Day: May 29, 2020

When Russian scientists boasted that they had tested a coronavirus vaccine on themselves, reactions ranged from praise of their commitment, to outrage over their methods. Their actions hint at a difficult reality for Russian policymakers — the country is no longer the vaccine developer it was in Soviet times and it is struggling to match…

Paul Whelan, a U.S. ex-marine currently on trial in Russia on espionage charges, has had an urgent hernia operation at a Moscow hospital, his brother said Friday.  Whelan had “emergency hernia surgery” after experiencing “severe abdominal pain” overnight, his brother David Whelan said in a statement, citing information from the U.S. Embassy. The operation was…

Several protesters have been detained outside Moscow’s police headquarters Friday as solo pickets demanding the release of a journalist arrested for a similar picket this week continued into their second day. The latest detentions follow those of eight prominent journalists at the same location Thursday for protesting the 15-day jailing of their colleague, activist and…

There have been 387,623 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 4,374 deaths. May 29: 3 things you need to know today Russia confirmed 8,572 new coronavirus infections Friday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 387,623. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has ordered to lift some of Moscow’s coronavirus restrictions starting June 1. All non-food shops and…

Sea ice along Russia’s Arctic coast is quickly vanishing as temperatures in the region have been reaching record highs. With the retreating ice comes tanker traffic. On May 19, the Christophe de Margerie kick-started this year’s Northern Sea Route shipping season on a voyage across the eastern part of the coveted shipping lane. The vessel…

Moscow health authorities have more than doubled the city’s April death count from coronavirus or related cases as questions continue to surround Russia’s comparatively low mortality rate. The city’s health department said Thursday that 1,753 more people died in April than on average in the past three years. Covid-19 directly caused 636 of those deaths,…

The Russian government has swung into action to encourage its citizens to holiday at home this summer in a bid to kick-start the coronavirus-battered domestic tourism industry and ensure that people spend their rubles in Russia. In a string of speeches earlier this week, the authorities announced they would start lifting tourism restrictions — with…

Russian opposition activist Sergei Mokhnatkin, who alleged abuse during his years in prison, has died after a long illness at age 66, writer Viktor Shenderovich announced Thursday. An engineer by profession, Mokhnatkin said he stumbled into activism in 2009 when he attempted to defend a woman being beaten by police during a protest for the…

Authorities have predicted a higher death toll in May compared to last month, attributing this to deaths among patients who were hospitalised during the peak of the epidemic several weeks ago. Moscow — the worst-hit city in Russia — reported 2,332 new cases. Officials in the capital on Thursday released details of mortality statistics for…

Early wildfires caused by a historically warm and snowless winter have ignited concerns of “zombie” fires re-emerging across the Russian Arctic, scientists and activists have said. European climate scientists said Wednesday that satellite images “hinted” at remnants of last year’s blazes returning to the Arctic Circle. Ground measurements across last summer’s wildfire hotspots are needed…

Russian authorities said Thursday that a small number of spectators would be allowed at stadiums when the country’s Premier League restarts its suspended season next month. In mid-May, Russia’s football association said that the country’s Premier League would restart its suspended season from June 21 behind closed doors.  But on Thursday, the association said it…