Russia

MOSCOW, June 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia announced it would lift a range of COVID-19 restrictions including a strict lockdown on Moscow, despite still recording thousands of new infections every day.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the capital’s general lockdown and pass system would end on Tuesday, allowing residents to travel freely for the first time since late March.

“Moscow is returning to the usual rhythm of life,” he said in a video message on Facebook, adding that the elderly and those with chronic diseases will be allowed to leave their homes.

MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/: There is no exact date of resuming flights between Russia and other countries, but the issue is on the agenda, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.

"This issue [on resuming flights] is on the agenda. There are no exact dates yet," Peskov noted, adding that it was up to the government to decide on this matter.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin earlier ordered to draw up proposals on a possible date of resuming flights. "The major driving force here is the government’s crisis center led by the head of government."

MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/: The Kremlin sees support for constitutional amendments from most Russians as follows from the latest opinion polls, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Monday.

"The situation unequivocally indicates the prevailing support for the package of amendments to the Constitution. Practically all opinion polls point in this direction," Peskov said. "Russia’s biggest political forces that enjoy the greatest support of the population are for the amendments, too."

MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/: Moscow’s authorities have decided to rescind self-isolation rules, travel permits and walking schedules starting on June 9, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin wrote on his blog on Monday.

"Self-isolation rules and travel permits will be waived tomorrow, on June 9, 2020. There will also be no more walking schedules," he said.

All Moscow residents, including those over the age of 65 and people with chronic illnesses, will be able to freely travel around the city and visit public places.

07 June 2020; MEMO: The Russian Foreign Ministry has strongly responded to US remarks about the Middle East, describing them as “crazy”, news agencies reported on Friday.

US Assistant Secretary of State David Schenker announced on Thursday that Russia should “go out” of Syria as it has played a “destructive” role there.

MOSCOW, June 6. /TASS/: Two Russian diplomats expelled from the Czech Republic will leave Prague on June 7, Deputy Head of Russia’s Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation Mikhail Bryukhanov told TASS on Saturday.

"They will leave Prague for Moscow on June 7. We have found a way for them to travel from the Czech Republic to Russia," he said.

Bryukhanov told TASS on Friday that it was unclear how the agency’s expelled employees would travel amid coronavirus restrictions.

MOSCOW, June 7. /TASS/: Nearly 318,800 people remain under medical supervision in Russia over a suspected coronavirus infection, the sanitary watchdog said on Sunday.

"Some 318,846 people remain under medical supervision in Russia as of June 6, 2020," the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing reported.

A total of 1,444,187 people remained under doctors’ supervision in Russia over the past period of 2020.

More than 12.7 mln tests for COVID-19 have been carried out.

VLADIVOSTOK, June 7. /TASS/: The flight of the Aurora airline, which was to deliver Russian citizens from Bangkok to Vladivostok on Sunday, has been postponed for an indefinite period, Russia’s Communications Ministry said on its Telegram channel.

The Airbus A319 plane was supposed to fly out late in the evening of June 6 from Bangkok (Thailand) and to land in Russia’s Far East on the morning of June 7.

"Flight No SHU5487 Bangkok - Vladivostok was postponed indefinitely on June 6, 2020. Additional information will be published later," the ministry said.

MOSCOW, June 6. /TASS/: The OPEC+ agreements will have a positive impact on future stabilization of the global energy markets, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Saturday.

"These agreements will have a positive effect on future stabilization of the energy markets," he said.

It was reported earlier that the OPEC-non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting agreed on Saturday to extend oil production cuts by 9.7 million barrels per day until late July. Apart from that, the OPEC ministers bound non-compliant members to make extra reductions in July-September.

MOSCOW, June 6. /TASS/: Russia is thankful to the United States for readiness to give a helping hand in cleaning up the fuel spill in Norilsk, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on the Solovyev Live YouTube channel on Saturday.

"We are certainly thankful to the US side," she said.

"It is another goodwill gesture that proves that we can work for the good and can demonstrate this cooperation," the diplomat said commenting on the statement by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.