Russia

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Wednesday condemned U.S President Donald Trump for cutting funding to the World Health Organisation, saying his decision was selfish and hurt a body that many countries were looking to for leadership amid the coronavirus crisis.

Trump, who has faced criticism for his administration’s response to the coronavirus epidemic, has grown hostile towards the WHO and on Tuesday halted funding to it over its handling of the pandemic.

The United States is the WHO’s biggest overall donor.

MOSCOW, Apr 15 (NNN-TASS) – Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, urged other countries not to politicise COVID-19, and the activity of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“I would caution against attempts to politicise COVID-19, regarding, not only the role of WHO, but also accusations against one or another country,” he said, during an online news conference.

“I think, anyone who familiarises oneself with the chronology of WHO’s actions, will find that the organisation has acted effectively,” he added.

MOSCOW, April 13. /TASS/: A hacker attack has been detected on the website created for the issuance of travel permits for Moscow residents during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Moscow’s anti-coronavirus crisis center informed on Monday.

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/: The Russian Health Ministry on Tuesday said it has introduced methods of urgent post-contact prevention against the novel coronavirus infection for medical personnel to be taken in case biological liquids get on the skin or mucous membranes.

"Methods have been developed of urgent post-contact prevention of the coronavirus infection for medical personnel to follow if biological liquids get on the skin or mucous membranes," the Health Ministry said in a news release.

All medical staff undergo daily medical examination and remote thermometry.

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/: The summit of UN Security Council permanent members must be held in person, the video conference format can only serve as an addition to the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday during an online video interview with representatives of the Russian and foreign media.

"We are talking about a summit that would be held in person, physically uniting the leaders of five permanent members of the UN Security Council," Lavrov stressed, adding that UN Security Council permanent members agree with that stance.

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/: Moscow’s private hospital "K31 City" has been repurposed for the treatment of coronavirus patients, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin told reporters on Tuesday, noting that the number of coronavirus treatment facilities in the city had reached 30.

"We continue pooling the efforts of medical facilities to combat the coronavirus. This is the thirtieth hospital that is entering the battle against the infection. We are engaging federal, regional and private hospitals alike," Sobyanin said.

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/: A Moscow court has ordered to arrest in absentia owner of Active CIS group of companies Sergei Presnyakov, who is accused of a fraudulent loan scheme to the tune of over 900 mln rubles ($12.1 mln), a spokesperson for the court said.

One of Russia’s top businessmen has been put on an international wanted list, Spokesperson Alexandra Evdokimova said.

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/: China’s Heilongjiang Province has provided Moscow with over 20 tonnes of supplies for combating the coronavirus, Moscow’s Department for External Economic and International Relations said in a statement on Tuesday.

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/: The number of novel coronavirus cases in Russia has risen by 2,774 over the past 24 hours reaching 21,102 in 82 regions. To date, 1,694 patients have recovered, 170 people have died, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia is ready to discuss hypersonic missiles with the United States in the context of strategic stability, the RIA news agency cited Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Tuesday.

Lavrov said that he would speak to his U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo over the telephone in the coming days, news agencies reported.

In August 2019, the United States pulled out of a landmark strategic arms accord, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), adding to tensions between the two former Cold War adversaries.