tass--2020-05-26--Moscow plans to coordinate access of its specialists to Lugar center in Georgia

MOSCOW , May 26./TASS/ .
Russia expects a response from Georgia to its request to visit the Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research in Tbilisi by Russian specialists .
Moscow is concerned about the absence of information on the activity of the laboratory , the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary on Tuesday .
Attempts fail to organize a visit of the center in Georgia `` by Russian subject matter experts on mutually acceptable conditions , '' it said .
`` The Georgian side has not reacted as of yet to our note of June 2019 with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modalities of a possible visit .
We are waiting for an official reaction from Tbilisi , '' it said .
`` The matter of our concern is that Washington does not explain what it is doing in close vicinity to the Russian borders .
Of course , we can not but factor this in within the context of ensuring national security , specifically when such sensitive aspects are involved , '' the Foreign Ministry explained .
Russia will continue attempts to get intelligible answers from the American and Georgian sides as to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Russia insists on `` guarantees of access to all laboratory buildings , '' including the premises occupied by US specialists .
This will make it possible to check the activity of the center and impossible to conceal `` the true focus of the work carried out by biologists from the US military agency close to the Russian borders , '' it stressed .
`` We go on a premise that the visit must take place in a bilateral format without representatives from other counties ( except for Pentagon specialists accredited at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and regional organizations , '' the Foreign Ministry said .
It also stressed that the activity of the laboratories invited questions of Russian officials and public figures , as well as Georgian experts and representatives of the civic society from the point of view of observance of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention by US specialists .
`` It was noted , in particular , that research is being carried out on the basis of this biological facility to use insects for carrying specifically dangerous biological and infectious agents , '' the ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern over the work of the Georgia-based Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research .
Opened near Tbilisi ’ s international airport in 2011 under a US governmental program , the center specializes in the study of biological threats .
Georgia ’ s former State Security Minister Igor Giorgadze told reporters in late 2018 that he had evidence confirming that the lab was carrying out dangerous experiments and called on US President Donald Trump to investigate its activities .
Giorgadze claimed that US military and private contractors could be engaged in secret experiments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations as absurd while Moscow said it would request the lab-related documents from the United States .

MOSCOW, May 26./TASS/. Russia expects a response from Georgia to its request to visit the Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research in Tbilisi by Russian specialists. Moscow is concerned about the absence of information on the activity of the laboratory, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary on Tuesday.
Attempts fail to organize a visit of the center in Georgia "by Russian subject matter experts on mutually acceptable conditions," it said. "The Georgian side has not reacted as of yet to our note of June 2019 with a request to give necessary explanations on the modalities of a possible visit. We are waiting for an official reaction from Tbilisi," it said.
"The matter of our concern is that Washington does not explain what it is doing in close vicinity to the Russian borders. Of course, we cannot but factor this in within the context of ensuring national security, specifically when such sensitive aspects are involved," the Foreign Ministry explained.
Russia will continue attempts to get intelligible answers from the American and Georgian sides as to the activity of the lab, it stressed.
Russia insists on "guarantees of access to all laboratory buildings," including the premises occupied by US specialists. This will make it possible to check the activity of the center and impossible to conceal "the true focus of the work carried out by biologists from the US military agency close to the Russian borders," it stressed.
"We go on a premise that the visit must take place in a bilateral format without representatives from other counties (except for Pentagon specialists accredited at the center), as well as international and regional organizations," the Foreign Ministry said.
It also stressed that the activity of the laboratories invited questions of Russian officials and public figures, as well as Georgian experts and representatives of the civic society from the point of view of observance of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention by US specialists. "It was noted, in particular, that research is being carried out on the basis of this biological facility to use insects for carrying specifically dangerous biological and infectious agents," the ministry explained.
Russia has repeatedly expressed its concern over the work of the Georgia-based Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research. Opened near Tbilisi’s international airport in 2011 under a US governmental program, the center specializes in the study of biological threats. Georgia’s former State Security Minister Igor Giorgadze told reporters in late 2018 that he had evidence confirming that the lab was carrying out dangerous experiments and called on US President Donald Trump to investigate its activities. Giorgadze claimed that US military and private contractors could be engaged in secret experiments on humans there. Georgia dismissed these allegations as absurd while Moscow said it would request the lab-related documents from the United States.


tass--2020-05-26--Investment decision on UAE’s Hail and Ghasha projects to be taken in 2020, says Lukoil

MOSCOW , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
The consortium of investors , including Lukoil , plans to make the final @ @ @ @ @ Ghasha oil and gas fields in the UAE in 2020 , the Russian oil producer @ @ @ @ @ .
`` In 2020 , it is planned to make the final investment decision on @ @ @ @ @ gas fields , work out the development plan of Sarb and Nasr gas fields and @ @ @ @ @ '' Lukoil said .
Lukoil purchased the 5 % stake in the Ghasha project in @ @ @ @ @ project shareholder is ADNOC with the 55 % stake .

MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. The consortium of investors, including Lukoil, plans to make the final investment decision on Hail and Ghasha oil and gas fields in the UAE in 2020, the Russian oil producer said in its annual report.
"In 2020, it is planned to make the final investment decision on Hail and Ghasha oil and gas fields, work out the development plan of Sarb and Nasr gas fields and appoint the operating company," Lukoil said.
Lukoil purchased the 5% stake in the Ghasha project in October 2019. The key project shareholder is ADNOC with the 55% stake.


tass--2020-05-26--13,000 hectares of forests ablaze in Russia, says minister

MOSCOW , May 26./TASS/ .
As many as 64 wildfires are reported in Russia as of May 26 , Minister @ @ @ @ @ Environment Dmitry Kobylkin said on Tuesday .
`` We have 64 forest fires as of @ @ @ @ @ is 13,000 hectares , '' the minister told a session on spring floods and the @ @ @ @ @ of President Vladimir Putin .
According to Kobylkin , a state of emergency over the @ @ @ @ @ four Russian regions .
It was introduced `` throughout the Baikal Region , and in @ @ @ @ @ , Khakassia and the Irkutsk Region , '' he noted .

MOSCOW, May 26./TASS/. As many as 64 wildfires are reported in Russia as of May 26, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Dmitry Kobylkin said on Tuesday.
"We have 64 forest fires as of now, the total area is 13,000 hectares," the minister told a session on spring floods and the fire situation with the participation of President Vladimir Putin.
According to Kobylkin, a state of emergency over the wildfires has been introduced in four Russian regions. It was introduced "throughout the Baikal Region, and in one municipal district of Tuva, Khakassia and the Irkutsk Region," he noted.


tass--2020-05-26--Almost 500 houses partially flooded in 13 Russian regions, says minister

MOSCOW , May 26./TASS/ .
Almost 500 houses are partially flooded in 13 Russian regions , and flashfloods have cut @ @ @ @ @ for Emergency Situations Yevgeny Zinichev told a session chaired by President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ residential buildings , 1,461 farmlands , 14 low level bridges and ten sections of highways @ @ @ @ @ zones in 13 Russian regions as of May 26 .
Twenty-two settlements have been cut @ @ @ @ @ there , '' he said .
Overall , the floods have not disrupted the activity @ @ @ @ @ noted .
`` All necessary measures are being taken , '' the minister stressed .

MOSCOW, May 26./TASS/. Almost 500 houses are partially flooded in 13 Russian regions, and flashfloods have cut off 22 settlements, Minister for Emergency Situations Yevgeny Zinichev told a session chaired by President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
"Overall, 491 residential buildings, 1,461 farmlands, 14 low level bridges and ten sections of highways find themselves in the food zones in 13 Russian regions as of May 26. Twenty-two settlements have been cut off with boat links organized there," he said.
Overall, the floods have not disrupted the activity of critical services, Zinichev noted. "All necessary measures are being taken," the minister stressed.


tass--2020-05-26--Readiness as the new reality: How COVID-19 made Russia’s healthcare system shift gears

The coronavirus case count in Russia has finally stabilized due to the lockdown limiting the public ’ smovement and interaction , as well as the accelerated transition of the entire healthcare system to operating in a new format .
The whole country has been waiting for this positive trend in the reduction of the number of infection cases for more than two months .
During this period when Russia was combating Covid-19 , enormous changes occurred in absolutely all areas ; from the retraining of medical personnel to rapid decision-making and legal changes .
The portal `` The Future of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by TASS , learns what lessons the novel coronavirus has taughtRussia ’ s healthcare system .
Semashko ’ s principles and how the system got tested The mobilization to battle the coronavirus infection revealed something crucial .
Russia ’ s healthcare system has the resources and mechanisms to quickly switch into operating in ‘ combat ’ conditions .
Experts are convinced that the new hospitals and beds , the additional diagnostic and resuscitation equipment , and fast-track retraining of doctors - all of this should be used as a potential reserve of resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consequences of possible epidemics in the future , but also will help to facilitate decision making and improve the quality of medical aid during times of tranquility .
They also note that our country ’ s success in the fight against coronavirus , namely curbing the count of the infection cases along with the low mortality rates , is in no small way attributed to the historical features of the organization of the country ’ s healthcare services .
The principles which have been preserved since the Soviet era , were formulated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Semashko , eponymously called the Semashko system .
“ Thank God we preserved it [ the system — TASS ] at least in the state in which it exists , and now we have every reason to believe that we will take further steps to enhance it .
Actually , this is what ’ s happening , ” noted the Russian President Vladimir Putin at an epidemiological meeting on May 22 .
The Semashko system is based on the unified principles of the organization and centralization of healthcare , which helped to quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an emergency situation.
“ There are more than 160,000 beds in the country , resuscitation beds allow us to feel more confident , and there is no overload , ” said Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko at that same meeting with the president .
One can see that the effectiveness of Semashko ’ s principles of organization , cooperation and centralization is even more evident in the work of the medical service of the Russian Defense Ministry .
In just two months , the ministry built 16 hospitals nationwide to tackle priority needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Putin admitted that at first , he had doubted that it would be possible to do this on such short notice .
As Larisa Popovich , director of the Institute for Health Economics of the Higher School of Economics ( HSE ) , notes , during peacetime , the efficiency of decision-making suffers from overregulation .
Yet , in the fight against the epidemic , it was discipline , control and empathy that turned out to be crucial .
`` The government immediately brought the situation under control , and set out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the military , and the Ministry of Emergencies .
This is very good , and this is a very serious lesson for any future actions , especially inthe healthcare system .
Because health is an integrating global factor of the country ’ s economic development , and it is clear that the coordination of all structures - the Ministry of Agriculture , the Trade Ministry , the military , the Ministry of Transport and so on - forms a normal picture of healthcare system , ” the expert explained .
If the system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top down , and make decisions swiftly , then it works quickly , added Popovich .
Another example of strict discipline is the work of the main disease prevention service in the country , namely Russia ’ s sanitary watchdog .
Heads of institutions and regional officials also point to effective cooperation with Moscow .
Amid the lack of information about the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , it was the nation ’ s capital that had tackled the largest number of cases , which meant that the experience in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably even somewhat longed for suchcommunication and solving a lot of joint matters on the principles of mutual respect and understanding .
This is very important for us , and we would like to preserve it in the future , ” Oleg Karpov , who heads the Pirogov center , said at a meeting with the president .
According to the General Director the Center for Healthcare Quality Assessment and Control of the Russian Ministry of Health Vitaly Omelyanovsky , the heads of local health authorities actually became crisis managers who had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often , these decisions conflicted withexisting regulatory documents that function in normal times .
“ We presume that there will be few emergencies like this , but some flexibility to the healthcare system must be fashioned in order to be able to make precisely the decisions necessary at a given moment , ” he said .
And the Russian Ministry of Health notes that it took three-four days to adopt certain types of documents amid the epidemic , including the coordination with the Ministry of Justice .
This experience can change the role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use proven means to facilitateproviding medication and bolster the availability and quality of medical care beyond the tactical objectives of battling the novel coronavirus .
Doctors now experts of sorts in communicable diseases When the epidemic broke out , medical personnel , especially healthcare specialists focusing on a narrow field , barely knew anything more about the coronavirus infection than ordinary people did .
Many dentists , orthopedists , gynecologists and other doctors even thought that this disease is unlikely to affect them and their work , since that ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation unfolded in a completely different way .
It quickly became clear that new hospitals and intensive care units needed doctors to work in those emergency wards , monitor patients , and , of course , treat them .
In March , the Health Ministry developed interactive modules for working with coronavirus patients , and now more than half of all Russian doctors have completed this training .
Due to the high social significance of such training , the process continues , and residents , students and volunteers have come to the aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Popovich , physicians showed different levels of coping with the changes .
Indeed , on top of the huge stress of inconsistentinformation about the novel coronavirus , many physicians had to face the fact that , firstly , the profession they love and in which they are successful is not in demand now , and secondly , with a change in status .
For instance , the department you manage at any time can be repurposed for treating coronavirus patients .
“ A lot of doctors were unable to retrain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participate in professional work , and it turns out that a huge number of doctors are simply not ready for such challenges , ” said the HSE expert .
For those professionals who remained in service and continue to fight for their patients on the frontlines , additional financial support is being provided .
True , some mechanisms still require fine-tuning .
Money for these purposes was allocated in record time , and on April 30 , the Health Ministry delivered the aid to the regions .
Doctors should have received additional payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But not all regions were able to quickly distribute the funds among institutions .
Some of them began to calculate exactly how many hours and minutes each specialist spent fighting against Covid-19 .
Putin excoriated the cabinet for its lack of clarity on the payment methods .
The work of specialized hospitals , which used to receive planned patients , has significantly changed over these months .
Many hospitals donated their beds to patients with severe coronavirus infections , and now these new infectious beds need to be gradually returned to tackle cardiovascular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diseases .
Patient organizations complained about the problems they had to face during this period with assistance to people who did not need to be treated in infectious disease wards , and experts were concerned as well .
On a number of cases , however , the volume of care for patients without coronavirus , on the contrary , hadjumped .
For instance , according to the Health Ministry , in the first quarter of 2020 , this increase amounted to more than 50 % in the field of cancer treatment .
Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Ministry is already working on ways of bringing hospitals and departments back to normal , although it is obvious that the restoration of planned medical aid is still impossible without taking into consideration the situation with the novel coronavirus , particularly because there is still no vaccine to control this disease .
`` There may be another wave , which may occur somewhere around the fall , the end of October-November ...
Thus , we should also bear this in mind and brace for such a development , '' Putin emphasized .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ no need to increase the total number of beds in hospitals of different types or to constantly keep a reserve for infected patients .
“ Keeping a bed fund based on the fact that an infectious threat is theoretically possible is very irrational , expensive and totally unjustified , ” Omelyanovsky believes .
“ When we talk about a necessity today , we should not count only the number of state beds , we need to be able to assess existing opportunities and the needs of the system .
And based on that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ managing a healthcare system in the regions.
” New objectives can also be drafted for primary healthcare , since clinics , dispensaries , medical and obstetric centers that are closest to patients , and it is here on this level that people are usually mostly dissatisfied with the healthcare system .
In order to change this situation , the government was eyeing a large-scale modernization of healthcare last fall , which , however , will have to be shelved for now .
`` Most likely , there will be a shift in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 1 to a half a year , because even implementation today will be difficult , since the mobilization of forces is aimed in the opposite direction , '' Murashko said at an online meeting of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection .
Currently , as the healthcare system is focused on the coronavirus threat , checkups have been suspended , and in some regions planned vaccination as well , so primary healthcare may face new challenges .
Experts from the international consulting company BCG estimated that due to the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significantly .
On the whole , this is what happened in Russia .
Many federal centers in the first quarter of 2020 completed the annual volume of telehealth consultations .
It is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of Russian legislation in this field .
According to law , a doctor can consult a patient only if a personal appointment has already taken place .
On the other hand , there are private services that are in great demand among Russians , as well as the experience of monitoring the status of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such an approach .
At the same time , according to Popovich , a number of issues related to the illegitimacy of telemedicine aid in some cases remain unresolved .
`` A doctor has no right to consult from home ; they must be in a medical facility .
During self-isolation , even for doctors , this is very wrong , '' the expert noted .
Nevertheless , a number of medical institutions are already solving the teleworking problem .
From the very outbreak of the epidemic , the National Medical Research Radiology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Russian Federation switched all employees who are at risk to teleworking , but at the same time opened a hotline in the center where these specialists could consult cancer patients .
Furthermore , the Moscow Scientific and Practical Center for Child Psychoneurology went further and organized remote rehabilitation for disabled children .
This experience , of course , can be adopted and transferred to remote regions , from where it is not easy for a mother with child to travel to Moscow for regular rehabilitation sessions .
Doctor-to-doctor consultations are being held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dilemmas in problematic regions , such as in the Komi and Dagestan Regions .
No one expected the coronavirus infection pandemic , of course .
In 2019 , the regions gained good pace inimplementing the `` Healthcare '' national project .
Thus , the focus on prevention , the provision of medication , the equipping of hospitals and other measures made it possible to reduce mortality rates and boost life expectancy in the country by the end of 2019 .
The further reduction of Russia ’ s mortality rates among the working-age population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the development of children 's healthcare were intended to facilitate the project ’ s implementation at the next stages .
Initially , the fight against infectious diseases was not included in Russia ’ s National Projects , because in recent decades there have been no serious outbreaks of such communicable diseases in Russia .
There is the National Calendar of Preventive Vaccinations in the country , which enables the creation of sufficient individual and herd immunity to control the most common infections .
But the main problem with the novel coronavirus is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means of control at its disposal .
All we can do so far to reduce the number of cases is to have as little as possible contact with other people and observe the rules of hygiene .
Thus , since the epidemic has also disrupted the work of the nation ’ s immunization services , when the coronavirus tension subsides , priorities in this area may change .
However , the goals and financing of some National Projects might change as well , as the president already noted at one of the meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what to expect concerning the “ Healthcare ” and “ Demography ” National Projects so far .
`` Another question is that we need to review priorities of the National Projects .
And we should focus , perhaps , not on the construction of first aid stations , but , for example , on providing ambulances , training doctors , volunteers , and paramedics , '' Popovich believes .
At the same time , in March-April 2020 , the government earmarked a total of 76.8 billion rubles ( $ 1 bln ) for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including ventilators , as well as for providing medical personnel with personal protective equipment .
Experts at the Central Scientific Research Institute of Informatization and healthcare organizations note that a significant part of the costs can be considered not as budget losses , but as investment into the industry , as purchased vehicles , tomographs , analyzers , mechanical ventilation devices , oxygen stations ( concentrators , ramps , and so on ) will be used for several more years .
“ However , given the surging importance of healthcare among society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that part of the costs of these projects coincides with the current costs of fighting the novel coronavirus , obviously one should not expect a drastic cut in healthcare costs , '' the institute emphasized in an analytical report .
Currently , Russia ’ s healthcare system is working with a margin of safety , the president stated at a meeting on the epidemiological situation .
According to the health minister , two-thirds of hospital beds for coronavirus patients are now occupied — about 110,000 out of 165,000 , but about 2,500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The country has ramped up the volume of testing for the novel coronavirus infection 25-fold since March , said Anna Popova , who heads the Russian sanitary watchdog .
Russia ’ s medical system has passed the test of the coronavirus epidemic , said Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova .
However , the country may return to normal life only when the prevalence rate of Covid-19 in Russia drops to 0.5 or less .
Based on data from May 24 , this indicator , showing how many people a person can manage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rate of lower than one for already a week and a half in Russia .
However , as TASS calculated on the basis of data from the crisis center , in recent days it has started to grow , increasing from a minimum of 0.89 to 0.98 .
So , the battle rages on .

The coronavirus case count in Russia has finally stabilized due to the lockdown limiting the public’smovement and interaction, as well as the accelerated transition of the entire healthcare system to operating in a new format. The whole country has been waiting for this positive trend in the reduction of the number of infection cases for more than two months.
During this period when Russia was combating Covid-19, enormous changes occurred in absolutely all areas; from the retraining of medical personnel to rapid decision-making and legal changes. The portal "The Future of Russia. National Projects", operated by TASS, learns what lessons the novel coronavirus has taughtRussia’s healthcare system.
Semashko’s principles and how the system got tested
The mobilization to battle the coronavirus infection revealed something crucial. Russia’s healthcare system has the resources and mechanisms to quickly switch into operating in ‘combat’ conditions. Experts are convinced that the new hospitals and beds, the additional diagnostic and resuscitation equipment, and fast-track retraining of doctors - all of this should be used as a potential reserve of resources, which will not only reduce the consequences of possible epidemics in the future, but also will help to facilitate decision making and improve the quality of medical aid during times of tranquility.
They also note that our country’s success in the fight against coronavirus, namely curbing the count of the infection cases along with the low mortality rates, is in no small way attributed to the historical features of the organization of the country’s healthcare services. The principles which have been preserved since the Soviet era, were formulated by the outstanding physician and healthcare reformer Nikolai Semashko, eponymously called the Semashko system.
“Thank God we preserved it [the system — TASS] at least in the state in which it exists, and now we have every reason to believe that we will take further steps to enhance it. Actually, this is what’s happening,” noted the Russian President Vladimir Putin at an epidemiological meeting on May 22.
The Semashko system is based on the unified principles of the organization and centralization of healthcare, which helped to quickly mobilize various services for new tasks in an emergency situation.“There are more than 160,000 beds in the country, resuscitation beds allow us to feel more confident, and there is no overload,” said Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko at that same meeting with the president.
One can see that the effectiveness of Semashko’s principles of organization, cooperation and centralization is even more evident in the work of the medical service of the Russian Defense Ministry. In just two months, the ministry built 16 hospitals nationwide to tackle priority needs. During one of the epidemiological meetings, Putin admitted that at first, he had doubted that it would be possible to do this on such short notice.
Centralization and crisis management
As Larisa Popovich, director of the Institute for Health Economics of the Higher School of Economics (HSE), notes, during peacetime, the efficiency of decision-making suffers from overregulation. Yet, in the fight against the epidemic, it was discipline, control and empathy that turned out to be crucial.
"The government immediately brought the situation under control, and set out to coordinate cooperationamong various services, including the military, and the Ministry of Emergencies. This is very good, and this is a very serious lesson for any future actions, especially inthe healthcare system. Because health is an integrating global factor of the country’s economic development, and it is clear that the coordination of all structures - the Ministry of Agriculture, the Trade Ministry, the military, the Ministry of Transport and so on - forms a normal picture of healthcare system,” the expert explained.
If the system enables orders to be given directly from the top down, and make decisions swiftly, then it works quickly, added Popovich. Another example of strict discipline is the work of the main disease prevention service in the country, namely Russia’s sanitary watchdog.
Heads of institutions and regional officials also point to effective cooperation with Moscow. Amid the lack of information about the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, it was the nation’s capital that had tackled the largest number of cases, which meant that the experience in their treatment was accumulated there.
“We probably even somewhat longed for suchcommunication and solving a lot of joint matters on the principles of mutual respect and understanding. This is very important for us, and we would like to preserve it in the future,” Oleg Karpov, who heads the Pirogov center, said at a meeting with the president.
According to the General Director the Center for Healthcare Quality Assessment and Control of the Russian Ministry of Health Vitaly Omelyanovsky, the heads of local health authorities actually became crisis managers who had to deal primarily with tactical objectives. And often, these decisions conflicted withexisting regulatory documents that function in normal times.
“We presume that there will be few emergencies like this, but some flexibility to the healthcare system must be fashioned in order to be able to make precisely the decisions necessary at a given moment,” he said. And the Russian Ministry of Health notes that it took three-four days to adopt certain types of documents amid the epidemic, including the coordination with the Ministry of Justice.
This experience can change the role of healthcare and will make it possible to use proven means to facilitateproviding medication and bolster the availability and quality of medical care beyond the tactical objectives of battling the novel coronavirus.
Doctors now experts of sorts in communicable diseases
When the epidemic broke out, medical personnel, especially healthcare specialists focusing on a narrow field, barely knew anything more about the coronavirus infection than ordinary people did. Many dentists, orthopedists, gynecologists and other doctors even thought that this disease is unlikely to affect them and their work, since that’s not their specialty. In reality, the situation unfolded in a completely different way.
It quickly became clear that new hospitals and intensive care units needed doctors to work in those emergency wards, monitor patients, and, of course, treat them. In March, the Health Ministry developed interactive modules for working with coronavirus patients, and now more than half of all Russian doctors have completed this training. Due to the high social significance of such training, the process continues, and residents, students and volunteers have come to the aid of doctors.
At the same time, according to Popovich, physicians showed different levels of coping with the changes. Indeed, on top of the huge stress of inconsistentinformation about the novel coronavirus, many physicians had to face the fact that, firstly, the profession they love and in which they are successful is not in demand now, and secondly, with a change in status. For instance, the department you manage at any time can be repurposed for treating coronavirus patients.
“A lot of doctors were unable to retrain, they quit in order not to participate in professional work, and it turns out that a huge number of doctors are simply not ready for such challenges,” said the HSE expert.
For those professionals who remained in service and continue to fight for their patients on the frontlines, additional financial support is being provided. True, some mechanisms still require fine-tuning.
Money for these purposes was allocated in record time, and on April 30, the Health Ministry delivered the aid to the regions. Doctors should have received additional payments for April shifts by May 15.
But not all regions were able to quickly distribute the funds among institutions. Some of them began to calculate exactly how many hours and minutes each specialist spent fighting against Covid-19. Putin excoriated the cabinet for its lack of clarity on the payment methods.
Getting back to normal healthcare treatment plans
The work of specialized hospitals, which used to receive planned patients, has significantly changed over these months. Many hospitals donated their beds to patients with severe coronavirus infections, and now these new infectious beds need to be gradually returned to tackle cardiovascular diseases, oncology, diabetes and other diseases.
Patient organizations complained about the problems they had to face during this period with assistance to people who did not need to be treated in infectious disease wards, and experts were concerned as well. On a number of cases, however, the volume of care for patients without coronavirus, on the contrary, hadjumped. For instance, according to the Health Ministry, in the first quarter of 2020, this increase amounted to more than 50% in the field of cancer treatment.
Russia’s sanitary watchdog together with the Health Ministry is already working on ways of bringing hospitals and departments back to normal, although it is obvious that the restoration of planned medical aid is still impossible without taking into consideration the situation with the novel coronavirus, particularly because there is still no vaccine to control this disease.
"There may be another wave, which may occur somewhere around the fall, the end of October-November ... Thus, we should also bear this in mind and brace for such a development," Putin emphasized.
According to expert estimates, there is no need to increase the total number of beds in hospitals of different types or to constantly keep a reserve for infected patients.
“Keeping a bed fund based on the fact that an infectious threat is theoretically possible is very irrational, expensive and totally unjustified,” Omelyanovsky believes. “When we talk about a necessity today, we should not count only the number of state beds, we need to be able to assess existing opportunities and the needs of the system. And based on that, we should formulate the principles of managing a healthcare system in the regions.”
New objectives can also be drafted for primary healthcare, since clinics, dispensaries, medical and obstetric centers that are closest to patients, and it is here on this level that people are usually mostly dissatisfied with the healthcare system. In order to change this situation, the government was eyeing a large-scale modernization of healthcare last fall, which, however, will have to be shelved for now.
"Most likely, there will be a shift in the start of modernization of primary healthcare from July 1 to a half a year, because even implementation today will be difficult, since the mobilization of forces is aimed in the opposite direction," Murashko said at an online meeting of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection.
Currently, as the healthcare system is focused on the coronavirus threat, checkups have been suspended, and in some regions planned vaccination as well, so primary healthcare may face new challenges.
There’s room for bolstering telemedicine
Experts from the international consulting company BCG estimated that due to the pandemic, the demand for telemedicine technologies will increase significantly. On the whole, this is what happened in Russia. Many federal centers in the first quarter of 2020 completed the annual volume of telehealth consultations. It is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of Russian legislation in this field. According to law, a doctor can consult a patient only if a personal appointment has already taken place.
On the other hand, there are private services that are in great demand among Russians, as well as the experience of monitoring the status of patients at home — Moscow is using such an approach.
At the same time, according to Popovich, a number of issues related to the illegitimacy of telemedicine aid in some cases remain unresolved.
"A doctor has no right to consult from home; they must be in a medical facility. During self-isolation, even for doctors, this is very wrong," the expert noted.
Nevertheless, a number of medical institutions are already solving the teleworking problem. From the very outbreak of the epidemic, the National Medical Research Radiology Center of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation switched all employees who are at risk to teleworking, but at the same time opened a hotline in the center where these specialists could consult cancer patients. Furthermore,the Moscow Scientific and Practical Center for Child Psychoneurology went further and organized remote rehabilitation for disabled children. This experience, of course, can be adopted and transferred to remote regions, from where it is not easy for a mother with child to travel to Moscow for regular rehabilitation sessions.
Doctor-to-doctor consultations are being held regularly,including those to solve urgent dilemmas in problematic regions, such as in the Komi and Dagestan Regions.
New aims for National Projects
No one expected the coronavirus infection pandemic, of course. In 2019, the regions gained good pace inimplementing the "Healthcare" national project. Thus, the focus on prevention, the provision of medication, the equipping of hospitals and other measures made it possible to reduce mortality rates and boost life expectancy in the country by the end of 2019. The further reduction of Russia’s mortality rates among the working-age population, drawing more doctors to hospitals and the development of children's healthcare were intended to facilitate the project’s implementation at the next stages.
Initially, the fight against infectious diseases was not included in Russia’s National Projects, because in recent decades there have been no serious outbreaks of such communicable diseases in Russia. There is the National Calendar of Preventive Vaccinations in the country, which enables the creation of sufficient individual and herd immunity to control the most common infections. But the main problem with the novel coronavirus is that no country in the world has such means of control at its disposal. All we can do so far to reduce the number of cases is to have as little as possible contact with other people and observe the rules of hygiene. Thus, since the epidemic has also disrupted the work of the nation’s immunization services, when the coronavirus tension subsides, priorities in this area may change.
However, the goals and financing of some National Projects might change as well, as the president already noted at one of the meetings. Although it is not immediately clear what to expect concerning the“Healthcare” and “Demography” National Projects so far.
"Another question is that we need to review priorities of the National Projects. And we should focus, perhaps, not on the construction of first aid stations, but, for example, on providing ambulances, training doctors, volunteers, and paramedics," Popovich believes.
At the same time, in March-April 2020, the government earmarked a total of 76.8 billion rubles ($1 bln) for setting up infectious beds, purchasing equipment,including ventilators, as well as for providing medical personnel with personal protective equipment. Experts at the Central Scientific Research Institute of Informatization and healthcare organizations note that a significant part of the costs can be considered not as budget losses, but as investment into the industry, as purchased vehicles, tomographs, analyzers, mechanical ventilation devices, oxygen stations (concentrators, ramps, and so on) will be used for several more years.
“However, given the surging importance of healthcare among society, and also taking into account the fact that part of the costs of these projects coincides with the current costs of fighting the novel coronavirus, obviously one should not expect a drastic cut in healthcare costs," the institute emphasized in an analytical report.
What lies ahead
Currently, Russia’s healthcare system is working with a margin of safety, the president stated at a meeting on the epidemiological situation. According to the health minister, two-thirds of hospital beds for coronavirus patients are now occupied — about 110,000 out of 165,000, but about 2,500 people continue to remain in intensive care. The country has ramped up the volume of testing for the novel coronavirus infection 25-fold since March, said Anna Popova, who heads the Russian sanitary watchdog.
Russia’s medical system has passed the test of the coronavirus epidemic, said Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova. However, the country may return to normal life only when the prevalence rate of Covid-19 in Russia drops to 0.5 or less. Based on data from May 24, this indicator, showing how many people a person can manage to infect before self-isolation, stands at a rate of lower than one for already a week and a half in Russia. However, as TASS calculated on the basis of data from the crisis center, in recent days it has started to grow, increasing from a minimum of 0.89 to 0.98. So, the battle rages on.


tass--2020-05-26--Nornickel, Murmansk Region present Pechengsky District’s development program

MURMANSK , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
The Murmansk Region ’ s government and the Norilsk Nickel Company ( Nornickel ) on May 20 presented a concept for development of the Pechengsky District .
Nornickel ’ s Director of the Social Policies Department Svetlana Ivchenko told reporters the parties would also implement in the region a program to develop sustainable economy after Kola MMC closed down its melting shop .
The Kola MMC ’ s melting shop is the key business in the Nickel town , where about 11,000 live .
Along with supporting divisions , the shop employs about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut gradually , and the shop will be closed by 2021 .
Nornickel and the regional authorities have been working on a program to settle the employment issue in the town .
`` Our next step is to develop a program for the district ’ s social and economic development , which will be a part of the Murmansk region ’ s program , '' she said .
`` The program will outline the initiatives , projects and actions .
< … > We have been working on the program ’ s all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the program outlines five directions .
First of all , a complex of measures to stabilize the situation - measures to support the shop ’ s former personnel .
`` The state incentives cover the spheres of social infrastructures , social institutions , transport , '' she said .
`` Another direction is to form up the new economy - the objectives are production diversity , development of the tourism industry , small and medium businesses both in industries and services , and the tourism sector . ''
`` We also see it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nickel after the shop is closed , and here we include work on the town ’ s master plan , organization of the public space , brand formation , and promotion of the town ’ s new image , '' the company ’ s representative said .
According to her presentation , the program would be ready in July 2020 , and the concept , including formation of the district ’ s new sustainable economy , will be implemented by 2022 .
The decision to close down the melting shop was not easy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company quite long to take this decision , but we ’ ve never doubted this would be done in a socially responsible manner .
< … > The main reason for the decision is that it is impossible to upgrade the outdated technology to fit modern norms for the environment protection , '' she explained .
`` We realize that the decision to close down the shop affects the economy of entire region . ''
The company is concerned about the people , who lose jobs , and this problem has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General of Kola MMC ( Nornickel ’ s subsidiary production unit ) Evgeny Borzenko said .
`` We have not settled the issue with only 119 people , and with the rest we have discussed everything at various levels .
Some have been employed , others have found jobs or even moved to the region ’ s other districts , for example , to Monchegorsk , '' he said , adding the company allocates more than 900 million rubles ( $ 12.7 million ) to support people , who have lost their jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with authorities of the region and the district .
The Murmansk Region ’ s Deputy Governor Olga Kuznetsova said about four major investment projects in the district , which will offer 616 jobs .
`` As for new investment projects , we have been working on them , and we want them to use the labor force from the melting shop , '' she said .
`` Those are very many people , who still are not sure what they will do when the shop is closed . ''
The projects include a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant , an abrasive plant , and a farm to grow Atlantic salmon and trout .
The company and the local authorities have established a non-governmental organization Second School - a center for social projects in the Pechengsky District .
It operates development of Nornickel ’ s projects with support from the local administration .
`` The center ’ s tasks are based on priority directions for the social and economic development , the first and most important is development of businesses .
First of all , it would be detailed work on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise its attractiveness for investors .
It is a task to form up new values and new business thinking for the district ’ s residents , '' the center ’ s Director Andrei Fomenko said , adding the center also focuses on development of tourism , including with Norway and Finland , and on development of the urban environment .
The center will implement in the district 17 projects , including Nornickel ’ s business residence , a business school , development of trans-border relations and organization of tourism conventions , organization of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tourism center , implementation of the Social Movie project jointly with Norway ’ s Tvibit , organization of the Gustroindustry Russian cuisine festival , and development of the urban environment .
TASS wrote earlier that to 2023 , Nornickel will invest in the Murmansk Region more than 100 billion rubles ( $ 1.4 billion ) .
The company and the region signed a cooperation agreement in October , 2019 .
Nornickel ’ s CEO and owner Vladimir Potanin stressed the cooperation with the region would progress `` to a new level '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program , but also due to social and tourism projects .

MURMANSK, May 26. /TASS/. The Murmansk Region’s government and the Norilsk Nickel Company (Nornickel) on May 20 presented a concept for development of the Pechengsky District. Nornickel’s Director of the Social Policies Department Svetlana Ivchenko told reporters the parties would also implement in the region a program to develop sustainable economy after Kola MMC closed down its melting shop.
The Kola MMC’s melting shop is the key business in the Nickel town, where about 11,000 live. Along with supporting divisions, the shop employs about 600 people. Their jobs will be cut gradually, and the shop will be closed by 2021. Nornickel and the regional authorities have been working on a program to settle the employment issue in the town.
"Our next step is to develop a program for the district’s social and economic development, which will be a part of the Murmansk region’s program," she said. "The program will outline the initiatives, projects and actions. <…> We have been working on the program’s all directions."
According to Nornickel, the program outlines five directions. First of all, a complex of measures to stabilize the situation - measures to support the shop’s former personnel. "The state incentives cover the spheres of social infrastructures, social institutions, transport," she said. "Another direction is to form up the new economy - the objectives are production diversity, development of the tourism industry, small and medium businesses both in industries and services, and the tourism sector."
"We also see it important to develop the urban environment in Nickel after the shop is closed, and here we include work on the town’s master plan, organization of the public space, brand formation, and promotion of the town’s new image," the company’s representative said.
According to her presentation, the program would be ready in July 2020, and the concept, including formation of the district’s new sustainable economy, will be implemented by 2022.
Closing melting shop and offering new jobs
The decision to close down the melting shop was not easy, she said. "It took the company quite long to take this decision, but we’ve never doubted this would be done in a socially responsible manner. <…> The main reason for the decision is that it is impossible to upgrade the outdated technology to fit modern norms for the environment protection," she explained. "We realize that the decision to close down the shop affects the economy of entire region."
The company is concerned about the people, who lose jobs, and this problem has been settled to a big extent, Director General of Kola MMC (Nornickel’s subsidiary production unit) Evgeny Borzenko said. "We have not settled the issue with only 119 people, and with the rest we have discussed everything at various levels. Some have been employed, others have found jobs or even moved to the region’s other districts, for example, to Monchegorsk," he said, adding the company allocates more than 900 million rubles ($12.7 million) to support people, who have lost their jobs.
The district’s new economy
The program has been drafted jointly with authorities of the region and the district. The Murmansk Region’s Deputy Governor Olga Kuznetsova said about four major investment projects in the district, which will offer 616 jobs.
"As for new investment projects, we have been working on them, and we want them to use the labor force from the melting shop," she said. "Those are very many people, who still are not sure what they will do when the shop is closed."
The projects include a big data processing center, a metallurgical plant, an abrasive plant, and a farm to grow Atlantic salmon and trout.
"Second School" assists in attracting businesses
The company and the local authorities have established a non-governmental organization Second School - a center for social projects in the Pechengsky District. It operates development of Nornickel’s projects with support from the local administration. "The center’s tasks are based on priority directions for the social and economic development, the first and most important is development of businesses. First of all, it would be detailed work on opportunities and potential the district has to raise its attractiveness for investors. It is a task to form up new values and new business thinking for the district’s residents," the center’s Director Andrei Fomenko said, adding the center also focuses on development of tourism, including with Norway and Finland, and on development of the urban environment.
The center will implement in the district 17 projects, including Nornickel’s business residence, a business school, development of trans-border relations and organization of tourism conventions, organization of international conventions of volunteers, establishment of a tourism center, implementation of the Social Movie project jointly with Norway’s Tvibit, organization of the Gustroindustry Russian cuisine festival, and development of the urban environment.
Investments in Murmansk Region
TASS wrote earlier that to 2023, Nornickel will invest in the Murmansk Region more than 100 billion rubles ($1.4 billion). The company and the region signed a cooperation agreement in October, 2019. Nornickel’s CEO and owner Vladimir Potanin stressed the cooperation with the region would progress "to a new level" not only due to the big investment program, but also due to social and tourism projects.


tass--2020-05-26--Nordstar resumes flights between Krasnoyarsk, Norilsk

KRASNOYARSK , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
Daily flights between Krasnoyarsk and Norilsk , which passengers from Norilsk and Taimyr @ @ @ @ @ mainland , were resumed on Monday , Nordstar ’ s press service reported .
The @ @ @ @ @ was cut in early April due to the coronavirus pandemic .
For about one month @ @ @ @ @ flight a week to bring back home the locals who could not return before the @ @ @ @ @ flights from today [ May 25 ] , '' the airline said .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ day . ''
Earlier , the Taimyr District ’ s officials stressed though the flights @ @ @ @ @ , coming to the North , must observe a two-week self-isolation .
As of May @ @ @ @ @ registered 3,410 total cases of coronavirus , 710 people have recovered and 28 died .

KRASNOYARSK, May 26. /TASS/. Daily flights between Krasnoyarsk and Norilsk, which passengers from Norilsk and Taimyr use to get to the mainland, were resumed on Monday, Nordstar’s press service reported.
The number of flights from Norilsk was cut in early April due to the coronavirus pandemic. For about one month, the company served one flight a week to bring back home the locals who could not return before the epidemic.
"We resume flights from today [May 25]," the airline said. "We shall make one flight a day."
Earlier, the Taimyr District’s officials stressed though the flights are resumed, every person, coming to the North, must observe a two-week self-isolation.
As of May 25, the Krasnoyarsk Region registered 3,410 total cases of coronavirus, 710 people have recovered and 28 died.


tass--2020-05-26--Poland confirms sharp decline in gas transit via Yamal-Europe pipeline

WARSAW , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
Gas transit via the Yamal-Europe pipeline from Russia via Belarus and Poland to Germany has been limited in recent days due to low demand for pipe capacities , Gaz-System , operator of the Polish gas pipeline network said in a statement on Tuesday .
`` Currently , there are much fewer orders , but throughput capacities are ordered every day , starting May 17 , 2020 , '' the operator says .
`` Gaz-System carries out the transit service of the Yamal [ pipeline ] is carried out by the on an ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The use of the gas pipeline ’ s capacities is carried out in accordance with EU legislation on the basis of participation in auctions , '' the operator explains .
`` Orders are fully executed , and with such a low level of capacity orders from the east , there is no need for the compressor to work around the clock .
Therefore , the Yamal pipeline does not operate continuously .
Periodically , if gas orders from Germany are higher than orders from the east , physical transfer can also begin in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Poland , '' the operator adds .
According to the company ’ s website , gas transit via the Yamal pipeline towards Western Europe was based on a transmission contract concluded by the Owner of the TGPS .
Upon its expiration on May 17 , 2020 at 8:00 a.m. , over 90 % of the technical capacity at Kondratka TGPS point and 100 % of the technical capacity at Mallnow TGPS point will be at the disposal of the TGPS Operator .
Until the end of May , capacity booking for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be carried out in accordance with the European Union regulations , or by means of auctions for midday , daily , monthly and quarterly products , the operator says .
Earlier on Tuesday operators of European gas pipelines reported that the transit via the Yamal-Europe pipeline from Russia through Belarus and Poland to Germany had been brought down to zero on Tuesday .
According to the results of the latest auction , the Polish section of the pipe was booked only by 3.7 % on Tuesday .
According to the Gascade company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Polish-German border began to decline gradually over the weekend and reached zero at 08:00-09:00 am on Tuesday .
Prior to this , at 06:00-07:00 am , the supply volume was 272.190 kWh ( about 25,800 cubic meters ) , which is less than 1 % of the nomination volume .
Late on Monday , 11.231 mln kWh ( a little over 1 mln cubic meters ) were delivered through the pipe , which is 85 times lower than the nomination .
On average , since the beginning of the month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The long-term Russian-Polish agreement on gas transit from Russia to the West through the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline expired on May 17 .
Deliveries are now carried out on the basis of daily auctions the Polish pipeline ’ s capacity conducted by Gaz-System , which is the operator of the Polish gas transmission network .
According to the information posted on the auction platform of the company , on Tuesday morning only 3.7 % of the pipeline 's capacity ( Polish section ) was reserved at the auction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of gas deliveries from Russia to Germany via the Nord Stream pipeline , judging by the data of the gas pipeline operator , has not increased .
As experts previously noted , after the expiration of the long-term contract , the Polish route can be used to balance gas supplies to Europe .
Having reduced the pumping through Yamal-Europe during a period of weak demand in the region , Gazprom may load the Nord Stream or Ukrainian route , the capacities of which have already been paid .
At an auction in May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline following was reserved by approximately 93 % for June .
Earlier , in a similar way , gas pipeline capacities were reserved for the third quarter of 2020 .
According to Iwona Dominiak , Gaz-System spokeswoman , about 80 % of the gas pipeline ’ s available capacity was booked at the auction .
Although the operator ’ s representative refused to name the bidders , experts agree that Gazprom was and will be the only bidder in such auctions .
The Yamal-Europe gas pipeline has the capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas per year and is stretched over territories of Russia , Belarus , Poland and Germany .
Currently , EuRoPol GAZ , a joint venture of Gazprom and the Polish PGNiG , owns the Polish section of the pipeline .
At the same time , Gaz-System is the operator of the pipe section , as well as of the entire gas transmission system in Poland .

WARSAW, May 26. /TASS/. Gas transit via the Yamal-Europe pipeline from Russia via Belarus and Poland to Germany has been limited in recent days due to low demand for pipe capacities, Gaz-System, operator of the Polish gas pipeline network said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Currently, there are much fewer orders, but throughput capacities are ordered every day, starting May 17, 2020," the operator says.
"Gaz-System carries out the transit service of the Yamal [pipeline] is carried out by the on an ongoing basis in accordance with customer orders. The use of the gas pipeline’s capacities is carried out in accordance with EU legislation on the basis of participation in auctions," the operator explains.
"Orders are fully executed, and with such a low level of capacity orders from the east, there is no need for the compressor to work around the clock. Therefore, the Yamal pipeline does not operate continuously. Periodically, if gas orders from Germany are higher than orders from the east, physical transfer can also begin in reverse at the Mallnow point from Germany to Poland," the operator adds.
According to the company’s website, gas transit via the Yamal pipeline towards Western Europe was based on a transmission contract concluded by the Owner of the TGPS. Upon its expiration on May 17, 2020 at 8:00 a.m., over 90% of the technical capacity at Kondratka TGPS point and 100% of the technical capacity at Mallnow TGPS point will be at the disposal of the TGPS Operator.
Until the end of May, capacity booking for the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline will be carried out in accordance with the European Union regulations, or by means of auctions for midday, daily, monthly and quarterly products, the operator says.
Reduction of transit volume
Earlier on Tuesday operators of European gas pipelines reported that the transit via the Yamal-Europe pipeline from Russia through Belarus and Poland to Germany had been brought down to zero on Tuesday. According to the results of the latest auction, the Polish section of the pipe was booked only by 3.7% on Tuesday.
According to the Gascade company, gas supplies at the Mallnow point on the Polish-German border began to decline gradually over the weekend and reached zero at 08:00-09:00 am on Tuesday. Prior to this, at 06:00-07:00 am, the supply volume was 272.190 kWh (about 25,800 cubic meters), which is less than 1% of the nomination volume. Late on Monday, 11.231 mln kWh (a little over 1 mln cubic meters) were delivered through the pipe, which is 85 times lower than the nomination. On average, since the beginning of the month, supply volume ranged from 440-750 mln kWh.
The long-term Russian-Polish agreement on gas transit from Russia to the West through the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline expired on May 17.
Deliveries are now carried out on the basis of daily auctions the Polish pipeline’s capacity conducted by Gaz-System, which is the operator of the Polish gas transmission network.
According to the information posted on the auction platform of the company, on Tuesday morning only 3.7% of the pipeline's capacity (Polish section) was reserved at the auction. At the same time, the volume of gas deliveries from Russia to Germany via the Nord Stream pipeline, judging by the data of the gas pipeline operator, has not increased.
As experts previously noted, after the expiration of the long-term contract, the Polish route can be used to balance gas supplies to Europe. Having reduced the pumping through Yamal-Europe during a period of weak demand in the region, Gazprom may load the Nord Stream or Ukrainian route, the capacities of which have already been paid.
At an auction in May, the capacity of the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline following was reserved by approximately 93% for June. Earlier, in a similar way, gas pipeline capacities were reserved for the third quarter of 2020. According to Iwona Dominiak, Gaz-System spokeswoman, about 80% of the gas pipeline’s available capacity was booked at the auction. Although the operator’s representative refused to name the bidders, experts agree that Gazprom was and will be the only bidder in such auctions.
About route
The Yamal-Europe gas pipeline has the capacity of about 33 bln cubic meters of gas per year and is stretched over territories of Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany.
Currently, EuRoPol GAZ, a joint venture of Gazprom and the Polish PGNiG, owns the Polish section of the pipeline. At the same time, Gaz-System is the operator of the pipe section, as well as of the entire gas transmission system in Poland.


tass--2020-05-26--Mikhail Somov icebreaker opens a new season

ARKHANGELSK , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
The Mikhail Somov icebreaker on Tuesday left Arkhangelsk for the first voyage in 2020 .
The scientific-research vessel will deliver cargo to polar stations in the White and Barents Seas , the Northern Department on Hydrometeorology and Environment ’ s Director Roman Yershov told TASS .
`` The Mikhail Somov on May 26 began the first , so-called small , voyage : the vessel will go to a few stations on the White and Barents Seas , '' he said .
The icebreaker will take cargo to 15 polar stations - fuel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction materials .
`` We shall bring to the stations many construction materials , including to the Zhizhgin Island in the White Sea , where we plan to build new accommodation for the meteorologists , '' the Department ’ s Deputy Director Alexei Barakov told TASS .
`` Besides , we shall install a solar farm there . ''
The icebreakers ’ crew had been onboard from May 15 , observing the quarantine requirements .
`` Our personnel , who come from other regions , for example , from Novosibirsk , came to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 , and remained self-isolated there , '' he continued .
In 2020 , the icebreaker will make three deliveries , not two like it was in the past .
`` We shall organize different trips : this one would be an early voyage , not long , about 16 days , so that the icebreaker could make it later on to the Far East , before the Kara Sea gets covered with thick ice , '' Yershov added .
During the following voyages , scientists will have more time for research .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 .
The Mikhail Somov will go to stations in the Kara and Barents Seas , including the northernmost station on the Heiss Island , the Franz Josef Land Archipelago .
The third voyage will be to Chukotka .
Totally , before November , the icebreaker will bring cargo to more than 60 hard-to-reach meteorology stations and will exchange personnel there .

ARKHANGELSK, May 26. /TASS/. The Mikhail Somov icebreaker on Tuesday left Arkhangelsk for the first voyage in 2020. The scientific-research vessel will deliver cargo to polar stations in the White and Barents Seas, the Northern Department on Hydrometeorology and Environment’s Director Roman Yershov told TASS.
"The Mikhail Somov on May 26 began the first, so-called small, voyage: the vessel will go to a few stations on the White and Barents Seas," he said.
The icebreaker will take cargo to 15 polar stations - fuel, food, medicines, research equipment and construction materials.
"We shall bring to the stations many construction materials, including to the Zhizhgin Island in the White Sea, where we plan to build new accommodation for the meteorologists," the Department’s Deputy Director Alexei Barakov told TASS. "Besides, we shall install a solar farm there."
The icebreakers’ crew had been onboard from May 15, observing the quarantine requirements.
"Our personnel, who come from other regions, for example, from Novosibirsk, came to Arkhangelsk even earlier, back on May 6, and remained self-isolated there," he continued.
In 2020, the icebreaker will make three deliveries, not two like it was in the past.
"We shall organize different trips: this one would be an early voyage, not long, about 16 days, so that the icebreaker could make it later on to the Far East, before the Kara Sea gets covered with thick ice," Yershov added. During the following voyages, scientists will have more time for research.
The second voyage is due on June 25. The Mikhail Somov will go to stations in the Kara and Barents Seas, including the northernmost station on the Heiss Island, the Franz Josef Land Archipelago. The third voyage will be to Chukotka. Totally, before November, the icebreaker will bring cargo to more than 60 hard-to-reach meteorology stations and will exchange personnel there.


tass--2020-05-26--Russia has questions under Open Skies Treaty not only to US

MOSCOW , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
Russia has questions under the Open Skies Treaty not only to the United @ @ @ @ @ other participating states and is ready to discuss them , Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
`` We also have questions to some other states participating in the Open @ @ @ @ @ do not consider it as a sufficient ground for exiting the treaty , slamming the @ @ @ @ @ to discuss mutual claims , naturally , in the sense that such discussion should be @ @ @ @ @ mutually respectful basis and will not be reduced to ultimatum-like demands of concessions from Russia @ @ @ @ @ .

MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. Russia has questions under the Open Skies Treaty not only to the United States but also to some other participating states and is ready to discuss them, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
"We also have questions to some other states participating in the Open Skies Treaty. But we do not consider it as a sufficient ground for exiting the treaty, slamming the door. We are ready to discuss mutual claims, naturally, in the sense that such discussion should be held on an equitable and mutually respectful basis and will not be reduced to ultimatum-like demands of concessions from Russia," the statement says.


tass--2020-05-26--Chinese researchers determine environmental parameters favorable for COVID-19

MOSCOW , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
Researchers from China 's Lanzhou University have established that the areas with an average temperature of 5-15 degrees Celsius account for over half of the novel coronavirus cases across the globe , Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday .
Researches have studied correlation between environmental parameters and the global spread of coronavirus .
Their work is based on 3.75 million coronavirus cases reported between January 21 and May 6 in 185 countries of the globe .
As a result , they established that 60 % of the COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 15 degrees Celsius .
The lead author of the study , Huang Zhongwei stressed that the researches can not rely on the conjecture that the spread of coronavirus will stop with an increase in the temperature .
Besides , they found out that 73.8 % of the infected persons lived in the regions with absolute humidity of three to ten grams per cubic meter .
The experts note in their work that they are considering only natural factors influencing the spread of the virus , but other factors exist as well .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of The Total Environment magazine .
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 .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 5,601,800 people have been infected worldwide and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In addition , so far , over 2,381,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .

MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. Researchers from China's Lanzhou University have established that the areas with an average temperature of 5-15 degrees Celsius account for over half of the novel coronavirus cases across the globe, Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday.
Researches have studied correlation between environmental parameters and the global spread of coronavirus. Their work is based on 3.75 million coronavirus cases reported between January 21 and May 6 in 185 countries of the globe. As a result, they established that 60% of the COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the regions with moderate air temperatures between 5 and 15 degrees Celsius. The lead author of the study, Huang Zhongwei stressed that the researches cannot rely on the conjecture that the spread of coronavirus will stop with an increase in the temperature.
Besides, they found out that 73.8% of the infected persons lived in the regions with absolute humidity of three to ten grams per cubic meter. The experts note in their work that they are considering only natural factors influencing the spread of the virus, but other factors exist as well. The research was published in the Science of The Total Environment magazine.
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.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 5,601,800 people have been infected worldwide and more than 348,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 2,381,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.


tass--2020-05-26--Russia had more than 5,600 wildfires in 2020

MOSCOW , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
The Russian emergency ministry has registered more than 5,600 wildfires that raged in @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , Emergency Minister Yevgeny Zinichev said at a meeting with the Russian president Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ of the year , 5,626 wildfire outbreaks were recorded in Russia ravaging more than 852,00 @ @ @ @ @ , compared to the same period last year , we should say that the number @ @ @ @ @ but the territory decreased by 30 % , '' he said .

MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. The Russian emergency ministry has registered more than 5,600 wildfires that raged in Russia since the beginning of 2020, Emergency Minister Yevgeny Zinichev said at a meeting with the Russian president Tuesday.
"Since the beginning of the year, 5,626 wildfire outbreaks were recorded in Russia ravaging more than 852,00 hectares of territories. However, compared to the same period last year, we should say that the number of fires remained the same but the territory decreased by 30%," he said.


tass--2020-05-26--Moscow authorities allocate over $3.1 mln for financial aid to SMEs

`` In total , since mid-April , positive decisions have been made on 127 applications .
The total volume of payments will be over 223 million rubles , '' he said .
MOSCOW , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
Moscow authorities since mid-April approved 127 applications for financial assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs ) totaling more than 220 mln rubles ( $ 3.1 mln ) , press service of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovative Development of Moscow reported with reference to Head of the department Alexey Fursin .
Over the past week , 45 applications were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 889,702 ) , while the majority of these funds - 67 % or 42.3 mln rubles ( $ 597,262 ) - went to export grants .
Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov said earlier that the nationwide economic recovery plan will include a set of tasks related to new investment instruments , exports support , growth of population ’ s incomes and support for SMEs .
`` Of course , one of the tasks of the [ plan for economic recovery ] is to change the investment climate .
At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a large block of goals for new investment instruments , on the development of a program to support exports , support incomes .
And a large block will have initiatives related to supporting small and medium-sized businesses , '' Reshetnikov said .
He noted that the plan for economic recovery will be presented to the government on Monday , it is formed taking into account comments and suggestions from the business community .
In addition , Reshetnikov noted that the document plans to provide support for tourism , for example , subsidizing part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the repayment of loans for hospitality companies .
Earlier , Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to submit a nationwide economic recovery action plan by June 1 , developed together with regional authorities and representatives of business community .
The Ministry of Economic Development reported that the plan will be designed for 2020 and 2021 .

"In total, since mid-April, positive decisions have been made on 127 applications. The total volume of payments will be over 223 million rubles," he said.
MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. Moscow authorities since mid-April approved 127 applications for financial assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) totaling more than 220 mln rubles ($3.1 mln), press service of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovative Development of Moscow reported with reference to Head of the department Alexey Fursin.
Over the past week, 45 applications were approved for around 63 mln rubles ($889,702), while the majority of these funds - 67% or 42.3 mln rubles ($597,262) - went to export grants.
Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov said earlier that the nationwide economic recovery plan will include a set of tasks related to new investment instruments, exports support, growth of population’s incomes and support for SMEs.
"Of course, one of the tasks of the [plan for economic recovery] is to change the investment climate. At the same time, [it includes] a large block of goals for new investment instruments, on the development of a program to support exports, support incomes. And a large block will have initiatives related to supporting small and medium-sized businesses," Reshetnikov said.
He noted that the plan for economic recovery will be presented to the government on Monday, it is formed taking into account comments and suggestions from the business community.
In addition, Reshetnikov noted that the document plans to provide support for tourism, for example, subsidizing part of the interest on loans and delaying the repayment of loans for hospitality companies.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to submit a nationwide economic recovery action plan by June 1, developed together with regional authorities and representatives of business community. The Ministry of Economic Development reported that the plan will be designed for 2020 and 2021.


tass--2020-05-26--Over 3,000 doctors in St. Petersburg contract coronavirus, eight die

ST.PETERSBURG , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
More than 3,000 medical staff have contracted COVID-19 in St. Petersburg and eight have died , head of an inter-agency working group for countering the coronavirus spread in St. Petersburg Yevgeny Shlyakhto told journalists on Tuesday .
`` In St. Petersburg more than 3,000 doctors were sick , most of them were infected when fulfilling their duties .
Eight people have died , '' Shlyakhto said .
Head doctor at the city hospital number 20 Tatyana Surovtseva earlier said that two doctors , a laboratory chief and a young surgeon had died of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beglov ordered payments for medical staff , who contracted the coronavirus when providing assistance to their patients .
According to the decree , medical workers infected with the virus receive a one-time payment of 300,000 rubles to 500,000 rubles ( $ 4,000- $ 6,800 ) .
If health workers die , their family members get a compensation of 1 mln rubles ( $ 13,600 ) .
According to the latest data , 14,076 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the city .
St. Petersburg has the highest coronavirus caseloads after Moscow and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have recovered from the coronavirus , while the death toll has hit 150 .

ST.PETERSBURG, May 26. /TASS/. More than 3,000 medical staff have contracted COVID-19 in St. Petersburg and eight have died, head of an inter-agency working group for countering the coronavirus spread in St. Petersburg Yevgeny Shlyakhto told journalists on Tuesday.
"In St. Petersburg more than 3,000 doctors were sick, most of them were infected when fulfilling their duties. Eight people have died," Shlyakhto said.
Earlier reports said 2,500 medical staff were ill.
Head doctor at the city hospital number 20 Tatyana Surovtseva earlier said that two doctors, a laboratory chief and a young surgeon had died of the coronavirus.
St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov ordered payments for medical staff, who contracted the coronavirus when providing assistance to their patients. According to the decree, medical workers infected with the virus receive a one-time payment of 300,000 rubles to 500,000 rubles ($4,000-$6,800). If health workers die, their family members get a compensation of 1 mln rubles ($13,600).
According to the latest data, 14,076 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the city. St. Petersburg has the highest coronavirus caseloads after Moscow and the Moscow Region. A total of 3,744 people have recovered from the coronavirus, while the death toll has hit 150.


tass--2020-05-26--Russia has right to ban monitoring flights along Abkhazia, South Ossetia borders — Lavrov

MOSCOW , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
Russia has a right to ban observation flights within a 10-kilometer zone along the borders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia , in compliance with the Treaty on Open Skies , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday .
`` Our position firmly rests on the provisions of the treaty which provides for denial of monitoring flights within a ten-kilometer zone from the borders of states that are not signatories to that treaty , '' he said , adding that the United States is citing Russia ’ s refusal to allow flight along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an evidence to Russia ’ s breaching the Open Skies Treaty .
`` The fact that our Western colleagues do not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states changes nothing .
This is our position and it relies on international law , '' Lavrov stressed .
According to the Russian top diplomat , Washington ’ s claims concerning the range of flights over Russia ’ s westernmost Kaliningrad Region are groundless as well , since the regime of monitoring flights over this region set by Russia under the Open Skies Treaty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States for flights over Alaska .
`` We have set distance limits for flights over the Kaliningrad Region taking into account its geographical specifics and using the US-set precedent in respect of Alaska .
Both the Kaliningrad Region and Alaska are semi-exclaves as follows from their geographical location — the Kaliningrad Region for us and Alaska for the United States , '' Lavrov explained .
`` Our stance is that both in Alaska and in the Kaliningrad Region there is one Open Skies airdrome each for making observation flights over territories .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit for flight distance has been set under the addendum to the Open Skies Treaty , we have set such a limit for flights over the Kaliningrad Region , '' he said , adding that images of around 98 % of Kaliningrad Region ’ s territory can be taken during one flight whereas not more than three percent of Alaska ’ s territory can be surveyed during such a flight .
US President Donald Trump declared on May 21 that Washington was going to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ territories to monitor military activities .
He motivated this step by Russia ’ s alleged violation of the treaty .
US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said in a written statement that the decision to withdraw from the treaty will come into effect in six months after May 22 .
Moscow denies these accusations and puts forward counterclaims .
Thus , Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russia already voiced its own claims to the United States concerning this treaty ’ s implementation .
According to Vladimir Yermakov , director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Arms Control Department , Washington ’ s attempts to picture its withdrawal from the treaty as a reaction to Russia ’ s breaches are absolutely groundless .

MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. Russia has a right to ban observation flights within a 10-kilometer zone along the borders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, in compliance with the Treaty on Open Skies, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.
"Our position firmly rests on the provisions of the treaty which provides for denial of monitoring flights within a ten-kilometer zone from the borders of states that are not signatories to that treaty," he said, adding that the United States is citing Russia’s refusal to allow flight along the border of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as an evidence to Russia’s breaching the Open Skies Treaty.
"The fact that our Western colleagues do not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states changes nothing. This is our position and it relies on international law," Lavrov stressed.
According to the Russian top diplomat, Washington’s claims concerning the range of flights over Russia’s westernmost Kaliningrad Region are groundless as well, since the regime of monitoring flights over this region set by Russia under the Open Skies Treaty is identical to that set by the United States for flights over Alaska. "We have set distance limits for flights over the Kaliningrad Region taking into account its geographical specifics and using the US-set precedent in respect of Alaska. Both the Kaliningrad Region and Alaska are semi-exclaves as follows from their geographical location — the Kaliningrad Region for us and Alaska for the United States," Lavrov explained.
"Our stance is that both in Alaska and in the Kaliningrad Region there is one Open Skies airdrome each for making observation flights over territories. Like in Alaska, where an upper limit for flight distance has been set under the addendum to the Open Skies Treaty, we have set such a limit for flights over the Kaliningrad Region," he said, adding that images of around 98% of Kaliningrad Region’s territory can be taken during one flight whereas not more than three percent of Alaska’s territory can be surveyed during such a flight.
US President Donald Trump declared on May 21 that Washington was going to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies, which provides for inspection flights over member countries’ territories to monitor military activities. He motivated this step by Russia’s alleged violation of the treaty. US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said in a written statement that the decision to withdraw from the treaty will come into effect in six months after May 22.
Moscow denies these accusations and puts forward counterclaims. Thus, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russia already voiced its own claims to the United States concerning this treaty’s implementation. According to Vladimir Yermakov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department, Washington’s attempts to picture its withdrawal from the treaty as a reaction to Russia’s breaches are absolutely groundless.
Analysis of situation around Open Skies


tass--2020-05-26--Serbia’s coronavirus cases reach 11,227, no new deaths recorded

BELGRADE , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
The number of coronavirus infections in Serbia increased by 34 in the past 24 hours to reach 11,227 , while the number of coronavirus-related fatalities remained at 239 , the national health ministry said Tuesday .
Over the past 24 hours , no people died from the virus-related causes , the death rate stands at 2.13 % .
In a single day , 3,427 people were tested for the virus , with 34 tests coming back positive .
Moreover , 6,067 people recovered .
The number of newly confirmed infections stayed at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures also showed 34 new infections .
Overall , 621 people are taken to hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus , while 223,771 people were tested nationwide .
Serbia reported its first coronavirus case on March 23 .
Earlier , Serbia asked Russia for help to fight the epidemic .
Between April 3 and May 18 , a Russian unit fully disinfected medical facilities in more than 40 cities and towns across Serbia , disinfecting 376 buildings and constructions .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 5,601,800 people have been infected worldwide and more than 348,000 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 2,381,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .

BELGRADE, May 26. /TASS/. The number of coronavirus infections in Serbia increased by 34 in the past 24 hours to reach 11,227, while the number of coronavirus-related fatalities remained at 239, the national health ministry said Tuesday.
Over the past 24 hours, no people died from the virus-related causes, the death rate stands at 2.13%. In a single day, 3,427 people were tested for the virus, with 34 tests coming back positive. Moreover, 6,067 people recovered. The number of newly confirmed infections stayed at the same level, as Monday’s figures also showed 34 new infections.
Overall, 621 people are taken to hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus, while 223,771 people were tested nationwide.
Serbia reported its first coronavirus case on March 23.
Earlier, Serbia asked Russia for help to fight the epidemic. Between April 3 and May 18, a Russian unit fully disinfected medical facilities in more than 40 cities and towns across Serbia, disinfecting 376 buildings and constructions.
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.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 5,601,800 people have been infected worldwide and more than 348,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 2,381,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.


tass--2020-05-26--Russian army’s combat capability unaffected by coronavirus pandemic

MOSCOW , May 26 .
/TASS/ .
The combat capability of Russia ’ s Armed Forces has not been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19 spread has not seriously impacted the Russian army ’ s operations , Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu told Russian President Vladimir Putin via a video link-up from the National Defense Management Center on Tuesday .
`` Amid the new challenges caused by the spread of the coronavirus infection , the Armed Forces did not allow a reduction in combat effectiveness and continue carrying out planned combat training activities .
In general , the situation related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not had any significant impact on the activities of the armed forces , '' the minister said .
In particular , strategic nuclear forces are maintained at a level that guarantees strategic deterrence .
`` After your orders to transfer new equipment to us , related to both the submarine fleet and the surface fleet , all measures have been taken and the tests are underway as scheduled .
I hope that we will receive this equipment within the agreed timeframe , '' the minister said .
Russia ’ s long-range aviation continues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Here we also have received modernized equipment - Tu-22 planes .
These are basically new aircraft .
< ... > Today it is being modernized at Kazan ’ s plants on a mass scale , '' Shoigu said .
Currently , 57 warplanes and support vessels are at the sea , including 30 in the off-shore maritime zone .
`` The Russian force grouping in Syria continues fulfilling peacekeeping and humanitarian tasks , '' Shoigu stressed .
According to Shoigu , the plan of training forces in winter had been implemented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of joint exercises with foreign colleagues have been rescheduled for June-August , he noted .
Conscription campaign is now underway in Russia .
Since May 20 , conscripts are being sent to the forces in compliance with all anti-epidemic measures , Shoigu said .

MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. The combat capability of Russia’s Armed Forces has not been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19 spread has not seriously impacted the Russian army’s operations, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu told Russian President Vladimir Putin via a video link-up from the National Defense Management Center on Tuesday.
"Amid the new challenges caused by the spread of the coronavirus infection, the Armed Forces did not allow a reduction in combat effectiveness and continue carrying out planned combat training activities. In general, the situation related to the spread of coronavirus infection has not had any significant impact on the activities of the armed forces," the minister said.
In particular, strategic nuclear forces are maintained at a level that guarantees strategic deterrence. "After your orders to transfer new equipment to us, related to both the submarine fleet and the surface fleet, all measures have been taken and the tests are underway as scheduled. I hope that we will receive this equipment within the agreed timeframe," the minister said.
Russia’s long-range aviation continues patrolling missions along Russia’s borders. "Here we also have received modernized equipment - Tu-22 planes. These are basically new aircraft. <...> Today it is being modernized at Kazan’s plants on a mass scale," Shoigu said.
Currently, 57 warplanes and support vessels are at the sea, including 30 in the off-shore maritime zone. "The Russian force grouping in Syria continues fulfilling peacekeeping and humanitarian tasks," Shoigu stressed.
According to Shoigu, the plan of training forces in winter had been implemented in full. Only a small part of joint exercises with foreign colleagues have been rescheduled for June-August, he noted.
Conscription campaign is now underway in Russia. Since May 20, conscripts are being sent to the forces in compliance with all anti-epidemic measures, Shoigu said.


tass--2020-05-26--Mongolia offers Russia $1 mln in humanitarian aid amid pandemic

The certificate was handed over to Russian Ambassador to Mongolia Iskander Azizov by Prime Minister Ukhnaaigiin Khurelsukh .
The aid initiative was earlier approved by the Mongolian National Security Council .
ULAN BATOR , May 26./TASS/ .
The Mongolian government has handed over to Russia a certificate for humanitarian assistance worth 1 $ million to fight the coronavirus pandemic , MONTSAME news agency reported on Tuesday .
In line with the decision , Mongolia will send meat and meat products to Russia .
Agencies in charge of international relations and trade , as well as food and public security have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This humanitarian aid `` will play a major role for strengthening further relations of comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Mongolia , '' the Mongolian side specified .
According to the latest statistics , over 5,601,800 people have been infected worldwide and more than 348,000 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 2,381,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .
To date , a total of 362,342 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia , with 131,129 patients having recovered from the disease .

The certificate was handed over to Russian Ambassador to Mongolia Iskander Azizov by Prime Minister Ukhnaaigiin Khurelsukh. The aid initiative was earlier approved by the Mongolian National Security Council.
ULAN BATOR, May 26./TASS/. The Mongolian government has handed over to Russia a certificate for humanitarian assistance worth 1$ million to fight the coronavirus pandemic, MONTSAME news agency reported on Tuesday.
In line with the decision, Mongolia will send meat and meat products to Russia. Agencies in charge of international relations and trade, as well as food and public security have joined the activity to ensure the supply.
This humanitarian aid "will play a major role for strengthening further relations of comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Mongolia," the Mongolian side specified.
According to the latest statistics, over 5,601,800 people have been infected worldwide and more than 348,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 2,381,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe. To date, a total of 362,342 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 131,129 patients having recovered from the disease.