Month: April 2019
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Russian Officials Condemn Julian Assange’s Arrest in London
Russian officials have spoken out against Britain’s arrest of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange on Thursday, expressing hopes that the whistleblower’s rights will be respected. Assange was arrested by London’s Metropolitan Police after Ecuador withdrew his asylum which had allowed him to take refuge in the country’s embassy in the United Kingdom since 2012. A video widely shared…
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ATOMEXPO 2019 to become Platform for International Discussion on Training Professionals for the Economy of the Future
On April 15, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM and the Union ‘Agency of Development of Professional Communities and Skilled Workers’ (WorldSkills Russia) will host a roundtable discussion entitled ‘Human Capital as a Factor for Economic Growth: From National Interests to International Corporation’. Participants in the discussion will include: Director General the World Nuclear Association…
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Eight More Activists Detained in Northern Russia Following Landfill Protests
Eight activists who participated in a protest in northern Russia against Moscow’s plans to ship waste to surrounding regions were detained Wednesday, Interfax reported. Between 2,000 and 3,000 protesters gathered for Sunday’s demonstration in Arkhangelsk, calling for the region’s governor to resign over the 10.5 billion ruble ($160.7 million) Shiyes landfill’s construction, media outlets reported.…
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Russian Lawmakers Criticize Sudan Coup as ‘Unconstitutional’
Russian lawmakers have spoken out against what they called an “unconstitutional” military coup in Sudan that has reportedly ousted longtime leader and close Russian ally Omar al-Bashir. Sudan’s military deployed troops in Khartoum and surrounded the presidential palace on Thursday following months of protests against al-Bashir’s regime; al-Bashir stepped down soon after, Reuters reported. In January, Russia’s Foreign…
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Russian Outlets Self-Censor Over Telegram Row
Several news outlets have removed a top Russian regulator’s remarks saying that a draft bill designed to disconnect the national internet network from the outside world will in fact target a popular messaging app. Authors of the bill going through parliament say they want to ensure that the domestic internet continues to function in the…
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ATOMEXPO 2019 to Feature Discussion of Areas of Cooperation with Next-Gen Nuclear
On April 16, ANO Rosatom Corporate Academy will hold a round table discussion entitled “Next Generation Nuclear: A Partnership for Development” as part of the ATOOMEXPO 2019 International Forum in Sochi. The round table will be attended by the following organizations: ITER Organization, the Vienna International Nuclear Competence Center, Universum, Goodnight Consulting, Coca-Cola HBC Russia,…
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U.S. Warns Its Citizens of Kidnapping Risks in Russia
Americans traveling to some parts of Russia are at risk of being kidnapped, the U.S. State Department said in an updated travel advisory on Tuesday. Russia was listed alongside Sudan and Niger as one of the most dangerous countries for U.S. travelers in the State Department’s new risk-based system in January 2018. Moscow dismissed the…
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Russia Delivers Flamethrower Systems to Saudi Arabia — Reports
Saudi Arabia has received its first batch of heavy flamethrower systems from Russia, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported Wednesday. Russia signed a deal to supply its “Sunburn” military equipment to Saudi Arabia in 2017. First developed in 2001, the “Sunburn” heavy flamethrower systems’ design was based on the framework of a Soviet T-72…
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Russia Jails Last FSB Scandal Suspect for Treason
A former agent of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has been sentenced to six years in maximum-security prison on charges of treason in the agency’s worst scandal in recent history. Ex-FSB operative Dmitry Dokuchayev was the last of four high-profile figures to receive treason sentences. All four were arrested in Russia in December 2016 shortly…
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More Than 7,000 People Killed in Fires in Russia Last Year, Official Data Shows
More than 7,000 people have died in fire-related accidents in Russia in 2018, according to data released Wednesday by Russia’s Investigative Committee. Sixty people, many of them children, died in the Siberian city of Kemerovo in March 2018 after the Winter Cherry mall caught on fire due to faulty wiring. Inspections uncovered violations in at…
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Zvezda Shipyard Signs Contract with Sovkomflot to Build Arctic Gas Carrier for Arctic LNG 2 Project
Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex and Sovkomflot PJSC have signed a contract to make a pilot gas carrier vessel for the Arctic LNG 2 project. The contract states that the vessel shall be delivered in Q1 2023. Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex has unique equipment for Russian shipyards, as well as advanced world-class technology, which provides for the implementation…
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Famil Sadygov elected Member of Gazprom Management Committee
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Russian Lawmakers Pass Law Banning Hostels in Apartments
Russian senators have passed a bill on Wednesday banning hostels in residential buildings, sending the bill to President Vladimir Putin’s desk to be signed into law. Hoteliers have warned that the ban could shutter up to 40 percent of hostels in Moscow and 80 percent in St. Petersburg, costing 16 billion rubles ($243 million) of…
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Freed Director Serebrennikov Met With Applause at Surprise Onstage Appearance
One day after his release from house arrest, theater director Kirill Serebrennikov made a surprise public appearance at the Gogol Center, where he had worked as artistic director before his arrest. Following a Tuesday evening performance of “Dead Souls,” Serebrennikov ran onstage and was met with applause from the audience. He later took selfies and…
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Where Chinese Diners Eat in Moscow
Despite the decades-old Moscow-Beijing Friendship, authentic Chinese food has been really hard to find in the Russian capital. But as thousands of Chinese students and tourists flock to Moscow each year, they have been hankering for a taste of home — and now they found it. Assuming that your Mandarin isn’t up to reading the…
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Kremlin Comments on Poroshenko vs. Putin Campaign Posters in Ukraine
While Ukraine currently faces a difficult choice for its leadership, Russia has settled on President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said Wednesday in response to campaign billboards depicting Ukraine’s president facing off against Putin. Posters showing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko opposite Putin with a caption reading “The Decisive Choice” appeared in Ukraine ahead of the country’s…
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Russia Launches World War II-Themed TV Channel Targeting Youth
Russia’s state television has launched a new channel that targets the younger generation with programming dedicated entirely to World War II. The Pobeda (“Victory”) television channel, which will broadcast wartime movies and shows 24/7, appeared in cable and satellite packages ahead of May 9, Russia’s national holiday marking the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. news…
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Russian Investigators Call for Detained U.S. Investor Calvey to Be Moved to House Arrest
Russian investigators have asked for jailed U.S. investor Michael Calvey to be released from pretrial detention and placed under house arrest instead. In February, Russia detained Calvey, the founder of the Baring Vostok private equity group, on suspicion of fraud along with three other partners in the fund. Calvey denies the allegations, saying the case…
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Gazprom and Rosgeo discuss cooperation issues
Release April 10, 2019, 13:35 A working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Sergey Gorkov, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Rosgeo, took place today at the Arctic: Territory of Dialogue 5th International Arctic Forum in St. Petersburg. The parties discussed cooperation-related issues, in particular the prospects of conducting 3D seismic surveys in the east of Russia and on the Arctic shelf. Information…
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Gazprom and OMV discuss further steps in strategic partnership
Background OMV AG is Gazprom’s main partner in Austria. The companies cooperate in gas production, transportation and supplies. In June 2018, an Agreement was signed to extend until 2040 the existing contract between Gazprom Export and OMV Gas Marketing & Trading GmbH for Russian gas supplies to Austria. In October 2018, Gazprom and OMV signed the Memorandum on Strategic Cooperation. Also in October 2018, Gazprom and OMV inked the…
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Half of Russians Say They’ll Never Live to See a Decent Salary – Survey
Almost half of Russians say a decent salary is out of their reach no matter how long they live to earn it, the government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta cited research as saying Wednesday. On average, Russians named 66,000 rubles ($1,000) as a decent monthly salary, according to the government’s Financial University survey cited by the outlet.…
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Russia Marks First Workplace Discrimination Win by Trans Woman
A printing press in St. Petersburg will rehire a transgender woman and pay her two years’ worth of lost income in Russia’s first known court case to acknowledge workplace discrimination against a transgender woman. Anastasia Vasilyeva was fired from the printing press after 10 years of employment after changing her identification papers from male to…
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U.S. Aid Agency Plans ‘Framework’ to Counteract Russia Influence Globally
The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said on Tuesday the agency would soon unveil an effort to try to use U.S. assistance to counteract Russian influence around the world. “USAID will soon unveil a Framework to help us counter malign Kremlin influence, especially in Europe and Eurasia,” Mark Green said at…
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Head of ROSATOM Alexey Likhachev took part in the panel section “The Northern Sea Route – The Key to the Development of the Russian Arctic” of the Forum “The Arctic – Territory of Dialogue”
On April 9, 2019 in Saint-Petersburg the Director General of ROSATOM took part in the panel section “The Northern Sea Route – The Key to the Development of the Russian Arctic” which was held in the framework of the 5th International Arctic Forum “The Arctic – Territory of Dialogue”. Maxim Akimov, Deputy Prime Minister of…
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Head of ROSATOM Alexei Likhachev took part in the panel section “The Northern Sea Route – The Key to the Development of the Russian Arctic” of the Forum “The Arctic – Territory of Dialogue”
On April 9, 2019 in Saint-Petersburg the Director General of ROSATOM took part in the panel section “The Northern Sea Route – The Key to the Development of the Russian Arctic” which was held in the framework of the 5th International Arctic Forum “The Arctic – Territory of Dialogue”. Maxim Akimov, Deputy Prime Minister of…
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Head of ROSATOM Alexei Likhachev took part in the panel section “The Northern Sea Route – The Key to the Development of the Russian Arctic” of the Forum “The Arctic – Territory of Dialogue”
On April 9, 2019 in Saint-Petersburg the Director General of ROSATOM took part in the panel section “The Northern Sea Route – The Key to the Development of the Russian Arctic” which was held in the framework of the 5th International Arctic Forum “The Arctic – Territory of Dialogue”. Maxim Akimov, Deputy Prime Minister of…
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Ex-Mayor of Vladivostok Receives Long Jail Term for Corruption
The former mayor of Russia’s Far East capital of Vladivostok has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars on charges of large-scale commercial bribery and abuse of power. Igor Pushkaryov was detained in June 2016 on accusations of abusing his authority to mastermind a large-scale trade deal between the local government and a building supply…
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Putin Says Norwegian Spy Suspect Can’t Be Pardoned Until His Trial Is Over
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that he could not consider pardoning a Norwegian held in Russia on espionage charges as a verdict had not yet been reached in his trial, Russian news agencies reported. Frode Berg, a retired guard on the Norwegian-Russian border, is being tried in Russia for allegedly gathering information about…
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Russia Adds Leftist Group to Terror List for Allegedly Plotting Election, World Cup Attacks
Russian authorities have blacklisted an anti-fascist activist group whose members are on trial on charges of plotting to overthrow the government as a terrorist organization. Federal agents opened a criminal case against Set — Russian for “Network” — in the fall of 2017, leading to the arrests of 11 people in St. Petersburg and Penza…
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Environmentally Conscious Russians Most Concerned About Saving Water, Recycling – WWF
Environmentally conscious Russians are most likely to conserve water and recycle compared to other eco-conscious practices, according to a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) online poll published Tuesday. WWF Russia conducted its fourth annual online survey among 60,000 Russian respondents in 800 cities on March 30, the day of Earth Hour, an international event to promote environmental…
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Putin Speaks on ‘Witch Hunt’ Mueller Investigation — Reports
President Vladimir Putin has commented publicly for the first time on U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s alleged collusion with President Donald Trump’s campaign. Russia has repeatedly denied claims that it interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, although U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that it did. Last month, Mueller’s nearly two-year investigation concluded…
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Siberia’s Historic Capital, and Russia, Look to New Plastics Plant for Economic Future
TOBOLSK — Workers at Russian petrochemicals company Sibur’s soon-to-be-completed ZapSibNefteKhim plant in Tobolsk will arrive for shifts at a building decorated with an enormous portrait of the city’s most famous son — the inventor of the periodic table of elements Dmitri Mendeleyev. It’s a fitting image for a factory that will be one of the…
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Rebel Leader Says East Ukraine Wants to Join Russia
The head of one of eastern Ukraine’s breakaway regions has said his separatist-held republic wants to join Russia as a full-fledged member. The Donetsk and Luhansk regions, collectively known as the Donbass, are combat zones between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian military in a conflict that broke out in April 2014. More than 13,000 people have…
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Christie’s to Auction Historic Faberge Tiara
Auction house Christie’s is to sell a tiara by Faberge, jeweller to the Russian Tsars, made of aquamarines and diamonds and with a pre-sale estimate of $230,000-340,000. The tiara was made in 1904 as a wedding gift from Germany’s Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, to his bride, Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland.…
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ATOMEXPO 2019 to Feature Discussion of the Main Areas in the Development of Quality Management and the Formation of Supply Chains
ROSATOM will host a roundtable discussion entitled “Responsible Consumption and Production: Quality Management in the Nuclear Industry’s Supply Chains for International Projects” as part of the 11th ATOMEXPO International Forum in Sochi on April 15–16, 2019. The roundtable will be attended by representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Nuclear Association (WNA),…
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Russian Riot Police Complain of Evictions in Video to Putin
Russia’s riot police officers have released a video address to President Vladimir Putin complaining that they and their families are being evicted from their homes after retirement. The officers in the video said they had participated in assignments including quelling anti-Kremlin protests in 2011-2013 in central Moscow. They went on to accuse their superiors of…
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Russia Defends Arctic Military Expansion Amid Tensions With U.S.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended his country’s military buildup in the Arctic amid U.S. warnings of rising tensions in the remote and energy-rich region. “We don’t threaten anyone. We ensure sufficient defense capabilities given the political and military situation around our borders,” Lavrov said during a panel at the International Arctic Forum in St.…
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Russia’s Migrant Numbers Hit Record Low in 2018
Russia’s migrant numbers have declined by the highest amount in the post-Soviet period last year as the country grapples with its own population crisis, the Vedomosti business daily reported on Monday. For the first time in a decade, migration has been unable to cancel out Russia’s population decline. Faced with the need for up to…
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On This Day: ‘Spartacus’ by Yury Grigorovich at The Bolshoi
Premiering at the Bolshoi on April 9, 1968, “Spartacus” has gone on to become on of the theater’s most iconic productions. The ballet tells the story of Spartacus, leader of the slave uprising against the Romans, and was originally composed by Aram Khachaturian in 1954. Khachaturian was awarded a Lenin Prize for his composition in…
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Program signed to develop standards for natural gas liquefaction
Release April 9, 2019, 13:35 The Program for standardization of developing technologies and equipment in oil refining, petrochemistry, and natural gas processing and liquefaction (LNG), particularly for projects on gravity-based structures with LNG production trains and for gas carriers transporting LNG, was signed today at the Arctic: Territory of Dialogue 5th International Arctic Forum in St. Petersburg. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Alexey…
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Gazprom raises gas exports to France by 58 per cent in five years
Release April 9, 2019, 13:30 A working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Sylvie Bermann, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to the Russian Federation, took place today at the Arctic: Territory of Dialogue 5th International Arctic Forum in St. Petersburg. The parties discussed issues related to cooperation in the gas sector, including gas supplies. It was noted that France ranks…
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Russian Operatives Offered Money to Multiple Madagascar Presidential Candidates – BBC
Russian political operatives disguised as “tourists” have offered money to at least six presidential candidates in Madagascar last year in exchange for Russia’s support for the eventual winner, a BBC investigation reported on Monday. Former leader Andry Rajoelina, 44, was declared the winner of a hard-fought presidential vote in December, rejecting his rival’s accusations of fraud. Yevgeny…
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Rosneft’s Reserve Replacement Ratio Amounted to 138% in 2018
In 2018, Rosneft Oil Company provided an increase in reserves from exploration in the amount of 454 million tonnes of oil equivalent. The coefficient of replenishment of production with the increase in reserves according to the Russian classification was 138%. The Company has proved its leading position in exploration efficiency, providing consistently high reserve replacement…
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Russia Violated Navalny’s Rights With House Arrest, European Court Rules
The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday that Russia violated the rights of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny by placing him under house arrest in 2014 and imposing other restrictive measures on him. Navalny was placed under house arrest in February 2014 and held there for months while he was investigated for embezzlement…
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India to Buy Over 450 Russian Tanks Worth $2Bln – Reports
The Indian government has agreed to buy 464 Russian battle tanks worth $1.93 billion, a defense and intelligence magazine reported Monday, citing unnamed official sources. India is the largest buyer of Russian military hardware, with the latest purchase being a quietly signed $5 billion deal for Russian S-400 surface to air missile systems last fall.…
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Russia Makes Move on Libya Peace as Clashes Rage Near Tripoli
Russia vowed to use “all available means” to try to broker peace in Libya as warlord Khalifa Haftar brushed aside U.S. warnings to press his military advance on the capital Tripoli. President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Russia is urging all sides “to avoid any actions that could provoke bloodshed and the death of…
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Russia Asks Interpol to Arrest Kremlin Critic Bill Browder Again
Russia has asked Interpol for the seventh time to arrest Bill Browder, a London-based Kremlin critic who leads a campaign to punish Russian officials for the 2009 death of his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Once the biggest foreign money manager in Moscow, Browder has become one of the most vociferous Western…
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Fitch upgrades Severstal to BBB
April 9, 2019 PAO Severstal (“Severstal”; “the Company”), one of the world’s leading vertically integrated steel and steel-related mining companies, announces that Fitch has upgraded its rating on Severstal to BBB from BBB- on 8 April. The outlook is stable. The rating agency underlined that the upgrade reflected Severstal’s conservative financial policy during the supply-driven…
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A round table on humanitarian support of business will take place within the framework of the International Forum ATOMEXPO 2019
The “Humanitarian Support of Business and Public Confidence: Practices of Collaborating with Local Communities” round table will bring together Russian and international experts from the nuclear industry, telecommunications, the FMCG, and representatives of the academic community. The following participants are expected to take part in the round table: First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council…
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Russian Plane Production Plummeted By 13.5% in 2018, Official Data Shows
Russia’s aircraft production has dropped by 13.5 percent in 2018 following two years of growth because of what experts say is a combined effect of U.S. sanctions and lower demand for warplanes. The decline in civil and military aircraft, helicopter, spacecraft and intercontinental ballistic missile manufacturing follows a period of annual growth between 9 and…
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Russia Eyes Greater Energy Dominance With Arctic LNG Push
Almost 1,500 miles from Moscow, the tiny port of Sabetta nestles in a desolate Russian Arctic peninsula. A former outpost for Soviet geologists, it’s now the site of Russia’s most ambitious liquefied natural gas project, operated by a company that only entered the market just over a year ago. Several times a week, a giant…
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Russian Warships Arrive in Philippines as Manila Distances Itself From U.S.
Three Russian ships docked in Manila, the Philippines for a five-day port call on Monday aimed at improving navy-to-navy relations amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea. The arrival of two anti-submarine ships Admiral Tributs and Admiral Vinogradov and a tanker ship is the sixth visit by the Russian navy under Philippine President Rodrigo…
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ATOMEXPO 2019 to Feature Discussion of Environmental Safety in the Implementation of Nuclear Projects
A roundtable discussion entiteld “Responsible Approach to the Environment and Natural Resources” will be held as part of the ATOMEXPO 2019 International Forum in Sochi on April 15. Participants in the roundtable will discuss the environmental criteria that affect the choice of power generation type, the environmental aspects of transitioning to a closed nuclear fuel…
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ATOMEXPO 2019 to Feature Discussion of the Role of Nuclear Technologies in Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Participants in the plenary session of the 11th ATOMEXPO International Forum will talk about the role that nuclear technologies play in achieving the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. Among the participants in the meeting will be: Director-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency William Magwood IV; Minister…
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Rosenergoatom to present ‘technical documentation e-shop’ at ATOMEXPO 2019
Rosenergoatom (part of the Electric Power Division of ROSATOM) will present an electronic sales support system for Automated Technical Documentation Control Systems (ATDCS) or the so-called ‘technical documentation e-shop’ at the 11th ATOMEXPO 2019 International Forum, which will be held in Sochi on April 15–16. This is the first large-scale project of its kind and…
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Rusatom Service to hold round table on nuclear infrastructure at ATOMEXPO 2019
Rusatom Service JSC (the sectoral coordinating centre for ROSATOM’s nuclear infrastructure activities, which is part of Rosenergoatom, the Electric Power Division of ROSATOM) will hold a round table on the theme: ‘Building Nuclear Infrastructure as a Key Component for the Sustainability of Nuclear Projects’ at the 11th ATOMEXPO 2019 International Forum on April 15, 2019.…
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Rusatom Service to hold roundtable on nuclear infrastructure at ATOMEXPO 2019
Rusatom Service JSC (the sectoral coordinating centre for ROSATOM’s nuclear infrastructure activities, which is part of Rosenergoatom, the Electric Power Division of ROSATOM) will hold a roundtable on the theme: ‘Building Nuclear Infrastructure as a Key Component for the Sustainability of Nuclear Projects’ at the 11th ATOMEXPO 2019 International Forum on April 15, 2019. During…
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ATOMEXPO 2019 to Feature Discussion on the Contribution of the Nuclear Industry to Sustainable Urban Development
The “The Sustainable Development of Cities: The Nuclear Industry’s Contribution” roundtable discussion will be held as part of the ATOMEXPO 2019 International Forum in Sochi. The discussion will feature an international panel of experts with extensive managerial experience at the global, national and local levels representing international organizations, government agencies and the corporate sector. It…
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Russian Director Serebrennikov Released on Bail After 1.5 Years of House Arrest
A Moscow court has released theater director Kirill Serebrennikov on bail after a year and a half spent under house arrest on criminal fraud charges, Russian news agencies reported Monday. Serebrennikov was detained on Aug. 22, 2017, on charges of embezzling 68 million rubles ($1 million) in government funds as part of a theater project,…
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Russia’s Prison Service Defends Yoga Against Homosexuality and Riot Claims
Russian prisoners will continue doing yoga despite religious scholars’ claims that the practice could turn inmates gay, Russian prison authorities said on Sunday. Yoga classes were suspended last month after a conservative lawmaker forwarded to prosecutors a theologian’s complaint that yoga could cause prisoners to become gay and start prison riots as a result, according…