Putin and Xi Attack Attempts to Blame China for Late Virus Response

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday rejected as counterproductive attempts to blame Beijing for delaying informing the world about the coronavirus, the Kremlin said. Putin and Xi spoke after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration berated China for not sharing data more quickly.  Washington is also investigating the origins of the…

Putin Postpones 75th Victory Day Parade Over Coronavirus

President Vladimir Putin on Thursday postponed a landmark military parade to mark the 75th anniversary of Soviet victory in World War II, as Russia struggles to contain the rapid spread of the coronavirus. The “risks associated with the epidemic, whose peak has not passed yet, are extremely high,” Putin said. “This does not give me…

Russian Clinics Repurpose Snorkels to Fight Coronavirus

Russian hospitals overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic and running low on personal protective equipment are repurposing commercial snorkel masks to safeguard medical staff and patients, following a trend in Europe. The Russian branch of the French sports equipment company Decathlon told AFP it had “blocked” sales of 6,000 masks from dozens of shops around the…

Watch ‘Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes’

This week Rossiya1 channel has been airing the series “Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes,” based on the novel of the same name written by Guzel Yakhina and published in 2015. The book, which tells the story of a Tatar peasant woman who is exiled to Siberia after her husband is killed during a “dekulakization” campaign in…

Over 100 Migrant Workers Infected Near St. Petersburg

One-third of all coronavirus infections in a northwestern Russian region are concentrated in a crowded hostel that houses migrant workers involved in construction at an IKEA-owned shopping mall, local media reported Wednesday. The Leningrad region, which surrounds Russia’s second-largest city of St. Petersburg, has reported 330 Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak. Over…

Russia, U.S. Should Help Each Other During Pandemic: Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin believes the global coronavirus pandemic is an opportunity for his country to work together with the United States, the Kremlin said Thursday. “President Putin believes this pandemic is the time to help each other,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, after U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday offered to send ventilators…

Russia Releases Footage of Fatal 2019 Plane Crash

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 Novaya Gazeta Deletes Chechnya Lockdown Article After Kadyrov Threat

The independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper has deleted its investigation into the republic of Chechnya’s strict anti-coronavirus measures after Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov issued a threat to the journalist who wrote it. Kadyrov said Monday that Novaya Gazeta’s story on Chechens underreporting potential coronavirus symptoms out of fear for their safety would lead “someone” to “commit…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | April 16

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 134,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 27,938 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 232 deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia as of April 16.…

Coronavirus Hits Russian Markets | April 16

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. The latest on the markets,…

Russia Tested Anti-Satellite Missile, U.S. Says

Russia tested an anti-satellite weapon capable of destroying satellites in low orbit on Wednesday, U.S. Space Force chief Gen. John Raymond said, accusing Moscow of threatening U.S. space assets. The direct-ascent anti-satellite missile test “provides yet another example that the threats to U.S. and allied space systems are real, serious and growing,” he said. In…