Heavy Floods Hit Russia’s Far East

Several villages in Russia’s Far East republic of Sakha are facing severe flooding following heavy rainfall, local authorities said, prompting a state of emergency in the country’s coldest and largest region. The government of Sakha said the rains had broken structures around a dam and left a remote village in Siberia “almost entirely” flooded. “Due…

Russian Court Fines Apple for Breaching Data Storage Rules

Russia has fined American tech giant Apple for failing to store Russian citizens’ personal data on Russia-based servers, Interfax reported Tuesday.  The fine comes amid Russia’s wider crackdown on Western tech companies in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine that has seen Facebook and Instagram banned as “extremist” organizations and Twitter blocked. Moscow’s Tagansky…

In Memory of Francesca Mereu

We are deeply saddened to write that Francesca Mereu, an author, playwright, tireless advocate of blues music and former Moscow Times reporter who split her time until recently between Moscow and Alabama, died June 24 in Tijuana, Mexico. Since 2011, Francesca published three books in her native Italian—one on Putin, one on Russia’s transition to capitalism…

Lush Cosmetics Forced Out of Russia by Supply Crunch – Kommersant

The Russian owner of British ethical cosmetics retailer Lush is being forced to close its stores in the country due to supply chain disruptions stemming from wartime sanctions, the Kommersant business daily reported Tuesday.  Lush was among the hundreds of international brands that suspended operations in Russia in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Lush Russia is…

Myanmar Junta Chief Visits Moscow

Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing visited Moscow Tuesday, Russian media reported, as the U.S. vowed to put pressure on his military regime over a 2021 coup.  Russia’s Embassy in Myanmar told the Interfax news agency that Hlaing was in Moscow on a “private” visit.  “He plans to take part in the opening of a…

Russia Confirms First Monkeypox Case

Russia has registered its first case of monkeypox, federal health authorities confirmed Tuesday. “The infection was found in a young man who came back from a trip through European countries and went to a medical facility with a characteristic rash,” state consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said in a statement.  Rospotrebnadzor said the patient, whose symptoms…