Month: May 2020

Russia’s ambitious plans to build 25 waste-burning power plants risk provoking social unrest over their environmental and financial costs, Greenpeace Russia warned Thursday. State industrial conglomerate Rostec, state nuclear agency Rosatom and the VEB state development corporation on Thursday announced a 600 billion ruble ($7.6 billion) project to build the 25 waste-to-energy plants in “Russia’s…

A key suspect in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was detained on unrelated charges in eastern Ukraine around the time the murder trial against the MH17 suspects started in the Netherlands this spring, BBC Russia reported Thursday. Former field commander Leonid Kharchenko, 47, is the only Ukrainian passport-holder among four suspects named by…

Russia is no longer a tea country, according to industry experts who say coffee drinking overtook tea for the first time last year. Russians consumed 40,000 more metric tons of coffee than tea in 2019, according to data from the RusTeaCoffee association cited by the RBC news website Thursday.  They drank 180,000 tons of whole…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 298,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 252,245 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 2,305 deaths. May 14: 3 things you need to know today 1. Russia confirmed 9,974 new coronavirus infections…

Russia has rapidly become one of the epicenters of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, reporting the world’s fastest growth in infections with more than 10,000 new daily cases from May 2-13. This week, Russia surpassed Britain, Italy and Spain to become the second most-infected country with 252,245 confirmed cases, behind the United States. Officials attribute the…

The New York Times stands by its reporting on Russia’s low coronavirus death figures and will not issue a retraction, the paper’s vice president for communications Danielle Rhoades Ha told Russian state media Wednesday. Russia’s Foreign Ministry had demanded that NYT and the Financial Times retract reports, based on Moscow’s own official mortality data showing…

If you were taking your cues from Russia’s longtime leader Vladimir Putin this week, you would have been left thinking that the country’s worst struggles with the coronavirus pandemic were over.  “Starting tomorrow, May 12, the national non-working period will end for the entire country and for all sectors of the economy,” the Russian president…

The Kremlin this week eased a national lockdown to slow the spread of the virus, despite a steady rise in numbers that has brought Russia to second place in a global tally of infections, behind the United States. A majority of Russia’s new cases were registered in the capital, a government virus tally said, where…

Maria, a 24-year-old doctor working outside Moscow, expected to be paid extra if one of her patients tested positive for the coronavirus. Instead, her salary shrank. In a small town 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the capital, she visits patients at home and normally has around three calls a day. But that number surged to…

Early clinical trials of an antiviral drug in Russia have given “promising” results in treating the new coronavirus, a joint venture announced Wednesday as Russia faced mounting Covid-19 cases. Of 40 coronavirus patients who took a favipiravir pill, 60% tested negative for Covid-19 within five days compared to 30% in the control group, according to…

More than 60% of deaths among Moscow’s coronavirus patients are not being included toward the city’s official virus death toll, city health officials said Wednesday. Moscow, the epicenter of Russia’s coronavirus outbreak, has seen a low mortality rate compared to other major world capitals, with just 1,232 deaths out of 126,004 infections as of Wednesday.…

Russian lawmakers have passed a bill to allow Russians to vote by mail or online for President Vladimir Putin’s constitutional amendments that would allow him to stay in power through 2036. The coronavirus epidemic forced the president to indefinitely postpone the public vote, originally scheduled for April 22. The proposed changes to Russia’s Constitution would…

Russia’s health minister on Wednesday said it was necessary to raise the legal age to buy alcohol to 21 after an increase in drink-related deaths during the coronavirus epidemic. “Unfortunately, the role of alcohol has begun to rise in the death count during this period,” Mikhail Murashko told parliament. Lawmakers should pass legislation that would…

Russia’s oldest coronavirus patient, 100-year-old Pelageya Poyarkova, has fully recovered from the illness, the Federal Biomedical Agency (FMBA) said Wednesday. Poyarkova had been hospitalized for a routine procedure when the other patient in her room tested positive for coronavirus. She was transferred to the FMBA’s Center for Brain and Neurotechnology, a facility repurposed for coronavirus…

Two Russian regions will merge into a single federal subject, the first such move in more than a decade, the state-run TASS news agency reported after their governors signed a memorandum of intent Wednesday. The Arkhangelsk region and the Nenets autonomous district in northwestern Russia near the Arctic could send a petition to President Vladimir Putin…

German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced frustration Wednesday that Russia was targeting her in hacking action, saying she had concrete proof of the “outrageous” spying attempts. “I can honestly say that it pains me. Every day I try to build a better relationship with Russia and on the other hand there is such hard evidence that…

Russia might not see its pre-coronavirus levels of tourism return until January 2021, officials said Tuesday as President Vladimir Putin pushed for the economy to “return to normal.” Russia shut its borders to foreign nationals, suspended its visa issuance and halted most international flights in late March as the coronavirus pandemic showed no sign of…

A model of Russian ventilator that the Kremlin sent to the United States as part of a high-profile shipment of medical supplies has been banned after being suspected of causing two deadly fires in coronavirus hospitals in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In a statement issued Tuesday, Roszdravnadzor — Russia’s state health watchdog — said it…

Russian investigators have rejected prosecutors’ orders to drop murder charges against three teenage sisters accused of killing their abusive father, Interfax reported Wednesday. Prosecutors in January ordered investigators to drop the charges against Krestina, Angelina and Maria Khachaturyan, who admitted to killing their father in July 2018 after he subjected them to years of physical,…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 292,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 242,271 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 2,212 deaths. May 13: 3 things you need to know today 1. Russia confirmed 10,028 new coronavirus infections…

A Siberian shaman who has attempted several cross-country treks to “purge” President Vladimir Putin from office has been detained and sent to a psychiatric hospital a week after attempts to place him under observation for coronavirus, the MBKh News website reported Tuesday. “Around 20 anti-riot police stormed his house, cuffed him barefoot and bent over,…

On an electric trolleybus ride into central Moscow, all the passengers and the driver are wearing masks and gloves under new rules as the city begins a gradual return to work. “It’s positive, because it’s a necessary measure,” says 25-year-old Tatiana Khan, who wears a surgical mask and a T-shirt bearing a “love” motif. The…

The Kremlin this week eased a national lockdown to slow the spread of the virus, despite a steady rise in numbers that has brought Russia to second place in a global tally of infections, behind the United States. A majority of Russia’s new cases were registered in the capital, a government virus tally said, where…

Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov dropped plans to launch Telegram’s TON blockchain project Tuesday, attacking the U.S. justice system for killing off the initiative. The Telegram and Vkontakte founder had been developing the TON blockchain platform and Grams cryptocurrency for more than two years, successfully raising $1.7 billion from investors in an initial coin offering (ICO)…

President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia’s “non-working” period would come to an end from May 12, allowing the country to start easing restrictions imposed more than six weeks ago to slow the spread of the coronavirus even as Russia saw record increases in new infections. During the nationwide “non-working” period, all non-essential businesses were required…

Update: Authorities declined to fine the victims “because they turned to police due to threats to their lives and health,” the regional coronavirus task force said Wednesday. Police in Siberia have cited two teenagers for breaking coronavirus stay-at-home orders after they reported that they were raped on the street, the regional Tayga.info news website reported Tuesday.…

President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov has been hospitalized with coronavirus, he told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency Tuesday. “Yes, I got sick, I’m being treated,” Peskov told Interfax. The Kremlin spokesman is at least the second person in Putin’s administration and the fifth senior government official to test positive for Covid-19. In addition to Culture…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 283,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 232,243 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 2,116 deaths. May 12: 3 things you need to know today 1. Russia confirmed 10,899 new coronavirus infections…

Russian state-controlled oil giant Rosneft exercises leverage over the country’s leading business newspaper Vedomosti through multibillion-dollar debt held by its bank, a multi-outlet investigation said Tuesday. The findings follow widespread suspicion of Rosneft’s involvement in high-profile censorship scandals at Vedomosti, including its new chief editor changing a headline on the Russian government’s majority stake in…

Five people died in a fire in a hospital for coronavirus patients in Russia’s second-largest city of St. Petersburg on Tuesday, with some victims attached to ventilators, officials said. Another 150 people were evacuated after the blaze broke out on the sixth floor of the Saint George hospital, the emergencies ministry said, one of a string…

Russia’s private hospitals are playing a limited role in treating Covid-19 patients as insufficient government funding and an outdated insurance system are making it difficult for them to switch to specialist treatment. With Russia’s official tally of coronavirus infections over 230,000 on Tuesday, the country is scrambling to find extra hospital beds to deal with…

Despite reporting more than 10,000 new cases a day for over a week, President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced that a “non-working” period in place for six weeks would be lifted from Tuesday. A lockdown in Moscow, the epicenter of the crisis in Russia, remains in place until the end of May, but even in…

Russian police officers have organized an online flashmob in support of their former colleague, the founder of a popular online community that reports abuse within law enforcement who has been jailed on extortion charges. Vladimir Vorontsov, who founded the “Police Ombudsman” social media channel, has had his home searched by police twice within a month.…

President Vladimir Putin has eased Russia’s “non-working” period imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus even as Russia emerges as Europe’s new coronavirus hotspot.  During the nationwide “non-working” period, all non-essential businesses are required to close and employers ordered to continue paying staff. Apart from this, Putin has largely handed decision-making power on lockdown measures…

At least 376 Russian cadets have been infected with the coronavirus after participating in rehearsals for the postponed Victory Day parade in Moscow’s Red Square, the Proekt investigative website reported Monday. Russia marked the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II with only military plane flyovers and a fireworks…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 283,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 221,344 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 2,009 deaths. May 11: 3 things you need to know today 1. Russia confirmed 11,656 new coronavirus infections…

The number of infections in Russia has been rising by more than 10,000 a day since Sunday, in contrast to countries in western Europe that are taking steps to ease lockdown measures. Officials attribute the increase to mass testing and detecting asymptomatic cases not always counted in other countries. The country’s reported mortality rate remains…

A fire broke out in a retirement home in the Moscow region, killing at least nine people, local authorities said Monday. The blaze in the privately-owned care home in the town of Krasnogorsk started at around midnight Sunday and was extinguished within an hour, emergencies services said. “Nine people died on site and nine more…

Moscow recorded 20% more fatalities in April 2020 compared to its average April mortality total over the past decade, according to newly published preliminary data from Moscow’s civil registry office. The data comes as Russia sees the fastest growth in coronavirus infections in Europe, while its mortality rate remains much lower than in many countries.…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 270,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 198,676 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,827 deaths. May 10: 3 things you need to know today 1. Russia confirmed 11,012 new coronavirus infections…

The number of infections in Russia has been rising by more than 10,000 a day since Sunday, in contrast to countries in western Europe that are taking steps to ease lockdown measures. Officials attribute the increase to mass testing and detecting asymptomatic cases not always counted in other countries. The country’s reported mortality rate remains…

One person died after a fire broke out in a hospital treating coronavirus patients in northern Moscow, forcing an evacuation, emergencies officials said Saturday. The Spasokukotsky hospital No. 50 was treating nearly 700 patients infected with the coronavirus as of Friday.  It was not clear what started the fire or whether it affected the wing…

President Vladimir Putin told Russians they are “invincible” when they stand together as the country on Saturday marked the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II on lockdown from the coronavirus. With the number of virus cases surging and authorities urging Russians to stay in their homes, celebrations of this year’s Victory Day…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 270,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 198,676 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,827 deaths. May 9: 3 things you need to know today Russia confirmed 10,817 new coronavirus…

The number of infections in Russia has been rising by more than 10,000 a day since Sunday, in contrast to countries in western Europe that are taking steps to ease lockdown measures. Officials attribute the increase to mass testing and detecting asymptomatic cases not always counted in other countries. On Thursday Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin…