent purges of gay men in the autonomous republic , received similar treatment on Pushkina ’ s program .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to serve as Moscow Region Commissioner for Children ’ s Rights , a move into politics made sense .
Russian political parties , often widely unpopular among the electorate , regularly recruit celebrity candidates to burnish their images , especially in the single-member constituencies from which half the Duma ’ s members are elected .
With famous cosmonauts , musicians and war heroes among her colleagues , Pushkina was among friends in parliament .
But in other ways Pushkina , who in 2016 was elected Duma deputy for the 122nd district , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elite Rublyovka suburb where Vladimir Putin has his official residence , is unique within the Duma .
Russia ’ s parliament is often seen as a political irrelevance , populated by deputies for whom loyalty to the Kremlin trumps political conviction .
“ Most deputies have at least some obscure issues they ’ re interested in , ” said Schulmann , the political scientist .
“ It might be some niche cause , or procuring favors for one business interest or other.
” “ Oksana is different .
She has a clear political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of society , and has the publicity skills to communicate that position.
” For Pushkina herself , the decision to go into politics was driven by the issues of family law , children ’ s rights and domestic violence that had characterised her television career .
“ I came to the conclusion that many of the problems in the fields of maternity and children ’ s law are ultimately systemic , rooted in the failings of existing laws , ” she said .
Likewise , Pushkina ’ s decision to run for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by pragmatism , rather than conviction .
“ I didn ’ t consider running for any other party because only United Russia made me an offer , ” she said .
As part of United Russia ’ s Duma supermajority , Pushkina has enjoyed rapid advancement , becoming vice chair of the committee for families , women and children ’ s issues , a position that offers a pulpit for her views .
“ Speaking as part of the Duma majority certainly gives more visibility to her stance , ” said Schulmann .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with United Russia is understable .
Despite her deviation from the party line , she remains supportive of the Russian government and aims to achieve her goals through it .
“ I might seem like an opposition figure , but in reality I have always been , and remain , part of the political system , ” she said .
In some ways , Pushkina ’ s career is an acid test for Russia ’ s authoritarian political system : whether or not a high-profile , independent-minded lawmaker can successfully use the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while still remaining loyal to the government .
So far , her results have been mixed .
Of the seven bills Pushkina has introduced since 2016 , only two have made it into law .
Pushkina herself is clear-eyed about the prospects that her flagship bill re-criminalizing domestic violence will make it to the president ’ s desk .
“ Today , conservatism is dominant in Russian politics and the majority of Duma deputies are of a puritanical persuasion , ” she said .
“ The current balance of power in parliament means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passage.
” For some , however , focusing purely on legislation misses the point .
“ Oksana is someone who can use her platform to make sure her liberal views are represented within the gloomy and rigid but fragile system , ” said Konstantin Dobrynin , a former senator and lawyer who has represented Pushkina in her legal battles against far-right Orthodox groups .
In this sense , she is succeeding .
According to one index of Russian deputies ’ effectiveness , Pushkina is consistently among the most media-friendly lawmakers , being ranked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputy in July 2020 .
Even so , with Russian public opinion heavily conservative on issues of gender and sexuality and the political establishment mostly unreceptive , Pushkina ’ s future trajectory is unclear .
“ Oksana is much more optimistic about achieving change from within the system than I am , ” said Alyona Popova , the feminist activist and domestic violence campaigner .
“ Maybe if we had 30 more like her in the Duma , things would be different .
But we don ’ t .
”

When Oksana Pushkina was named one of the BBC’s women of the year on Nov. 23, it raised eyebrows among her fellow deputies in Russia’s State Duma. “Some of my colleagues told me that it’s clear now — I’m obviously a foreign agent,” she joked in an interview with the internet television channel Dozhd. Appearing on Dozhd — an independent channel with an opposition-minded audience — was fitting for Pushkina. A self-described feminist with pro-LGBT and pro-choice views, the charismatic former television host is by far the most prominent liberal in Russia’s parliament. She is also a firm supporter of President Vladimir Putin and an elected representative of his United Russia party. With Russia’s turn to social conservatism deepening and its parliament increasingly stripped of power, that makes her one of the most distinctive voices in Russian politics today. “Oksana is in many ways unique,” said Yekaterina Schulmann, a political scientist who studies the Russian legislature. “She enjoys an unusual degree of independence.” This year alone Pushkina — who remains loyal to the Kremlin on the big questions of foreign and domestic policy — has warned against the “Polish path” of abortion restrictions, signalled openness to same sex marriage and suggested that stay-at-home parents should be paid by the state. Yet despite her contrarian views, Pushkina denies being anything other than a true supporter of the Russian government. “Even though it seems like it, I’m not part of the opposition and my views are not at all oppositional. They are just common sense,” she told The Moscow Times.
For Pushkina, born in 1963 in the city of Petrozavodsk near the Finnish border, liberal politics are a natural product of her background. Graduating from Leningrad State University’s journalism faculty in 1985, Pushkina embarked on a television career just as Mikhail Gorbachev’s breakneck liberalization of the Soviet Union was unfolding. The anarchic, freewheeling spirit of Perestroika was formative to her politics. “Since then I’ve always valued pluralism and had a respect for differing opinions,” she said. Likewise, Pushkina’s feminism — which in 2018 made her the only Duma deputy to denounce vice-speaker Leonid Slutsky after he was accused of sexually harassing journalists — is rooted in her own experience of late Soviet television. “It was all very simple,” she told television presenter Tina Kandelaki in December. “You would come to the office and the director would tell you that if you sleep with him you’ll get onto the staff.” Most influential, however, were four years spent working in San Francisco in the mid-1990s. Against the backdrop of America’s then-nascent religious right gaining influence and popularity — and with its radical fringes resorting to violence — Pushkina developed a lasting distaste for politics mixed with religion. “I saw in the 1990s how American radicals would blow up clinics and murder doctors who performed abortions. At the time, Russia was in an appalling economic crisis, but I couldn’t even imagine such things happening here.” Today, with Russia’s own religious right on the rise and advocating restrictions on homosexuality and abortion, Pushkina described a feeling of “deja vu.” “All the worst things I saw in America I see in Russia now.” This year, having been targeted in the courts by Orthodox fundamentalist groups for her support of a bill to re-criminalize domestic violence, Pushkina suggested that draconian new laws criminalizing “foreign agents” in Russia — which she supported in the Duma — be deployed against the pro-Kremlin conservatives she accuses of receiving support from America’s Christian right. “I am for preserving and strengthening the current political system,” she said. “I see the real threat to the state coming from radical conservative groups.”
news Russia Faces Up to Its Dark Domestic Violence Problem Read more


themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday downplayed a massive cyberattack on U.S. government agencies , declaring it `` under control '' and undercutting the assessment by his own administration that Russia was to blame .
Trump 's response was in sharp contradiction to comments a day earlier from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , who had said the breach was `` pretty clearly '' Russia 's work .
CNN said White House officials had made plans Friday to release a statement directly blaming Russia , before it was abruptly pulled back for unclear reasons .
President Vladimir Putin on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spies amid the controversy surrounding the work of the country 's security services .
Putin praised Russian security agents after an investigative report claimed last week that members of the FSB intelligence were behind the poisoning of top opposition leader Alexei Navalny with Novichok , a Soviet-designed nerve agent .
Putin ’ s remarks came on a visit to the headquarters of the Foreign Intelligence Service ( SVR ) to mark its 100th birthday .
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Belarus on Sunday as they sought to keep the pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re-election .
The Viasna rights group said more than 100 people were detained in Minsk and other cities .

‘Under control’
U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday downplayed a massive cyberattack on U.S. government agencies, declaring it "under control" and undercutting the assessment by his own administration that Russia was to blame.
Trump's response was in sharp contradiction to comments a day earlier from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who had said the breach was "pretty clearly" Russia's work. CNN said White House officials had made plans Friday to release a statement directly blaming Russia, before it was abruptly pulled back for unclear reasons.
Job well done
President Vladimir Putin on Sunday hailed the country's "courageous" spies amid the controversy surrounding the work of the country's security services.
Putin praised Russian security agents after an investigative report claimed last week that members of the FSB intelligence were behind the poisoning of top opposition leader Alexei Navalny with Novichok, a Soviet-designed nerve agent. Putin’s remarks came on a visit to the headquarters of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) to mark its 100th birthday.
‘People’s tribunal’
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Belarus on Sunday as they sought to keep the pressure on President Alexander Lukashenko over his contested re-election.
The Viasna rights group said more than 100 people were detained in Minsk and other cities.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-19--U.S. Planning to Close Last Consulates in Russia

Donald Trump 's outgoing administration is planning to close the two remaining U.S. consulates in Russia , the State Department confirmed Saturday , as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office amid high tensions with Moscow .
The U.S. will close its consulate in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok and suspend operations at its post in Yekaterinburg , a department spokesperson told AFP .
The decision followed consultation with Ambassador John Sullivan and was part of `` efforts to ensure the safe and secure operation of the U.S. diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation , '' the spokesperson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter to Congress this month said the move was a response to `` ongoing staffing challenges for the U.S. Mission in Russia in the wake of the 2017 Russian-imposed personnel cap on the U.S .
Mission . ''
Ten diplomats assigned to the consulates will reportedly be relocated to the US embassy in Moscow , while 33 local staff will lose their jobs .
The State Department did not confirm the numbers involved but said the `` resulting realignment of personnel at U.S. Embassy Moscow will allow us to advance our foreign policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and safe manner possible .
`` No action related to the Russian consulates in the United States is planned , '' the spokesperson added .
The closures would leave the embassy in Moscow as the United States ' last diplomatic mission in Russia .
Moscow ordered the closure of the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg in March 2018 during a diplomatic spat sparked by the poisoning of Sergei Skripal on British soil .
It was unclear whether the closures would happen before Jan. 20 , when President-elect Biden takes office .
Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` pretty clearly '' behind a devastating cyberattack on several U.S. government agencies that security experts said could allow attackers unfettered access to critical IT systems and electric power grids .
Yohannes Abraham , executive director for the Biden transition team , said the hack was of `` great concern '' and that the Biden administration would meet any cyberattacks with a response inflicting `` substantial cost . ''
Russia has denied any involvement in the incident .

Donald Trump's outgoing administration is planning to close the two remaining U.S. consulates in Russia, the State Department confirmed Saturday, as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office amid high tensions with Moscow.
The U.S. will close its consulate in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok and suspend operations at its post in Yekaterinburg, a department spokesperson told AFP.
The decision followed consultation with Ambassador John Sullivan and was part of "efforts to ensure the safe and secure operation of the U.S. diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation," the spokesperson said.
CNN reported that a State Department letter to Congress this month said the move was a response to "ongoing staffing challenges for the U.S. Mission in Russia in the wake of the 2017 Russian-imposed personnel cap on the U.S. Mission."
Ten diplomats assigned to the consulates will reportedly be relocated to the US embassy in Moscow, while 33 local staff will lose their jobs.
The State Department did not confirm the numbers involved but said the "resulting realignment of personnel at U.S. Embassy Moscow will allow us to advance our foreign policy interests in Russia in the most effective and safe manner possible.
"No action related to the Russian consulates in the United States is planned," the spokesperson added.
The closures would leave the embassy in Moscow as the United States' last diplomatic mission in Russia.
Moscow ordered the closure of the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg in March 2018 during a diplomatic spat sparked by the poisoning of Sergei Skripal on British soil.
It was unclear whether the closures would happen before Jan. 20, when President-elect Biden takes office.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday that Russia was "pretty clearly" behind a devastating cyberattack on several U.S. government agencies that security experts said could allow attackers unfettered access to critical IT systems and electric power grids.
Yohannes Abraham, executive director for the Biden transition team, said the hack was of "great concern" and that the Biden administration would meet any cyberattacks with a response inflicting "substantial cost."
Russia has denied any involvement in the incident.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-19--Pompeo Blames Russia for Massive U.S. Cyberattack

Russia was `` pretty clearly '' behind a devastating cyberattack on several U.S. government agencies that also hit targets worldwide , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said .
Microsoft said late Thursday that it had notified more than 40 customers hit by the malware , which security experts say could allow attackers unfettered network access to key government systems and electric power grids and other utilities .
`` There was a significant effort to use a piece of third-party software to essentially embed code inside of U.S. government systems , '' Pompeo told The Mark Levin Show on Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I think it 's the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity . ''
Roughly 80 percent of the affected customers are located in the United States , Microsoft president Brad Smith said in a blog post , with victims also found in Belgium , Britain , Canada , Israel , Mexico , Spain and the United Arab Emirates .
`` It 's certain that the number and location of victims will keep growing , '' Smith said , echoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the serious threat from the attack .
`` This is not 'espionage as usual , ' even in the digital age , '' Smith said .
`` Instead , it represents an act of recklessness that created a serious technological vulnerability for the United States and the world . ''
John Dickson of the security firm Denim Group said many private sector companies which could be vulnerable were scrambling to shore up security , even to the point of considering rebuilding servers and other equipment .
`` Everyone is in damage assessment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Dickson said .
`` It 's a severe body blow to confidence both in government and critical infrastructure . ''
The threat comes from a long-running attack which is believed to have injected malware into computer networks using enterprise management network software made by the Texas-based IT company SolarWinds , with the hallmarks of a nation-state attack .
James Lewis , vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies , said the attack may end up being the worst to hit the United States , eclipsing the 2014 hack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese infiltration .
`` The scale is daunting .
We do n't know what has been taken so that is one of the tasks for forensics , '' Lewis said .
`` We also do n't know what 's been left behind .
The normal practice is to leave something behind so they can get back in , in the future . ''

Russia was "pretty clearly" behind a devastating cyberattack on several U.S. government agencies that also hit targets worldwide, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
Microsoft said late Thursday that it had notified more than 40 customers hit by the malware, which security experts say could allow attackers unfettered network access to key government systems and electric power grids and other utilities.
"There was a significant effort to use a piece of third-party software to essentially embed code inside of U.S. government systems," Pompeo told The Mark Levin Show on Friday.
"This was a very significant effort, and I think it's the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity."
Roughly 80 percent of the affected customers are located in the United States, Microsoft president Brad Smith said in a blog post, with victims also found in Belgium, Britain, Canada, Israel, Mexico, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.
"It's certain that the number and location of victims will keep growing," Smith said, echoing concerns voiced this week by U.S. officials on the serious threat from the attack.
"This is not 'espionage as usual,' even in the digital age," Smith said.
"Instead, it represents an act of recklessness that created a serious technological vulnerability for the United States and the world."
John Dickson of the security firm Denim Group said many private sector companies which could be vulnerable were scrambling to shore up security, even to the point of considering rebuilding servers and other equipment.
"Everyone is in damage assessment now because it's so big," Dickson said. "It's a severe body blow to confidence both in government and critical infrastructure."
The threat comes from a long-running attack which is believed to have injected malware into computer networks using enterprise management network software made by the Texas-based IT company SolarWinds, with the hallmarks of a nation-state attack.
James Lewis, vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the attack may end up being the worst to hit the United States, eclipsing the 2014 hack of US government personnel records in a suspected Chinese infiltration.
"The scale is daunting. We don't know what has been taken so that is one of the tasks for forensics," Lewis said.
"We also don't know what's been left behind. The normal practice is to leave something behind so they can get back in, in the future."


themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--Navalny Call With Suspected Agent a 'Provocation': FSB

Russia 's Federal Security Service ( FSB ) on Monday said Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny 's phone call with a @ @ @ @ @ poisoning was a `` provocation '' carried out with help from foreign security services .
@ @ @ @ @ news agencies , the FSB described the call `` about the alleged actions against '' @ @ @ @ @ provocation aimed at discrediting the FSB , '' adding that the phone conversation would not @ @ @ @ @ `` support of foreign special services . ''
It added that a video of Navalny @ @ @ @ @ fake . ''

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) on Monday said Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's phone call with a suspected FSB agent discussing his poisoning was a "provocation" carried out with help from foreign security services.
In a statement to Russian news agencies, the FSB described the call "about the alleged actions against" Navalny as a "planned provocation aimed at discrediting the FSB," adding that the phone conversation would not have been possible without the "support of foreign special services."
It added that a video of Navalny conducting the conversation was "fake."


themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--Russia Says 'Not Sending Troops' to C.Africa

Russia 's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov on Monday rejected a claim that the country had sent troops to the Central African Republic after an alleged attempted coup .
`` We are not sending troops , we are complying with all UN resolutions , '' the Interfax news agency cited Bogdanov as saying .
The CAR government said earlier Monday that Russia , along with Rwanda , had sent in hundreds of troops after three powerful rebel groups merged and started to advance on the capital Bangui .
While Bodganov denied that Russia was deploying troops in CAR , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instructors to the troubled country under a cooperation agreement .
`` So our people are there , naturally , '' he added .
Earlier , Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not comment about the CAR claim on the troop deployment , although he described the political crisis there as a `` cause for serious concern '' .
When reached by AFP the Russian defense ministry did not give an immediate comment .
The deputy foreign minister also told Interfax that CAR 's presidential election would take place as planned on December 27 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` disrupt '' them .
Russia in recent years has sought to increase its clout in Africa , with analysts pointing to the presence in several countries of the pro-Kremlin mercenary group Wagner .
In CAR , Moscow has been leading a vast diplomatic and financial offensive since 2018 in return for major concessions to Russian companies for the exploitation of minerals , particularly gold and diamonds .

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov on Monday rejected a claim that the country had sent troops to the Central African Republic after an alleged attempted coup.
"We are not sending troops, we are complying with all UN resolutions," the Interfax news agency cited Bogdanov as saying.
The CAR government said earlier Monday that Russia, along with Rwanda, had sent in hundreds of troops after three powerful rebel groups merged and started to advance on the capital Bangui.
While Bodganov denied that Russia was deploying troops in CAR, he noted that it has previously sent military instructors to the troubled country under a cooperation agreement.
"So our people are there, naturally," he added.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not comment about the CAR claim on the troop deployment, although he described the political crisis there as a "cause for serious concern".
When reached by AFP the Russian defense ministry did not give an immediate comment.
The deputy foreign minister also told Interfax that CAR's presidential election would take place as planned on December 27, despite "destructive forces" trying to "disrupt" them.
Russia in recent years has sought to increase its clout in Africa, with analysts pointing to the presence in several countries of the pro-Kremlin mercenary group Wagner.
In CAR, Moscow has been leading a vast diplomatic and financial offensive since 2018 in return for major concessions to Russian companies for the exploitation of minerals, particularly gold and diamonds.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-21--Russian Scientist Who Worked on Coronavirus Vaccine Stabbed, Falls Out of Window

The body of geneticist and molecular and cellular biologist Alexander Kagansky , 45 , was found in the courtyard of a 16-story apartment block Saturday .
The Fontanka.ru news website reported that he had been visiting an old schoolmate on their birthday the day of his death .
A Russian scientist who was said to have worked on a coronavirus vaccine was found dead with a stab wound outside a St. Petersburg high-rise , authorities and local media said over the weekend .
Russia ’ s Investigative Committee , which only identified Kagansky by his birth year of 1975 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of a murder investigation .
The suspect denied that he had stabbed Kagansky and claimed that the scientist had wounded himself , Fontanka.ru reported , citing unnamed sources .
Fontanka.ru added that the 45-year-old suspect , who was due to be released Monday after 48 hours spent under arrest , is expected to take a lie detector test .
The Nevskiye Novosti news website identified Kagansky ’ s old classmate as former Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper employee Igor Ivanov .
The outlet also reported that Kagansky , whose affiliations included the Maryland-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edinburgh , was recently working on a Covid-19 vaccine in Scotland .
The Vladivostok-based Far Eastern Federal University , where Kagansky led the Genomic and Regenerative Medicine Center at its School of Biomedicine , said it mourns the death of an influential scientist whose works were regularly published in leading global scientific journals .

The body of geneticist and molecular and cellular biologist Alexander Kagansky, 45, was found in the courtyard of a 16-story apartment block Saturday. The Fontanka.ru news website reported that he had been visiting an old schoolmate on their birthday the day of his death.
A Russian scientist who was said to have worked on a coronavirus vaccine was found dead with a stab wound outside a St. Petersburg high-rise, authorities and local media said over the weekend.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which only identified Kagansky by his birth year of 1975, said it detained an unnamed 45-year-old suspect as part of a murder investigation.
The suspect denied that he had stabbed Kagansky and claimed that the scientist had wounded himself, Fontanka.ru reported, citing unnamed sources.
Fontanka.ru added that the 45-year-old suspect, who was due to be released Monday after 48 hours spent under arrest, is expected to take a lie detector test. The Nevskiye Novosti news website identified Kagansky’s old classmate as former Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper employee Igor Ivanov.
The outlet also reported that Kagansky, whose affiliations included the Maryland-based National Cancer Institute and the University of Edinburgh, was recently working on a Covid-19 vaccine in Scotland.
The Vladivostok-based Far Eastern Federal University, where Kagansky led the Genomic and Regenerative Medicine Center at its School of Biomedicine, said it mourns the death of an influential scientist whose works were regularly published in leading global scientific journals.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-22--Russian Director Mansky Detained Over Navalny Poisoning Picket

Mansky , 57 , staged the protest after leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny published a viral video of his phone talks with whom he identified as an FSB agent tied to his poisoning .
In the video , the purported agent says his colleagues had applied a deadly nerve agent on Navalny ’ s underwear during an attempt to poison him in Siberia this summer and that he was dispatched for the cleanup operation .
Famed Russian documentary film director Vitaly Mansky has been detained outside the Federal Security Service ( FSB ) headquarters in central Moscow for staging a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boxers , reports said Tuesday .
Video posted to social media by fellow director Askold Kurov showed several officers apprehending Mansky after initially letting him go following an identity check .
“ I want everything to be clean , ” Mansky told the officers who asked him the purpose of his protest .
He has been taken to the Meshchansky district police station , the Dozhd internet news channel reported .
Mansky is the founder of one of Russia ’ s largest documentary festivals ArtDocFest and the director of “ Putin ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s ascent to power at the turn of the century that was released in 2018 .
The FSB late Monday dismissed Navalny 's phone call as `` fake '' and a `` provocation aimed at discrediting '' the agency .
It said that the phone conversation `` about the alleged actions against '' Navalny would not have been possible without `` the support of foreign intelligence services . ''
Navalny ’ s Anti-Corruption Foundation ( FBK ) said it planned to petition Russian investigators and the FSB itself to probe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The FBK 's head Ivan Zhdanov told Dozhd late Monday that he does not expect the authorities to launch an investigation into Navalny ’ s August poisoning in Siberia with what European scientists identified as the Novichok nerve agent .
The Kremlin denies that the poisoning took place and accuses its European counterparts of withholding evidence .
Zhdanov said “ it will be interesting to observe them writing refusals , showing once again that the country ’ s top leadership and Putin are personally involved .
”

Mansky, 57, staged the protest after leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny published a viral video of his phone talks with whom he identified as an FSB agent tied to his poisoning. In the video, the purported agent says his colleagues had applied a deadly nerve agent on Navalny’s underwear during an attempt to poison him in Siberia this summer and that he was dispatched for the cleanup operation.
Famed Russian documentary film director Vitaly Mansky has been detained outside the Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters in central Moscow for staging a single-person picket with a pair of blue boxers, reports said Tuesday.
Video posted to social media by fellow director Askold Kurov showed several officers apprehending Mansky after initially letting him go following an identity check.
“I want everything to be clean,” Mansky told the officers who asked him the purpose of his protest.
He has been taken to the Meshchansky district police station, the Dozhd internet news channel reported.
Mansky is the founder of one of Russia’s largest documentary festivals ArtDocFest and the director of “Putin’s Witnesses,” a firsthand look at the president’s ascent to power at the turn of the century that was released in 2018.
The FSB late Monday dismissed Navalny's phone call as "fake" and a "provocation aimed at discrediting" the agency. It said that the phone conversation "about the alleged actions against" Navalny would not have been possible without "the support of foreign intelligence services."
Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) said it planned to petition Russian investigators and the FSB itself to probe the allegations made in his video. The FBK's head Ivan Zhdanov told Dozhd late Monday that he does not expect the authorities to launch an investigation into Navalny’s August poisoning in Siberia with what European scientists identified as the Novichok nerve agent. The Kremlin denies that the poisoning took place and accuses its European counterparts of withholding evidence.
Zhdanov said “it will be interesting to observe them writing refusals, showing once again that the country’s top leadership and Putin are personally involved.”


themoscowtimes--2020-12-22--Russia Launches ‘North Pole’ Floating Arctic Research Vessel

Hardly ever before has a ship with such a peculiar shape been rolled out of St. Petersburg ’ s Admiralty Shipyard .
On Dec. 18 , the stout , 83-meter-long vessel Severny Polyus , or North Pole , made it onto the waters of the Neva River .
The launch is met with great expectation by Russia ’ s Arctic research community .
Once completed , the vessel will conduct geological , sonar , geophysical and oceanographic surveys in a region of high strategic importance to Moscow .
Among the launch ceremony 's attendees was Natalia Radkova , deputy head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that operates the Severny Polyus .
When the ship is ready for operation , presumably in 2022 , the state organization will have at its disposal a unique tool for enhancing its understanding of the Arctic .
“ In order to provide high-quality prognosis we absolutely need constant data from the central parts of the Arctic .
It is of great importance that researchers soon can get these data while staying onboard a ship in comfortable conditions and not in a tent on the ice , ” the meteorological organization said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crew of 14 to 34 researchers and will be equipped with 15 labs for year-round work .
It will be able to navigate light ice cover without icebreaker assistance and drift autonomously in remote Arctic waters for about two years .
But there is still a long way to go before the top Arc8 ice-class ship is ready to take researchers onboard .
At the moment , little more than the hull lies on the Neva River bank .
The interior of the ship is now to be built , including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pipes and research laboratories , Roshydromet said .
The floating research station is expected to be completed in 2022 , during Russia ’ s two-year rotating chairmanship of the Arctic Council .

Hardly ever before has a ship with such a peculiar shape been rolled out of St. Petersburg’s Admiralty Shipyard. On Dec. 18, the stout, 83-meter-long vessel Severny Polyus, or North Pole, made it onto the waters of the Neva River.
The launch is met with great expectation by Russia’s Arctic research community. Once completed, the vessel will conduct geological, sonar, geophysical and oceanographic surveys in a region of high strategic importance to Moscow.
Among the launch ceremony's attendees was Natalia Radkova, deputy head of Roshydromet, the state meteorological service that operates the Severny Polyus. When the ship is ready for operation, presumably in 2022, the state organization will have at its disposal a unique tool for enhancing its understanding of the Arctic.
“In order to provide high-quality prognosis we absolutely need constant data from the central parts of the Arctic. It is of great importance that researchers soon can get these data while staying onboard a ship in comfortable conditions and not in a tent on the ice,” the meteorological organization said in a statement.
The Severny Polyus will house a crew of 14 to 34 researchers and will be equipped with 15 labs for year-round work. It will be able to navigate light ice cover without icebreaker assistance and drift autonomously in remote Arctic waters for about two years.
But there is still a long way to go before the top Arc8 ice-class ship is ready to take researchers onboard. At the moment, little more than the hull lies on the Neva River bank. The interior of the ship is now to be built, including the cabins, electric installations, navigation equipment, pipes and research laboratories, Roshydromet said.
The floating research station is expected to be completed in 2022, during Russia’s two-year rotating chairmanship of the Arctic Council.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-22--7 Protests That Defined the Year in Russia and Former Soviet Republics

In a year dominated by the coronavirus pandemic , some of the largest and most protracted protests in post-Soviet history also grabbed headlines .
People took to the streets to protest issues including electoral fraud , corruption and territorial disputes .
Gathering despite government-imposed public assembly restrictions , protesters across the region faced off against police — with thousands being injured or jailed as a result .
Here is a look back at movements that shook the post-Soviet space this year : At least 10,000 protesters marched through the Russian Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk on July 11 , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support of the ousted governor Sergei Furgal .
Furgal was arrested days before the first rally for allegedly ordering the murders of several businessmen 15 years ago and has been in custody in Moscow since then .
His supporters believe the charges are politically motivated and an attempt to reclaim control of the region that the ruling United Russia party lost with Furgal ’ s election victory in 2018 .
President Vladimir Putin appointed Mikhail Degtyarev from the nationalist LDPR as the new governor of the region , but anti-Kremlin protests drawing thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Small protests are still taking place .
Russian activists took to the streets after the nation backed constitutional changes that pave the way to extend President Vladimir Putin ’ s rule until 2036 , and enshrine populist and conservative measures in the Constitution .
Small groups of protesters had gathered across Russia ’ s regions at the height of the first wave of the pandemic in March , with Siberia ’ s Krasnoyarsk witnessing the largest crowd of 250 protesters .
In July , after the yes vote and as the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a thousand people in both Moscow and St. Petersburg protested the changes championed by Putin .
At least 140 were arrested .
Clashes broke out at Kushtau Hill in Russia ’ s central republic of Bashkortostan in early August when the Bashkir Soda Company ( BSK ) began to mine limestone from a site considered to be sacred by locals .
Hundreds of protesters camped out at the foothills of Kushtau for days and were joined by thousands of others on the critical protest days .
Around 50 protesters were detained and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contractors and riot police — the event was captured on a viral video and sparked widespread public outrage .
Regional authorities intervened to halt mining and the government claimed ownership of BSK .
Many of the protesters remain in detention and face jail terms .
Belarus has been gripped for months by historic anti-government demonstrations that erupted after Aug. 9 presidential elections in which Lukashenko claimed a sixth term in office with 80 % of the votes .
His opponents claim the polls were rigged and that political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
was the true winner .
Tikhanovskaya has fled the country , but the largest protest movement in Belarusian history lives on despite a crackdown .
At least 30,000 people have been arrested , over 1,300 injured , and at least five killed since the unrest began seven months ago .
Protests spark war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh : July 2020 , November 2020 - present When clashes first broke out between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces stationed in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in July , tens of thousands protested in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wage war against Armenia .
While the conflict over the mountainous region had been simmering for almost three decades , the six-week war that erupted in September ended in defeat for Armenia and a change in the regional status quo in Azerbaijan ’ s favor .
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan faces an uncertain future after signing a Russia-brokered peace deal — angry protests erupted in Yerevan immediately after he announced the peace deal on Facebook , with hundreds of protestors storming government buildings .
Protests against Pashinyan continue amid his repeated refusal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been detained since demonstrations began .
Thousands of people took to the streets of Kyrgyzstan ’ s capital Bishkek on Oct. 5 to protest an election marred by vote-buying accusations — this marked the beginning of the third revolution in the ex-Soviet republic since 2005 .
Protesters stormed government buildings and freed jailed ex-president Almazbek Atambayev .
Violent clashes with the police occurred throughout the night .
Post-election clashes raged for the next two weeks , leading to the cancellation of election results , the resignation of President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and the appointment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country ’ s new president .
Over 1,000 people were injured and one protester was killed in the two weeks of political chaos .

In a year dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, some of the largest and most protracted protests in post-Soviet history also grabbed headlines. People took to the streets to protest issues including electoral fraud, corruption and territorial disputes. Gathering despite government-imposed public assembly restrictions, protesters across the region faced off against police — with thousands being injured or jailed as a result. Here is a look back at movements that shook the post-Soviet space this year: Russia Khabarovsk protests: July 2020 — present At least 10,000 protesters marched through the Russian Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk on July 11, in the first of over 150 demonstrations in support of the ousted governor Sergei Furgal. Furgal was arrested days before the first rally for allegedly ordering the murders of several businessmen 15 years ago and has been in custody in Moscow since then. His supporters believe the charges are politically motivated and an attempt to reclaim control of the region that the ruling United Russia party lost with Furgal’s election victory in 2018. President Vladimir Putin appointed Mikhail Degtyarev from the nationalist LDPR as the new governor of the region, but anti-Kremlin protests drawing thousands of people continued throughout July and August. Small protests are still taking place.
Protesters in Khabarovsk. Dmitry Morgulis / TASS
Protests against constitutional amendments: March, July 2020 Russian activists took to the streets after the nation backed constitutional changes that pave the way to extend President Vladimir Putin’s rule until 2036, and enshrine populist and conservative measures in the Constitution. Small groups of protesters had gathered across Russia’s regions at the height of the first wave of the pandemic in March, with Siberia’s Krasnoyarsk witnessing the largest crowd of 250 protesters. In July, after the yes vote and as the virus temporarily loosened its grip, up to a thousand people in both Moscow and St. Petersburg protested the changes championed by Putin. At least 140 were arrested.
People demonstrate against constitutional changes in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Valery Sharifulin / TASS
The Kushtau Hill defense: August 2020 Clashes broke out at Kushtau Hill in Russia’s central republic of Bashkortostan in early August when the Bashkir Soda Company (BSK) began to mine limestone from a site considered to be sacred by locals. Hundreds of protesters camped out at the foothills of Kushtau for days and were joined by thousands of others on the critical protest days. Around 50 protesters were detained and their encampment destroyed following clashes with BSK security contractors and riot police — the event was captured on a viral video and sparked widespread public outrage. Regional authorities intervened to halt mining and the government claimed ownership of BSK. Many of the protesters remain in detention and face jail terms.
Protesters camped out at the foothills of Kushtau for days. Vadim Braidov / TASS
Belarus: Anti-government protests: May 2020 — present Belarus has been gripped for months by historic anti-government demonstrations that erupted after Aug. 9 presidential elections in which Lukashenko claimed a sixth term in office with 80% of the votes. His opponents claim the polls were rigged and that political novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who ran in place of her jailed husband. was the true winner. Tikhanovskaya has fled the country, but the largest protest movement in Belarusian history lives on despite a crackdown. At least 30,000 people have been arrested, over 1,300 injured, and at least five killed since the unrest began seven months ago.
Belarus has seen historic anti-government protests. Natalia Fedosenko / TASS
Protests spark war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh: July 2020, November 2020 - present When clashes first broke out between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces stationed in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in July, tens of thousands protested in the Azerbaijani capital Baku to demand the government wage war against Armenia. While the conflict over the mountainous region had been simmering for almost three decades, the six-week war that erupted in September ended in defeat for Armenia and a change in the regional status quo in Azerbaijan’s favor. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan faces an uncertain future after signing a Russia-brokered peace deal — angry protests erupted in Yerevan immediately after he announced the peace deal on Facebook, with hundreds of protestors storming government buildings. Protests against Pashinyan continue amid his repeated refusal to resign. Over 300 people have been detained since demonstrations began.
the conflict over the mountainous region had been simmering for almost three decades. Dmitri Lovetsky / AP / TASS
Revolution in Kyrgyzstan : October 2020 Thousands of people took to the streets of Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek on Oct. 5 to protest an election marred by vote-buying accusations — this marked the beginning of the third revolution in the ex-Soviet republic since 2005. Protesters stormed government buildings and freed jailed ex-president Almazbek Atambayev. Violent clashes with the police occurred throughout the night. Post-election clashes raged for the next two weeks, leading to the cancellation of election results, the resignation of President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and the appointment of populist figurehead Sadyr Japarov as the country’s new president. Over 1,000 people were injured and one protester was killed in the two weeks of political chaos.
Kyrgyzstan went through its third revolution since 2005. Igor Kovalenko / EPA / TASS
Pro-Europe protests in Moldova: December 2020 Moldova’s pro-European president-elect Maia Sandu faces fierce opposition from the incumbent pro-Russian Igor Dodon and his Socialist Party despite a unanimous election victory. Moldovan lawmakers passed a bill that transferred control of the country's intelligence agency from the president to parliament on Dec. 3 — just weeks before Sandu’s scheduled takeover. Sandu sees the measure as an attempt to reduce her presidential powers and grant more influence to the parliament controlled by Dodon. At least 5,000 people protested outside the parliament in Chisinau on the day the bill was adopted and over 20,000 attended the pro-Sandu demonstration the following weekend demanding fresh parliamentary elections.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-22--Kremlin Calls Navalny ‘Megalomaniac With Persecution Complex’

Peskov said he allowed himself to “ indulge a personal point of view ” after Navalny ’ s video of a phone call with an alleged Federal Security Service ( FSB ) agent went viral on YouTube .
In the video viewed 12.6 million times in less than 24 hours , a voice identified as FSB chemical warfare specialist Konstantin Kudryavtsev divulged key details of the poisoning to Navalny .
Russia ’ s leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny has delusions of grandeur and persecution , Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday after Navalny said he tricked an intelligence officer into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The patient has a pronounced persecution complex .
One can clearly see manifestations of megalomania , ” the Dozhd internet news channel quoted Peskov as saying to reporters .
“ He even compares himself to Jesus .
The rest is a Freudian fixation on his own fly and so on , ” Peskov said of Navalny .
Peskov said he had not watched Navalny ’ s video , where the voice identified as Kudryavtsev told Navalny that other agents had placed the poison in Navalny ’ s underwear on a trip to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he and another FSB agent had flown to a city where Navalny was hospitalized after the poisoning to remove any trace of the substance .
Navalny fell into a coma on Aug. 20 and was flown to Germany , where European scientists identified the substance used to poison him as the Soviet-designed nerve agent Novichok .
The Kremlin continues to deny that Navalny was poisoned , a stance Peskov reiterated on Tuesday 's conference call .
Navalny said he disguised his number and posed as a senior security official in charge of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A joint media investigation published that day identified Kudryavtsev alongside several other alleged FSB chemical warfare experts who had tailed Navalny on dozens of trips , including on the day of his poisoning .
The FSB late Monday dismissed Navalny 's phone call as a `` provocation aimed at discrediting '' the agency .
It said that the phone conversation `` about the alleged actions against '' Navalny would not have been possible without `` the support of foreign intelligence services . ''
The FSB added that a video of Navalny conducting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vladimir Putin confirmed last week that FSB agents had been following Navalny and called the Kremlin critic 's anti-corruption investigations an attempt to “ propel ” himself to “ a person of the same caliber ” as Putin .
“ I think , though , that something else , not these tricks , should be used to gain people ’ s respect and recognition , ” Putin said during his annual press conference last Thursday , according to a Kremlin transcript .
“ You need to prove your worth either by doing something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program with specific goals , ” he said , continuing his years-long tradition of not referring to Navalny by name .

Peskov said he allowed himself to “indulge a personal point of view” after Navalny’s video of a phone call with an alleged Federal Security Service (FSB) agent went viral on YouTube. In the video viewed 12.6 million times in less than 24 hours, a voice identified as FSB chemical warfare specialist Konstantin Kudryavtsev divulged key details of the poisoning to Navalny.
Russia’s leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny has delusions of grandeur and persecution, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday after Navalny said he tricked an intelligence officer into admitting an attempt to poison him.
“The patient has a pronounced persecution complex. One can clearly see manifestations of megalomania,” the Dozhd internet news channel quoted Peskov as saying to reporters.
“He even compares himself to Jesus. The rest is a Freudian fixation on his own fly and so on,” Peskov said of Navalny.
Peskov said he had not watched Navalny’s video, where the voice identified as Kudryavtsev told Navalny that other agents had placed the poison in Navalny’s underwear on a trip to Siberia in August. Kudryavtsev detailed how he and another FSB agent had flown to a city where Navalny was hospitalized after the poisoning to remove any trace of the substance.
Navalny fell into a coma on Aug. 20 and was flown to Germany, where European scientists identified the substance used to poison him as the Soviet-designed nerve agent Novichok. The Kremlin continues to deny that Navalny was poisoned, a stance Peskov reiterated on Tuesday's conference call.
Navalny said he disguised his number and posed as a senior security official in charge of the debriefing during the Dec. 14 call. A joint media investigation published that day identified Kudryavtsev alongside several other alleged FSB chemical warfare experts who had tailed Navalny on dozens of trips, including on the day of his poisoning.
The FSB late Monday dismissed Navalny's phone call as a "provocation aimed at discrediting" the agency. It said that the phone conversation "about the alleged actions against" Navalny would not have been possible without "the support of foreign intelligence services."
The FSB added that a video of Navalny conducting the conversation was "fake."
President Vladimir Putin confirmed last week that FSB agents had been following Navalny and called the Kremlin critic's anti-corruption investigations an attempt to “propel” himself to “a person of the same caliber” as Putin.
“I think, though, that something else, not these tricks, should be used to gain people’s respect and recognition,” Putin said during his annual press conference last Thursday, according to a Kremlin transcript.
“You need to prove your worth either by doing something important or by putting together a realistic program with specific goals,” he said, continuing his years-long tradition of not referring to Navalny by name.
AFP contributed reporting.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-22--Putin Allows Ex-Presidents to Become Senators for Life

The law is the latest legislative change regarding Russia 's ex-presidents amid continuing questions over President Vladimir Putin ’ s future after his current term limit expires in 2024 .
The law is also part of sweeping constitutional reforms allowing Putin to ignore current limits and run for two more six-year presidential terms .
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law Tuesday that allows former presidents to become senators for life when they leave office .
Under the newly signed law , lifetime senatorship is granted to both presidents who leave office at the end of their terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It also retroactively applies to Dmitry Medvedev , who replaced Putin as president for one term in 2008-12 and is currently Putin ’ s deputy on the Russian Security Council .
Presidents who leave office after the law ’ s adoption have three months after their resignation or retirement to apply for lifetime senatorship .
Medvedev , according to the legislation , can apply anytime .
The president can appoint 30 out of 170 senators , seven of whom can be appointed for life , according to the law 's text .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The law comes into force the day of its publication Tuesday .
Russian law currently grants immunity from criminal prosecution to members of both chambers of parliament .
However , Russian senators last week sent a bill to Putin ’ s desk explicitly granting former presidents lifetime immunity from prosecution .
That draft legislation is also a part of a larger set of constitutional reforms approved by Russian voters this summer .
Putin said during his annual press conference last week that he has not yet decided whether he will run for @ @ @ @ @

The law is the latest legislative change regarding Russia's ex-presidents amid continuing questions over Putin’s future after his current term limit expires in 2024. The law is also part of sweeping constitutional reforms allowing Putin to ignore current limits and run for two more six-year presidential terms.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law Tuesday that allows former presidents to become senators for life when they leave office.
Under the newly signed law, lifetime senatorship is granted to both presidents who leave office at the end of their terms as well as those who resign early. It also retroactively applies to Dmitry Medvedev, who replaced Putin as president for one term in 2008-12 and is currently Putin’s deputy on the Russian Security Council.
Presidents who leave office after the law’s adoption have three months after their resignation or retirement to apply for lifetime senatorship. Medvedev, according to the legislation, can apply anytime.
The president can appoint 30 out of 170 senators, seven of whom can be appointed for life, according to the law's text. Ex-presidents can also turn down lifetime senatorship.
The law comes into force the day of its publication Tuesday.
Russian law currently grants immunity from criminal prosecution to members of both chambers of parliament. However, Russian senators last week sent a bill to Putin’s desk explicitly granting former presidents lifetime immunity from prosecution. That draft legislation is also a part of a larger set of constitutional reforms approved by Russian voters this summer.
Putin said during his annual press conference last week that he has not yet decided whether he will run for president again in 2024.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-22--Russia Announces Travel Bans Against EU Officials Over Navalny

The Foreign Ministry said that in response to `` confrontational '' EU actions , it had `` decided to expand the list of representatives of EU member states and institutions who will be denied entry to the Russian Federation . ''
Russia said Tuesday it was hitting several EU representatives with tit-for-tat sanctions in response to penalties imposed by the bloc over the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny .
The counter sanctions were announced after Moscow summoned senior diplomats from three EU countries where labs concluded Navalny was poisoned in August with Novichok , a Soviet-designed nerve agent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ called to the Foreign Ministry in `` connection with the introduction of EU anti-Russian sanctions , '' a spokeswoman told AFP .
The European diplomats did not make public statements .
The new sanctions came a day after Navalny said he had tricked a Russian agent into admitting the Federal Security Service ( FSB ) tried to kill him by placing poison inside his underwear .
The FSB late Monday described evidence in Navalny 's claims as `` fake '' and said he was aided by foreign intelligence services .
Navalny , 44 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Siberia to Moscow in August and was hospitalized in the city of Omsk before being transported to Berlin by medical aircraft .
In a statement earlier this week , the Russian Foreign Ministry repeated claims that EU countries had refused to cooperate with Russia over a probe into the incident .
Moscow has repeatedly denied allegations its security services played a role in the incident .

The Foreign Ministry said that in response to "confrontational" EU actions, it had "decided to expand the list of representatives of EU member states and institutions who will be denied entry to the Russian Federation."
Russia said Tuesday it was hitting several EU representatives with tit-for-tat sanctions in response to penalties imposed by the bloc over the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
The counter sanctions were announced after Moscow summoned senior diplomats from three EU countries where labs concluded Navalny was poisoned in August with Novichok, a Soviet-designed nerve agent.
German, French and Swedish representatives were called to the Foreign Ministry in "connection with the introduction of EU anti-Russian sanctions," a spokeswoman told AFP.
The European diplomats did not make public statements.
The new sanctions came a day after Navalny said he had tricked a Russian agent into admitting the Federal Security Service (FSB) tried to kill him by placing poison inside his underwear.
The FSB late Monday described evidence in Navalny's claims as "fake" and said he was aided by foreign intelligence services.
Navalny, 44, fell violently ill during a flight from Siberia to Moscow in August and was hospitalized in the city of Omsk before being transported to Berlin by medical aircraft.
In a statement earlier this week, the Russian Foreign Ministry repeated claims that EU countries had refused to cooperate with Russia over a probe into the incident.
Moscow has repeatedly denied allegations its security services played a role in the incident.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-22--YouTube Source of Most Fake Info on Russian Internet, State Media Watchdog Says

`` About 60 % of fakes are related to the Covid-19 virus , '' said Roskomnadzor , the federal agency responsible for regulating communications , information technology and media within Russia .
Russia ’ s federal media watchdog has accused YouTube of circulating more fake news than any other foreign platform on the Russian internet , the state-run RIA Novosti news agency cited the agency as saying Monday .
Roskomnadzor said that more than 1,000 inaccurate publications on the coronavirus have been blocked in Russia since the beginning of 2020 .
The agency said it blocked fake reports about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and vaccination as well as false infection and death statistics .
Roskomnadzor also frequently blocked ads for drugs alleged to treat the coronavirus as well as websites that published fake information .
In May , Senator Yekaterina Mizulina said that more than 6,000 false messages about the coronavirus had been identified since the beginning of April , primarily on the WhatsApp , Viber and Telegram messengers , social media pages and YouTube .
Roskomnadzor ’ s statement comes a day after Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny published a video to YouTube that shows him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FSB ) agent into admitting the details of the opposition figure ’ s poisoning .
The FSB called the video “ fake ” and a “ provocation .
”

"About 60% of fakes are related to the Covid-19 virus," said Roskomnadzor, the federal agency responsible for regulating communications, information technology and media within Russia.
Russia’s federal media watchdog has accused YouTube of circulating more fake news than any other foreign platform on the Russian internet, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency cited the agency as saying Monday.
Roskomnadzor said that more than 1,000 inaccurate publications on the coronavirus have been blocked in Russia since the beginning of 2020.
The agency said it blocked fake reports about the deliberate spread of the virus through testing and vaccination as well as false infection and death statistics. Roskomnadzor also frequently blocked ads for drugs alleged to treat the coronavirus as well as websites that published fake information.
In May, Senator Yekaterina Mizulina said that more than 6,000 false messages about the coronavirus had been identified since the beginning of April, primarily on the WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram messengers, social media pages and YouTube.
Roskomnadzor’s statement comes a day after Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny published a video to YouTube that shows him tricking an alleged Federal Security Service (FSB) agent into admitting the details of the opposition figure’s poisoning. The FSB called the video “fake” and a “provocation.”


themoscowtimes--2020-12-22--U.S. Adds 45 Russian Companies to Restricted ‘Military List’

The number of Russian aviation , rocket and nuclear companies with alleged military ties is nearly double that of the initial draft list reported by Reuters last month .
The U.S. Commerce Department has added 45 Russian and 58 Chinese companies it claims have ties to those countries ’ militaries Monday , restricting exports of certain goods and technology to the designated entities .
It also includes Russia ’ s Defense Ministry and its Foreign Intelligence Service ( SVR ) , the spying agency blamed for this month 's massive cyberattack on U.S. government agencies .
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian entities sets a new process to “ assist exporters in screening their customers for military end users.
” Its publication comes after the Commerce Department expanded export restrictions and broadened military end use definitions targeting Russia , China and Venezuela in the spring .
“ The Department recognizes the importance of leveraging its partnerships with U.S. and global companies to combat efforts by China and Russia to divert U.S. technology for their destabilizing military programs , ” Ross said in a press release .
Sanctioned space chief Dmitry Rogozin was among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. military list , calling it “ dumb ” and “ illegal.
” Soyuz rocket maker Progress and spacecraft scientific center TsNIIMash are two Roscosmos space agency entities added to the U.S. military list .
“ They ’ re illegal like all previously imposed sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities , ” Rogozin told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency .
“ They ’ re dumb because the ‘ military end user ’ [ label ] is arbitrarily assigned to companies have not and are not such , ” he said .

The number of Russian aviation, rocket and nuclear companies with alleged military ties is nearly double that of the initial draft list reported by Reuters last month.
The U.S. Commerce Department has added 45 Russian and 58 Chinese companies it claims have ties to those countries’ militaries Monday, restricting exports of certain goods and technology to the designated entities.
It also includes Russia’s Defense Ministry and its Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the spying agency blamed for this month's massive cyberattack on U.S. government agencies.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the list of 103 Chinese and Russian entities sets a new process to “assist exporters in screening their customers for military end users.” Its publication comes after the Commerce Department expanded export restrictions and broadened military end use definitions targeting Russia, China and Venezuela in the spring.
“The Department recognizes the importance of leveraging its partnerships with U.S. and global companies to combat efforts by China and Russia to divert U.S. technology for their destabilizing military programs,” Ross said in a press release.
Sanctioned space chief Dmitry Rogozin was among the first Russian officials to react to the U.S. military list, calling it “dumb” and “illegal.” Soyuz rocket maker Progress and spacecraft scientific center TsNIIMash are two Roscosmos space agency entities added to the U.S. military list.
“They’re illegal like all previously imposed sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities,” Rogozin told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.
“They’re dumb because the ‘military end user’ [label] is arbitrarily assigned to companies have not and are not such,” he said.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-22--Borscht, Smetana and Crab: Michelin Guide Comes to Moscow

The prestigious French gastronomic guide Michelin said Monday that next year it would launch its first selection of Moscow restaurants , which have recently experienced a renaissance .
`` The Russian culinary scene has seen new trends appear over the past 30 years , embodied by talented chefs who are committed to enhancing the quality of local products , '' Michelin said in a press release .
The guide said that Moscow would be its latest destination after recently expanding to Beijing , Slovenia and California .
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin welcomed the news , saying on Monday that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would `` open up our city in a new way for both tourists and Muscovites themselves and promises to deliver plenty of positive emotions . ''
Michelin said that chefs in Russia 's capital had set themselves apart by highlighting the country 's local ingredients including king crab from the Far East city of Vladivostok and `` smetana , the sour cream used in preparing beef stroganoff . ''
In recent years , Moscow restaurants have increasingly turned to local ingredients after Western sanctions following Russia 's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European foods .
A number of restaurants that relied on meat , cheese and fish imported from the West were forced to close , while those that strived to source their ingredients from Russian regions became more competitive .
In explaining why it chose Moscow , the guide also pointed to the `` unique flavors '' of the `` nation 's emblematic first courses such as borscht . ''
The traditional beetroot and cabbage soup was recently at the center of the geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine , which plans to submit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UNESCO next year to list the dish as an intangible part of the country 's cultural heritage .

The prestigious French gastronomic guide Michelin said Monday that next year it would launch its first selection of Moscow restaurants, which have recently experienced a renaissance.
"The Russian culinary scene has seen new trends appear over the past 30 years, embodied by talented chefs who are committed to enhancing the quality of local products," Michelin said in a press release.
The guide said that Moscow would be its latest destination after recently expanding to Beijing, Slovenia and California.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin welcomed the news, saying on Monday that the guide's arrival to the Russian capital would "open up our city in a new way for both tourists and Muscovites themselves and promises to deliver plenty of positive emotions."
Michelin said that chefs in Russia's capital had set themselves apart by highlighting the country's local ingredients including king crab from the Far East city of Vladivostok and "smetana, the sour cream used in preparing beef stroganoff."
In recent years, Moscow restaurants have increasingly turned to local ingredients after Western sanctions following Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 resulted in a scarcity of many European foods.
A number of restaurants that relied on meat, cheese and fish imported from the West were forced to close, while those that strived to source their ingredients from Russian regions became more competitive.
In explaining why it chose Moscow, the guide also pointed to the "unique flavors" of the "nation's emblematic first courses such as borscht."
The traditional beetroot and cabbage soup was recently at the center of the geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which plans to submit an application to United Nations cultural body UNESCO next year to list the dish as an intangible part of the country's cultural heritage.