tass--2020-07-29--Russia, Brazil discuss production of coronavirus vaccines — paper

RIO DE JANEIRO , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
Russia and its Brazilian partners are negotiating the possibility of launching the novel coronavirus vaccine production in the South American republic , Brazil ’ s Valor Economico newspaper reported , citing chief executive of the Russian Direct Investment Fund ( RDIF ) Kirill Dmitriev .
`` A significant part of Brazil ’ s population might be vaccinated as early as this year , if we manage to strike a deal with Brazilian manufacturers , '' the paper quoted Dmitriev as saying .
`` We are negotiating with both privately-and state-owned labs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without mentioning any company by name .
Dmitriev went on to say that the Russian side was interested `` in holding clinical trials and producing anti-coronavirus medicines '' jointly with Brazilian partners .
If talks with Brazil do not succeed , Russia will study the possibility of cooperating with other countries in the region , Valor Economico wrote .
Brazilian watchdog Anvisa ( National Sanitary Surveillance Agency ) authorized the trials of three novel coronavirus vaccines on the country ’ s territory : the UK-made ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 , a vaccine by China ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pfizer .
`` We believe that the production [ of Russian vaccine ] in Brazil is possible .
After that , Brazil can choose what type of vaccine it will use .
Our experience shows that having only one type of vaccine is risky , and it ’ s better to have two or three of them , '' Dmitriev said .
Russia ’ s ambassador in Brazil , Sergei Akopov , told TASS on Sunday that the government of the southern Brazilian state of Parana was interested in the Russian vaccine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ side was seeking only to purchase it , but also to jointly develop , test and produce it on the state ’ s territory , with an aim for further distribution it in Brazil .
Brazil , where the first coronavirus case was confirmed on February 26 , is currently ranked second after the United States in terms of the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases and fatalities .
According to the latest update by the country ’ s health ministry , at total of 2,483,191 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 88,539 of them fatal .

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 29. /TASS/. Russia and its Brazilian partners are negotiating the possibility of launching the novel coronavirus vaccine production in the South American republic, Brazil’s Valor Economico newspaper reported, citing chief executive of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev.
"A significant part of Brazil’s population might be vaccinated as early as this year, if we manage to strike a deal with Brazilian manufacturers," the paper quoted Dmitriev as saying.
"We are negotiating with both privately-and state-owned labs in Brazil," he said, without mentioning any company by name.
Dmitriev went on to say that the Russian side was interested "in holding clinical trials and producing anti-coronavirus medicines" jointly with Brazilian partners.
If talks with Brazil do not succeed, Russia will study the possibility of cooperating with other countries in the region, Valor Economico wrote.
Brazilian watchdog Anvisa (National Sanitary Surveillance Agency) authorized the trials of three novel coronavirus vaccines on the country’s territory: the UK-made ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, a vaccine by China’s Sinovac Biotech and a vaccine by Pfizer.
"We believe that the production [of Russian vaccine] in Brazil is possible. After that, Brazil can choose what type of vaccine it will use. Our experience shows that having only one type of vaccine is risky, and it’s better to have two or three of them," Dmitriev said.
Russia’s ambassador in Brazil, Sergei Akopov, told TASS on Sunday that the government of the southern Brazilian state of Parana was interested in the Russian vaccine. According to the diplomat, the Brazilian side was seeking only to purchase it, but also to jointly develop, test and produce it on the state’s territory, with an aim for further distribution it in Brazil.
Brazil, where the first coronavirus case was confirmed on February 26, is currently ranked second after the United States in terms of the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases and fatalities.
According to the latest update by the country’s health ministry, at total of 2,483,191 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus have so far been registered in Brazil, 88,539 of them fatal.


tass--2020-07-29--List of states hosting Army Games-2020 shrinks due to pandemic

MOSCOW , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
This year ’ s Army Games will be hosted by five states instead of the 11 initially planned due to the novel coronavirus pandemic , the head of the Russian Armed Forces ’ main combat training department , Col. Gen. Ivan Buvaltsev , said .
`` this year , we planned to hold 30 competitions on the territory of 11 countries ( Armenia , Azerbaijan , Belarus , Iran , India , Kazakhstan , China , Mongolia , Russia , Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka ) .
As certain the co-organizers were unable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the novel coronavirus infection , the geography of the games has shrunk , regretfully , '' Buvaltsev said in an interview published by the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper on Wednesday .
According to the official , six competitions will be held on the territory of four foreign countries : Warrior of Peace in Armenia , Sea Cup - in Azerbaijan , Polar Star and Sniper Frontier - in Belarus , Military Medical Relay Race and Road Patrol - in Uzbekistan .
The remaining 24 competitions will be held on the territory of Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures , the estimated risk for participants will be comparable to that during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on June 24 .
`` A complex security plan envisages unprecedented measures , which allow us to state that participating in the games is no more dangerous that participation in the parade , '' the official said , adding that the Victory Day parade `` did not affect the epidemiological situation in the armed forces . ''
`` The importance of observing sanitary and anti-epidemic measures and requirements is obvious .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of quarantine and [ coronavirus ] testing of participants will be in place .
All preparations for competitions will take place in the open air .
The teams will be accommodated away from populated areas , '' Buvaltsev added .
The Victory Day Parade on the Red Square usually takes place on May 9 , when Russia marks Victory Day .
This year , Russian President Vladimir Putin postponed it amid the coronavirus pandemic .
On May 26 , President Putin announced that the anticipated event would be held on June 24 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parade of victors took place .
The International Army Games will be held between August 23 and September 5 .

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. This year’s Army Games will be hosted by five states instead of the 11 initially planned due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the head of the Russian Armed Forces’ main combat training department, Col. Gen. Ivan Buvaltsev, said.
"this year, we planned to hold 30 competitions on the territory of 11 countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Iran, India, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka). As certain the co-organizers were unable to hold some competitions on their territory due to the novel coronavirus infection, the geography of the games has shrunk, regretfully," Buvaltsev said in an interview published by the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper on Wednesday.
According to the official, six competitions will be held on the territory of four foreign countries: Warrior of Peace in Armenia, Sea Cup - in Azerbaijan, Polar Star and Sniper Frontier - in Belarus, Military Medical Relay Race and Road Patrol - in Uzbekistan.
The remaining 24 competitions will be held on the territory of Russia.
Buvaltsev said that thanks to anti-coronavirus measures, the estimated risk for participants will be comparable to that during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on June 24.
"A complex security plan envisages unprecedented measures, which allow us to state that participating in the games is no more dangerous that participation in the parade," the official said, adding that the Victory Day parade "did not affect the epidemiological situation in the armed forces."
"The importance of observing sanitary and anti-epidemic measures and requirements is obvious. It’s clear for everyone that strict medical requirements of quarantine and [coronavirus] testing of participants will be in place. All preparations for competitions will take place in the open air. The teams will be accommodated away from populated areas," Buvaltsev added.
The Victory Day Parade on the Red Square usually takes place on May 9, when Russia marks Victory Day. This year, Russian President Vladimir Putin postponed it amid the coronavirus pandemic. On May 26, President Putin announced that the anticipated event would be held on June 24, the day in 1945 when the historic parade of victors took place.
The International Army Games will be held between August 23 and September 5.


tass--2020-07-29--Russia, China creating more and more advanced missile defense systems — Pentagon

WASHINGTON , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
Russia and China are working actively to devlop more and more advanced and @ @ @ @ @ the US Department of Defense said in a statement .
''China and Russia are developing @ @ @ @ @ defense systems , and integrating them into their defense strategies as they compete with the @ @ @ @ @ statement an unnamed Department of Defense official as saying .
According to the official , @ @ @ @ @ becoming an important element of rivalry between superpowers .
The statement says that China `` @ @ @ @ @ missile capabilities at present . ''
The Chinese are assiduously studying the problem and have @ @ @ @ @ their own capabilities , DOD officials said .
US Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control @ @ @ @ @ talks with Russia , Washington would certainly not undertake any commitments in the missile defense @ @

WASHINGTON, July 29. /TASS/. Russia and China are working actively to devlop more and more advanced and numerous missile defense systems, the US Department of Defense said in a statement.
''China and Russia are developing increasingly capable and numerous missile defense systems, and integrating them into their defense strategies as they compete with the United States,'' the statement an unnamed Department of Defense official as saying.
According to the official, the missile defense domain is becoming an important element of rivalry between superpowers.
The statement says that China "is heavily dependent on Russian missile capabilities at present."
The Chinese are assiduously studying the problem and have invested in research to build their own capabilities, DOD officials said.
US Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea said that during talks with Russia, Washington would certainly not undertake any commitments in the missile defense domain.


tass--2020-07-29--At least 35 states confirm participation in Army-2020 forum — Russian Defense Ministry

MOSCOW , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
The novel coronavirus pandemic complicated preparations for the Army-2020 defense forum , as only 35 states out of the 133 invited have confirmed the participation of their delegations , a senior Russian Defense Ministry official said in an interview published by the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper on Wednesday .
`` Difficult epidemiological situation undoubtedly complicated preparations for the forum , particularly with regard to the foreign states ’ participation .
Official invitations were send to defense chiefs of 133 states .
By now , 35 states confirmed the participation of their delegations , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the exhibitions department at the Russian Defense Ministry ’ s Main Directorate of scientific research and engineering support of advanced technologies ( innovative research ) .
According to Kulakovsky , at least 11 states ( Armenia , Belarus , Brazil , Greece , India , Iran , Kazakhstan , China , Sri Lanka , South Africa and South Ossetia ) will send high-level delegations to the event .
Four countries have already organized preparations of their national displays as part of the forthcoming military forum .
`` The novel coronavirus epidemiological situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also stabilized in certain countries , and coronavirus restrictions are being eased .
Work with foreign states continues , '' Kulakovsky said , adding that sanitary and epidemiological issues will be treated with full seriousness during the forum .
`` The forum will be the first large-scale international exhibition in Russia in 2020 , held after quarantine restrictions were lifted in Russia and worldwide , '' he went on .
According to the official , at least four types of preventive measures will be in place during the forum : barring people displaying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event , social distancing of 1.5 meters , use of personal protective equipment and disinfection .
`` The entire set of precautions has been carefully thought-out , and we are convinced that it would ensure the safety of all groups of participants and visitors and will not affect the quality of the forum ’ s events , '' the official added .
The Army-2020 international military and technical forum will run next month at the Patriot military-patriotic park , the Kubinka airfield , the Alabino and Ashuluk practice ranges and in Russia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forum ’ s highlights will be the presentation of a unique anti-UAV system at the Ashuluk training ground in south Russia .
On top of that , the forum ’ s business schedule lists more than 170 events .

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. The novel coronavirus pandemic complicated preparations for the Army-2020 defense forum, as only 35 states out of the 133 invited have confirmed the participation of their delegations, a senior Russian Defense Ministry official said in an interview published by the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper on Wednesday.
"Difficult epidemiological situation undoubtedly complicated preparations for the forum, particularly with regard to the foreign states’ participation. Official invitations were send to defense chiefs of 133 states. By now, 35 states confirmed the participation of their delegations," said Col. Oleg Kulakovsky, the head of the exhibitions department at the Russian Defense Ministry’s Main Directorate of scientific research and engineering support of advanced technologies (innovative research).
According to Kulakovsky, at least 11 states (Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Greece, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Sri Lanka, South Africa and South Ossetia) will send high-level delegations to the event.
Four countries have already organized preparations of their national displays as part of the forthcoming military forum.
"The novel coronavirus epidemiological situation in Russia has improved. It has also stabilized in certain countries, and coronavirus restrictions are being eased. Work with foreign states continues," Kulakovsky said, adding that sanitary and epidemiological issues will be treated with full seriousness during the forum.
"The forum will be the first large-scale international exhibition in Russia in 2020, held after quarantine restrictions were lifted in Russia and worldwide," he went on.
According to the official, at least four types of preventive measures will be in place during the forum: barring people displaying symptoms of respiratory viral infection from the event, social distancing of 1.5 meters, use of personal protective equipment and disinfection.
"The entire set of precautions has been carefully thought-out, and we are convinced that it would ensure the safety of all groups of participants and visitors and will not affect the quality of the forum’s events," the official added.
The Army-2020 international military and technical forum will run next month at the Patriot military-patriotic park, the Kubinka airfield, the Alabino and Ashuluk practice ranges and in Russia’s military districts. One of the forum’s highlights will be the presentation of a unique anti-UAV system at the Ashuluk training ground in south Russia. On top of that, the forum’s business schedule lists more than 170 events.


tass--2020-07-30--Trump says he does not understand why US should defend Germany from Russia

WASHINGTON , July 30 .
/TASS/ .
US President Donald Trump said he does not understand why the US should defend Germany from Russia .
`` Germany pays Russia billions of dollars a year for Energy , and we are supposed to protect Germany from Russia .
What ’ s that all about ? ''
he wrote on Twitter on Wednesday , commenting on Washington ’ s decision to pull part of the US contingent out of Germany .
He also reproached Berlin for not spending sufficient amount of funds to support NATO ’ s collective defense .
`` Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 % fee to NATO .
We are therefore moving some troops out of Germany ! ''
he tweeted .
On Wednesday , US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper announced that the US would pull 11,900 troops out of Germany .
He said that the US would bring about 6,400 forces home and relocate about 5,600 troops to Italy and Belgium .
The US will keep no more than 25,000 servicemen in Germany .
Trump announced on June 15 that Washington would reduce the number of US troops in Germany from 34,500 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their deployment and raise defense spending in accordance with NATO agreements .
Trump has repeatedly demanded that all NATO countries spend at least two percent of their gross domestic products on defense .
The US president confirmed on June 24 that Washington planned to move some troops from Germany to Poland .
Esper and US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley presented the final troop withdrawal plan to Trump on June 29 .

WASHINGTON, July 30. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump said he does not understand why the US should defend Germany from Russia.
"Germany pays Russia billions of dollars a year for Energy, and we are supposed to protect Germany from Russia. What’s that all about?" he wrote on Twitter on Wednesday, commenting on Washington’s decision to pull part of the US contingent out of Germany.
He also reproached Berlin for not spending sufficient amount of funds to support NATO’s collective defense.
"Also, Germany is very delinquent in their 2% fee to NATO. We are therefore moving some troops out of Germany!" he tweeted.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper announced that the US would pull 11,900 troops out of Germany. He said that the US would bring about 6,400 forces home and relocate about 5,600 troops to Italy and Belgium. The US will keep no more than 25,000 servicemen in Germany.
Trump announced on June 15 that Washington would reduce the number of US troops in Germany from 34,500 to 25,000 unless Berlin agreed to pay for their deployment and raise defense spending in accordance with NATO agreements.
Trump has repeatedly demanded that all NATO countries spend at least two percent of their gross domestic products on defense. The US president confirmed on June 24 that Washington planned to move some troops from Germany to Poland. Esper and US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley presented the final troop withdrawal plan to Trump on June 29.


tass--2020-07-30--Earthquake of 5.9 magnitude rocks coast of Japan, says EMSC

TASS , July 30 .
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rocked the coast of Japan , the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center ( @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the center , the seismic focus was at a depth of 48 @ @ @ @ @ 594 km south of the Japanese capital of Tokyo , home to approximately 8.3 million @ @ @ @ @ destruction or tsunami threat were reported .

TASS, July 30. A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rocked the coast of Japan, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) reported on Thursday.
According to the center, the seismic focus was at a depth of 48 kilometers. The epicenter was 594 km south of the Japanese capital of Tokyo, home to approximately 8.3 million people.
No casualties, destruction or tsunami threat were reported.


tass--2020-07-30--Over 215,000 coronavirus cases recorded worldwide in 24 hours, says WHO

GENEVA , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 215,127 to over 16,550,000 in the past day , according to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
The global death toll passed 656,000 .
As of 11:00 am on July 29 , there were 16,558,289 confirmed cases worldwide and 656,093 fatalities .
The WHO statistics is based on official information provided by governments .
The Americas account for the majority of cases ( 8,840,524 ) .
As many as 111,562 new cases were recorded in the region in 24 hours , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A total of 3,283,277 cases and 211,616 deaths have so far been confirmed in Europe .
Southeast Asia is the third hardest-hit region , where the number of infections has reached 1,892,056 and 42,233 fatalities have been confirmed .
The United States has the highest number of cases in the world ( 4,263,571 ) , followed by Brazil ( 2,442,375 ) , India ( 1,531,669 ) , Russia ( 828,990 ) , South Africa ( 459,761 ) , Mexico ( 395,489 ) , Peru ( 389,717 ) , Chile ( 349,800 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Iran ( 296,273 ) .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe , including Russia .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .

GENEVA, July 29. /TASS/. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 215,127 to over 16,550,000 in the past day, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The global death toll passed 656,000.
As of 11:00 am on July 29, there were 16,558,289 confirmed cases worldwide and 656,093 fatalities.
The WHO statistics is based on official information provided by governments.
The Americas account for the majority of cases (8,840,524). As many as 111,562 new cases were recorded in the region in 24 hours, and the death toll rose by 2,984 to 342,635. A total of 3,283,277 cases and 211,616 deaths have so far been confirmed in Europe.
Southeast Asia is the third hardest-hit region, where the number of infections has reached 1,892,056 and 42,233 fatalities have been confirmed.
The United States has the highest number of cases in the world (4,263,571), followed by Brazil (2,442,375), India (1,531,669), Russia (828,990), South Africa (459,761), Mexico (395,489), Peru (389,717), Chile (349,800), the United Kingdom (300,696) and Iran (296,273).
Coronavirus pandemic
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.


tass--2020-07-30--US coronavirus death toll passes 150,000

NEW YORK , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
The number of coronavirus fatalities in the United States has reached 150,034 @ @ @ @ @ University .
As many as 4,396,030 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in the @ @

NEW YORK, July 29. /TASS/. The number of coronavirus fatalities in the United States has reached 150,034, according to Johns Hopkins University.
As many as 4,396,030 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in the country.


tass--2020-07-30--Aeroflot will ask foreigners to provide negative COVID-19 test to fly

MOSCOW , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s Aeroflot airlines will deny transportation to all foreigners flying from foreign countries - flights will be resumed with Turkey , the United Kingdom , and Tanzania from August 1 - without a certificate of a negative test for COVID-19 , the company said in a statement .
`` Foreign citizens planning to fly into Russia , including transit passengers , are required to provide a negative COVID-19 PCR-test result in order to check in and board the flight .
Passengers must be tested within 72 hours of the flight departure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complete a special form during the flight , '' the company said .
Earlier , TASS reported with reference to the Federal Air Transport Agency , that Russian airlines have the right to refuse admission to foreigners without any documents confirming the absence of coronavirus .
The agency specified that the final decision would be made by the airline .
Aeroflot also noted that only PCR-method of COVID-19 testing will be accepted .
`` Please note that Aeroflot only accepts results from PCR-method COVID-19 tests .
No other test results , including antibody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow , express PCR COVID-19 tests are available in Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports as well as in a number of state and private clinics , '' the statement said .

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. Russia’s Aeroflot airlines will deny transportation to all foreigners flying from foreign countries - flights will be resumed with Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Tanzania from August 1 - without a certificate of a negative test for COVID-19, the company said in a statement.
"Foreign citizens planning to fly into Russia, including transit passengers, are required to provide a negative COVID-19 PCR-test result in order to check in and board the flight. Passengers must be tested within 72 hours of the flight departure. They will also be required to complete a special form during the flight," the company said.
Earlier, TASS reported with reference to the Federal Air Transport Agency, that Russian airlines have the right to refuse admission to foreigners without any documents confirming the absence of coronavirus. The agency specified that the final decision would be made by the airline.
Aeroflot also noted that only PCR-method of COVID-19 testing will be accepted. "Please note that Aeroflot only accepts results from PCR-method COVID-19 tests. No other test results, including antibody tests, will be accepted. In Moscow, express PCR COVID-19 tests are available in Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports as well as in a number of state and private clinics," the statement said.


tass--2020-07-30--US seems bent on rejecting nuclear test ban, Russian expert says

MOSCOW , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
There is no chance for Russia and the United States to reach an understanding on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty because Washington seems bent on destroying it , Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council ( RIAC ) Andrey Kortunov told TASS on Wednesday , commenting on the 35th anniversary of the Soviet Union ’ s unilateral testing moratorium .
The expert pointed out that it was Washington ’ s position that prevented the treaty from entering into force .
`` Russia has repeatedly brought up this issue , we urged all US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so that it would be possible to put pressure on other countries that had not done the same or decided not to join the treaty , '' Kortunov noted .
And now , in his words , there is a real risk that the US will resume nuclear testing , which will automatically derail the treaty .
According to Kortunov , the United States ’ policy documents make it clear that the country has no plans to ratify the treaty , moreover , it has decided to increase the capabilities of its nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US chooses to carry out nuclear tests , it will need months and not years to prepare the sites .
However , despite the Trump administration ’ s destructive steps , which are increasingly leading to the collapse of international arms control mechanisms , Russia continues struggling to maintain global stability , the expert went on to say .
If the US eventually decides to resume nuclear testing , then Russia will carefully weigh possible responses .
`` In my view , we showed reasonable restraint following the United States ’ withdrawal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia refrained from immediate military buildup , '' the analyst emphasized .
At the same time , Russia did not leave the Treaty on Open Skies after Washington had announced its withdrawal plans .
Russia ’ s position on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty will depend on many factors , particularly on whether the US conducts nuclear tests or just withdraws from the treaty , the analyst said .
In addition , the reaction of other countries , particularly US allies , will also be important .
However , regardless of what the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current situation causes much concern , Kortunov concluded .

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. There is no chance for Russia and the United States to reach an understanding on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty because Washington seems bent on destroying it, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) Andrey Kortunov told TASS on Wednesday, commenting on the 35th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s unilateral testing moratorium.
The expert pointed out that it was Washington’s position that prevented the treaty from entering into force. "Russia has repeatedly brought up this issue, we urged all US administrations to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty so that it would be possible to put pressure on other countries that had not done the same or decided not to join the treaty," Kortunov noted.
And now, in his words, there is a real risk that the US will resume nuclear testing, which will automatically derail the treaty.
According to Kortunov, the United States’ policy documents make it clear that the country has no plans to ratify the treaty, moreover, it has decided to increase the capabilities of its nuclear test sites. That said, if the US chooses to carry out nuclear tests, it will need months and not years to prepare the sites.
However, despite the Trump administration’s destructive steps, which are increasingly leading to the collapse of international arms control mechanisms, Russia continues struggling to maintain global stability, the expert went on to say. If the US eventually decides to resume nuclear testing, then Russia will carefully weigh possible responses. "In my view, we showed reasonable restraint following the United States’ withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Russia refrained from immediate military buildup," the analyst emphasized. At the same time, Russia did not leave the Treaty on Open Skies after Washington had announced its withdrawal plans.
Russia’s position on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty will depend on many factors, particularly on whether the US conducts nuclear tests or just withdraws from the treaty, the analyst said. In addition, the reaction of other countries, particularly US allies, will also be important. However, regardless of what the future holds for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, the current situation causes much concern, Kortunov concluded.


tass--2020-07-29--Syria’s actual coronavirus cases higher than statistics show, says UN official

UNITED NATIONS , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
The actual number of coronavirus patients in Syria is higher than statistics based on confirmed cases show , United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock said at a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday .
According to him , `` the problem is now country-wide : cases have now been confirmed in all but one of Syria ’ s governorates . ''
`` UN staff working in Syria are also struck by the disease .
The number of confirmed cases remains in the hundreds - so still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
`` The true number of cases is certainly higher ; limited testing capacity , compared to what is available in neighboring countries , and a reluctance , among some people , to acknowledge an infection masks the real scale of the outbreak , '' the UN under-secretary-general pointed out .
Lowcock also said that `` the Syrian economy , devastated by nearly a decade of conflict , has entered a period of extreme fragility , marked by exchange rate volatility , high inflation , dwindling remittances , and lock down measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year as a whole , the economy is expected to contract by more than seven percent this year , '' he emphasized .

UNITED NATIONS, July 29. /TASS/. The actual number of coronavirus patients in Syria is higher than statistics based on confirmed cases show, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock said at a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday.
According to him, "the problem is now country-wide: cases have now been confirmed in all but one of Syria’s governorates." "UN staff working in Syria are also struck by the disease. The number of confirmed cases remains in the hundreds - so still a relatively low level," Lowcock added.
"The true number of cases is certainly higher; limited testing capacity, compared to what is available in neighboring countries, and a reluctance, among some people, to acknowledge an infection masks the real scale of the outbreak," the UN under-secretary-general pointed out.
Lowcock also said that "the Syrian economy, devastated by nearly a decade of conflict, has entered a period of extreme fragility, marked by exchange rate volatility, high inflation, dwindling remittances, and lock down measures to contain COVID-19." "For the year as a whole, the economy is expected to contract by more than seven percent this year," he emphasized.


tass--2020-07-29--Russians detained in Belarus are members of Wagner private military company, says KGB

MINSK , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
Russians detained at a health resort outside the Belarusian capital of Minsk are @ @ @ @ @ military company , Head of the Belarusian State Security Committee ( KGB ) Valery Vakulchik @ @ @ @ @ between Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and members of the country ’ s Security Council on @ @ @ @ @ nationals , members of the ‘ Wagner private military company ’ paramilitary organization , were @ @ @ @ @ today , '' Vakulchuk said .

MINSK, July 29. /TASS/. Russians detained at a health resort outside the Belarusian capital of Minsk are members of the Wagner private military company, Head of the Belarusian State Security Committee (KGB) Valery Vakulchik said at an emergency meeting between Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and members of the country’s Security Council on Wednesday.
"Thirty-two Russian nationals, members of the ‘Wagner private military company’ paramilitary organization, were detained at about 05:30 am today," Vakulchuk said.


tass--2020-07-29--US imposes sanctions on Syrian President Assad’s son, Army division

WASHINGTON , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
The US imposed sanctions on four Syrian citizens , including President Bashar al-Assad @ @ @ @ @ as well as against ten organizations , including the 1st Armored Division of the Syrian @ @ @ @ @ of Treasury announced on its website Wednesday .
The sanctions were introduced in compliance with @ @ @ @ @ , '' which entered force on June 17 .
In particular , one Syrian businessman @ @ @ @ @ for `` enrichment of the Syrian regime by construction of luxury real estate . ''
@ @ @ @ @ ties to Assad invest in luxury real estate made possible by forced displacement of innocent @ @ @ @ @ the oppression of the Syrian people , '' said Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin @ @ @ @ @ Bashar al-Assad ’ s son Hafez , born in 2001 , as well as the @ @ @ @ @ Syrian Arab Army and its commander Zuheir al-Assad , and his son Karam Assad .

WASHINGTON, July 29. /TASS/. The US imposed sanctions on four Syrian citizens, including President Bashar al-Assad’s son Hafez, as well as against ten organizations, including the 1st Armored Division of the Syrian Arab Army, US Department of Treasury announced on its website Wednesday.
The sanctions were introduced in compliance with the US "Caesar act," which entered force on June 17.
In particular, one Syrian businessman and 9 organizations were blacklisted for "enrichment of the Syrian regime by construction of luxury real estate."
"While corrupt businessmen with ties to Assad invest in luxury real estate made possible by forced displacement of innocent civilians, they also worsen the oppression of the Syrian people," said Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin.
The sanctions also cover Bashar al-Assad’s son Hafez, born in 2001, as well as the 1st Armored Division of the Syrian Arab Army and its commander Zuheir al-Assad, and his son Karam Assad.


tass--2020-07-29--The mysterious Kildin Island. Why it is almost uninhibited and what life is like there

MOSCOW , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
A huge dreary rock in the Barents Sea ’ s north-east , a few miles from the Kola Bay , lies right at the crossing of sea routes from Murmansk .
One route crosses Scandinavia into Europe , and the other one leads to the White Sea and the Northern Sea Route .
A speedboat rushed us from Severomorsk to the island in just 30 minutes .
It was weird to see an island of my childhood as if for the first time .
Almost 40 years later .
The once strong berths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lev Fedoseyev and I hardly managed to get ashore crossing those ruins .
We took a road , covered with grass , to reach a ghost village .
In the years of flourishing , it was called Niz .
There used to be a shop , a few houses , a kindergarten , a three-year school , military bases and a military cemetery .
Fishers on the shore warn us - a couple days earlier a bear came here .
At least five bears wander here .
They are hosts on the island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have a radio or signal fires , or guns , only cameras and the cell phones , which seem quite useless here as on the shoreline we could find a weak signal .
On the upper plateau , about five kilometers up a winding road , is another village , called Verkh ( Top ) - there I lived between the age of three and nine .
My father served as the chief of communications at the Northern Fleet ’ s coastal artillery regiment , and this is why we had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used after heavy snowfalls to call a heating station asking servicemen to dig the entrance to our house from under the snow .
Children to the age of nine used to live on the island together with their parents , but then they were sent to a boarding school on the mainland .
Those who remained on the island enjoyed the freedom - they watched cows , about ten of them .
Milk was given only to families with babies , or the kids could peep into the bakery to grab dry bread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ island freely .
In winter , soaking wet , we dug tunnels in three-meter thick snow , we loved sliding off hills on sledges to crawl upwards for an hour .
The barracks are practically ruins now , though the two and three floor houses , which we used to call skyscrapers , still look firm , gaping with empty windows .
No furniture , pipes or heaters inside .
Here is the club , where used to be a gym , a book store , a canteen with tasty homemade pies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military left the island in 1995 , and the Kildin got deserted .
It is still inhibited Getting to the East Kildin is easier .
This part of the island has a pebble beach , and our boat glides into the coast , so that we jump out easily .
The eye catches numerous flowers : a carpet of daisies , bluebells , polar poppies , wild cloves , `` golden root '' ( Rhodiola rosea ) - you can not meet such flowers in Murmansk .
The climate in the north-western part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the southern and eastern parts , which go down to the sea , in summer look like alpine meadows .
At the shore , we see a big wooden house ; smoke is coming out from the chimney .
A man comes to us .
- I am a `` native , '' between 1981 and 1992 I served here , though on the West Kildin… - Then I retired , but remained here for another three years , to 1995 , until the regiment left the island .
I went into trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there and down there , and supplied food for the island… Later on , for some time , I lived in St. Petersburg .
And now that I have reconstructed this house , I live here .
Alexei comes here every spring , welcomes brave tourists and fishers , helps scientists will research , and leaves for St. Petersburg for the winter .
According to him , the Northern Fleet has two bases on the island , but strangers are not allowed there .
Back in the Soviet times , transport communication on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the past , four vessels connected the island with the mainland .
Nowadays , only one of them passes by , sailing from Murmansk to Ostrovnoy .
- A small boat , Pingvin ( penguin ) , took people from the shore to the ship and back .
If the wave was high , people got frightened as they crawled down a pilot ladder from a huge ship onto the tiny boat , which at times disappears in the water .
Any luggage was thrown from the board , sometimes missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - But anyway all people were experienced , strong .
Weaklings couldn ’ t survive here .
Alexei ’ s life is comfortable : a stove , a small sauna , coal-heating , a satellite antenna for communication , television and the Internet .
Two boats with engines - he uses them to go shopping in Severomorsk .
In good weather the trip takes only an hour and a half .
- As you can see , I do not suffer from loneliness - here are fishers , they would stop for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And for recent two years , life ’ s become active here .
Some enthusiasts decided to return life to our wonderful island - they are building a church here .
Two brothers , Andrei and Yuri Orlov , are doing the impossible - at the initiative of Father Serhiy , the rector of the Teriberka perish , they make a spiritual-educational-sports camp and build a church on the Kildin to commemorate the past .
Between the 16th and 18th centuries , the Solovki monks used to live there ; they welcomed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , accommodated and shared food .
Records about the church and a hostel on the island are found at the archive of the St. Petersburg European University .
Later on , in the 19th century , a Norwegian family settled on the island .
They had 12 children .
The family lived on the Kildin for about 60 years and was the only Norwegian family , living east from the Kola Bay , and the Kildin ’ s only population .
The family ’ s head was dubbed the Kildin King .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago , and , I think , by this autumn the church will be ready .
The construction continues on sponsor money .
The church will be 5 by 6 meters , we have associates , who are making domes for us .
The church will have the altar , it won ’ t be big , but it will be cozy and open for all .
We have chosen the name - Church of the Blessed Warrior St. Fyodor Ushakov , - Andrei Orlov told us .
Andrei and Yuri live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the North and the sea .
The Navy ’ s boat has brought to the island logs for future church , windows and a small house .
From the sea to the construction site an old ZIL truck carried all the materials .
The brothers had repaired the Soviet truck .
- This ZIL was made in 1968 , it carries 5 tonnes , but this workhorse can carry even 12 , we ’ ve tried , - Yuri Orlov , driving the truck , told us , jumping as we moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done even more , during this polar night , when it ’ s light , but we ’ ve run out of materials , - Andrei said laughing .
- Bringing them here is a big deal , you ’ ve seen it .
Our boat can take only little .
We are very grateful to the Northern Fleet ’ s commander for their assistance .
It is quite problematic to build anything at such a distance .
You buy a nail with one ruble , and when you bring it here its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , we got so stressed , everything seemed impossible… but as we began putting up the walls , the enthusiasm returned .
If most optimistic expectations come true , the church ’ s walls may be ready by October , and the domes would be made within the coming winter in the Samara Region .
Local masters will make the bell tower .
- With God ’ s help , next summer the first service will be inside the church , - Bishop Tarasius said .
Legends and mysteries of the Kildin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which burst out from the narrow Kola Bay .
There is a legend about a wicked witch , who wanted to block this bay with a stone island not to allow fishers into the sea .
But it did not happen , and the Kildin now is separated from the mainland by a narrow strait .
Some geologists say it is a part of the Kola Peninsula , others say it is a part of the Urals Mountains .
The top weird version claims this island is a meteorite , - a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Beyond Lake Mogilnoye , further on to the east , there is another natural attraction - square stones-coffers , twice higher than a man .
Amazingly , the stone is not monolith granite , it is layered , like a piece of limestone .
Some experts say , those are fragments of rocks , which had rolled off the top , and the wind and waves have made them look so strange .
The ancient Pomors called them Devil Stones .
- In the old times , - Sergei Yudkov said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pomors ’ boats , and during the war ( World War II ) , minesweepers Tuman and Passat sank there - by the Devil Stones .
K-159 sub sank there , too .
This is our local Bermuda Triangle .
These stones-coffers attract many tourists and scientists , and anyone , who saw and touched those granite layers , could not be left unmoved .
Here is a part of the paved road across the Kildin .
It begins from nowhere and leads to nowhere .
- To be more exact , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 837 meters , we have measured it , - a historian Mikhail Oresheta said .
- In Kildin ’ s eastern part used to be a hospital , inside the former house of the Ericssons , the colonists from Norway .
Gulag ’ s prisoners were treated there .
They worked on the island in unbearable conditions , they built tunnels for the armament , and they also paved this road , but never finished it .
Many prisoners on the island were former high-ranking military , and the legend says the name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devoted to the former marshal .
Nobody can say whether he had been on the island or not .
But various sources mention he participated in the paving .
Back then , information about prisoners and their work in the North was top secret .
Konstantin Rokossovsky was arrested in August 1937 in Pskov , charged with relations with a foreign intelligence service and with participation in a plot against the country ’ s leaders .
There is no available information about the marshal ’ s imprisonment .
In 1940 he was released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison on the island - only the tunnels , which the prisoners had made , and that very `` golden kilometer of Rokossovsky '' - as a monument to Gulag .
The political prisoners built on the island not just the road .
An artillery line , anti-aircraft pads , berths for warships , tunnels for repair shops , barracks , a hospital , a club , and a bakery - all those infrastructures were built record quickly right before the war .
By World War II , the Murmansk Region had sufficiently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cruiser- this is how the island was dubbed back then .
- During the war , in 1943-1944 here were units of the 27th aviation squadron , commanded by Hero of the Soviet Union Vasiliy Adonkin .
After the war , the big military construction continued here .
On the island were many tunnels , underground facilities for commanders , and storages , - expert of the cultural heritage museum Olga Zemskova said .
On days of military glory , the Northern Fleet ’ s flags fly at half-mast and passing ships give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Navy pay tribute to the Tuman patrol ship , which sank there on August 10 , 1941 .
The sea around the island keeps remains of other battle ships , submarines and civil vessels as well as vessels of the Arctic convoys .
The Northern Fleet continues cleaning areas of Arctic military bases .
The Kildin is on the list .
The Navy have organized an ecology platoon .
On the East Kildin , it will remove scrap metal and old buildings .
As the buildings are demolished , the navy will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worn out , but still alive , awaits new future .
A tour to the Kildin .
Is it realistic ?
Only few tourists come to the island .
There is no transport , which could bring them here .
The Kildin does not have accommodation infrastructures .
And yet , the most curious and brave manage to come and see the island .
Ilya Melnikov , the director of the Ahtilahti tourist company in St. Petersburg , usually organizes groups of ten tourists , hires a boat from Teriberka ( the Murmansk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hiking tours around the island .
Travelers carry food and equipment .
They spend nights at tents .
- We have to apply for passes to the island , - he said .
- It is quite doable to walk the island in five days , when we `` pick '' all the attractions on the way : the deserted military bases , the Severny lighthouse , and the lines of coastal defense .
Most interesting are cannons , though quite many objects have been destroyed on the island .
Anyway , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and they are interesting in terms of military engineering .
In fact , the Kildin is a story about Russia , about what has happened to it - it ’ s the essence of our reality on a separate island .
Ilya says the island should be developed , but enthusiasm only is too little ; such a project requires support , including from the authorities .
This year ( 2020 ) , Ilya had to cancel trips due to the pandemic , but he hopes to catch up during the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Region would want to organize a sea route to that tiny Arctic oasis .
The regional authorities also have plans to develop tourism in the Arctic .
We hope all those plans come true .

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. A huge dreary rock in the Barents Sea’s north-east, a few miles from the Kola Bay, lies right at the crossing of sea routes from Murmansk.
Move ahead, into the past!
One route crosses Scandinavia into Europe, and the other one leads to the White Sea and the Northern Sea Route. A speedboat rushed us from Severomorsk to the island in just 30 minutes. It was weird to see an island of my childhood as if for the first time. Almost 40 years later.
The once strong berths have turned into ruins. Photo correspondent Lev Fedoseyev and I hardly managed to get ashore crossing those ruins. We took a road, covered with grass, to reach a ghost village.
In the years of flourishing, it was called Niz. There used to be a shop, a few houses, a kindergarten, a three-year school, military bases and a military cemetery.
Fishers on the shore warn us - a couple days earlier a bear came here. At least five bears wander here. They are hosts on the island, the men said.
We do not have a radio or signal fires, or guns, only cameras and the cell phones, which seem quite useless here as on the shoreline we could find a weak signal.
On the upper plateau, about five kilometers up a winding road, is another village, called Verkh (Top) - there I lived between the age of three and nine.
My father served as the chief of communications at the Northern Fleet’s coastal artillery regiment, and this is why we had a telephone at home, which we often used after heavy snowfalls to call a heating station asking servicemen to dig the entrance to our house from under the snow.
Children to the age of nine used to live on the island together with their parents, but then they were sent to a boarding school on the mainland. Those who remained on the island enjoyed the freedom - they watched cows, about ten of them. Milk was given only to families with babies, or the kids could peep into the bakery to grab dry bread and feed horses, which wandered the island freely.
In winter, soaking wet, we dug tunnels in three-meter thick snow, we loved sliding off hills on sledges to crawl upwards for an hour.
The barracks are practically ruins now, though the two and three floor houses, which we used to call skyscrapers, still look firm, gaping with empty windows.
No furniture, pipes or heaters inside. Here is the club, where used to be a gym, a book store, a canteen with tasty homemade pies, and where families organized parties.
The military left the island in 1995, and the Kildin got deserted.
It is still inhibited
Getting to the East Kildin is easier. This part of the island has a pebble beach, and our boat glides into the coast, so that we jump out easily. The eye catches numerous flowers: a carpet of daisies, bluebells, polar poppies, wild cloves, "golden root" (Rhodiola rosea) - you cannot meet such flowers in Murmansk.
The climate in the north-western part is severe, typically Arctic, but the southern and eastern parts, which go down to the sea, in summer look like alpine meadows.
At the shore, we see a big wooden house; smoke is coming out from the chimney. A man comes to us.
- I am a "native," between 1981 and 1992 I served here, though on the West Kildin…
The man is Alexei Baranov.
- Then I retired, but remained here for another three years, to 1995, until the regiment left the island. I went into trade, opened two shops here, up there and down there, and supplied food for the island… Later on, for some time, I lived in St. Petersburg. And now that I have reconstructed this house, I live here.
Alexei comes here every spring, welcomes brave tourists and fishers, helps scientists will research, and leaves for St. Petersburg for the winter.
According to him, the Northern Fleet has two bases on the island, but strangers are not allowed there.
Back in the Soviet times, transport communication on the island was organized by the military.
In the past, four vessels connected the island with the mainland. Nowadays, only one of them passes by, sailing from Murmansk to Ostrovnoy.
- A small boat, Pingvin (penguin), took people from the shore to the ship and back. If the wave was high, people got frightened as they crawled down a pilot ladder from a huge ship onto the tiny boat, which at times disappears in the water. Any luggage was thrown from the board, sometimes missing the target, - Alexei smiles. - But anyway all people were experienced, strong. Weaklings couldn’t survive here.
Alexei’s life is comfortable: a stove, a small sauna, coal-heating, a satellite antenna for communication, television and the Internet. Two boats with engines - he uses them to go shopping in Severomorsk. In good weather the trip takes only an hour and a half.
- As you can see, I do not suffer from loneliness - here are fishers, they would stop for a chat, and then come the military. And for recent two years, life’s become active here. Some enthusiasts decided to return life to our wonderful island - they are building a church here.
Church of the Blessed Warrior St. Fyodor Ushakov
Two brothers, Andrei and Yuri Orlov, are doing the impossible - at the initiative of Father Serhiy, the rector of the Teriberka perish, they make a spiritual-educational-sports camp and build a church on the Kildin to commemorate the past.
Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the Solovki monks used to live there; they welcomed fishers and traders, gave water to them, accommodated and shared food. Records about the church and a hostel on the island are found at the archive of the St. Petersburg European University.
Later on, in the 19th century, a Norwegian family settled on the island. They had 12 children. The family lived on the Kildin for about 60 years and was the only Norwegian family, living east from the Kola Bay, and the Kildin’s only population. The family’s head was dubbed the Kildin King.
- We installed the worship cross three years ago, and, I think, by this autumn the church will be ready. The construction continues on sponsor money. The church will be 5 by 6 meters, we have associates, who are making domes for us. The church will have the altar, it won’t be big, but it will be cozy and open for all. We have chosen the name - Church of the Blessed Warrior St. Fyodor Ushakov, - Andrei Orlov told us.
Andrei and Yuri live in Severomorsk. They love the nature, the North and the sea. The Navy’s boat has brought to the island logs for future church, windows and a small house. From the sea to the construction site an old ZIL truck carried all the materials. The brothers had repaired the Soviet truck.
- This ZIL was made in 1968, it carries 5 tonnes, but this workhorse can carry even 12, we’ve tried, - Yuri Orlov, driving the truck, told us, jumping as we moved on.
- We could’ve done even more, during this polar night, when it’s light, but we’ve run out of materials, - Andrei said laughing. - Bringing them here is a big deal, you’ve seen it. Our boat can take only little. We are very grateful to the Northern Fleet’s commander for their assistance. It is quite problematic to build anything at such a distance. You buy a nail with one ruble, and when you bring it here its price jumps to five. At some point, we got so stressed, everything seemed impossible… but as we began putting up the walls, the enthusiasm returned.
If most optimistic expectations come true, the church’s walls may be ready by October, and the domes would be made within the coming winter in the Samara Region. Local masters will make the bell tower.
- With God’s help, next summer the first service will be inside the church, - Bishop Tarasius said.
Legends and mysteries of the Kildin Island
- Kildin is like a cork, which burst out from the narrow Kola Bay. There is a legend about a wicked witch, who wanted to block this bay with a stone island not to allow fishers into the sea. But it did not happen, and the Kildin now is separated from the mainland by a narrow strait. Some geologists say it is a part of the Kola Peninsula, others say it is a part of the Urals Mountains. The top weird version claims this island is a meteorite, - a local reporter and historian Sergei Yudkov said.
Beyond Lake Mogilnoye, further on to the east, there is another natural attraction - square stones-coffers, twice higher than a man. Amazingly, the stone is not monolith granite, it is layered, like a piece of limestone. Some experts say, those are fragments of rocks, which had rolled off the top, and the wind and waves have made them look so strange. The ancient Pomors called them Devil Stones.
- In the old times, - Sergei Yudkov said, - on these rocks got ruined the Pomors’ boats, and during the war (World War II), minesweepers Tuman and Passat sank there - by the Devil Stones. K-159 sub sank there, too. This is our local Bermuda Triangle.
These stones-coffers attract many tourists and scientists, and anyone, who saw and touched those granite layers, could not be left unmoved.
Kildin’s Gulag and "Rokossovsky’s golden kilometer"
Here is a part of the paved road across the Kildin. It begins from nowhere and leads to nowhere.
- To be more exact, it is shorter than one kilometer - just 837 meters, we have measured it, - a historian Mikhail Oresheta said. - In Kildin’s eastern part used to be a hospital, inside the former house of the Ericssons, the colonists from Norway. Gulag’s prisoners were treated there. They worked on the island in unbearable conditions, they built tunnels for the armament, and they also paved this road, but never finished it.
Many prisoners on the island were former high-ranking military, and the legend says the name of Rokossovsky’s golden kilometer was devoted to the former marshal. Nobody can say whether he had been on the island or not. But various sources mention he participated in the paving.
Back then, information about prisoners and their work in the North was top secret. Konstantin Rokossovsky was arrested in August 1937 in Pskov, charged with relations with a foreign intelligence service and with participation in a plot against the country’s leaders.
There is no available information about the marshal’s imprisonment. In 1940 he was released.
Practically nothing has remained from that prison on the island - only the tunnels, which the prisoners had made, and that very "golden kilometer of Rokossovsky" - as a monument to Gulag.
The Kildin granite cruiser
The political prisoners built on the island not just the road. An artillery line, anti-aircraft pads, berths for warships, tunnels for repair shops, barracks, a hospital, a club, and a bakery - all those infrastructures were built record quickly right before the war.
By World War II, the Murmansk Region had sufficiently reliable military facilities. The Kildin granite cruiser- this is how the island was dubbed back then.
- During the war, in 1943-1944 here were units of the 27th aviation squadron, commanded by Hero of the Soviet Union Vasiliy Adonkin. After the war, the big military construction continued here. On the island were many tunnels, underground facilities for commanders, and storages, - expert of the cultural heritage museum Olga Zemskova said.
On days of military glory, the Northern Fleet’s flags fly at half-mast and passing ships give a long honk. This way, the Navy pay tribute to the Tuman patrol ship, which sank there on August 10, 1941. The sea around the island keeps remains of other battle ships, submarines and civil vessels as well as vessels of the Arctic convoys.
The Northern Fleet continues cleaning areas of Arctic military bases. The Kildin is on the list. The Navy have organized an ecology platoon. On the East Kildin, it will remove scrap metal and old buildings. As the buildings are demolished, the navy will revegetate the soil.
The Kildin, worn out, but still alive, awaits new future.
A tour to the Kildin. Is it realistic?
Only few tourists come to the island. There is no transport, which could bring them here. The Kildin does not have accommodation infrastructures. And yet, the most curious and brave manage to come and see the island.
Ilya Melnikov, the director of the Ahtilahti tourist company in St. Petersburg, usually organizes groups of ten tourists, hires a boat from Teriberka (the Murmansk Region), and takes the groups to hiking tours around the island. Travelers carry food and equipment. They spend nights at tents.
- We have to apply for passes to the island, - he said. - It is quite doable to walk the island in five days, when we "pick" all the attractions on the way: the deserted military bases, the Severny lighthouse, and the lines of coastal defense. Most interesting are cannons, though quite many objects have been destroyed on the island. Anyway, the underground facilities are in good conditions, and they are interesting in terms of military engineering. In fact, the Kildin is a story about Russia, about what has happened to it - it’s the essence of our reality on a separate island.
Ilya says the island should be developed, but enthusiasm only is too little; such a project requires support, including from the authorities.
This year (2020), Ilya had to cancel trips due to the pandemic, but he hopes to catch up during the next season. Many people in the Murmansk Region would want to organize a sea route to that tiny Arctic oasis. The regional authorities also have plans to develop tourism in the Arctic. We hope all those plans come true.


tass--2020-07-29--Russian Embassy receives note from Minsk over apprehension of 32 Russians

MINSK , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
Russian Embassy in Belarus received a formal notification from the Foreign Ministry of @ @ @ @ @ Russian citizens in the republic , the Embassy tweeted Wednesday .
`` The Embassy received @ @ @ @ @ Main Consular Directorate of the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Belarus regarding the apprehension @ @ @ @ @ '' the tweet says .
Belarusian Foreign Ministry will invite envoys of Russia and Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ 30 Russian citizens , Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Andrey Ravkov said on @ @ @ @ @ Ravkov , the Foreign Ministry was tasked with inviting the envoys `` for certain explanations @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` It is known already , following questioning of these people , that @ @ @ @ @ in Donbass .
This is why envoy of Ukraine was summoned as well , '' @ @ @

MINSK, July 29. /TASS/. Russian Embassy in Belarus received a formal notification from the Foreign Ministry of Belarus regarding apprehension of 32 Russian citizens in the republic, the Embassy tweeted Wednesday.
"The Embassy received the official notification from the Main Consular Directorate of the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Belarus regarding the apprehension of 32 Russian citizens," the tweet says.
Belarusian Foreign Ministry will invite envoys of Russia and Ukraine over the apprehension of over 30 Russian citizens, Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Andrey Ravkov said on TV Wednesday.
According to Ravkov, the Foreign Ministry was tasked with inviting the envoys "for certain explanations and discussion of relevant issues."
"It is known already, following questioning of these people, that about 14 people were registered in Donbass. This is why envoy of Ukraine was summoned as well," he said.


tass--2020-07-29--Belarus to request clarification from Moscow following detention of Russians

MINSK , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
Minsk will request clarification from Moscow following the detention of 33 Russians described @ @ @ @ @ military company by Belarusian law enforcement agencies , Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at an @ @ @ @ @ the country ’ s Security Council on Wednesday .
`` I am looking at the @ @ @ @ @ are making excuses , practically saying it was us that brought them here .
Naturally @ @ @ @ @ their foul intentions .
This is why I would like things to be perfectly clear @ @ @ @ @ nationals , and as far as I understand , they have been questioned , then @ @ @ @ @ from the relevant Russian agencies , '' Lukashenko said , as cited by the BelTA @ @ @

MINSK, July 29. /TASS/. Minsk will request clarification from Moscow following the detention of 33 Russians described as members of a private military company by Belarusian law enforcement agencies, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at an emergency meeting with members of the country’s Security Council on Wednesday.
"I am looking at the Russians’ reaction. They are making excuses, practically saying it was us that brought them here. Naturally, they need to justify their foul intentions. This is why I would like things to be perfectly clear. If they are Russian nationals, and as far as I understand, they have been questioned, then we need to request clarification from the relevant Russian agencies," Lukashenko said, as cited by the BelTA news agency.


tass--2020-07-29--Africa’s coronavirus cases pass 873,000, says WHO

PRETORIA , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
The total number of coronavirus cases in African countries rose by 13,428 to 873,378 in the past day , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) Regional Office for Africa said on Wednesday .
According to the WHO , Africa ’ s coronavirus recoveries have reached 520,000 and the death toll has climbed to 18,487 .
South Africa accounts for the majority of cases ( 459,761 ) and fatalities ( 7,257 ) .
Egypt has so far reported 92,947 cases and 4,691 deaths .
The coronavirus death toll stands at 1,174 in Algeria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has confirmed 41,840 coronavirus cases and 868 deaths , Ghana has recorded 34,406 cases and 168 deaths .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe , including Russia .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 16,908,600 people have been infected worldwide and more than 663,000 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 10,472,800 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .

PRETORIA, July 29. /TASS/. The total number of coronavirus cases in African countries rose by 13,428 to 873,378 in the past day, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa said on Wednesday.
According to the WHO, Africa’s coronavirus recoveries have reached 520,000 and the death toll has climbed to 18,487.
South Africa accounts for the majority of cases (459,761) and fatalities (7,257). Egypt has so far reported 92,947 cases and 4,691 deaths. The coronavirus death toll stands at 1,174 in Algeria.
In the sub-Saharan region, Nigeria has confirmed 41,840 coronavirus cases and 868 deaths, Ghana has recorded 34,406 cases and 168 deaths.
Coronavirus pandemic
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 16,908,600 people have been infected worldwide and more than 663,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 10,472,800 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.


tass--2020-07-29--Syria’s Assad hosts Russian Presidential Envoy Lavrentiev, Deputy FM Vershinin

MOSCOW , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hosted Russian Special Presidential Envoy on Syrian Reconciliation Alexander @ @ @ @ @ Minister Sergey Vershinin in Damascus Wednesday , Assad ’ s administration announced .
The administration @ @ @ @ @ Russian President Vladimir Putin ’ s congratulations with successful parliamentary elections , which confirm the @ @ @ @ @ of the state course towards stability and improvement of conditions of life of all Syrians @ @ @ @ @ the situation in Syria and preparation for meeting of the Syrian Constitutional Committee , slated @ @ @ @ @ in August , were discussed .

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hosted Russian Special Presidential Envoy on Syrian Reconciliation Alexander Lavrentiev and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin in Damascus Wednesday, Assad’s administration announced.
The administration notes that Lavrentiev relayed "Russian President Vladimir Putin’s congratulations with successful parliamentary elections, which confirm the Syrian people’s support of the state course towards stability and improvement of conditions of life of all Syrians.
During the negotiations, the situation in Syria and preparation for meeting of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, slated to take place in Geneva in August, were discussed.


tass--2020-07-29--Russian embassy evacuates 27 Russians out of North Korea

TASS , July 29 .
The Russian embassy in North Korea has facilitated the return of 27 Russian nationals from this country , they were back in Russia on Wednesday , the diplomatic mission said via its page on Facebook .
`` On July 29 , 27 Russians returned home from North Korea , '' the message reads .
The embassy underlined that the evacuation was not easy to organize considering shutdown of borders , the ban of traveling around North Korea that is still in place and the suspension of international flights , but the embassy did it `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the help of Korean and Russian officials from various agencies and organizations .
The Russians , including ten children , boarded a train in Pyongyang to head to Tumangang railway station situated on the border between Russia and North Korea where they switched to Russian passenger train cars to arrive in Russia .
They will later travel to Vladivostok before going to their respective places of residence .
`` Before the trip , Russians were repeatedly checked by doctors , tested for diseases , were placed in a long-term quarantine and have medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the diplomatic mission added .
Despite all of these precautionary measures , the Russians will again have to have a full checkup upon arriving in Russia , the embassy specified .
Earlier , the Russian embassy in Pyongyang informed that North Korean authorities recommended that foreign diplomats to refrain from travels around the country following a possible outbreak of coronavirus in the city of Kaesong .
On July 26 , the Korean Central News Agency reported that a defector from South Korea who had illegally crossed the border between the two countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acted swiftly to impose a stringent lockdown on Kaesong on July 24 .
On July 25 , North Korean leader Kim Jong-un convened an urgent meeting of the Workers ' Party of Korea to review the situation .
The official statistic shows that North Korea does not have a single confirmed coronavirus case .
In late January , the country enacted a series of urgent measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus , shutting down borders , schools and imposing a nationwide quarantine .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the world .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 16,908,600 people have been infected worldwide and more than 663,000 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 10,472,800 individuals have recovered from the illness @ @ @ @

TASS, July 29. The Russian embassy in North Korea has facilitated the return of 27 Russian nationals from this country, they were back in Russia on Wednesday, the diplomatic mission said via its page on Facebook.
"On July 29, 27 Russians returned home from North Korea," the message reads. The embassy underlined that the evacuation was not easy to organize considering shutdown of borders, the ban of traveling around North Korea that is still in place and the suspension of international flights, but the embassy did it "successfully and without any mishaps" with the help of Korean and Russian officials from various agencies and organizations.
The Russians, including ten children, boarded a train in Pyongyang to head to Tumangang railway station situated on the border between Russia and North Korea where they switched to Russian passenger train cars to arrive in Russia. They will later travel to Vladivostok before going to their respective places of residence. "Before the trip, Russians were repeatedly checked by doctors, tested for diseases, were placed in a long-term quarantine and have medical certificated proving their negative coronavirus test," the diplomatic mission added. Despite all of these precautionary measures, the Russians will again have to have a full checkup upon arriving in Russia, the embassy specified.
Earlier, the Russian embassy in Pyongyang informed that North Korean authorities recommended that foreign diplomats to refrain from travels around the country following a possible outbreak of coronavirus in the city of Kaesong.
On July 26, the Korean Central News Agency reported that a defector from South Korea who had illegally crossed the border between the two countries exhibited coronavirus-like symptoms. The national authorities acted swiftly to impose a stringent lockdown on Kaesong on July 24. On July 25, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un convened an urgent meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea to review the situation.
The official statistic shows that North Korea does not have a single confirmed coronavirus case. In late January, the country enacted a series of urgent measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, shutting down borders, schools and imposing a nationwide quarantine.
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the world.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 16,908,600 people have been infected worldwide and more than 663,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 10,472,800 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.


tass--2020-07-29--Union State Secretary Rapota unaware of apprehension of Russians in Belarus

PETROZAVODSK , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
State Secretary of the Union State of Russia and Belarus Grigory Rapota said @ @ @ @ @ the recent apprehension of Russian citizens in Belarus .
`` I do not know anything @ @ @ @ @ said , answering a question from TASS .
On Wednesday , Belarusian state news agency @ @ @ @ @ enforcement agencies , that a group of 33 Russian citizens were detained in the republic @ @ @ @ @ that these people are employees of the `` Wagner Private Military Company . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ the apprehended Russians , and the state-run Belarus-1 TV channel aired the footage of their @ @ @ @ @ that the Belarusian law enforcement was tipped about over 200 `` militants '' sent to @ @ @ @ @ situation ahead the August 9 presidential election .
The official Minsk made no statements about @ @ @ @ @ embassy in Minsk already requested information about the incident from Belarusian officials and is currently @ @ @ @

PETROZAVODSK, July 29. /TASS/. State Secretary of the Union State of Russia and Belarus Grigory Rapota said he has no information about the recent apprehension of Russian citizens in Belarus.
"I do not know anything myself yet," he said, answering a question from TASS.
On Wednesday, Belarusian state news agency BelTA reported, citing law enforcement agencies, that a group of 33 Russian citizens were detained in the republic. The news agency claimed that these people are employees of the "Wagner Private Military Company."
The agency published the list of the apprehended Russians, and the state-run Belarus-1 TV channel aired the footage of their apprehension. BelTA also said that the Belarusian law enforcement was tipped about over 200 "militants" sent to the republic to destabilize the situation ahead the August 9 presidential election.
The official Minsk made no statements about the issue. The Russian embassy in Minsk already requested information about the incident from Belarusian officials and is currently awaiting a response.


tass--2020-07-29--Finland asks Russia for explanations over suspected intrusion into its airspace

HELSINKI , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
The Finnish Foreign Ministry asked Russia ’ s embassy to provide explanations after @ @ @ @ @ brass claimed that two Russian Su-27 planes allegedly violated Finland ’ s airspace on July @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday .
`` The Foreign Ministry of Finland got in touch with the Russian @ @ @ @ @ explanations over the suspected violation of the airspace , '' the ministry said in a @ @ @ @ @ Defense Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday that two Russian Su-27 fighters allegedly violated the @ @ @ @ @ the area of Helsinki over the Gulf of Finland .
Russia ’ s Defense Ministry @ @ @ @ @ that four Russian Su-27 fighters made a scheduled flight from the Republic of Karelia in @ @ @ @ @ to the westernmost Kaliningrad Region , without violating the airspace of any states .
The @ @ @ @ @ with the international rules of using the airspace , without violating the borders of other @ @ @ @ @ by data recording equipment , Russia ’ s Defense Ministry stressed .

HELSINKI, July 29. /TASS/. The Finnish Foreign Ministry asked Russia’s embassy to provide explanations after the country’s top brass claimed that two Russian Su-27 planes allegedly violated Finland’s airspace on July 28, the ministry reported on Wednesday.
"The Foreign Ministry of Finland got in touch with the Russian embassy in Helsinki and requested explanations over the suspected violation of the airspace," the ministry said in a statement.
Finland’s Defense Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday that two Russian Su-27 fighters allegedly violated the country’s airspace in the area of Helsinki over the Gulf of Finland.
Russia’s Defense Ministry rejected these claims, saying that four Russian Su-27 fighters made a scheduled flight from the Republic of Karelia in the country’s northwest to the westernmost Kaliningrad Region, without violating the airspace of any states.
The flight proceeded in strict compliance with the international rules of using the airspace, without violating the borders of other states, which was confirmed by data recording equipment, Russia’s Defense Ministry stressed.


tass--2020-07-29--US sanctions against Nord Stream 2 challenge attractiveness of investing in EU, says OMV

MOSCOW , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
US sanctions against Nord Stream 2 challenge the attractiveness of investing in Europe , Chairman of Executive Board of Austria ’ s OMV , one of Gazprom ’ s financial partners on the project , Rainer Seele said during a conference call on Wednesday .
`` In any case , as a European company , we expect politicians to ensure Europe ’ s attractiveness for investors , because I see big risks : if we plan to invest billions in the project that observes all rules and regulatory details of Europe , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries to influence us ?
We have to convince [ investors ] to invest in Europe .
Generally , it would be great to clear up that issue , though it would be better if politicians answered those questions , '' he said .
Meanwhile , Seele noted that sanctions are a political issue , which requires a political response that should be given by politicians , not companies .
`` OMV has always observed sanctions , always taken them into consideration , '' he said .
The House of Representatives of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Authorization Act for the next fiscal year ( starts on October 1 ) , which obliges the administration to toughen sanctions against Russia ’ s Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream pipeline projects .
It implies imposing restrictions against foreign persons , who greatly contribute to sale , lease or provision of vessels for laying pipes intended for construction of Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream pipelines .
The Nord Stream 2 project envisages construction of two gas pipeline strings with the total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from Russia to Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pipeline is 93 % complete to date .
The construction was suspended at the end of 2019 when the Swiss pipe-laying company Allseas stopped work due to US sanctions .
Gazprom ’ s European partners - the British-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell , Austrian OMV , French Engie , and German Uniper and Wintershall - totally fund 50 % of the project , that is , up to 950 mln euro each .
To date , the OMV has allocated around 712 mln euro to fund the project , press service of the Austrian @ @ @ @

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. US sanctions against Nord Stream 2 challenge the attractiveness of investing in Europe, Chairman of Executive Board of Austria’s OMV, one of Gazprom’s financial partners on the project, Rainer Seele said during a conference call on Wednesday.
"In any case, as a European company, we expect politicians to ensure Europe’s attractiveness for investors, because I see big risks: if we plan to invest billions in the project that observes all rules and regulatory details of Europe, we should ask ourselves whether we want third countries to influence us? We have to convince [investors] to invest in Europe. Generally, it would be great to clear up that issue, though it would be better if politicians answered those questions," he said.
Meanwhile, Seele noted that sanctions are a political issue, which requires a political response that should be given by politicians, not companies. "OMV has always observed sanctions, always taken them into consideration," he said.
The House of Representatives of the US Congress adopted earlier the National Defense Authorization Act for the next fiscal year (starts on October 1), which obliges the administration to toughen sanctions against Russia’s Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream pipeline projects. It implies imposing restrictions against foreign persons, who greatly contribute to sale, lease or provision of vessels for laying pipes intended for construction of Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream pipelines.
The Nord Stream 2 project envisages construction of two gas pipeline strings with the total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from Russia to Germany across the Baltic Sea. The gas pipeline is 93% complete to date. The construction was suspended at the end of 2019 when the Swiss pipe-laying company Allseas stopped work due to US sanctions.
Gazprom’s European partners - the British-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell, Austrian OMV, French Engie, and German Uniper and Wintershall - totally fund 50% of the project, that is, up to 950 mln euro each. To date, the OMV has allocated around 712 mln euro to fund the project, press service of the Austrian company said earlier.


tass--2020-07-29--Russia delays Proton-M carrier rocket launch from Baikonur over additional checks

MOSCOW , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
The launch of a Proton-M carrier rocket with Russia ’ s Express-80 and Express-103 telecoms satellites has been delayed for twenty-four hours to hold additional checks of assemblies and equipment , the Russian federal space agency Roscosmos said in a statement on Wednesday .
`` Due to the need to hold additional checks of assemblies and equipment , the state commission has made a decision to postpone the launch of a Proton-M carrier rocket with a Briz-M booster and the Russian Express-103 and Express-80 telecoms satellites to a back-up date .
Now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow time on July 31 , 2020 , '' the statement reads .
The launch of the Proton-M carrier rocket from the Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan was earlier scheduled for 00:27 a.m. Moscow time on July 30 .
The Briz-M booster was intended to complete the delivery of the telecoms satellites into the target geo-stationary transfer orbit at 6:43 p.m. Moscow time on July 30 .
The Express-80 and Express-103 telecoms satellites are expected to move eventually to their geo-stationary orbits , igniting their own engines .
According to the Roscosmos data , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s delivery into the designated orbit is no more than 152 days for the Express-80 and no more than 160 days for the Express-103 .
The Express-80 and Express-103 satellites have been built on order from the Russian Satellite Communications Company and are based on the standardized Express-1000 medium-class platform developed by the Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems Company .
The satellites are designed to provide fixed and mobile communications , digital television and radio broadcasting services and high-speed access to the Internet and also to transmit data on the territory of Russia and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) in the C- , Ku- and L-bands .
The payload will include 38 ( for the Express-80 ) and 37 ( for the Express-103 ) basic transponders .
The satellites will have an active service life of 15 years .

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. The launch of a Proton-M carrier rocket with Russia’s Express-80 and Express-103 telecoms satellites has been delayed for twenty-four hours to hold additional checks of assemblies and equipment, the Russian federal space agency Roscosmos said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Due to the need to hold additional checks of assemblies and equipment, the state commission has made a decision to postpone the launch of a Proton-M carrier rocket with a Briz-M booster and the Russian Express-103 and Express-80 telecoms satellites to a back-up date. Now, the launch is planned for 00:25 a.m. Moscow time on July 31, 2020," the statement reads.
The launch of the Proton-M carrier rocket from the Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan was earlier scheduled for 00:27 a.m. Moscow time on July 30. The Briz-M booster was intended to complete the delivery of the telecoms satellites into the target geo-stationary transfer orbit at 6:43 p.m. Moscow time on July 30.
The Express-80 and Express-103 telecoms satellites are expected to move eventually to their geo-stationary orbits, igniting their own engines. According to the Roscosmos data, the term for completing the satellite’s delivery into the designated orbit is no more than 152 days for the Express-80 and no more than 160 days for the Express-103.
The Express-80 and Express-103 satellites have been built on order from the Russian Satellite Communications Company and are based on the standardized Express-1000 medium-class platform developed by the Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems Company.
The satellites are designed to provide fixed and mobile communications, digital television and radio broadcasting services and high-speed access to the Internet and also to transmit data on the territory of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in the C-, Ku- and L-bands. The payload will include 38 (for the Express-80) and 37 (for the Express-103) basic transponders. The satellites will have an active service life of 15 years.


tass--2020-07-29--Fake news regarding Russian COVID-19 disinformation connected to US elections - lawmaker

MOSCOW , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
Associated Press and The New York Times reports about Russia ’ s alleged dissemination of disinformation regarding the coronavirus pandemic is a pre-election fake news , says State Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs chairman Leonid Slutsky , adding that the US Democrats continue to exploit the myth of Russian meddling .
`` The AP and NYT reports accusing Russia of dissemination of disinformation about the pandemic in a bid to discredit the US authorities are yet another fake news ahead the November elections of the 46th US President , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans `` keep playing the foreign card , even through the media . ''
`` The Republicans blamed China for the failure of the national healthcare system , while the Democrats still keep cultivating myths about Russian meddling in the US internal political processes .
Both keep pretending in a bid to justify their own miscalculations and failures , and to take off the responsibility for the ongoing crisis in the country , '' the lawmaker said .
The Committee chairman called these reports a `` complete nonsense '' and underscored that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help to the foreign states , including the US , to fight the coronavirus .
`` We do not do ‘ disinformation.
’ This is where our US partners excel far more , with their completely ungrounded claims of mythical ‘ Russian threat ’ , '' the lawmaker concluded .
Earlier , Associated Press and The New York Times published articled , accusing Russia of spreading disinformation about the pandemic .
They claimed that two former GRU intelligence officers , Alexander Starunsky and Denis Tyurin , spread disinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic via @ @ @

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. Associated Press and The New York Times reports about Russia’s alleged dissemination of disinformation regarding the coronavirus pandemic is a pre-election fake news, says State Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs chairman Leonid Slutsky, adding that the US Democrats continue to exploit the myth of Russian meddling.
"The AP and NYT reports accusing Russia of dissemination of disinformation about the pandemic in a bid to discredit the US authorities are yet another fake news ahead the November elections of the 46th US President," he said.
He explained that both the Democrats and Republicans "keep playing the foreign card, even through the media."
"The Republicans blamed China for the failure of the national healthcare system, while the Democrats still keep cultivating myths about Russian meddling in the US internal political processes. Both keep pretending in a bid to justify their own miscalculations and failures, and to take off the responsibility for the ongoing crisis in the country," the lawmaker said.
The Committee chairman called these reports a "complete nonsense" and underscored that, on the contrary, Russia provided maximum help to the foreign states, including the US, to fight the coronavirus.
"We do not do ‘disinformation.’ This is where our US partners excel far more, with their completely ungrounded claims of mythical ‘Russian threat’," the lawmaker concluded.
Earlier, Associated Press and The New York Times published articled, accusing Russia of spreading disinformation about the pandemic. They claimed that two former GRU intelligence officers, Alexander Starunsky and Denis Tyurin, spread disinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic via Internet sites.


tass--2020-07-29--Moscow sees 90-percent plunge in new COVID-19 cases, says mayor

MOSCOW , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
The number of new coronavirus infections in the Russian capital has taken a 90-percent dive since the peak of the pandemic , Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Wednesday .
`` If we take the period from the peak of the incidence , the number of newly-diagnosed COVID-19 cases in Moscow has seen a ten-fold decline .
You remember , we had 6,500 [ cases ] .
Today , we have about 650 cases , plus or minus 50 , '' he said at a meeting on the nationwide sanitary and epidemiological situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to the mayor , the situation has remained practically unchanged for about a month .
`` There are also other factors , such as hospital admissions .
Our bed capacity today is less than the number of discharged patients .
The situation has remained more or less the same for a considerable period of time .
The number of patients in intensive care units , on ventilators , is also decreasing all the time , '' Sobyanin highlighted .
`` We have created a reserve fund of 7,000 beds in mobile hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stationary hospitals .
Plus , 6,000 beds are being used to the fullest extent .
These are specialized hospitals , which work with COVID-19 patients , '' the mayor said .
The coronavirus situation in Moscow , previously the hardest hit area in Russia , according to statistics , has improved substantially .
A total of 239,986 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the city , including 671 cases recorded in the past 24 hours .
To date , 176,437 patients have recovered , and 4,434 people have died .
A campaign for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 antibodies is underway in the capital .

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. The number of new coronavirus infections in the Russian capital has taken a 90-percent dive since the peak of the pandemic, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Wednesday.
"If we take the period from the peak of the incidence, the number of newly-diagnosed COVID-19 cases in Moscow has seen a ten-fold decline. You remember, we had 6,500 [cases]. Today, we have about 650 cases, plus or minus 50," he said at a meeting on the nationwide sanitary and epidemiological situation chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to the mayor, the situation has remained practically unchanged for about a month. "There are also other factors, such as hospital admissions. Our bed capacity today is less than the number of discharged patients. The situation has remained more or less the same for a considerable period of time. The number of patients in intensive care units, on ventilators, is also decreasing all the time," Sobyanin highlighted.
"We have created a reserve fund of 7,000 beds in mobile hospitals, but they are no different from stationary hospitals. Plus, 6,000 beds are being used to the fullest extent. These are specialized hospitals, which work with COVID-19 patients," the mayor said.
The coronavirus situation in Moscow, previously the hardest hit area in Russia, according to statistics, has improved substantially. A total of 239,986 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the city, including 671 cases recorded in the past 24 hours. To date, 176,437 patients have recovered, and 4,434 people have died. A campaign for mass voluntary testing among the public for COVID-19 antibodies is underway in the capital.


tass--2020-07-29--Number of coronavirus cases in Poland surpasses 44,000

Since March 4 , when the first coronavirus case was detected in the country , 1,694 people died , and 33,190 patients recovered .
Currently , about 1,600 patients are hospitalized with coronavirus .
WARSAW , July 29 .
/TASS/ .
The number of coronavirus cases in Poland reached 44,416 people .
Meanwhile , 512 infected , 12 deaths were detected over the past day , the country ’ s Ministry of Health said on Wednesday .
To counter the spread of the pandemic , the Polish authorities introduced an epidemic regime in mid-March , which is still in effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the restrictions adopted to counter the spread of coronavirus have already been lifted - shopping centers , restaurants , services , and cultural facilities have opened .
So far , social distance of 2 meters remains the main rule .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 16,908,600 people have been infected worldwide and more than 663,000 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 10,472,800 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .
To date , 828,990 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia , with 620,333 patients having recovered from the disease .
Russia ’ s latest data indicates 13,673 fatalities nationwide .
Earlier , the Russian government set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public updated on the coronavirus situation .

Since March 4, when the first coronavirus case was detected in the country, 1,694 people died, and 33,190 patients recovered. Currently, about 1,600 patients are hospitalized with coronavirus.
WARSAW, July 29. /TASS/. The number of coronavirus cases in Poland reached 44,416 people. Meanwhile, 512 infected, 12 deaths were detected over the past day, the country’s Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.
To counter the spread of the pandemic, the Polish authorities introduced an epidemic regime in mid-March, which is still in effect, despite the fact that most of the restrictions adopted to counter the spread of coronavirus have already been lifted - shopping centers, restaurants, services, and cultural facilities have opened. So far, social distance of 2 meters remains the main rule.
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 16,908,600 people have been infected worldwide and more than 663,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 10,472,800 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.
To date, 828,990 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 620,333 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 13,673 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.