Russia Threatens Facebook, Twitter With $100K Fines

Russia’s communications watchdog said Friday it has launched fresh proceedings against Facebook and Twitter over their failure to comply with local data laws. The social media giants “have not provided information on the localization of Russian users’ database inside Russian servers on time,” the watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said. Roskomnadzor had issued a Jan. 31 deadline for…

Judges Disobey Putin in ‘Repeat Protest’ Conviction

Russia’s Supreme Court will not review Moscow protester Konstantin Kotov’s guilty verdict, his lawyer said Friday days after President Vladimir Putin promised to investigate whether his conviction was lawful. Kotov, a 34-year-old programmer, was sentenced to four years in prison in September for “repeated” participation in unauthorized rallies. In the past week, Putin has ordered…

Russia Reports First Coronavirus Cases

Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who had been quarantined. The two cases were discovered in different parts of the country, one in Tyumen region in west Siberia, the other in Russia‘s Far East, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said. “They are under strict supervision,…

2 Russian Jehovah’s Witnesses Charged With ‘Extremism’

Two Jehovah’s Witnesses in northern Russia have been charged with extremism, law enforcement authorities said Thursday amid the crackdown on the Christian denomination that Russia banned in 2017. At least 14 people were detained in the town of Pechora during Tuesday’s raids across 10 addresses, the severrealii.org news website reported. It named Gennady Skutelts, 43,…

Coronavirus Update: Russia Reacts to First Cases

Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who had been isolated As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 200 people in China continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk, including closing most entry…

Russia’s Happiness Index Drops to Post-Crimea Low

Russians’ level of happiness has fallen to its lowest point in six years, according to a Gallup International poll cited by the ROMIR research agency Friday. Jordan was the world’s unhappiest place late last year, followed by Lebanon and Syria, according to Gallup. Hong Kong and Iraq shared the fourth-lowest spot in the “happiness index,”…

Russian Director Is an Oscar Hopeful

HOLLYWOOD—Daria Kashcheeva is the year’s shining star of the international film festival circuit. Her stop-motion animated picture “Daughter” has won accolades in every competition it has entered, totaling more than three-dozen awards. The native of Tajikistan, whose family settled in the Russian city of Valdai, between St. Petersburg and Moscow, has already captured awards in…

McDonald’s in Russia Turns 30

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 to Drop Murder Charges Against Sisters Who Killed Abusive Father, Lawyers Say

Russian prosecutors have ordered investigators to drop murder charges against three teenage sisters accused of killing their abusive father, the sisters’ lawyers told Russian news agencies Thursday. Investigators said last month they planned to charge Krestina, Angelina and Maria Khachaturyan with premeditated murder, which carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years. The Khachaturyan…

Severstal publishes 2019 Aual Report

January 31, 2020 PAO Severstal (MICEX-RTS: CHMF; LSE: SVST), one of the world’s leading steel and steel-related mining companies, has published its Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2019 on the Company’s corporate website. The full report is available at: https://www.severstal.com/eng/ir/results_and_reports/annual_reports

Severstal aouces 2020 capital ivestmet programme

January 31, 2020 PAO Severstal (“Severstal”; “the Company”), one of the world’s leading vertically integrated steel and steel-related mining companies, today announces its capital investment programme for 2020. Severstal plans to invest approximately 110.5 billion rubles in 2020, focusing on the key areas of the Company’s updated strategy as disclosed during its Capital Markets Day…

Severstal reports Q4 & FY2019 fiacial results

January 31, 2020 PAO Severstal (MICEX-RTS: CHMF; LSE: SVST), one of the world’s leading steel and steel-related mining companies, today announces its Q4 & FY2019 financial results for the period ended 31 December 2019. CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2019 Notes: EBITDA represents profit from operations plus depreciation and amortisation…

Moscow Museums Mark 75th Anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation

This week the world has been commemorating the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration and death camp. In Moscow, the solemn date was observed with the opening of two exhibitions that make the past vividly real with stories, artifacts, and art. “This Is Personal: Items from Concentration Camps” at Memorial International Envisioned…

Russia Seeks Fugitive Billionaire Boris Mints’ Arrest

Russian authorities have issued an arrest warrant on embezzlement charges for Boris Mints, the billionaire businessman who now lives in London, the state-run TASS news agency reported Thursday. Mints and his three sons left Russia for Britain in 2018 amid court disputes over bank dealings. In 2019, the High Court in London blocked $572 million…

Frozen: Capturing the Beauty of Siberia in Winter

While the European parts of Russia are enjoying milder temperatures this season, the winds of winter have fully arrived in eastern Siberia. In Russia’s republic of Sakha, for example, the daytime temperature reached a frigid minus 33 degrees Celsius. Undeterred by the bitter cold, residents have come up with their own unique ways to celebrate…

Russia Is Testing Air Passengers in Coronavirus Scare

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 Closes Far East Border Over Coronavirus

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has ordered the closure of the country’s Far East border to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus, the state-run TASS news agency reported Thursday. “The order was signed today and has taken effect,” Mishustin said as quoted by TASS. How Is Russia Preparing for the Coronavirus? Read more “We’ll…

Students Charged With Terrorism for Anti-Putin Graffiti

A St. Petersburg court has charged two students with inciting terrorism for painting stencil graffiti of President Vladimir Putin that calls for his murder. The two young men were detained after spray-painting portraits of Putin with the words “If you see him, kill him” in central St. Petersburg, a local court said. Anti-extremism police detained…

Russian Officers Charged With Framing Investigative Journalist Golunov

Five former Moscow police officers have been criminally charged with framing anti-corruption journalist Ivan Golunov, Russia’s Investigative Committee said Thursday. Golunov, an investigative journalist for Meduza, was arrested in June on fabricated drug charges and released days later after an unprecedented public outcry. Police dropped all charges against him, fired the officers involved in his arrest…

Hundreds of Fishermen Rescued From Sakhalin Region Ice Floe

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. Issues Fresh Sanctions Over Russian-Annexed Crimea

The United States on Wednesday issued a fresh round of sanctions related to Russia’s annexation of Crimea, targeting eight individuals and a Moscow-based railway company, the U.S. Treasury Department said. The United States has imposed a series of sanctions in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Moscow has since built up…

Russian Man Jailed for Praising New Zealand Mosque Shooter

A Siberian taxi driver has been sentenced to prison on charges of justifying terrorism for praising last year’s deadly mosque shooting in New Zealand online, Interfax reported Wednesday. The March 2019 shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand left 51 worshippers dead and wounded dozens more. A suspected white supremacist now faces murder and…

Russia Frees U.S.-Israeli Woman From Jail After Putin Pardon

Russia freed a U.S.-Israeli woman on Thursday who had been jailed on drugs charges, after President Vladimir Putin granted her a pardon following a high profile lobbying campaign championed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Naama Issachar was released ahead of talks in Moscow between Putin and Netanyahu, who had flown in from Washington to pass…

Putin Sacks Russian Governor Over Key-Dangling Video

Update: President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Ignatyev from office a day after the governor was expelled from United Russia, Interfax reported Wednesday. An interim governor has been appointed in his place. A Russian governor is facing expulsion from the country’s ruling party following two weeks of controversial actions and comments, the Kommersant business daily reported…

On This Day in 1860 Anton Chekhov Was Born

On an October night in 1896, a young playwright found himself living his worst nightmare. The audience was booing the first act of his new play, his leading lady had become so anxious that she lost her voice, and the critics were already penning vicious reviews. In the following days and weeks, the playwright denounced…

Turkey’s Erdogan Says Russia Not Abiding by Syria Agreements

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara is losing patience with the military assault in Syria’s Idlib region, adding that Russia is violating agreements aimed at stemming conflict there, the state-funded NTV broadcaster reported Wednesday. Renewed bombardments by Russia-backed Syrian government forces on Idlib have raised concern of a new refugee wave from the area…

Joseph Brodsky Museum Set to Open in St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG — After years of negotiations and fundraising efforts, the Joseph Brodsky Museum is finally set to open in the poet’s hometown. The memorial museum will be housed in the kommunalka, or communal apartment, at 24 Liteiny Prospekt where the Nobel laureate lived with his parents before his forced emigration in 1972.  The museum’s…

Gazprom and Mytilineos discuss gas supplies

Release January 29, 2020, 16:25 A working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Evangelos Mytilineos, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Mytilineos S.A., took place today in Moscow. The parties discussed issues related to natural gas supplies. Background Mytilineos S.A. is one of Greece’s leading industrial companies, with activities in such areas as metallurgy, energy, and EPC projects. In 2017, Gazprom Export started…

Russia Blocks Encrypted Swiss Email Service ProtonMail

Russia said on Wednesday it had blocked the Swiss email service ProtonMail, popular among journalists and activists for its focus on user privacy and high level of encryption. Russian communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said ProtonMail, which uses end-to-end encryption to protect user data, had been used to send fake, anonymous bomb threats. Such threats have frequently…

Gazprom and Petrobangla sign Memorandum of Understanding

Background Gazprom’s interests in Bangladesh are represented by Gazprom EP International B.V., a specialized company for implementing international projects, including those in the areas of hydrocarbon prospecting, exploration and production, as well as power generation and LNG. Gazprom’s main partner in Bangladesh is Petrobangla, a state-owned corporation engaged in oil, gas and mineral resource-related activities. In 2012 and 2015, Gazprom EP International and Petrobangla signed the contracts to build exploratory and…

Russia’s Advanced Su-35S Fighter Flight Shown on Video

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…

How Is Russia Preparing for the Coronavirus?

As the coronavirus outbreak spreads around the world and the number of cases rises, Russia has stepped up measures to prevent the deadly virus from crossing its borders. Russia has not had any confirmed cases of the new virus, which has killed 132 people mostly in China and infected more than 6,000 worldwide. Here is…

Russian Bitcoin Suspect Extradited, Charged in France

Alexander Vinnik, a Russian citizen accused of having supervised a digital-currency exchange that helped criminals launder billions of dollars, will likely remain in France to face charges. Vinnik was arrested in Greece in 2017 and was held there while France, Russia, and the U.S. negotiated his extradition.  According to a Tuesday statement from his defense…

EU Blacklists 7 More People in Russian-Annexed Crimea

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…

Gazprom and TMK hold another joint scientific and practical conference

News from projects and regions January 28, 2020, 19:30 A joint scientific and practical conference of TMK and Gazprom took place today. The conference was focused on the use of innovative solutions in developing new hydrocarbon fields. The event was held at the recently opened R&D center of TMK in Skolkovo. The conference participants discussed the prospects of cooperation in designing new products and took part…

Alexey Miller and Vagit Alekperov discuss cooperation prospects of Gazprom and LUKOIL

Background Gazprom and LUKOIL are bound by the 2014–2024 General Agreement on Strategic Partnership, pursuant to which, among other things, LUKOIL supplies gas into Gazprom’s gas transmission system. In 2015, Gazprom’s Sosnogorsk GPP started to receive associated petroleum gas from the northern group of fields developed by LUKOIL-Komi. In 2018, Gazprom and LUKOIL signed the Agreement stating the intention of the parties to jointly develop the Vaneyvisskoye and Layavozhskoye…

Russia and Poland’s Holocaust War of Words, in Quotes

Russia and Poland are in the midst of a long-running spat over what caused World War II as Moscow prepares to mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany this spring.  Russian President Vladimir Putin in December blasted a European Parliament resolution blaming the 1939 Soviet-Nazi Molotov-Ribbentrop pact for the outbreak of…

Russian Governor Ousted From Ruling Party Over Key-Dangling Video

Update: Ignatyev has been expelled from United Russia, Kommersant cited party secretary Andrei Turchak as saying Tuesday. A Russian governor is facing expulsion from the country’s ruling party following two weeks of controversial actions and comments, the Kommersant business daily reported Monday. Mikhail Ignatyev, who heads the republic of Chuvashia 680 kilometers east of Moscow, made…

Russia Orders Review of Moscow Activist’s ‘Repeat Protest’ Conviction

Russia’s Constitutional Court has ordered a review of Moscow protester Konstantin Kotov’s guilty verdict days after President Vladimir Putin ordered prosecutors to investigate whether his conviction was lawful. Kotov, a 34-year-old programmer, was sentenced to four years in prison in September for “repeated” participation in unauthorized rallies. The verdict made him the second person to…