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Hundreds of protesters rallied and scuffled with police in Belarus on Tuesday with more than 100 people detained after officials barred President Alexander Lukashenko’s main rivals from running in an election in August. Hundreds of people took to the streets of the capital Minsk on Tuesday evening, walking peacefully and clapping as passing drivers honked…

Russia’s parliament on Wednesday approved legislation that allows elections to be held over three days, in a move the opposition said was aimed at hollowing out democratic polls. A bill that allows elections to be held over “several but no more than three days” was adopted by parliament’s lower house, the State Duma, in a…

Russia has confirmed 746,369 cases of coronavirus and 11,770 deaths. July 15: 3 things you need to know today Russia will no longer require foreigners without coronavirus to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival as the country looks to begin reopening to international travelers in the midst of the pandemic, according to a decree published Monday.  The Russian Defense…

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday it had developed a “safe” coronavirus vaccine following clinical trials on a group of volunteers.  The ministry said 18 people had participated in the research and were discharged without “serious adverse events, health complaints, complications or side effects.” The results of the trials “allow us to speak with…

The remote Alaskan town of Sitka has voted to relocate the statue of its Russian founder as anti-racism protests worldwide seek to topple statues of historical figures linked to racism and colonialism. A petition calling for the removal of Russian America governor Alexander Baranov’s monument cites the “armed assault” he led on the local Tinglit people…

A disabled Russian pensioner who denies the collapse of the Soviet Union is suspected by the authorities of plotting to overthrow the government, according to the local chapter of the organization that believes the U.S.S.R. still legally exists. Vladimir Beskhlebnyi, 72, was placed under house arrest in the Omsk region Saturday on charges of creating…

For as long as Valery Nechayev could remember, the ruling United Russia party had been in charge of his home region of Khabarovsk in Russia’s Far East. And, for a while, that was just fine.  But as the years went by, the 23-year-old chef’s trust in the party’s officials waned. Investigations into their finances by…

Starting July 13, Moscow will no longer require people to wear masks outdoors as the number of new coronavirus cases has dwindled in the Russian capital in recent weeks. Moscow lifted restrictions including compulsory travel passes on June 8, a move welcomed by residents who rushed out to enjoy the streets and parks. Many other regions…

Russian lawmakers have swiftly moved to ban same-sex marriage in line with President Vladimir Putin’s recent changes to the Constitution. Seven senators submitted a draft bill late Tuesday to amend Russia’s Family Code and legally ban gay marriage and adoptions, including, according to its authors, by transgender people. The move comes two weeks after voters…

Music streaming giant Spotify announced Tuesday it was launching its service in Russia and 12 other countries around Eastern Europe. Spotify would become available to users immediately, according to a statement, which added that the Swedish streaming service was now accessible in 92 markets. In addition to Russia, Spotify was rolling out in Albania, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kazakhstan,…

A Russian prosecutor Tuesday requested that three young men receive between six and seven and a half years in prison for allegedly plotting to overthrow Vladimir Putin’s government, lawyers said. In 2018, authorities detained 10 people accusing them of belonging to an anarchist cell that had plotted an uprising against the government in what has…

Russian authorities said they’ve carried out more than 100 raids in the homes of dozens of Jehovah’s Witnesses in a region that borders Ukraine. The joint searches by investigators, police and National Guard troops led to two criminal cases being opened against 10 worshippers aged between 24-56, investigators in the Voronezh region south of Moscow…

A 15-year-old boy has died from the bubonic plague in Mongolia, health authorities said Tuesday, one of a handful of cases that recently emerged in the country and neighboring China. The boy, who lived in the remote southwest province of Gobi-Altai, caught the rare bacterial illness after hunting and eating a marmot, according to the…

Transportation authorities plan to install bike lanes along the roadway that encircles central Moscow, deputy mayor Maxim Liksutov said Monday as the Russian capital looks to use the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to drastically reshape its transportation system. The Mayor’s Office announced plans last month to “help residents form new habits” like walking and…

Russia on Tuesday urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to show restraint after a deadly escalation in fighting along their shared border. “We are deeply concerned about the exchange of fire on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that Moscow was calling on “both sides to show restraint.” The ex-Soviet Caucasus nations have…

The editor-in-chief of the MBKh Media news website announced his resignation Monday amid the latest spate of sexual harassment allegations to hit Russia’s independent media sector.  Sergei Prostakov was among several high-ranking media and banking executives to face claims of sexual assault, harassment and rape posted on Twitter by former employees and interns this week. …

The Belarussian central electoral commission on Tuesday refused to register the imprisoned main rival to President Alexander Lukashenko as a candidate for the country’s presidential election in August. A new wave of opposition candidates are seeking to unseat the 65-year-old strongman leader of the authoritarian ex-Soviet state that borders the European Union. Lukashenko, a former…

Russia has confirmed 739,947 cases of coronavirus and 11,614 deaths. July 14: 3 things you need to know today Russia will no longer require foreigners without coronavirus to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival as the country looks to begin reopening to international travelers in the midst of the pandemic, according to a decree published Monday.  More than 200…

At least three Russian soldiers on a joint Russian-Turkish patrol in northwest Syria have been injured in a car bomb explosion, media reported and the Russian military confirmed Tuesday. Footage shared by local reporters showed the blast on a single-lane road as military vehicles passed nearby in the insurgent region of Idlib. “Three Russian soldiers…

Russian mining giant Norilsk Nickel faced pressure from a key shareholder on Tuesday to overhaul management after disasters including a massive Arctic fuel spill that sparked a state of emergency. Aluminum producer Rusal, which owns 28% in Norilsk Nickel, said it was “seriously concerned” over recent environmental accidents in the Russian Arctic and called for…

A Moscow municipal lawmaker has accused officials of corruption after discovering a contract price written in disappearing ink.  Cheryomushki District councillor Yelena Selkova posted a video of herself holding a lighter next to the contract. Within seconds, the 2.6 million ruble ($37,500) figure can be seen vanishing from the paper. “Let’s check the price,” Communist…

Russia will no longer require foreigners without coronavirus to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival as the country looks to begin reopening to international travel in the midst of the pandemic, according to a decree published Monday.  Starting Wednesday, those arriving in Russia will need to present English or Russian-language proof that they have tested…

Russia has confirmed 733,699 cases of coronavirus and 11,439 deaths. July 13: 3 things you need to know today Turkish Airlines will resume flights between Turkey and six Russian cities starting Aug. 1, the airline said on its website Wednesday. According to its website, Turkish Airlines will fly to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Krasnodar, Sochi and Rostov-on-Don. Russian authorities…

Kremlin pool reporters have recorded a rare video address in support of a colleague who was indicted on charges of treason Monday. Ivan Safronov, 30, was arrested last week, two months after he left his decade-long journalism career and became a media adviser to Russia’s space chief. He faces up to 20 years in prison…

Protesters in Russia’s Far East rallied again Monday in support of a popular regional governor arrested on murder charges, as a Kremlin envoy looked to ease tensions. Several hundred supporters of governor Sergei Furgal demonstrated in the center of the city of Khabarovsk, chanting “Furgal!” and “Freedom!” as passing cars honked their horns in support.…

Russia said Monday that Turkey’s decision to turn the iconic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque was the country’s own business. Turkey’s move followed a court decision last week revoking the museum status of the UNESCO World Heritage site, and has triggered a global outcry. “We proceed from the fact that this is a…

Russian scientists said Monday they hope the world’s first coronavirus vaccine will be distributed to patients as soon as next month after a medical university in Moscow said it completed clinical trials using human volunteers. The Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University launched clinical trials of the potential Covid-19 vaccine on 38 paid volunteers in…

Russian prosecutors have backtracked on their position to drop murder charges against three teenage sisters accused of killing their abusive father, lawyers told news agencies Sunday. Prosecutors late last year 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…

An ultraconservative, coronavirus-denying priest who was defrocked after capturing a convent in central Russia has called on President Vladimir Putin to give up his powers or face a “spiritual war.” Father Sergei was found guilty of breaking his monastic vows by an ecclesiastical court earlier in July. He seized the Sredneuralsk women’s monastery near Yekaterinburg after…

Starting July 13, Moscow will no longer require people to wear masks outdoors as the number of new coronavirus cases has dwindled in the Russian capital in recent weeks. Moscow lifted restrictions including compulsory travel passes on June 8, a move welcomed by residents who rushed out to enjoy the streets and parks. Many other regions…

Around 45 metric tons of aviation fuel have leaked from a depressurized pipeline operated by Russian mining giant Norilsk Nickel’s Norilsktransgaz, the latest leak to hit the fast-warming Arctic region since 21,000 tons of diesel leaked from a Nornickel plant in late May. According to Norilsktransgaz, the July 12 leak near the village of Tukhard…

Hundreds of people joined a second day of protest on Sunday in the Russian Far East city of Khabarovsk over the arrest of a popular governor accused of ordering the murders of several businessmen.  Sergei Furgal, 50, was detained Thursday and has been ordered to remain in pre-trial custody for two months over the crimes…

Russia has confirmed 727,162 cases of coronavirus and 11,335 deaths. July 12: 3 things you need to know today Russia will begin negotiations with other countries to restart international flights from July 15, deputy prime minister Tatiana Golikova said Friday. Flights will be permitted to a specific list of countries where cases of the coronavirus do not exceed 40 per…

Moscow lifted restrictions including compulsory travel passes on June 8, a move welcomed by residents who rushed out to enjoy the streets and parks. Many other regions lifted lockdown restrictions ahead of a July 1 national vote despite the pandemic.    Critics have cast doubt on Russia’s low official mortality rate and accused authorities of under-reporting…

Russia’s forest service said there were nearly 300 wildfires blazing across the vast country’s northern wilderness on Saturday, as it attempted to contain them with methods including explosives and cloud seeding. Freakishly warm weather across large swathes of Siberia since January, combined with low soil moisture, have contributed to a resurgence of wildfires that devastated…

Tens of thousands of protesters marched through the eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk on Saturday in support of a popular local governor arrested this week for allegedly ordering several murders. A court in Moscow on Friday ruled to hold 50-year-old Sergei Furgal for two months pending trial for the murders of several businessmen 15 years…

Moscow lifted restrictions including compulsory travel passes on June 8, a move welcomed by residents who rushed out to enjoy the streets and parks. Many other regions lifted lockdown restrictions ahead of a July 1 national vote despite the pandemic.    Critics have cast doubt on Russia’s low official mortality rate and accused authorities of under-reporting…

Russia has confirmed 720,547 cases of coronavirus and 11,205 deaths. July 11: 3 things you need to know today Russia will begin negotiations with other countries to restart international flights from July 15, deputy prime minister Tatiana Golikova said Friday. Flights will be permitted to a specific list of countries where cases of the coronavirus do not exceed…

Russia’s state statistics agency on Friday said at least 7,444 people died in May due to the coronavirus, a figure more than double that previously reported by the country’s health officials. Russia came in for criticism in May when it was reporting very few deaths in comparison to other European countries. Officials attributed the low…

Russia will begin negotiations with other countries to restart international flights from July 15, deputy prime minister Tatiana Golikova said Friday.  Flights will be permitted to countries where cases of the coronavirus do not exceed 40 per 100,000 people, where the average daily increase in new cases over the last 14 days is no higher…

Russia has confirmed 713,936 cases of coronavirus and 11,017 deaths. July 10: 3 things you need to know today Russia will begin negotiations with other countries to restart international flights from July 15, deputy prime minister Tatiana Golikova said Friday. Flights will be permitted to a specific list of countries where cases of the coronavirus do not exceed 40…

A Russian court on Friday fined a LGBT activist 75,000 rubles ($1,053) over “propaganda” drawings of gay families aimed at influencing minors. A magistrate’s court in the far eastern city of Komsomolsk-On-Amur fined activist and artist Yulia Tsvetkova over social media posts of drawings, she told AFP. One, called “A family is where love is,”…

A Moscow court on Friday ordered the governor of a Far Eastern region held for two months ahead of his trial on murder charges that sparked outrage from his party. The head of Khabarovsk, Sergei Furgal, 50, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of ordering the murder of several businessmen 15 years ago. A judge…

The Dutch government is taking Russia to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014. Analysts say countries very rarely bring lawsuits against other countries in the Strasbourg-based court, with only 24 so-called “inter-state applications” filed in its nearly 70-year history.  “Achieving justice…

A Siberian health official has been fired after controversial photographs went viral showing alleged coronavirus victims in body bags, regional authorities said Thursday. A pro-Kremlin tabloid published photographs Monday showing a room full of black bags that it claimed proved a higher than reported Covid-19 death toll in the Tomsk region. The regional crisis center…

Russia’s second-largest city of St. Petersburg saw a 10-year spike in deaths in June, official data said Thursday as questions persist over relatively low coronavirus deaths compared to other hard-hit countries. St. Petersburg, which began gradually lifting Covid-19 restrictions in early June, officially confirmed 987 deaths from coronavirus last month.  A total of 7,106 people…

Kazakhstan on Friday denied a claim by China’s embassy that a pneumonia outbreak more deadly than the novel coronavirus is rampaging through the Central Asian country.  In an alert for Chinese citizens posted on the embassy’s website Thursday, Beijing warned of a disease with “a mortality rate far higher than Covid-19.” The statement said the pneumonia…

Four Jehovah’s Witnesses have been detained on charges of extremism in southern Russia, investigators said Thursday amid an ongoing crackdown against the religious organization. The unnamed worshippers aged between 38 and 47 were alleged to be the “elders” of a group that has continued to meet in the southern city of Astrakhan since Russia banned…

Moscow lifted restrictions including compulsory travel passes on June 8, a move welcomed by residents who rushed out to enjoy the streets and parks. Many other regions lifted lockdown restrictions ahead of a July 1 national vote despite the pandemic.    Critics have cast doubt on Russia’s low official mortality rate and accused authorities of under-reporting…