Russia Denies Backing Trump’s Re-Election as Critics Blast Reported Meddling

The Kremlin on Friday denied it was interfering in the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign to boost Republican President Donald Trump’s re-election chances following reports that American intelligence officials warned Congress about the election threat last week. U.S. intelligence officials told members of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee in a classified briefing last week that…

Russia Arrests U.S. Cancer Medicine Inventor for Bribery

An American cancer-medicine inventor has been arrested in Russia on suspicion of bribery, the Kommersant business daily reported Friday. Gene Miron Spektor is accused of giving 4 million rubles ($64,000) in the form of two holiday packages to Thailand and the Dominican Republic to a former cabinet official’s assistant in 2015 and 2016. The alleged…

Norway Rejects Moscow’s Claim It Violated Svalbard Treaty

Norway has rejected Russian accusations of violating the terms of an international treaty regulating activities on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, as a diplomatic spat over Russian operations there escalated. Russia complained earlier in February that Oslo-imposed rules were restricting activities of Russian organizations there, calling for bilateral consultations, and on Thursday accused Norway of…

Grand Kremlin Palace Hosts Regal Ball for Young Cadets

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-Turkey Tensions in Syria, Explained

Deadly fighting has led Russia and Turkey to the brink of conflict in Syria as the battle over the war-torn country’s final rebel bastions intensified this week.  Turkish forces and Syrian rebels fought government troops Thursday and Russian warplanes struck back in a sharp escalation in northwest Syria’s Idlib, Russian and Turkish officials said. Moscow…

Yuri Annenkov’s ‘Revolution Behind the Door’

The private Museum of Russian Impressionism opened its 2020 season with yet another blockbuster exhibition entitled “Yuri Annenkov: Revolution Behind the Door.” Yuri Annenkov (1889-1974) is a Russian-born artist, whose career spanned most of the 20th century.  “Revolution Behind the Door” is a truly unique exhibition, since Annenkov’s works are scattered in many collections all…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Feb. 21

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 2,000 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk, including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China and temporarily banning Chinese citizens from entering the country.  Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Feb. 20

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 2,000 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk, including closing most entry points along its 4,200-kilometer border with China and temporarily banning Chinese citizens from entering the country.  Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus…

Russian Lawmakers Propose Special Governing Status for Arctic

Russia’s far northern territories, border areas and closed military towns could be directly governed by the federal government in Moscow, a leading member of the parliamentary group that is drafting a package of amendments to Russia’s Constitution has said. Senator Andrei Klishas suggested subjecting parts of the country’s Arctic territories and other areas directly to…

Russia Represented at Berlin Film Festival

The Berlin Film Festival, which showcases a wide variety of films from all corners of the globe, opens today. The Moscow Times has assembled a list of the most prominent inclusions by Russian directors, which are among the most anticipated features of the festival.  “Gunda” Saint Petersburg-based director Victor Kosskovsky has produced a documentary with…

Black Smog Raises Siberian City’s Alarms

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 looking to maintain and strengthen its leadership position in Europe while expanding into Asia

Release February 20, 2020, 15:55 The Gazprom Management Committee took note of the information about the Company’s international marketing strategy. It was highlighted that Gazprom is the largest gas supplier to Europe. In December, the Company started delivering pipeline gas to China. In addition, LNG from the Gazprom Group’s portfolio is being supplied to the Asia-Pacific region and elsewhere. Gazprom’s marketing strategy is aimed at maintaining and strengthening the Company’s leadership position in the European…

Overdue debt of Russian consumers for gas supplies reduced by RUB 5.3 billion in 2019

Release February 20, 2020, 15:50 The Gazprom Management Committee reviewed the information on improving the payment discipline with regard to domestic gas supplies, as well as on the measures being taken to settle the outstanding consumer debt for the gas supplied, including the interaction with government authorities to perfect the current legislation that regulates the procedure of paying for gas. It was noted that the Company…

Russian Health Officials Use TikTok to Boost HIV Awareness

TikTok is best known as the app that launched a thousand memes and viral challenges.  But health officials in southern Russia now plan to spread awareness about the country’s HIV crisis using the popular video-sharing platform, the Open Media news website reported Wednesday, citing public procurement files. The initiative follows the release of popular journalist…

Russia Eyes Amnesty for Imprisoned Moscow Protesters

Russian lawmakers from the Communist Party have prepared a new amnesty bill to release prisoners jailed after last summer’s mass opposition rallies in Moscow, the Kommersant business daily reported Thursday. Twenty people have been convicted on charges of “mass unrest” and assault of law enforcement officers after tens of thousands took to the streets in…

Wildberries Founder Becomes Russia’s Richest Woman

For the first time in more than a decade, businesswoman Yelena Baturina is no longer Russia’s wealthiest woman, Forbes Russia reported Thursday. That honor now goes to Tatyana Bakalchuk, 44, the founder and head of the private online clothing retailer Wildberries. Both Baturina and Bakalchuk cemented their status as Russia’s only women billionaires last year.…

On This Day in 1877, ‘Swan Lake’ Premiered

On February 20, 1877, the Bolshoi Ballet premiered what would become one of the most famous ballets of all time. Although the sweeping music, tragic narrative, and iconic costumes have all contributed to the lasting popularity of “Swan Lake,” its creators could never have imagined that a story of dancing swans would become a multigenerational…

Mikhail Rosseev elected Member of Gazprom Management Committee

MediaNews and eventsAlexey Miller’s columnPress ConferencesPhoto essaysOn-the-spot reports, articles, interviewsForums and exhibitionsImage and video libraryPeriodicalsPress ServiceNews and eventsAlexey Miller’s columnPress ConferencesPhoto essaysOn-the-spot reports, articles, interviewsForums and exhibitions Release February 20, 2020, 10:00 On February 19, 2020, the Board of Directors elected Mikhail Rosseev as a Member of the Gazprom Management Committee for a five-year term. Background Mikhail Rosseev has been appointed Deputy Chairman of the Management Committee – Chief…

2 More Russians Infected With Coronavirus

Two Russian citizens from a quarantined cruise ship have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of infected Russian nationals to three, Russia’s Embassy in Japan said Thursday. One Russian passenger of the Diamond Princess liner has been hospitalized on suspicion of contracting the virus, the embassy said Tuesday. More than 620 passengers…

Severstal ivests i ew log-rage wire mill at CherMK log-rage rollig mill

February 20, 2020 PAO Severstal, one of the world’s leading vertically integrated steel and steel-related mining companies, announces the construction of long-range wire mill 170 in the long-rolling production segment at Cherepovets Steel Mill (part of Severstal’s Russian steel division). The total investment is expected to amount to approximately 11 billion rubles. Alexander Shevelev, CEO…

Gazprom and OMV discuss cooperation-related issues

MediaNews and eventsAlexey Miller’s columnPress ConferencesPhoto essaysOn-the-spot reports, articles, interviewsForums and exhibitionsImage and video libraryPeriodicalsPress ServiceNews and eventsAlexey Miller’s columnPress ConferencesPhoto essaysOn-the-spot reports, articles, interviewsForums and exhibitions Release February 19, 2020, 18:15 A working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Rainer Seele, Chairman of the Executive Board of OMV, took place today in Moscow. The parties…

Cossacks Patrol Central Russian ‘Chinatown’ for Coronavirus

Cossacks have begun patrolling a predominantly Chinese neighborhood in Russia’s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg in search of signs of the coronavirus, the Znak.com news website reported Wednesday. Russia temporarily banned entry to Chinese nationals starting Thursday in an attempt to prevent the spread of the disease, which has killed more than 2,000 people in mainland…

Coronavirus Hits Russian Exports to China

Russia’s exports to China dropped by almost a third in the first six weeks of the year as the spread of coronavirus sapped demand in the world’s second-biggest economy. Exports dropped 21% to 620,000 tons year-on-year in January and halved to 118,000 tons in the first 10 days of February, the Izvestia newspaper reported Wednesday,…

ROSATOM took part at the 12th International Conference on Nuclear Sciences and Applications in Egypt

On the 15-18 February, 2020, in Egypt, Hurghada was held the 12th International Conference on Nuclear Sciences and its Applications, organized by the Egyptian Society for Nuclear Sciences and Applications. The event was held under surveillance of the Egyptian Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energy and the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority. ROSATOM acted as one…

China ‘Dumbstruck’ by Russia’s Coronavirus Entry Ban – Kommersant

Chinese diplomats were at a loss after Russia barred entry to Chinese citizens as a coronavirus prevention measure, the Kommersant business daily reported Wednesday.  Russia announced the temporary entry ban for Chinese tourists, workers, students and private travelers starting Thursday. The suspension does not affect non-Chinese nationals traveling from China, and Chinese transit passengers will…

ROSATOM’s representatives took part in the IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security

On February 10-14, 2020 in Vienna (Austria), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA, Agency) hosted the third International Conference of Nuclear Security (ICONS 2020). The event gathered together more than 1,600 experts from 134 states. The Russian delegation included representatives of MFA of Russia, ROSATOM and its organizations, Rostechnadzor and FCS of Russia. The ministerial…

Ukraine Bans Movies Starring Zelenskiy, Seagal, Depardieu

Ukraine’s film authority has banned the distribution of several movies over national security concerns, including a Russian-Ukrainian romantic comedy featuring Ukraine’s current president, it said Tuesday. The Ukrainian state film agency said it banned a total of five movies in 2019, three of which were banned to comply with a request by Ukraine’s security service. …

Severstal lauches flexible steelmakig uit capable of processig high volumes of liquid cast iro

February 19, 2020 PAO Severstal, one of the world’s leading vertically integrated steel and steel-related mining companies, is reconstructing shaft furnace No. 1 in the electrical steel smelting and processing production facility at Cherepovets Steel Mill (part of Severstal’s Russian steel division). The total investment will amount to about 3 billion rubles. The project is…

Putin Sacks Prominent Kremlin Ideologue, Ukraine Hardliner

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday dismissed a veteran, once close adviser who until recently managed Moscow’s relations with war-torn Ukraine. Putin fired Vladislav Surkov, seen as a hardliner by many in Kiev, in a terse two-line statement on the Kremlin website. His sacking, which coincided with a flare-up in fighting in eastern Ukraine, had…

Working meeting held between Chairman of Gazprom Management Committee and Mongolia’s Ambassador

MediaNews and eventsAlexey Miller’s columnPress ConferencesPhoto essaysOn-the-spot reports, articles, interviewsForums and exhibitionsImage and video libraryPeriodicalsPress ServiceNews and eventsAlexey Miller’s columnPress ConferencesPhoto essaysOn-the-spot reports, articles, interviewsForums and exhibitions Release February 18, 2020, 19:25 A working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Davaa Dulamsuren, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to the Russian Federation, took place today…

U.S. Sanctions Russia’s Rosneft Over Venezuela Support

The United States on Tuesday tightened financial restrictions on Venezuela, blacklisting a subsidiary of Russian oil firm Rosneft that President Donald Trump’s administration has said provides a lifeline to President Nicolas Maduro’s government. The sanctions announced by the U.S. Treasury Department increase the pressure on Russia, which the United States sees as the main backer of Maduro’s…

High Suicide Rate Plagues Russian Military, Lawmaker Says

Suicides and fatal road accidents make up a high share of deaths in Russia’s military despite declining overall figures, according to Defense Ministry data cited by lawmakers Tuesday. Overall deaths in the Russian Armed Forces have decreased by 29% between 2015-2019, State Duma deputy Valery Rashkin told Interfax without providing figures for each cause of…

ROSATOM participated in SMR-2020 in Prague

SMR-2020, the annual conference devoted to small moduclar reactors, took place in Prague on 13 February 2020. The Conference was organized by the Nuclear Physics Department, the Czech Technical Unifersity in Prage, under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.    At the Conference, Artem Larionov, Senior Specialist at…