Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 8

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 270,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 187,859 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,723 deaths. May 8: 3 things you need to know today Russia confirmed 10,699 new coronavirus infections…

Coronavirus Deals ‘Powerful Blow’ to Putin’s Grand May 9 Plans

The bombastic military parade through Moscow’s Red Square on Saturday was slated to be the spectacle of the year on the Kremlin’s calendar. Standing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron, President Vladimir Putin would have overseen a 90-minute procession of Russia’s military might, showcasing 15,000 troops and the latest hardware. But…

Moscow Mayor Extends Anti-Virus Lockdown Until May 31

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Thursday that lockdown measures in the Russian capital would be extended until May 31 after the country reported a record increase in coronavirus infections.  “The self-isolation regime of citizens will be extended until May 31,” Sobyanin said on his blog. “It’s still too early to open restaurants, theaters and sport…

Russian Medics Demand Putin’s Promised Coronavirus Bonuses

Russian doctors have launched an online petition calling on President Vladimir Putin to pay his promised bonuses to doctors and other healthcare professionals on the frontline of the coronavirus outbreak. Putin in early April ordered monthly payouts ranging from 25,000 and 50,000 rubles ($300 and $600) for nurses, paramedics and ambulance drivers and 80,000 rubles…

Russian Billionaire Bosov Dies by Suicide

Russian billionaire and coal baron Dmitry Bosov has died by suicide at his home in a Moscow suburb, authorities said Wednesday. Relatives discovered Bosov’s body with gunshot wounds at his home in the luxury village of Usovo in Moscow’s elite suburb of Rublyovka, the country’s Investigative Committee said in a statement. A Glock pistol was…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 7

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 265,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 177,160 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,625 deaths. May 7: 3 things you need to know today Russia confirmed 11,231 new coronavirus infections…

Belarus Expels Russian Journalist Over ‘Fake’ Coronavirus Report: Media

A Russian journalist has been expelled from Belarus over a report that described the neighboring allied country’s dire coronavirus situation, according to the Russian state-run television channel where his report aired. Wednesday’s report on Channel One alleged that Belarussians mistrust their country’s official Covid-19 infection numbers (19,255) and death count (112). In the video report,…

Russia Moves to Gradually Relax Coronavirus Lockdown: Officials

Russia is planning to gradually lift its restrictions on movement and certain industries imposed due to the coronavirus, officials said at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. Putin ordered officials to draw up the measures last week, before Russia saw a four-day streak of more than 10,000 coronavirus cases reported daily. The country…

Putin’s Approval Rating Drops to Historic Low: Poll

President Vladimir Putin’s approval rating has hit a historic low of 59% as the country grapples with the coronavirus crisis, the independent Levada Center polling agency said Wednesday. According to Levada’s results from a phone interview in late April, when most of the country was under enforced lockdown measures, 33% disapproved of Putin’s work.  Putin’s…

Russian Culture Minister Contracts Coronavirus

Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova has tested positive for the coronavirus, the RBC news website reported Wednesday, citing Lyubimova’s spokeswoman. Lyubimova’s diagnosis makes her the third Russian cabinet official to become infected with the virus after construction minister Vladimir Yakushev and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. All three have confirmed their infections in the past week…

Claims of Coronavirus’ Manmade Origin Are Fake, Russia Says

Russian prosecutors have shot down online conspiracy theories about the coronavirus’ manmade origins as fake, the Prosecutor General’s Office said in a statement Wednesday.  Prosecutors ordered Russia’s media watchdog to delete videos claiming that Covid-19 “is a genetically modified bioweapon artificially created to implant microchips into the population and establish a global world order” from…

‘Hostile’ Russia Excluded From U.S. Moon Mining Pact: Reuters

Russia will not be an early partner in the United States’ international agreement on moon mining rights it seeks to negotiate with other countries in the coming weeks, Reuters reported Tuesday. The Trump administration’s so-called Artemis Accords agreement reportedly seeks to establish “safety zones” around future moon bases to prevent damage or interference from rivals,…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 6

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 258,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 155,370 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,451 deaths. May 6: 3 things you need to know today Russia confirmed 10,559 new coronavirus infections…

Germany Seeks Suspected Russian GRU Hacker’s Arrest: Media

Germany has issued an arrest warrant for a suspected Russian military intelligence officer alleged to have hacked servers in the German parliament, the country’s Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported Tuesday. The suspect, Dmitry Badin, 29, is also wanted in the United States on charges of trying to interfere in the country’s 2016 presidential election. A 2018…

Russia Slams NYT for ‘Russophobia’ Following Pulitzer Prize Win

Russian diplomats have slammed The New York Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning series articles about Russia’s covert activities abroad as examples of “Russophobia.” The New York Times won the Pulitzer for international reporting Monday for six investigative articles and two videos that “expos[ed] the predations of Vladimir Putin’s regime” across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Russia’s…

Domestic Abuse in Russia Doubles Amid Virus Lockdown: Official

Domestic abuse has more than doubled since Russia imposed lockdown measures to slow the spread of coronavirus, the country’s top human rights official said Tuesday. More than 13,000 women called Russia’s domestic abuse hotlines in April compared with 6,054 in March, human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova was quoted by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency…

Russia’s Coronavirus Cases Rise By Over 10K for Third Straight Day

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, the highest ranking official to contract the infection, is now “feeling normal,” spokesperson Boris Belyakov said Tuesday. He said Mishustin, who announced he tested positive last week, was continuing treatment under Health Ministry guidance, adding the prime minister is “actively talking with colleagues by phone.” The authorities say they have…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 5

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 252,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 155,370 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,451 deaths. May 5: 3 things you need to know today Russia confirmed 10,102 new coronavirus infections…

Putin Hands World War II Medal to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un

Russian President Vladimir Putin has given North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a commemorative World War II medal for his role in preserving the memory of Soviet soldiers killed in North Korea, Russia’s Embassy in Pyongyang said Tuesday. The ceremony took place at the Mansudae Assembly Hall, where Kim reshuffled North Korea’s highest decision-making body…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 4

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 248,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 145,268 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,356 deaths. May 4: 3 things you need to know today Russia confirmed 10,581 new coronavirus infections…

Explainer: Russia’s Biggest Coronavirus Hotspots

With 145,268 officially confirmed cases as of Monday, Russia has the world’s seventh-most number of confirmed coronavirus infections. Two months after the first case was brought from Italy, the disease has spread to all corners of the world’s largest country and appears to show no signs of slowing down. While more than half of the…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 3

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 244,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 134,687 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,280 deaths. May 3: 3 things you need to know today Russia confirmed 10,633 new coronavirus infections…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 2

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 239,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 124,054 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,222 deaths. May 2: 3 things you need to know today Russia confirmed 9,623 new…

2% of Moscow Residents Have Coronavirus: Mayor

About 2% of Moscow residents — or more than 250,000 people — have the coronavirus, the mayor of the Russian capital said on Saturday, citing test results.  “According to screening tests of various population groups, the real number of the infected is around 2% of Moscow’s total population,” Sergei Sobyanin wrote on his blog. Russia has…

Russian Minister Hospitalized With Coronavirus

Russian construction minister Vladimir Yakushev has been hospitalized with coronavirus, local media said Friday, just a day after the prime minister announced he was infected.  The construction and housing minister’s deputy was also infected, the news agency Interfax reported, as Russia has seen a steady increase in infections that have reached the highest levels of government. “I…

Russia Ditches Putin Mosaic in Army Church

A mosaic featuring Russian President Vladimir Putin will no longer be displayed in a grand military church being built outside Moscow after the leader objected, a cleric said on Friday. Russian Orthodox Bishop Stefan of Klin told news agency Interfax the committee in charge of the church’s interior decoration “decided not to display it” because…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | May 1

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 234,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 114,431 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,169 deaths. May 1: 3 things you need to know today Russian Prime Minister Mikhail…

Russia’s Coronavirus Cases Hit 114K in New One-Day Record Surge

President Vladimir Putin warned Tuesday that Russia had not yet reached the peak of coronavirus infections but said a “phased exit” from the country’s lockdown measures could begin in two weeks. With the number of cases rising by several thousand daily, Putin extended a non-working period across the country until May 11, telling officials to plan for…

Coronavirus Hits Russian Markets | May 1

The Russian economy has been rocked by the coronavirus outbreak, and fears the fresh OPEC+ oil production pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia will not be enough to address a historic fall in demand. The turmoil has shocked traders around the world and resulted in sharp volatility on the Russian stock markets and swings in…

Russian PM Mishustin Diagnosed With Coronavirus

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has been diagnosed with coronavirus, he said during a video meeting with President Vladimir Putin broadcast on the state-run Rossiya 24 television channel Thursday. Mishustin, 54, who was appointed prime minister in January, has played a leading role in Russia’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. He is now self-isolating in the hospital…

Putin’s Virus Response Earns Lower Marks Than Local Leaders’: Poll

More Russians approve of local officials’ coronavirus response efforts than they do of President Vladimir Putin and the federal government’s response to the pandemic, according to a newly published independent survey. In a public address over the pandemic early this month, Putin largely delegated decisionmaking authority to regional leaders due to regional differences in infection rates.…

Vedomosti Sale Delayed Amid Pro-Kremlin Censorship Scandal

The sale of Russia’s top business newspaper Vedomosti has been postponed as the paper struggles to maintain independence under its new chief editor, the Open Media investigative website reported Wednesday. Claims of censorship have swirled around Vedomosti since its sale was announced in March. In the span of a month, acting editor-in-chief Andrei Shmarov has…

Russia Is Coercing Medical Students Into Coronavirus Fight

On Wednesday afternoon, Tatiana, a 22-year-old sixth-year medical student at First Moscow State Medical University, received a message from the university’s administration. Starting Friday, the text read, all students in their fourth year or higher would be deployed to coronavirus hospitals around Moscow. Tatiana, who asked that her last name be withheld, is one of…

Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | April 30

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 227,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 106,498 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 1,073 deaths. April 30: 3 things you need to know today Russia confirmed 7,099 new coronavirus infections…

4 in 5 Young Russians Are Apolitical: Poll

More than 80% of young Russians have no interest in politics, according to a new survey on Generation Z’s values published by the Vedomosti business daily Thursday. Russian authorities have targeted the country’s youth with several initiatives, including a ban on minors attending protests, funding for military and patriotic education and a plan to monitor youngsters’ online…