U.S. Blocks Russia’s UN Text on Mercenaries in Venezuela

The United States refused to adopt a UN text written by Russia Wednesday denouncing the use of mercenaries in a supposed plot to overthrow the Venezuelan government. The U.S. rejected the document during a Security Council meeting organized at the request of Moscow, which backs Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The leftist Venezuelan leader announced earlier…

Coronavirus Patients Line Siberian Hospital Hallways – Reports

At least two hospitals in Russia’s Novosibirsk region have been keeping coronavirus patients in the hallways after reaching capacity, local media reported this week. Footage shared by medics and residents showed gurneys in hallways at the state hospitals refitted to treat Covid-19 patients. The Novosibirsk-based Ngs.ru news website said Wednesday that it had been receiving…

Gazprom Pererabotka provides financial assistance to nine hospitals for combating coronavirus

Background Gazprom Pererabotka, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gazprom, is focused on transmission and processing of hydrocarbons. The company comprises five processing plants, a helium plant, and a liquid hydrocarbon transportation directorate. Gazprom Pererabotka owns a stake in Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat, which encompasses major industrial refining complexes, such as the Monomer refining, gas chemical and petrochemical plant, and also in Gazprom Pererabotka Blagoveshchensk, which is the investor and customer for the Amur…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 20

As the deadly coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, Russia has gradually become the world’s second most-infected country. There have been 308,705 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 2,972 deaths. May 20: 3 things you need to know today 1. Russia confirmed 8,764 new coronavirus infections Wednesday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 308,705 and marking…

Watch Great Performers for a Good Cause

If there is a good side to this pandemic, it’s charitable efforts: the generosity of performers, arts figures and organizers who give their time to raise funds for the neediest, and the generosity of people at home who tap into their bank accounts to support these projects. Today from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Moscow…

Russia Cordons Virus-Hit Gold Mine in Siberia

Authorities have cordoned off Russia’s largest gold mine after nearly 900 workers there became infected with coronavirus, miners have told the Sibir.Realii news outlet. The Olimpiada mine in Siberia with nearly 6,000 employees has emerged among the biggest incubators of Russia’s Covid-19 outbreak since early May. Its owner Polyus said the outbreak has not affected…

Russian Military Helicopter Crashes, Killing Crew

A Russian military helicopter crashed Tuesday evening, killing its three crew members, news agency RIA Novosti reported. The MI-8 helicopter belonging to the Russian Air Force crashed near the town of Klin, 50 miles outside Moscow, during training exercises. “On May 19, around 20:00, while performing a training flight 20 kilometers from the village of Klin,…

Britain, U.S. Denounce Russia’s Role in Libya Conflict

Britain and the United States on Tuesday urged Russia to stop sending mercenaries to the conflict in Libya, after a recent UN report confirmed the presence of Russian and Syrian fighters in the country.  Russia dismissed the demands at a Security Council video conference, however, denying again that Moscow has any role in the presence…

Russians Give More to Charity During Coronavirus Lockdown: Study

Russians have significantly increased their charitable donations in the weeks since most of the country entered coronavirus lockdown, the Kommersant business daily reported Tuesday, citing an analysis of charitable giving data. The latest statistics follow warnings from NGOs that only 5% of the country’s foundations and charities have enough resources to cover a lengthy disruption…

Russia Doubles Naturalizations Amid Relaxed Migration Rules

Russia has granted citizenship to more than twice as many foreigners in early 2020 than it did in the same period last year as the country moves to ease citizenship laws and boost its flagging population numbers. Authorities issued 161,170 Russian passports to foreigners between January and March compared with 63,249 in January-March 2019, the…

A Dream Hotel Comes to the (Small) Screen

The life of a St. Petersburg five star hotel, beloved to readers from a blog by the general manager and owner, is coming out online on Okko multimedia service on Tuesday.  The series, titled “Diary of a Hotelier #Helvetia” is loosely based on Yunis Teimurhanly’s bestselling collection of short stories “Do Not Disturb. The Diary…

Russian PM Recovers From Virus as Infection Rates Slow

Russia’s Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin returned to his duties on Tuesday after recovering from the coronavirus, as total infections approached 300,000 and officials said new cases were dropping off. President Vladimir Putin signed a decree reinstating Mishustin as the head of government, nearly three weeks after the prime minister announced on television he had tested…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 19

As the deadly coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, Russia has gradually become the world’s second most-infected country. There have been 299,941 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 2,873 deaths. May 19: 3 things you need to know today 1. Russia confirmed 9,263 new coronavirus infections Tuesday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 299,941. Russia now has…

Russia Against Investigating WHO, China Over Pandemic: Speaker

Russia opposes investigations into the World Health Organization (WHO) and China in connection with their response to the deadly coronavirus pandemic, Russia’s senate speaker Valentina Matviyenko told Interfax on Monday. Her remarks come amid the United States’ increasingly bitter spat with China and accusations that the WHO failed to contain the outbreak that has infected…

Russia Stops Updating Siberian Coronavirus Deaths: Reports

Russia’s national coronavirus crisis center has stopped updating the latest Covid-19 death counts in at least two Siberian regions while the regions have published new numbers, the Tayga.info news website reported Monday. The disparity comes amid questions over Russia’s low coronavirus death toll compared to other countries with high Covid-19 case numbers. Russia only counts the…

Putin Intervenes as Russia’s Dagestan Faces Virus ‘Catastrophe’

President Vladimir Putin was forced to intervene personally on Monday in the epidemic sweeping Russia’s North Caucasus region of Dagestan, as local officials described the coronavirus situation as a “catastrophe.” For several days now, there have rumours of mounting fatalities and overwhelmed hospitals in the mountainous majority-Muslim region and local medical staff have taken to social…

Russian Navy to Bolster Baltic Fleet With 6 New Warships

The Russian Navy has ordered a batch of six cutting-edge warships for its Baltic Fleet, Navy commander-in-chief Nikolai Yevmenov said Monday. The move comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and NATO member states in the Baltics. All six of the Karakurt-class corvettes from Project 22800 will be armed with Kalibr cruise missiles, Yevmenov said in…

Russian PM Says Growth of New Coronavirus Cases Stopped

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Monday that the growth in new coronavirus cases had been stopped in Russia, which has recorded the world’s largest number of infections after the United States. “The situation with the spread of the coronavirus infection remains difficult, but we can still acknowledge that we managed to put a stop to…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 18

As the deadly coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, Russia has gradually become the world’s second most-infected country. There have been 290,678 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 2,722 deaths. May 18: 3 things you need to know today 1. Russia confirmed 8,926 new coronavirus infections Monday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 290,678, signaling a…

Russia Is a ‘Distinct Civilization,’ Putin Says

Russia is a distinct civilization that must be protected through genetics and other advanced technologies, President Vladimir Putin said in an interview that aired Sunday. Putin told state television that “it would be impossible to secure the future of our civilization” without artificial intelligence, genetics and unmanned vehicles, as well as hypersonic weapons.  “Russia is…

U.S. Coronavirus Aid ‘On Its Way’ to Russia: Pompeo

A U.S. donation of coronavirus tests and ventilators is on its way to Russia, which ranks second in the world behind the United States for its number of infections, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview Sunday. U.S. President Donald Trump had offered to send “some testing equipment, as well as ventilators” in…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 17

As the deadly coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, Russia has gradually become the world’s second most-infected country. There have been 281,752 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 2,631 deaths. May 17: 3 things you need to know today 1. Russia confirmed 9,709 new coronavirus infections Sunday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 281,752. Russia now has the…

Russia’s Coronavirus Cases Surpass 280K

Russia says its high number of cases is due in part to a massive testing campaign that has seen more than 6 million tests carried out. Moscow accounts for roughly half of all infections and the city said it would be launching mass voluntary tests for antibodies from Friday. Russian President Vladimir Putin this week…

Night in the (Online) Museum and (Online) Movie Night

Night in the (Online) Museum One of Moscow’s hands-down, favorite yearly events is Night in the Museum, when you get to experience the transgressive thrill of being in a place and time that is usually forbidden, or hearing talks, going on excursions, watching films and theatrical events, and taking master classes in the dark and…

‘Carpathia: Food From the Heart of Romania’

If your household’s lockdown dynamics are anything like mine, eating habits have probably changed dramatically over the past seven weeks. An informal straw poll of my cyber chums from around the world suggests that almost everyone has abandoned conventional mealtimes or the traditional components of breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Snacking is on the rise, as…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 16

As the deadly coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, Russia has gradually become the world’s second most-infected country. There have been 272,043 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 2,537 deaths. May 16: 3 things you need to know today 1. Russia confirmed 9,200 new coronavirus infections Saturday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 272,043 and signaling…

Gazprom Dobycha Noyabrsk conducting first changeover of shift personnel under new rules

Background Gazprom Dobycha Noyabrsk, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gazprom, develops seven fields, including four gas fields, two gas and condensate fields, and one oil, gas and condensate field. The company’s facilities, among them three gas production sites and three gas production directorates, are located in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, Kamchatka, and Yakutia. Gazprom Dobycha Noyabrsk takes part in the state-run Eastern…

Russia Pushes Google to Block Report on Low Virus Deaths, Probes NYT and FT

Russia’s state communications watchdog has demanded that Google block a Russian news website’s article on a Financial Times report about Russia’s possibly undercounted coronavirus deaths.  Roskomnadzor, the watchdog, said Thursday it was probing reports by FT and The New York Times, which analyzed official mortality data to investigate whether Russia is undercounting its coronavirus deaths,…

Russian Football League to Restart Despite Rising Infections

The Russian Premier League will restart its season next month despite rising coronavirus infections, but behind closed doors, its governing body said Friday. The Russian football association said in a statement that matches, suspended since March 17 because of the outbreak, would resume from June 21. The Russian Premier League, the country’s top football division,…

Moscow Says No Proof Russian Hackers Spied on Merkel

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday rejected allegations by German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Russian hackers had spied on her. “Five years have passed. Not a single concrete fact has been provided,” Lavrov said in a live interview with Russia’s RBC news website. Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Merkel voiced frustration that Russia was targeting…

Russia-Raised Austrian Princess Dies at 31

Austrian princess Maria Galitzine, who spent her school years in Russia, has died of a sudden heart aneurysm in the United States at age 31, her family said in an obituary published Friday. Maria Singh, née Princess Maria Galitzine, was the great-granddaughter of the last emperor and empress of Austria and a descendant of the…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 15

As the deadly coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, Russia has gradually become the world’s second most-infected country. There have been 262,843 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 2,418 deaths. May 15: 3 things you need to know today 1. Russia confirmed 10,598 new coronavirus infections Friday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 262,843. Russia now has…

Moscow’s Golden-Pink Sunset Lifts the City’s Spirits

Moscow residents were treated to a magnificent sunset after Thursday evening’s springtime rain that could still be enjoyed from one’s window.  The golden-pink sky and rainbow brought a much-needed burst of color into our lives — no filter required. And while Muscovites are technically restricted from non-essential trips outside, some people just couldn’t resist the urge…

Atomenergomash has shipped a set of equipment to the UK

PJSC “ZiO-Podolsk” (owned by machine-building division of ROSATOM – JSC Atomenergomash) has manufactured and shipped the second lot of the equipment for Riverside Waste-to-Energy Plant in the UK. The delivery set includes one module of the third stage superheater and two modules of the fourth stage superheater. The total weight of equipment shipped is 100…

Oil Chief Asks Putin to Exempt Genetic Tech Funding From Taxes

The head of Russia’s state-run oil giant Rosneft on Thursday asked President Vladimir Putin for a tax exemption for investments into genetic technology. Rosneft has been tapped to work alongside the Russian government to pursue “accelerated development of Russian genetic technologies” through 2027. Putin, who has sought to transform Russia into a world leader in…