Zvezda Commences Construction of Second MR Product Carrier
The Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex has commenced the construction of the second MR-type product carrier tanker fuelled with gas.
Russian Orthodox Church Backs Banning ‘Offensive’ Religious Cartoons
All cartoons that offend religious believers should be banned, a senior Russian Orthodox Church cleric has said following the killing of a French teacher by a Chechen refugee last month. Metropolitan Hilarion, who heads the church’s Department of External Relations, told state television Saturday that cartoons depicting the founders of major religions in an offensive light “don’t…
U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden’s Visits to Russia, In Photos
Like most of the world, Moscow has been anticipating the U.S. presidential election results, which were finally projected Saturday after days of vote-counting. With former Vice President Joe Biden set to replace President Donald Trump in the White House in January, there could be new opportunities to reshape the U.S.-Russia relationship, which has chilled to…
Great Russian Literature Versus One Tweet by Stephen King
A bombshell exploded in the Russian media recently: Stephen King praised a Russian TV series that was based on a Russian book no less, and that Netflix had picked up for the largest sum ever paid for a Russian series. I’m certain that King himself has no idea of the sensation he caused. He was…
Russia’s Football Team Captain Pulled From Matches After Masturbation Video Scandal
The captain of Russia’s national football team Artyom Dzyuba has been excluded from the squad’s training camp and three upcoming international fixtures after a private video appearing to show him masturbating went viral. The team said Sunday it would not call up Dzyuba for November matches against Moldova, Turkey and Serbia to “protect the team…
Russia Won’t Congratulate Biden on U.S. Election Victory Before Official Results – Kremlin
Russia will not yet recognize Joe Biden as President-elect of the United States, the Kremlin said Monday as world leaders rushed to congratulate the Democratic Party challenger after U.S. television networks declared him the winner. “We believe it’s correct to wait for the official results of the elections to be announced,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov…
Russia Elections Chief Casts Doubt on U.S. President Vote
Russia’s elections chief said Monday that voting by mail in the U.S. presidential election had paved the way for massive voter fraud, echoing rhetoric from the campaign of Donald Trump. Ella Pamfilova, the head of Russia’s elections commission, said she had carefully studied mail-in voting in the United States and found the process vulnerable to…
Russia Reports Over 21K Coronavirus Infections in Latest Record
Russia has broken its daily coronavirus record, confirming more than 21,000 new infections Monday as the second wave of the outbreak shows no signs of slowing down. The 21,798 new coronavirus cases shattered Friday’s record by over 1,200 and pushed the total caseload to 1,796,132, the world’s fourth-highest count after a brief lead taken by…
Azerbaijan Downs Russian Helicopter in Armenia as Fighting Rages Over Karabakh
Azerbaijan accidently shot down a Russian military helicopter in Armenia as fighting raged over Nagorno-Karabakh on Monday, threatening to draw Moscow further into the conflict. The Defense Ministry in Moscow said two crew members were killed when the Mi-24 helicopter was hit by a man-portable air defense system close to the border with Azerbaijan. A…
Russia Opposition Leader Congratulates Biden Before Putin
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny congratulated President-elect Joe Biden on his victory Sunday before there was any reaction from the Kremlin to the U.S. election results. Navalny in a tweet congratulated Biden, running mate Kamala Harris and Americans for “defining the new leadership in a free and fair election”. “This is a privilege which is…
Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Nov. 8
Russia has confirmed 1,774,334 cases of coronavirus and 30,537 deaths. Nov. 8: What you need to know today Russia confirmed 20,498 new coronavirus cases and 286 deaths — the third day in a row where new infections passed 20,000. Nov. 7 — Russia confirmed 20,396 new coronavirus cases and 364 deaths — the second day in a row where new infections…
Nagorno-Karabakh Briefing | Nov. 7
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan — now in its sixth week — shows little sign of easing after three ceasefires have fallen apart, and could be approaching a decisive moment as heavy clashes are reported near a key town. Nagorno-Karabakh and areas under control of Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, before the conflict resumed in…
Insta-Plov: Modern Technology Meets Ancient Dish
It has been a dog of a week! First: the American election. Next: appliances then went on what was clearly a coordinated sympathy strike: the stand mixture, the icemaker, and the stove’s pilot light all stopped working. And then my dog got sick. The vets sent us home with medication and instructions to keep our…
Doctor Who Treated Navalny and Denied Novichok Poisoning Promoted to Regional Health Minister
The head doctor of the Siberian hospital which first treated leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny — and repeatedly denied that he had been poisoned — has been appointed the region’s new health minister. Omsk region governor Alexander Burkov said in a statement Saturday morning he had named Alexander Murakhovsky, 49, to head up the region’s…
Russia’s Excess Death Toll Passed 110K Before Second Wave
Russia recorded almost 120,000 excess deaths between the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the end of September, official statistics on fatalities published Friday revealed. Russia’s federal statistics service (Rosstat) said a total of 9,798 people with Covid-19 died during September, the latest month for which figures are available. This was up from the 7,463…
Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Nov. 6
Russia has confirmed 1,733,440 cases of coronavirus and 29,887 deaths. Nov. 6: What you need to know today Russia has confirmed the record-breaking number of 20,582 new coronavirus cases and 378 deaths. Chinese authorities suspended entry for Russians with valid visas and residence permits because of Russia’s spike in coronavirus cases, the Chinese Embassy in Moscow announced Thursday. Russia has recorded…
Rosneft will report its Q3 and 9M 2020 IFRS financial results on Friday, November 13, 2020
Q3 and 9M 2020 IFRS financial results and corresponding MD&A will be available on our website on Friday, November 13, 2020 at 10:00 Moscow time.
Russian Mink Farmers Unfazed by Coronavirus Mutations
Producers of mink fur in Russia said Friday they have not encountered outbreaks of the coronavirus on their farms and do not have plans to cull their stocks amid growing concerns in Europe that the virus could spread and mutate in mink-to-human transmission. “We have no intention of killing our mink because of Covid-19. Our…
Renowned Russian Satirist Zhvanetsky Dies at Age 86
Beloved Soviet-era satirist Mikhail Zhvanetsky has died from an unknown cause at age 86, Russian media reported Friday. “I can only confirm that he has died,” Zhvanetsky’s spokesman Oleg Stashkevich told the state-run TASS news agency without disclosing the cause of death. Born in the Soviet Ukrainian city of Odessa on March 6, 1934, Zhvanetsky…
Scientists Fear Arctic Sea That Didn’t Freeze Heralds Trend
Arctic sea ice is on track to continue shrinking because of climate change and could soon cover half the area it did in the late 1970s, a leading Russian climate scientist told The Moscow Times. “Sea ice continues to shrink by approximately 10% every decade and this is a very fast-paced trajectory,” said Vladimir Semenov,…
Ex-Partner Accuses Radical Russian Artist Pavlensky of Rape and Abuse
The former partner of Russian radical performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky has accused him of rape and domestic abuse in a tell-all book, the news website Wonderzine reported. Oksana Shalygina told the outlet she had helped organize several of Pavlensky’s stunts, including nailing his scrotum to the cobblestones in Red Square, slicing off part of his…
Russian Police Rule Out Navalny Poisoning, Diagnose Pancreatitis
Russian officials said Friday that metabolic problems and pancreatitis caused Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to fall ill in August, ruling out findings by European labs that he was poisoned. The 44-year-old anti-graft campaigner collapsed on a flight from Siberia to Moscow and was transferred for treatment to Germany where experts ruled he was poisoned with…
Laboratory for COVID-19 testing opens in Ukhta with support from Gazprom
News from projects and regions November 6, 2020, 15:20 On November 5, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) laboratory was opened at the Ukhta City Outpatient Clinic. The laboratory will increase the number of tests for the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) performed in the region and reduce the waiting time for their results. Before the launch of this facility, laboratories of this kind…
Ryazan Oil Refining Company Switches Fourth Green Gasoline Components Unit to Rosneft’s Catalysts
Ryazan Oil Refining Company, an enterprise of Rosneft Oil Company’s refining complex, has switched the gasoline catalytic reforming unit to a catalyst made by the Angarsk Plant of Catalysts and Organic Synthesis, a subsidiary of Rosneft Oil Company
Belarus Briefing | Nov. 6
Belarus has seen weekly mass protests against the disputed presidential re-election of Alexander Lukashenko for nearly three months. On Monday, exiled Belarusian opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called for a national strike after the deadline she set for Lukashenko to resign and free all political prisoners expired the previous day. Here’s more of the latest news…
Kyrgyzstan Tears Down Government Gates in Symbolic Move After Crisis
Kyrgyzstan tore down the gates of its main government building on Friday in a move authorities said symbolized the removal of barriers between citizens and authorities following political turmoil. Sooronbay Jeenbekov last month became the third president in Kyrgyzstan to resign amid unrest since the country gained independence 29 years ago amid the collapse of…
‘Crucified Jesus’ Detained Outside Moscow FSB Headquarters
A Russian activist has been detained for staging a half-naked crucifixion stunt outside the Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters in central Moscow, witnesses reported late Thursday. Pavel Krisevich replicated the crucifixion of Jesus Christ while other activists in raincoats labeled “FSB” doused the surrounding area with a harmless burning liquid and scattered folders signifying criminal…
China Bars Entry to Russians Over Intensifying Virus Outbreak
China has suspended entry for Russians with valid visas and residence permits because of Russia’s spike in coronavirus cases, the Chinese Embassy in Moscow announced Thursday. China barred entry to all foreign nationals including Russians in March as the virus spread across the world. China, where Covid-19 first emerged late last year and which has…
Scientists Present Results of Three-Year Research Project on Black Sea Dolphins
During an online lecture, scientists of the Marine Mammal Laboratory of the Shirshov Institute presented the results of the three-year-long research of Black Sea dolphins carried out with the support of Rosneft Oil Company.
Russia’s Doping Ban Decision ‘by End of Year’, Says CAS
A decision over whether to overturn Russia’s four-year ban from international sport due to state-sanctioned doping will be known “by the end of this year,” the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said Thursday. A four-day arbitration hearing between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) wrapped up after four days of…
OSCE Condemns Belarus Torture, Calls for Fresh Presidential Vote
A report from the OSCE election-monitoring organization published on Thursday condemned “massive” rights abuses and torture in Belarus and called for a re-run of the country’s August presidential polls in which President Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory. The first major independent report into the election and subsequent crackdown by authorities said human rights abuses “were found…
Russia Says ‘Obvious Shortcomings’ in U.S. Election System
Russia’s foreign ministry on Thursday said outdated legislation and a lack of regulation had revealed flaws in the U.S. electoral system, as votes were being tallied to decide the next American president. The knife-edge U.S. presidential race was tilted toward Democrat Joe Biden early Thursday, but President Donald Trump claimed he was being cheated and…
Up To 40% of Russia’s Coronavirus Test Results Could Be False Negatives
Between 30% and 40% of the Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests performed in Russia could be giving false negative results because of the methodology being used, the state-run Interfax agency reported Thursday citing Russian Health Ministry chief pulmonologist Sergei Avdeev. “If sampling materials are collected poorly or too lightly, that could lead to a…
Navalny Offices Raided, Aide Charged With Contempt
Masked men in uniforms raided the Moscow offices of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and authorities charged one of his key aides with contempt of court, multiple reports said Thursday. Footage shared by Navalny’s social media team showed the men sticking tape over security cameras and entering the separately located offices of his Anti-Corruption Foundation…
Russian Markets Rally as Counting Continues in U.S. Presidential Election
The Russian stock market leapt higher Thursday as it picked up on a global equities rally, even as counting continues in the closer-than-expected U.S. presidential election. Stocks around the world rallied Wednesday, but the Russian market was closed for a public holiday, leaving it to hitch a ride higher when markets reopened Thursday morning. The…
ROSATOM starts production of rare-earth magnets for wind power generation
TVEL Fuel Company of ROSATOM has started gradual localization of rare-earth magnets manufacturing for wind power plants generators. The first sets of magnets have been manufactured and shipped to the customer. In total, the contract between Elemash Magnit LLC (an enterprise of TVEL Fuel Company of ROSATOM in Elektrostal, Moscow region) and Red Wind B.V.…
Russia Eases Punishment for Activist Over Putin Mannequin
A Russian court on Thursday eased a two-year jail sentence handed to an activist who displayed a mannequin wearing a mask of President Vladimir Putin. Alexander Shabarchin and Danila Vasilyev were arrested in 2018 after they taped a mannequin sporting the mask and a prisoner’s outfit to a lamp post in the Urals city of Perm.…
Nagorno-Karabakh Briefing | Nov. 5
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan — now in its sixth week — shows little sign of easing after both sides accused the other of breaking an agreement not to target residential and civilian areas with missile strikes. Nagorno-Karabakh and areas under control of Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, before the conflict resumed in September 2020.…
Rosneft-Sponsored World Sambo Championships to Take Place in Serbia
Rosneft Oil Company has become the general partner for the 2020 World Sambo Championships taking place in Novi Sad, Serbia, on November 5th through 8th
Russia Moves to Grant Ex-Presidents Lifetime Immunity From Prosecution
Russian lawmakers submitted legislation Thursday that would grant former presidents lifetime immunity from criminal prosecution under President Vladimir Putin’s constitutional reforms, Interfax reported. Under current laws, presidents cannot be held criminally or administratively liable for crimes committed while serving their terms. A parliamentary working group assessing Putin’s constitutional reforms proposed earlier this year to extend…
Total Amount of Euro 6 Green Gasoline Production Exceeds 1 Million Tonnes at Ryazan Oil Refinery Company
Ryazan Oil Refining Company, the largest refining asset of Rosneft Oil Company, has produced over 1 million tonnes of the Euro 6 gasoline with enhanced environmental and performance properties
Coronavirus ‘Worsening’ in Moscow, Mayor Says
Moscow’s coronavirus outbreak has spread this week despite efforts to contain it, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Thursday. Sobyanin credited the Russian capital’s public transport mask mandate, working from home rule and remote learning plan for bringing down the number of new Covid-19 cases in the past two weeks. “But earlier this week the situation began…
The first power unit of the Belarus NPP has been connected to the unified power grid of the Republic of Belarus
On November 3, at 12:03 pm, the first Belarus NPP GenIII+ power unit (its General Designer and General Contractor being the ROSATOM’s Engineering Division) equipped with a VVER-1200 reactor was synchronized with the grid for the first time and delivered the first kilowatt-hours of electricity to the unified power grid of the Republic of Belarus.…
Scores of Nationalists Detained at Moscow National Unity Day Protests
Police in Moscow detained at least 60 nationalists who attempted to stage street rallies known as the “Russian March,” the police-monitoring website OVD Info reported. Unlike previous years, the Moscow authorities did not grant permission for the nationalists to hold their traditional march in the southeast of the city because of the coronavirus pandemic. According…
‘More Divided Than Ever’: Russia Reacts to U.S. Election
Russia is watching Election Day in the United States, with President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden battling it out. Here’s a selection of quotes from Russian politicians and public figures as polls closed across the country and results started to come in early Wednesday: — Vyacheslav Nikonov, deputy of the lower-house State Duma…
Muscovites Send a Message of Peace and Tolerance on National Unity Day
On Wednesday, Russians celebrated the country’s newest holiday, National Unity Day. Originally established to commemorate Moscow’s liberation from the Polish-Lithuanian occupation in 1612, it now also aims to promote ethnic and religious tolerance among the country’s diverse population. Though 15 years have passed since Nov. 4 was first marked as a public holiday, the date…
Belarus Briefing | Nov. 4
Belarus has seen weekly mass protests against the disputed presidential re-election of Alexander Lukashenko for nearly three months. On Monday, exiled Belarusian opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called for a national strike after the deadline she set for Lukashenko to resign and free all political prisoners expired the previous day. Here’s more of the latest news…
Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Nov. 5
Russia has confirmed 1,693,454 cases of coronavirus and 29,217 deaths. Nov. 4: What you need to know today Russia has confirmed the record-breaking number of 19,768 new coronavirus cases and 389 deaths. Russia is set to miss the self-imposed coronavirus vaccination timeline, information obtained by the business news website The Bell suggests. While the authorities have vowed to vaccinate…
Russia Not on Track for Mass Coronavirus Vaccination by Year-End – The Bell
Russia will likely miss its self-imposed timeline for mass vaccination against the coronavirus because of insufficient production capacity, the business news website The Bell reported Tuesday. Authorities have vowed to vaccinate a sizable part of Russia’s population by the end of 2020, but developers are reportedly facing issues with scalability and quality control. As a…
Kyrgyzstan Elects Speaker Loyal To New Leader Ahead of Vote
Kyrgyzstan’s parliament elected an ally of acting leader Sadyr Japarov as speaker Wednesday, in a move bolstering the populist politician’s position as he prepares for a January presidential election. Japarov, who was propelled to power less than two weeks after being freed from jail during political chaos that saw Sooronbay Jeenbekov resign as president, has…
Wary Armenians and Azerbaijanis Watch War From Moscow
At a bustling produce market in southwest Moscow, Azerbaijani salesman Avas’ fruit and vegetables kiosk is a few steps away from Armine’s where she sells cheese from Armenia. When Avas was 26 years old, conflict broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region and he was forced to leave his home. The…
Russia Breaks Coronavirus Cases and Deaths Records, Surges Past 19K Infections
The number of new coronavirus cases in Russia hit another record Wednesday, surpassing 19,000 for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The 19,768 new coronavirus cases smash Sunday’s record by more than 1,000 and push the total caseload to 1,693,454, the world’s fourth-highest number. The national coronavirus information center said that…
Shock and Fear Grips Chechens in France After Teacher’s Beheading by ‘One of Our Own’
Soon after news broke that a Chechen teenager was responsible for the gruesome daylight beheading of French teacher Samuel Paty, Parisien student Akhmat started to get texts from his friends asking him if he knew the killer. “We are a relatively small group, so people just assumed we knew each other. It shows what an…
MH17 Suspect Denies Seeing Deadly Missile
A Russian suspect in the crash of flight MH17 saw no sign of the missile allegedly used to shoot down the plane, he said in a video played Tuesday at his trial. Oleg Pulatov is one of four men being tried in absentia by a Dutch court over the loss of the Malaysia Airlines jet,…
IAEA experts studying the preliminary safety report of the Paks II project (Hungary)
The Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority has sent the preliminary safety report of the Paks II project to independent international experts for consideration, through the International Atomic Energy Agency. The implementation license application of the Paks II project is based on the preliminary safety report. Paks II. Zrt, the Hungarian client in the Paks II Nuclear…
ROSATOM Launches Global Atomic Quiz Celebrating World Science Day on 10 November
The world around us is made of atoms. Everything from the tiniest creatures to entire planets consists of these basic particles. The idea of atom has been around for centuries, and the science behind it has come a long way since. The life as we know it would have been quite different without nuclear technologies.…
Russians Among Those Detained in Vienna Attack, Ambassador Says
Authorities in Austria have detained suspects from southwestern Russia’s North Caucasus region as part of an investigation into the deadly shooting rampage in Vienna, Russia’s ambassador in Vienna said Tuesday. The only known gunman in Monday evening’s shooting spree across Vienna that killed four people and wounded 22 was an Islamic State group supporter, Austria’s…
Belarus Launches Nuclear Plant Despite Baltic Outcry
Belarus on Tuesday launched its controversial Russia-built nuclear power station despite safety concerns from neighboring Baltic states three decades after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The launch comes as Belarus strongman president Alexander Lukashenko faces historic protests against his claim to victory in August presidential polls that Western leaders and his critics say were fraudulent. Ahead of…
Gazprom obtains record-high gas inflow on Kara Sea shelf
Background The Leningradskoye gas and condensate field is located in the Kara Sea within the Leningradsky licensed block. The field’s current recoverable gas reserves are estimated to total 1.9 trillion cubic meters and are classified as unique. In October, a new gas deposit was discovered at the field as a result of drilling and testing of an exploratory well. Commercial gas inflow was obtained with a flow rate…
Russia’s Election Panel Criticizes ‘Alarming’ U.S. Mail-in Vote
Large-scale mail-in voting and late results in the 2020 U.S. presidential election could raise concerns over the transparency and legitimacy of the voting process, a senior Russian election official has said. Nearly 100 million Americans have already voted early, both in person and by mail, as the coronavirus pandemic has upended the traditional approach to…