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[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T14:51:18 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fphotogalleries%2Frussian-zoo-welcomes-nighttime-visitors-55143.json | en | null | Russian Zoo Welcomes Nighttime Visitors | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | 5 hours ago
Teeter’s TV Take-Out: And Then There Were None, Tango & Cash and More Moscow TV and Film
It’s Back to School Week, but Moscow TV offers some good reasons for playing hooky and doing some cinema “homework.” This Monday through Friday you can learn: what made the glamour couple of Soviet Hollywood tick, what happened when the co-author of “Andrei Rublev” directed Sylvester Stallone (or tried to) and how themes from “Grand Theft Auto” and “Hamlet” combined to make one of the most beloved Soviet films of ... | https://themoscowtimes.com/photogalleries/russian-zoo-welcomes-nighttime-visitors-55143 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/32ad4ae9435e36dcb1b2194a2b6e745da8ade872290b9f36fc0f17ea81fb9929.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-30T10:51:48 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fchinese-embassy-in-kyrgyzstan-hit-by-suicide-bombing-55152.json | en | null | Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan Hit by Suicide Bomb | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | A suicide bomber has attacked the Chinese embassy in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek in a suspected terrorist attack, the Kyrgyz government has confirmed.
A car packed with explosives was driven into the gates of the Chinese embassy at 10 A.M. on Tuesday morning, an Interior Ministry spokesperson said. The force of the resulting explosion shattered windows in surrounding buildings, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency reported.
The driver of the car was killed, while three Kyrgyz security guards were injured, a spokesperson for the country’s prime minister told RIA Novosti. No Chinese diplomats were hurt in the attack, he said.
The Kyrgyz government is now meeting with security services to discuss national security during the country's Independence Day celebrations on Aug.31, the government’s press office said in a statement. This year will mark 25 years of the country's independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/chinese-embassy-in-kyrgyzstan-hit-by-suicide-bombing-55152 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/c80bdc46c5db6f75700cdb12069c1039b333c56944518bd837c2bff1db29b1e2.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:13:04 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fputin-orders-immediate-inspection-of-militarys-combat-readiness-55100.json | en | null | Putin Orders Inspection of Russia's Combat Readiness | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered an immediate review of Russia’s combat readiness, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Thursday.
The inspection will determine the readiness of Russian forces on the Ukrainian border to “deploy forces at short notice to localize crises,” said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
The inspection will also assess the western and central military districts capacity to project force to Russia’s south-western region, Shoigu said.
The country’s Northern Fleet aerospace forces and airborne troops will also be tested, RIA Novosti reported.
Analysts have noted a recent build-up of Russian troops along its border with Ukraine, and in Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014. Ties between Ukraine and Russia have become increasingly strained this month after the Kremlin accused the Ukrainian military of killing two Russian servicemen during an incursion into Crimea. They have also accused Kiev of planning terrorist attacks on the peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
Kiev has denied the accusations, claiming that they are a pretext for “further Russian aggression.” Ukraine ordered its military to its highest state of combat readiness earlier this month. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/putin-orders-immediate-inspection-of-militarys-combat-readiness-55100 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/eb8c32566ba4bba115e4186265b30dee941e4d4f0bec80d0610aab6f550d039a.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:09:16 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fmade-in-china-how-russia-is-teaching-beijing-to-play-hockey-55096.json | en | null | Made in China: How Russia Is Teaching Beijing to Play Hockey | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | After three straight preseason losses, Beijing’s Red Star won their first match in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Barely six weeks old, they toppled Kazakhstan’s Barys Astana 3-1, prompting a team-to-team fight. Three days later, when the two teams met again, it was clear that a new KHL rivalry has been born. It was the first game of Kazakhstan’s President’s Cup—a traditional curtain-raiser for the KHL season in late August. Tension between the teams was apparent within the first three minutes. Astana player Dmitry Rypsayev tried to single-handedly fight the entire Red Star roster, and saw some success. Going into this Aug. 8 match with just 23 games of KHL play under his belt, Ryspayev had yet to score a single goal. But with 194 minutes spent in the penalty box during that time, the young Kazakh’s genius for on-ice violence was clear. Red Star didn’t have anyone on their roster to match that kind of pugilistic talent. The team’s Russian coach, Vladimir Yurzinov Jr., pulled his players from the ice. It was a strategic decision: accept a forfeit and ensure the team is healthy enough to fight another day. This matchup was, after all, intended to be a friendly preseason game and trial run leading into the Aug. 22 start of the KHL season. For Red Star, these games were also intended to set the stage for their arrival in Beijing for their first home game on Sept. 5. Fighting would give the new Chinese audience the wrong idea about hockey, the KHL reasoned. When the league decided to hand Ryspayev a lifetime ban on Aug. 18, it used precisely those reasons to justify it. While there is a place for fair fighting in hockey, said KHL President Dmitry Chernyshenko, there is no place for Ryspayev’s assault on the “newcomer.” “We are constantly working to attract a new audience and broaden the game’s geographical reach,” Chernyshenko continued, “and Ryspayev’s behavior is not merely harmful in a sporting context, it also blackens the image of the league.”
The Great Game Kunlun Red Star, as the team is officially known, is China’s first team to join the Russian-dominated KHL. Behind the National Hockey League (NHL), the KHL is widely regarded as the second most competitive hockey league in the world. While there has been talk for over a year that Beijing was trying to assemble a KHL team, Red Star only joined the league on June 25. The ceremony inducting Red Star into the KHL was picturesque. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Beijing for a series of high-level state negotiations, sat next to his counterpart Xi Jinping. The two watched as KHL Vice President Roman Rotenberg and chairman of the KHL board Gennady Timchenko— both longtime Putin allies—signed a formal agreement with Red Star’s management. Ostensibly a Chinese team—ownership remains murky—Red Star is coached and managed by seasoned Russians. The club has an explicit mission: to play a central role in developing Chinese hockey ahead of Beijing’s hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics, says Red Star General Manager Vladimir Krechin. Hockey is one of the contest’s most prestigious events, and Russia has been one of the world’s preeminent hockey powers for decades, with the Soviet national team famously dominant at international competition. In this way, teaching China hockey is one of the few areas of the Russia-China relationship where Moscow can confidently play the coveted role of senior partner. “I see Red Star as a club that will bring ice hockey in China to the next level,” Krechin says. “The partnership will involve much more than just building one professional club. There is a vast, long-term program covering everything: youth programs, coaching programs, international tournaments for different levels, and much more.” The man tapped to spearhead this effort was Russian hockey coach Vladimir Yurzinov Jr., the son of a famous Soviet hockey player. His role is a critical one in Red Star’s political goodwill mission. By building a team that can play what he calls “attractive hockey,” Chinese fans can discover a sport they can get behind, and the sport’s infrastructure will fall into place.
Red Star Rising “It is impossible at this moment to find Chinese players good enough to form an entire team,” Yurzinov says. KHL regulations stipulate that at least 10 players represent the host nation, or are otherwise Russian. The team is then free to pad out the remainder of the roster with experienced NHL players and veterans from the KHL. According to one of the team’s Chinese recruits, 18-yearold Rudi Ying, the problem is mainly a difference in approach. “The basic mistake Chinese players make, he says, “is treating hockey like a skill sport, not a contact team sport.” The difference became apparent to Ying 10 years ago, when his family moved to the United States and he entered the youth league system there. They also lack what Ying called “game sense” and a sense of competitiveness. This stems from the typical Chinese season schedule. During the crucial stretch from ages 12 to 18, Chinese players will play no more than 20 games a season, while kids in the United States and Europe typically play anywhere from 60 to 80 games. But in the decade since Ying left China to play in the United States, support for the game has steadily grown. China has fielded teams in the less prestigious Asia League Ice Hockey (ALIH), and has a decent elementary school training system. The problem is in training players through high school and into college. The idea is for Red Star to eventually form an academy to fill this gap. Meanwhile, Yurzinov’s Chinese players, like Ying, must be the vanguard of a new generation of Chinese hockey talent. It is likely that Red Star players will in six years be called upon to form the backbone of a Chinese national team at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. “I see it as my duty to help the development of Chinese hockey,” Ying says, expecting to heed the call down the line. “The only reason hockey is not popular in China is that people don’t know about it. I think once they see it, they will fall in love, and Red Star is really going to help with that,” he says. In the short term, this will be handled by Red Star’s foreign players. Even rookie Russians like Alexander Mikulovich say they have been encouraged to pass along their skills. “The owner came in one day and said to us: ‘Guys, I know that the Chinese players are not as good as you, but just try to be nice to them. And, if possible, teach them some stuff,” Mikulovich says. While this might sound patronizing to some, Ying said it was the key selling point that drew him from the traditional North American developmental leagues to the KHL. “I had a long conversation with my agent about how the guys on the team are going to take me under their wing. Some of them have close to 10 years experience on me, and they’ve been really helpful,” he says. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/made-in-china-how-russia-is-teaching-beijing-to-play-hockey-55096 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/d808dd987de3853a063a92d1d5bf02e4cbd9cdad3fc617d6fbe6d4264dd83530.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:10:01 | null | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fmoscow-restaurants-news-and-openings-54959.json | en | null | Moscow Restaurants: News and Openings | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Archie
English breakfast meets fragrant curry
The brainchild of London School of Business graduate Katya Primakov, Archie aims to champion the British cuisine in all its incarnations. The interior is true to its chic, loft-style ambitions, complete with exposed brickwork and a graffiti mural across one of the walls. Guests can enjoy dishes such as teriyaki salmon (890 rubles) and the infamous English breakfast (420 rubles).
+7 977 250 24 42
facebook.com/archiegastro
42 Komsomolsky Prospekt, Bldg. 2
Metro Frunzenskaya
Bossa Nova
Tantalizing Brazilian flavors
If the Olympic Games have inspired you to sample Brazil’s sun-soaked cuisine, Bossa Nova is set on bringing the taste of Rio to Russia’s capital. Prime-cuts of steak may take center-stage on the menu, but it’s the restaurant’s elegant starters and desserts that really steal the show. Start with scallops with lemon puree and caviar (800 rubles) and finish with a white chocolate “surprise.” (550 rubles).
+7 (495) 748 9262
facebook.com/bossanovamoscow
20/3 Ulitsa Koshtoyantsa
Metro Yugo-Zapadnaya
La Pepela
Hearty food and cocktails
La Pepela offers Georgian cuisine by day and karaoke by night. The restaurant’s eccentric decor — think wooden-framed plasma screens and shisha pipes on the wall — doesn’t take away from the tender chakapuli lamb stew (430 rubles) and the pillowy khinkali dumplings (195 rubles for three). For 220 rubles, the bartender will fix you one of Moscow’s best homemade lemonades.
+7 (495) 656 2530
facebook.com/lapepela
30 Obraztsova Ulitsa
Metro Marina Roshcha
The Rodina
Slavic favorites in the center
When you have the pick of the world’s cuisines under the bright lights of Novy Arbat but all you’re craving is babushka’s cooking then look no further. Your essential Russian classics are covered: start off with steaming borshch or refreshing chilled okroshka (250 rubles) before digging into hearty dumplings with creamy sour cream (400). It’s nothing fancy, but it’s hearty and filling.
+7 495 691 7787
the21.info
21 Novy Arbat
Metro Smolenskaya, Arbatskaya | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/moscow-restaurants-news-and-openings-54959 | en | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/d063a21eeb39ba0aca31437d8a9528cb35538ccc8ac1c4ceea91041a2d72728c.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:15:05 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fnavalny-aims-to-clear-way-to-run-for-president-in-2018-55053.json | en | null | Russian Opposition Politician Navalny Seeks 2018 Presidential Bid | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Opposition leader Alexei Navalny has confirmed his intention to run in the 2018 presidential elections.
Navalny is currently ineligible to run in elections because of a five year suspended sentence handed to him in 2013 after being found guilty by a Russian court of embezzling 400,000 euros ($450,000) when acting as a consultant for the KirovLes timber company in Russia’s Kirov region.
In a blog post Monday, Navalny called the case "fabricated for political motives" and called on the Council of Europe to act on the ECHR ruling, claiming that the Russian Supreme Court will "do nothing."
The Kommersant newspaper reported Monday that his representatives have requested that Russia's Supreme Court reopen the case, Navalny describing the ruling as "a formal obstacle to my participation in the elections."
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in February that the 2013 conviction was “prejudicial” and an “arbitrary application of the law.” While the Strasbourg court fell short of describing the case as political, it did conclude there were links between Navalny’s anti-corruption campaigning against Russia’s political elite and the attempts of Russia’s Investigative Committee to bring charges against him.
"My sentence should be instantly annulled and my political rights reinstated," Navalny wrote on his blog, emphasizing the necessity that his innocence be recognized by Russian legislature.
Navalny demanded his "legal right to run for election and represent those people who support me and my ideas."
According to Kommersant, Navalny wrote to Russia’s Supreme Court last month requesting that they reopen the case and accept the conclusions of the ECHR, his lawyers Olga Mikhailova and Karina Moskalenko subsequently writing to the European Council Committee of Ministers, requesting that they apply pressure on the Russian Supreme Court.
In their letter Mikhailova and Moskalenko ask that ministers “use all possible assistance to help to implement the ruling of the ECHR” relating to what they call " a clearly politically motivated sentence." | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/navalny-aims-to-clear-way-to-run-for-president-in-2018-55053 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/f304deaf2d424d84455196d3be0077cd4a87a7aebe50540fedf3b6fc06b5b8e5.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:15:03 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Ftokyo-protests-russian-detention-of-japanese-citizen-in-disputed-kuril-islands-55061.json | en | null | Tokyo Protests Russian Detention of Japanese Citizen on Disputed Kuril Islands | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russian authorities has detained a Japanese citizen on the Kuril Islands, a disputed territory which has strained relations between Moscow and Tokyo for decades.
A translator for a Japanese group was detained by Russian authorities on his way back to Japan's Nemuro port on Aug. 21. Local media have reported that he was carrying $40,000, which was undeclared.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga expressed “regret” over the incident and said authorities are “working to have the man return to the city of Nemuro.”
The incident comes shortly before a planned meeting between Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok next month.
Russia and Japan never signed a peace treaty after World War II. The islands were captured by Soviet troops during the war and have been under Russian control ever since. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/tokyo-protests-russian-detention-of-japanese-citizen-in-disputed-kuril-islands-55061 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/0cad5c8552a1a533ff9113a9f3c33b8216524707f141d8508689b57abba3d8d3.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:12:35 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussia-to-negotiate-supply-of-helicopters-to-iran-55077.json | en | null | Russia Negotiates Sale of Helicopters to Iran | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russian Helicopters, one of Russia’s largest aviation companies, is in negotiations with Iran over the sale of Ansat and Kamov Ka-226T light helicopters, Deputy Director General Alexander Scherbinin said Tuesday, the TASS news agency reported.
According to the company’s estimates, Iran needs around 60 light helicopters to serve the Iranian Health Ministry, TASS reported, citing Scherbinin. At the moment there are over 50 Russian-made helicopters registered in Iran, with the Mi-17 proving the most popular.
Russian Helicopters is in discussions with the Iran Helicopter Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC) over the establishment of an authorized maintenance and repair center for Russian helicopters in Iran.
The company will be hosting an exposition from Aug. 23 to 25 for Iranian operators and other potential customers. On show will be the Ka-32A11VS fire-fighting helicopters, the Mi-171A2 for search-rescue operations and the heavy helicopters Mi-26T and Mi-26T2 for disaster cleanups and humanitarian aid.
A subsidiary of the state corporation Rostec, Russian Helicopters is the second-largest Russian defense contractor after Almaz-Antey. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russia-to-negotiate-supply-of-helicopters-to-iran-55077 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/6ceeadb1242bfff19f2fa653b174b264b2b4cdad2ecea512aa53c97f94e2a83e.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-31T10:52:23 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fgerman-foreign-Minister-supports-russian-return-55161.json | en | null | German Foreign Minister Supports Russian Return to G8 | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has spoken out in favor of bringing Russia back into the G8, Germany's Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland news agency reported Wednesday.
Russia’s membership of the G8 was suspended in 2014 due to its annexation of Crimea and its continuing role in the military conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Speaking in an interview with Redaktionsnetzwerk, Steinmeier claimed that “the key to [Russia's] return to the G8 rests with Moscow.”
Steinmeier named "substantial progress on the situation in eastern Ukraine and on the ceasefire negotiations in Syria” as preconditions for Russia's possible reinstatement, and said that greater Russian peace efforts would see “G7 partners ready to talk.”
Both conflicts proved that it was not "in our interest to exclude Russia from close cooperation with the world’s leading economies,” he said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/german-foreign-Minister-supports-russian-return-55161 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/b4973c24f755f3bbae01a1eaad123d9d5f2cf3a3d20a082a0c199113962013b5.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T12:52:39 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Frussia-kicks-privatization-into-long-grass-55117.json | en | null | Russia Puts Privatization on the Back Burner | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The privatization of shipping company Sovcomflot has been postponed to 2017, according to a Federal Property Management Agency (FPMA) representative and one federal official with knowledge of the privatization process.
Sovcomflot is 100 percent state-owned through the FPMA. The government had originally planned to sell a 25-percent-minus-1-share stake in the shipping company this year. The postponement means that instead of several major government sell-offs scheduled for 2016, now only plans to privatize oil producer Rosneft remain in place.
According to IFRS data, in the first half of 2016, Sovcomflot saw a 23.3 percent decline in net profits to $165.9 million, a 9.2 percent drop in revenues to $680.2 million, and a 1.9 percent fall in EBITDA to $385.8 million. The company said it was a result of lower demand for tanker shipments. “In some segments of the tanker market, spot rates fell by approximately one-third year on year and, of course, that affected the entire industry,” Sovcomflot CEO Sergei Frank said.
In an interview with Bloomberg in June, Frank mentioned a possible IPO in the first quarter of 2017 and suggested that the authorities at least wait to see the result of the “Brexit” vote. “It is important that London continue operating as an international marine hub and that no additional obstacles to shipping appear,” Frank said, adding that such external factors greatly influence the company’s value. In early July, Deputy Transportation Minister Viktor Olersky announced that the government planned to sell the stake in Sovcomflot this year.
Sovcomflot specializes in the transportation of oil, petroleum products, and natural gas. Its clients include the largest oil and gas companies in Russia: Rosneft, Gazprom and Novatek.
Portnews development director Nadezhda Malysheva said that the later the government sells the Sovcomflot stake, the better, and that it should wait at least until the company issues its annual report for 2016. She pointed out that 2015 was one of the best in the last 20 years for Sovcomflot, with net revenues (income from freight and rent minus voyage expenses) totaling $1.24 billion, and net profits reaching $354.5 million. She predicts that results for 2016 will be as good or better. “Two years of sustained growth will increase the company’s sale value,” she said.
Sovcomflot is a major international company and an object of interest to not only Russian investors, but also international and portfolio investors, according to Infoline-Analytics CEO Mikhail Burmistrov. “The situation with sanctions might change in 2017,” he said, “and that would have a huge impact on the value of the company.”
The state first considered selling a stake in Sovcomflot on the stock exchange as early as 2015, planning at the time to generate 24 billion rubles in revenues for government coffers. However, no IPO took place at the time. Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said in May that the value of the stake remains unchanged and confirmed optimistic predictions regarding the extent to which privatization would augment the federal budget in 2016. “We maintain plans to sell shares in major state-owned companies Bashneft, Rosneft, Sovcomflot and VTB,” he told Interfax. “If privatization of major state assets proceeds successfully in 2016, the federal budget will receive up to 1 trillion rubles.”
In mid-August, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s spokeswoman Natalya Timakova announced that that the Prime Minister had decided to push back the privatization of a 25-percent stake in Bashneft to a later date and that President Vladimir Putin had given his approval, though she did not explain the reason why. Ulyukayev had earlier indicated that the privatization of 19.5 percent of Rosneft could also be shifted to 2017. First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov has said that privatization of a 10.9-percent stake in VTB had been postponed to 2017. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/russia-kicks-privatization-into-long-grass-55117 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/ba25f2945bb05ca332a356aebd87aeeb25825d41573ad8902a7091af8bb45e6e.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T12:51:15 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fmoscow-restaurants-say-yes-to-shell-yes-55133.json | en | null | Moscow Restaurants: Say Yes to Shell Yes | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Located just a short walk from Trubnaya metro station, Shell Yes is tucked behind a monastery on the corner of Rozhdestvensky Bulvar and Maly Kiselny Pereulok. Established by Lera Golovanova, a graduate of Ragout culinary school, Shell Yes celebrates freshness and flavor with an emphasis on simple seafood fare.
With only a dozen or so tables, booking in advance is a must. Even if you find yourself sitting at the bar, all is not lost: you can inspect the fresh produce, all chilling on ice, before you order and observe the cooks at work in the open kitchen.
Despite being a relative newcomer to the scene, the Shell Yes is often packed out, which unfortunately means the service can be rather slow and perfunctory. Let’s hope that these teething pains improve over the coming months. The design is straightforward, with marble table tops and original plaster on the ceiling.
As you may have guessed, fish is the dish of the day here. Shell Yes have a policy of serving only the freshest offerings from the watery deep. As such, if you come at the wrong time of day or the wrong day of the week you may find your options rather limited. At our sitting both the dorado (750 rubles) and trout (650 rubles) were unavailable.
At the entrance to the restaurant, fish like the yellowfin dorado (350 rubles for 100 grams) and red snapper (350 rubles for 100 grams) are displayed on huge mounds of ice. There’s no garnish, but you can order tomato salad with soft cheese (600 rubles) as a side. The more adventurous can try something from the raw food menu, such as the tuna tartar (750 rubles) or the Argentinian-inspired scallop ceviche.
Feeling decadent? Many visitors opt for oysters, of which there are two varieties: the New Zealand oysters cost between 250 to 350 rubles, depending on their size, while their Mediterranean counterparts are 500 rubles each. The grilled octopus with baby new potatoes is excellent, if a little pricey at 1,000 rubles for a rather small portion. If you’re looking for something more filling, try the pasta vongole with mussels (600 rubles) or the seafood pasta (750 rubles).
The dessert menu includes the pie of the day, tiramisu and a creamy panna cotta, all for 350 rubles. While Shell Yes does not have an alcohol license, you can drink your own wine if you pay a corkage fee of 500 rubles.
+7 (495) 621 2735 | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/moscow-restaurants-say-yes-to-shell-yes-55133 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/211ecfc341a59c7af26565ec5cf6ab21f270f8a6812323088ebfae63a70af971.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:12:45 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussian-olympic-weightlifters-fail-doping-tests-55083.json | en | null | Russian Weightlifters Fail 2008 Olympic Doping Retests | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Two Russian weightlifters have tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs after samples submitted during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were re-examined, weightlifting governing body the IWF announced Wednesday.
Khadzimurat Akkaev and Dmitry Lapikov, both bronze medal winners at the Games, were found to have taken banned substances.
A total of 15 weightlifters, all from former Soviet states or China, failed the retesting and have been provisionally suspended from competition.
Neither Akkaev nor Lapikov competed for Russia at the recent Olympic Games in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russian-olympic-weightlifters-fail-doping-tests-55083 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/48147766c846464ac4447aba18da539040a2eb5b901e37591bbcb270f832e56b.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:27 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussian-police-seize-doping-whistleblowers-assets-55094.json | en | null | Russian Police Seize Doping Whistleblower's Assets | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russian police have seized the assets of the doping whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov, the Interfax news agency reported Thursday.
Rodchenkov, who fled Russia for the United States in November, is currently being investigated under charges of abusing his power while serving as head of Moscow’s anti-doping laboratory.
Rodchenkov’s property was seized at the request of investigators examing the case, a court spokesperson announced Thursday.
Rodchenkov accused the Russian government of funding, running and covering up a widespread doping programme at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics during an interview with The New York Times in May.
Rodchenkov’s testimony was also used as key evidence in an independent report by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA’s claims led to dozens of Russian athletes being banned from this summer’s Olympic Games and the country’s entire Paralympic squad being excluded from next month’s Paralympic Games.
Russia’s Investigative Committee previously announced it had evidence which proved that Rodchenkov had made money by obtaining performance-enhancing drugs in the U.S. and running illegal doping schemes in Russian sport. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russian-police-seize-doping-whistleblowers-assets-55094 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/f5800fb435574fe297302cfa6c54ec71958ad985c1f50e8b2d649fd669dfb346.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:10:59 | null | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fbashneft-shares-fall-after-privatization-delay-55022.json | en | null | Bashneft Shares Fall After Privatization Delay | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | General shares for Russian state oil giant Bashneft fell by 9.5 percent on Wednesday after the Kremlin announced that the company's privatization would be delayed. The shares, which are traded on the Moscow Stack Exchange, had rebounded slightly by the close of trading.
Preferred shares also fell by 6 percent, while the company’s capitalization fell by 7.5 percent to 482.4 billion rubles ($7.6 billion).
Bashneft’s value skyrocketed following the Kremlin's announcement of the company's privatization, with many investors snatching up shares in the certainty that the government would announce the sale of its stake at a fair value and at a premium to the market price, according to analysts from the Aton Investment Management Company.
After the sale was postponed, a significant number of those investors sold their shares, said Vasily Tanurkov, Deputy Head of Shares Market Management for Veles Capital. Share value might drop further, but not by much, Tanurkov said. “Some might still sell who had resolved not to do so during the initial panic,” he said.
The state had planned to sell its 50.08 percent stake in Bashneft, which had been valued at 306 billion rubles ($4.8 billion) by Ernst & Young.
The government is now set to concentrate on its other major privatization project: selling its shares in the Rosneft oil company, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said on Wednesday. Parent company Rosneftegaz has until September 1 to present its recommendations for the sale of its 19.5 percent stake in Rosneft.
Officials had earlier hoped to earn 700 billion rubles from the Rosneft sale. “Rosneft is the priority now,” Shuvalov said. “We need to focus on that. After selling the Rosneft stake, we will return to the Bashneft sale.
“There are solid bidders and we know how much they are prepared to pay for Bashneft,” Shuvalov said. “We are also looking at recommendations from the leadership of the Republic of Bashkortostan [which also own a 25 percent share in Basneft] on how to best sell the asset.”
Russian banks VTB Capital and Sberbank CIB are in charge of organizing the Bashneft sale. They have announced that potential bidders include Rosneft, Lukoil, Tatneft, the Independent Oil Company, the Russian Direct Investment Fund, the Antipinsky refinery, Tatneftegaz, and the Energy Fund.
“Obviously, this postponement is not a positive signal to the market,” said Sberbank president German Gref. If the authorities clarify their reasons for the decision, it would quell concerns and misunderstandings on the market, he said.
According to the RBC newspaper, the formal reason for delaying the sale was an appeal by the republic of Bashkortostan’s president Rustem Khamitov. The republic currently has a 25 percent stake in the company, and supposedly raised concerns over whether it would be able to fulfill its social obligations to the republic postsale.
Speaking in an interview with the Rossiya 24 TV channel, Bashkortostan President Rustem Khamitov said that it was a mistake privatize Bashneft while the economy was still unstable.
Yet continuing postponement will have serious consequences for the Russian treasury. The Bashneft sale should have brought in up to 315billion rubles ($4.9 billion) to the government coffers — a significant source of income for Russia’s budget in 2016. Instead, the postponed privatization will speed up the depletion of Russia’s reserve fund, which could be depleted before the end of the year. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/bashneft-shares-fall-after-privatization-delay-55022 | en | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/1d5355ed2aea5f10df190bf820a52e48f880228081c0ed5d5ba90cf2cb563af4.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:12:19 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fegypt-to-open-new-air-terminal-for-russian-tourists-55124.json | en | null | Egypt Ready to Provide Russian Aircraft With Separate Terminal | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Egypt's Cairo International Airport is prepared to open a terminal designated for Russian aircraft, the press attaché of the Egyptian Embassy to Russia Ayman Mousa said, the TASS news agency reported Friday.
“Experts from Russia and the whole world have highly assessed it. The minister of civil aviation said that we will receive your [Russian] aircraft at the terminal,” Mousa said. Egypt has offered to discuss such a terminal once the number of Russian tourists reaches an, as yet undefined, level.
Russian Transport Minister Maxim Solokov has previously stated that air service will resume once Egypt increases airport security.
On Friday, Solokov said that the opening of the terminal “depends on our Egyptian colleagues.” Analysis on the terminal’s security by Russian specialists will form the basis for Russian leaders’ decision on lifting the Egypt flight ban, he added.
On Oct. 31, 2015, an Airbus A321 was downed over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula while en route to St. Petersburg — all 224 people on board were killed. Two weeks after the crash, the FSB announced that a terror attack had caused the plane crash.
Russia banned all passenger flights to Egypt in November 2015, and Russian tourism to Egypt suffered a subsequent decline of 46 percent. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/egypt-to-open-new-air-terminal-for-russian-tourists-55124 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/c7002e37d6633bbbb10d3c3ab902cf3189461a241c45534e577776ec1ff6d21e.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:10 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fson-of-russia-duma-deputy-found-guilty-of-us-cyber-fraud-55123.json | en | null | Son of Russia Duma Deputy Found Guilty of U.S. Cyber Fraud | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The son of a Russian Duma deputy has been found guilty of cyber fraud by a U.S. court in Seattle, Washington, international news outlets reported Thursday.
A jury found Roman Seleznyov guilty of causing damage worth $170 million by stealing and selling details from 1.7 million credit cards, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
After a day of deliberation, the jury found Seleznev guilty of 38 criminal counts, including 10 counts of wire fraud, nine counts of obtaining information illegally and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
Seleznyov was arrested by U.S. authorities as he boarded a plane in the Maldivian capital of Malé in July 2014. His father Valery Seleznyov, who represents the center-right LDPR Party, has likened his son's arrest to a “kidnapping” and claimed that Seleznyov had been denied basic rights.
He later told state-backed news agency Russia Today that U.S. authorities may have taken Seleznyov in the hope of trading him for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called the case an “unacceptable violation of the rights of a Russian citizen,” and pledged to aid Seleznyov in his appeal, the TASS news agency reported Friday.
"It is already clear that there's already been an absolutely unacceptable violation to the rights of a Russian citizen in Seleznev case,” the ministry's Human Rights Commissioner Konstantin Dolgov said.
Sentencing is due to take place on Dec. 2. Roman Seleznyov's lawyer plans to appeal the verdict. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/son-of-russia-duma-deputy-found-guilty-of-us-cyber-fraud-55123 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/447da290c7cc0852ba35432073e1c2ecc4588b9d405261941b38c155015d7548.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:00:48 | null | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fkazakh-director-bekmambetov-revives-ben-hur-55034.json | en | null | Director Bekmambetov Revives Ben-Hur | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | One of Hollywood’s newest movie moguls is attracting plenty of attention these days. Timur Bekmambetov — the founder of Moscow’s Bazelevs Productions — has directed “Ben-Hur,” a $100 million budgeted epic re-adaptation of the 1959 Charlton Heston classic.
The Russian-Kazakh producer-director’s two-hour “Ben-Hur” is backed by two mega studios — Paramount and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — and will hit the screens across Russia on Sept. 8.
The 55-year-old filmmaker and visual effects maven becomes the first Russian director to tackle a film of this magnitude, which in its previous reincarnation garnered 11 Oscar awards, including the best picture laurels. For Bekmambetov it represents the most expensive effort of his career.
“It’s a great book [Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel] and it’s very unique because it’s a fictional version of the biblical story,” Bekmambetov said when he accepted the challenge.
Naval battles and chariot races make Ben-Hur an action-packed entertainment package. Unlike the earlier versions — the first versions of “Ben-Hur” were silent films — this new production employs the latest cinematographic technology and mounted mini-camera gadgetry to capture the chariot race’s close-ups. The races in Bekmambetov’s version were staged at Cinecitta Studios near Rome, just as in the 1959 version.
“Ben-Hur” is the epic story of Judah Ben-Hur, a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother Messala, an officer in the Roman army. Stripped of his title, separated from his family and the woman he loves, Judah is forced into slavery. After years at sea, Judah returns to his homeland to seek revenge, but finds redemption.
The leads of Judah and Messala are portrayed by relative newcomers Jack Huston and Toby Kebbell, respectively. A veteran of the American cinema, Morgan Freeman, plays the part of Ilderim, the African owner of the Arabian stallion Judah nurses back to good health. Freeman once again proves to be an indispensable cast member.
Reaction to the film’s advance media screening was somewhat mixed when compared to the previous version. The producers are hoping that the younger audiences will react more positively.
Although “Ben-Hur” represents Bekmambetov’s costliest effort to date, bringing him much public recognition, his American portfolio has been in the making for some time. His first Hollywood film, “Wanted” with Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman, brought in a whopping $340 million in ticket sales.
“Morgan Freeman and I worked together before. I couldn’t wait to collaborate with him again,” explains Bekmambetov.
Freeman recalled, “I noticed that the director and producers laugh a lot. Where there is a lot of laughing that means they are happy with what they are getting.”
Other films from Bekmambetov include social media-themed “Unfriended,” the vampire franchise of “Night Watch” in 2004 and “Day Watch” in 2008.
“The emotional themes of the film, vengeance vs. forgiveness, are timeless. The conflicts the characters experience are as relatable today as they were in Roman times or 1880 when the novel was written,” producer Sean Daniel told The Moscow Times.
When he was convinced to direct the film, Bekmambetov observed: “In many ways we still live in the Roman Empire, we still live with its values. Power, greed and success rule the world, people try to achieve everything in harsh competition and only a few realize that true human values are collaboration and forgiveness.”
“Timur is a very unique director,” said producer Daniel. “He is cutting edge contemporary in his vision, but also a very classical thinker. He’s really the perfect combination for a project like this.”
For more information see benhurmovie.com | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/kazakh-director-bekmambetov-revives-ben-hur-55034 | en | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/d5e34f4add2898ddda0fcb0ab17b725de51168e0de37fcb9babb50a72862f249.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:15:15 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Ftrump-campaign-chief-resigns-amidst-allegations-of-lobbying-for-pro-russian-ukrainian-party-55048.json | en | null | Trump Campaign Chief Resigns Amid Pro-Russia Lobbying Allegations | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort has resigned amid allegations he illegally lobbied for Ukraine’s former pro-Russian government.
Ukrainian journalist and politician Serhiy Leshchenko reported Friday that he had uncovered ledgers which reveal Ukraine’s Party of Regions made undisclosed payments to Manafort.
The cash payments, made between 2007 and 2012, were worth $12.7 million, The New York Times reported.
Manafort, who has previously offered consulting services to ousted former president Viktor Yanukovych, is accused of having secretly lobbied in Washington for Yanukovych’s pro-Russian ruling party alongside his deputy Rick Gates.
Leshchenko also claimed that U.S. television star Larry King received $225,000 from the party’s shadow assets, the money reportedly being paid in return for a 2011 interview with then Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.
Manafort has denied that he had ever worked for the governments of Ukraine or Russia. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/trump-campaign-chief-resigns-amidst-allegations-of-lobbying-for-pro-russian-ukrainian-party-55048 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/aff69f3a1ccb16d5a73a5eb854ddf679343161f6136a0b00a5d7adfb3819a784.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:13 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fpolice-raid-offices-of-st-petersburg-stadium-contractor-55087.json | en | null | Police Raid Offices of St. Petersburg World Cup Stadium Contractor | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has raided the offices of the contractor building St. Petersburg’s World Cup stadium, the Fontanka news website reported Wednesday.
Eyewitnesses claim that between 10 and 12 officers entered the Metrostroy company offices in St. Petersburg at 10 am on Wednesday morning, “heading straight to the manager's office.”
The construction of the 69,000-capacity Zenit Arena has been beset with financial difficulties and delays since building work began in 2007. Its current budget of 39.2 billion rubles ($605 million) is some five times higher than original estimates.
Authorities chose Metrostroy to complete work on the stadium earlier this month after terminating their contract with the stadium’s previous general contractor over reportedly slow and poor quality work.
The stadium must be operational before the end of the year in order to host matches in next June’s Confederations Cup, a warm-up tournament for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko announced last month that the venue was “85-86 percent ready,” and that any possibility of the stadium not being completed on time was “out of the question.”
Metrostroy Director Vadim Alexandrov said Tuesday that St. Petersburg residents would also be invited to help complete the project. "The stadium will be thermally insulated from October, leaving just the fitting and assembly work," he said.
“This is where you [the residents of St. Peterburg] come in,” he said at a press conference.
“Do you remember how great it used to be [in the Soviet era]? Towards the end of a project, we used to get the whole city involved, students as well, anyone at all,” he said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/police-raid-offices-of-st-petersburg-stadium-contractor-55087 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/0e225c3add7d9a87846c4456d71e64431443ab6d260269f134d2d69102873025.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-31T08:52:26 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fst-petersburg-governor-poltavchenko-to-leave-office-55159.json | en | null | St Petersburg Governor To Leave Post After Football Stadium Scandal - Reports | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | St. Petersburg governor Georgy Poltavchenko is to leave his post after Russia's parliamentary elections on Sept. 18, the RBC newspaper reported Wednesday.
The move is alleged to have been triggered ongoing controversy surrounding the city's planned World Cup stadium, RBC claimed. The Kremlin has refused to confirm or deny the claims, telling journalists that the president “does not comment on rumors.”
Numerous scandals surrounding the construction of the new Zenith Arena football stadium ultimately triggered Poltavchenko planned departure, according to RBC sources.
The stadium, located on the city's Krestovsky Island, is the flagship venue for Russia's 2018 World Cup, as well as for the 2020 European Championships. International soccer body FIFA has demanded that the stadium be completed by the end of this year.
The project has been increasingly over budget since first breaking ground 10 years ago, with the estimated cost rising to some over $600 million, excluding infrastructure.
Stadium workers once again hit the headlines last week when they threatened to go on strike due to delayed payment of wages. The city government announced last week that a new contractor would be brought in.
Among those tipped to replace Poltavchenko, include Maksim Sokolov, Russia’s current transport minister, and Sergey Naryshkin, Russia’s current Duma speaker, RBC reported. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/st-petersburg-governor-poltavchenko-to-leave-office-55159 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/d46c0d0cb3b254649fba1920974abd80cd2ac4ad44f6e96fde0d3e5d4b48db3a.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-31T12:52:26 | null | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fshorter-contracts-more-competition-why-expats-face-an-uncertain-future-in-russia-55163.json | en | null | Shorter Contracts and More Competition: Why Expats Face an Uncertain Future in Russia | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Swiss national Karsten Albert once ran two hotels in Russia's Krasnaya Polyana. His contract seemed secure: like many foreigners, his salary was pegged to a foreign currency, but paid to him each month in rubles. Then Albert’s employer changed their mind. The company announced that it would be terminating his contract early- instead replacing him with a less expensive manager from Kazakhstan.
Albert was one of many foreign workers caught up in a wave of similar “early terminations” in 2015, said Marina Tarnopolskaya, managing partner at recruiting firm Agency Contact. The majority of expats working in the hospitality sector have left Russia, with the consumer goods sector and pharmaceutical industry facing similar changes, she said.
Such changes are often linked to the high wages which foreign specialists demand, and Russia's ongoing economic crisis. Siemens in Russia is just one of the companies who has switched from hiring foreigners, to hiring Russian nationals with lower salaries, said Joerg Liebscher, the director of the company's Mobility Department.
Foreign experts with unique skills are still in demand in certain sectors: yet the countries from which they arrive, and the conditions under which they work are beginning to change.
Expats from central and eastern European have become increasingly popular with Russian employers in recent years, largely due to the lower salaries they demand. There is also a cultural element, with Russian companies hoping that professionals who have established businesses in different post-socialist countries can transfer their skills to Russia.
The length of time that expats spend in Russia is also changing, according to staff at the Unity recruitment company.
Many factories which use Western equipment have increased the number of foreigners in their workforce, but the contracts they are working under have been shortened. Work which once would have required a year-long contract is instead being squeezed into six months, the company said.
Richard Marga, commercial director at the Prologics transport and logistics company, is in no rush to return to the United States. He says that he is now happy to “work like a Russian." Yet he believes the future is uncertain.
“The company signed a three-year contract with me, but my newly arrived colleagues were only given 18-month contracts,” he said. “Sooner or later, we’ll all be replaced by Russians.”
Luc Jones, a managing partner in Antal Russia, agreed that while Russian companies were still inviting expats to work on projects which required the use of foreign equipment, the companies would no longer offer a three or four year contract. Instead, an 18 month-long deal would be used, after which a performance review would determine if there was any need for an employee to stay longer.
Yet another major problem facing expats — falling wage packets — is not necessarily a setback, says Jones. Many expats who demanded higher salaries have already left in search of jobs in other emerging markets such as India, China, the UAE, and Eastern Europe, he said.
Some recruitment firms claim that many foreign experts now work on equal terms with Russians and their salaries are no longer pegged to foreign currency. They are hopeful that the Russian labor market has reached a “wage equilibrium.”
“My salary in rubles has not changed,” said Richard Kveton, manager of the Heliopark Nebug hotel in the Krasnodar region. “In dollar terms I receive less now, of course. I fly abroad less frequently and I buy less. I live like all Russians do,” he said.
“Salaries don't depend on nationality, but on results,” said Olga Voroshilova, a partner in the Cornerstone recruitment company. “There is a never-ending stream of foreigners wanting to work in Russia,” she said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/shorter-contracts-more-competition-why-expats-face-an-uncertain-future-in-russia-55163 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/88fb6c80f6fd9d90d6a10531c6c64eb828a815a2f9b3b39d1345c415d49fafd4.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T14:48:43 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Frebel-love-affair-55104.json | en | null | Putin and the Ayatollah: A Bromance to Watch | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Of all today’s political bromances, perhaps the most interesting is between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Russia and Iran have enjoyed strong economic links since 1991, when Moscow agreed to build Iran’s nuclear reactor at Bushehr. Russia badly needed the cash; Iran badly needed the expertise: It was the perfect match.
This relationship eventually translated into greater diplomatic ties in the early 2000s as Russia, together with China, repeatedly watered down UN sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
Relations appear to have grown even closer. Last week, Russian Tupolev-22M3 bombers and Sukhoi-34 fighter-bombers conducted air strikes in Syria from Iran’s Nojeh Airbase in Hamadan, in Western Iran. Major arms deals for the sale to Iran of Sukhoi fighter jets were also mooted in the days following.
All of these developments may herald a new Russian strategy in its fight against Syria. While the Russian military claimed all operations from Nojeh were complete, the possibility of future cooperation was very clearly left on the table. “Further use of the Hamadan airbase in the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Russian Air Forces will be carried out … depending on the prevailing circumstances in Syria,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov said, according to pan-Arabic news channel Al Arabiya.
The importance of this deepening relationship cannot be understated. It has far-flung consequences not only for Russia and Iran, but for the United States and Syria’s civil war.
As far as the Iranians are concerned, its foreign policy must be viewed, as ever, in terms of the perennial domestic struggle between hardliners and those more moderately inclined.
The latest moves are not without controversy in Tehran’s political elites. “The current Iranian government headed by [President Hasan] Rouhani as well as reformists are actually suspicious of the Russians and would prefer that Iran balances its relations with the West,” explains Meir Javedanfar, Iran lecturer at the IDC Herzliya in Israel. “But the hardliners support such relations with the Russians, seeing America as their biggest enemy and Russia as an important counterbalance against the United States.”
In the eyes of Iranian hardliners, helping Russia in Syria is a perfect way to counter Rouhani’s efforts to repair relations with the West. In addition, it offers a possible quid pro quo of potential Russian military support in places such as Iraq and Yemen, as well as Syria. For Moscow, having a base in Iran rather than southern Russia is a no-brainer: Being that much closer to their targets, Russian planes can increase their payloads: they will drop more bombs; more damage will be wrought; more people will die. And for Iran: If Russia kills more anti-Assad forces, fewer Iranian soldiers have to die doing the same thing.
As ever, with both countries, issues of legality surround the whole affair. At the same time, as Javedanfar observes, those Russians already under sanctions are unlikely to want to risk further sanctions, and will have at least thought out a game plan. “As far as they are concerned, they either see such a move as legal at best or, in a worst case scenario, if their move was deemed illegal, they can use their veto at the UN Security Council,” he says.
As far as Washington is concerned, the move ostensibly harms its position of backing the anti–Assad pro-democracy rebels — however small a minority they are. But by now U.S. President Barack Obama’s policy on Syria, and indeed his entire foreign policy outlook, is clear. As far as he is concerned, Syria is the definition of a quagmire. If the Russians and the Iranians want to expend both billions of dollars and heavy casualties for a war with no end in sight, then let them have at it. Both will be weakened as a result. Both will suffer the effects of being bogged down in an intractable Middle East war. If the Russians and Iranians want Syria to become their Iraq, they are welcome to it. Better them than the United States, which has spent at least $4 trillion in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the words of Javedanfar: “If the Russians and the Iranian regime think that with more bombs and closer military cooperation they can indefinitely keep a leader in power who has bombed, gassed, starved and tortured to death 200,000 of his people, they are delusional. Let’s see how many bombs, dead people in Syria and billions of dollars it will take them to find this out.”
David Patrikarakos is the author of "Nuclear Iran: The Birth of an Atomic State." | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/rebel-love-affair-55104 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/84abc23b0fb931020965705aa36710fea7e056631eefe8ca66641c5219f6052a.json | |
[
"Michele A. Berdy",
"Getting Wet The Russian Way",
"This Is Not One Of Moscow S Really Wet Summers",
"The Ones When Your Umbrella Never Really Dries Out",
"You Live In Your Wellies",
"But We Ve Had A Good Dose Of Spectacular Thunderstorms",
"Record-Breaking Downpours. That Means That You Probably Got Ca... | 2016-08-26T13:08:39 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fout-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-for-russias-political-elite-55110.json | en | null | Out With the Old, in With the New for Russia’s Political Elite | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The surprise replacement last week of Sergei Ivanov, a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with former head of protocol Anton Vaino as presidential chief of staff sparked a host of speculation, most of which can be safely disregarded. But, digging through the unfounded forecasts, one can find a clear message.
A comparison of Vaino’s credentials to those of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev suggests that he may well become the new prime minister. Like Vaino, Medvedev previously worked for the central government and was also known as a businesslike and responsible official. Like Vaino, Medvedev was presidential chief of staff and was not considered an independent figure. But the main point is that the regime needs to prepare a new generation of the elite to stand by Putin in 2018, when his current presidential term ends, and beyond. As chief of staff, Vaino will be instrumental in preparing this new wave of politicians.
Putin won’t take all of the members of the old guard with him in 2018, as demonstrated by the recent removals of officials like Russian Railways boss Vladimir Yakunin, drug tsar Viktor Ivanov, and others. The list of retired “friends” will only get longer. They will be replaced by a generation of special service operatives, security guards, and technocrat-apparatchiks in their forties and fifties.
They will be young enough to be approaching old age in 2024 — after which Putin is constitutionally barred from running for a third term — yet experienced enough to accompany Putin after 2018. They will be close to the boss, yet they will have enough distance to offer nothing but praise.
They will have enough savvy to navigate the Byzantine intrigue at the Kremlin and the presidential administration, but won’t be real politicians who can rival their overlord.
The president needs to be confident that the elite will be efficient enough to handle economic depression and possible political upheavals, and loyal enough to ensure that 2024 won’t bring any calamities, either to the country or to Putin himself.
Perhaps the presidential administration will start to look the way it’s supposed to under Vaino — simply the bureaucratic arm of the president. But the new young boss will certainly be besieged by political and financial clans rushing to pay their respects. Even if he simply obeys the president’s orders, Vaino will be viewed as Putin’s avatar. He automatically becomes as politically powerful as the prime minister, if not more so: Medvedev has already fulfilled the political task assigned to him, while Vaino is still on the rise.
Analysts have noted that Vaino’s grandfather, Karl Vaino, led Soviet Estonia from 1978 to 1988. However, Anton Vaino’s education at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and his career as a diplomat are much more important. Russia’s current political regime heavily relies on military officers, security service operatives, and diplomats. Aided by their professional background, the new elites are ready to carry out any order issued by any government. And this is why discussions about the liberalization of Russian politics under Vaino are naïve.
Liberalization will happen only if the president orders it. No secret cabinet to develop or implement reforms exists, nor are reforms possible now in either Russia’s domestic or foreign policy.
Some have speculated Vaino’s ideological bias may exert influence on policy. The new chief of staff is the author of several esoteric research publications, and his coauthors are ultrapatriotic activists and proponents of “dynamic conservatism.” However, even if Vaino embraces these ideas, this will have no impact on Russia’s policy vector: it already more than satisfies all the “dynamic conservatives.”
On the day Sergei Ivanov resigned, Russian Railways paid its former head Yakunin a three-year bonus in a somewhat symbolic coincidence: The system takes care of those who leave on even relatively good terms.
The top elite are wealthy, which is only natural in a system where those in positions of power monetize their positions. But at a time of economic crisis, upcoming parliamentary elections, and the president’s looming last term, these elites need to be more humble and cautious. They need to heed public opinion, which is largely synonymous with Putin’s opinion.
After all, there are always replacements waiting in the wings. The rotation of the elite is not over. This is just the beginning.
Andrei Kolnesnikov is a senior associate and the chair of the Russian Domestic Politics and Political Institutions Program at the Carnegie Moscow Center.
This comment originally appeared on Carnegie Moscow's Eurasia Outlook blog. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-for-russias-political-elite-55110 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/08e0b107f7f20c165b36d34575b95b89ee405d63b4015f74e6b8e540a155f2fc.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T08:51:17 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fteeters-tv-take-out-and-then-there-were-none-greater-than-love-and-more-moscow-tv-and-film-55135.json | en | null | Teeter’s TV Take-Out: And Then There Were None, Tango & Cash and More Moscow TV and Film | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | It’s Back to School Week, but Moscow TV offers some good reasons for playing hooky and doing some cinema “homework.” This Monday through Friday you can learn: what made the glamour couple of Soviet Hollywood tick, what happened when the co-author of “Andrei Rublev” directed Sylvester Stallone (or tried to) and how themes from “Grand Theft Auto” and “Hamlet” combined to make one of the most beloved Soviet films of the 1960s. Take good notes, there may be a quiz next Monday…
The week starts with an excellent two-for-one deal from Kultura’s glitter archive. First, from the commendable «Greater Than Love» series, you get a revealing 2003 «dual biography» of Soviet-era megastar Lyubov Orlova and her director-husband Grigory Aleksandrov; this is followed by one of the couple’s joint films, the seldom-aired "Spring" (1947). The documentary does a fine job of filling in viewers on the history and peculiar internal dynamics of "the reigning couple of Soviet Hollywood." As for "Spring," you’ll never see another late-Stalinist "musical comedy with elements of science fiction," now will you? This one was filmed in the former Czechoslovakia, scored by the great Isaak Dunayevsky and boasts a male lead you won’t soon forget: Nikolai Cherkassov. Yes, Eisenstein’s riveting Ivan the Terrible, here playing a film director who is Orlova’s love interest. Intrigued? You should be.
Greater Than Love. Lyubov Orlova and Grigory Aleksandrov Больше, чем любовь. Любовь Орлова и Григорий Александров. Kultura, Monday at 7:45 p.m.
Spring Весна. Kultura, Monday at 8:25 p.m.
On Tuesday REN TV answers a question that probably stumped late-Soviet era moviegoers for years: What would happen if one of Moscow’s most talented young directors somehow escaped to Hollywood, where a major studio gave him too much money and too little time to make a slam-bang action picture starring Sylvester Stallone? Well, what happened was “Tango & Cash” (1989). The film was directed for Warner Bros. by Andrei Konchalosky, co-author of the Russian classic “Andrei Rublev” and compiler of an enviable portfolio of Soviet films over the 1960s-70s (including “Asya Klyachina,” “Uncle Vanya” and “Siberiade”). This movie somehow survived a long series of production disasters and studio meddling, emerging in the end as an agreeable Russian-American mess that actually did make money. Tune in for some good dumb fun.
Tango & Cash Танго и Кэш. REN TV, Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/teeters-tv-take-out-and-then-there-were-none-greater-than-love-and-more-moscow-tv-and-film-55135 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/3aec2521e19bd7acc401e12987b7feb9b4fc25c8d40972c3d24423fcd9bfea65.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:15:01 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fprosecution-in-microphone-case-requests-2-year-suspended-sentence-for-navalny-ally-volkov-55062.json | en | null | Russian Opposition Politician Volkov Gives Final Statement, Awaits Verdict | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russian opposition politician Leonid Volkov has made his final statement as defendant in the so-called “Microphone Case,” the MediaZona news website reported Monday.
Volkov was arrested on July 17, 2015 after activists from the far-right People's Liberation Front (NOD) staged an unsanctioned picket outside the PARNAS political party office in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk.
Protesters threw eggs and surged toward prominent opposition politician and anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny. While eggs flew, Volkov prevented a cameraman from state-run television channel LifeNews, who was filming the incident, from approaching Navalny by holding him back and holding the camera’s microphone.
The cameraman later claimed Volkov had damaged the microphone and Volkov was also accused of preventing the work of a journalist through violence — a charge which carries a maximum sentence of six years.
Prosecutors have asked that Volkov be recognized as guilty and be handed a two-year suspended sentence.
Volkov has maintained his innocence, reiterating during his final statement his belief that the case against him is politically motivated and an attempt to prevent him from running in elections.
“All actions taken by Russian state bodies toward me and my fellow campaigners since 2012 embody a long list of crimes; prevention from participating in elections, electoral fraud and oppression of political competition,” Volkov said. The case brought against him by LifeNews was a further instrument of political suppression, he added.
A verdict is expected on Aug. 31.
“Thank you very much to everyone who came today to support on the last word. Sentencing is Aug. 31, 8:30 a.m. (Yes, Yes, it's 4:30 MSK!), Volkov posted on Twitter following the court hearing. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/prosecution-in-microphone-case-requests-2-year-suspended-sentence-for-navalny-ally-volkov-55062 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/08737cc706d6986293fb24ec8bf08e5590508e869f3725e3581cb5f99ed98a8e.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:05:37 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fgetting-wet-the-russian-way-55099.json | en | null | Getting Wet the Russian Way | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Мокрый: wet
This is not one of Moscow’s really wet summers — the ones when your umbrella never really dries out and you live in your wellies — but we’ve had a good dose of spectacular thunderstorms and record-breaking downpours. That means that you probably got caught in the rain — and you didn’t just get wet, you got drenched.
Because you are human, you will want to describe your wet misfortune as expressively as you can to your significant other. Here, Russian is weak on verbs, but rich in adverbial phrases.
The basic “I got drenched” verb pair is промокать / промокнуть (to become thoroughly wet). You use the first part of the pair (imperfective) when you’re talking about the process. Он стал промокать (He began to get really wet.) Промокнуть (perfective) is the one you use when you’re already sopping wet. Начался дождь, ветер, мы все промокли (The rain began, the wind blew up, and we all got soaked.)
Now, that’s not too satisfying, is it? You’re not going to get tea and sympathy from “я промок.” Add an adverbial phrase, like насквозь (all the way through): Дождь хлынул, и я промокла насквозь (The clouds opened and I was drenched through and through). Or до нитки (to every last thread): Очень скоро мы промокли до нитки (Very soon our clothes were sopping wet.) Or even deeper, до костей (down to your bones), although English doesn’t let you go that far: Он попал в грозу и промок до костей (He got caught in a storm and was soaked to the skin.)
In Russian, your eyes can also get wet: У отца промокли глаза, но лишь на мгновение (My father’s eyes filled with tears, but for just an instant.) Or you can wet something intentionally: Она промокала своё лицо влажной губкой (She moistened her face with a damp sponge.)
The other way of getting wet in Russian is from the inside out: потеть (to sweat). You can use the same verb for getting soaked: Было жарко, низкорослые болотные деревца тени давали немного, гимнастёрки промокли от пота (It was hot, the low swampy trees didn’t give much shade, and the soldiers’ shirts were drenched with sweat.)
In English, when you are wet and bedraggled, you look like a drowned rat. In Russian, you are мокрый, как мышь (wet as a mouse). No one seems to have a good explanation for the origins of the wet mouse simile, unless you believe that mice sweat a lot while running on their wheel. In any case, the expression means being drenched in sweat either due to illness or hard work. У неё держалась температура, и она лежала мокрая, как мышь (She had a fever that wouldn’t break and lay in bed, soaked with sweat.) Он колол дрова, пришёл мокрый, как мышь (He cut firewood and came home drenched in sweat.)
Sweating is often a metaphor for working hard: Они заставляли президентскую команду попотеть (They really made the president’s team sweat and toil.) Работать до седьмого пота (work until the seventh sweat) is an odd expression in which the number seven really just means “a lot”: Одни спину гнут, работают до седьмого пота, а другие, выходит, живут за их счёт (Some do back-breaking labor, work until they are covered in sweat, while others, it turns out, live off them.)
Ain’t that the truth. Wet rodents of the world — unite!
Michele A. Berdy is a Moscow-based translator and interpreter, author of “The Russian Word’s Worth,” a collection of her columns. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/getting-wet-the-russian-way-55099 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/beb9ea1162a7b84a777743d49e990364418c6215b4017f26660ede0529cb7aa2.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-30T14:51:52 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fuzbekistan-cancels-55156.json | en | null | Uzbek Independence Celebrations Canceled Amid Karimov Death Rumors - Reports | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Uzbekistan has reportedly canceled its official Independence Day celebrations amid rumors of the death of Uzbek President Islam Karimov, the BBC reported Tuesday citing unidentified sources.
The state-owned UzDaily news website has since reported that events will be going ahead to mark the holiday on Sept. 1, which celebrates 25 years since the country's independence from the Soviet Union.
The Fergana news agency reported on Monday that Karimov had died at the age of 79 following a brain hemorrhage. Uzbek authorities have denied the reports, describing the president's condition as "stable."
The cancellation of festivities would confirm that Karimov is dead, or in a state of clinical death, Fergana Editor-in-Chief Daniil Kislov told The Moscow Times. It's currently impossible to confirm either scenario, he said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/uzbekistan-cancels-55156 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/10941df8d5019288bfbde65c57f9667679a7c858743cb38e64833645fd70cd60.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T12:59:08 | null | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fhostage-situation-in-central-moscow-bank-branch-55092.json | en | null | Hostage Situation in Central Moscow Bank Branch | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | A bankrupt Russian businessman has taken hostages and threatened to blow himself up at a Citibank branch in central Moscow, the TASS news agency reported Wednesday.
The man has been preliminarily identified as Aram Petrosyan, 55, TASS reported, citing a law enforcement source. He has described himself as a bankrupt businessman.
Two hostages remain in the bank.
Petrosyan entered the bank with a box hanging from around his neck, wrapped in yellow tape with a number of wires sticking out.
According to witnesses, he threatened to detonate a bomb and took everyone inside the bank hostage. He later allowed a bank employee and two women to exit the building, TASS reported. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/hostage-situation-in-central-moscow-bank-branch-55092 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/67483a874fc10812ed5b8bf3d4fcc720ad45501b29697158339a4163cbb84b42.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:04:13 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fteeters-tv-take-out-volga-volga-chapayev-and-more-moscow-tv-and-film-55054.json | en | null | Teeter’s TV Take-Out: Volga-Volga, Chapayev and More Moscow TV and Film | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Got the summertime blues? Cheer up, small-screen fans, as Moscow television offers you a stellar line-up of very watchable movies this week, including: a classic musical comedy, four evenings of excellent espionage, irresistibly amusing walks through Thaw-era Moscow and Stagnation-era Leningrad and the favorite film of two different Russian leaders. The week gets off to a rousing start Monday with Volga-Volga (1938), Grigory Aleksandrov’s classic Soviet musical comedy about a boatload of provincial “artistes” heading downriver to a vaudeville-style competition called the Moscow Musical Olympiad. Lyubov Orlova lights up the screen as singer-songwriter Dunya, while Igor Ilinsky does a marvelous turn as her opposite number, the blustering bureaucrat Ivan Ivanovich Byvalov — whose comic pratfalls were said to remind Josef Stalin of his underling (and understudy) Nikita Khrushchev. The Soviet public loved this film, which reportedly superseded “Chapayev” as Stalin’s all-time favorite, and it’s easy to see why: “Volga-Volga” combines entertainment so good and escapism so great that an innocent new-millennium viewer might wonder just how much fun Soviet 1938 actually was. On that score, consider this: the film underwent two de-Stalinization redactions after the dictator’s demise — which might be taken as a very big hint.
Volga-Volga Волга, Волга. Kultura, Monday at 10:20 a.m.
Conspiracy-theory lovers get a big dose this week from STS, which airs the popular Jason Bourne spy thrillers in prime time Monday through Thursday. The first three films feature Matt Damon in the lead as a highly-trained and amazingly resourceful CIA special operative gone rogue. Russian viewers give such high marks to Bourne’s sinister-plot busting — which time and again shows U.S. intelligence as less intelligent than Americans would like — that they’ve even forgiven the series’ producers for assigning the hero a Russian passport under the name Ashchf Lshtshfum (yes, Ащьф Лштшфум). Clear your plans for the week and tune in for all four films — together they’re the perfect warm-up for the just-released Bourne V (“Jason Bourne”), which opens in Moscow September 1. The Bourne Identity Идентификация Борна (2002). STS, Monday at 9 p.m.
The Bourne Supremacy Превосходство Борна (2004). STS, Tuesday at 9 p.m.
The Bourne Ultimatum Ультиматум Борна (2007). STS, Wednesday at 9 p.m.
The Bourne Legacy Эволюция Борна (2012). STS, Thursday at 9 p.m.
Take Wednesday off for a good book or a walk in the park, then come back Thursday evening rested and ready for a rare double feature — two outstanding Georgy Danelia films in a row on Dom Kino. The buoyant Walking the Streets of Moscow (1963) and the much-loved “sad comedy” hit of 1979 Autumn Marathon.
“Walking” is an episodic, rambling-around-Moscow movie-picaresque about four Russian teens at the height of the Thaw era. Led by a debuting Nikita Mikhalkov, these are kids whose self-evident decency and universal problems-of-youth come across as both believable and amusing — a rare combination indeed for Soviet youth films. The foursome and a fine ensemble of adult supporters weave their way through the city via Gennady Shpalikov’s witty script, convincingly demonstrating en route that the phrase “Soviet lyrical comedy” was by no means an oxymoron. This huge trans-USSR hit also won awards at Cannes, Milan and Prague — and deserved them, as you’ll see.
“Marathon,” set in late-Soviet St. Petersburg — then Leningrad — presents lecturer-translator Andrei Buzykin, masterfully played by Oleg Basilashvili. A middle-aged Soviet everyman-intelligent, the ever-agreeable Buzykin embodies the funniest angst that the Stagnation era could write. The screenplay was the work of Aleksandr Volodin and Danelia managed to outmaneuver Mosfilm and Goskino to get it to audiences largely intact. A special mention to Basilashvili’s love-interest co-stars, Marina Neyolova and Natalya Gundareva, as well as to supporters Evgeny Leonov, Norbert Kuchinke and Galina Volchek. It’s been argued the film should have won Hollywood’s Best Foreign Film Oscar in 1980 (which went to the Vladimir Menshov soaper “Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears”). Tune in and judge for yourself.
“Walking the Streets of Moscow” Я шагаю по Москве. Dom Kino, Thursday at 7 p.m.
“Autumn Marathon” Осенний марафон. Dom Kino, Thursday at 8:25 p.m. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/teeters-tv-take-out-volga-volga-chapayev-and-more-moscow-tv-and-film-55054 | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/a90b5d505c1f5c825ef87ddd14cef5aa3c4cca1cf0d5c07a3b9731ace68fe1a5.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:50 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fchanges-in-duma-55068.json | en | null | Duma Chief of Staff to Step Down as Political Shake Up Continues - Reports | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The Chief of Staff at Russia's State Duma is to leave her post as part of the country's ongoing high-level political shake up, the Vedomosti newspaper reported Tuesday.
Dzhakhan Pollyeva “has packed her bags” and will resign following elections to the Duma next month, one source told the newspaper.
Pollyeva has served in the Duma since 2012, having previously served in the Presidential Administration for 15 years, Vedomosti reported. She earlier worked informally as a speechwriter for former Russian presidents Boris Yeltsin and Dmitry Medvedev, and for current Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Pollyeva’s resignation adds to the growing list of high-level personnel changes in recent months.
Putin replaced Education Minister Dmitry Livanov earlier this week, while his long term ally, Sergei Ivanov, was removed from his post as head of the Presidential Administration last month.
The reshuffle could continue following the elections, with First Deputy of the Presidential Administration, Vyacheslav Volodin, poised to become Duma Speaker after the vote, the Kommersant newspaper reported Tuesday. The move could see current Speaker Sergei Naryskin become Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR, the newspaper reported.
Naryshkin, who served in the leadership of the KGB between 1978 and 1982, was non-committal when asked Monday if he would shortly be moving to the Duma. “When I was introduced to President [Putin] in 2001, I was given an order - don’t let this man down. I always keep that in mind,” he said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/changes-in-duma-55068 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/e1e23edbc8bc7790c17f12a25c024c36fa5a6297d5d73ad1d4cf334172bc6875.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:57 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fover-100-unpaid-russian-miners-declare-hunger-strike-55070.json | en | null | Unpaid Russian Miners Declare Hunger Strike | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Over 100 miners in southern Russia’s Rostov region are staging a hunger strike over unpaid wages, the TASS news agency reported Tuesday.
The miners, who work for the bankrupt Kingcoal mining group, began their hunger strike after going several months without pay, TASS reported.
“We have started our hunger strike today in order to receive 100 percent of the wages we are owed, which has grown over a year and a half,” a representative for the hunger strike initiative group told TASS.
More than 2,200 workers are owed over 300 million rubles ($4.6 million), according to the initiative group representative. There are 120 workers signed up to hunger strike, with 64 of them having notified the local prosecutor’s office.
Four mines under Kingcoal’s jurisdiction are bankrupt, with some miners working in extremely dangerous conditions, TASS reported.
“The mines need to be closed down but that requires billions of rubles. The Almanznya mine holds equipment and administrative buildings worth almost 200 million rubles ($3 million) but that’s not enough to plug the shortfall in wages,” the workers' representative said.
A criminal case was opened this month against Vladimir Pozhidaev, the general director of the Kingcoal group, on charges of abuse of authority and non-payment of salaries, TASS reported. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/over-100-unpaid-russian-miners-declare-hunger-strike-55070 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/519027210e192ceda6d2a432fd982d39aaa522dffca9b3724270b573a2a4faa1.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:13:00 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fputin-is-grand-godfather-of-extreme-nationalism-clinton-55122.json | en | null | Putin Is 'Grand Godfather of Extreme Nationalism' - Clinton | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called Russian President Vladimir Putin the “grand godfather of this global brand of extreme nationalism,” speaking at a campaign event in Nevada.
The former U.S. Secretary of State devoted her speech to so-called “alternative right” ideology and the danger of rightist political forces seizing power.
She was criticizing her Republican opponent Donald Trump for supporting Putin's policy: “He talks casually of abandoning our NATO allies, recognizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and of giving the Kremlin a free hand in Eastern Europe more generally. American presidents from Truman to Reagan have rejected the kind of approach Trump is taking on Russia.”
The U.S. media has long connected Trump’s campaign to the Kremlin, pointing to his pro-Putin advisers and Russian business ties. Several of Trump’s advisers were reported to be sympathetic to the Kremlin, and his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort served as an adviser to Russian-backed former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Putin himself has been forthright in his praise of the Republican candidate. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/putin-is-grand-godfather-of-extreme-nationalism-clinton-55122 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/0eab6247b36be6c78883d1de633919752111f7a1fccf5a68cbf1187454c6ba96.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:05:16 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fsubtitle-film-festival-comes-to-moscow-55098.json | en | null | SUBTITLE Film Festival Comes to Moscow | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Love film and live in Moscow? Over the coming week the capital will play host to the SUBTITLE film festival, an event celebrating the best cinema from across Europe. SUBTITLE, historically held in Kilkenny, Ireland, is a showcase film festival bringing together both internationally acclaimed European films and films that are box office hits in their own countries. Spearheading the Moscow festival is Gerard Michael MacCarthy of Enterprise Ireland.
Nine films will be screened at the festival: three from Germany, two from Holland, two from Poland, one from Finland and one from Georgia. All of the films will be screened at the Karo 11 Oktyabr theater on Novy Arbat and subtitled in both Russian and English.
The event is unique in that along side film screenings, the festival offers participants the chance to become more involved with the film industry through an interactive program of events, including an opportunity to take part in a series of masterclasses given by top international casting directors. Among the experts offering their tips on the film industry over the course of the week are Debbie McWilliams, who casts for the James Bond franchise, Nathalie Cheron, who works for Luke Besson, and Elaine Granger, who was in charge of casting for The Dark Knight and Inception.
The organizers of the festival are also arranging one-on-one meetings between 16 of Russia’s top actors and the world-class casting directors who will attend.
The organizers hope that the event will encourage closer ties between the Russian and international film industries. Richard Cook, the co-organizer of the event, told the Moscow Times that the ultimate goal was “creating a bridge” between Russian talent and the possibilities offered by the Western European film industry.
The masterclasses, which are open to everyone, also present an invaluable opportunity for aspiring local actors. Cook says that the masterclass audiences will learn the “secrets of breaking out into the international casting stream”.
Subtitle Film Festival runs through September 3. Tickets and further information are available at subtitlefilmfest.ru. All films are screened at Karo 11Oktyabr Cinema. 24 Ulitsa Novy Arbat. Metro Arbatskaya. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/subtitle-film-festival-comes-to-moscow-55098 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/3d7671851b92fb61326b39c91c276a1b840f5c8034967aaa63475788f95d1398.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-31T12:52:21 | null | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fmuchniks-picks-antoha-mc-zanias-and-more-music-in-moscow-on-the-weekend-55162.json | en | null | Muchnik's Picks: Antoha MC, Zanias and More Music in Moscow on the Weekend | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | It's only the first weekend of fall, but that doesn't mean it’s too early to start reminiscing about the summer. Even if the weather tries to dampen your mood, there are plenty of excellent gigs to help keep your spirits up over the coming days. Here are our picks.
Yung Lean is just 19 years old, but the Swedish rapper has already taken the world by storm. Mixing styles like cloud rap and grime, his mellow tunes have earned him a reputation far beyond his native country. This gig marks his second visit to Moscow and his fan base has only grown stronger. Yotaspace. 11 Ulitsa Ordzhonikidze. Metro Leninsky Prospekt. Tickets from 1,800 rubles ($28). Friday, at 8 p.m.
Red Samara Automobile Club or RSAC is one of the many projects of versatile musician Felix Bondarev, former member of Sansara, a popular indie-rock band from Yekaterinburg. RSAC plays electro-pop with angry, biting lyrics (of the parental advisory kind). YpsiloN is a relatively new venue located in rapidly developing Pravda neighborhood. YpsiloN. 24/7 Ulitsa Pravdi. Metro Belorusskaya. Tickets from 500 rubles ($8). Friday, at 8 p.m.
Antoha MC is a one-man act, rapping, playing the trumpet and dancing along to his music, which is best described as a blend of hip-hop, acid jazz and reggae. Sometimes he sounds like Mihey and Jumanji, a reggae act from the 90s with a cult following, sometimes his music reminds you of 80s electronic music and the legendary band Kino. 16 Tons. 6/1 Ulitsa Presnensky Val. Metro 1905 Goda. Tickets from 600 rubles ($9). Saturday, at 8 p.m.
Zanias is the stage name of Alison Lewis. Hailing from Australia, Lewis is considered a prominent member of the electronic underground scene and currently lives in Berlin. Zanias is her latest project mixing ambient and minimalist electronic music with her signature austere vocals. 16 Tons. 6/1 Ulitsa Presnensky Val. Metro Ulitsa 1905 Goda. Tickets from 400 rubles ($6). Saturday, at 11 p.m. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/muchniks-picks-antoha-mc-zanias-and-more-music-in-moscow-on-the-weekend-55162 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/7cd363ea2e10bb1111ad057b7f68cbd7cd5558571328fdc5bea7c7b0ea2a4388.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:12:24 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussias-paratroopers-decline-to-build-st-petersburg-world-cup-stadium-55111.json | en | null | Russian Paratroopers Refuse to Build St. Petersburg World Cup Stadium | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The Russian Airborne Troops (VDV) have refused to help finish building St. Petersburg’s World Cup Stadium, the TASS news agency reported Thursday.
The elite fighting force do not have the time to assist the St. Petersburg authorities in the construction of the arena, TASS reported, citing a VDV press office statement. “Paratroopers have no time for construction work. Not even of stadiums.”
St. Petersburg Vice Governor Igor Albin was quoted by the Interfax news agency asking a VDV colonel about the possibility of his troops finishing the stadium, with the colonel allegedly replying “just get me the commander in chief’s order.”
The head of the new stadium contractor, Vadim Alexandrov said St. Petersburg residents would be invited to work on the project.
“Do you remember how great it used to be [in the Soviet era]? Toward the end of a project, we used to get the whole city involved, students as well, anyone at all,” he said at a press conference. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russias-paratroopers-decline-to-build-st-petersburg-world-cup-stadium-55111 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/82c95d7389fb77299b04c80d4165fc0c7514f53aa40958922ce425a070e44728.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:52 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fstate-bank-vnesheconombank-to-build-paper-factory-in-krasnodar-region-55069.json | en | null | Russian Bank VEB Plans Krasnodar Paper Factory | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russian state-owned development bank Vnesheconombank (VEB) is to build a paper mill in the country's southern region of Krasnodar, the Vedomosti newspaper reported Tuesday.
The factory will be the largest project financed by the bank, costing an estimated 400 million rubles ($6.1 million), said Pavel Bibilin, director of Russia's state timber companies. The project is hoped to attract up to $1.5 billion in investments, with a number of Russian and Chinese companies already showing an interest, Bibilin said.
VEB was forced to scrap earlier plans to build a pulp and paper mill after investors pulled out of the project in 2014, the Slon news website reported.
Last year was a record year for the company, with the bank's investment profile growing to reach an 11-year high. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/state-bank-vnesheconombank-to-build-paper-factory-in-krasnodar-region-55069 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/d2a1000b087aacb20ce176afd39e642bd358b5df3426c4cb64e1b7f623974d94.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-30T10:51:46 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fover-100-russians-appeal-to-compete-in-paralympics-55153.json | en | null | Over 100 Russian Paralympic Athletes Appeal Doping Ban | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Over 100 Russian athletes have appealed to compete in the upcoming Paralympic Games, the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) announced Tuesday.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has banned the Russian team from participating in the Games following reports of widespread state-sponsored doping in Russian sport.
Russia reacted with indignation, claiming the ban was “cruel and inhumane” as well as being politically motivated.
Out of Russia’s 266 Paralympic athletes, more than 100 have appealed to the IPC to be judged individually, RPC Vice President Pavel Rozhkov said, according to a statement on the committee's website.
Athletes claim they have been tested for doping outside of the Russian system and found “clean.”
Athletes representing team sports — sitting volleyball, goalball and five and seven a side football — have not appealed, Rozhkov added. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/over-100-russians-appeal-to-compete-in-paralympics-55153 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/04a87033106d443716589bc4189bcd7f29c8d8067e8d7c25e73d50d020bfc3cf.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:11:55 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussia-to-hold-its-own-paralympic-games-55105.json | en | null | Russia to Hold Paralympic Games for Banned Athletes | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Following the ban on Russia’s entire Paralympic team, Russia will hold a Games for the country's athletes, President Vladimir Putin said, the TASS news agency reported Thursday.
Prizes will be identical to those being handed out in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro, TASS reported.
According to Putin, members of the Russian Paralympic team will be supported by the government and a special competition will be organized in order for them “to demonstrate their skills.”
The decision to ban Russia from the Paralympics is “against the law, against morality and against humanity,” the president said.
He added that “international anti-doping organizations must be free from politics,” TASS reported. Putin's statements echo those made by Sergei Shilov, a member of Russia's Paralympic Committee.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced earlier this month that the entire Russian team would be banned from this summer’s Paralympic Games following damning reports of state-sponsored doping within the country.
Russia appealed the ban, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the IPC's decision to ban Russia’s Paralympic squad. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russia-to-hold-its-own-paralympic-games-55105 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/1a124cd7a48e71bd953ee631b98c02fd1b008218a307c034439db671ec7735c6.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:10:12 | null | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fdance-of-the-vampires-musical-back-in-russia-55033.json | en | null | 'Dance of the Vampires' Musical Returns to Russia | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Moscow audiences will soon have the chance to see “Dance of the Vampires,” a musical that took St. Petersburg by storm during a three-year run that ended in 2014. Directed by Cornelius Baltus, the show is second in popularity only to “Phantom of the Opera” in Europe. The song-filled story of vampires, lust, and love will do a short run in St. Petersburg at the city’s Musical Comedy Theater later this month before arriving at Moscow’s MDM Theater.
The shows’s director, Cornelius Baltus, has also staged musicals including “The Lion King” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” In April his newest show, “Hollywood Diva,” received Russia’s highest theater award, the Golden Mask. In an interview with The Moscow Times, Baltus talks about the Russian musical scene, his childhood dreams coming true in Russia, and why “Dance of the Vampires” is a musical about our modern lives.
TMT: “Hollywood Diva” is the second musical you have directed (after “Dance of the Vampires”) that has been awarded The Golden Mask award. Did you expect this?
CB: Absolutely not! With all the other great competitors and the turmoil between Russia and Europe, I did not expect it at all. From a cultural point of view this country is so rich and the competition is strong. The award was very unexpected.
TMT: When did your Russian professional journey begin?
CB: It began a long time ago, when I was a ballet student learning the Vaganova technique at the ballet academy in Amsterdam. I dreamed of seeing the Mariinsky Theater ballet, and I did on one of my first trips to St. Petersburg. I was invited there by the head of the Musical Comedy Theater, Yury Schwarzkopf. He had previously seen “Dance of The Vampires” in Vienna, and his deepest wish was to stage the musical in Russia. I asked him several times if he was sure, since producers tend to underestimate the technical complexity of the show. Yury was, and the show became a huge success and was awarded The Golden Mask.
TMT: When you introduced your first musical, “Dance of the Vampires,” in St. Petersburg in 2011, did you encounter any obstacles?
CB: Oh, dozens. We were boycotted both in-house by reluctant workers and outside by people who were not open to change. It was the same with “Hollywood Diva” [an adaptation of the 1936 opera “Axel at the Gates of Heaven”]. People were whispering that it would be a failure, but we knew what we were doing. Another serious challenge was that regular Russian theaters do not have European technical standards and a lot of effects are done by hand so many adjustments had to be made.
TMT: Many foreigners say that Russian challenges make the work much more interesting…
CB: And they are right. You need to stay calm and overcome a lot of problems and you need to know what you want. After all, it’s a theater. Where in Europe do you get an orchestra of 36 people? Where do you get a cast of 64? Where would you say to a producer: “I need 30 dancers on stage?” In Europe they would say: “Are you crazy? It’s way too expensive.” But I love making real theater, not an LED wall with three people and an orchestra on a click track.
TMT: What would you say about the standard of musical actors and dancers in Russia?
CB: Fabulous! I love working with these people. They are well-trained and have amazing talent. I work in a peculiar old-fashioned way, and I think they are very thankful for my approach, instead of the “I am the big director and you are a small actor” attitude. I believe in equal energy and collaboration. “Dance of the Vampires” launched the careers of many actors who later became stars — like Ivan Ozhogin, who performed the same role in Berlin.
TMT: Was “Dance of the Vampires” adapted for Russia?
CB: I try to adapt the show according to local tastes. For instance, in Berlin it feels more British in style. In Budapest I worked with a local designer and we were very close to Transylvania — where the story takes place — so we needed a set that was darker, grander and more sinister. When I staged the musical in Russia I learned village stories about “vurdalaki,” or vampires, so we were quite creative and introduced new elements to the show.
TMT: What can the audience expect from the new production of “Dance of the Vampires”?
CB: A wonderful evening with a dark fairy tale-like story that’s witty, intense and full of sensuality and hidden danger. There will be no new adaptations because we want to share the same high level performance with the Moscow audience as in St. Petersburg.
TMT: Why do you think the musical is in such high demand?
CB: This story connects to the times we are living in. Krolock’s main song “The Insatiable Greed” speaks of his unsatisfied hunger: that’s us — many people who want bigger cars, more beautiful wives, bigger houses, more success. When does it stop and when we go start truly caring for each other? Krolock is in fact unhappy in his world of insatiable greed. I can’t wait to share this wonderful spectacle with the Moscow audiences. I am also working on a new project for St. Petersburg, a very interesting Russian story, but I cannot disclose the details yet.
MDM Theater Moscow. 28 Komsomolsky Prospekt. Metro Frunzenskaya (сlosed), Park Kultury. + 7 (499) 248 6688, mdmpalace.ru. From Oct. 29. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/dance-of-the-vampires-musical-back-in-russia-55033 | en | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/ebeb88b707f0254e8017bf3d0f3384680f17f42d33658683586ade3ebcdef9a2.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:24 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussias-rostov-reach-champions-league-by-defeating-ajax-55095.json | en | null | Russia's Rostov Stun Ajax to Reach Champions League | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russia's Rostov has defeated four-time European champions Ajax to reach the group stages of the Champions League.
Rostov, from the south of Russia, defeated their illustrious Dutch opponents 5-2 over two legs, sealing their progression in style with a 4-1 home win on Wednesday night.
Rostov were the Russian Premier League’s surprise package last season, finishing second in the table. It is the first time that the team has made the Champions League, joining fellow Russian team CSKA Moscow in the competition.
Both Rostov and CSKA Moscow will learn their group stage opponents when the Champions League draw is made on Thursday afternoon. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russias-rostov-reach-champions-league-by-defeating-ajax-55095 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/eebb6c9e04632971596fc6de44e7b97653324e80e2884541155d0a95cabfd3e7.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-26T16:49:41 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fputin-fires-top-generals-from-russian-investigative-committee-55131.json | en | null | Putin Fires Top Generals From Russian Investigative Committee | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russian President Vladimir Putin has fired two top-ranking generals from the country's Investigative Committee.
Major-General Dmitry Shershakov, the Deputy Head of the Main Directorate's Commission for Combating Corruption, and Vitaly Frolov, the First Deputy Head of the Investigative Committee Oversight Commission, were both pushed from their posts on Friday.
Russia's Investigative Committee has come under particular scrutiny following the arrest of several top officials on charges of corruption.
On July 19, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested several employees of the Investigative Committee's Moscow branch, including its deputy head Denis Nikandrov.
Nikandrov currently stands accused of receiving a $1 million dollar bribe in connection with a case against notorious crime boss Shakro Molodoi, or Young Shakro.
The branch's Head of Security Mikhail Maksimenko, and his deputy Alexander Lamonov, were also arrested on corruption charges.
The chairman of Russia’s Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykhin, condemned the officials as “betrayers,” who had "besmirched" the reputation of colleagues, the Rossiskaya Gazeta newspaper reported at the time.
Shakro Molodoi was arrested on June 11 on charges of extorting money from the owner of the Elements restaurant in Moscow, after a violent shootout in December 2015 left two dead.
For more on the Denis Nikanorov and Young Shakro arrest, click here. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/putin-fires-top-generals-from-russian-investigative-committee-55131 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/07f50bd9f27824a80b22df50273c4aee8632b95125f4b9b1c0eb41dcb50e1038.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T08:51:15 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fuzbek-president-karimov-hospitalized-55136.json | en | null | Uzbek President Karimov Hospitalized | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The president of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, has been hospitalized, international media reported Sunday.
Karimov's "full medical examination and follow-up treatment will require some time," the Uzbek Cabinet said in the statement. Unverified reports from the country's Fergana news website claim that the president has suffered a stroke.
“The authorities have never made statements about Karimov's health, not in the 25 years of his presidency,” Daniel Karimov, chief editor of the Fergana news portal, told Russia's Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper. “Now, the cabinet has announced this officially, so the situation must be serious. There's a chance that we could learn about his death a few days after it takes place, as we did with [Leonid] Brezhnev.”
"I don't believe the departure of Karimov will not change anything dramatically," he said. "Authoritarian states do not simply fall apart. Karimov's heir has long been decided on, and shouldn't have any problems. I believe that the current prime minister of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyayev, will take over the job. He is close to the president's family and holds the top-ranking position among the country's elite.”
Karimov, 78, has ruled Uzbekistan for the past 27 years. He first became leader of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in 1989, and remained in his post after the country gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Karimov was last seen publicly on state television on Aug. 17. He had been expected to appear at Independence Day celebrations in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent on Sept. 1. The day will mark 25 years since the county's independence from the Soviet Union.
Karimov's regime has drawn worldwide criticism throughout its history for its brutality, lack of free and fair elections, and neglect of human rights.
In their 2016 World Report, the Human Rights Watch organization said that, in Uzbekistan, “thousands of people are imprisoned on politically motivated charges, torture is endemic, and authorities regularly harass human rights activists, opposition members, and journalists. Muslims and Christians who practice their religion outside strict state controls are persecuted.”
The country was ranked 166 out of 180 on Reporters Without Borders' press freedom index this year. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/uzbek-president-karimov-hospitalized-55136 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/14ddda323f3497364b7865553cea05fb9f2bad72da911756c27028701026d99f.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:15:17 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussian-patriarch-denounces-internet-users-defiling-humanity-55052.json | en | null | Internet Comments 'Terrible and Destructive,' Says Russian Church Leader | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has warned the country's internet users of the potential “terrible and destructive influence” of their online comments on society.
Speaking at the Arkhangelsk Region's Solovetsky Monastery on Sunday, Patriarch Kirill said that while it was impossible to escape the digital age, anyone publishing their thoughts online wielded a dangerous power.
He also denounced online celebrities who used “their mind, talent, knowledge, influence and popularity to defile human nature.”
The Patriarch called on monks, church leaders and especially young people to resist “the creation of murderous ideas” online, claiming that such strength can only come from a faith in God. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russian-patriarch-denounces-internet-users-defiling-humanity-55052 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/07cacce81bc40635b6cf2bd128be0681a567754f14adac142ec0f0862424baf2.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T12:51:17 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Frussian-lender-sberbank-overtakes-gazprom-capitalization-55137.json | en | null | Russian Lender Sberbank Overtakes Gazprom Capitalization | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Sberbank’s capitalization on the Moscow Stock Exchange reached 3.24 trillion rubles as of Friday, Aug. 26, while Gazprom’s stood slightly lower at 3.19 trillion rubles. Rosneft remains Russia’s most valuable company, with capitalization of 3.72 trillion rubles.
Sberbank’s ordinary shares rose through trading by 1.69 percent to 145.25 rubles. Preferred shares were up 1.25 percent to 104.09 rubles, and the MICEX index rose by 0.39 percent.
“It seems Gazprom will have to live with this new reality,” said BCS trading department chief Maxim Ryabov. He said Sberbank’s financial results are outperforming all forecasts, increasing share value, whereas Gazprom has failed to keep pace. “Gazprom has yet to implement any structural changes, and until it does, the company will slowly fall behind,” Ryabov said. The price of Sberbank ordinary shares has risen by 43.4 percent since the start of the year, while preferred shares were up 36 percent. Gazprom securities grew by just 0.1 percent, while the MICEX index increased by 13.7 percent over that period.
Very little has improved at Gazprom, said Capital portfolio manager Vadim Bit-Avragim. “Internal efficiency has not improved, and the additional tax burden, low demand for gas, and strong competition from the European market are all negative factors,” he said. The opposite is true of Sberbank, he argued: The state-owned bank is benefitting from the reduction in funding costs, and Sberbank gained new market share after the Central Bank conducted a “financial cleansing” of the banking sector.
Gazprom does not have a program in place for increasing capitalization, but “is taking steps” toward that end, said a company representative, who added that part of the bonus top managers receive is based on the stock price. Sberbank earned 263.1 billion rubles in the first six months of 2016, with Q2 earnings making up 145.4 billion rubles. That exceeds analysts’ most optimistic expectations.
Analytical firms UBS and Citi were closest to the mark, predicting that Sberbank would earn 248.3 billion rubles for the first six months and 145.4 billion rubles in the second quarter. “The main factor influencing the price of Sberbank shares is the growth in profitability due to a recovery in net interest margins and a normalization of transfers to reserves,” UBS analyst Mikhail Shlemov said.
Sberbank’s capitalization first equaled that of Gazprom on Thursday, Aug. 25, on the heels of a positive company report and an announcement by Sberbank leaders that dividends might increase in the medium term, Bit-Avragim said. The Sberbank press service mentioned the same reasons for the increase in comments on Friday.
One owner of Sberbank shares said they make a good investment. “I plan to sell mine when the price reaches 150 rubles,” he said. “According to my estimates that should happen in September or October, although, considering the latest reports, it could be even sooner.”
From May 2015 to May 2016, Sberbank increased its share of foreign investors by 2.3 percent to 45.6 percent, while the share of Russian investors fell from 2.8 percent to only 1.3 percent, Sberbank deputy chairperson Bella Zlatkis said in May.
International investors might also keep demand for Sberbank shares high now — as opposed to Gazprom securities. And although Russian shares experienced an outflow of funds during the week of Aug. 24, fund managers at EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) generally continue to hold a significant share of assets in financial sector securities, EPFR Global said in a report released on Friday. On average, that share is close to the record level seen at the end of Q4 2015. At the same time, fund managers reduced investments in shares of raw materials and energy companies in the region. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/russian-lender-sberbank-overtakes-gazprom-capitalization-55137 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/bfea92d452af8ceefb18b889cb5af3566aa16233b8f57371300e0cac928fb3d7.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:03:03 | null | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Frussian-soldier-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-killing-armenian-family-55080.json | en | null | Russian Soldier Sentenced to Life for Murder of Armenian Family | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Prosecutors have sentenced a Russian soldier to life in prison for the killing of a family of seven near a military base in the Armenian city of Gyumri last year.
The Armenian court found Valery Permyakov guilty of leaving his military base with a machine gun on January 12 2015 and fatally shooting and stabbing the Avetisian family in their own home. Among his victims were a 2-year-old girl and 6-month-old infant boy, who died in hospital a week later.
Permyakov was detained by Russian border guards as he attempted to cross the Armenian border into Turkey. The 19-year-old Russian private pleaded guilty to the murder charges, but refused to give testimony in court.
The killings provoked mass protests in Gyumri, a city that lies 120 kilometers northwest of the capital Yerevan and hosts a Russian garrison of around 3,000 soldiers. Demonstrations against Russia’s military presence in Armenia later spread throughout the country. Protesters feared Permyakov would be sent home and demanded that he be accused in an Armenian court rather than a Russian military court. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/russian-soldier-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-killing-armenian-family-55080 | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/8a912df5ab8b7b86681329a38d343fb44b198f6f6145750c5558668ab2aa6618.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-30T08:51:46 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussia-tampering-with-election-us-senator-55151.json | en | null | Russia 'Tampering with U.S. Elections' - Senator | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | A prominent U.S. Senator has asked the FBI to investigate claims of possible Russian interference in the country's upcoming presidential election, The New York Times reported Monday.
Writing in a letter to FBI Chief James B. Comey Jr., Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid claimed that Russian interference is “more extensive than is widely known and may include the intent to falsify election results.”
Speaking in a recent interview, Reid said he feared that Russia wanted to “tamper with this election” based on briefings from senior intelligence officials.
The FBI has allegedly warned two U.S. states of foreign hackers which had hacked into their computer systems, in one case exporting voter registration data, the New York Times reported.
The states in question have not been confirmed, but have been named in the media as Arizona and Illinois.
Matt Roberts, a spokesman for Arizona’s secretary of state, later announced that the FBI had told state officials that the Kremlin was behind the cyber-attack.
Cyber security experts have previously accused Russian intelligence agencies of hacking networks of the Democratic National Committee last month.
Washington has not formally accused Moscow of orchestrating the breaches, despite U.S. intelligence informing the White House they were “highly confident” of Russian involvement, the New York Times reported.
The Kremlin denies all allegations, calling the claims “absurd.”
The U.S. presidential elections are due to take place on Nov. 6, 2016. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russia-tampering-with-election-us-senator-55151 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/d02201bc027729fdcd2a4faf67f04f54d342cafdde9b17fabffb29b4de5e54de.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:15:22 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fukraine-to-sue-russia-over-violations-of-maritime-law-in-crimea-55055.json | en | null | Ukraine to Sue Russia Over Crimea | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Ukraine plans to launch legal proceedings against Russia for violating United Nations convention with its annexation of Crimea, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said Monday.
Speaking at a meeting of Ukrainian ambassadors, Klimkin said that Ukraine plans to file a case in international courts “relating to Russia’s violation of UN maritime law" in the waters surrounding Crimea, the Interfax news agency reported Monday.
“We will soon prove that Russia also violated its responsibilities under the convention on the ban on financing terrorism. We will prove that what is happening in temporarily occupied Crimea is complete discrimination,'' Klimkin said.
The international community still recognizes Crimea as part of Ukraine. Russia annexed the territory in 2014, integrating it into Russia later that year following a highly disputed referendum.
Russia earlier this month accused Ukraine of planning terrorist attacks on the peninsula. Ukraine has accused Russia of fabricating the allegations, saying it is committed to returning "the occupied territory of Crimea" to Ukraine through diplomatic means. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/ukraine-to-sue-russia-over-violations-of-maritime-law-in-crimea-55055 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/0c8a71ebc2854d579ad86514d40e83427335d945282e8e75769c0320c5df4ceb.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:04:35 | null | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fmoscow-restaurants-a-match-made-in-heaven-at-wine-crab-54955.json | en | null | Moscow Restaurants: A Match Made in Heaven at Wine & Crab | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | How many varieties of crab do you know? We’ll wager two, maybe three if you’re a true foodie. Either way, you’re in for a culinary adventure at Wine & Crab, the latest buzz restaurant offering an ode to the regal crustacean.
The new terrace eatery holds court on Tretyakovsky Proezd, an exclusive pedestrianized alleyway framed by a stunning medieval-inspired archway. Its cobbles, fragrant decorative plants and domineering architecture provide the ideal amphitheater for the kitchen’s crab creations.
The Berezutsky brothers are no strangers to the elite gastronomic scene. Ivan won the Chef of the Year prize at St. Petersburg’s Where to Eat awards for his innovative use of squid ink to recreate Malevich’s Black Square, while Sergei took home the San Pellegrino Cooking Cup in 2014. Hot on the heels of the pairs debut restaurant “Twins,” Wine & Crab places the emphasis on provenance, with much of the seafood on the menu imported from Russia’s far East to ensure the highest quality.
But back to the crab, of which there are seven varieties. Snow, Kamchatkan King, Murmansk King, Helmet, Spanner, Blue King and Hanasaki crab meat can be ordered as a side or main (from 250 rubles per 100 grams). Less confident when it comes to shellfish? Start with the Kamchatka crab salad packed with citrus, fresh leaves and creamy avocado or the playful crab churros (340 rubles). The King crab phalanx with mushrooms and kimchi sauce (760 rubles) may sound and look intimidating — you’re presented with a platter bearing nothing but two prehistoric, 60 cm legs — but the meat is light, sweet and perfectly tender.
Other dishes nod to traditional Russian recipes — spicy adjika crab (1200 rubles) and kasha with King crab and melon (560 rubles). The Pacific scallops with cabbage puree and warm spinach melt in your mouth and for anyone who didn’t realize they were booking to eat at a seafood restaurant there’s a ubiquitous — but no doubt delicious — rib-eye steak on offer.
As for the wine, suffice to say the choice is so monumental that Wine & Crabs opted for a tablet over a drinks list. If you’re overwhelmed — which is highly likely — expert sommelier Sergei Antonov will hold your hand through the process.
+ 7 (495) 621 7329
winecrab.ru
19-21 Nikolskaya Ulitsa
Metro Lubyanka, Kuznetsky Most | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/moscow-restaurants-a-match-made-in-heaven-at-wine-crab-54955 | en | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/0c483d5ff3b4b41e2ac3cfe7446b1a22242388d0179e64cf84be099aecb2a974.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-30T08:51:47 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Ftashkent-denies-death-of-president-karimov-as-supposed-successor-arrested-55149.json | en | null | Tashkent Denies Death of President Karimov as Supposed Successor Reportedly Arrested | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The Uzbek government has denied reports that the country’s long serving president, Islam Karimov, has died following a brain hemorrhage, the Interfax news agency reported.
Doctors are currently describing Karimov's condition as “stable,” a source close to the Uzbek government told Interfax.
Uzbekistan's Fergana news agency had reported Karimov's death on Monday night, citing a number of unidentified sources. Arkady Dubnov, Russia's expert on Central Asia, also confirmed Karimov's death, quoting his sources.
The country's official state newspaper had confirmed the leader's hospitalization on Monday morning. Karimov’s youngest daughter, Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva, later posted a statement on Instagram saying that her father, 78, was in intensive care.
Russia’s embassy in Tashkent has neither confirmed nor denied reports of Karimov’s death.
The Regnum news agency reported Tuesday that one of the front-runners to succeed Karimov, Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Azimov, has been placed under house arrest.
Government officials have denied the reports, maintaining that Azimov is continuing in his post.
Both Azimov and the current prime minister, Shavkat Mirziyayev, are believed to be the most likely candidates to succeed Karimov. Analysts believe that the Uzbek political elite, fearing instability within the regime, will work to ensure a smooth transition. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/tashkent-denies-death-of-president-karimov-as-supposed-successor-arrested-55149 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/2eba47d03c4b134f3195d2cd6dca8955736badd47e9fb949c023bf55fad890aa.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-30T12:51:48 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fwife-of-alleged-ukrainian-terrorist-claims-he-was-tortured-to-confess-55155.json | en | null | Wife of Alleged Ukrainian Terrorist Accuses Russia of Torture | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | A Ukrainian woman has accused Russia's security services of torturing her husband to force him to admit to terror-related charges, the Dozhd news channel reported Tuesday.
Andrei Zahktyei confessed to planning terrorist attacks on the Crimean peninsula in a video released by Russia on Aug. 12. He also admitted to working for the Ukrainian security services, and claimed that he had scouted potential locations where bombs could be planted at Crimea’s Simferopol airport.
“I admit that I was working to find places to plant explosives and commit terrorist attacks,” he said in the clip.
Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported last week that Zakhtyei had only been charged with disorderly conduct, despite his confession of terrorism.
Kiev has confirmed that Zakhtyei is Ukrainian, but denied reports that he worked for state intelligence agencies. A member of Ukraine’s parliament later announced that Zakhtyei was a known low-level criminal with a number of past convictions, who had left Ukraine for Russia five years earlier to avoid creditors.
in an interview with independent Russian T.V. channel Dozhd, Zakhtyei’s wife Oksana maintained that her husband was innocent.
“Clients called and he took them where they needed to go, but terrorists… it’s not true,” she said, telling journalists Zakhtyei worked as a taxi driver and courier.
She "instantly knew" that her husband had been tortured after seeing his taped confession, she said. “His face was swollen, lips burst, his hands bruised” she added.
Oksana also claimed that she had been driven out of her apartment and was seen by neighbors as a "terrorist's accomplice." “A village is a small republic with its own laws. I talk to no one hear, I know no one. No one has visited me for a month,” she said.
Russia's Federal Security Service announced on Aug. 11 that a "terrorist plot" prepared by the Ukrainian military had been foiled in Crimea. The plot had allegedly been designed to disrupt the region's tourism industry by planting a series of explosions.
The allegations caused tensions between Russia and Ukraine to flare, with the Kremlin accusing Kiev of "choosing terrorism" and threatening to break political ties.
Kiev has denied all of the allegations. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/wife-of-alleged-ukrainian-terrorist-claims-he-was-tortured-to-confess-55155 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/f626422af81019a5a3990c51319370eeb48ed3a3b16b1971f2116723a2366820.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:12:13 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Ffirst-orthodox-pilgrim-resort-opens-in-south-of-russia-55072.json | en | null | Russian Orthodox Resort Helps Pilgrims' Progress to Sochi | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | An Orthodox resort for pilgrims and tourists has opened near the southern Russian city of Sochi, the city administration press service announced Tuesday on their website.
The “Lesnoye” (Forest) resort consists of two recreation centers built around the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George the Victory Bearer and the ruins of three medieval churches.
The resort aims to attract pilgrims and build on the preexisting Orthodox tourism industry, while developing new tourist attractions in the wider Krasnodar region, according to the statement.
There are currently 11 spiritual and educational tours operating in the region, developed by the pilgrimage center of the Yekaterinodar and Kuban diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/first-orthodox-pilgrim-resort-opens-in-south-of-russia-55072 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/51f0c8bcdf11b80b42a44c2c678007e94cb6106a71bc9bbf12a3ebb4b8235225.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T12:59:31 | null | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fa-diamond-heist-russian-gun-smuggling-and-donald-trump-55005.json | en | null | How a Diamond Heist and Russian Gun Smuggling Lead to Donald Trump | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | It was a bold, but effortless heist. Three men, posing as gemstone buyers for a wealthy client, walked into the Moscow offices of an Indian-owned diamond dealer. They talked their way into the firm's vault. After all, they needed to inspect the merchandise. Once the steel hatch was opened, one of the men stepped out to call his client. Shortly afterwards, four men draped in camouflage and wielding assault rifles stormed into the building. The armed men claimed to be officers of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). They were conducting a raid on illicit gemstone trading, they said. Those present were told to drop to the ground. And the so-called officers went off with some $2.8 million worth of jewelry, and 600,000 euros ($670,000) in cash. The robbery took place in August 2010. When investigators finally got around to prosecuting two years later, their attention fell on Russian-American businessman Gennady Klotsman. He was eventually sentenced by Moscow's Lefortovo Court to 10 years in a Russian penal colony. It wasn’t, as turns out, Klotsman's first run-in with the law. Back in the United States, he also had interesting friends with alleged criminal and political connections. But Klotsman wasn’t the kind of guy who usually makes headlines, and his arrest went mostly unnoticed in the Russian press. He looked set to serve out his sentence quietly, and to see freedom again sometime in 2022. But earlier this month Klotsman was thrust from relative anonymity by news that he was one of a list of 13 Americans in Russia that Moscow was looking to exchange for two of its own imprisoned in the United States.
Unusual Trade Under normal circumstances, this might be an easy swap: thirteen of yours for just two of ours. But, the two men in question were not easily swappable. According to a Foreign Ministry document cited by Izvestia newspaper on Aug. 3, Russia went straight for the top of its wish-list: the infamous international arms dealer Viktor Bout and a drug-running pilot, Konstantin Yaroshenko. These are men who may or may not have dirt on Russia's leadership. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow declined to comment on the exchange proposal, but confirmed Klotsman is in Russian custody. The proposal cited by Izvestia was, however, confirmed in part by the Russian Foreign Ministry. “The details still need to be discussed confidentially,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the RIA Novosti news agency on Aug. 3. “[But] Yaroshenko is one of those we would like to see released under this scheme, as well as Bout.” Both Russians were seized in sting operations far beyond Washington's traditional territorial jurisdiction. Yaroshenko was arrested in Liberia in 2010 on charges of conspiring to smuggle $100 million of cocaine into the U.S. Bout, the more significant figure, was arrested in Thailand two years earlier. “Bout is an absolutely fascinating and unique figure, in that he was indeed a legitimate businessman in not always entirely legitimate industries. As far as I'm concerned, he was also an intelligence asset,” says Mark Galeotti, an expert in Russian security services and organized crime. “He's a guy who knows a lot of inside stuff, so while he isn't cooperating now, they fear he one day might.” Bout, who ran a global arms running empire, disputes aspects of his arrest. Both he and the Russian government claim he was tricked into saying he could supply Columbian FARC rebels with anti-aircraft missiles. Bout maintains that any statement made was merely hypothetical, an expression of his confidence as a logistics genius. There has long been speculation that Bout, and Yaroshenko to a much lesser extent, had ties with Russian intelligence agencies, specifically the GRU. According to Dr. Karen Dawisha, an expert on Russian organized crime and corruption, “Bout was running an off-the-books international arms trade (and drug trade), with cash going to Igor Sechin,” a close friend and ally of President Vladimir Putin. Such allegations are difficult to prove, and so far nothing has stuck. But the speculated Bout-Sechin link may have motivated the arms dealer's arrest and subsequent 25-year sentencing. Just last week, Bout's wife Alla said the United States offered him a reduced sentence and cozy life in America in exchange for information on Sechin. Bout refused, and the United States threw the book at him. Alla Bout did not reply to a request for comment. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/a-diamond-heist-russian-gun-smuggling-and-donald-trump-55005 | en | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/3ba6dfa36e17035635257fa37532243df9c72bf520a170c3aed9c5c15b96945f.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-28T14:50:59 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fphotogalleries%2Fsoviet-electtions-posters-55127.json | en | null | 'For the Homeland' - Soviet Election Posters | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | 2 days ago
The Terrorists Downstairs: How St. Petersburg Suburbs Woke to FSB Raid
Anna and Larissa, sisters in their 30s, have lived in the same apartment their whole lives. The women live on the 11th floor of a typical Soviet apartment block, on a typical street, and in the middle of a typical workers’ suburb in St. Petersburg. Life there has always been predictable, if not outright boring. On the morning of Aug. 17, the sisters were surprised when FSB agents rang their doorbell. | https://themoscowtimes.com/photogalleries/soviet-electtions-posters-55127 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/2353fc617b330fb375aec0eea055d7d57d7c21b1847f692522132f5905728ff4.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:00:21 | null | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fhang-in-there-with-no-money-to-index-pensions-russian-leaders-look-to-make-one-time-payment-55085.json | en | null | Hang in There: With No Money to Index Pensions, Russian Leaders Look to Make One-Time Payment | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The government will issue pensioners with one-time payment instead of indexing pensions for a second time this year, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has announced. Pensioners are to receive a one-time additional payment of 5,000 rubles in January 2017, costing the federal budget some 200 billion rubles ($3 billion).
The payment will be handed out to approximately 43 million Russians, including state employees, the disabled, pensioners with part-time jobs, and those with social pensions, said Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets.
Russian law requires pensions to be indexed to the previous year's actual level of inflation- something which the government refused to carry out earlier this year. Authorities instead decided to increase pensions by just 4 percent, rather than by the official inflation rate of 12.9 percent.
The government promised to consider indexing pensions for a second time after evaluating the budget mid-year, but prospects have seemed dire for several months. The Russian Pension Fund collected 174 billion rubles ($2.7 billion) less than planned in the first half of 2016, with the federal budget now expected to cover the difference.
Speaking to elderly Crimean residents in May, Medvedev told pensioners that there was “just no money right now” to index pensions again, parting with a jaunty, “all the best, and you hang in there.”
Medvedev tasked the Labor Ministry in early August with finding reserves worth 137 billion rubles ($2.1 billion) to index pensions by 8.56 percent starting from September 1. The Ministry were able to find just 48.2 billion rubles ($744 million).
The plan to make a one-time payment will fulfill the government’s obligation to index pensions in 2016, State Duma deputy Olga Batalina told the TASS news agency. An 8.5 percent indexation in August would have raised pensions by an average of 1,000 rubles per month, she said. “A one-time payment of 5,000 rubles amounts to the same increase for the last five months of this year,” she told TASS.
The one-off payment system also appeases the Finance Ministry, which has opposed any form of re-indexing. The ministry has argued that re-indexing would raise the base level of pensions in 2017, in a way which a one-time payment would not.
In the meantime, Medvedevhas promised that government will index pensions in 2017 to the Economic Development Ministry projected actual inflation rate of 6 percent. That would cost the federal budget more than 270 billion rubles ($4.2 billion), Medvedev said.
Pensioners are valuable electoral resource for Medvedev's United Russia party, and would be a mistake to ignore them, said political analyst Konstantin Kalachev. “If indexation is impossible, the government needs pay attention to them [pensioners] somehow, without offending them and making it seem as if you are trying to buy their votes,” he said.
The most important thing for pensioners is not the size of their pension, but that the authorities demonstrate a willingness to support them, even when times are tough, said Kalachev. The authorities have also taken care to schedule the one-time payment for after the elections so that it would not look like a campaign tactic. “Nobody wants to create the impression that a pensioner’s vote costs 5,000 rubles,” he said.
A sharp rise in inflation has caused the real value of pensions to fall for the first time since 1999. The real size of pensions plunged by 3.8 percent in 2015, and by another 3.6 percent in the first half of 2016, the State Statistics Service reported. The situation is often no better for the many Russian pensioners who live with adult, working children, as overall economic decline also means that salaries are lower.
The government can fund the one-time payment in part with privatization revenues from and in part by savings on other expenditures, possibly in the fourth quarter, said BCS senior economist Vladimir Tikhomirov.
Yet with current projections and oil prices at $40 per barrel, the federal budget may not have money for either a one-time payment or indexation, one federal official said. The decision to move the one-time payment to January 2017 was most likely the result of a compromise with the Finance Ministry, which has the unenviable task of finding the money to finance the payment. The problem is now less about sourcing revenues than financing the deficit, the official said, with authorities soon facing the prospect of being forced to tap into the National Wealth Fund. Indexing pensions to the actual inflation rate in 2017 would put the country’s financial system at risk, and could even cause it to collapse be 2018, the official said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/hang-in-there-with-no-money-to-index-pensions-russian-leaders-look-to-make-one-time-payment-55085 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/7596c660627d48ba9fb488466caba3773c8c1232008f609662d227e963018de6.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:03:29 | null | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fmoscow-restaurants-news-and-openings-55051.json | en | null | Moscow Restaurants: News and Openings | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | 21 hours ago
Best of Moscow: Eight Ways to Enjoy the Last Gasp of Summer
A Moscow winter may not carry quite the same connotations as one in “Game of Thrones,” but it certainly signals the end of terrace dining, soaking up rays on the beach and frivolous outdoor pursuits. With that in mind, we’ve been out and about and compiled a list of the best ways to get your vitamin D fix before the snow sets in. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/moscow-restaurants-news-and-openings-55051 | en | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/0e259efd2b1abea7197f59b0f9715aad4957a53563fed2e45bf6d198330a7832.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T12:51:16 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Ftretyakov-gallery-launchs-troika-transport-card-ticket-scheme-55141.json | en | null | Tretyakov Gallery Launches Troika Transport Card Ticket Scheme | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Visitors to the capital's Tretyakov Gallery will soon be able to pay for entrance tickets with their Troika transport card, Moscow City Hall announced Monday.
The scheme will be launched at the gallery's Lavrushinsky Pereulok branch this fall, and will see special barriers installed by the gallery's main exhibition spaces.
Visitors to the New Tretyakov on Krimsky Val will not be able to use the system, but will continue to pay for entrance at ticket kiosks, self-service machines and online.
The transportation department is working with other city organizations on rolling out the Troika ticket scheme for other cultural centers within the city, said Maxim Liksutov, head of the department for transportation and infrastructure development.
More than 8 million Troika cards are active throughout the capital. As well as being used by Muscovites for transport on the city's bus, train and metro networks, they can also be used to pay for entrance at the Moscow Zoo, the Moscow Planetarium and municipal skating rinks in the winter. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/tretyakov-gallery-launchs-troika-transport-card-ticket-scheme-55141 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/ee42680c61063e48dc46c4d11067721c047aeccb4be64fc769e4d2ef4795814d.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:10:40 | null | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fweekend-in-moscow-an-antiques-market-an-indonesian-festival-and-more-55020.json | en | null | Weekend in Moscow: An Antiques Market, an Indonesian Festival and More | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Gardens and People
Flower power
Have green fingers and looking for a way to enjoy the last few days of summer? This weekend the “Gardens and People” festival kicks of at VDNKh. While there will be a professional element to the program, which will draw horticulturalists, florists and avid gardeners under one roof, the festival is also a chance for plant lovers to admire stunning floral displays, discover more about the latest developments in the industry and view magnificent entries in the landscaping competition.
VDNKh
vdnh.ru
199 Prospekt Mira
Metro VDNKh
Aug. 19 — Sept. 4
Event: Antiques Flea Market
Old Moscow
Moscow has almost everything, but it still doesn’t have a great European-style flea market where you can poke around for hours among piles of old lace hankies, boxes of postcards, and tables of porcelain figures. Once a month the Central House of Artists opens their doors to more than 200 antique dealers and flea market mavens, who sell everything from high-end 19th century silver to low-end vintage magazines. The flea market runs 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and once you’re done you have all of Muzeon to explore.
Central House of Artists
10 Krymsky Val
Metro Park Kultury, Oktyabrskaya
Aug. 20-21
Festival: Indonesian Festival
Dance, Music and Theater
This weekend, Hermitage Garden will be filled with the sights, sounds and delicacies of Indonesia. Visitors will be able to enjoy traditional Indonesian dance, music and even a performance by a shadow puppet theater. If you’re feeling peckish after your foray into Indonesian culture, head over to the culinary zone to feast on some traditional favorites. The festival offers a real family atmosphere, with the Kid’s Camp providing plenty of activities to keep the little ones entertained.
Hermitage Garden
mosgorsad.ru
3 Ulitsa Karetny Ryad
Metro Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya
Aug. 20-21
Film: Love & Friendship
A must-see for Jane Austen fans
Love & Friendship, directed by Whit Stillman, is a classic period romcom. In typical Austen style, Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale) is desperate to find a husband, not only for herself but for her daughter too. Filming for the feature took place in the beautiful Irish coastal town of Donabate and at Russborough House, guaranteeing stunning visuals. Following its premiere at the Sundance film festival earlier this year, Love & Friendship has received almost unanimously positive reviews. The promise of romance plus a witty take on society makes this a charming tale you won’t want to miss.
Pioner Cinema
pioner-cinema.ru
21 Kutuzovsky Prospekt
Metro Kievskaya, Kutuzovskaya | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/weekend-in-moscow-an-antiques-market-an-indonesian-festival-and-more-55020 | en | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/b68039e2d63ed4455d3dfd5b54cb04c7cddfccc899e18d88da42761315de894b.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-30T12:51:51 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussian-workers-take-to-the-streets-after-months-of-no-pay-55154.json | en | null | Russian Car Plant Workers Take to the Streets After Months Without Pay | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Former employees at Russian car part manufacturer AvtoVAZagregat have taken to the streets to demand their unpaid wages.
Approximately 90 protesters blocked a major highway in the company's hometown of Togliatti for an hour, the Interfax news agency reported.
AvtoVAZagregat, a company which once employed 2,500 workers, went bankrupt in the fall of 2015 after losing its contract with AvtoVAZ, the Russian car manufacturer which produces Lada automobiles. The majority of former employees still have not received their full back wages.
Samara Region Governor Nikolai Merkushkin promised to help AvtoVAZagregat to settle its debts after the company was unable to find a buyer, and has reportedly transferred 156.6 million rubles ($2.4 million) towards workers' unpaid wages.
Neither Merkushkin's office or the company itself has revealed how much back pay remains on AvtoVAZagregat's books.
A meeting between workers and Merkushkin to tackle the issue further was unsuccessful, with the politician reportedly telling employees that their problems should be taken up with the factory, rather than the government.
A meeting transcript published by the Zasekin news portal reported that when one former employee asked when they could expect their back pay, Merkushkin replied, “Well, I can tell you that if you are going to use that tone, then never. Never! Go ask the people who upset you so much.”
A government representative has since said that the fragment had been taken out of context as a a “pre-election provocation.”
“[Russia's ruling party] United Russia formulates not only the pro-government agenda, but also the protest agenda,” said political analyst Mikhail Vinogradov. When one of its members makes an unpopular public statement, it often receives wider coverage than statements made by the opposition and thus has a “mobilizing effect.” he said.
Demonstrations such as the one staged by former AvtoVAZagregat employees are a rarity in Togliatti, said local Autostat agency CEO Sergei Tselikov. Similar rallies were last seen in the region during the economic crisis of 2008-2009 in relation to the AvtoVAZ plant, he said. There were two motivating factors behind the protest, said Tselikov: former employees’ frustration over losing their jobs and wages, and the upcoming State Duma elections.
State Duma Elections are to be held again in Russia on Sept. 19, 2016.. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russian-workers-take-to-the-streets-after-months-of-no-pay-55154 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/1c2572faf27b37aa14da0bf6e7c8e671cda4c409b3ce67557a7619c2d279d86b.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:09:26 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Frussian-companies-fight-for-government-messenger-tender-55057.json | en | null | Russian Companies Fight For Secure Government Messenger Contract | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russian companies have begun bidding for the rights to develop a new secure messaging service for government.
Earlier this year, the Kremlin tasked Russia's Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF) to develop the project. Concerned that foreign governments could access secret Russian information shared via Western apps such as WhatsApp and Viber, officials expressed concerns that Russia's security agencies were unable to crack encryption if they wished to monitor officials' online communication.
While the Kremlin is yet to issue any specific technical specifications for the app, it will need to support VoIP calls, video conferencing, file sharing, document collaboration, and a calendar function, said IIDF spokesperson Sergei Skripnikov. The service will also use high-level Russian cryptography and receive certification from Russia security agencies.
Skripnikov declined to reveal how much Russia would invest in the project, but said that entrepreneurs would likely retain a majority stake. He confirmed there were four possible candidates for the development of the messenger app: Titanium, Flodium, Sibrus and SyncCloud.
Titanium co-founder Akshin Dzhangirov confirmed the company holding talks with IIDF, as has Vladimir Pivovarov, director of development at the Kibernika company. Dzhangirov estimated that the cost of developing a secure messaging service from scratch could run from to $5 million. Pivovarov put an estimated price tag of $3 million on developing the service.
Flodium co-founder Sergei Kravtsov also confirmed that he had spoken with the IIDF, and estimated the outright cost of the new messenger platform to be between several hundred thousand to several million dollars. However, Flodium's talks with the IIDF focused on joint earnings on subscription fees, with the state providing customer support in return for free service installation.
Several more companies expected to bid for the government messenger tender still have projects in the pipeline.
Russian company Rosenergoatom is reportedly testing its Staply secure messaging service for state-owned companies, while the Mail.ru Group and the Internet Development Institute (IDI) are believed to be considering the development a secure messenger service with messaging, voice, and video call functions. The IDI has already received 15 applications to review alongside Rostelecom and Communications Ministry representatives.
Some 60 million people in Russia use instant messenger services, according to Russian mobile operator Tele2.
A government source suggested "many" government officials use the secure messenger service Telegram, which was developed by the exiled founder of Russian social network VKontakte. There are currently no set rules governing the use of messenger apps, but officials do not use Telegram to share highly classified information, the source said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/russian-companies-fight-for-government-messenger-tender-55057 | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/3f75d7a9c450e5194bb5932145f35ac4c95c5f265c9ee3984a1e94fc4ec3edd3.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:21 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fputins-son-in-law-among-russias-wealthiest-families-55112.json | en | null | Putin's Reported Son-in-Law Among Russia's Wealthiest | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reported son-in-law is among Russia’s wealthiest families, the Forbes Russia magazine revealed on Thursday.
The family of Kirill Shamalov, the man rumored to have married Putin’s youngest daughter, entered Russia's top 10 wealthiest clans for the first time this year, with an estimated net value of $2.4 billion.
Shamalov, Russia's youngest billionaire, made headlines last year when he was named as the husband of Katerina Tikhonova, an academic widely rumored to be Putin's daughter.
The young businessman's fortunes began to skyrocket after being given a $1.3 billion loan from Gazprombank – a company at which his brother Yuri is a deputy chairman – to purchase a 17 percent stake in petrochemical company “Sibur.” Shamalov emerged as the second-largest shareholder in the company soon after the purchase, acquiring a 21 percent stake.
Kirill's father Nikolai is a close associate of Putin's, having worked with him as a co-founder of the Ozero (Lake) Cooperative real estate project. A number of the project’s original members have gone on to occupy influential positions in Putin's Russia.
The Rotenberg family also feature in the list, coming in at second place. Arkady Rotenerg and his billionaire brother Boris were once Putin’s judo sparring partners.
Forbes also ranked Arkady Rotenerg prominently on their “kings of public procurement” list after securing state contracts worth 556 billion rubles ($8.6 billion). The contracts included Gazprom's “Power of Siberia” pipeline to China, as well as the controversial Kerch bridge to Crimea. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/putins-son-in-law-among-russias-wealthiest-families-55112 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/d9ad502ac2da77fb30d5174b8e9686d65eaad75842f210e5c4495021bf3ff217.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T08:51:12 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fwheat-kings-55121.json | en | null | Wheat Kings: Russia Enjoys a Bumper Crop This Harvest | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | A mild winter and a warm, wet summer mean Russia looks set to see its largest wheat harvest ever and retain its crown as the world’s top wheat exporter.
Russia’s performance this year “shattered” its record, the U.S. Agricultural Department said in an Aug. 12 report. According to U.S. estimates, the Russian wheat harvest will likely come in at 72 million tons.
Good weather, a weaker ruble and financial investors lured by the opportunity of big returns have boosted crop-growing in Russia, which enjoys the world’s fourth largest acreage of arable land. Exports have bounced back from a low point in 2010. Then, a drought triggered a Russian export ban, which in turn fueled bread riots in Egypt and the uprisings of the so-called Arab Spring.
The total grain harvest in Russia this year is predicted to reach about 115 million tons, according to figures by the Moscow-based SovEcon agriculture consultancy. Of this, 41 million tons are expected to be exported.
The favorable weather conditions and the record crop yield have not gone unnoticed by Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, who have made photo-op visits to farms in the throes of the harvest.
The large crop underlines an agricultural recovery Russia has undergone since the fall of communism. Mismanagement meant that the Soviet Union became an importer of grain in the 1970s and, famously, was forced to buy from the United States. Soviet dependence on imports lasted about 30 years until the collapse of Russia’s meat and dairy industries in the 1990s destroyed domestic demand for feed grain.
Tsarist Russia was the world’s top wheat exporter and modern Russia has finally regained that crown. Last year, Russia pushed the United States off the top spot to become the biggest global wheat exporter, with 25.5 million tons shipped abroad.
Russia looks set to continue its dominance. Traditional wheat-exporting rivals in Europe, particularly France, have suffered from poor weather this year, while U.S. wheat is becoming less competitive on global markets. Russia is expected to export more wheat in 2016 than all European Union countries combined.
Other countries in the region, particularly Kazakhstan and Ukraine, have also enjoyed record harvests. Much of the area’s wheat is exported to the Middle East.
The Russian agricultural boom, in addition to a Kremlin push for food self-sufficiency, has made the sector one of the only profitable and expanding parts of Russia’s struggling economy.
Ploughing Profit
“Demand for land in Russia has jumped sharply in the last 1 1/2 years,” says SovEcon’s Andrei Sizov, adding that investment in agriculture is down.
Some estimate that Russia has more than 40 million hectares of unused land — an area about the size of Iraq — land that could be suitable for arable farming.
The most fertile areas are in the country’s center and south, as well as Siberia. Russia’s winter wheat crop, which is planted the previous fall, is grown in central and southern regions.
The spring wheat crop, much of which has yet to be harvested, is grown around the Volga, in the Urals and southern Siberia. Russian farmland has become one of the country’s most attractive investments in recent years, popular among both the country’s tycoons and large financial holdings.
Relatively low prices drive demand. Sizov estimates that land prices in the central Black Earth region, one of the country’s best crop-growing areas, are between $600 and $700 per hectare. This compares to about $5,000 a hectare for similar quality land in the EU states of Bulgaria or Romania.
The rush for land appears to have exacerbated social tensions in some agricultural regions. On Aug. 21, about 200 farmers from the rich southern Krasnodar region, angered by alleged illegal land seizures, launched a tractor protest convoy that planned to drive to Moscow and raise concerns with the Kremlin.
Most participants were reportedly detained by riot police on Aug. 23 outside the city of Rostov-on-Don, having completed less than a quarter of the planned 1,400-kilometer journey. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/wheat-kings-55121 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/4f8b524bdf808f175ff22f599ecd16b13f5db1b1bae26f0272980be22025d408.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:02:38 | null | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fnooscope-54991.json | en | null | The Weird Science and New Kremlin Chief of Staff | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | “The market is a manifestation of life. The brightest manifestations of life occur in its condensation: in certain points, certain lines, certain spatial-temporal formations.”
For some, this might seem to be just a bunch of random words. In reality, they are the introductory remarks of an academic article supposedly penned by Anton Vaino, President Vladimir Putin’s newly appointed chief of staff.
Full of complicated terms, schemes and graphs, the article describes a device called a “nooscope.” Designed in Russia five years ago, the nooscope studies “the collective conscience of mankind” and registers “among other things, the unseen.” A network of “spatial scanners,” monitors changes in the “biosphere”.
“There is no way to prove that the world we’re used to — the world we know through sight, hearing and touch — exists in reality and not only in our imagination,” concludes the article, which was published in 2012 by the economic journal Issues of Economy and Law.
Anton Vaino today occupies one of the top positions in Russia’s bureaucratic hierarchy. His rise was as meteoric as it was unexpected, after Putin astounded Kremlin watchers by replacing close ally and political veteran Sergei Ivanov with someone younger and less well-known.
What we do know about Vaino, 44, is that he is the grandson of the former head of the Estonian Communist Party. Fluent in English and Japanese, he trained as a diplomat before serving in Russia’s embassy in Tokyo in the late 1990s, and then at Russia’s Foreign Ministry. Since 2003, Vaino has risen up through the presidential administration — forging a career as chief of the presidential protocol department, where he was in charge of schedules and similar management issues.
Russia’s officials describe Vaino as an efficient and loyal bureaucrat and Putin’s personal choice as his chief of staff. According to unnamed sources cited by business daily Vedomosti, Vaino is a “brilliant administrator.” One source referred to an “affable personality” and claimed the Kremlin’s new man had a reputation for living modestly, which would certainly be unusual in the field of top government administration.
Getting a Degree
It is not unusual for Russian officials to dabble in academic activities — getting a degree has been a mandatory ritual for a long time ago. Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and dozens of government ministers set the trend, and lower-level officials follow. For some, obtaining a degree is a necessary condition of climbing the career ladder, says Sergei Parkhomenko, co-founder of Dissernet, an online group fighting intellectual fraud. “For example, if you’re a district prosecutor and want to become a city prosecutor, you need to get a Doctorate. It’s not a written rule, but that’s how it works,” Parkhomenko told The Moscow Times.
According to Kommersant newspaper, Vaino published several articles on the economy in Issues of Economy and Law when he was the head of government staff between December 2011 and May 2012. In 2013, Vaino reportedly received an economic degree, about the equivalent of a U.S. masters, after writing and defending a dissertation on the mineral resources industry. Articles in scientific journals, including the one quoted above, were, apparently, a stepping stone to the dissertation. In Russia, anyone seeking to obtain such a degree needs to have articles published in such journals.
Vaino’s career, however, did not depend on getting a degree, argues Parkhomenko. Instead, to officials like him it is a matter of prestige. “It is like having a certain car, wearing a suit of certain brand, living in a mansion in a certain place, owning real estate abroad and such. It is part of a ’success kit’ for these people,” the activist says. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/nooscope-54991 | en | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/bb569c4a222b5d69e5039e741d3dd02db3681db475e8254b0c452f3f39831ea0.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:12:01 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fbanks-to-report-russian-officials-links-to-undersirable-organizations-55109.json | en | null | Banks Forced to Report Russian Politicians' Links to 'Undesirable Organizations' | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russian banks will be obliged to inform authorities about politicians and officials' links to so-called “undesirable organizations,” the RBC newspaper reported Thursday.
If public officials are on the receiving end of financial transactions from foreign and international organizations recognized as “undesirable” in Russia, banks and non-credit institutions must report such activity to the financial authorities.
Russia's Federal Financial Monitoring Service published the proposal on its website, RBC reported. Its aim is to strengthen the government’s control over Russian politicians.
On May 23, 2015, President Vladimir Putin signed the undesirable organizations law, which has been widely criticized by human rights activists.
The law allows the Russian authorities to prohibit “undesirable organizations” from operating on Russian soil, but currently does not require banks to report public figures’ links to such organizations. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/banks-to-report-russian-officials-links-to-undersirable-organizations-55109 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/acb5f534aa730bb1b68fafa98cc8c8c72617f324c63bac4e4e26957c1066265c.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T14:51:19 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fburger-king-launches-meal-in-honor-of-radical-artist-pavlensky-55144.json | en | null | Burger King Launches New Burger Line Inspired By Pavlensky Scrotum Stunt | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Fast food restaurant Burger King is launching a line of burgers inspired by radical performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky's most bizarre stunts, the Russian culture site Afisha Daily reported Monday.
Available only in St. Petersburg, the “Pavlensky Burger” will come in four different varieties. Each allude to one of the artist's infamous past performances — whether that be wrapping himself naked in barbed wire, setting fire to the door of the Russian Security Services' headquarters, or sewing his lips shut in protest of Kremlin policies.
Customers will thus soon be able to choose between a burger wrapped in “edible barbed wire,” one burnt on one side, and one partly sewn shut. Locals can also order a burger “nailed to a platform,” a reference to the performance which saw Pavlensky nail his own scrotum to the cobbles of Red Square.
Burger King hopes that the meals will bring “culture to the masses,” the chain's PR company said in a press release. The company has launched a number of provocative advertising campaigns since the start of the year, with several slogans incorporating strong innuendo.
Pavlensky's work has made him a highly-controversial figure within Russia, bringing him into constant conflict with the authorities.
The artist was most recently released from jail on June 8 after serving seven months in pre-trial detention.
A Moscow Court found Pavlensky guilty of damaging a cultural site for setting fire the doors of Russia's Security Service's headquarters last year. The artist, who was fined 500,000 rubles ($7,750), told reporters that he wanted to protest against the mounting repression of civil society. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/burger-king-launches-meal-in-honor-of-radical-artist-pavlensky-55144 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/f76818df3690bb0e056659cfc7dee04cb72bfc49d7bc6464970530c817763fbc.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:10:21 | null | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fexperts-proclaim-lost-decade-for-russias-stagnating-economy-55039.json | en | null | Experts Predict 'Lost Decade' for Russia's Stagnating Economy | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russia's economy needs powerful external stimuli or fundamental domestic reform in order to avoid further stagnation, a report from the Centre of Development at the Higher School of Economics (HSE) has claimed.
The country's gross domestic product in 2016 is just 1.3 percent higher than it was before the 2008 crisis, HSE experts wrote in their report, “Commentaries on the State and Business.” Predictions show that Russia could “lose a decade” of economic growth by the time presidential elections arrive in 2018.
It is a claim which Russia's Economic Development Ministry strongly refutes: but experts fear that having ceased to grow, the Russian economy will stagnate and lose the ability to resume growth later on.
Russia’s GDP fell by 0.9 percent in the first half of 2016 year on year, according to the State Statistics Service. Economists polled by the HSE believe that the economy will contract by 0.8 percent this year, before transitioning to weak growth of 1 percent in 2017. Growth of more than 2 percent is not expected before 2020. “Without creating real conditions for reviving business activity, it is difficult to be optimistic about the next few years,” the HSE report concluded.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also forecasts that without structural reforms, Russia’s economy will grow by just 1.5 percent annually. The Finance Ministry has made a similar prediction, forecasting as little as 1 percent – 1.3 percent growth annual growth in the absence of restructuring. Central Bank chairperson Elvira Nabiullina has added to the pessimistic chorus by claiming that, even if oil prices reach $100 per barrel, the Russian economy would be incapable of growing faster than 1.5 percent – 2 percent per year without changes in policy. Central Bank deputy chairperson Ksenia Yudayeva went even further, suggesting that without reforms, the Russian economy was doomed to perpetual stagnation.
Weak demand, a lack of investment, and tight fiscal policy make it impossible for Russia to achieve robust growth, HSE experts claimed, adding that officials had not ruled out “printing money” in order to stimulate growth.
Leaders had initially drafted plans to modernize the economy after the 2008 crisis. Problems arose when oil prices shot up and officials gradually lost sight of those plans, said First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov in early 2015 – a year which saw the economy contracted by 3.7 percent. The current crisis presents a new opportunity for change that “Russia should not miss,” said Shuvalov.
Now, economists have split into two camps: the Stolypinsky Club, which advocates fiscal stimulus, and former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin's Center for Strategic Development, advocating fiscal consolidation. The first group proposes increasing investment, in part through monetary financing, while the second calls for gradually reducing the budget deficit and launching institutional reforms.
The entire government is now fixated on how to cut costs, while nobody is discussing how to restart the economy, one federal official said. “The absence of a dialogue on economic incentives will inevitably lead to the monetary financing. Then, the only question is: How much?” the official said. “We have hit bottom and are starting to adapt to these new conditions.”
Without real discussion, it could prove impossible to turn the economy around, said one senior government official. Nobody argues against the need to balance finances, but what is needed now is a plan to remove the economy from its current stagnation: to get out of it as quickly as possible, before it drags the country down, the official said. “Many ministers understand this, but they cannot get it through to the leaders.”
Entrepreneurial spirit is the most important driving force in the modern market economy, HSE experts pointed out. “By suppressing it, there is little hope for the long-term progress of the Russian economy. And no amount of monetary financing will help.” | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/experts-proclaim-lost-decade-for-russias-stagnating-economy-55039 | en | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/c0f71f1c3bcdb34d3c2383f86779752465a07807966a13a5b1c12d64b17f0e7a.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:09:38 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Frussia-plans-internet-overhaul-to-create-secure-state-network-55102.json | en | null | Russia Plans Internet Overhaul to Create Secure State Network | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russia’s Security Council could transform the country’s digital landscape in order to create a secure communications network for state employees.
Under proposals by Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, Russia would create a new, independent Internet backbone, physically separate from the country’s preexisting Internet and public telecommunications systems, Patrushev wrote.
A country’s Internet backbone i s comprised of the country's main data routes, connected by strategically located computers and data points. By creating a second, separate system, the Security Council hopes to create a truly reliable and secure communication network for Russian state and military use.
It is not the first time that the idea has appeared in the Kremlin. Russia’s Communications Ministry first began drafting legislation to create a secure state communication in March 2015. The Economic Development Ministry later criticized the proposals, claiming that the changes would only duplicate existing special-purpose and state communications networks, but did not move to formally scrap the plans.
The move has also followed proposals to create a secure messaging service for state employees, designed to replace services such as WhatsApp and Viber.
State-owned mobile operator Rostelecom has been named as the preferred operator for the network, but the Federal Communications Agency (FCA), is still working on how such a system would work in practice.
Rostelecom could potentially incorporate the network into its existing infrastructure, with the state purchasing an additional issue of the company’s shares to help finance the project.The scenario would cost the Russian government 663.4 billion rubles ($10.2 billion), with the federal budget financing 581 billion rubles ($8.9 billion) of the total bill.
A further 54.86 billion rubles ($847 million) would be needed for annual operating expenses, plus a further 50 billion rubles ($770 million) if the government wanted to buy out the minority shareholders.
This option could present problems further down the line if the government ever decides to privatize Rostelecom.
Although the state’s stake in Rostelecom was included in the list of assets available for privatization in 2014-2016, the decision to move forward on the sale was repeatedly postponed at the request of intelligence agencies and the Defense Ministry, who use the state firm’s services.
Another possibility would see Rostelecom hand over the network to a subsidiary, which would then be sold to the state. As these types of transaction require approval from 75 percent of the shareholders, the government may need to increase its own stake to make this happen, costing roughly 50 billion rubles ($770 million). A further 663 billion rubles ($10.2 billion) would be needed to create the network, 60 billion rubles ($942 million) to purchase the subsidiary from Rostelecom, and 25 billion rubles ($385 million) per year in operating costs.
A third option would be for Rostelecom and the FCA to sign a 10-year contract: Rostelecom would connect state agencies to the network in return for payment. The state would retain its current stake in Rostelecom and would not take ownership of the secure network. This scenario would still set the government back some 623 billion rubles ($9.6 billion) over the decade.
Budget restraints are likely to be at the heart of the government’s decision making process, with one source close to Rostelecom’s senior management expressing doubts that the federal budget could finance the project. The state is yet to pay the company for building a number of fiber-optic networks to eliminate digital divide, the source said. The Finance Ministry is also likely to oppose the project, a second source said.
Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the Communications and Finance Ministries and Rostelecom all declined to comment. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/russia-plans-internet-overhaul-to-create-secure-state-network-55102 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/89f7eac9804843eb771a4857588a658eb508e287b44b171d371f100ccfd1e245.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:15:14 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fone-fifth-of-russians-ready-to-sell-their-votes-55058.json | en | null | Almost One-Quarter of Russians Ready to Sell their Votes, Says Poll | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Almost one quarter of Russians are willing to sell their votes in upcoming parliamentary elections, according to a survey published Monday by the independent Levada Center pollster.
A total of 11 percent of Russians were prepared to give away their vote for 5,000 rubles ($78) while 7 percent would sell for 2,000 rubles or less, according to the Levada Center.
The ruling United Russia party is expected to win a majority in Sept. 18 elections to Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma.
Less than two thirds of Russians, 63 percent of respondents, said they would not sell their vote as a matter of principle, according to the poll conducted at the beginning of August.
The number of people ready to give away their votes is slightly higher than that recorded ahead of Russia’s last Duma elections in December 2011 when 19 percent of respondents said they would sell their vote. That election was marred by widespread fraud, including vote rigging and the casting of multiple ballot papers per person, and triggered a series of large anti-Kremlin street protests.
The poll was conducted among 1600 respondents in 48 Russian regions. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/one-fifth-of-russians-ready-to-sell-their-votes-55058 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/fc0f046a87fc82acf227ad4c064686ecd868d31b2076c4e7c5e9536912f94f95.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:06:49 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Frain-rain-go-away-come-again-another-day-55032.json | en | null | Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Again Another Day | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Ливень: downpour
It started out with a couple of drops. На голову капнуло. Это что, дождь что ли собирается? (A few drops fell on my head. Gee — is it going to rain?) Then there were more than a few drops. You begin to remember poems and songs: А на улице капает дождь, В подоконник упрямо стучит… (Rain is falling outside, Knock-knock-knocking on the window sill…).
But still, sometimes it looks like we’re in for a big storm and then the rain passes us by. A neighbor came out of his dacha, held his hand out, and said: Накрапывает дождик (It’s sprinkling.) Накрапывать or крапать (spit, sprinkle) are nicely expressive words to describe those first splatters of rain. As a writer explained: Начинают крапать первые капли. Народное слово “крапать” хорошо передает возникновение дождя, когда еще редкие капли оставляют темные крапинки на пыльных дорогах и крышах (The first drops of rain splattered down. The colloquial word for this (крапать) conveys nicely the first appearance of rain, when the still infrequent drops leave dark spots (крапинки) on the dusty roads and roofs.)
Then it began to drizzle — very peculiar fine rain that could be mistaken for moisture in the air: Асфальт перед домом на глазах темнел ― моросил мелкий дождь (The asphalt in front of the house turned dark as I watched — there was a light drizzle.) Drizzle can be warm or cold: К вечеру моросил тёплый дождь (Toward evening a fine warm rain came down.) Моросит холодный дождь (It’s drizzling cold rain.) When there is a strong wind from the north, the cold stuff — моросящий дождь (drizzle) — can hit your face like a thousand little needles.
At first we all thought: идёт дождик (A light rain is falling), дождик being a nice diminutive of дождь that implies a gentle rain, something pleasant. And then it just rained: Дождь шёл. (It was raining.) That is neutral — not too hard, not too light. Just your average rainfall.
But by late Sunday night: Шёл сильный дождь (It was raining hard.) In fact, шёл проливной дождь (it was pouring). In fact, it was pouring down constantly everywhere. For this you might use the adjective обложной (steady, widespread). Когда настала пора уходить, пошёл сильный обложной дождь (When it was time to leave, there was a steady, heavy downpour.)
In fact, дождь лил как из ведра (it was raining buckets). Actually, it was a torrential downpour. First we used rather neutral constructions: На улице ливень (It’s really coming down.) Льётся ливнем (It’s a deluge.)
Then we stopped being neutral and got more expressive with the verbs. By the next morning, after a night of steady rain with no sign of it letting up, it felt like we’d been hit with something really bad. Сильный дождь обрушился на Москву (Heavy rains hit Moscow.) Хлынул на нас сильный ливень (We were hit with driving rain.)
The newscasters were fey: В осаде осадков: к чему привел многочасовой ливень в Москве? (Besieged by precipitation: what did the hours-long downpour do to Moscow?) And then grim: Пролились сокрушительные ливни (The rains came crashing down in torrents.) And then really grim: Ливень затопил проезжие части 45 улиц и пять подвалов жилых домов (The torrential rain flooded 45 streets and five apartment house basements.)
But perhaps a lesson was learned? Не пора ли построить ливневую канализацию? (Isn’t it time to put in storm drains?)
High time, I’d say.
Michele A. Berdy is a Moscow-based translator and interpreter, author of “The Russian Word’s Worth,” a collection of her columns | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/rain-rain-go-away-come-again-another-day-55032 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/61d5c2ec205b6ac9605ee1addf8010047632c31f3224f62ae6ce6e1aa3dfd2ff.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:56 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussias-jewish-community-requests-clarification-of-ministers-praise-of-stalin-55066.json | en | null | Russian Education Minister Asked to Explain Past 'Pro-Stalin' Remarks | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russia's new education minister has been asked to clarify remarks in which she appeared to praise Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, the Interfax news agency reported Monday.
Olga Vasilyeva, who was appointed to her new role on Friday, has previously praised the "efficiency" of the Stalin period and claimed that the leader's purges were both "necessary at the time" and "exaggerated" in history books.
Borukh Gorin, the head of the Cultural Relations Department of The Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, said Monday that Vasilieva’s comments on Stalin needed to be unambiguously clarified.
“It’s a very important issue not just for education in Russia but for the future of the country as a whole”, Gorin said. Arguments used by Stalin era apologists share the same lack of reason as those used by Holocaust deniers, he said.
“[During the Stalinist terrors] an entire class of people was eliminated along with freedom of expression, and post-revolutionary enthusiasm was replaced with fear," he said. If Vasilieva stood by her comments then it was “a bad sign," he said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russias-jewish-community-requests-clarification-of-ministers-praise-of-stalin-55066 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/99bee8c90b3951e0dfc201d01b9e9584c7e8fb5cc82cee058dec70a2a461059a.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:07:36 | null | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-house-that-ginzburg-built-55049.json | en | null | Narkomfin: Restoration in Sight for Russia's Crumbling Constructivist Gem? | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russian real estate developer Alexander Senatorov began buying apartments in Moscow’s Narkomfin building in 2006 as a gift for his fiancée, Alexandrina Markvo, who was fascinated by the revolutionary constructivist style it epitomizes. He pledged to restore its former glory. Having had almost no maintenance since it was put up in the 1920s, Narkomfin was disintegrating. Water ran down its walls and chunks of masonry would occasionally fall off. “[The Senatorov era] began with a love story,” says Marina Khrustaleva, an expert on constructivism who has closely tracked the history of the building. Nestled between a small park and the U.S. Embassy in central Moscow, Narkomfin’s radical use of color, light and space makes it one of the country’s most striking buildings. Envisaged as the prototype for a new way of communal living, it was built at a time when the communist ideals of the 1920s had yet to give way to the pomp of Stalinism. Narkomfin's global influence was immense during a century that saw the mass construction of modernist apartment blocks. Many hoped Senatorov’s love story would prove a turning point, but it quickly crumbled. His marriage fell apart after three years and his fortunes were badly affected by the 2008 economic crisis. Narkomfin remained in a critical condition and many began to doubt a genuine restoration would ever be possible. “There is a general absence of understanding that the short period of avant-garde culture in the 1920s and 1930s was Russia’s most significant contribution to modern architecture,” says architect Alexei Ginzburg, the grandson of the celebrated constructivist pioneer, Moisei Ginzburg, who designed Narkomfin. Mysterious New Owners After years of decay, however, change now appears imminent for Narkomfin. Senatorov told Russia’s Kommersant newspaper Aug. 1 that Kopernik, his investment company, no longer controlled the building. Two days later, the Moscow city government announced the winner of an auction of part of Narkomfin was an outfit called Liga Prava. The director of Liga Prava is Garegin Barsumyan, an Abkhaz-born lawyer with a background in banking and legal dispute resolution. He has little public profile. During an interview with The Moscow Times in Narkomfin last week Barsumyan says that as well as the being the director of Liga Prava, he is also its “de jure” owner. But he says other investors — both individuals and financial institutions — are also involved. He declined to identify them, or reveal how many there are. “I don’t want to go into the details,” he says. One person currently working on the plans for Narkomfin described Barsumyan as a “representative” of the owners. Another of his acquaintances says it was unlikely he had only invested his own money: “It seems there is someone behind him” they say. Senatorov Out? Senatorov confirmed in written comments to The Moscow Times that he sold his stake in Narkomfin last year. “I took a decision to get rid of all my real estate assets. About two years ago,” Senatorov says. He declines to comment on to whom he sold Narkomfin, on his relationship with Barsumyan, or Barsumyan’s employment history. But the three years Barsumyan spent working for Kopernik, where he headed the company’s legal department, and the presence of unnamed investors in the project have prompted speculation Senatorov remains involved. Senatorov even retains an office in Narkomfin. Russian business daily Vedomosti cited Aug. 4 a former partner at Kopernik saying Barsumyan was a frontman for Senatorov. Senatorov flatly denies he has any financial stake in Narkomfin. And a friend of Senatorov’s told The Moscow Times the developer “will be really glad to be rid of it [Narkomfin].” Barsumyan also rejects suggestions of Senatorov’s involvement — but he says Senatorov would be welcome to re-join the project. “Senatorov exited in 2015,” Barsumyan says, “[But] maybe he will still return. We are open to investors. To old partners and new.”
Follow the Money Narkomfin has about 4,000 square meters of floor space and Liga Prava now controls everything except for about 200 square meters, which are held by private owners. Almost all of the apartments are currently in use — either as offices, workshops or living space. Both Senatorov and Barsumyan decline to reveal how much Senatorov received for his stake. But Liga Prava beat off two bidders to pay 101.4 million rubles ($1.6 million) to the Moscow city government this month for about 1,600 square meters of the site including the building’s ground floor and the so-called communal bloc. At the same price, Senatorov’s stake would have been worth about $2 million. Previous owners have wrestled with how to make a re-development of the building profitable. The task of renovating constructivist buildings, often built using poor quality materials, is not straightforward. And there is no easy way to transform Narkomfin into the luxurious apartments beloved by Moscow developers. After all, who needs tiny apartments with no kitchen? Senatorov’s plan to market Narkomfin to rich Muscovites looking for a pied–à–terre was never realized. Senatorov told Kommersant newspaper in 2014 it would cost $12 million to completely renovate Narkomfin. In the end, he made little mark on the building apart from consolidating ownership of the apartments and installing a yoga center on the roof. Barsumyan declines to reveal how much Liga Prava will commit to the planned restoration, but says he is determined to make money. “It’s not simple. But what is simple in life?” he asks. More financing needs to be raised to fund the restoration process, according to Barsumyan. Ginzburg’s Return One of Liga Prava’s first moves on acquiring a controlling stake in Narkomfin was to employ architect Alexei Ginzburg, whose family’s history is wrapped up with that of the building itself. Ginzburg’s grandfather, Moisei Ginzburg, was one of Russia’s leading constructivist architects and built Narkomfin. His father, Vladimir Ginzburg, was heavily involved in efforts to research and preserve the building. Ginzburg says he was first taken to visit Narkomfin when just five or six years old. “There can’t be anyone else apart from Ginzburg in this project,” says Khrustaleva, who is also a member of the Moscow-based architectural preservation organization Arkhnadzor. Senatorov originally worked with Ginzburg on restoration plans, but the two men fell out, and Senatorov proceeded to authorize some limited building work. Ginzburg says he was shocked when he saw the changes. “Before we had the historical surfaces but now almost all of them are covered by paint, plaster or ceramic tiles and the original windows have been switched for plastic ones,” says Ginzburg. “What was done in the last few years has become a serious problem for today’s restoration work.” | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/the-house-that-ginzburg-built-55049 | en | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/fdb4d9bfe4df05c3724f14e3d8940a9364d2a2aee6eb564b753a8d5ef17a9c12.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:12:55 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fcsto-military-exercise-begins-in-belarus-55074.json | en | null | Anti-NATO Military Drills Begin in Belarus | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | More than 1,000 soldiers are taking part in joint military exercises in Belarus with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Belarussian Defense Ministry announced Tuesday.
The exercises, code-named Unbreakable Brotherhood 2016, are designed to strengthen understanding and cooperation between CSTO peacekeeping forces and to improve the practical skills, the Defense Ministry said.
Seen by many as a Russian counterpart to NATO, the CSTO is an intergovernmental military alliance between six post-Soviet states: Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Tensions between Russia and NATO have deteriorated dramatically since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. NATO announced at its biennial summit in July that four new battalions would be stationed in the Baltic region and Poland as a response to "Russian aggression" in the area.
Representatives of the United Nations Secretariat and the International Committee of the Red Cross have been invited to oversee the exercise, the Belarussian Defense Ministry said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/csto-military-exercise-begins-in-belarus-55074 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/85891fc44937de8e9b8f1a516f55131f9453534da56f8732014cc757e234eced.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:09:49 | null | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fa-lonely-business-of-ruling-russia-54999.json | en | null | The Lonely Business of Ruling Russia: How Putin Makes His Staff Decisions | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | In recent months, Putin has fired several of his old associates, including his former chief of staff, Sergei Ivanov. In their place, he has hired new, loyal strongmen from the security services —also called the siloviki — to fill important administrative positions. Putin’s regime is changing from within.
The first hint of change came at the beginning of Putin’s third term in 2012, when then Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin began to grow apart from the president. Once Putin’s “right hand man,” by 2015 Sechin was admonished by the president for not putting state interests above corporate ones. Shortly after, Vladimir Yakunin, one of Putin’s close associates and the longtime president of Russian Railways, was fired.
Why are Putin’s old friends falling out of favor with the president?
For one, the annexation of Crimea has engendered a new geopolitical way of thinking in the Kremlin: as well as a new set of priorities. Sanctions and depressed oil prices have limited the resources available to Putin’s friends, making it more difficult for Putin to please them. As a result, the priorities of many members of Putin’s inner circle have diverged from those of the president.
In the 2000s, loyalty was crucial. Today, personal relationships mean very little. Although individuals used to define how the system was managed, the system now defines how individuals are managed.
Everyone is now part of the system, cogs in the United Putin machine; the divide between insiders and outsiders no longer matters.
It is difficult to place Ivanov’s demotion within this broader trend. On the one hand, Ivanov worked side-by-side with Putin for decades, and was at one point thought to be the heir to the throne. On the other hand, because he worked so closely with Putin on a daily basis, he didn’t demand resources or protection.
It is unlikely that Ivanov’s resignation was voluntary. Why would a man of his stature be willing to take such a major step down on the career ladder? Some argue that Putin was unhappy with Ivanov’s performance, while others say Ivanov asked to be relieved of his duties in 2014, following the tragic death of his son.
But Kremlinologists are wrong to look to the past. The near future provides more answers: the ousting of Ivanov clearly points to Putin’s reluctance to burden himself with his associates’ problems, as well as his need for greater dynamism and an easy-going attitude among his subordinates. Ruling Russia has become a lonely business; Putin doesn’t need his friends to help him anymore.
There has also been a recent change in the way key decisions are discussed in the Kremlin. In the 2000s, political analysts debated which clan or political player was lobbying for any given policy decision.
But the Ukraine crisis and the Kremlin’s operation in Syria have made military leaders and officials from the intelligence services Putin’s most important advisers. Gradually, Putin’s friends have been replaced by select strongmen, while the overall size of his inner circle has shrunk.
When a general from the Ministry of Defense or the Federal Security Service (FSB) briefs Putin, he doesn’t ask unnecessary questions, second-guess the president’s decisions, or expect anything in return. There is no emotional connection.
The same is true of other new administrators Putin has appointed. As Putin replaces his friends with young, rank-and-file siloviki, it is becoming clear that Putin does not want faithful advisers, he wants acolytes.
The manner in which personnel decisions are being made suggests that Putin is procrastinating. Personnel problems pile up and remain unresolved for months. Then, when the president has time to tackle them, he makes a large number of decisions all at once. This means that dismissals and appointments don’t necessarily correspond with administrative priorities. People are being moved around in a game of musical chairs, without any strategy or thought given to their current or future responsibilities.
Sources say that Ivanov should have been gone a year ago, but Putin didn’t make the decision until he was forced to: the recent crisis in Crimea demanded greater speed and agility in his administration. Putin is making decisions with his back against the wall. Unsurprisingly, these decisions are poorly thought out.
Officials are literally scrambling from one job to another. Consider Alexey Dyumin’s recent employment history: in 2014, he left the Presidential Security Service and joined the Military Intelligence Service. In 2015, he was named Deputy Commander of the Ground Forces and then Deputy Minister of Defense. Two months later, in February of 2016, he was appointed Governor of the Tula region.
This current policy can only lead to personnel instability and unpredictability. At this point, no one can be sure that they will be allowed to serve out their term or spend a reasonable amount of time in office, even if they were just appointed.
Indeed, many of Putin’s moves are perplexing. Officials like Nikita Belykh, the former Kirov region governor, were in Putin’s good graces one month and forced out of office the next. His and other cases create the impression that the president is increasingly making his personnel decisions in reaction to circumstances rather than as part of an overall strategy.
One day, Putin receives a report praising an individual’s positive characteristics and approves his appointment to a certain government position. The next day, he gets a different report from a different source with derogatory information on that individual and approves his arrest.
In this new system, the president is increasingly outsourcing his workload. Overloaded with dirt on everyone around him, Putin has stopped trusting anyone, preferring to shift the burden of responsibility onto those who are beyond reproach: The Internal Security Directorate of the FSB. This is how the political system is gradually transforming. In this new system there is no room for the Ivanovs and the Belykhs of the world; there is only room for silent cogs.
Tatyana Stanovaya is director of the analytical department of the Center of Political Technologies in Moscow.
A full version of this Op-Ed was originally published at Carnegie Moscow Center. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/a-lonely-business-of-ruling-russia-54999 | en | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/7cdc79b46b3b5bccdbb99d7340cc5220ba21ba46d669244043625278fbc32ed5.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:04:54 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fcat-and-mouse-55113.json | en | null | The Terrorists Downstairs: How St. Petersburg Suburbs Woke to FSB Raid | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Anna and Larissa, sisters in their 30s, have lived in the same apartment their whole lives. The women live on the 11th floor of a typical Soviet apartment block, on a typical street, and in the middle of a typical workers’ suburb in St. Petersburg. Life there has always been predictable, if not outright boring.
On the morning of Aug. 17, the sisters were surprised when FSB agents rang their doorbell.
“We are conducting a special operation today to neutralize criminals in the apartment below yours, and we might need your apartment,” one of the men told them, before telling the women to wait in a nearby school.
Three hours later, residents reported that FSB officers had set up a grenade launcher on the sisters’ balcony, where their cat often perched, and fired it into apartment number 614 on the floor below. The agents then stormed the apartment.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the apartment had been home to four Islamic militants from Kabardino-Balkaria (KBR), a region in Russia’s North Caucasus region. The men were allegedly associates of extremist Khizir Likhov, 25, a KBR native on the Russian wanted list since 2014. Just three days earlier, security forces in Kabardino-Balkaria had killed Likhov in a nighttime shootout on the Caucasus highway.
After FSB agents made the links back to his associates in St. Petersburg, the preparations for a special operation began. A day before the sisters received the knock on their door, ambulances were moved near the building, and riot police units were relocated to the area.
The next morning, when the operation was in full swing, Ivan, 40, a resident in the same building, woke up to the sound of an explosion. His young son thought it was thunder, but Ivan saw nothing but blue sky. It was only when he took his son to play in the sandbox outside that he saw men in balaclavas surrounding the building.
“Is this a drill?” Ivan asked one of them. “No, this is for real,” the masked man answered.
The next explosions and gunshots were heard a few hours later, at 11:20 a.m., when FSB officers in the sisters’ apartment broke through the floorboards to toss a gas grenade at the militants.
By this time, a television crew had arrived, and had apparently obstructed the operation. To get rid of the television crew, the FSB carried a supposedly wounded officer out of the stairwell on a stretcher and loaded him into an ambulance. The journalists drove off behind them in pursuit.
Four men were killed that day: Zalim Shebzukhov, Astemir Sheriyev, Vyacheslav Nyrov and a fourth man whose name was not released. They had resided in St. Petersburg for six months and, according to the FSB, had been involved in several terrorist attacks and assassination attempts against policemen and prosecutors.
Shebzukhov had the highest profile of the four men. The 29-year-old was a well known militant in the North Caucasus and a key contender to become the new leader of the underground terrorist organization that calls itself the Caucasus Emirate. Doku Umarov, the last president of the self-proclaimed Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and the man who claimed responsibility for the 2011 attack on Domodedovo Airport, headed the Emirate from 2007 to 2014.
The Islamic Underground
The years of Umarov’s leadership marked the height of the Caucasus Emirate’s standoff with Russian security services. But after losing its third leader in just two years, the Emirate can no longer pose the serious threat it once did.
A concerted anti-terrorism campaign that began before the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi has driven many of its fighters into hiding. A large number have splintered to join the Islamic State (IS) in Syria.
Much of the Emirate’s activity is now uncoordinated and driven by online propaganda, suggests Russian Middle East expert Yury Barmin: “When the group conducts operations, they are more individual attacks that don’t follow any particular strategy.”
IS has also stepped up its rhetoric against Russia, but it remains similarly small in number within Russia, says Joanna Paraszczuk, a London-based expert on extremism in the Caucasus. “It’s hard for IS to recruit in the North Caucasus and the Russian security services keep taking them out,” she says.
At the same time, IS has thrived on social networking services like Telegram, and is quick to claim responsibility for lone wolf attacks within Russia. The group claimed to be behind an Aug. 17 attack on a road police station outside Moscow that injured two officers, one of them critically. Both militants involved in the attack were killed.
That incident has sharpened concerns over the threat posed by Islamic terrorists, whether North Caucasus militants currently fighting in Syria or those hiding within Russia.
At a conference in late July, FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov claimed his agency was monitoring the activities of 260 Russian nationals abroad. The FSB suspects they are “actively preparing to transfer their operations to Russia and other countries,” Bortnikov said. He added that 220 suspected terrorists remain under “operational observation” within Russia.
Aftermath
Whether or not the St. Petersburg suspects were operating under clear orders from either IS or Caucasus Emirate, their presence certainly left a grim mark. The day after the FSB stormed the St. Petersburg building, sandbags, a broken elevator and blood-spattered floors served as a stark reminder of the operation. Some residents posted these images on Instagram. Bloodied plastic shoe covers, gloves and cotton swabs littered the 10th floor.
Soon, the mess was cleaned up. All that remains now is a feeling of shock. On the 11th floor, the sisters were comforted by their parents, who flew in from Finland to look after their terrified daughters. Their father, Vladimir, learned that militants were living in his daughters’ building while watching a television news report in Finland, where he works.
Anna points to the damage on the balcony, where the grenade launcher was placed. Her sister Larissa refused to return to the apartment after the raid. The family cat did not return home for two days and has been reportedly walking about shell shocked.
Downstairs, a 90-year-old resident sits in the yard outside the building. The pensioner says she witnessed the entire operation. When asked why she thought Islamic militants were living in her building, she responds “because they’re too lazy to work,” before launching into a tirade against migrants from Central Asia.
*Disclaimer: Islamic State, Caucasus Emirates are terror organizations banned in Russia
Additional reporting by Ola Cichowlas and Matt Bodner | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/cat-and-mouse-55113 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/b0ade5330820e5acd6cc0c0bdcab44e24d9c1cad2183808e8350176b2e01f020.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:07:05 | null | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fbest-of-moscow-four-day-trips-from-the-city-55021.json | en | null | Best of Moscow: Four Day Trips From the City | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | On edge from the constant drilling in Moscow’s center and dreaming of fresh air, onion domes and a town small enough to explore without using the metro? Look no further. There’s plenty of beauty and adventure to be found outside the big city — and it’s closer than you might think.
Abramtsevo
Artistic retreat on a beautiful estate
Abramtsevo estate — just 60 kilometers from Moscow — has a long and eventful history. It started life as the center for the Slavophile movement in the early 19th century. Under the leadership of Sergei Aksakov the estate was frequented by the likes of Nikolai Gogol and Ivan Turgenev. After Aksakov’s death the estate was bought by industrialist Savva Morozov, who was also a known patron of the arts and gathered the greatest minds of his time at the estate. Among the well-known artists who spent time and worked at Abramtsevo are Valentin Serov, Ilya Repin, Isaac Levitan, Viktor Vasnetsov and Mikhail Vrubel.
For a ticket costing 800 rubles you can view the works of these artists and visit the on-site buildings which contain more paintings and historical items. Don’t miss a small church designed by Viktor Vasnetsov and a majolica bench made by Mikhail Vrubel. At the entrance to the estate there are stands with traditional Russian baked goods and soft drinks. Alternatively stop at cafe Abramtsevo for a light bite or the slightly pricier restaurant at hotel Galereya.
Train from Yaroslavsky Station to Khotkovo and then bus no. 55. Closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Sergiev Posad
Religious heartland
The main attraction of Sergiev Posad, a small town about 70 kilometers north of Moscow, is the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monastery was founded by Sergius of Radonezh, one of the most revered 14th century Russian saints. The architecture of the monastery is simply unbelievable — you’ll find your head constantly turning from one marvel to the other. The masterpieces not to miss are the Trinity Cathedral, which houses Andrei Rublyov’s icon “The Trinity,” the Assumption Cathedral and the refectory building built in the Baroque style. Both St. Sergius himself and Tsar Boris Godunov are buried on the site.
You are allowed inside the churches during services but be sure to respect the dress code of the monastery. Near the monastery there is a picturesque park where you can rent a boat and relax after all that architectural splendor. If you’re looking for a pit stop there’s a great little place with burgers, cider and craft beer called Svoi Bar on the way from the monastery to the train station — perfect if you have a little while to wait for your train.
Train from Yaroslavsky Station.
Vladimir
An ancient capital
175 kilometers to the northeast of Moscow, Vladimir was a heavyweight political, religious and cultural destination when Moscow was still in its provincial youth. The city’s golden age was during the 12th century when Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky moved the capital to the city from Kiev and built many of the city’s most famous landmarks.
Take the express train from Kurskaya Station — the journey takes around three hours — and don’t be put off by the rather dour Soviet infrastructure you’ll be greeted with upon leaving the train. If you head into town you’ll soon see what everyone’s talking about. First stop is the Cathedral of St. Demetrius, which bears intricate stone carvings depicting King David, wild beasts and the Kievan Prince Vsevolod III.
Walk past the Palaty, an 18th century court building which holds a children’s museum, exhibition and art gallery, toward the fairy-tale golden domes of the Assumption Cathedral. After gawking at the Byzantine-inspired exterior head inside for frescoes by Rublyov and the coffin of Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod. Ghoulish types will get a thrill from the glass coffin through which you can see his withered, mummified hand. A word of warning: take no notice of the signs and instead enquire with the babushka on the desk about when you can expect the churches to open their doors.
Express train from Kurskaya Station or bus from Shchyolkovskaya metro station.
Suzdal
Onion domes and old-world charm
If you’ve made it as far as Vladimir it would be a shame not to hop on a bus and make the 40 minute journey to Suzdal, rightfully referred to as the diamond of the Golden Ring. If you’re looking for rustic charm, more wooden carving than your Instagram account can cope with and a remarkable ratio of churches to human beings, Suzdal is the place for you.
Start your explorations at the Suzdal Kremlin, home to the beautiful blue-domed Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral, a museum. a few streets of houses and several smaller churches. Leaving the Kremlin, take the bridge across the river to the Museum of Wooden Architecture and Peasant Life. It’s more about the former than the latter, but the picturesque 1756 Church of the Transfiguration, cafe serving medovukha — a honey based drink — and the old mills make it a lovely place to while away an hour or two.
Further north is the Savior Monastery of Saint Euthymius, Suzdal’s biggest monastery. The complex features buildings and churches funded by Ivan the Terrible and the wealthy Pozharsky family. There is no shortage of guest houses and restaurants so if making the journey back to Moscow doesn’t seem like an attractive option, spend the night and have dinner and a few glasses of Georgian wine on the terrace at “Gostiny Dvor.”
Express train from Kurskaya Station to Vladimir. Cross the road to the bus station and buy a ticket to Suzdal. Buses depart every 30 minutes. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/best-of-moscow-four-day-trips-from-the-city-55021 | en | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/1db569cada60064e1e56d58d8394e8361174d9df35641b7aed37c5503d685f52.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:45 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fa-giant-matryoshka-delays-russian-olympic-teams-flight-back-home-55071.json | en | null | Giant Matryoshka Doll Delays Russian Athletes' Flight | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | 23 hours ago
Best of Moscow: Eight Ways to Enjoy the Last Gasp of Summer
A Moscow winter may not carry quite the same connotations as one in “Game of Thrones,” but it certainly signals the end of terrace dining, soaking up rays on the beach and frivolous outdoor pursuits. With that in mind, we’ve been out and about and compiled a list of the best ways to get your vitamin D fix before the snow sets in. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/a-giant-matryoshka-delays-russian-olympic-teams-flight-back-home-55071 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/26d2bcdf9bca863a3ddddbf7e5779f34c7d8dd8081857225faa3e91a80ffe1a3.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T12:58:45 | null | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-best-exhibits-of-august-55011.json | en | null | Moscow Exhibitions: Catch Them While You Can | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | New Blockheads Novie Tupie (New Blockheads) is one of the most original art groups to have emerged from St. Petersburg during the 1990s. In the six years of the group’s existence artist members produced around 70 performances. This unique retrospective exhibition at MMOMA celebrates the group's legacy through archival footage and reconstructions of their work. Visitors can discover or rediscover some of their performances, such as when they installed a monument to a mosquito and another in which they called for Jews to come back to Russia. In the “Movement of Tea Table Towards Sunset,” performance artists drank tea in different places around St. Petersburg for seven days, moving the table with them. As they refused to monetize their art little trace of the group's legacy remains, making this exhibition an important connection to their unique brand of collaborative art.
Moscow Museum of Modern Art (MMOMA). 10 Gogolevsky Bulvar. Metro Kropotkinskaya. mmoma.ru. Through August 28.
VII Permanent Collection MMOMA has invited artists to play the role of the curators by creating either a display or a total installation with works from the museum's permanent collection. Arseny Zhilyaev has imagined a museum of the future, where abstract paintings bear cryptic currency signs on them. He was inspired by the misinterpretation of the famous performance by Alexander Brener in Amsterdam, where the artist drew a dollar sign on Malevich’s painting “Suprematisme.” Meanwhile Alexander Povzner introduces new paintings by his father, Lev Povzner, while Taus Makhacheva becomes Super Taus, an imaginary female super hero from Dagestan who carries a statue of two women all the way from Makhachkala to Moscow. The project aims to explore the role of museums in the contemporary world. Moscow Museum of Modern Art (MMOMA). 10 Ulitsa Petrovka. Metro Pushkinskaya, Chekhovskaya .mmoma.ru. Through September 27.
You Better Call Saul The Tatintsian Gallery in the up-and-coming art quarter on the embankment of the Moscow river brings to mind a Chelsea gallery in New York. Not just because of its contemporary design, but also because of the caliber of its exhibitions. Right now Muscovites are treated to a retrospective of Peter Saul, a living legend and one of the most prominent figures in the pop art movement. Saul is the founder of the Bad Painting style, which involves him mixing up genres, distorted images and exaggerated perspectives. His works are instantly recognisable by their vivid colors — an effect sometime achieved through the use of DayGlo paint. The subjects of his works can be anything from the cartoon characters to real life politicians, interpretations of old masters’ paintings or strange alien-like creatures. Gary Tatintsian Gallery. 19 Serebryanicheskaya Naberezhnaya. Metro Taganskaya, Kitai-Gorod. tatintsian.com. Through August 31.
Nominibus Trivialibus, Synonimis Selectis One of the last remaining exhibitions of the parallel program of this year's V Biennale of Young Art has been organized by the Triumph Gallery at Moscow's Aptekarsky Ogorod (The Apothecaries' Garden). Visitors will need to do some exploring to discover all of the artworks — they are spread all over the historical botanical garden. Sasha Frolova, one of Andrei Bartenev’s students, installed a bubble sculpture that looks like something from space in the middle of the pond as part of the project. There are also sculptures hidden between the trees, below the roof of the greenhouse and just under your feet, so stay alert! Aptekarsky Ogorod. 26/1 Prospect Mira. Metro Prospect Mira. youngart.ru. Through September 11.
Alexei Vasiliev and Lorenza Diaz Triumph gallery showcases two talented artists from different countries in its venue on Ulitsa Ilyinka. In the lower hall of the venue you can see the works of Russian Alexei Vasiliev, while paintings from Swiss Lorenza Diaz are exhibited on the ground floor. Both artists have one thing in common — they work with wall paintings. The central works from both exhibitions are displayed on the walls, while the rest are spread evenly throughout the gallery. Diaz’s works are abstract, while Vasiliev presents familiar Russian reality in a cartoonish way. Triumph Gallery. 3/8 Ulitsa Ilyinka, Bldg. 5. Metro Teatralnaya, Lubyanka, Kitai-Gorod. triumph-gallery.ru.Through August 31
Samizdat and Zines GROUND Peschanaya, a gallery in a residential neighborhood of Sokol, has just launched “GROUND-ZINE. The book that isn’t.” The exhibition is a retrospective of samizdat, a form of dissident activity in the Soviet Union where individuals reproduced and distributed censored and underground publications by hand. The exhibit covers the handmade magazines and books made in clandestine conditions as well as rock and football zines of perestroika years. There are also some contemporary zines on display. Don't miss the pop-up store, where you can buy zines and small press books. The exhibition will be updated regularly with new items over the course of the next couple of months. GROUND Peschanaya. 23/7 Novopeschanaya Ulitsa. Metro Sokol. groundmoscow.com. Through October 9 | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/the-best-exhibits-of-august-55011 | en | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/23f9a8eb4e08851c21354e1158f264664971b63f27b7a3e4641b62a327dd179a.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:01:44 | null | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-forgotten-coup-55030.json | en | null | Russia's Brightest Moment: The 1991 Coup That Failed | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | It would be difficult to call the events of August 1991 a revolution. To begin with, there were no revolutionaries, only counter-revolutionaries. The then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev had been aware for some time that a group of hardliners had been manoeuvring to remove him. Some time before September, Gorbachev had put in place plans to defend himself. He looked to reduce the influence of the Communist Party leadership. In particular, he had started talks with the leaders of the Soviet Union’s most influential republics, with a view to offering them greater powers and independence within the Union. According to Boris Yeltsin’s legal adviser, Sergei Shakhrai, the then-Russian leader actually signed the new Union agreement on Aug. 17. Gorbachev’s talks instead forced the hand of the hardliners, and led to the coup attempt. The conspirators had a great deal of power on their side, including the state apparatus, army, and secret services. Their plan was clear: roll back the new freedoms that Gorbachev had introduced; cease flirting with the West, restore the authority of the Communist Party; and return to the golden days before perestroika. Twenty-five years ago, those conspirators tried to jam a stick into the wheel of change and rob Russians of their hope for a new life. The stick broke, and the wheel of change moved onward. An Electric Appeal Ordinary Russian citizens understood something was wrong as soon as they turned on their television sets on the morning of Aug. 19, 1991. There they saw an unscheduled broadcast of “Swan Lake,” organised by coup leaders and interrupted only by “breaking” news updates announcing that Gorbachev was “ill,” and that a new “emergency committee” was now in power. One of Yeltsin’s advisers, the academic and deputy Yury Ryzhov, was in central Moscow that morning. He travelled to work at the Russian White House on Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment, then the seat of the Supreme Soviet parliament. “We arrived at 9 a.m.,” Ryzhov said. “It was clear something was up. When I stopped in at Gennady Burbulis’ office, his staff said that he was at Yeltsin’s dacha in Arkhangelskoye, outside Moscow. I asked them to get Burbulis on the line, but when I got through, it was Yeltsin who picked up the receiver. He told me they were composing an appeal to the nation.” The document’s first phrase would enter history. “The legally elected president of the country has been unlawfully suspended from his duty,” it read. It went on to describe the events as a coup attempt, and called for a national strike. According to Gennady Burbulis, Yeltsin’s closest ally at the time, Yeltsin’s appeal was one of three crucial factors that made it possible to turn the situation around. Sergei Shakhrai was also at Yeltsin’s dacha that day. “It was frightening,” he recalls. “There was that cutting silence of early morning and a terrible dissonance: a cloudless blue sky while some sort of problem was brewing. I wondered if I’d see my wife and kids again. When the turmoil began, it helped: we realized we had to do something, defend ourselves.” Not knowing what lay before them, Yeltsin’s motorcade began the journey from Arkhangelskoye to the White House, issuing initial orders along the way.
A Live Shield “We put Yeltsin on the back seat of the ZiL car,” recalls Alexander Korzhakov. “He would not put on his bulletproof vest, so instead we surrounded him with our bodies.” Back in 1991, Alexander Korzhakov was Yeltsin’s bodyguard. Later, he would go on to become a major political figure in his own right, most especially for his role in the subsequent 1996 presidential elections. Korzhakov was part of a hardline core that argued against them being held and was accused of attempting a coup — in a way that was reminiscent of the events of 1991. Following the 1996 events, Yeltsin lost confidence in Korzhakov. But in 1991, the bodyguard was one of his closest companions. “As we approached the White House, people were hauling in pieces of railroad track, chunks of iron, stones. It was clear that these people were serious,” recalls Korzhakov. “The mayor of Moscow then gave the order to have concrete barricades brought in, as if it was 1941 all over again.” Most of the country greeted the coup with stony silence. Some provincial leaders pledged their allegiance to the Emergency Committee. Communist Party bosses in the cities sat quietly and waited. Aside from Moscow, the only local authorities to openly oppose the coup were those in St. Petersburg. The city’s mayor Anatoly Sobchak organized a demonstration. His assistant, Vladimir Putin, was also there supporting his boss and the ideas of freedom. Later, as president of Russia, he would refer to subsequent events — the collapse of the Soviet Union— as “the greatest geopolitical disaster of the 20th century.” In the event, Moscow was the only place that saw significant action.
“Everything that happened in 1991 happened within a radius of a few central Moscow blocks,” recalls journalist Sergei Parkhomenko. With Russia free of censorship for several years, Parkhomenko was at the vanguard of a brave new school of journalism. Today, barred from mainstream media, he runs a civil project called “Last Address,” devoted to preserving the memory of all those killed during Stalin’s terror. Parkhomenko was joined on that day by hundreds of thousands of Muscovites. Showing bravery that took many by surprise, the civilians formed a live shield around the White House. “The crowd shocked me most of all,” recalls Shakhrai. “They gathered very quickly. Everything fell into place, which assured us that we were doing the right thing. I know of no other rallies where people surrounded government buildings to protect them.” The scale of that response made a deep impression on Parkhomenko. He recalled how people organized the defenses, how they assigned duties, prepared food, and brought in things they needed. “At some point a truck rolled up and unloaded photocopiers, which were an extreme rarity at the time. Another truck brought in paper,” he says. “That ensured an endless production of flyers could be disseminated through the crowd and plastered on poles around the city. The level of civilian resistance was the second crucial factor that made it possible to reverse the situation, says Burbulis.
Yeltsin on the Tank Although Yeltsin had already served for one year as president of Russia — then still part of the Soviet Union — he did not hold any real executive authority. Prior to the events of August 1991, he was simply a popular public figure and leader. Both Yeltsin and Gorbachev embodied the desire for change. Gorbachev tainted his reputation with compromises, whereas Yeltsin did not. Yeltsin’s time came on Aug. 19, 1991. “We decided that it would be better to read the appeal not by radio, but rather from the White House steps,” Korzhakov recalled. “Then, Yeltsin noticed a tank over on the right. He said, ‘Hey, let’s take a look.’ We walked over and found a lieu- tenant who was terrified. Yeltsin said, ‘Let’s climb up.’ So we climbed up.” Korzhakov stood near Yeltsin holding a bulletproof vest, and is clearly visible in photos of that event. At about noon on Aug. 19, 1991, Boris Yeltsin read the appeal to the people of Russia, standing on the very tank that had been deployed to fire at him. That image went down in history. “It was a historic example of political intuition,” Burbulis said. The Yeltsin-on-tank moment was also, in his opinion, the third factor that ensured the democratic victory in 1991. Two years later, during the constitutional crisis of October 1993, the situation would be somewhat reversed. This time, Yeltsin, already president of an independent Russia, ordered tanks to fire on rebellious hardline deputies inside the White House. And this time, the military obeyed orders.
Victory On Aug. 19, putsch leader Gennady Yanayev famously could not stop his hands from shaking when asked at a press-conference if he was taking part in a coup d’etat. The next day, army generals refused to take part in the actions, and Yeltsin declared himself commander-in-chief. The future president descended into the White House bunker together with his associates. Shakhrai was too late to join them. “When I ran down it was already shut from inside,” he says. “I wandered for a bit through the deserted corridors, and then went out to the crowd in the street. That felt much better.” The bunker was, it turns out, an unnecessary precaution. Late that night, one of the coup leaders, Vladimir Kryuchkov, called Yeltsin. Korzhakov, who was chatting with another bodyguard in the corridor, picked up. “He said that the decision had been made to lift martial law and to call back the tanks in the morning,” Korzhakov recalls. “It meant victory. At least, almost.” That night, the night of Aug. 21, the civilian defenders of the White House walked through the city. It was then that the first tragedy struck. Three young men — Dmitry Komar, Vladimir Usov, and Ilya Krichevsky — died under the tracks of armored vehicles in one of the underground tunnels in the center of Moscow. “Those deaths played a crucial role,” said Parkhomenko. “Both sides were so horrified that it brought a halt to everything.” Later that evening, Gorbachev was brought back to Moscow, the Emergency Committee was dissolved, and the Prosecutor General ordered the arrest of the conspirators. Jubilant Muscovites toppled the monument to the infamous founder of the Cheka Soviet secret police Felix Dzerzhinsky, just across from the KGB’s head-quarters on Lubyanskaya Ploshchad. At noon on Aug. 22, 1991, the tricolor Russian flag was hoisted over the White House for the first time. The idea of Russia as a separate state and a world power did not yet exist, but the tricolor flag soon became a national symbol of victory over the Soviet regime and the triumph of freedom. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/the-forgotten-coup-55030 | en | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/1c14e57df8bc7f6f5fbeb7b28cad1e3476b1eb0ad2b57d3cef28055c1bf30ea3.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T12:59:55 | null | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fmuchniks-picks-island-of-1991-modernrock-fest-and-more-music-in-moscow-on-the-weekend-55017.json | en | null | Muchnik's Picks: Island of 1991, Modernrock Fest and More Music in Moscow on the Weekend | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Summer is almost over, but that doesn't mean an end to the open air festivals we've been enjoying over the last couple of months. Whether it's indie-rock, electronic music or a festival in a courtyard you're after, here are our top music picks for the weekend. Elektromonteur is an up-and-coming Moscow band whose music has already been compared with the likes of Brian Ferry and Depeche Mode. In reality Elektromonteur plays its own brand of music, best defined as a mix of synth-pop and indie-rock. Their lyrics are quite funny too, provided you understand Russian. 16 Tons. 6/1 Ulitsa Presnensky Val. Metro Ulitsa 1905 Goda. Free entrance. Friday at 8 p.m.
Ishome is a moniker for Mirabella Karyanova, one of the most promising names on the budding Russian electro scene. With just one album under her belt she has already managed to capture the attention of music critics and clubbers alike. Her music is a mix of dub, future bass and ambient, but it all makes sense together, because Ishome’s real talent is finding the right melody. Brusov Ship. 10 Krymskaya naberezhnaya. Metro Park Kultury. F Tickets from 700 rubles ($11). Friday at 8 p.m.
The new open air venue in the courtyard of the Winzavod Center for Contemporary Art will host Modernrock Fest this weekend. The headliner is Delfin aka Dolphin — who real name is Andrei Lysikov — one of the founders of Russian hip-hop pioneers Malchyshnik (“bachelor party”). During more than 20 years as a solo artist he has released 13 albums. Dolphin’s current music style is more about electronic loops and lyrics than beats and hip-hop. Another headliner is SBPCh, one of the leading indie-pop bands in Russia, whose music can sound like mainstream indie-pop or experimental electronic. The line-up also includes Biting Elbows, an indie-rock band whose video served as inspiration for the international blockbuster film “Hardcore,” directed by the band’s leader Ilya Naishuller. Winzavod. 1/6 Pereulok 4 Syromyatnichesky. Metro Kurskaya, Chkalovskaya. Tickets from 1,000 rubles ($16). Friday at 7 p.m.
Yest Yest Yest, an experimental hip-hop band from Saint Petersburg, will play at the Mars Center on Friday. Their name consists of the homonym “yest” which in Russian simultaneously means “to be” and “to eat.” Yest Yest Yest mix their beats and sharp lyrics with various musical styles from acid jazz to indie rock to techno. They were nominated for several categories at Steppenwolfe, Artem Troitsky’s alternative music awards, and won in one.
Mars Center. 5 Pushkarev Pereulok. Metro Trubnaya, Tsvetnoi Bulvar. Tickets 600 rubles ($10). Friday at 8 p.m. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/muchniks-picks-island-of-1991-modernrock-fest-and-more-music-in-moscow-on-the-weekend-55017 | en | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/2d533571db7163c310be1f311b18c451cb17ea8f2953172947983f148c4ba94c.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:05:57 | null | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fmuchniks-picks-leningrad-detsl-and-more-music-in-moscow-on-the-weekend-55081.json | en | null | Muchnik's Picks: Leningrad, Detsl and More Music in Moscow on the Weekend | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Summer is coming to a close and the rainy weather proves that fall is just around the corner. If you are already missing the sun there’s no better cure than heading to one of the great gigs we picked out for you this weekend.
Russian pop-rock hooligans from St. Petersburg Leningrad have rightfully deserved the title of “band of the year.” They've been around for more than two decades, but this year Leningrad released not one, but two of their most popular songs to date. One is "Eksponat" (Art work) with the famous line describing a girl’s perfect outfit for a date — “na labutenakh i v ohuitelnih shtanakh” (wearing Louboutin shoes and freaking awesome pants) and the other is “V Pitere Pit” (St. Petersburg is for drinking), which did more for the tourism industry of the northern capital than all the city government efforts.
Izvestiya Hall. 5 Strastnoi Bulvar. Metro Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya. Tickets from 8,000 rubles ($124). Thursday at 8 p.m. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/muchniks-picks-leningrad-detsl-and-more-music-in-moscow-on-the-weekend-55081 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/36c2702e11bf7b36f8a681326fb87afae777f5a0a2632ee890281297e7282563.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:07:20 | null | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fschool-and-hospital-funding-reallocated-to-russian-stadium-construction-55073.json | en | null | School and Hospital Funding Reallocated to Russian Stadium Construction | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The Zenit football stadium in St. Petersburg will be completed at the expense of school and hospital funding.
The St. Petersburg administration has decided to reallocate funds in the Targeted Investment Program for 2016. Funding for the football stadium will increase by 1.7 billion rubles ($26.2 million), and landscaping for the stadium site on the western part of Krestovsky Island will receive an additional 888 million rubles ($13.7 million).
Meanwhile, officials will cut 505 million rubles of funding for the construction of six schools, 313 million rubles allocated to build seven nursery schools, and approximately 1 billion rubles set aside for building seven hospitals and clinics, the document said. They will also slice 140 million rubles in funding from a sports complex for individuals with disabilities, and 150 million rubles from the construction of an athletic facility in Tsarskoye Selo. Funding will actually increase slightly for several nursery schools, schools, and public swimming pools. Governor Georgy Poltavchenko signed government resolution No.689 on Aug. 17. The document has been published on the city administration’s website.
The stadium will cost 39.2 billion rubles ($605 million) to build, excluding landscaping and primary access zone costs. The stadium must be operational before the end of 2016 in order to host the Confederation Cup games in the summer of 2017 and the FIFA World Cup in 2018.
In mid-July, the St. Petersburg authorities unilaterally terminated their contract with Inzhtransstroy-St. Petersburg, the general contractor for the project, blaming the company for slow and low-quality work. Officials estimated in July that Inzhtransstroy-St. Petersburg had failed to carry out work for which it received advanced payments totaling 3.6 billion rubles.
VTB and the Bank of Moscow extended bank guarantees totaling 3.8 billion rubles to Inzhtransstroy-St. Petersburg through Jan. 17, 2017.
The municipal construction committee explained that the general contractor had not performed the required work or returned the advance funds, creating a funding shortfall for the stadium’s construction.
Administration officials said that the projects for which funding was reduced are scheduled to open in 2017 and 2018, and that the reallocation of funds will not cause delays.
Metrostroy has been selected as the new general contractor.
Last week, St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly deputy Boris Vishnevsky wrote a letter to Governor Poltavchenko asking him not to implement the resolution. “It is categorically wrong to complete the stadium by reducing funding to social projects,” he said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/school-and-hospital-funding-reallocated-to-russian-stadium-construction-55073 | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/ac0696132f0ac858632ff6a68d40714b247695c48482fe907450460e860d7cf9.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:01:17 | null | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fmoscow-restaurants-playful-pan-asian-at-mahjong-55050.json | en | null | Moscow Restaurants: Playful Pan-Asian at Mahjong | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Mahjong may only be a 10-minute walk from the Kievskaya metro station, but when you enter the snug little eatery you could easily fancy yourself thousands of miles away. Situated in one of the city’s most prestigious neighborhoods on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, Mahjong offers a journey through the Orient from the comfort of your dining table.
The restaurant is the latest project of Kirill Gusev, the illustrious restaurateur who went from high-profile and opulent establishments like the now-defunct Zolotoi (Golden) and Entrecote at Hotel Metropol, to more low-key cafes, like Biggie and Zhizn Pi (Life of Pie). The same approach to quality — but in a relaxed setting — characterizes his latest venture.
A pan-Asian restaurant, Mahjong is named after the eponymous board game popular across Asia. Just as the tiles of the game are jumbled together, so are the six cuisines on the menu.
On entry to the restaurant try not to stumble over the painting of a waterfall on the floor. The visual illusion supposedly has a 3D effect if you look at it through your smartphone camera, giving the impression you’re standing over an abyss on a hanging bridge. The rest of the interior is rather more subdued, with some street art on the walls and tables that imitate a traditional Mahjong board.
Start with impeccably executed Vietnamese nem — rice paper spring rolls with duck (450 rubles), shrimp (550 rubles) or Japanese salmon tataki (seared and marinated fish) served with cold green noodles (450 rubles). Adventurous types should opt for the well-balanced hot and sour soup (350 rubles).
Choose murghi masala for your main dish — tender chicken in a tomato-based curry masala sauce, served with rice (450 rubles). Vegetarians won’t be disappointed with the vibrant palak panir — spinach with fried panir cheese (450 rubles).
There are some interesting desserts too, like the exotic mango coconut mousse (450 rubles), best paired with a pot of steaming masala chai (400 rubles). If you really want to embrace the experience order a traditional tea ceremony (550 rubles) and enjoy three varieties of tea from different regions of Asia.
+7 (985) 588 5500
facebook.com/mahjongrest
17 Kutuzovsky Prospekt, Metro Kievskaya | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/moscow-restaurants-playful-pan-asian-at-mahjong-55050 | en | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/547964d0b7efb5e4f47153a88e534190e234aa92cd9bb6dcf758136108415d68.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-31T08:52:33 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fnavalny-ally-volkov-found-guilty-in-microphone-case-55160.json | en | null | Navalny Ally Volkov Guilty of 'Preventing Journalist's Work' | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Opposition activist Leonid Volkov has been found guilty of preventing the work of a journalist by a court in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk.
Volkov was spared the two- year prison term requested by prosecuters, but received a fine of 30,000 rubles ($460).
The activist was initially arrested on July 17, 2015, on accusations that he had damaged a microphone belonging to a cameraman from the Life News TV channel. Volkov had been visiting the Novosibirsk office of the PARNAS political party alongside opposition activist Alexei Navalny when members of the far-right People's Liberation Front (NOD) staged an unsanctioned picket outside the building.
Some of the activists began to throw eggs at Navalny, and the Life News cameraman began to approach him. Volkov shielded Navalny by standing in the cameraman's way and holding on to the camera's microphone.
The Life News journalist is heard saying to Volkov, “Shall I break your arm?” He later claimed that Volkov had damaged the microphone.
The activist was found guilty of preventing the journalist's work, but was acquitted of physically harming the cameraman.
Writing on Facebook Wednesday morning, Volkov said that "in terms of the modern Russian political process, [his sentence was] tantamount to acquittal."
He also maintained that the case was politically motivated and promised to appeal the sentence, "in the European Court of Human Rights if necessary."
“The case is 100 percent winnable,” Volkov wrote, adding that his team had worked “with a never give up attitude” for a year and that “it would be strange to give up now.”
Writing in a statement on his website prior to the sentencing, Volkov said that the case had cost him over ($23,000), and had been a “hellish, nervous episode for me, my family and loved ones.”
“That there are still political trials and political prisoners in our country, in the 21st century, is a complete, endless shame,” he wrote.
He also said that he hoped the supporting material collected by his team could serve as a case study of political oppression. “Perhaps in the future you could give lectures to law students on “how political cases were fabricated in the late Putin period,” he said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/navalny-ally-volkov-found-guilty-in-microphone-case-55160 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/c564f4a7d9d5687b6973acbacdc7309ac7da4048c69a9e560619a5950d38471d.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:11:26 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fnew-york-times-latest-target-in-wave-of-russian-cyber-attacks-55082.json | en | null | Russian Hackers Targeted New York Times Newspaper - Reports | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The Moscow bureau of The New York Times has been targeted by hackers believed to be working with the Russian authorities, the newspaper reported Wednesday.
Multiple American news organizations have faced similar cyber-threats in what U.S. officials believe to be a continuation of earlier attacks against the U.S. Democratic Party, the CNN news network reported.
CNN claimed that the cyber attacks were part of a Russian intelligence gathering operation targeting non governmental organizations. Washington-based think tanks and news agencies are thought to be prime targets due to their government contacts and unpublished works containing sensitive information, the news outlet reported.
Eileen Murphy, a spokesperson for The Times, said the newspaper had no reason to believe the hackers had been successful. “We are constantly monitoring our systems with the latest available intelligence and tools,” she said Tuesday.
The F.B.I. are reported to be investigating the cyber attack on the Times, but have made no official statement on the case. The New York Times newspaper has also denied reports that it has hired private security firms to investigate the incident.
Private investigators announced last month that hackers linked to Russian intelligence agencies had broken into Democratic Party computer systems days before the Democratic Party announced Hillary Clinton as Presidential Candidate. President Barack Obama has not made any formal accusations against Russia relating to the cyber-attack.
The Kremlin denies all allegations. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/new-york-times-latest-target-in-wave-of-russian-cyber-attacks-55082 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/e43754b50a11ba19a1cd55e4e862134a1bd70ea0250d468a3a8c50d31c03746f.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-30T16:52:00 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Frussian-workers-take-to-the-streets-after-months-of-no-pay-55154.json | en | null | Russian Car Plant Workers Take to the Streets After Months Without Pay | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Former employees at Russian car part manufacturer AvtoVAZagregat have taken to the streets to demand their unpaid wages.
Approximately 90 protesters blocked a major highway in the company's hometown of Tolyatti for an hour, the Interfax news agency reported.
AvtoVAZagregat, a company which once employed 2,500 workers, went bankrupt in the fall of 2015 after losing its contract with AvtoVAZ, the Russian car manufacturer which produces Lada automobiles. The majority of former employees still have not received their full back wages.
Samara Region Governor Nikolai Merkushkin promised to help AvtoVAZagregat to settle its debts after the company was unable to find a buyer, and has reportedly transferred 156.6 million rubles ($2.4 million) towards workers' unpaid wages.
Neither Merkushkin's office or the company itself has revealed how much back pay remains on AvtoVAZagregat's books.
A meeting between workers and Merkushkin to tackle the issue further was unsuccessful, with the politician reportedly telling employees that their problems should be taken up with the factory, rather than the government.
A meeting transcript published by the Zasekin news portal reported that when one former employee asked when they could expect their back pay, Merkushkin replied, “Well, I can tell you that if you are going to use that tone, then never. Never! Go ask the people who upset you so much.”
A government representative has since said that the fragment had been taken out of context as a a “pre-election provocation.”
“[Russia's ruling party] United Russia formulates not only the pro-government agenda, but also the protest agenda,” said political analyst Mikhail Vinogradov. When one of its members makes an unpopular public statement, it often receives wider coverage than statements made by the opposition and thus has a “mobilizing effect.” he said.
Demonstrations such as the one staged by former AvtoVAZagregat employees are a rarity in Togliatti, said local Autostat agency CEO Sergei Tselikov. Similar rallies were last seen in the region during the economic crisis of 2008-2009 in relation to the AvtoVAZ plant, he said. There were two motivating factors behind the protest, said Tselikov: former employees’ frustration over losing their jobs and wages, and the upcoming State Duma elections.
State Duma Elections are to be held again in Russia on Sept. 19, 2016.. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/russian-workers-take-to-the-streets-after-months-of-no-pay-55154 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/e70f38bfe95e8c5dc335e7bda9f4ae5c16b7b77d9de7cde7273119afc57c55fd.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-26T16:49:44 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fsecond-wave-of-moscow-kiosk-destruction-to-begin-55130.json | en | null | Second Wave of Moscow Kiosk Demolitions to Begin | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Moscow City Hall is set to unleash a new wave of demolition on Monday night, as authorities target a second group of “illegal” street kiosks throughout the city.
Some 107 businesses are earmarked for demolition in this phase. It follows on from a similar operation in February 2016, when 100 pavilions, kiosks and small shopping centers disappeared overnight.
City officials also expect to release a third list of kiosks destined for removal in less than six months, RIA Novosti reported Friday.
The demolition drive forms part of an ongoing strategy by Moscow city authorities to transform the city. Extensive work on reforming Moscow's boulevard and garden ring roads has disrupted business in the capital for much of the summer. More projects are in the pipeline, most notably a plan to reshape the late Soviet-era, skyscraper lined New Arbat street.
A number of kiosk owners have sued the authorities following their business' destruction, claiming that they have all necessary paperwork for their properties.
City authorities have since offered compensation for those who voluntarily dismantle their businesses before bulldozing began. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/second-wave-of-moscow-kiosk-destruction-to-begin-55130 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/0e5b410c3f99dce81af342eb9427adae2b55462472bafd8c8f9ff09adce444bd.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:08:28 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fbon-appetit-four-recipes-from-a-russian-prison-55114.json | en | null | Bon Appetit! Russian Ex-Convicts Share Recipes From Prison on Instagram | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Andrei Barabanov spent almost four years in prison — plenty of time to get familiar with the menu, you would think. Barabanov was among the tens of thousands of Russians who gathered on Bolotnaya Ploshchad on May 6 2012 to protest mass electoral fraud on the eve of Vladimir Putin's third presidency. Like dozens of other protesters, he was detained and later harshly sentenced on charges of “participating in a mass riot” and “using violence against the police.” The Kremlin’s uncompromising crackdown was repeatedly denounced by human rights monitors as being politically motivated. In a month-long campaign for the human rights organization Rus Sidyashchaya, Barabanov reminisces about his time behind bars by publishing a prison recipe on Instagram every day. Unsurprisingly, the Russian prisoner's diet can hardly be called luxurious. Before he was locked up, Barabanov was already suffering from stomach problems. His time in prison made his physical condition “much worse,” he told The Moscow Times in written comments. Nevertheless, his project is a positive one. “We wanted to show what prisoners are being fed in canteens,” Barabanov said. “And prove people don't always live under hellish conditions.” The recipes are inspired by Barabanov's own experience and that of fellow former inmates. There are also plans to collect the recipes into a book once the project finishes, he said. “My favorites were the fish soup and the bean salad,” he added. The project is still ongoing. Here's a translation of four of the posts so far:
1. Prisoners’ Nutella Recipe by Alexander Margolin, Bolotnaya detainee. Time behind bars: 4 years and 3 months.
Фото опубликовано Фонд "Русь Сидящая" (@russidit) Авг 18 2016 в 9:38 PDT
Ingredients: 400 grams of “Yubileinoye” digestive cookies or more primitive analogue; 3 teaspoons of cocoa powder; 1 cup of milk; 150 grams of butter; nuts; half a tin of condensed milk. 1. Heat up a bowl by placing in boiling water. Place the butter in the bowl. Be patient. After several minutes the steam bath will turn the butter into a greasy slush. 2. Crush the biscuits and nuts. Add the crumble mix to the greasy slush. 3. Stir carefully. 4. Pour in the hot milk and condensed milk, and then add the cocoa powder. 5. Carefully continue stirring until the mix takes on a pleasant consistency. 6. Leave the container in a cool place. 7. Spread on bread. 2. Happy Holidays
“Festive canape” with moonshine by Andrei Barabanov. Bolotnaya detainee. Time behind bars: 3 years, 7 months.
Фото опубликовано Фонд "Русь Сидящая" (@russidit) Авг 22 2016 в 10:50 PDT
“I spent New Year's Eve 2014 at Butyrka prison. We began preparing for it several weeks in advance. We ordered scarce products through relatives, stacked up in the prison shop, and picked out potatoes from canteen dishes, so that we could make Russian salad later. We cleaned out our cell, decorated the place with branches from a Christmas tree, put out postcards everywhere. Then we gave our neighboring cellmates a pack of sugar and they made moonshine out of it. So we thanked them with cigarettes and sweets. We drank the moonshine together with the canapes, just like you see in the photo. We wanted to feel the typical New Year's spirit, and create a special atmosphere. In prison it's very important to have the possibility of distancing yourself just a little from the surrounding reality.” 3. Cheers! What you need to make moonshine by Ilya Gushchin, Bolotnaya detainee. Time behind bars 2 years 6 months.
Фото опубликовано Фонд "Русь Сидящая" (@russidit) Авг 19 2016 в 10:20 PDT
The objects in this photo are not what they seem. 1. Future valve. Cut the neck of the bottle. It will be used later to remove gases from your moonshine. 2. Multifunctional bags. You can use these to store your homebrew, to cover your moonshine instrument, or as “kontrolki,” i.e. small strings to hold the entire structure in place. 3. A tub. Right now it contains Korean carrot salad, but soon the container will be filled with spirit. 4. Simple sugar. This is the main component of fermentation. 5. Batteries. Hot water will be poured into the bottles, and used to later heat up the brew. 6. Yeast. The bread needs to be sprayed with water, and then left to “flower” for a couple of days. This step is not necessary if you can obtain traditional yeast by illegal means. 7. Boiler. For boiling water. If you don't have one, you can disassemble an electric teapot and extract a heating spiral. 8. A bucket. Useful for mixing components. 9. A basin. This is the core of your moonshine-making apparatus. 4. Rise and Shine
Фото опубликовано Фонд "Русь Сидящая" (@russidit) Авг 23 2016 в 7:58 PDT | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/bon-appetit-four-recipes-from-a-russian-prison-55114 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/8c1d4b978970e8174b310bc6c1ffe97bbd704db7e376d882064db50d2a9e8faf.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T12:51:35 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fus-and-russia-considering-joint-attack-on-aleppo-reports-55142.json | en | null | U.S., Russia Considering Joint Attack on Aleppo - Reports | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russia and the United States have been discussing a joint-attack on the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo since December 2015, Russia's Interfax news agency reported Monday.
A coordinated operation in the city could start as early as mid-September, Interfax reported, citing an unidentified source.
Enemy fighters would likely be trapped within the city before airstrikes began, the source said. They did not confirm whether the Syrian Air Force would take part in the attack.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met in Geneva on Aug. 26, where both pledged closer coordination to fight the Islamic State within Syria.
Cooperation in Syria between Russia and the United States faces a number of hurdles, including disagreements on the fate of Syrian leader Bashar Assad and the designation of different armed factions as “terrorist.”
The Islamic State is a terrorist organization banned in Russia. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/us-and-russia-considering-joint-attack-on-aleppo-reports-55142 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/53e89bf9914bb62d816ebe9fd1c0f98acf389b41534da8758366c0585ef2a086.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T16:51:22 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fbloomberg-rosneft-ceo-igor-sechin-proposes-to-pay-5-billion-for-bashneft-controlling-stake-55146.json | en | null | Bloomberg: Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin proposes to pay $5 billion for Bashneft controlling stake | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Igor Sechin, the head of Rosneft, has asked the government to let his company purchase the controlling stake in Bashneft. Russia's largest state oil company would pay $5 billion in cash, with a premium to the market, Bloomberg reported, quoting two senior officials.
According to the Rosneft managers' plan, that would then allow the government to fill the state budget with another $11 billion by selling a 19.5% stake in Rosneft, earning the state $16 billion in total.
“We do not comment on nonsense”, Rosneft representative Mikhail Leontyev told the RBC agency about what appears to be yet another twist in the long anticipated privatization of the controlling stake in Bashneft.
Earlier this August, the government delayed the privatization auction for Bashneft after Rosneft, together with public oil company Lukoil, applied to participate in the tender. It has been reported that this led to the decision to postpone privatization.
The sale of Bashneft should have contributed 315 billion rubles ($4.9 billion) to the state treasury. According to the Vedomosti business daily, without the income from Bashneft's sale, Russia’s Reserve Fund would be depleted by the end of the year. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/bloomberg-rosneft-ceo-igor-sechin-proposes-to-pay-5-billion-for-bashneft-controlling-stake-55146 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/43bb3bbd009849ee61eed1b1dd8e3274b62c4216391004667d54039e4e6e2b98.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T18:51:23 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fwife-of-rostech-chief-chosen-as-pirelli-pin-up-girl-55145.json | en | null | Famous Russian Daughter-in-law Becomes Latest Pirelli Pin-Up Girl | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Anastasia Ignatova, the daughter-in-law of Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov, is to appear in the 2017 edition of the iconic Pirelli calendar, the Vedomosti newspaper reported Monday.
Ignatova is the only non-actress to feature in the publication, which boasts a host of famous faces including Helen Mirren, Nicole Kidman and Kate Winslet. She is a lecturer at Moscow State Institute of Political Theory, and “entrepreneur in the medical field,” according to Pirelli.
Impressive though such achievement is, it seems certain the pin-up has more to do with a business tie-up between Rostec and Pirelli. Both companies own shares in Pirelli Tyre Russia, a holding which owns two tire plants in the Russian cities of Voronezh and Kirov. Pirelli's investments in Russia are estimated to be worth more than 400 million euros ($447 million), Vedomosti reported.
“Pirelli and Rostec are both interested in a long-term partnership," Pirelli CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera told Vedomosti in 2015. "We plan to maintain our level of investment and the level of cooperation between our two companies,” he said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/wife-of-rostech-chief-chosen-as-pirelli-pin-up-girl-55145 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/88329548ee9b698023004c93184037e02ec79bd8ffc963c3c86841062d26cf4f.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:59 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Ffriday-storm-warning-for-moscow-55045.json | en | null | Friday Storm Warning Issued for Moscow | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The Russian Emergency Ministry has put out a storm warning for Moscow, with heavy rain and strong winds expected.
“Forecasts for Moscow indicate that between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Aug. 19, there will be thunderstorms and strong winds in places, with gusts of up to 12-17 meters a second,” the ministry said in a statement.
Around 200 people had to be evacuated from cars and buses in Moscow earlier this week when the Yauza River in Moscow flooded after half the average monthly amount of rain fell in just 12 hours.
Several streets in central Moscow flooded in July after heavy rain. The floods were allegedly the result of drainage channels blocked with building materials from roadworks.
Rain is expected to continue over the weekend with dry weather returning next week. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/friday-storm-warning-for-moscow-55045 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/6f91a2639023982a695a130c9dbc5a41b0fbfa7174ac88aa6fdb260c7d243053.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T12:51:03 | null | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Ffgm-55084.json | en | null | Girls Under the Knife: Is Russia Ready to Tackle FGM? | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | The stories these women tell send shivers down the spine.
They were only children when their mothers took them to see the older women. These women cut off part of their clitoris, sometimes all of it, sometimes together with the labia, using a regular knife or scissors. There were no sterilized instruments, nor anesthesia; instead, there was pain, blood, the risk of infection and severe psychological trauma.
Without the procedure, their relatives said they wouldn't be proper Muslims. Everyone in the community does it, and you also need it to become a decent woman that a man will marry. It will protect you from fornicating, both before and after marriage, and will stop you from living in sin if you never marry by killing “woman's frenzy,” otherwise known as sexual desire.
Female genital mutilation (FGM), a dangerous ritual aimed at diminishing women’s sexuality, is traditionally associated with African countries. But the practice also exists in Russia.
On Aug. 15, the Moscow-based nongovernmental organization Russian Justice Initiative (RJI) released a report revealing that FGM is a common practice in several remote mountain villages in Dagestan, one of the Russia's troubled North Caucasus republics. Several years in the making, the report is the first research conducted on female genital mutilation (FGM) in Russia. Its findings are shocking: The document suggests that tens of thousands of women residing in these villages may have undergone the procedure.
Russia has never been on the radar of the UN organizations that fight to eradicate FGM, says Luis Mora, a UNFPA expert on gender and human rights. “It has never been considered one of the countries where FGM could be practiced. Recent findings on Dagestan are completely new for us,” he says.
The RJI report has sparked a wide range of reactions across Russian society.
Ismail Berdyiev, a mufti in the neighboring Karachaevo-Cherkessia region, told journalists that FGM is necessary to “suppress women's energy,” and that it “would be good if all women were cut, so that there would be no fornication on Earth.” Maria Baronova, an opposition politician running for a seat in the State Duma, picketed a mosque in Moscow with a sign that read: “Slaughter sheep, not women.”
Diana Gurtskaya, a singer and member of the Civic Chamber, filed a request to the Prosecutor General's Office to launch a probe into the practice. But presidential human rights council member Maxim Shevchenko called the RJI report “a deeply inappropriate hoax” perpetrated by liberal political forces in order to destabilize the situation in Dagestan.
Outraged by the report, Russian officials, both publicly and in conversations with human rights activists, acknowledged the problem and promised to deal with it. But, several days later, the dust has begun to settle and other issues are replacing FGM on the country's agenda. Activists are optimistic, but expect little immediate effect.
Ethnic Tradition
Hundreds of girls and women in remote mountain villages of Dagestan undergo the procedure every year, and thousands more have probably undergone it in the past. But a lack of serious studies on the subject make more accurate estimates impossible, says Yuliya Antonova, coordinator of the research and a lawyer at RJI.
Antonova and her research partner, Dagestani political scientist and ethnographer Saida Sirazhudinova, have been advocating for women's rights in the North Caucasus region for years, but only stumbled upon the issue of FGM relatively recently.
“When I first heard about it in 2012, I was totally shocked,” says Sirazhudinova. “I started asking around, and was surprised to find out that many women I know actually went through it.”
Antonova discovered FGM later, while conducting seminars for Dagestani women facing abuse and domestic violence.
“At some point two years ago, several women mentioned that they went through this in the past,” she says. “They were not complaining — instead, they talked about it like an ordinary fact of their lives. When asked about specifics, however, the women shut down and refused to talk about it. Clearly, the topic itself was a strict taboo for them. So we knew that it was happening, but had no idea where, how and to how many women.”
Sirazhudinova began her study in 2013, soon joining forces with RJI. The researchers managed to interview 25 women from small mountain villages who underwent FGM and several dozens of experts — doctors, imams, ethnographers. The practice, they found, was most common in ethnic Avar communities in eastern Dagestan.
Out of several types of FGM, ranging from a small incision on the clitoris to the full removal of the clitoris along with the labia, the Dagestani communities mostly resorted to one variety: making an incision on the clitoris and letting out blood in a practice akin to an initiation ritual.
The procedure is always performed by a woman, usually an elder and sometimes a relative, in her own home rather than a medical facility. This woman is paid either with money or gifts and traditionally holds a high status in the community as a person protecting traditions and family values. Most often, the procedure is carried out on girls before they hit puberty; some women remember being 3-5 years old when when they were cut.
It is difficult to say when the practice arrived in Dagestan and where it came from, says Sirazhudinova. However, one thing is clear: It is not new. “You can find the first mentions of the ritual in hundred-year-old ethnographic studies,” she says. “It is not common for most parts of Dagestan, so it is probably linked to the ethnic traditions of specific communities and represents some sort of gender initiation.”
Not a Problem?
The women interviewed by researchers expressed ambivalence toward the procedure. On the one hand, they remembered the experience as frightening, painful and humiliating; on the other, many of them described it as a mandatory practice outlined in Islam and, therefore, something that they had to undergo and that they will have performed on their daughters. “They don't see it as a problem,” says Sirashudinova. “They support it, because it is something that the community dictates, and, for women who live in a mountain community, it is very important. They give up their individuality completely.”
Many women believe that the procedure is essential and necessary to reduce their sexuality, which is considered sinful. Some think that clitoris is a male organ that might eventually grow into a penis if they don't cut it in time. Few of them see any alternative, says Almut Rochowanski, a women's rights advocate who has worked on issues related to the North Caucasus for a decade.
“Every woman that has been through it was traumatized,” she says. “When she takes her daughter to do it, it breaks her heart, because she knows how much suffering is involved. But, most likely, she thinks that if she doesn't do it, she and her children will be outcasts.”
And while Rochowanski has seen women flee domestic violence, honor killings and political persecution, she has “never come across a single case of a woman who would run away from FGM.” Girls who are subject to the cutting are too young to run away, and their mothers are too oppressed to take their children and leave their home.
“In families of the North Caucasus, husbands and their mothers have all the power over children, and if a woman takes them and flees, she risks her husband coming after her and eventually becoming a victim of an honor killing,” says Rochowanski.
There is little clarity on whether Islam condones or condemns FGM. Rushan Abbyasov, deputy chairman of Russia's Council of Muftis, wrote in an online statement that Islam prohibits any deliberate harm to one's body; therefore, the ritual is unrelated to Islamic law and practice.
FGM can't be linked to a certain religion, says Mora of the UNFPA, because it is practiced by a certain number of followers of different religions, be it Islam or Christianity. The main underlying factor is ethnic belonging — certain ethnic communities have a tradition of controlling women's sexuality through the practice of cutting, says the expert.
However, several Dagestani imams told researchers that cutting is either “mandatory” or “desirable” for a girl. Dagestani's Council of Muftis didn't respond to The Moscow Times’ request for comment. However, local Muslim media in Dagestan have been promoting female genital mutilation as something healthy and beneficial for women for at least eight years now, says Zakir Magomedov, editor-in-chief of Daptar.ru, a website dedicated to women in Dagestan that has also reported on FGM in parts of the republic. These media outlets claim that the procedure is purely cosmetic: It involves cutting off a small piece of skin around the clitoris and helps increase woman's libido. "They quote gynecologists that say adult women do it voluntarily — the same gynecologists that a year ago condemned the practice as harmful in conversations with us," says Magomedov.
Dealing With It
According to UN statistics, 200 million girls and women across 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia have undergone FGM. The World Health Organization calls for the eradication of the practice, deeming all forms of FGM harmful and in no way beneficial to a woman's health. The organization lists excessive bleeding, infections, urinary and vaginal problems, sexual problems, increased risk of childbirth complications and newborn deaths, and psychological trauma among the immediate and long-term complications of the practice.
The Russian Health Ministry echoes the sentiment. Following the publication of the Russian Justice Initiative report, it condemned FGM in Dagestan in a statement. Dagestan's National Affairs Ministry and local children's ombudsman came out with similar statements. The Prosecutor General's Office is launching an investigation into the issue, and Maria Maksakova-Igenbergs, a prominent opera singer and State Duma lawmaker from the United Russia Party, has already put together a bill outlining a 10-year prison term for perpetrators of FGM.
Activists agree this is better than nothing, but doubt that external legal pressure will stop the practice in the near future. Primarily because the bill introduced by Maksakova-Igenbergs has not been thoroughly thought through, says Antonova. "Clearly, [lawmakers] were in rush to put something forward, but they haven't really studied the problem well enough. This bill leaves a loophole that would allow some variations of FGM," she says.
It is important to understand that FGM is a social norm in communities where it is practiced, says Mora from UNFPA: "You need to learn why this is happening, and you need to work with the population, making them understand that it has health implications and is a human rights violation."
In general, eradicating FGM in the region will take decades of educational and outreach work in the region, says Rochowanski.
“I understand that for the Kremlin, women's rights are not a top priority in the North Caucasus, Russia's most violent and poorest region,” says Rochowanski. “But they fail to understand that when women are empowered and gender equality actually works, communities become more peaceful and safe.” | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/fgm-55084 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/859c1b4fb8aae1f0e3324b5ec014d3bf36d2b655822d143786e5e5b073bade86.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:15:20 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Firan-to-negotiate-purchase-of-the-sukhoi-aircraft-55060.json | en | null | Iran to Buy Russian Sukhoi Fighter Jets, Says Official | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Iran is set to begin negotiations on a new deal to buy Russian Sukhoi fighter jets, the country's Defense Minister announced on Sunday.
Speaking on Iranian television, Brigadier General Hossein Dehgan said that move made part of wider plans to develop the Iranian air force.
Tehran has also recently received a Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense system, which was first purchased by Iran in 2007.
The deal was suspended in 2010 due to UN sanctions against the country, but was resumed again in November 2015.
Testing of Iran's Bavar-373 anti-aircraft system is also to take place in the near future, Dehgan said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/iran-to-negotiate-purchase-of-the-sukhoi-aircraft-55060 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/325468f710561c89da7781db0fd8010ceebfab4e396fd418bb1499826ad8d620.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:13:28 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussia-to-challenge-paralympic-ban-in-swiss-federal-court-55103.json | en | null | Russia to Challenge Paralympic Ban in Swiss Federal Court | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russia is to challenge the blanket ban on its athletes competing at the upcoming Paralympic Games in the Swiss Federal court, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko announced Thursday.
Russia’s Paralympic team lost its appeal against the ban in the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS) in Switzerland on Tuesday.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) excluded all Russian athletes from the competition earlier this month after damning reports from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) alleged that an extensive state-sponsored doping program was in operation across Russian sport.
In a statement to journalists, Mutko said that a hearing in the Swiss Federal court would determine whether individual Russian athletes could submit cases.
WADA alleges that 35 positive doping samples from Paralympians were covered up by Russia’s sporting authorities, of which only 15 related to Russia’s team, he said.
He also reiterated his belief that the ban was politically motivated and claimed the CAS ruling against Russia’s Paralympic team was “not entirely based on legal principles.”
“The decision is absolutely political. It’s hard to believe an organization who should be working to develop Paralympic sport could make that decision,” he said. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russia-to-challenge-paralympic-ban-in-swiss-federal-court-55103 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/080b1492dacfd95a63f21509f729e3cc88573a5ac42084c2d32a1f0479c05541.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-30T10:51:49 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fa-baseline-plus-plan-55150.json | en | null | Russia's Ministry of Economic Development Pins Hopes on Rising Oil Prices | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development has announced a new “baseline plus” plan for the Russian economy, despite concerns that the country's original economic strategy remains unbalanced, the Vedomosti business daily reported Tuesday.
While the country's current baseline plan is formed on the price of oil remaining stable at $40 per barrel for the next three years, the “baseline plus” predicts that oil will rise to $50 a barrel in 2017, and $55 in 2018-2019.
This more optimistic forecast would see Russia's economy enjoy steadier growth over the coming years, leading to an increase of 5.8 percent by 2020. The original plan would only see growth of 3.8 percent for the same period, Vedomosti reported.
Although the new baseline plan plots a more hopeful course for Russia's economic future, the country's original proposals remains unbalanced, one government source told Vedomosti. The baseline plan will see the country's deficit rise significantly above the 3.2 percent target set out by the Finance Ministry. “This kind of policy means that demand will shrink, funds will become exhausted, and there will be nothing to eat,” the source said.
The Finance Ministry is currently aiming to reduce the public deficit by 1 percent every year from 3.2 percent in 2017 to 1.2 percent in 2019. Yet if the price of oil remains at $40 a barrel, this simply won’t be possible, said Natalia Akindinova from Center for Development at Higher School of Economics. If the government hopes to keep their deficit reduction goals, the ruble needs to weaken or economic growth needs to increase, she said.
The baseline economic scenario is based on a strengthening ruble and weaker economic growth. The Ministry of Economic Development even downgraded its overall economic forecast for 2016, suggesting growth at 0.2 percent instead of the 0.6 percent which they predicted last year.
In the government today, there is a group which believes that we must plan for oil at $40 per barrel, and a group that believes that the price will rise to $50-$55, one government officials told Vedomosti. “They pray for oil, and nobody cares about reforms. If oil cost drops - no worries, we will simply adjust our rates.” | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/a-baseline-plus-plan-55150 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/d84712781388e6acdf6b21fbe164329d7908952e136123d8bad395d0ab676153.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:06:15 | null | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fnashi-1991-55029.json | en | null | Our 1991: Why the World Risks Repeating Russia's Post-Soviet Nightmare | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | I hail from another Russia, one that came to be in August 1991. Over the next 25 years, my Russia would mutate into something entirely different. In truth, its undoing began at the very moment it was born. The man who gave it the first dose of lethal poison was Alexander Nevzorov, now a mildly obscure liberal critic of Vladimir Putin. A star of combative perestroika-era television, Nevzorov initially exposed corruption, and indulged in showing gruesome footage from crime scenes. This was shocking for viewers, who had for decades been protected from such pictures. But in 1991, Nevzorov found a new cause, lionizing OMON riot police in Riga who had conducted a dirty war against independence movements in Baltic countries. For several months, the Riga OMON terrorized Latvia. On the night between Jan. 19 and 20, they shot five people dead. On July 31, they executed seven people who manned a customs post at the border between neighboring Lithuania and Belarus. For Russian and other Soviet democrats in 1991, the Riga OMON were despicable villains. Nevzorov looked the other way, producing instead a series of documentaries that pictured them as noble defenders of the collapsing empire, waging a desperate war against an overwhelming horde of pro-Western zombies. The films were collectively titled "Nashi." ‘Nashi’ is a pronoun best translated from Russian as "our guys," or literally — "ours". A piece of genius political branding, the term evokes scenes from Soviet war films, as well as fist and knife fights between teenagers from rival neighborhoods. It harks back to ancient mammalian pack instincts, and it reduces the complexity of the world to a simple black and white “us against them” picture. The term also had the phonetical brilliance of hinting at the Nazis, a forbidden fruit that felt sweet to nationalist-leaning Russians of the perestroika era. But just as well, it also appealed to Bolshevik-inspired internationalists, because it didn’t necessarily presume discrimination on the basis of ethnicity. It didn't matter, for example, that the commander of Riga OMON Czeslaw Mlynnik was an ethnic Pole. What mattered is that he remained loyal to Moscow and stood firm in the face of what Nevzorov pictured as the coming Apocalypse. Nashi films became the first manifestation of the emerging reactionary coalition, for which the democrats coined the term “red-browns,” thus reflecting its synthetic National-Bolshevik nature.
This was, however, a very different Russia. Things that seem unconceivable now were the broadly accepted norm back then. For example, the day after OMON’s attack on the Riga barricades, and a week after the massacre of pro-independence protesters by Soviet troops in Vilnius, at least half a million people rallied in the center of Moscow in support of Baltic independence. It was one of the largest rallies in the history of Russia. It demonstrated how important the Baltic independence cause was for the Russian pro-democracy movement. That sentiment, which did not last long, was the reason why the Soviet Union collapsed peacefully 11 months later. The red-browns were the underdogs of the time, unable to compete with the prevailing democrats. When the putschists were defeated in the Moscow August coup, Nevzorov created a political movement called Nashi. He was joined by Riga OMON commander Mlynnik, the latter’s political patron, Latvian politician Viktors Alksnis, and a motley crew of ultra-nationalists and neo-Communist politicians. Liberal journalists branded the group as "nashists," hinting at the fascist character of their ideology. Regardless, the project proved premature. With little take off in the fall of 1991, Nevzorov gradually lost interest in politics and started breeding horses. But Nevzorov had pioneered a narrative which came to dominate the political discourse in Russia over the next two decades. In 1992, the red-browns made a major comeback, fueled by the disappointment with Yegor Gaidar’s “shock therapy” and real human tragedies caused by the poorly thought-out dissolution of the U.S.S.R. The red-brown rallies started drawing as many people as democratic ones just a few years ago. The Russian parliament, elected by the Soviet rules in 1990, drifted in that direction, too. The climax came in the fall of 1993, when a broad red-brown coalition, including Mlynnik and Alksnis, came to the defense of the rebellious Russian parliament. The uprising was brutally squashed by troops loyal to president Boris Yeltsin. Nonetheless, two months later Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s LDPR, a force fueled by the same newly-created red-brown Nashist ideology, came first in a free parliamentary election. The developments famously prompted writer Yury Karyakin to shout live on television: “Russia, you’ve gone nuts!”. The events of 1993 destroyed the democratic coalition that brought President Boris Yeltsin to power. Many democrats lamented the heavy-handed dissolution of the parliament, and sympathized with its defenders. Others became obsessed with the idea that Russia needed a dictator like the Chilean Augusto Pinochet to modernize efficiently. Their effort to identify and coach a suitable figure first resulted in the promotion of general Alexander Lebed, who was touted in the West as the "iron man” Russia really needed. That first idea of a Russian Pinochet was eventually replaced with a more flexible and sophisticated one in the form of Vladimir Putin. Under Putin, the unwinding of 1991 Russia, hitherto a process carried out by stealth, proceeded in an increasingly open manner. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/nashi-1991-55029 | en | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/59af4fb021afd9c2f98fe8108a61503e5bbea3eb5c331c00fb6c6b89d404bc3e.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:14:39 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Ftraffickers-repair-russian-road-used-for-smuggling-55065.json | en | null | Smugglers Secretly Repairing Russian Roads to Boost Business | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Gangs smuggling goods into Russia have secretly repaired a road on the Belarussian border in order to boost business, the TASS news agency reported Monday.
Smugglers have transformed the gravel track in the Smolensk region in order to help their heavy goods vehicles traveling on the route, said Alexander Laznenko from the Smolensk region border agency. The criminal groups have widened and raised the road and added additional turning points, he said.
The road, which connects Moscow to the Belarussian capital of Minsk, is known to be used by smugglers wishing to avoid official customs posts and is now under official surveillance.
A convoy of trucks was recently stopped on the road carrying 175 tons of sanctioned Polish fruit worth 13 million rubles ($200,000). The produce was subsequently destroyed, TASS reported. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/traffickers-repair-russian-road-used-for-smuggling-55065 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/ea55b186b46f87b88a0e81f33500eb9fa4a55aca63e22946ac46f2465f2e994d.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:07:49 | null | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fthe-kremlin-opens-to-the-world-54995.json | en | null | The Kremlin Opens to the World as Putin Orders Greater Access | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | For much of the Soviet period, Moscow’s Kremlin was heavily guarded and shrouded in mystery. Few people apart from high-ranking officials or foreign dignitaries ever got the chance to pass through the gates built into the towers along its redbrick walls. The rare visitors that made it inside were struck by its “terrifying emptiness.”
Some restrictions were lifted with the fall of the Soviet Union. But a set of eight new decrees signed by President Vladimir Putin earlier this month means previously off-limit areas of the seat of Russian political power are likely be opened to the public in 2017.
“The Kremlin has been sacred, closed, secret and locked for most of the last 150 years,” says Catherine Merridale, a British author who has written a history of the buildings and their inhabitants. “Opening up the Kremlin has a huge psychological impact.”
The decision by Putin is expected to be popular among ordinary Russians and is likely to fuel an increase in the number of tourists visiting the already busy site, which is the official residence of the Russian president.
According to decrees published Aug. 1 there will be an extra tourist route through the Kremlin including access to a new archaeological museum where visitors can see the remains of the Chudov Monastery and Ascension Convent, which were destroyed by the Communists in 1929. Public access points are also slated to be installed in the Spasskaya Tower on Red Square, which houses the famous Kremlin clock, and the Borovitskaya Tower on the complex’s opposite side.
An ambitious 2014 plan to rebuild the Chudov Monastery and Ascension Convent — two of Orthodoxy’s most important sites — has apparently been abandoned. UNESCO ranks the Kremlin as a world heritage site, and may have objected to new construction. The remains of the two holy buildings were uncovered earlier this year after the dismantlement of the Presidium building, which was built in the 1930s and formerly housed the Supreme Soviet.
“There have been some very valuable archaeological finds ... people assumed that these things had been destroyed forever,” says Konstantin Mikhailov, the founder and head of Archnadzor, an activist organization that helps preserve and safeguard historical monuments.
The exact timeframe for the implementation of the changes is unclear, but Putin ordered officials to prepare logistical plans by the end of this year. Apart from two centuries when St. Petersburg was the capital, the Kremlin has been the heart of religious and state power in Russia — and provided the living quarters for Russian leaders.
Many of them have sought to leave their mark on the geography of the Kremlin and highlight the more politically expedient aspects of its history. The latest plans are likely to be personally associated with Putin and his 16 years at the top of Russian politics. “There is an interest in history among the leadership of the country and, in particular, the history of the Kremlin,” according to Mikhailov.
Soviet leader Josef Stalin ejected most senior officials from the Kremlin after the 1934 assassination of high-ranking Communist party official Sergei Kirov, which ushered in a period of official paranoia and mass killings. Stalin’s successor, Nikita Khrushchev, opened the complex to the public in 1955 as he pushed back against heavy-handed repression. But restrictions on access were re-introduced under Leonid Brezhnev less than 20 years later.
“People remember the Kremlin as terrifying and empty,” says Merridale of the later Soviet period. Before the 20th century public access was much freer, and the Kremlin was traditionally considered something of a thoroughfare; this was lost after the 1917 revolution. “People love the Kremlin in the sense that they love the sight of the golden towers. But at the same time you can’t love it because you can’t have it. Their sense of the Kremlin is more abstract,” Merridale says.
The latest plans also continue a post-Soviet push to restore buildings and objects in the Kremlin, often linked to Orthodoxy, which were destroyed under the Soviets. As well as creating a museum out of the remains of the Chudov Monastery and Ascension Convent, Putin has ordered experts to look into re-erecting a large cross installed on the site where Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, the Governor-General of Moscow and the uncle of Tsar Nicholas II, was assassinated by the bomb of a terrorist revolutionary, Ivan Kalyaev, in 1905.
Putin’s predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, rebuilt the Red Staircase, the royal entrance to the Kremlin’s Faceted Palace, where the coronation ceremony for new tsars traditionally began, in the 1990s. It had been destroyed under Stalin in the 1930s to make way for a canteen. In 2010, a lost icon of Jesus, embedded in the Spasskaya Tower and bricked over in Soviet times, was unveiled during a ceremony attended by the president and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
More modern additions to the Kremlin’s ensemble of churches and official buildings include a helipad. Built in 2013, it allows the president to fly in and out of central Moscow without the need for a large motorcade.
Putin’s Monday decrees also contained an order to look into the possibility of conducting extensive archaeological research in the eastern part of the Kremlin in 2017 and 2018. Mikhailov said that if the plans are realized they will be the most significant excavations in the Kremlin since the 1960s. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/the-kremlin-opens-to-the-world-54995 | en | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/3d7499966cbd84b07debea3404f2684a0dd1ba1ea00be22fc45ab5c312b27133.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T13:06:32 | null | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fescalation-in-crimea-threatens-turkey-russia-rapprochement-55026.json | en | null | Time To Pick Sides? Why Military Escalation in Ukraine May Force Erdogan's Hand | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | With tensions rising again between Russia and Ukraine, Turkey may well be forced to decide which side of the fence it wants to sit on. It is a decision that may mean falling out of love with Russia again.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Erdogan recently met in St. Petersburg to rebuild the bridges they had ceremoniously burned almost one year ago.
This was the third step toward a rapprochement since falling foul of each other over the downing of a Russian fighter jet in Turkish airspace in November last year. In the final days of June, Erdogan apologized to the family of the Russian pilot and expressed his desire for the restoration of “friendly ties” with Russia, while Putin was one of the first to offer his support to Erdogan following Turkey’s attempted armed coup in July.
But how sustainable is this new relationship? The character traits of both leaders and their governments — including projecting of strength at any cost, an uneasy relationship with immediate neighbors, and paranoia about a shrinking sphere of influence – suggest a volatile alliance. And, indeed, agitation around the Crimean peninsula just days after their meeting could force relations into dangerous waters again.
A thorny issue
During the nine-month hiatus in Russian-Turkish relations, worries began to surface in Russia over the possibility that Turkey and Ukraine might build closer relations in defense of the Crimean Tatars — a Turkic people indigenous to Crimea who have been the subject of heightened persecution since the annexation in March 2014. In 2015 Erdogan hosted Tatar leaders in Turkey, expressing his solidarity with the Tatar people and vowing never to recognize Moscow’s illegal annexation.
Ukraine has repeatedly attempted to engage Turkey to help protect the rights of Tatars and its territorial integrity, while Moscow has sought to reassure Ankara that Tatar rights were being respected. It is unclear how well Russia has done in this respect, given its decision in April this year to ban the Crimean Mejlis as an extremist organization and exile their leader, Mustafa Dzhemilev.
At the NATO Warsaw summit in July, Erdogan met with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to express his “support for Ukraine's territorial integrity” and condemn “the oppression of Crimean Tatars in occupied Crimea.” But his support so far has been limited to intermittent rhetorical gestures, and the fact that this meeting took place just days after his apology over the Russian jet incident indicates his unwillingness to pick a side on the issue.
Coming to a head
But Erodgan’s hand may soon be forced. Last week Russia closed a number of key border checkpoints between Crimea and mainland Ukraine, prompting a large amount of confusion. In an all too familiar scenario, Crimea was locked down, with entry and exit barred to residents of the peninsula. Russia claimed that the Crimean checkpoints had been closed due to terrorist plots aimed at destabilizing Crimea. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko fired back, stating that such claims were a “fantasy” and a “provocation.”
Poroshenko subsequently put his troops on combat alert, while Russia shipped over new air defense missiles. Russia’s agitation in Crimea has probably been carefully calculated as a means of further bolstering public support for the war in the Donbass in advance of the forthcoming Duma elections, just as Putin used fear-mongering about the threat posed to ethnic Russians by Ukrainian fascists ahead of the Crimea referendum.
By constructing what is seen as a plausible threat against Crimea, Putin might be able to give his own popularity ratings another boost before Russia goes to the polls. But the unrest also provides Russia with an excuse to further beef up its military presence on the peninsula. This should worry both Europe and Turkey.
The Crimean Tatars are not the only source of tension between Putin and Erdogan. Also at play are Turkey’s security concerns in the Black Sea region, which are exacerbated by increased Russian presence, the proxy war over Nagorno-Karabakh, which flared up again just a few months ago, and the de facto Russian safe-zone that had been put in place for Kurds in Syria.
While both leaders were happy to kiss and make up, it is unclear how long the rapprochement will last. There are plenty of things bringing Putin and Erdogan together, but there are also plenty that have the potential to push them apart.
In particular, if any new conflict breaks out between Russian-controlled Crimea and mainland Ukraine, Turkey will have to do what it least desires – pick a side and stick with it. | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/escalation-in-crimea-threatens-turkey-russia-rapprochement-55026 | en | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/4aec846a54ec563aa6eaac6060826d3ec176de162cea4fc74b99a3d7b112b8ea.json | |
[
"Andrei Kolesnikov",
"Out With The Old",
"In With The New For Russia S Political Elite",
"Putin Won T Take All Of The Members Of The Old Guard With Him In",
"As Demonstrated The Recent Removals Of Officials Like Russian Railways Boss Vladimir Yakunin",
"Drug Tsar Viktor Ivanov",
"Others. The List Of Ret... | 2016-08-26T12:53:38 | null | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Farticles%2Fweekend-in-moscow-sound-sunday-55016.json | en | null | Weekend in Moscow: Sound Sunday | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | Calling all sound and music fanatics. For one day only, Kinotsentr Oktyabr will be hosting master-classes, discussions and performances from some of the biggest names in the audiovisual industry.
Visitors can take part in a lecture program led by experts in the fields of audio-design and composition, including Golden Eagle Award winner, Yuri Poteyenko, the composer of scores for films such as “Batalon,” “Metro” and “Attack on Leningrad.”
If lectures and discussions aren't really your thing, you'll also have the chance to fully immerse yourself in the world of sound during an interactive performance which uses state-of-the-art video mapping technology. There will also be an art installation by contemporary artists incorporating sound in unusual and unexpected ways.
And there's something for mini-maestros too. Children will have the opportunity to make their own musical instruments and to experiment with the sounds that they make, as well as being able to take part in various rhythm games and dances.
Sound Sunday aims to push the boundaries of people's usual understanding of sound designers.
"This year, we're suggesting that people look at sound from a different angles — that they really listen to the world around them” said Vasily Filatov, the Director of the Institute of Sound Design, in a written statement to The Moscow Times.
Throughout the day, various musicians and DJs will showcase their talents, ensuring that Sound Sunday lives up to its name.
The event is free, but to attend you should register on the Sound Sunday website.
Kinotsentr Oktyabr. 24 Novy Arbat. Metro Arbatskaya. soundsunday.ru. Aug. 21 | https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/weekend-in-moscow-sound-sunday-55016 | en | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/70ca7742ba3ee94d2352a84bb663ffd6e937c5852417f74b2ff254a445f6d401.json | |
[
"David Patrikarakos",
"Putin",
"The Ayatollah",
"A Bromance To Watch",
"Of All Today S Political Bromances",
"Perhaps The Most Interesting Is Between Russian President Vladimir Putin",
"Iran S Supreme Leader",
"Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Russia",
"Iran Have Enjoyed Strong Economic Links Since",
"When... | 2016-08-29T08:51:14 | null | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | null | https%3A%2F%2Fthemoscowtimes.com%2Fnews%2Frussias-olympic-stars-visit-syrian-airbase-55139.json | en | null | Russia's Olympic Stars Visit Syrian Airbase | null | null | themoscowtimes.com | A group of Russia's Olympic stars have visited troops at Russia's Hmeymim airbase in Syria, the Interfax news agency reported Monday.
Former Olympic pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva visited the base alongside Sergei Kamensky, who took home the silver medal in the 50-meter rifle shooting. Fencers Sofia Velikaya, Arthur Ahmathuzinym, Timur Safin and Alexei Cheremisinova, and wrestler Soslan Ramonov — all of whom won gold at the Olympics this summer in Brazil — also took part in the trip.
The athletes planted trees in honor of their visit, while Isinbayeva held morning exercises for the troops.
"Our visit to Syria made a big impression on us,” Isinbayeva said. “We met with our soldiers, officers and generals, and they were all very easy to get on with: very pleasant, but strong and confident at the same time. They are real men.”
The Hmeymim airbase acts as Russia's strategic center for military operations in Syria. The airbase can accommodate up to 50 military aircraft, but is soon to be transformed into a military base with a permanent air force contingent. | https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russias-olympic-stars-visit-syrian-airbase-55139 | en | 2022-08-25T00:00:00 | themoscowtimes.com/5ab84e3f9b0f3e3160941f5cbbe25414f3da823878d011520881592a78e5a78e.json |
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