Year: 2020

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…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 10,000 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 199 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and one death. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases…

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 opposition leader Alexei Navalny has urged his supporters to stay home instead of voting on President Vladimir Putin’s constitutional amendments that could keep him in power until 2036. The package of constitutional changes includes an amendment that would “zero out” the number of terms served by current and former presidents. The amendment, which has…

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…

Russia announced Thursday new measures to prop up the ruble and its oil producers, both of which have been suffering from sinking oil prices and the global panic over the coronavirus. “The government and the Central Bank will continue to take the necessary actions to ensure financial stability,” Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said. He announced…

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…

U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien will travel to Moscow to attend Russia‘s World War II Victory Day celebrations in May, U.S. ambassador John Sullivan said on Thursday. President Vladimir Putin presides over an annual parade on May 9 to commemorate the Soviet Union’s World War II victory over Nazi Germany and uses the occasion to…

Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed comparisons between himself and an imperial tsar on Thursday, arguing that he “works every day” and listens to what people want. “I don’t reign, I work every day,” Putin said in an interview to the state-run TASS news agency. The interview aired on Thursday as part of a series rolled…

Orthodox priests in central Moscow have begun nightly processions around their monastery in an effort to combat the coronavirus with prayer, the monastery’s head priest said. The devotions at the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery are the latest example of the Russian Orthodox Church’s efforts to offer faith as a solution to the pandemic. Every night, priests will…

Russia has confirmed its coronavirus-related death, a 79-year-old woman with pre-existing health conditions, Moscow’s coronavirus response headquarters said Thursday. Russia has registered 147 cases of coronavirus but has reported no other deaths. The unnamed 79-year-old woman was first hospitalized last week and was later moved to an isolated room in an infectious diseases hospital after testing…

For the past five years, nurse Svetlana Shchedrina has been stowing away protective masks and latex gloves. Right now she has two large boxes of each. Shchedrina, 37, told The Moscow Times she was forced to start stockpiling after the tuberculosis hospital in the Urals city of Kurgan where she works stopped providing its staff…

Russian courts will stop considering all except the most urgent cases from Thursday onwards until April 10 to contain the spread of coronavirus, a decision by the Supreme Court on Wednesday showed. Urgent cases, which will continue to go up before the courts, include pre-trial decisions on whether to remand suspects in custody, as well…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 8,800 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 147 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and zero deaths. The number of confirmed cases in Russia…

Yevgeny Prigozhin, a catering magnate with close ties to President Vladimir Putin, has won a $190,000 contract to provide hospital food for Moscow’s coronavirus patients, according to information posted on the government’s online public procurement portal. The government portal says that AVK, a company owned by Prigozhin, will supply ready-made meals to the city hospital…

Russia on Wednesday announced coronavirus cases had jumped almost 29% overnight to 147 despite the Kremlin imposing tight controls on movement and saying the situation is under control. The number of cases has gone up by 33 to 147, Russia’s state health watchdog said, with 31 of those testing positive in Moscow after recently flying…

Russian President Vladimir Putin is being protected from coronavirus around the clock, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, saying all Kremlin staff involved in his events schedule were undergoing mandatory testing for the virus. Russia has recorded 147 cases of coronavirus so far and the authorities have temporarily barred foreigners from entering the country in an effort…

Supermarkets in Russia have stepped up their deliveries of essential goods as analysts say food retailers could be one of the few winners in the economic chaos being wrought by the coronavirus. X5 Retail Group, which runs the Pyaterochka and Perekrestok supermarket chains, said it is increasing its delivery of “socially important goods” from its…

Russian media have deployed a “significant disinformation campaign” against the West to worsen the impact of the coronavirus, generate panic and sow distrust, according to a European Union document seen by Reuters. Pushing fake news online in English, Spanish, Italian, German and French, the Russian campaign uses contradictory, confusing and malicious reports to make it harder…

The owners of Vedomosti, one of Russia’s largest newspapers, have agreed on a deal to sell the business daily, the publication has confirmed. Demyan Kudryavtsev and his partners Vladimir Voronov and Martin Pompadour will sell 100% of the assets in BNM, their joint-stock company that owns both Vedomosti and Russia’s Harvard Business Review magazine, Kudryavtsev…

Russia’s official statistics indicate that the country has virtually no coronavirus within its borders.  With 116,000 tests for the coronavirus carried out and 114 returning positive, Russia’s ratio of tests to positive cases is 0.09%, the lowest among all of the countries infected by the coronavirus. The second lowest ratio is Taiwan’s 0.3% — three…

Russian prisoners, students and military personnel will produce medical masks and other equipment as the country faces down the coronavirus pandemic, the RBC news website reported Tuesday. The Federal Penitentiary Service has been ordered to have its inmates produce masks, RBC reported, citing an order from Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin that it has seen.  Russia…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 7,100 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 114 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far. MT MT Below are the latest updates on Russia’s response…

Russian writer Eduard Limonov, a controversial figure who founded a radical nationalist party and led protests against President Vladimir Putin before supporting the Kremlin on Crimea’s annexation, has died at 77, his party said Tuesday. “Eduard Limonov died today in Moscow,” The Other Russia party, which he previously led, said on its website. Limonov, whose…

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said the situation with the spreading coronavirus is “under control” in the country, after infections were “contained.” “We were able to contain mass penetration and spread” of the pandemic, the Russian president told a government meeting. “The situation is generally under control despite high risk level.” “Citizens should be…

Moscow authorities have denied reports that they will introduce a near-total shutdown of the city to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Vedomosti reported Tuesday that officials are considering a state of emergency that would close all public transport, shut all nonessential businesses, impose a strict curfew and prevent anyone from leaving or entering Russia’s…

Russia has launched hi-tech systems that monitor social media for “fake news” on the coronavirus and spot empty supermarket shelves, while an app will provide free telemedicine consultations, officials said Tuesday. President Vladimir Putin toured a new coronavirus information centre in Moscow that is pulling together IT resources including surveillance cameras and artificial intelligence. Russia…

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 airlines could sustain major losses and some might go bankrupt because of hits from the coronavirus, the government warned on Tuesday. Carriers face two major blows, cancellations of international flights and rising costs owing to the ruble’s sharp drop in value, Alexander Neradko, the head of the federal air transport agency Rosaviation, told a…

Russian tourists in Europe have found themselves trapped abroad as flights have been canceled and borders closed due to the coronavirus crisis, a spokeswoman for Russia’s travel industry union told Interfax on Tuesday. Russia suspended most flights to and from Europe to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus from Monday. At the same…

An ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who says he was “wrongfully persecuted” by the US, which claimed he meddled in 2016 elections, vowed Tuesday to sue Washington for $50 billion in damages. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the rich Russian businessman dubbed “Putin’s chef,” made the announcement after the U.S. Justice Department on Monday abruptly dropped charges…

Russian scientists have begun to test vaccine prototypes for the new coronavirus, and plan to present the most effective one by June, a laboratory chief at a state biotech institute said. Russia has reported 93 cases of infection but no deaths, according to official numbers published Tuesday.  “The prototypes have been created. We are starting laboratory…

The trial in the Netherlands of four men accused of murder over the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 will continue behind closed doors later this month due to the coronavirus outbreak, the court said on Tuesday. Pre-trial hearings in the case against three Russians and one Ukrainian began in Amsterdam last week. Prosecutors…

The Russian Orthodox Church is instigating an unprecedented list of measures aiming to combat the spread of the coronavirus in its sacred spaces nationwide, it said in a statement Tuesday. The Church drew controversy in recent weeks after video showed hundreds of worshippers lining up to kiss a holy relic in St. Petersburg’s Kazan Cathedral…

As the coronavirus continues to sweep across the globe on an unprecedented scale, countries are closing their borders and putting once-vibrant towns and cities under near-total lockdown. Here’s a quick guide to the measures Russia has taken so far: Q: Can I still go to Russia? A: Starting March 18, all foreign nationals and stateless citizens…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 7,100 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 93 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far. MT MT Below are the latest updates on Russia’s response…

The United States Justice Department abruptly dropped its criminal case Monday against the company controlled by a confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin that allegedly funded the campaign to meddle in the 2016 elections. Just weeks before the trial was to begin, the Justice Department announced it was withdrawing the eight-count indictment of Concord Management…

Russian authorities on Monday banned foreign nationals from entering the country, shut state schools and limited public gatherings in Moscow in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. The ban on foreign nationals will be enforced from March 18 until May 1, though diplomats, airplane crew members and some other categories of people will…

The number of coronavirus cases in Russia rose to 93 on Monday, a 47% increase from the previous day, the state-run TASS news agency quoted Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova as saying. There had been 63 recorded infections in Russia on Sunday. Experts studying the spread of the virus have pointed to the coronavirus’ exponential…

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…

Russia’s Constitutional Court on Monday approved amendments proposed by President Vladimir Putin to the country’s basic law, giving him the option of serving two further terms in office. The Constitutional Court published the ruling on its website and immediately sent the ruling to Putin, who could now stay in power until 2036. The court issued…

Starting from March 17 all restaurants, night clubs, gyms, beauty salons, and shopping malls will have to shut down in Kiev, the city’s mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on March 16. The decision furthers the restrictions that Ukraine imposed earlier to prevent the coronavirus spread by closing all educational institutions and banning mass events. The same…

Priests from the Russian Orthodox Church and Cossacks followed Defense Ministry orders to negotiate the Ukrainian army’s surrender during Moscow’s annexation of Crimea, the independent Meduza news website has reported ahead of the sixth anniversary of the land grab.  On Feb. 27, 2014, masked troops in unmarked uniforms seized the Crimean parliament building, leading to…

Russia on Monday lifted the house arrest of an LGBT rights activist accused of distributing pornography for posting drawings of vaginas on a body-positive social media page. Yulia Tsvetkova, 26, has been under house arrest since November in the remote Far Eastern city of Komsomolsk-on Amur, some 6,000 kilometers (3,800 miles) east of Moscow. Amnesty…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 5,000 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the pandemic, including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China, ordering people returning from high-risk areas to self-quarantine and temporarily banning Chinese citizens from entering the country.  There…

Moscow police detained dozens of people at a protest against “political repressions” near the headquarters of the Russian security service, including a well-known human rights activist. The protest demanding to free political prisoners was called by supporters of men convicted this year on terrorism charges, many of whom said in court they had been tortured…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 4,900 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the pandemic, including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China, ordering people returning from high-risk areas to self-quarantine and temporarily banning Chinese citizens from entering the country.  There…

Russia will close its land borders with Poland and Norway to foreigners in a bid to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Saturday.  The ban will come into force at midnight on Saturday and apply to all foreigners traveling “for professional, private, study or tourist reasons”, he said. He…

Russia should enter full quarantine due to the threat of coronavirus in the country, billionaire businessman Oleg Deripaska wrote on his Telegram channel Friday. “The first step is to close all borders tomorrow, cancel all mass events and provide people with the opportunity to spend 60 days at home,” he said. The businessman wrote that if…

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…