Day: May 5, 2020

Germany has issued an arrest warrant for a suspected Russian military intelligence officer alleged to have hacked servers in the German parliament, the country’s Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported Tuesday. The suspect, Dmitry Badin, 29, is also wanted in the United States on charges of trying to interfere in the country’s 2016 presidential election. A 2018…

Two of Russia’s post-Soviet neighbors, Belarus and Turkmenistan, have drawn criticism over their response to the coronavirus, with the two countries’ leaders largely denying the severity of the pandemic. Here’s a brief look at how these two countries in Russia’s backyard have been faring since the start of the outbreak: Belarus (17,489 cases, 103 deaths):…

Anyone who publishes footage of officers detaining people who violate coronavirus quarantine on social media should be put to work as janitors as punishment, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has said.  The republic of Chechnya in Russia’s North Caucasus is under one of the country’s strictest coronavirus lockdowns, with steep fines for going outside without a…

Russia’s annual Victory Day parade on May 9 may be postponed due to the coronavirus, but that’s not stopping the country from commemorating the holiday. Instead of the traditional ground parade — typically a massive display of military power that traverses Moscow’s Red Square — Russia’s Air Force will stage an air show over the…

Russian diplomats have slammed The New York Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning series articles about Russia’s covert activities abroad as examples of “Russophobia.” The New York Times won the Pulitzer for international reporting Monday for six investigative articles and two videos that “expos[ed] the predations of Vladimir Putin’s regime” across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Russia’s…

Domestic abuse has more than doubled since Russia imposed lockdown measures to slow the spread of coronavirus, the country’s top human rights official said Tuesday. More than 13,000 women called Russia’s domestic abuse hotlines in April compared with 6,054 in March, human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova was quoted by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency…

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, the highest ranking official to contract the infection, is now “feeling normal,” spokesperson Boris Belyakov said Tuesday. He said Mishustin, who announced he tested positive last week, was continuing treatment under Health Ministry guidance, adding the prime minister is “actively talking with colleagues by phone.” The authorities say they have…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 252,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 155,370 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,451 deaths. May 5: 3 things you need to know today Russia confirmed 10,102 new coronavirus infections…

With strict lockdown measures in place nationwide, the coronavirus pandemic has dramatically changed Russians’ lives — and also their deaths. Cemeteries in several Russian regions have closed to visitors to encourage people to stay home and slow the spread of infection, and since April 9, Moscow’s cemeteries have only been open to residents of the…

Russian President Vladimir Putin has given North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a commemorative World War II medal for his role in preserving the memory of Soviet soldiers killed in North Korea, Russia’s Embassy in Pyongyang said Tuesday. The ceremony took place at the Mansudae Assembly Hall, where Kim reshuffled North Korea’s highest decision-making body…