Tag: Russia

  • Russian COVID-19 cases shoot to 18,328

    Russian COVID-19 cases shoot to 18,328

    Russia has registered a total of 18,328 cases of COVID-19 as of Monday, with the number of infected rising by a new daily record of 2,558, latest official data showed.

    The death toll is now 148, with 1,470 people having recovered so far, including 179 in the last 24 hours, Russia’s coronavirus response centre said in a statement.

    Moscow, the worst-hit part of the country, confirmed 1,355 new cases in the last 24 hours, with the total number of infected rising to 11,513.

    To prevent the spread of coronavirus, President Vladimir Putin extended paid leave for all residents until the end of April.

    Nearly all regions have introduced mandatory self-isolation for all residents.

    Some regions have slightly eased isolation rules in recent days, with the Moscow region on Monday introducing passes for people wishing to go out for any other reason than walking their dog or visiting the nearest supermarket or pharmacy. (Xinhua/NAN)

  • Russia closes restaurants as coronavirus case count surpasses 1,000

    Russia closes restaurants as coronavirus case count surpasses 1,000

    Russia is closing restaurants nationwide for a nine-day period starting on Saturday to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as the reported number of cases in the country surpassed 1,000.

    Restaurants will still be able to provide delivery services during that time, according to the decree by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, published on his website on Friday.

    The reported coronavirus cases, including at least three deaths, have been predominantly in Moscow, the country’s capital and largest city. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has warned that the actual number of cases is probably “significantly more.”

    Russia has prohibited regular international flights and imposed strict quarantine measures for anyone entering the country and anyone who could have been exposed to someone infected with the virus.

    The government has opted not to impose lockdown measures such as those seen in neighbouring China and some European countries, including Italy, Spain and France.

    President Vladimir Putin has advised Russians in a nationally televised address to stay at home and said workers should be allowed to take off Monday through Friday next week and still be paid.

    Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, assured the public on Thursday that Russia does not have a coronavirus epidemic. “We still need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario,” he told reporters.

    Denis Protsenko, a doctor heading the treatment of coronavirus patients at a Moscow hospital, believes that Russia will have a better understanding of the impact of the disease in the country next week.

    Protsenko met with Putin earlier this week at the Kommunarka hospital, where the Russian leader donned a hazmat suit and respirator and observed the treatment of coronavirus patients.

    While other world leaders have gone into isolation due to concerns about having been exposed to the virus, Putin has cultivated the image that he is at the forefront of the country’s fight against the pandemic.

    Russia closed its border with neighbouring China, where the disease originated, early on, in January, when the epidemic was beginning to emerge.

    Russian officials have touted that response, as well as the quarantining of incomers into the country, saying they having thwarted a greater spread of the virus than has been experienced by other countries.

    Concerns among the general populace escalated this week as Putin indefinitely postponed a nationwide referendum that had been scheduled for next month to decide whether he can run for re-election.

    Putin, 67, has been in power as president or prime minister for two decades. He is the longest serving Russian or Soviet leader since Joseph Stalin.

    The referendum, on sweeping changes to the constitution, including to bolster the power of the government’s legislative branch, dominated by politicians loyal to Putin, had been promoted for months by Russia’s leadership.

  • Russia closes restaurants nationwide to prevent spread of coronavirus

    Russia closes restaurants nationwide to prevent spread of coronavirus

    Russia on Friday said it would temporarily close restaurants nationwide for a nine-day period effect from Saturday to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
    According to the decree by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, restaurants will still be able to provide delivery services during the period.
    Russia has reported more than 800 cases of coronavirus, predominantly in Moscow, which has seen at least two virus-related deaths.
    Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has warned that the actual number of cases is probably significantly more.
    Russia had since prohibited regular international flights, and imposed strict quarantine measures for anyone entering the country and anyone who could have been exposed to someone infected with the virus.
    The government, however, opted not to impose lockdown measures such as those seen in neighbouring China and some European countries, including Italy, Spain and France.
    Earlier, Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, assured the public that Russia does not have a coronavirus epidemic.
    “We still need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario,” Peskov said.

  • Russia, S/Africa considering equipping BRICS peacekeepers with drones

    Russia, S/Africa considering equipping BRICS peacekeepers with drones

    Russia and South Africa are considering the possibility of cooperation within BRICS to equip peacekeeping missions with intelligence tools, in particular, drones.

    Russian Ambassador to South Africa, Ilya Rogachev, told Sputnik in an interview on Wednesday.

    “Russia and South Africa are considering the possibility of cooperation with BRICS partners to increase the level of combat training of peacekeeping contingents.

    “It includes equipping them with modern reconnaissance equipment, in particular, with unmanned aerial vehicles.’’

    The ambassador recalled that South Africa had about 1,250 peacekeepers, the second-largest number in the bloc after India, deployed abroad.

    According to the diplomat, the majority of South African peacekeepers operate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they actively collaborate with Russian military observers.

  • Russia, Syria under attack at UN over killing of Turkish soldiers

    Russia, Syria under attack at UN over killing of Turkish soldiers

    Russia and Syria on Friday came under strong criticisms from western countries in the UN Security Council over the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in Syria on Thursday.

    According to reports, the soldiers died in an attack by Russia-backed Syrian government forces in the northwestern province of Idlib.

    In separate contributions at an emergency meeting of the council in New York, the United Kingdom, United States, France, Germany, Belgium and Estonia condemned the attack.

    But China expressed tacit support for Syria, saying the Idlib crisis was rooted in control of the province by terrorists, adding that all external peace efforts must respect Syria’s territorial integrity.

    But Dominican Republic, Indonesia, South Africa, Vietnam, Tunisia and Niger took the middle course by calling for immediate ceasefire and urging all parties to explore diplomatic solutions.

    The strongest words of the evening came from the U.S. whose ambassador, Kelly Craft, said she was not at the meeting to listen and discus, but to speak directly without mincing words.

    Describing the attack as senseless and barbaric, Craft said Turkey had her country’s support to “respond in self-defence’’ to the “unjustified attack.”

    The representative of U.K., Jonathan Allen, decried the suffering of the Syrian people caused by “the merciless and disproportionate campaign being waged by the Syrian regime and its Russian backers.”

    Allen painted a graphic picture of the humanitarian crisis resulting from the Syrian government’s military offensive in Idlib and called on those responsible to desist.

    In his contribution, China’s representative, Zhang Jun, said the Syrian conflict had its complicated background, adding that the council must be “impartial, objective and comprehensive’’ in facilitating political settlement.

    Jun recalled a report by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres that terrorists were targeting civilians, journalists and humanitarian workers in Idlib.

    He said: “Eradicating the forces of terror is a necessary requirement for the restoration of peace and stability in Syria and in Idlib.

    “The least of the terrorist groups should be resolutely crushed in accordance with the relevant council resolutions and international law and the safe haven established by terrorist forces in Syria should be liquidated.’’

    The Syrian government sees the opposition forces trying to overthrow it since 2011 as terrorists, a position reaffirmed by the country’s ambassador to the UN, Bashar Ja’afari, at the meeting.

    Ja’afari maintained that the Syrian government would continue to combat terrorism to “liberate every inch of our territories whether through military operations or local reconciliations.”

    He accused Turkey of turning the observation posts in Idlib into operation zones to support the terrorists in their “plundering, looting, kidnapping, torturing, raping’’ and stealing of humanitarian aids.

    Ja’afari alleged that the Turkish soldiers killed on Thursday were operating far away from the observation posts.

    The Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, also backed Ja’afari’s claim that the Turkish soldiers were killed outside the observation posts.

    Nebenzya said Russian and Turkish forces on the ground in Syria were constantly in touch, sharing coordinates of troop positions and conveying same to Syrian forces in real time.

    He said the coordinates received by Russia from Turkey on Thursday did not mention the areas where the soldiers died.

    But the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the UN, Feridun Hadi, dismissed the claim, saying the soldiers died after their convoy was targeted in a series of airstrikes within the de-escalation area.

    “Let me underline that the Turkish forces that were attacked were alone in that area. The logical conclusion of that is they were deliberately attacked.

    “There was prior coordination in writing with Russian forces about the location of our convoy, but airstrikes continued despite our immediate warnings right after the very first attack.

    “Even the ambulances sent for wounded soldiers were targeted. So, this was a belligerent act of aggression against Turkey,’’ he said.

    All members of the council echoed the UN Secretary General’s call for immediate ceasefire, noting that the only solution to the conflict was dialogue and not military confrontation.(NAN)

  • China says shares similar views, positions with Russia on Middle East issue

    China says shares similar views, positions with Russia on Middle East issue

    China said on Thursday it is in close communication with parties including Russia on the Middle East issue.

    China and Russia share highly similar views and positions on this issue, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a daily news briefing in Beijing.

    NAN reports that China and Russia have enhanced military ties in recent years, conducting joint naval drills annually and coordinating security policies across Asia through the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

    President Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia have met more than 30 times since 2013, with the Chinese leader calling his Russian counterpart his “closest foreign colleague.” (Reuters/NAN)