Igor Sechin Reports to the President of the Russian Federation on the Company’s 2019 Operating Results and Prospects of Vostok Oil Project
Vladimir Putin has held a working meeting with Rosneft Oil Company Chief Executive Officer Igor Sechin.
Gazprom’s 15th Investor Day launched in New York
Release February 11, 2020, 18:50 – Sustainable operational and financial results achieved in 2019. – Positions in target sales markets expected to strengthen further. – Attention focused on increasing economic efficiency of activities. Today, Gazprom’s 15thannual Investor Day was launched in New York. Taking part in the event are Famil Sadygov Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, Elena Burmistrova Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Director General of Gazprom…
Russian Couple Tried for Treason Over ‘Photobombing’ Secret Agent – Kommersant
A couple from Russia’s western exclave of Kaliningrad is on trial for treason over the appearance of a secret agent in their wedding photographs, the Kommersant business daily reported Tuesday. Baltic affairs expert Antonina Zimina and her husband Konstantin Antonets were arrested in 2018 on suspicion of sharing secret information with neighboring Latvia’s intelligence agencies,…
Senior Appointments in Moscow and Kiev Point to Tentative Thaw
New senior appointments in Moscow and Kiev on Tuesday pointed towards a tentative thaw in ties, after the Ukrainian president’s new chief of staff offered guarded praise for the man put in charge of the Ukraine file in the Kremlin. While there was no indication whether the timing of the announcements was intentional, the simultaneous…
Moscow Makes Way for Annual Pancake Fest of Maslenitsa
Moscow’s extravagant New Year’s decorations have only been taken down for a few weeks, but the city is already preparing for its next big holiday: the Maslenitsa folk festival, better known as Russia’s “pancake week.” Maslenitsa has its roots in pagan traditions, when people marked the end of winter and the beginning of spring with…
The Harrowing Testimonies of Jailed Russian Anti-Fascists, in Quotes
On Monday, seven members of a Russian anti-fascist activist group were jailed for up to 18 years on terrorism charges in a case that observers have compared to a Soviet-era show trial.The members of the group Set — Russian for “Network” — were detained in the city of Penza in 2017. Investigators claimed they were…
Police Probe Russian TV Host’s Pro-Abortion Instagram Post
A popular Russian television host and Instagram blogger faces extremism charges over her posts criticizing President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to encourage population growth without addressing economic hardship, the online tabloid Super reported Monday. Alyona Vodonayeva sparked controversy in December for urging low-income Russians not to give birth to “slaves to this state.” She doubled down…
On This Day in 1980, ‘Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears’ Was Released
February 11, 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of one of Russia’s most beloved films, the Soviet drama “Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears.” The film, which chronicles 20 years in the lives of three women in Moscow, is considered a modern classic for its enduring themes of hope, disappointment, and unexpected happiness.…
Kremlin to Turkey: Help Stop Attacks on Syrian and Russian Forces in Idlib
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that all attacks on Russian and Syrian government forces in Syria’s Idlib province should stop and that agreements it had struck with Turkey on the conflict had to be upheld. Moscow made its comments, which underscore rising tensions over Syria between Russia and Turkey, after Syrian government forces took control…
Balancing Preservation and Urban Development in Vladimir
As the sun filters through thick winter clouds over Vladimir, a city located 200 kilometers to the east of Moscow, the residents go about their business as tourists wander through the center of the city, taking photographs of the Golden Gates, stepping into the pedestrian Georgievskaya Ulitsa to drink some Suzdal mead and buy souvenirs…
Russian Politician Resigns Over Illegal Casino in Apartment
As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…
Glitches Mar Russia’s Internet Isolation Test – RBC
Russian providers experienced slow connections and disruptions during test runs last fall for compliance with Russia’s so-called internet isolation law, according to the providers’ report to the government cited by the RBC news website Monday. At least one provider in Russia’s Urals Federal District said it was unable to block the popular messaging app Telegram,…
Russian Satellites Stalking U.S. Satellite – Space Force Chief
A pair of Russian satellites appear to be following an American satellite in an “unusual and disturbing” manner, the head of the United States’ newly formed Space Force has said. Gen. John Raymond’s statement marks the Space Force’s first public confrontation leveled at an adversary in the increasingly competitive space domain, Time magazine reported Monday. His…
Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Feb. 11
Russia has reported its first two cases of coronavirus and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who had been isolated. As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 1,000 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk, including closing most entry points along its…
Russia Extends House Arrest of U.S. Investor Calvey Until May 13
As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…
Moscow Metro Coronavirus Prankster Faces Prison Time
Police in Moscow have detained a prankster over a video showing imitated coronavirus seizures on a crowded metro car, authorities told Interfax on Monday. A video attributed to blogger “Kara.prank” depicted a passenger in a face mask collapsing and convulsing as fellow passengers scrambled out of the wagon at the next stop. The video disappeared…
Russia Quarantines Chinese Diplomat as Coronavirus Precaution
Russian authorities have quarantined a Chinese diplomat as a safety precaution against the coronavirus outbreak, Interfax reported on Monday. Consul General Cui Shaochun arrived in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg on Thursday to take up his new post but was told to stay at home for two weeks, Russian Foreign Ministry official Alexander Kharlov was…
Russia Scraps Criticized Restrictions on Scientists’ Foreign Contacts
Russia has scrapped highly criticized restrictions on its scientists a year after issuing them, the Education and Science Ministry’s newly appointed chief was quoted as saying Monday. The February 2019 order that was made public months later had advised government-affiliated scientists to seek formal approval before meeting foreign colleagues and to bring companions to such meetings.…
On This Day in 1890 Boris Pasternak Was Born
On this day in 1890, the writer Boris Pasternak was born into an affluent and cultured Russian-Jewish family. His father, Leonid, was a renowned artist and professor at the Moscow School of Painting; his mother Rosa, nee Kaufman, was a concert pianist. His parents’ social circle included notable figures of the day such as Sergei…
Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Feb. 10
Russia has reported its first two cases of coronavirus and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who had been isolated. As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 900 people continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk, including closing most entry points along its…
Controversial Scholar Jordan Peterson Treated for Addiction in Russia
Controversial Canadian author and academic Jordan Peterson has been treated for addiction to anti-anxiety medication in Russia, his daughter has said. Peterson rose to fame in conservative circles in 2016 for opposing what calls “radical political correctness authoritarianism,” and his polarizing stances have drawn widespread controversy. He is estimated to have authored 50 books, including…
Radiation Spike Detected Near Moscow Highway Construction Site
As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…
Putin’s Top Climate Adviser Calls for Urgent Climate Action
President Vladimir Putin’s senior adviser on climate change has called for Russia to take urgent action toward climate change, including taking more substantive steps to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday, Ruslan Edelgeriev said Russia failed to achieve Putin’s goal of reducing the share of fossil fuels…
Russian Anti-Fascists Jailed on Terror Charges Despite Outcry
A court in central Russia has jailed members of an anti-fascist activist group for up to 18 years on terrorism charges, the Mediazona news website reported Monday. Seven members of the group Set — Russian for “Network” — were detained in the city of Penza along with four other members in St. Petersburg in 2017.…
2 Russian Children Killed in Thai Boat Crash
Two Russian children have been killed in a head-on speedboat collision in the Thai resort island of Phuket, authorities said Monday. The Phuket News outlet, citing a tourism police official, identified the victims as a 12-year-old boy and six-year-old girl. Russia’s Embassy in Thailand said one of the hospitals that treated the injured had confirmed…
Boeing Plane Makes Hard Landing in Northwest Russia, No Injuries
A Boeing 737 airliner with 94 people on board made a hard landing in northwestern Russia on Sunday, carrier UTair said, but no one was badly hurt. It said the airliner, arriving at Usinsk airport in the Komi Republic about 1,500 kilometers from Moscow, made the hard landing because of wind shear — a sudden change of wind…
Luring Russians to Avant-Garde Art
Zelfira Tregulova, the director of the Tretyakov gallery, vividly recalls the first time she saw Kazimir Malevich’s iconic 1915 painting “Black Square.” “It was in 1974, I remember the shock.” As an art history student at Moscow State University, she first encountered the painting in the Tretyakov Gallery, albeit not hanging in the airy exhibition…
From Russia With Cabin Fever: Coronavirus Evacuees Compare Notes
It’s a refurbished Soviet-style sanatorium, but there are no visitors, staff wear decontamination suits and riot police stand guard outside in temperatures of around minus 15 degrees Celsius. In the fenced-off complex in Siberia, 144 people have been put in quarantine under close observation for two weeks after the Russian military evacuated them this week…
Russian Jury Acquits Gay Man’s Murder Suspect
A Moscow jury has acquitted a man accused of killing a gay man last year, the LGBT rights group Stimul reported Thursday. Security cameras captured 40-year-old Roman Yedalov’s stabbing death near central Moscow’s Kursky train station in June 2019. His boyfriend Yevgeny Yefimov, who survived the attack, recounted that the suspect had shouted homophobic slurs. …
Moscow Activists Protest Widespread Facial Recognition With Face Paint
A Moscow activist campaign is encouraging people to protect their privacy by covering their faces in bright, bold designs. Police-controlled facial recognition technology has been expanding in Moscow’s wide-reaching surveillance network since 2017. While law enforcement says the technology helps catch wanted criminals, critics have spoken out against what they say is non-consensual identification and…
Russia Simplifies Foreign Students’ Work Rights
Foreign students will be able to work without obtaining a permit while studying in Russia under a new law President Vladimir Putin signed Thursday. Currently, international students are only allowed to work without a permit if the job is at their state-accredited university and they work in their free time or during the holidays. Foreign…
Russia Cuts Interest Rates as Inflation Falls
Russia’s Central Bank has cut interest rates for the sixth time in a row as it continues to respond to slower-than-expected inflation. Russia’s key rate will fall to 6% on Monday from its current level of 6.25%, the Bank said Friday. The latest decision, taken at a meeting of the Bank’s governing board in Moscow,…
Russia’s PM Earned $35M as Investor, Former Employer Says
Russia’s new prime minister earned more than $35 million from his two-year spell at Russian investment group UFG, his former colleagues have said, addressing questions which have been raised over how Mikhail Mishustin and his family came to obtain millions of dollars worth of assets. Mishustin worked at UFG between 2008-2010, in between his roles…
Prominent Russian Journalist, Lawyer Attacked in Chechnya
A group of men and women attacked an investigative journalist and a human rights lawyer in Russia’s republic of Chechnya overnight, the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper which employs the journalist said Friday. Yelena Milashina and lawyer Marina Dubrovina arrived in the Chechen capital of Grozny to attend the trial of a disabled blogger who was…
Russia Finalizes ‘Revolutionary’ Dual Citizenship Bill – Kommersant
Russian lawmakers expect to vote on legislation that would allow dual Russian citizenship for foreigners as soon as this month, the Kommersant business daily reported Friday. Under current Russian law, foreigners wishing to become Russian citizens must first renounce their other citizenships. Authors of the bill expect the new amendments relaxing these rules to help…
Russia Blames Israel After Syria Nearly Shoots Down Airliner
A civilian aircraft with 172 passengers on board made an emergency landing at the Russia-controlled Khmeimim airbase early Thursday after Syria’s air defense nearly hit it, Russia’s Defense Ministry was reported to have said. The Syrian air defense was trying to repulse an Israeli attack near Damascus, Interfax said Friday. Syria’s defense ministry said earlier…
Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Feb. 7
Russia has reported its first two cases of coronavirus and said the infected people were Chinese citizens who had been isolated. As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 400 people in China continues to spread around the world, Russia has stepped up measures to tackle the health risk, including closing most entry points…
Russia Repatriates Islamic State-Linked Children From Syria
Russia has returned 26 children of Islamic State fighters from Syria, the state-run TASS news agency reported Friday. Russia has worked to bring back women and children linked to Russians who fought for the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq under a program led by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed…
Russia’s Lavrov Hits Out at U.S. ‘Provocations’ in Venezuela
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday denounced U.S. foreign policy in Venezuela, criticizing U.S. “provocations” and attempts to create what he called a pretext for military intervention. Lavrov’s censure of Washington, on a low-profile visit to Mexico, came at an awkward time for the host nation. Mexico’s government has been going out of its…
Russian TV Runs Conspiracy Theory Blaming Trump for Coronavirus
As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…
Russian Orthodox Leader Seen Wearing $16,000 Watch – Open Media
As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…
Russia to Offer Simplified E-Visas to 53 Countries, Snubs U.S. and Britain
Citizens of 53 countries will be able to apply for simplified, low-cost electronic visas to visit Russia starting next year, a senior official has said in an interview published Thursday. The 16-day e-visas will go into effect Jan. 1, 2021, for citizens of the European Union and different countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East…
Russia to Offer Free E-Visas to 53 Countries, Snubs U.S. and Britain
Citizens of 53 countries will be able to apply for free and simplified electronic visas to visit Russia starting next year, a senior official has said in an interview published Thursday. The 16-day e-visas will go into effect Jan. 1, 2021, for citizens of the European Union and different countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle…
Half of Moscow’s Luxury Suburb Linked to Russia’s Elite – Proekt
Nearly half the landowners in Moscow’s luxury suburb of Rublyovka are linked to Russia’s ruling elite, the Proekt news website has said in a massive investigation published Thursday. Altogether, it said the 800 Kremlin functionaries, governors and mayors own an estimated 1.3 trillion rubles ($20.75 billion) in properties dotting the Rublyovo-Uspenskoye Highway in western Moscow.…
Crimea’s Capital Faces Water Shortage, Plans Daily Shutoffs
The capital of Russian-annexed Crimea is facing a water shortage with enough supply to last 100 days, the Kommersant business daily reported Wednesday, citing regional and local officials. Crimea received 85% of its water from Ukraine’s Dnieper River via the North Crimean Canal until 2014, when Russia annexed the peninsula and Ukrainian authorities blocked the…
Russian Military Specialists Killed in Syria, Foreign Ministry Says
Russian and Turkish “military specialists” were killed by militants who staged more than 1,000 attacks in the last two weeks of January in the de-escalation zone in Syria’s Idlib province, Russia‘s Foreign Ministry said Thursday. Russia’s rare admission of casualties comes as the UN Security Council meets to discuss the violence in Idlib, the last major…
Russian Energy Exports to U.S. Set 8-Year Record in October
Russia’s energy exports to the United States have reached an eight-year high in October 2019, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data cited by the RBC news website Thursday. Russia exported 20.9 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products to the U.S. in October 2019, the highest one-month total since November 2011. Russia also…
Kremlin’s Dormition Cathedral Undergoes Restoration
Since the 15th century, the Kremlin’s Dormition Cathedral has been the main church of the land, where first grand princes were crowned, then tsars, and finally emperors and empresses. It was also the church where Metropolitans and Patriarchs were enthroned, and where they were interred. The church was built 1475-1479 under Grand Prince Ivan III…
Russia Proposes Internet Ecosystem to Protect Users From ‘Foreign Influence’ – Report
Russia’s state-controlled telecommunications provider is proposing a 260-billion-ruble ($4.1 billion) online ecosystem to “protect users from foreign influence,” the Kommersant business daily reported Wednesday. Rostelecom’s so-called roadmap reportedly envisions the creation of state-run messengers, gaming services, browsers and operating systems. The telecom provider’s ambitious proposal also includes state-controlled content recommendation systems and speech and gesture…
U.S. Steps Up Warnings to Russia Over Syria’s Idlib, Military De-Confliction
The United States on Wednesday stepped up warnings to Russia over its Syria policy, saying Moscow was trying to challenge the U.S. presence in northeastern Syria by violating the terms of a de-confliction agreement and was also helping escalate the fighting in the northwestern province of Idlib. James Jeffrey, U.S. special envoy for Syria engagement…
Russia Says Alarmed by U.S. Deployment of Low-Yield Nuclear Missiles
Russia is alarmed by the U.S. Navy’s decision to deploy low-yield nuclear missiles on submarines since they heighten the risk of a limited nuclear war, a Russian official said on Wednesday. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the deployment of the W76-2 warhead in the name of strengthening deterrence had caused Russia great concern over…
Is Russia’s Church About to Ban Priests From Blessing Nukes?
As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…
Italian Assets Linked to Putin Ally Frozen in U.S. Investor Feud
An Italian court froze assets belonging to a Kremlin adviser’s sister as part of his ownership dispute over a Russian bank with Michael Calvey, a prominent American investor who’s awaiting trial in Moscow on embezzlement charges. A judge in the Tuscan city of Lucca ruled last month that Artem Avetisyan’s sale of real estate holding…
Anti-LGBT Hate Crimes Up in Russia, Watchdog Says
The number of hate crimes against members of Russia’s LGBT community increased in 2019, according to an annual report by the prominent SOVA Center nonprofit, which tracks xenophobia and racism in the country. At the same time, the SOVA Center noted Tuesday that the number of crimes against ethnic and religious minorities, as well as…
Virus Fallout Hits Lake Baikal as Chinese Tourists Stay Away
Winter is high season for tourism around Lake Baikal in Siberia, but the coronavirus outbreak has curtailed its main source of income: Chinese holidaymakers. They account for more than two-thirds of foreign tourists to the world’s largest freshwater lake, a significant part of the around two million Chinese who visited Russia last year, spending more…
Moscow Outlines $231Bln Plan for Arctic Oil Development
A new $231 billion tax regime for the Russian Arctic is to provide for an unprecedented wave of investments in icy drilling. The new legislation was hammered through the government on Jan. 30. It will give national oil companies incentives for major investments in Arctic oil, the country’s new Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin says. “These…
Eleven Centuries of Russian Patterns, Now Online
Russia has become home to the world’s largest digital archive of decorative patterns. The archive, Ornamika.ru, was launched by Maria Loleyt, a former project manager and marketing expert. It contains more than 7,000 authentic decorative patterns created by the national groups that have lived in Russia, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Empire. The ornamental…
Gazprom Transgaz Nizhny Novgorod wins prize at international talent competition
Background Gazprom Transgaz Nizhny Novgorod is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gazprom that delivers natural gas to 15 regions in the Volga and Central Federal Districts of the Russian Federation. The company’s gas transmission system is composed of trunklines stretching for over 13,000 kilometers. Gazprom Transgaz Nizhny Novgorod operates 54 compressor workshops, 284 gas compressor units, 371 gas distribution stations, 2 mobile CNG refuelers, and 4 gas refueling modules located at gas…
Russians Start 2-Week Coronavirus Quarantine After Return From Wuhan
Scores of Russians began two weeks of quarantine and coronavirus tests in a camp in Siberia on Wednesday after being flown home from China’s Wuhan, the city at the epicenter of an outbreak of the fast-spreading disease. Russia, which has restricted crossings along its 4,300 km (2,670-mile) land border with China, last week reported its first…
Siberian Shaman Files Complaint With European Rights Court
As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…