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A number of Russian vendors have begun to raise drug prices by up to 15% because of the ruble’s devaluation during the coronavirus pandemic, Russia’s Kommersant business daily reported Thursday. Industry experts link the price hike to manufacturers spending more on imported active ingredients and the upkeep of foreign equipment as the Russian currency has […]

One-third of all coronavirus infections in a northwestern Russian region are concentrated in a crowded hostel that houses migrant workers involved in construction at an IKEA-owned shopping mall, local media reported Wednesday. The Leningrad region, which surrounds Russia’s second-largest city of St. Petersburg, has reported 330 Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak. Over […]

Russian President Vladimir Putin believes the global coronavirus pandemic is an opportunity for his country to work together with the United States, the Kremlin said Thursday. “President Putin believes this pandemic is the time to help each other,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, after U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday offered to send ventilators […]

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 […]

The independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper has deleted its investigation into the republic of Chechnya’s strict anti-coronavirus measures after Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov issued a threat to the journalist who wrote it. Kadyrov said Monday that Novaya Gazeta’s story on Chechens underreporting potential coronavirus symptoms out of fear for their safety would lead “someone” to “commit […]

Ukraine and Russian-backed rebels in the country’s east carried out their first prisoner exchange of the year Thursday, over a month after the sides had tentatively planned to hold the exchange. Kiev held talks with the Kremlin in early March on exchanging the remaining prisoners from the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The sides eventually reached […]

In between studying for exams coming up next week, Tatiana, a 22-year-old sixth-year medical student at First Moscow State Medical University, is working as a nurse at Kommunarka, Moscow’s main coronavirus hospital.  For someone who has eight weeks of clinical experience from previous summer internships, working in the middle of a pandemic is a step […]

The United States, the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, could send Russia ventilators to help the country battle its record-setting rise in coronavirus cases, U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday. His announcement follows controversy over Russia’s shipment of medical supplies to the U.S., which Moscow described as humanitarian aid and Washington said it had paid […]

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 134,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 27,938 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 232 deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia as of April 16. […]

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 […]

The Russian economy has been rocked by the coronavirus outbreak, and the breakdown of the OPEC+ oil production pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The turmoil has shocked traders around the world and resulted in sharp volatility on the Russian stock markets and swings in the value of the ruble. The latest on the markets, […]

Russia tested an anti-satellite weapon capable of destroying satellites in low orbit on Wednesday, U.S. Space Force chief Gen. John Raymond said, accusing Moscow of threatening U.S. space assets. The direct-ascent anti-satellite missile test “provides yet another example that the threats to U.S. and allied space systems are real, serious and growing,” he said. In […]

Russia is seeing a surge in illegal hunting as the country has entered coronavirus lockdown, the global conservation group World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Russia said Tuesday. WWF Russia experts said they saw the increase while comparing recent data on poaching activity with the same period last year, particularly in the Far East, the Murmansk […]

Two Russians will face trial in France over a vicious assault that left an English fan partially paralyzed during Euro 2016, a judicial source said on Wednesday. Mikhail Ivkine, 34, and Pavel Kosov, 33, risk up to 15 years behind bars if found guilty of the attack on Andrew Bache. The trial is expected to […]

Russian veterans on Wednesday urged President Vladimir Putin to postpone a military parade to mark the 75th anniversary of Soviet victory in World War II, due to the coronavirus risk to participants. Russia has so far not dropped plans to hold a massive parade with thousands of troops marching through Red Square on May 9, […]

President Vladimir Putin announced a new package of measures to support Russia’s businesses hit by the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday. In the Russian president’s fourth televised statement in as many weeks about the coronavirus pandemic, he promised direct financial support to businesses hit hardest by the nationwide lockdown, including small and medium-sized […]

Prominent Russian doctor and media personality Alexander Myasnikov will take charge of the national coronavirus information center, BBC Russia reported Wednesday. Myasnikov, who frequently appears as an expert on pro-Kremlin pundit Vladimir Solovyov’s program, has become known for his optimistic outlook toward the pandemic. He previously predicted that it would be “impossible” for the virus […]

Russian officials denounced U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to cut Washington’s funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread around the world. Trump announced Tuesday that his administration will suspend its funding to the UN health body as it reviews what it calls the “WHO’s role in severely mismanaging […]

On a freezing Sunday in Moscow in March, Maria Mukhina received a phone call. The 27-year-old had recently returned from London with what she thought was a winter cold, traveling through Germany and Finland in a rush to get home before Russia sealed its borders to stop the spread of the coronavirus.  Arriving at Terminal […]

The Murmansk region’s coronavirus outbreak is largely concentrated at a construction site run by one of Russia’s biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) producers, the investigative Novaya Gazeta newspaper reported Wednesday. The region in Russia’s Arctic recorded 137 new infections on Wednesday, most of which were among employees at Novatek’s construction site in the village of […]

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 126,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 24,490 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 198 deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia as of April 15. […]

Muscovites complained of large queues outside metro stations and severe traffic jams on the first day of the city’s mandatory digital lockdown passes, prompting concern that the coronavirus could spread further. Moscow’s digital pass system, created to monitor and enforce residents’ movements around the city during its coronavirus lockdown, was first introduced on Monday and […]

The Russian economy has been rocked by the coronavirus outbreak, and the breakdown of the OPEC+ oil production pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The turmoil has shocked traders around the world and resulted in sharp volatility on the Russian stock markets and swings in the value of the ruble. The latest on the markets, […]

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 […]

The Ukrainian security service said on Tuesday it has detained a high-ranking employee on suspicion of spying for Russia and planning terror attacks. The investigation has uncovered “indisputable evidence” including audio and video recordings which show that Major General Valery Shaytanov had planned terror attacks in Ukraine and collected intelligence for Russia’s FSB security service, […]

Russians’ opinions toward President Vladimir Putin have become more negative for a third consecutive year as he pursues constitutional changes that will allow him to extend his rule through 2036, according to a survey published by the independent Levada Center pollster on Tuesday.  Putin’s approval rating reached an all-time high of 87% after Russia annexed […]

Similar population density means Russia’s coronavirus outbreak could hit Moscow with the same intensity as it has hit New York City, the epicenter of the United States’ outbreak, a top virologist has warned. The Russian capital has reported 13,002 out of Russia’s 21,102 coronavirus cases as of Tuesday, a fraction of the 106,763 confirmed cases […]

Erik Prince, a security contractor with close ties to U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, offered military services to Russia’s Wagner mercenary group in Libya and Mozambique earlier this year, investigative website The Intercept reported Monday. The Wagner Group, a sanctioned outfit with links to the Kremlin through a sanctioned catering magnate, has been reported to […]

Russia has been seeing an increase in coronavirus infections despite a series of confinement measures, prompting President Vladimir Putin to warn of “extraordinary” scenarios.  Here are five things to know about the epidemic in Russia: Where is the virus spreading? Moscow, with a population of more than 12 million people, is the coronavirus epicenter in […]

After a deluge of imported coronavirus cases, a province in northeastern China is offering cash rewards of up to 5,000 yuan (700 USD) for help in catching people who illegally cross the Russian border. Weeks after the cancelling international flights and banning entry to foreigners, China is still struggling to contain a spike in imported […]

Ukraine said Tuesday only small isolated fires remain at the scene of a blaze that erupted 10 days ago in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, scene of the world’s worst nuclear accident in 1986. “There is no open fire,” the emergency services said in a statement, adding that radiation levels are within the norm. Chernobyl polluted […]

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has threatened an investigative journalist Monday for a “provocative” story on the Russian region’s strict anti-coronavirus measures, the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper reported. The story, authored by Novaya Gazeta journalist Yelena Milashina, cited quarantined Chechens as saying Sunday that they stopped reporting coronavirus symptoms for fear of being labeled “terrorists.” Kadyrov […]

A lack of aid for Moscow’s small and medium businesses hit by the coronavirus lockdown will lead to mass starvation and widespread protests, opposition lawmakers have reportedly warned Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Moscow and its 12.7 million residents have been under lockdown since March 30, with all nonessential businesses and activities suspended until at least May […]

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 119,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to slow the pandemic’s spread within its borders. There have been 21,102 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 170 deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia as of April 14. […]

Russian nationals in Italy are offering Italians money to film themselves thanking Russia and President Vladimir Putin for recent coronavirus aid, Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper reported Sunday. Russia dispatched army medics in March to help disinfect hospitals and care facilities in a northern Italian region that has been hit hardest by the country’s coronavirus outbreak. […]

The Russian economy has been rocked by the coronavirus outbreak, and the breakdown of the OPEC+ oil production pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The turmoil has shocked traders around the world and resulted in sharp volatility on the Russian stock markets and swings in the value of the ruble. The latest on the markets, […]

Hundreds of firefighters on Monday battled a forest blaze in Ukraine’s Chernobyl exclusion zone while officials insisted there was no risk to the ruined reactor and nearby storage facilities for nuclear waste. “There is no threat to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the storage facilities,” Volodymyr Demchuk, a senior official from Ukraine’s emergency service, said […]

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’s coronavirus outbreak is deteriorating and its new cases are getting more severe, President Vladimir Putin warned Monday as the country reported its highest day-to-day spike in infections to date. Russia has reported 18,328 overall coronavirus cases and 148 total deaths, making it the world’s 15th most-affected country as of Monday.  “We see that the […]

China’s northernmost province has tightened its border controls to prevent new coronavirus infections from neighboring Russia, Bloomberg reported Monday.  A growing number of Chinese nationals have returned from Russia with the virus, threatening a second wave after the country where the pandemic originated has largely brought its domestic outbreak under control. The estimated 250 coronavirus […]

Alisa Yereminva, age 21, readies food to bring to her elderly relatives. For the past two weeks, to do this Yeremina first has to ask permission and then wait for approval by text message. While Moscow was considering the use of digital passes to enforce coronavirus lockdown measures, the entire 3.8 million population of Russia’s republic […]

The chief editor of Russia’s leading business newspaper Vedomosti has deleted a column critical of Igor Sechin, the head of the state-controlled oil giant Rosneft, three weeks after his controversial hiring at the outlet. The move is acting editor-in-chief Andrei Shmarov’s second decision to alter or delete an article related to Rosneft since Vedomosti’s new […]

Nearly 90 residents at a nursing home in western Russia are suspected to have contracted the coronavirus after one of its employees contracted the fast-spreading virus, regional officials said at an emergency meeting Sunday. The staffer at the nursing home in the Smolensk region town of Vyazma had gone to work without symptoms as recently […]

Thousands of Russian Orthodox Church parishioners across the country celebrated Orthodox Palm Sunday on April 12 as Russia saw record numbers of new coronavirus infections. Officially, the Church has urged its 164 million worshippers to pray at home during the pandemic, with many offering live-streamed liturgies online. However, the Church has refused to close its […]

Moscow is tightening its lockdown with digital passes this week as the Russian capital’s coronavirus count surpassed 10,000 cases and officials warned of a continued influx of patients. Here’s an overview of what the citywide pass system means for Muscovites’ everyday life: When does it start? — Digital passes will become mandatory this Wednesday but […]

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 […]

The Russian economy has been rocked by the coronavirus outbreak, and the breakdown of the OPEC+ oil production pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The turmoil has shocked traders around the world and resulted in sharp volatility on the Russian stock markets and swings in the value of the ruble. The latest on the markets, […]