Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | June 23

There have been 599,075 cases of coronavirus infection reported in Russia so far and 8,359 deaths. June 23: 3 things you need to know today Starting Tuesday, Moscow’s indoor dining, fitness clubs, swimming pools and public sports and recreation facilities will reopen after being closed for months due to the coronavirus. More than one-quarter of Russians know at least…

Voronezh gas workers help 49 veterans of WWII

News from projects and regions June 23, 2020, 15:00 Employees of Gazprom Gazoraspredeleniye Voronezh are completing the process of replacing gas-based equipment in the homes of 49 veterans of the Great Patriotic War residing in Voronezh and the Voronezh Region. The company has a permanent program for free-of-charge gas connections, replacement of gas stoves, instantaneous water heaters, boilers and gas meters, and technical maintenance at households…

Coronavirus Frontline Doctors Ordered to Vote on Changes Allowing Putin to Stay in Power

Russian health workers treating coronavirus patients across the country say they are being pressured by their superiors to vote on constitutional amendments that would allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power through 2036. “We simply don’t have a choice,” a doctor at the Syktivkar Republic Infectious Diseases hospital in Russia’s remote northern republic of…

Russia’s Coronavirus Death Spike Explained by Methodology, Statistics Chief Says

Russia’s state statistics agency published higher coronavirus death figures for April than previously reported because it receives more complete data than the national coronavirus crisis center, its chief has said. The Federal Statistics Service, or Rosstat, more than doubled April’s death toll to 2,712 earlier this month after including cases where Covid-19 may not have directly…

Moscow Cultural Life Is Slowly Reawakening

Finally, summer cafes, libraries and museums are expected to reopen in Moscow. Starting from June 16, exhibition halls and museums are gradually opening all over Moscow. In almost every museum, visitors will only be able to buy electronic tickets, and everyone, including guests and exhibition staffers, are required to wear masks and practice social distancing.…

Russia’s Coronavirus Cases Approach 600K Ahead of Victory Day Parade, Constitutional Vote

Moscow lifted restrictions including compulsory travel passes on June 8, a move welcomed by residents who rushed out to enjoy the streets and parks. Many other regions are lifting lockdown restrictions as Russia is preparing to hold a July 1 national vote despite the pandemic.    President Vladimir Putin is seeking public backing for constitutional amendments that…

Moscow Braves a Summertime Flood

As if a global pandemic and months of quarantine weren’t enough to drown our spirits, Moscow was hit with heavy rains and hail over the weekend, leading to flash floods that flooded streets and passageways. While two people are reported to have been hit by lightning during the storm, Muscovites nonetheless trudged through the weather…

Russia Takes on ALS With a Marathon

On Friday the non-governmental organization Zhivi Seichas (Live Now) is holding a 10-hour marathon to gather 2 million rubles for Russian patients with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). All day on their YouTube channel or VKontakte page some of Russia’s finest athletes, actors, singers, dancers and many others will be working hard to entertain, enlighten, and even hold some dance…

Khrushchev’s Son Dies in U.S.

Sergei Khrushchev, the son of former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, has died in the United States at age 84, his granddaughter told the RBC news website Thursday. Sergei Khrushchev has held both U.S. and Russian citizenships since 1999, eight years after moving to Providence, Rhode Island, and resided permanently in the U.S.  His granddaughter Nina…

Putin’s Inner Circle Corners $30Bln Garbage Reform Market – Report

President Vladimir Putin’s close associates are the biggest beneficiaries of the country’s 2 trillion ruble ($28.7 billion) waste disposal reforms, according to an analysis of contracts by Russia’s Important Stories investigative website published Thursday. Companies linked to close Putin associates Sergei Chemezov, Arkady Rotenberg and Yury Kovalchuk, as well as former prosecutor general Igor Chaika,…

Belarus Leader’s Election Rival Detained as Crackdown Intensifies

Belarussian authorities on Thursday detained President Alexander Lukashenko’s rival ahead of August’s election as Minsk intensified a crackdown on the opposition. The detention of Viktor Babaryko, a 56-year-old former banker, on suspicion of financial crimes came after authorities jailed other critics including prominent opposition politician Mikola Statkevich ahead of an election in which Lukashenko is…

Belarus Opposition Candidate ‘Disappears’ As Presidential Election Nears

Update: Belarussian authorities on Thursday detained Babaryko on suspicion of financial crimes, the head of the state control committee said. “Babaryko is detained because he was the organiser and leader of illegal activities, (and) tried to influence witness testimony,” committee chief Ivan Tertel told reporters.  A former banker vying to unseat the longtime leader of Belarus…

EU Extends Crimea Sanctions by 12 Months

The European Union on Thursday rolled over for another year tough sanctions imposed over Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.  The measures prohibit certain exports and imports from Crimea, and ban EU-based companies from investment and tourism services in the strategic Black Sea peninsula. “The Council today decided to renew the sanctions introduced in…

Russia ‘Unblocks’ Telegram Messenger in Surprise Reversal

Russia has halted its largely unsuccessful two-year efforts to block the popular messaging service Telegram. Russia’s federal media watchdog Roskomnadzor made the surprise announcement Thursday, citing Telegram founder Pavel Durov’s “stated readiness to counter terrorism and extremism.” “In agreement with the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, Roskomnadzor is lifting demands to restrict access to Telegram,” Roskomnadzor…

Everything for a Peruvian Feast But the Llamas

For everyone who has become addicted to a weekend feast delivered to your door, June 19-21 our friends at the Hyatt Regency Petrovsky Park are offering a Peruvian dinner. Peruvian cuisine combines local traditions with Spanish, African, Japanese, Chinese, and Italian influences to create fresh, brightly flavored dishes. The set menu for two (or more,…