Gazprom promoting breakthrough ideas in energy sector

Business

December 14, 2020, 15:15 The Global Energy Association, an international organization co-founded by Gazprom, presented its first annual report “Ten Breakthrough Ideas in Energy for the Next 10 Years” written by academics from Russia, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Iran. The report outlines the key ideas of studies aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of energy industries, including by developing energy efficiency and energy conservation practices.…

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Russian Actor Valentin Gaft Dies at 85

Moscow

Popular Soviet and Russian actor Valentin Gaft died on Saturday at the age of 85 after suffering a long illness. His wife, actress Olga Ostroumova, told Russian media that Gaft had suffered a serious stroke in 2019 and had been in a medical center for long-term care and rehabilitation. Valentin Gaft was born in 1935…

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Energy of Victories marks its 10th anniversary

Business

December 14, 2020, 12:45 The awarding of the winners and laureates of the 10thEnergy of Victories national sports journalism festival contest, organized by the Russian Olympic Committee and the Federation of Sports Journalists of Russia with the backing of Gazprom, took place on December 11 in Moscow. The winners of the 10th Energy of Victories national sports journalism festival contest are as follows: Best Article (federal media): 1st…

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U.S. Eyes Closing 2 Remaining Russian Consulates – Kommersant

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The United States is considering closing its two remaining consulates in Russia amid the coronavirus pandemic and continued bilateral tensions, the Kommersant business daily reported Monday, citing unnamed diplomatic sources. The U.S. in March temporarily suspended operations at its Vladivostok consulate and reduced services at the Yekaterinburg consulate due to the Covid-19 outbreak. According to…

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U.S. Government Confirms Cyberattack After Reports of Russia-Linked Hacking

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The U.S. government confirmed Sunday that its computer networks had been hit by a cyberattack, as The Washington Post reported at least two departments had been targeted by Russian state hackers. “We have been working closely with our agency partners regarding recently discovered activity on government networks,” a spokesperson for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency…

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Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Dec. 15

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Russia has confirmed 2,681,256 cases of coronavirus and 47,391 deaths. Dec. 15: What you need to know today Russia confirmed 27,328 coronavirus cases and 450 deaths Monday. Moscow municipal workers as well as residents working in the culture and service sectors will be able to receive Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine starting Monday, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced. The new “risk groups”…

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Belarus Protesters Demand Lukashenko’s Resignation

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Protesters in Belarus weathered icy conditions Sunday, hitting the streets to demand the resignation of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko who is facing down months of historic protests against his rule. The Viasna rights group said dozens of people were detained in Minsk as authorities deployed water cannon and large numbers of law enforcement blocked off areas of…

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Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Dec. 14

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Russia has confirmed 2,653,928 cases of coronavirus and 46,453 deaths. Dec. 14: What you need to know today Russia confirmed 28,080 coronavirus cases and 488 deaths Sunday. Moscow municipal workers as well as residents working in the culture and service sectors will be able to receive Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine starting Monday, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced. The new “risk groups”…

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Karabakh Ceasefire Breached, Says Russian Army

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The Russian army on Saturday reported a violation of the ceasefire that ended the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in November in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.  “One case of ceasefire violation was reported on 11 December in the Hadrut district,” said a statement from the Russian Defence Ministry, which has deployed peacekeepers to the…

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Russian Pryaniki: Ginger All the Way!

Moscow

Ready or not, here come the holidays!  Hanukkah has begun, bringing with it a most welcome celebration of light, faith, and hope (and latkes), and Western Christmas, New Year and Orthodox Christmas are not far behind. This year the celebrations have a more muted quality; it’s hard to go wassailing all over the town with…

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People Who Ordered Nemtsov Murder Found, Putin Says

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A Kremlin-initiated investigation has found the individuals who ordered the murder of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov in 2015, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday during a meeting of the presidential human rights council.  Nemtsov, one of Putin’s most vocal critics, was shot and killed on a bridge near the Kremlin walls in February 2015. A gunman and…

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Russia Probes Mystery Seal Die-Off

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Russian authorities said Friday they were investigating the mysterious death of nearly 300 endangered seals that had been discovered washed up on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Between Sunday and Thursday, 272 dead Caspian seals had been found at a number of locations in the southern region of Dagestan including its regional capital Makhachkala…

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Suicide Bombing in Russia’s North Caucasus Injures 6

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An alleged suicide bomber has attacked a security service building in the southern Russian republic of Karachayevo-Cherkessia, injuring at least six, news outlets and authorities reported Friday. Russia’s National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) said the unidentified bomber detonated himself while authorities attempted to detain him in the village of Uchkeken some 1,500 kilometers south of Moscow.…

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New Alliance Hopes to Raise Awareness of Arctic Environmental Crisis

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Independent experts and journalists from Russia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland have formed a regional alliance to share information and publicize stories about environmental damage. The Barents Region Independent Environmental Society (BRIES), aims to create an international communications platform where specialists in the field of environmental protection can share their knowledge and up-to-date information with…

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Russian Military Slams Foreign Anti-Vaccine ‘Sabotage’

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A foreign-funded campaign is being waged to discredit Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Friday as the country prepares a mass immunization drive. Spokesman Igor Konashenkov warned of “pseudo-analytical investigations” and “fake witness accounts” alleging the dangers of Sputnik V and mass refusals, including by Russian troops, to inoculate. “We know in…

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Russian Arctic Sailings Set 2020 Record

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A record number of vessels have in 2020 sailed through Russia’s shipping lane in the rapidly melting Arctic known as the Northern Sea Route, Reuters has reported. The news agency said Norway’s Center for High North Logistics (CHNL) logistics foundation has recorded 62 full transit voyages through the Northern Sea Route as of Wednesday. Ships…

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EU Extends Sanctions Anti-Russia Over Ukraine

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European Union leaders Thursday extended punishing economic sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine for another six months, an EU spokesman said. The sanctions, which target whole sectors of the Russian economy including its valuable oil businesses, were extended to mid-2021. The measures over Russia’s role in the conflict were first imposed after Malaysian…

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Azerbaijan Holds Nagorno-Karabakh Victory Parade

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Azerbaijan held a massive victory parade in Baku on Thursday in honor of its victory over Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The conflict, which lasted for 44 days and left 5,000 dead, ended in a Moscow-brokered peace deal in which Azerbaijan made heavy territorial gains. Over 3,000 military servicemen took part in the parade, whose…

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U.S. Sanctions Kadyrov Associates Over Human Rights Abuses

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The United States slapped sanctions on a handful of companies and individuals connected to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov on Thursday, accusing them of “gross human rights violations” including “torture, extrajudicial executions and illegal abductions.” The network was implicated in the 2015 assassination of leading Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov and the torture and murder of…

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Cecil Beaton Comes ‘Home’ to Russia

Moscow

‘Cecil Beaton: Celebrating Celebrity,’ the first major show of one the greatest photographers of the 20th century in the Hermitage’s General Staff building brings together about 100 photographs and sketches by, highlighting his role as a herald of celebrity culture and its dedicated advocate. The display is a collaboration with Cecil Beaton’s Studio Archive and…

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Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Dec. 11

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Russia has confirmed 2,569,126 cases of coronavirus and 45,280 deaths. Dec. 11: What you need to know today Russia confirmed 27,927 coronavirus cases and 562 deaths Thursday. All of Russia’s regions will start mass vaccination against the coronavirus by the end of this week, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova confirmed Thursday.  Russia recorded more deaths in October than in…

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Kremlin Walks Back Putin Claims on Jailed Ex-Journalist’s Treason Charges

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President Vladimir Putin misspoke Thursday by asserting that treason charges against former journalist Ivan Safronov relate to his short-lived career at Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos this year.  Putin, speaking to the presidential human rights council, claimed that Safronov is being prosecuted for passing secrets to the European special services while at Roscosmos and not…

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Management Committee approves Gazprom’s tax policy framework for 2021–2023

Business

December 10, 2020, 16:50 The Gazprom Management Committee approved the Company’s tax policy framework for the year 2021 and the 2022–2023 planning period. One of the key objectives of the tax policy is to continue the gradual transition to tax monitoring at the companies of the Gazprom Group. It was noted that the online interactions with the Federal Taxation Service have proven highly effective. As of today, seven subsidiaries…

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Winners of corporate occupational health and safety contest awarded

Business

December 10, 2020, 16:45 The winners of the occupational health and safety management contest for the subsidiaries of Gazprom in 2017–2019 were awarded at the meeting of the Company’s Management Committee. Among the gas production, processing and storage subsidiaries, Gazprom Dobycha Astrakhan emerged as the winner, Gazprom UGS took second place, and Gazprom Dobycha Urengoy won third place. Among the gas transportation…

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Innovative program for geological exploration project management wins top Science and Technology Prize

Business

December 10, 2020, 16:40 The award ceremony for the 2020 edition of Gazprom’s Science and Technology Prize took place at the meeting of the Company’s Management Committee. The paper entitled “Creating and implementing innovative analytics software tools for the assessment, shaping and effective management of geological exploration projects and portfolios at the licensed areas of the Gazprom Group” by NIIgazeconomika won the top prize at the…

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Russia Moves to Further Curb Protests

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Russian lawmakers have approved new restrictions on protests, prompting criticism from the opposition that they violate Russians’ constitutional rights. Deputies in Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, approved a pair of bills Wednesday that ban foreign funding for protest organizers as well as rallies outside law enforcement and security buildings. If they come…

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‘Gross Violation’: In Open Letter, Russian Scientists Criticize Lack of Vaccine Data

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A group of scientists from leading Russian universities has blasted the development process of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine as “completely unacceptable” and “ridiculous” in an open letter raising new concerns over a lack of sufficient data on its safety and effectiveness. The experts said Russia’s state-run Gamaleya Research Institute, which is developing the jab,…

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1 in 5 Young Russians Would Vote for Putin: Poll

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President Vladimir Putin’s support among young voters has roughly halved in the past year, according to independent survey results released Thursday. If 36% of voters aged 18-24 said they would cast their ballots for Putin in 2019, only 20% expressed the same intention in November 2020, the Levada Center polling agency said. While sociologists have…

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Gazprom International Children’s social programme Football for Friendship unites children from over 100 countries and sets new Guinness World Records™ title

Business

December 10, 2020, 14:45 The Eighth Season of the Gazprom International Children’s Social Programme Football for Friendship has finished. This season, the first-ever Football for Friendship eWorld Championship united young athletes from 104 countries. Over 1 million people participated in the events of the Eighth Season.  “Uniting friends – uniting the world” is the slogan of the Gazprom International Children’s Social Programme Football for…

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Museum of Self-Isolation Opens To Empty Halls

Moscow

“75 Days, 80 Stories, Jan. 15.”That is the number of days Muscovites were in quarantine in the spring, the number of personal stories the Museum of Moscow and Triumf Gallery have collected, and the date that the on-site part of this exhibition will open (hopefully). The on-site show has four sections of works by artists…

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Russian Cossacks to Enforce New Year’s Ban

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Authorities in southern Russia say they will deploy uniformed Cossacks alongside police officers on New Year’s Eve to enforce a ban on mass celebrations due to the coronavirus pandemic. Krasnodar region Governor Venyamin Kondratyev called off Christmas and New Year celebrations to slow the spread of Covid-19 as the popular domestic tourism destination saw record-breaking…

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Belarus Blocks Land Border Exits

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Belarus will suspend departures from its ground borders due to the coronavirus situation, a government decree published Thursday says.  Starting Dec. 20, Belarus will prohibit its citizens as well as foreigners with permanent or temporary residency to cross the border via automobile checkpoints, simplified checkpoints, checkpoints at railway stations or in river ports. Departures may…

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Moscow Communists Spread Coronavirus Vaccine Misinformation – Reports

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Russian Communist Party members distributed anti-vaccination leaflets in Moscow falsely claiming there is no coronavirus pandemic, the Podyom Telegram news channel reported Wednesday. The leaflets, reportedly handed out to protesters outside the Moscow Mayor’s Office, called Covid-19 vaccination the “rebirth of fascism” and equated the jab to weapons of mass destruction. According to Podyom, they…

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Russia Denies Turkish Report of Sputnik Vaccine Refusal

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Russia has denied a Turkish newspaper report that Turkey won’t purchase Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine. Russia’s state-run TASS news agency on Wednesday cited Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca telling the Habertürk newspaper that the vaccine had failed to obtain a license in Turkey. TASS later quoted a source in the Russian Direct Investment Fund as…

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Gazprom Transgaz Surgut creating reserve of key personnel immune to coronavirus

Business

News from projects and regions December 9, 2020, 19:10 Gazprom Transgaz Surgut is taking additional measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus infection. The measures involve the key personnel of the gas transmission company’s units and services who are essential to the continuity and reliability of the production process. The restrictions on access to the company’s facilities and the workplaces of the…

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Russian Cosmonauts to Receive Sputnik Virus Jab

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The Russian space agency said on Wednesday it planned to offer the Sputnik coronavirus vaccine to cosmonauts but insisted that the vaccination would be done on a voluntary basis. Last week Russia launched its mass vaccination program using Sputnik V, which has been named after a Soviet-era satellite. Developers say it is 95 percent effective based on…

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Russia Signs Deal to Open Naval Base in Sudan

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Russia has signed an agreement with Sudan to build a naval base on the country’s Red Sea coast, in Moscow’s latest push into Africa as it seeks to renew its geopolitical clout. The deal, published on the Russian government’s website Tuesday, will see Moscow establish a “logistical support center” in Port Sudan where “repairs and resupply…

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