Month: August 2020

Russian internet giant Yandex has pulled some of its employees out of its local office in Minsk after the Belarusian security services raided its premises amid the ongoing unrest in the country. Some of the company’s Minsk-based staff were moved to Russia last week, and others who could not leave Belarus were relocated to country…

Prominent Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny remains in a medically induced coma in a German hospital almost a week after falling suddenly ill on a flight in Siberia due to what his aides said was poisoning. The anti-corruption campaigner was flown to Berlin after a standoff with the hospital treating him in the city of Omsk,…

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on…

President Vladimir Putin has promised Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko the first export batch of Russia’s candidate coronavirus vaccine, Minsk said Monday. Putin and Lukashenko spoke by phone the day after Sunday’s unprecedented protests against the Belarusian strongman’s contested re-election earlier this month. Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping were among the first to congratulate Lukashenko for what Minsk…

Belarusian authorities stepped up arrests of political opponents and strike leaders Monday, after Sunday saw the latest unprecedented demonstration against President Alexander Lukashenko’s disputed re-election.  While the protest movement against Lukashenko’s 26-year reign entered its third week, the man known as “Europe’s last dictator” responded with fresh rhetoric and martial imagery. Most prominently, Nobel Literature…

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Monday praised “significant progress” in solving the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, as he met with his Ukrainian counterpart in Kiev. Germany is a key player in what is known as the Minsk peace process aimed at ending the longrunning conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in the east of the…

Updated to add Charité hospital statement. The German government believes that Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was likely poisoned, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman said Monday. Steffen Seibert’s comments during a press briefing align with claims from Navalny’s aides, who say he was poisoned with a cup of tea at an airport cafe. Navalny, 44, has been…

Russia has moved swiftly to expel an Austrian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move following the expulsion of its own diplomat from Vienna on accusations of industrial espionage. Austria gave the unnamed Russian diplomat until Sept. 1 to leave the country, according to Austrian media, for allegedly engaging in economic espionage in a high-tech company for…

Doctors in Siberia who treated Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny for a suspected poisoning before he was airlifted to a hospital in Germany said Monday that their efforts had saved his life. The 44-year-old opposition politician went into a coma after falling suddenly ill Thursday on a flight to Moscow, forcing the plane to make an emergency…

Austria has for the first time in its relations with Russia declared a Russian diplomat persona non-grata on suspicion of industrial espionage. The unnamed diplomat has until Sept. 1 to leave the country, the tabloid Kronen Zeitung reported Monday. “The Russian diplomat had carried out economic espionage in a high-tech company for years with the support…

Leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny will survive his apparent poisoning but won’t return to politics for several months, the organizer of his medical evacuation to Germany told the German tabloid Bild. Jaka Bizilj’s comments came as Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said the opposition figure’s family has not authorized anyone other than his doctors or herself…

Russia has confirmed 961,493 cases of coronavirus and 16,448 deaths. Aug. 24: What you need to know today Mexico will receive at least 2,000 doses of Russia’s candidate coronavirus vaccine as part of the injection’s Phase 3 clinical trials, Mexico’s foreign minister said Thursday. Russia said Saturday that it has produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine, after…

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on…

Tens of thousands of Lithuanians linked arms on Sunday in solidarity with the people of neighboring Belarus who have been holding mass protests against authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko since a disputed presidential election two weeks ago. The participants formed a human chain stretching 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Baltic EU state’s capital Vilnius to…

Tens of thousands of demonstrators massed in central Minsk on Sunday to demand the resignation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who flew over the scene of the banned protest in a helicopter and called the marchers “rats.” The authoritarian leader, shown later clutching an automatic rifle upon landing at his central Minsk residence, has ordered…

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on…

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny arrived in a stable condition for medical treatment in Germany Saturday after appeals by his team that included his wife writing directly to President Vladimir Putin.  Navalny, 44, fell violently ill and lost consciousness an hour into a flight from the Siberian city of Tomsk to Moscow on Thursday. After…

Russia has confirmed 951,897 cases of coronavirus and 16,310 deaths. Aug. 22: What you need to know today Mexico will receive at least 2,000 doses of Russia’s candidate coronavirus vaccine as part of the injection’s Phase 3 clinical trials, Mexico’s foreign minister said Thursday. Russia said Saturday that it has produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine,…

Russian doctors have given permission for opposition leader Alexei Navalny to be evacuated for medical treatment in Germany after appeals by his team that included his wife writing directly to President Vladimir Putin on Friday.  Navalny, 44, fell violently ill and lost consciousness an hour into a flight from the Siberian city of Tomsk to…

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the main challenger to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in this month’s disputed elections, has urged workers of state-owned factories to continue striking against state violence and in favor of new elections despite pressure to stop. Tikhanovskaya’s video address took aim at Lukashenko’s traditionally loyal support base in the wake of strikes at major plants…

A day after Alexei Navalny was hospitalized in an apparent poisoning attempt, doctors are barring his evacuation to Germany citing his unstable condition, while confusion surrounds the presence of poison in the prominent Russian opposition leader’s system. Navalny, 44, lost consciousness an hour into a flight from the Siberian city of Tomsk to Moscow on…

Mexico will receive at least 2,000 doses of Russia’s candidate coronavirus vaccine as part of the injection’s Phase 3 clinical trials, Mexico’s foreign minister said Thursday. Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard told Russia’s ambassador Wednesday that Mexico wanted to conduct trials of Russia’s “Sputnik V” Covid-19 vaccine, which President Vladimir Putin says is the first in…

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on…

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on…

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is in a coma in a Siberian hospital after being poisoned by a toxic substance in his tea, his spokeswoman said Thursday.  Here are the latest updates: — Navalny’s lab results show no signs of heart attack, stroke or brain damage, the Omsk hospital’s deputy chief doctor told the RBC…

Rosneft head Igor Sechin has presented Vladimir Putin with a souvenir from the state oil giant’s latest Arctic drilling project: A small bottle of the oil itself. The oil extracted from the Zapadno-Irkinsky field contains only 0.02% of sulphur, Sechin said as he handed the bottle to Putin during their meeting Tuesday. It is the first…

Leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny remained in a coma in a Siberian hospital several hours after falling ill due to what was likely a toxic substance slipped in his tea, his spokeswoman said Thursday. The incident echoed several other cases of poisoning or suspected poisoning attacks involving Russian activists, journalists and former spies stretching back…

Belarus has opened a criminal investigation into attempts by the opposition to “seize power” after President Alexander Lukashenko’s opponents created a Coordination Council to oversee a peaceful transition following disputed elections. Strongman Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years, claimed a sixth term in elections this month that sparked historic protests and a…

Popular British actor and writer Stephen Fry has joined a group of prominent foreign figures in speaking out in support of Belarusians protesting their country’s “rigged” presidential election. Tens of thousands of Belarusians have taken to the streets of Minsk and other cities to protest the Aug. 9 vote in which officials claimed President Alexander…

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has been a thorn in the Kremlin’s side for years, is in a coma in a Siberian hospital after suffering an apparent poisoning. A hospital representative in the Siberian city of Omsk told journalists on Thursday that the Kremlin critic is connected to a ventilator and in critical condition.…

Russia has confirmed 942,106 cases of coronavirus and 16,099 deaths. Aug. 20: What you need to know today Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak has the coronavirus, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said. He is at least the fifth Russian cabinet member to contract the virus. Russia said Saturday that it has produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine, after…

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on…

The European Union on Wednesday rejected the result of Belarus’s disputed presidential election as strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko ordered his security forces to prevent any further unrest. Following an emergency video conference on the elections, European Council chief Charles Michel said the EU would soon levy sanctions against a “substantial number” of people responsible for…

The Kremlin said Wednesday that events in Belarus did not yet warrant Russia’s military involvement, while Russia’s foreign minister admitted shortcomings in the disputed presidential elections.  Both, however, criticized alleged foreign interference in the post-Soviet country’s affairs following major protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s claim to victory on Aug. 9.  A collective military pact…

Norway said Wednesday it had expelled a Russian diplomat, just days after arresting a Norwegian man suspected of passing sensitive information to Moscow. The country’s PST intelligence agency on Monday said the Norwegian man was “formally suspected of providing information to a foreign country,” which it later confirmed was Russia. “We have informed the Russian…

The exiled head of Belarus’s opposition urged European leaders to reject President Alexander Lukashenko’s “fraudulent” re-election on Wednesday as the EU held an emergency summit on the country’s political crisis. The European Council convened to discuss the fallout from the vote that saw security services in ex-Soviet Belarus brutally disperse peaceful demonstrators demanding that their…

Belarusian authorities resumed breaking up protests and employees were denied entry into offices for joining the opposition in the second week of demonstrations against the country’s disputed election, Belarusian media reported Wednesday. Riot police dispersed a Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ) strike and a state-run media demonstration, according to the reports. Protesters were reportedly denied entry…

A popular urban exploration YouTuber from Russia is suspected of sending secret information about the Moscow metro to Ukraine, the state-run TASS news agency reported weeks after his arrest. Russian-Ukrainian citizen Andrei Pyzh was arrested on Aug. 6 on charges of obtaining and spreading state secrets. Pyzh has uploaded hundreds of videos showing his explorations…

Russia has confirmed 937,321 cases of coronavirus and 15,989 deaths. Aug. 19: What you need to know today Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak has the coronavirus, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said. He is at least the fifth Russian cabinet member to contract the virus. Russia said Saturday that it has produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine, after…

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on…

European leaders urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to push for dialogue in neighbouring Belarus on Tuesday, as opposition supporters protested President Alexander Lukashenko’s disputed election win for a 10th day. Thousands of demonstrators gathered on Independence Square in central Minsk on Tuesday evening waving the red-and-white flags of the opposition and calling on Lukashenko to…

Belarus’s largest protest rally in recent history was held on Aug. 16 as tens of thousands of Belarusians rallied in the capital city of Minsk. Protests against the country’s disputed presidential election and a bloody crackdown on the opposition have taken place every day since the Aug. 9 vote.

Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday accused the opposition of attempting to seize power in the wake of mass protests against disputed presidential elections in which he claimed victory and a sixth term. During a meeting of his security council, Lukashenko said the opposition’s creation of a Coordination Council was “an attempt to seize power,”…

The Council of Europe’s anti-corruption council on Tuesday urged Russia to boost efforts against graft among members of its parliament, judges and prosecutors. The European rights watchdog’s GRECO anti-corruption body said there had been some progress, but “work is still needed.” “The transparency of the legislative process still needs strengthening, with public consultations on bills becoming the…

A Russian major general was killed and two servicemen wounded when an improvised explosive device went off near a Russian convoy in eastern Syria on Tuesday, news agencies quoted the defense ministry as saying. The ministry said the device went off while the convoy was returning from a humanitarian operation near the city of Deir…

Belarusian state-owned news agency Belta has circulated a video on social media slamming protests against President Alexander Lukashenko that uses a 2019 photograph from Spain to depict violence. The minute-long video set to sinister music calls protesters “bought-out and sold-out scum” and “animals,” and includes an image of demonstrators walking in front of street fires…

Protesters rallied outside a prison in Minsk on Tuesday where the husband of Belarus’s main opposition figure is being held, as protests against disputed presidential elections entered their 10th day. Several hundred people gathered outside the walls of the detention center to mark the 42nd birthday of Sergei Tikhanovsky, a popular blogger who was imprisoned…

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has handed out medals to more than 300 members of the security forces for “impeccable service” days after a violent crackdown on post-election protesters. Up to 7,000 people have been detained, hundreds injured and two have died in the days of protests against the Aug. 9 election results which showed an…

During his weekly YouTube talk show Thursday, Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny summed up how Russia’s opposition feels about the protests that are raging on either end of the post-Soviet space with one of the internet’s most popular memes: the distracted boyfriend.  In the version of the meme the de facto Russian opposition leader shared, the…

The highest number of new cases were in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on…

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak has tested positive for coronavirus, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Tuesday. Novak is at least the fifth Russian cabinet member to contract Covid-19 since the outbreak hit the country in March. He had been set to accompany Mishustin on a working trip to Russia’s Far East this week when he…