Year: 2020

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 37,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to tackle the pandemic and prevent its spread within the country. There have been 1,836 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and nine deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia…

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday urged Moscow’s 12 million residents to respect a strict new lockdown, as other parts of the country began to introduce similar steps to curb the coronavirus outbreak. The enforcement of the new rules, which Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin suddenly announced late Sunday, coincided with the beginning of a “non-working”…

Moscow’s mayor has asked for the Russian government’s help in getting private clinics to provide beds for coronavirus patients, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported Monday. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who sits on Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s coronavirus coordinating council, named hospital beds and the national healthcare system’s mobilization as top priorities in the…

Police officers armed with plastic pipes in Russia’s republic of Chechnya are patrolling the streets to observe compliance with the region’s coronavirus quarantine, Russian media reported this weekend.  The majority Muslim region enacted a strict quarantine Saturday with steep fines for venturing outside. Videos that circulated online starting late Friday showed police convoys advising residents…

Young people make up a majority of Moscow’s new Covid-19 patients, the city’s coronavirus crisis center said Monday as Russia set another one-day record in new cases of the deadly disease. Russia confirmed 302 new coronavirus infections on Monday, bringing the country’s official number of cases up to 1,836, with nine deaths. Moscow accounted for…

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin’s announcement of an indefinite citywide quarantine to limit the spread of the coronavirus has prompted debates over whether his strict measures are legal. Sobyanin imposed restrictions on movement starting Monday and said that authorities will enforce the new self-isolation rules through “smart monitoring” and a system of special passes. The isolation…

The beatings started for Angelina a few months after she married and only got worse as time went by.  Last Wednesday afternoon, she grabbed all she could carry and took a taxi with her two young sons to a relative’s cramped flat on the outskirts of Moscow. Her husband, a postman, was out of the…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 33,000 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up its measures to tackle the pandemic and prevent its spread within the country. There have been 1,534 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and nine deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases…

The Russian economy has been rocked by the coronavirus outbreak, and the breakdown of the OPEC+ oil production pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The turmoil has shocked traders around the world and resulted in sharp volatility on the Russian stock markets and swings in the value of the ruble — both of which are…

Moscow authorities will enforce its citywide quarantine using QR codes assigned to residents as passes to leave their homes, the Meduza news website reported Sunday, citing a source close to the Russian capital’s coronavirus crisis center. The partial lockdown in the city of 12.7 million came into force Monday, allowing Muscovites to leave their homes…

Moscow will enact an indefinite citywide quarantine starting Monday, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said as the city’s number of coronavirus cases surpassed 1,000 over the weekend. The self-isolation order will apply to all residents regardless of age. According to the decree, Moscow residents will only be allowed to leave their homes for: Emergency medical care; Traveling…

The head of Russia‘s Orthodox Church exhorted believers on Sunday to pray from their homes in the latest call from religious leaders around the world to avoid gatherings that could help the coronavirus’ spread. Russia has been relatively lightly hit so far, with nine deaths and 1,534 cases, but it recorded 270 new infections in the last…

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Sunday that the coronavirus outbreak had entered a new phase as the total number of cases in the Russian capital exceeded 1,000 with many Muscovites going out despite a plea to stay home. Authorities in Moscow, Russia‘s worst-affected area, shut shops and entertainment venues from Saturday and urged Muscovites to stay…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 30,000 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up its measures to tackle the pandemic and prevent its spread within the country. There have been 1,534 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and eight deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases…

Russia’s officially reported numbers — which are still smaller than those in European countries — have sparked suspicion as they spiked in the past week. Experts warn that Russia’s testing capacity is hampered by bureaucracy, while officials warn that the real number of cases is likely much higher. Most of the cases are in Moscow.…

Russia will close all border crossings on March 30, the government said on Saturday, tightening restrictions after the country reported its biggest one-day rise in new coronavirus cases. The authorities said they so far had recorded 1,264 confirmed cases, an increase of 228 in 24 hours, and ordered that all vehicle, rail and pedestrian checkpoints,…

At a televised meeting with Vladimir Putin, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin flatly told the president that official figures on coronavirus cases were far from the reality. That’s because people are staying home sick and because there has not been enough testing, he said Tuesday, so “no one knows the real picture.” After that reality check,…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 24,000 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up its measures to tackle the pandemic and prevent its spread within the country. There have been 1,036 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and four deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases…

Russia’s state carrier Aeroflot is continuing to operate a limited number of flights abroad despite the Russian government’s order to ground all international flights that took effect at midnight Friday. The government decree published Thursday orders aviation authorities to halt all regular and charter flights to and from other countries, with the exception of special…

Russian companies argue that work must go on, as they isolate several large industrial sites in the Arctic. The result is that many thousands of workers are stranded on site, unable to get back to their homes in the central parts of the country. Among the construction sites that have now been closed to the…

The Kremlin has confirmed the first known coronavirus case in the presidential administration Friday, saying that the official had no contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the news to reporters a day after Russian media reported that at least two Kremlin officials may have tested positive for Covid-19.  “I can…

As the coronavirus pandemic has put sporting events around the world on hold, Russian bookkeepers and gambling enthusiasts have hinged their bets on something else: the coronavirus pandemic. Major sporting events such as the UEFA Europa League and Champions League have been some of the first things to be shut down as world leaders worked…

Russia’s antitrust agency said it has uncovered signs of price-fixing in the buckwheat market amid the country’s panic-buying spree fueled by the coronavirus pandemic, news agencies reported Friday. Alongside toilet paper, buckwheat has been a staple of choice for Russian shoppers to stockpile as the number of Covid-19 cases has climbed, with sales of buckwheat jumping…

Russia’s Armed Forces have announced steps to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic as cases continue to rise and medics warn of the disease’s potentially “explosive” spread. President Vladimir Putin has ordered an inspection on March 25-28 into the troops’ readiness for a mass infection. The number of Covid-19 cases in Russia has…

Russia’s officially reported numbers — which are still smaller than those in European countries — have sparked suspicion as they spiked in the past week. Experts warn that Russia’s testing capacity is hampered by bureaucracy, while officials warn that the real number of cases is likely much higher. Most of the new cases, 157, are…

Since the coronavirus outbreak was officially declared a pandemic, and as Russia walked away from the OPEC+ deal, sending energy and financial markets into a tailspin, two questions have dominated analysis about the state of the Russian — and global — economy. How well prepared are we, and how bad will the damage be? As…

Russian National Guard troops have been deployed in Moscow as part of a planned action that should not cause panic, the military branch said Thursday. Footage of a Moscow-bound bus convoy with men in military fatigues circulated widely online that day. Coupled with Mayor Sergei Sobyanin’s closure of public gathering places for a week starting…

The Russian economy has been rocked by the coronavirus outbreak, and the breakdown of the OPEC+ oil production pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The turmoil has shocked traders around the world and resulted in sharp volatility on the Russian stock markets and swings in the value of the ruble — both of which are…

A majority of Russians don’t believe their country’s official coronavirus data, according to a study published by the independent Levada Center pollster Thursday. Russia has reported 840 cases of coronavirus and three deaths, a number that has drawn widespread skepticism as numbers in neighboring Europe have soared. This week, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who is…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 24,000 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up its measures to tackle the pandemic and prevent its spread within the country. There have been 840 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and three deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases…

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called for sanctions relief during the coronavirus pandemic, telling G20 leaders it was a matter “of life and death.”  The leader did not specify which countries should be earmarked for sanctions relief, speaking instead more broadly.   “Ideally we should introduce a… joint moratorium on restrictions on essential goods as…

As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…

Russian internet users represented the world’s biggest increase in traffic to Pornhub over the past month as the coronavirus crisis has deepened, the adult website said in a study Wednesday. The large numbers coincide with BBC Russia’s report documenting a surge in condom and adult sex toy purchases from online retailers this month.  “I can…

As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…

Starting March 27, Russia will indefinitely ground all international flights in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus within its borders — but foreigners in Russia still have some available options to leave the country and return home, travel agencies told The Moscow Times. Russia saw a spike in confirmed coronavirus cases this…

As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…

A Russian court has overturned the convictions of six Jehovah’s Witnesses accused of extremism, marking the first instance of the group’s worshippers having their verdicts overturned in Russia, the group announced Wednesday. The court in Penza, some 550 kilometers southeast of Moscow, handed five adherents suspended two-year prison sentences in December. The sixth worshipper, Vladimir…

On a quiet Saturday outside service hours, worshippers walk with reverence through the shadowy interior of Moscow’s Yekhovo Cathedral, crossing themselves repeatedly in front of the rows of icons adorning the gilded walls. And then, in accordance with Orthodox practice, they end their silent prayers by touching their lips to the sacred pictures. Nearly all…

The popular southern Russian resort city of Sochi has asked Muscovites to stay away during a week-long nationwide holiday that President Vladimir Putin declared in a move to slow the spread of coronavirus. Putin announced the paid holiday between March 30 and April 5 as part of social and economic measures he unveiled in his…

Russian doctors are preparing for an “explosive” escalation of the coronavirus situation across the country as the country’s number of cases began to increase exponentially, Moscow’s top infectious diseases specialist said Wednesday. As of Thursday, Russia has confirmed 840 cases of coronavirus and three deaths. Wednesday and Thursday saw Russia’s largest one-day increases in new…

Moscow will close cafes, shops, parks and other non-essential services for one week starting Saturday, its mayor said Thursday, in an “unprecedented” move to fight the spread of coronavirus. President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a non-working week from March 28 to April 5 to keep Russians at home. But the measures imposed by Moscow…

Vyacheslav Gorodetsky says he can not accept the authorities’ growing interference in local journalism. Gorodetsky is a veteran in Murmansk media. In 2005 he established the B-Port, a news agency that has developed into a leading newsmaker in the north Russian region. Since then, much has changed in regional journalism. On March 25, the director…

As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…

Last week, Alla Komissarova sent a letter to her landlords, asking them to show a little flexibility towards the rent due for her two Moscow chocolate workshops over the next few months. Hand-made cakes and artisanal confectionery are not top of many Muscovites’ shopping lists as consumers start to worry about the looming economic hit…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 21,000 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up its measures to tackle the pandemic and prevent its spread within the country. There have been 658 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and three deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in…