Russia
Putin may seek another term if Russia passes constitutional changes
Vladimir Putin is considering running for a new term as Russia’s president if voters approve constitutional changes that would enable him to do so, Russian news agencies quoted him as saying in an interview on Sunday.Russia will hold a nationwide vote from June 25 to July 1 on proposed changes
Russian leader Putin has ‘disinfection tunnel’ to protect him from coronavirus
Visitors meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin at his country residence must first pass through a walk-through device that sprays them with disinfectant, to protect him from the coronavirus, officials said.Putin has been self-isolating at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow under lockdown
Russia fires anti-tank gun at oil well to put out blaze at Siberian oil plant
Russia said on Monday it had successfully put out a fire at a Siberian oil well after officials called in the military to shoot anti-tank artillery shells at the wellhead from a distance in order to quell the flames.The well in Siberia’s Irkutsk region, operated by a subsidiary of the Irkutsk
Russia plans rocket tests, lunar program resumption in 2021
Russia on Sunday put a brave face on the loss of its space travel monopoly, saying it planned to test two new rockets this year and resume its lunar program in 2021. The comments from the Russian space agency Roscosmoc came after US entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX became the world’s fir
Military helicopter crash-lands in Russia, kills 4 on board
A Russian military helicopter crash-landed on an airfield Tuesday in the far eastern region of Chukotka, killing four people, the military said.The crash involving a Mi-8 helicopter may have been caused by a technical malfunction, the Defense Ministry said. Three crew members and a technician
Russia’s Putin makes Kremlin appearance as coronavirus restrictions ease
President Vladimir Putin made a rare recent appearance in the Kremlin on Monday as Russia prepares to ease lockdown restrictions imposed over the coronavirus pandemic. The 67-year-old has worked remotely over the past few weeks from his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, chairing meetings with
Russia, Belarus mark Victory Day in contrasting events
Russian President Vladimir Putin marked Victory Day, the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, in a ceremony shorn of its usual military parade and pomp by the coronavirus pandemic. In neighboring Belarus, however, the ceremonies went ahead in full, with tens of thousands of pe
Kremlin questions reliability of coronavirus allegations by junior medic
The Kremlin on Thursday questioned the reliability of allegations by a former junior medic at Moscow’s main coronavirus hospital of lax safety standards and miserable pay.Natalya Lyubimaya was brought in to work at Moscow’s Kommunarka hospital by an outsourcing company. She said in a vid
Russian envoy to Denmark says U.S. provokes Arctic peace
Russia’s ambassador to Denmark has accused Washington of provoking confrontation in the Arctic in order to achieve dominance in a region where Moscow has invested heavily. The accusation came after the United States last week announced $12.1 million in economic aid to Greenland, a semi-autono
Putin, Trump spoke on phone about oil market situation: Kremlin
US President Donald Trump spoke on the phone Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss stabilizing global energy markets, which have been heavily impacted by decreasing demand from the coronavirus pandemic, the White House and Kremlin said in statements. The Kremlin says the two leade
With small businesses suffering, Putin faces criticism over shutdown
Left with no income because of the coronavirus lockdown, Dmitry Volodin, the co-owner of several bars in Moscow, says he’s getting inadequate government support, and he has no idea how he can keep paying his staff and his rent.President Vladimir Putin last week gave many Russians the rest of t
Fake news or the truth? Russia cracks down on virus postings
Two weeks ago, an opposition-leaning radio station in Russia interviewed political analyst Valery Solovei, who alleged the government was lying when it said no one had died in the country from the coronavirus. Solovei told radio station Echo Moskvy at least 1,600 people might have died since mid-Ja
Moscow city: people ignoring coronavirus self-isolation rules could face prison
Moscow city authorities threatened prison terms of up to five years on Sunday for people failing to self-isolate in their homes for two weeks after visiting countries hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak. The city government had announced a “high alert regime” and imposed extra measures
It's a wrap: Russian Batmobile towed away in plastic after city jaunt
A would-be Russian superhero returned to reality with a bump when police pulled him over as he drove a replica Batmobile through Moscow. The vehicle was too wide for the city’s streets and had not been certified as roadworthy, a Moscow interior ministry spokesman said late on Tuesday. Police
Putin’s aide Surkov leaves post: Kremlin
Vladislav Surkov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir, has left his post, the Kremlin said in a statement on Tuesday. Surkov was previously in charge of advice on Russia’s relationship with Ukraine but earlier in February the Kremlin said that it would now be handled by the Ukrainian-born d
'There will be dad and mum': Putin rules out Russia legalizing gay marriage
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday Russia would not legalize gay marriage as long as he was in the KremlinHe made clear he would not allow the traditional notion of mother and father to be subverted by what he called “parent number 1” and “parent number 2”. “As
EU slaps sanctions on seven more people in Russian-annexed Crimea
The European Union added seven Russian-backed officials in Crimea to its sanctions blacklist on Tuesday for organizing local elections in the peninsula last year. The decision came after Cyprus came on board, as any EU move on sanctions requires unanimity. Nicosia had stalled the process in recent
Putin calls for summit of UN security council permanent members
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called for a summit in 2020 of leaders of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to “defend peace” in the face of global instability. A summit for states that “hold special responsibility to save civilization” would
