Casually reclining in front of an office desk, President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation on the coronavirus pandemic for the first time on Wednesday afternoon — a month after Russia announced its first case. The Russian leader kicked off the speech by postponing a planned April 22 vote on constitutional changes that could see him…
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…
The physical Tretyakov Gallery is, of course, closed, but it has a wealth of online excursions and films, and is starting a series of concerts, films, excursions and lectures with the hashtag #ТретьяковкаДома, which can be found here. Most are in Russian, but upcoming concerts held in the halls of the museum don’t require any…
Members of a “pro-Western opposition division” in Russia are posing as journalists to “hide behind” the country’s mass media law and infiltrate its military facilities, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday. Speaking to Russia’s upper chamber of parliament, Shoigu urged lawmakers to change the nation’s mass media law to counter so-called “information attacks.” “[These activists]…
News from projects and regions March 25, 2020, 16:00 Earlier today at the Port of Prigorodnoye, the 1,800th LNG cargo produced at the Sakhalin-2 LNG plant operated since 2009, was loaded onto the Hyundai Aquapia LNG carrier. The destination country for this cargo, purchased by KOGAS company, is South Korea. It is also worth to note that this is the first port call of the ship…
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) decided on Tuesday to delay the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the coronavirus pandemic shows little sign of slowing down. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and IOC president Thomas Bach agreed to reschedule the highly anticipated sporting event after pressure from the international community. Following the news, Russia’s Sports Minister Oleg…
On Feb. 21, as the coronavirus claimed its first victims in Italy and Iran, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin took to his official blog to reassure the citizens of the Russian capital. Emphasizing that Moscow was still, for now, free of the virus, he announced a string of new measures to keep it that way. Chinese…
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. This week, Moscow changed the way it…
A 7.2-magnitude quake hit off Russia’s Kuril Islands on Wednesday, prompting local residents to seek higher ground due to a brief tsunami threat, authorities said. The Russian emergencies ministry said the quake’s epicentre was 210 kilometers (130 miles) southeast of Severo-Kurilsk, a town of around 2,500 people on the Kuril island of Paramushir. Officials reported no…
Anyone who violates their coronavirus quarantine and infects others should be punished with death, the leader of Russia’s republic of Chechnya said Tuesday. Ramzan Kadyrov made the statement at a Chechen government meeting after the majority Muslim republic confirmed its first three coronavirus infections. He pointed to a Chechen resident who returned from a visit…
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…
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…