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http://ift.tt/wAP9qB The Moscow Times is a daily English-language newspaper featuring objective, reliable news on business, politics and culture in Russia and the former Soviet Union (CIS). en Thu, 07 Jan 2016 18:32:02 +0300 http://ift.tt/1O0Qxis 330 291 Crimea Government Moves Swiftly to Join Russia http://ift.tt/1om5mkr http://ift.tt/1om5mkr By Ivan Nechepurenko <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1om5mkr Residents of Crimea remained divided Monday about the outcome of a weekend referendum in which voters chose overwhelmingly to split from Ukraine and join Russia, even as government agencies in the regional capital quickly moved to re-register themselves as organs of an independent state that will soon become subject to the authority of the Kremlin. Tue, 18 Mar 2014 00:00:00 +0400 http://ift.tt/1ZwSvyk By Zhanna Nemtsova <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1ZwSvyk The Public Opinion Foundation conducted a survey asking Russians two questions: "What was the main event of the year in Russia?" and "What was the main global event of the year?" Mon, 28 Dec 2015 14:08:30 +0300 http://ift.tt/1OpPKgy By Martin Gilman <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1OpPKgy A year ago it seemed that the Russian economy was in free-fall. Despite everything, 2015 saw the economy stabilize. But what about next year? Thu, 24 Dec 2015 17:20:26 +0300 http://ift.tt/1mFlJNd By Michael McFaul <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1mFlJNd President Vladimir Putin's decision to intervene in Syria marked a major turning point in Russian foreign policy in 2015. Wed, 06 Jan 2016 12:14:00 +0300 http://ift.tt/1UgtHqH By Nadezhda Tolokonnikova <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1UgtHqH Pussy Riot's Nadezhda Tolokonnikova sums up Russian year. Wed, 30 Dec 2015 17:22:49 +0300 http://ift.tt/1kjCNGU By Pyotr Pavlensky <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1kjCNGU I am being held at the Butyrsky detention center. Life is calm here, and almost orderly. I say "orderly" because my routine here is structured by prison rules. Fri, 25 Dec 2015 17:02:42 +0300 http://ift.tt/1RdXAIT By Anna Dolgov <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1RdXAIT Russian air strikes in Syria have killed 2,371 people - a third of them civilians, including 180 children - according to a tally released Wednesday by a Britain-based monitoring group. Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0300 http://ift.tt/1S3xmuv Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1S3xmuv A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday revived long-running litigation by a state-run Russian company that says it owns U.S. trademark rights for Stolichnaya vodka. Wed, 06 Jan 2016 12:15:03 +0300 http://ift.tt/1Z8aBdn Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1Z8aBdn A reported successful test of a hydrogen bomb by North Korea would amount to a gross violation of international law if confirmed, Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Wed, 06 Jan 2016 14:03:47 +0300 http://ift.tt/1ZPvYgr The Moscow Times <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1ZPvYgr The Kremlin is worried about North Korea's announcement that it had carried out a hydrogen bomb test, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday. Thu, 07 Jan 2016 15:41:05 +0300 http://ift.tt/1ISJk7z The Moscow Times <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1ISJk7z Turkish-owned Swissotel Krasnye Kholmy, an upscale hotel in central Moscow, ceased taking reservations on Dec. 30, 2015, following Russian sanctions against Turkey, the RBC news agency reported Thursday. Thu, 07 Jan 2016 17:04:06 +0300 http://ift.tt/1RNJLmd By Peter Hobson <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1RNJLmd Every Western expat seems to know someone who has left Russia. An economic slump and increasing political and cultural isolation have transformed an expat community. Mon, 28 Dec 2015 14:10:15 +0300 http://ift.tt/1Px1b32 Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1Px1b32 The son-in-law of Vladimir Putin stands to benefit from $1.75 billion in cheap finance from the Russian state, a Reuters examination of public documents shows. Wed, 30 Dec 2015 14:14:27 +0300 http://ift.tt/1SnRUwT Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1SnRUwT A Crimean official said on Thursday that Ukraine had cut off a major source of electrical power to the region, a month after saboteurs first plunged the Russian-annexed peninsula into darkness. Thu, 31 Dec 2015 13:01:50 +0300 http://ift.tt/1PAU0Zy The Moscow Times <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1PAU0Zy Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into a law a bill allowing agents from the Federal Security Service (FSB) to open fire on crowds. Fri, 01 Jan 2016 16:50:12 +0300 http://ift.tt/1PI6ywl Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1PI6ywl Pegasus Airlines, a Turkish budget carrier, said on Tuesday it has suspended flights to and from Russia until Jan. 13 after authorities there failed to give its crew members visas. Tue, 05 Jan 2016 16:19:04 +0300 http://ift.tt/1S3xmuw Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1S3xmuw The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Russia to pay damages to an opposition activist arrested at a 2012 Moscow protest. Wed, 06 Jan 2016 12:20:59 +0300 http://ift.tt/1S5SUXj Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1S5SUXj A group of Russian activists said on Thursday they had evidence that Russian aircraft deployed in Syria were armed with cluster bombs, challenging official denials. Thu, 07 Jan 2016 13:59:39 +0300 http://ift.tt/1kkp4j5 Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1kkp4j5 The head of the most powerful Syrian insurgent group in the rebel-held suburbs of Damascus was killed on Friday in a Russian air strike on the secret headquarters of his group, rebel sources said. Sat, 26 Dec 2015 13:16:18 +0300 http://ift.tt/1YHLZIb Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1YHLZIb The Taliban denied reports that representatives had met Russian officials to discuss the common threat from Islamic State in Afghanistan as a British newspaper reported that President Vladimir Putin had met the Taliban leader. Mon, 28 Dec 2015 10:38:54 +0300 http://ift.tt/1mojkpX Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1mojkpX Russia is to revise its space program, the national space agency said on Tuesday after a newspaper published a report that billions of dollars of cuts may be afoot including to ambitious Moon exploration plans. Tue, 29 Dec 2015 19:32:31 +0300 http://ift.tt/1IDfsfd By Katrin Scheib <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1IDfsfd As the year ends, where does Russia stand? How do Russians see key political issues, what do they spend their money on, how health-conscious are they? And how is the country seen by its neighbors? Wed, 30 Dec 2015 12:17:34 +0300 http://ift.tt/1PAU23M Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1PAU23M About 500 people were evacuated from two railway stations in Moscow on Friday after police were tipped off about bombs being planted. Fri, 01 Jan 2016 16:55:14 +0300 http://ift.tt/1mBFV34 The Moscow Times <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1mBFV34 Russian President Vladimir Putin had an ice hockey training session in Sochi on Wednesday, the Kremlin press office reported. Wed, 06 Jan 2016 14:29:58 +0300 http://ift.tt/1mBFV38 Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1mBFV38 U.S. drinks firm Coca-Cola on Wednesday blamed a marketing agency for a map used in an online advertising campaign that showed Crimea to be part of Russia. Wed, 06 Jan 2016 14:41:11 +0300 http://ift.tt/1mIfKXI Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1mIfKXI The former head of Russian athletics Valentin Balakhnichev and the country's former head coach Aleksei Melnikov have been banned from the sport for life over corruption charges. Thu, 07 Jan 2016 16:43:54 +0300 http://ift.tt/1Z0l0lX By Ivan Kalashnikov <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1Z0l0lX This year Russia was caught in the biggest doping scandal in the history of athletics. Mon, 04 Jan 2016 11:55:43 +0300 http://ift.tt/1PuLSYw By Eva Hartog <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1PuLSYw Even as Russia's beleaguered NGOs were struggling to come to terms with the "foreign agents" label, a sweeping new law against "undesirable" organizations has dealt them yet another blow. Tue, 29 Dec 2015 16:59:06 +0300 http://ift.tt/1VM3JNi The Moscow Times <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1VM3JNi The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill urged people not to weaken under economic difficulties in Russia, the Interfax news agency reported Thursday. Thu, 07 Jan 2016 15:07:43 +0300 http://ift.tt/1OP0aRd Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1OP0aRd Bangladesh signed a deal with Russia on Friday to set up two nuclear power plants, each with 1,200 megawatt capacity, an investment totalling $12.65 billion, a government official said. Fri, 25 Dec 2015 19:48:16 +0300 http://ift.tt/1QW2snB By Katrin Scheib <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1QW2snB In 2015, a lot of smart people in Russia said a lot of smart things. But that's not what this is about. This is about statements that were so ignorant or outrageous, even cats couldn't help but react in horror. Mon, 28 Dec 2015 10:47:57 +0300 http://ift.tt/1JGrUFY Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1JGrUFY A ship carrying more than 25,000 pounds (11,000 kg) of low-enriched uranium materials left Iran for Russia on Monday in an Iranian step toward honoring a July 14 nuclear deal. Tue, 29 Dec 2015 10:41:32 +0300 http://ift.tt/1PxmFN7 Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1PxmFN7 The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany have agreed to extend the Minsk peace accord on Ukraine into 2016, the Kremlin said in a statement on Wednesday, following a phone call between the four leaders. Wed, 30 Dec 2015 17:04:23 +0300 http://ift.tt/1mzvHzm Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1mzvHzm A social network account of Russia's communications minister was temporarily blocked on Sunday in a cyberattack carried out by hackers presenting themselves as a Turkish activist group. Mon, 04 Jan 2016 13:16:37 +0300 http://ift.tt/1IOeAV0 Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1IOeAV0 Moscow believes there is a high probability that Islamic State is using chemical weapons in Syria, the RIA news agency reported on Tuesday. Tue, 05 Jan 2016 16:16:00 +0300 http://ift.tt/1VLMV9f Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1VLMV9f A Ukrainian businessman has filed a complaint against Russia in The Hague, saying he was unfairly deprived of his right to operate a passenger airport in Crimea after Russia annexed the peninsula in March 2014. Thu, 07 Jan 2016 13:20:35 +0300 http://ift.tt/1Oux2hv By Daria Litvinova <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1Oux2hv In 2015 Russia was shaken by a series of high-profile trials, with authorities coming down hard on enemies of the regime and showing leniency to friends. Thu, 31 Dec 2015 17:34:12 +0300 http://ift.tt/1VcBxTu By Matthew Bodner <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1VcBxTu Russia's war plan worked better than envisioned. But it has yet to achieve the main goal: End Western sanctions. Thu, 24 Dec 2015 17:18:51 +0300 http://ift.tt/1mnCVqc By Inna Kiyasova <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1mnCVqc The outgoing year in Russia generated a lot of very important political, economic and social news - much of which got transformed at coub.com, the Russian analogue of the short-form video service Vine. Tue, 29 Dec 2015 11:07:23 +0300 http://ift.tt/1OGzzeM Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1OGzzeM Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko plans to meet an inspection commission of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in Moscow on Jan. 11. Mon, 04 Jan 2016 16:57:09 +0300 http://ift.tt/1OGzyaL The Moscow Times <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1OGzyaL The American streaming platform Netflix is set for its Russia launch in January 2016, Izvestia newspaper reported. Mon, 04 Jan 2016 17:02:52 +0300 http://ift.tt/1ISjJvi Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1ISjJvi Russia on Wednesday rejected a Turkish accusation that it was refusing to issue visas to crews of the Turkish budget carrier Pegasus, saying the airline should have applied for them earlier. Thu, 07 Jan 2016 13:02:26 +0300 http://ift.tt/1kjCNGW By Peter Hobson <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1kjCNGW The Moscow Times looked at eight aspects of the economic crisis that, thanks to low oil prices and sanctions, is engulfing Russia and Russians. Fri, 25 Dec 2015 17:03:05 +0300 http://ift.tt/1R0nUHT By Peter Hobson <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1R0nUHT When the Soviet Union crumbled, foreign media companies and entrepreneurs swept into Russia, bringing with them a wave of modernization and expertise. Thu, 31 Dec 2015 14:35:08 +0300 http://ift.tt/1RK1bjx Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1RK1bjx Russia's air force has made 5,240 sorties since it started the strikes in Syria on Sept. 30, including 189 sorties on Thursday alone, Russia's defense ministry told reporters on Friday. Fri, 25 Dec 2015 12:43:18 +0300 http://ift.tt/1ZB50sB Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1ZB50sB Russia will prohibit Turkish companies from construction, tourism, the hotel business and services for state and municipal needs from Jan. 1, the Russian government said in a resolution on Wednesday. Wed, 30 Dec 2015 12:34:07 +0300 http://ift.tt/1ZLuDaq Reuters <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1ZLuDaq Attacks on diplomatic missions can never be a legal means of protest, Russia said on Monday, after Iranian demonstrators stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Tue, 05 Jan 2016 12:41:57 +0300 http://ift.tt/1SaYcQj By Katrin Scheib <moscowtimes@themoscowtimes.com> http://ift.tt/1SaYcQj How are you today? How was your weekend? What was your vacation like? Normalno. Wed, 23 Dec 2015 13:35:53 +0300

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