Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | July 24

Russia has confirmed 800,849 cases of coronavirus and 13,046 deaths. July 24: 3 things you need to know today Russia plans to administer its experimental coronavirus vaccine on healthcare professionals next month before its clinical trials are completed, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said Thursday. Russia plans to restart international flights to Britain, Turkey and Tanzania on Aug. 1 more…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | July 23

Russia has confirmed 795,038 cases of coronavirus and 12,892 deaths. July 23: 3 things you need to know today Valentina Matviyenko, the head of Russia’s upper house of parliament, said current progress made it possible for the vaccine to enter mass production by the end of 2020. The vaccine’s creator Denis Logunov echoed her claim, telling Meduza that the Gamaleya institute…

Russian Moviegoers ‘Not Ready for Dramas’ Amid Pandemic, Culture Ministry Says

Russian cinemas will delay premiering heavy dramas after reopening because viewers “aren’t ready” for heavy dramas amid the coronavirus pandemic, authorities said Wednesday. Russia closed down movie theaters, museums and other cultural establishments after the outbreak first hit the country in late March. Russia’s Culture Ministry lifted the nationwide ban last week, leaving it up…

Melting Arctic Permafrost Threatens Russian Energy Firms’ Bottom Line – Morgan Stanley

Rapidly melting Arctic permafrost poses the greatest threat to major Russian energy producers’ infrastructure and financial indicators, according to a new Morgan Stanley report obtained by the Vedomosti business daily. Gazprom, Novatek, Alrosa and Norilsk Nickel — whose fuel tank leaked after sinking into thawing permafrost in May, resulting in a major environmental disaster —…

Relatives of Murdered Chechen Dissident in Austria Claim Responsibility, ‘Repent’ to Kadyrov

The extended family of a Chechen dissident murdered in Austria earlier this month has claimed responsibility for his killing and attempted to absolve the Russian region’s Kremlin-backed leader. Two ethnic Chechens were arrested after the body of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s reported “personal foe” Mamikhan Umarov, 43, was found in Vienna on July 4. Suspicions…

Russia’s Coronavirus Cases Approach 800K Amid Lifted Lockdown

The last time Russia reported fewer than 6,000 cases was on April 29. The highest number of new cases were in Moscow, the western Siberian region of Khanty-Mansiysk and Sverdlovsk in the Urals. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began…

Severstal reports Q2 & H1 2020 fiacial results

July 23, 2020 PAO Severstal (MICEX-RTS: CHMF; LSE: SVST), one of the world’s leading steel and steel-related mining companies, today announces its Q2 & H1 2020 financial results for the period ended 30 June 2020. CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR Q2 AND H1 2020 Notes: EBITDA represents profit from operations plus depreciation and amortisation of productive…

‘Costakis’ Choice’ at Moscow’s AZ Museum

The AZ Museum of non-conformist art is celebrating its fifth anniversary with an exhibition dedicated to George Costakis, who was, without exaggeration, the savior of the early Russian avant-garde and post-war non-conformist art and artists. Called “Costakis’ Choice,” the show leads visitors through the life of this great collector, which is to say through the…

Russia to Subsidize Tourists on Domestic Vacations – PM

Moscow will subsidize holidays taken by Russian tourists who vacation at home instead of the Mediterranean, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Wednesday. The push to boost domestic tourism comes after officials lifted most coronavirus restrictions in June. Yet Russians are still barred from holidaying abroad due to international travel controls imposed to slow the pandemic.…

Russia’s Crackdown on Free Expression in 5 Cases

Russia under President Vladimir Putin has grown increasingly intolerant of voices that challenge the conservative values championed by the Kremlin. Putin has also empowered the security forces to crack down on anyone perceived to be a threat, leading to a spike in treason and espionage cases. news What a Growing List of ‘Instructional’ Court Cases…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | July 22

Russia has confirmed 789,190 cases of coronavirus and 12,745 deaths. July 22: 3 things you need to know today Russia has come through the coronavirus pandemic with far fewer infections and deaths than many other European countries, President Vladimir Putin said Monday while visiting Moscow-annexed Crimea. The Russian military has said its experimental coronavirus vaccine which has not yet…

Russia’s Coronavirus Cases Approach 790K

The last time Russia reported fewer than 6,000 cases was on April 29. The highest number of new cases were in Moscow, the western Siberian region of Khanty-Mansiysk and Sverdlovsk in the Urals. Russia’s fatality rate has remained low compared to other badly-hit countries, raising speculation that Moscow could be underreporting figures. Russian authorities began…

Russian Priest Compares IVF to Nazi Experiments

A senior Russian Orthodox Church official known for making controversial sexist remarks has compared in vitro fertilization (IVF) to notorious medical experiments that Nazi doctors conducted during World War II. Archpriest Dmitry Smirnov was granted the dubious title of “Sexist of the Year” by feminist bloggers this spring for comparing common-law wives to prostitutes, urging…

Armed Man Holds 20 Bus Passengers Hostage in Ukraine

Ukrainian police were holding tense negotiations on Tuesday with a man armed with explosives who took 20 people hostage in a bus and claimed to have planted a remote-controlled device in the western city of Lutsk. Police cordoned off the center of the city of over 200,000, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the capital Kiev, and…

Russia’s Coronavirus Vaccine ‘Ready,’ Military Says

The Russian military has said its experimental coronavirus vaccine which has not yet completed Phase II trials and is yet to begin Phase III is “ready.” The Defense Ministry, which says it has worked with government researchers to develop the vector vaccine, on Monday released the last group of volunteer soldiers testing the experimental shot…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | July 21

Russia has confirmed 777,486 cases of coronavirus and 12,427 deaths. July 21: 3 things you need to know today Russia has come through the coronavirus pandemic with far fewer infections and deaths than many other European countries, President Vladimir Putin said Monday while visiting Moscow-annexed Crimea. The Russian military has said its experimental coronavirus vaccine which has not yet…

Russian Tech Exec Sues Steele Dossier Author in UK Court

A Russian tech entrepreneur on Monday began a defamation claim against the British author of a controversial report at the heart of 2016 U.S. election meddling allegations first leaked to BuzzFeed. Alexej Gubarev said in documents released in London’s High Court that former UK intelligence officer Christopher Steele was responsible for the U.S. news site’s…

Moscow Transgender Activist ‘Faces Rape’ in Men’s Prison

A Russian transgender activist jailed for protesting new anti-LGBT legislation faces humiliation and possible rape in the men’s cell she’s been placed in, activists said Monday. A Moscow court found Polina Simonenko guilty of repeatedly violating protest rules and sentenced her to 14 days in jail. Simonenko and around 30 activists had been detained over…

Creator of 1980 Moscow Olympic Bear Mascot Dies at 84

Viktor Chizhikov, the Russian illustrator behind the memorable Mishka bear mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, died on Monday aged 84, his publisher said. The children’s book illustrator came up with the cuddly bear to represent the controversial Games, boycotted by countries including the United States. The publisher AST Deti announced his death on Facebook,…

U.S. Blacklists Chechen Leader for Rights Abuses

The U.S. State Department placed Chechen Republic leader Ramzan Kadyrov on its blacklist of human rights violators Monday for alleged torture, extrajudicial killings and other violations it said go back more than a decade. The department said Kadyrov, his spouse Medni Kadyrova, and his daughters Aishat Kadyrova and Karina Kadyrova, were designated under its Section…

Russian Arctic Mayor Resigns After Virus ‘Cover-Up’ Claim

The mayor of the Russian Arctic city of Norilsk on Monday announced his resignation after accusing regional officials of massively underreporting coronavirus figures. Rinat Akhmetchin, mayor of the Siberian city located 300 kilometers (186 miles) north of the Arctic Circle, announced his departure during a briefing. His resignation came as President Vladimir Putin on Monday…

Putin Names New Governor to Far East Region Hit by Protests

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday named a new leader of the Far Eastern region of Khabarovsk from the nationalist LDPR party after the arrest of its popular governor brought thousands to the streets. Putin officially sacked Sergei Furgal, who was detained this month on murder charges, and named LDPR lawmaker Mikhail Degtyarev to replace…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | July 20

Russia has confirmed 777,486 cases of coronavirus and 12,427 deaths. July 20: 3 things you need to know today Russia has come through the coronavirus pandemic with far fewer infections and deaths than many other European countries, President Vladimir Putin said Monday while visiting Moscow-annexed Crimea. Members of Russia’s ruling elite have been given access to an experimental coronavirus…

Kremlin Critic Navalny Dissolves Anti-Corruption Foundation After ‘Putin’s Chef’ Lawsuit

Prominent Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is closing his foundation that has produced several high-profile investigations into alleged corruption among top government officials, he announced Monday. The Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) has faced a number of lawsuits over its video investigations targeting figures ranging from former Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Oleg Deripaska. The Russian…

KFC Tests 3D-Printed Chicken Nuggets in Russia

KFC has partnered with a Russian biotech research firm to create the world’s first laboratory-produced chicken nuggets this fall. The fast-food chain and Russia’s 3D Bioprinting Solutions, founded by the private medical firm Invitro, announced the partnership Thursday amid a growing global race to find safe and authentic-tasting meat alternatives.  3D Bioprinting Solutions will use chicken…

JSC NIIEFA has shipped off a cyclotron CC-30/15 made for the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology

On July 15-17, 2020 JSC Efremov NIIEFA (Saint-Petersburg), shipped off the equipment, which is part of an isochronous cyclotron СС-30/15. Nine containers of total weight 120 tons were sent to Nakhon Nayok Province, where JSC Rusatom Health Care and Kinetics Corporation Ltd. carry out construction of the cyclotron and radiochemistry complex ordered by the Thailand…

On and Off the Trans-Siberian Train: The Ex-Cop

Victoria, 42 (Editor’s note: this co-traveller’s name has been changed on her request because she signed a non-disclosure agreement upon retirement) In my job one has to have good sense of humor, otherwise, I would go mad. I always wanted to work for the police. I can’t say my parents were happy about my choice.…

Russia’s Elite Vaccinated for Coronavirus Since April – Bloomberg

Members of Russia’s ruling elite have been given access to an experimental coronavirus vaccine as early as April, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing unnamed sources. “Several hundred” billionaires, executives and government officials took the experimental shots developed by the state-run Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, a researcher familiar with the effort told the…

In Belarus, 3 Women Unite to Fight Strongman Lukashenko

Three women have teamed up to fight presidential polls in Belarus, pitting “female solidarity” against strongman Alexander Lukashenko, who insists the country is not ready for a woman president. Their campaign comes as the rights group Amnesty International on Friday released a report condemning the ex-Soviet country’s discriminatory treatment of women opposition activists, citing threats…

UK ‘Confident’ Moscow Helped Hackers Target Virus Vaccine

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Sunday he was “absolutely confident” in allegations by the UK and its allies that Russia targeted labs conducting coronavirus research, branding the behavior “outrageous and reprehensible”. Britain, the United States and Canada on Thursday accused a hacking group called APT29 of spearheading the online attacks on various organizations involved in…

Fuel Loading Starts at Power Unit 2 of Leningrad NPP-2

Sosnovy Bor, July 19, 2020 — The first of 163 nuclear fuel assemblies has been loaded into the VVER-1200 reactor of power unit 2 of Leningrad NPP-2. Fuel loading marks the beginning of the physical start-up of an NPP. The plant is operated by ROSATOM’s Electric Power Division Rosenergoatom. Rosenergoatom‘s Director General Andrei Petrov said:…

Russia’s Coronavirus Cases Pass 770K

From July Moscow has no longer required people to wear masks outdoors as the number of new coronavirus cases has dwindled in the Russian capital in recent weeks. 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 lifted…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | July 19

Russia has confirmed 771,546 cases of coronavirus and 12,342 deaths. July 19: 3 things you need to know today Britain’s cybersecurity agency on Thursday accused a hacking group it said “almost certainly” operates as part of Russian intelligence services of trying to steal information on coronavirus vaccines. Russia plans to conduct Phase III trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine…

Cool Down with Slavic Ceviche

Somewhere in the early 2000s, it became okay to play with our food.  Not in the sense of rolling it up into balls and hurling it at one another, but to pair traditional ingredients with non-traditional methods of preparation or vice versa. Until then, everyone had dutifully stayed in his lane: sushi was sushi, but…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | July 18

Russia has confirmed 765,437 cases of coronavirus and 12,247 deaths. July 18: 3 things you need to know today Britain’s cybersecurity agency on Thursday accused a hacking group it said “almost certainly” operates as part of Russian intelligence services of trying to steal information on coronavirus vaccines. Russia plans to conduct Phase III trials of its experimental…

Russia’s Coronavirus Cases Pass 760K

From July Moscow has no longer required people to wear masks outdoors as the number of new coronavirus cases has dwindled in the Russian capital in recent weeks. 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 lifted…

Russia Ready to Mediate Talks Between Armenia, Azerbaijan

Russia said Friday it is prepared to mediate peace talks between ex-Soviet rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan after fighting escalated along their shared border. President Vladimir Putin and members of Russia’s Security Council expressed “extreme concern” over the flare-up in fighting between the South Caucasus countries that erupted last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Putin…