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Coronavirus pandemic

Updated at:

Russia reports 14,861 daily COVID-19 cases

Moscow reports 1,963 new coronavirus cases in past day

© Petr Kovalev/TASS

MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/. Russia’s coronavirus cases rose by 14,861 in the past day to 4,057,698, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Saturday.

The coronavirus growth rate is 0.37%, according to the data from the crisis center.

Particularly, 1,130 new coronavirus cases were registered in St. Petersburg in the past 24 hours, 884 in the Moscow Region, 441 in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, 356 in the Voronezh Region, and 342 in the Rostov Region.

The number of active cases currently stands at 400,095 in Russia.

The number of coronavirus cases in Moscow grew by 1,963 in the past 24 hours to 954,619. Moscow’s coronavirus growth rate equaled 0.2%. On the previous day Moscow registered 2,139 new coronavirus cases.

Sixty-seven patients died of the novel coronavirus infection in the past 24 hours, bringing fatalities in Russia’s biggest city to 14,290.

As many as 2,680 patients recovered from the novel coronavirus in Moscow in the past day, bringing total recoveries to 867,780. Currently, 72,549 people continue their medical treatment for the novel coronavirus in the Russian capital.

Deaths and recoveries

The number of fatalities related to the coronavirus increased by 502 in Russia in the past 24 hours compared with 507 on the previous year, bringing the total number of coronavirus deaths in the country to 79,696.

The provisional lethality of the disease (the final one can be determined only after the end of the epidemic) remained at the level of 1.96%, according to the crisis center.

Over the past 24 hours, 52 fatalities were registered in St. Petersburg, 31 - in the Moscow Region, 23 - in the Rostov Region, 17 fatalities - in the Krasnodar Region, and 15 fatalities were recorded in the Voronezh and Arkhangelsk regions each.

As many as 18,765 coronavirus patients recovered in Russia over the past day, while the total number of recoveries has reached 3,577,907, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Saturday.

The number of recoveries surpassed the number of new cases for a fifth day in a row. The share of recoveries rose to 88.2% of the total number of infected.

Particularly, 2,678 recoveries were registered in St. Petersburg in the past day, 896 in the Moscow Region, 502 in the Chelyabinsk Region, 443 in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, and 401 in the Irkutsk Region.

Moscow International Film Festival kicks off

MIFF President Nikita Mikhalkov, a celebrated Russian film director, declared the festival open, praising the bravery of foreign cultural figures who are visiting Russia at this time

NATO discussing transfer of ‘deep precision strike capabilities’ to Ukraine — Stoltenberg

Stoltenberg said NATO believes Ukraine has the right to strike "legitimate military targets" inside Russia

Armenia has to define CSTO’s zone of responsibility on its territory, says Lavrov

On March 12, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Yerevan asked its CSTO partners to answer where the CSTO's zone of responsibility in the republic was

Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

According to the news agency, one PMF fighter was killed and six were wounded

West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

"They would have been scared had anyone come down on them with similar ferocity," the Russian foreign minister added

Kiev ordered mandatory evacuation from Kharkov Region to accommodate mercenaries

Evacuation campaigns are regularly organized by the Kiev government, under the pretext of security issues

KazMunayGas, Sibur, Sinopec sign protocol on plant construction in Kazakhstan

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Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

The Foreign Minister pointed to the fact that Switzerland is on board with all Western sanctions

Russian defense chief checks implementation of orders to develop drones

All the presented drones and payload were created from domestic composite materials and elements

West wants to make Transnistria hotbed of tension — Lavrov

According to the top Russian diplomat, the leaders who rule countries where they claim to be from while holding foreign passports "will not enjoy support and authority for long"

Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

The group contains US finance and justice ministers, representatives of Australia, the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan, as well as the European Commission

Israeli aviation strikes towns in Gaza Strip

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BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that BRICS nations have already established a special channel for information exchange between their central banks

Explosions reported in several Ukrainian regions

Blasts were also reported in the city of Dnepr and the Kiev-controlled city of Zaporozhye

Russia's revenues from oil exports remain high despite price ceiling — IMF

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Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

Russia urges the International Monetary Fund to resume the effort of improving the global monetary and financial system, Anton Siluanov noted

Russian economy proves resilience amid large-scale sanctions — IMF

The IMF states that the restrictions led to the need to rebuild the economy

Putin signs law on holding World Friendship Games

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US agrees to withdraw troops from Niger — Washington Post

The decision was sealed in a meeting between US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Niger’s prime minister, Ali Lamine Zeine

Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

Emmanuel Macron added that Europe’s resources are limited, and the European Union will continue helping Kiev keeping in mind its own reserves

Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

This measure is not a prohibitive one and will make it possible to make competitive conditions equal for Russian producers, the ministry said

China’s Russian oil imports rise by 13% in first quarter of 2024 — customs

In monetary terms, Russian oil exports to China increased by 17.9% to $13.858 bln in the first quarter of the year

Air defenses repel Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Smolensk Region — governor

Vasily Anokhin urged local residents to remain calm and refrain from filming air defenses in operation.

Press review: Biden backs aid to Israel, Ukraine and Russia assets giving West legal fits

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, April 19th

Grossi ignores ‘elephant in the room’ in Zaporozhye nuke plant situation — Russian envoy

Dmitry Polyansky noted that the IAEA chief is being very cautious about the issue of attacks on the nuclear facility

No foreign state attacks Iran — TV

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Senior Chinese official to take part in conference on security in Russia — diplomat

The conference will take place from April 23 to 25 in St. Petersburg

Russia delivers 34 strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure over week — top brass

The Ukrainian army lost more than 3,550 troops, four tanks and five armored combat vehicles in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past week, the ministry reported

Unidentified man attempts suicide outside courthouse where Trump trial is underway

The man set himself on fire

Russia won’t allow NATO to move closer in Ukraine — Lavrov

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Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

Ahmad Haghtalab said on April 18 that Tehran has identified the location of Israel's "nuclear centers" and will be ready to destroy them in case the Jewish state responds to the recent Iranian attack on Israeli military facilities

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US volunteer Russel Bentley missing in Donetsk killed — RT editor-in-chief

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Major Western investor accuses Zelensky's office of extorting millions of euros

Arnulf Damerau said that he provided details of the meeting, along with evidence and a list of names of those involved, to US and European intelligence agencies

Russian Cabinet expands list of perfumery, cosmetic products subjected to import duty

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Sites for practicing ways to counter drones to be set up at all Russian testing grounds

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US-led coalition’s aircraft violate Syrian airspace 13 times in past day

Two shelling attacks on the positions of Syrian government army by the Jabhat al-Nusra groups were reported in the Idlib de-escalation zone

Water level of Ishim River in Russia’s Tyumen Region surpasses dangerous mark

It has reached 911 centimeters

Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

The law enforcement employees exert efforts to identify the instigators of this crime, Igor Krasnov said

Russia not to go for settlement on Ukraine based on 'Zelensky formula' — Lavrov

The top Russian diplomat referred to a swindling trick used by a thimblerigger who puts a small round object, such as a ball or pea, under one of three thimbles or cups and asks the player to guess under which the object is, while unfairly manipulating this object

Izvestia correspondent Semyon Eremin killed in special operation zone

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Infrastructure is required to implement the investment project, both power transmission lines and the railroad, Andrey Chibis noted

Russian industrial producers’ prices up 2.4% in March — statistics

In chemicals production, prices edged up by 26.8% for ethers, organic peroxides, epoxides, acetals and semiacetals and their derivatives

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Moscow International Film Festival kicks off

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Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

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Armenia’s relations with Russia not at their highest — top diplomat

Ararat Mirzoyan also said that Yerevan is currently making efforts to expand cooperation with the European Union and the United States

Russian LNG exports to China rise by 2% in first quarter of 2024 — Chinese customs

Russia was the fourth largest LNG supplier to China after Australia (6.3 mln tons)

Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

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Russian investigators start inquiry into financing of terrorism by US, NATO officials

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Number of flooded residential buildings in Russia drops to 16,200

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Russia has significant amount of West’s funds in case of confiscation of its assets

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G7 leaders to decide on Russian assets use — Italian Deputy PM

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Victor Gumenny said the advanced systems may solve the tasks of air-space defence and may fight hypersonic weapons

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Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said in February that the Russian side had agreed with WADA to pay the membership fee for the year of 2023

Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

There are no casualties, Governor Vladislav Shapsha said

Polish premier refuses to hand over his country’s Patriot systems to Ukraine

Donald Tusk said that German Chancellor’s call to send more air defense systems to Kiev had no relation to Poland, provided the country's geographical position near the frontline

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Lavrov labels way West ramping up sanctions against Russia as mindless

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Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

Sergey Shoigu handed down an instruction for the defense enterprise to ramp up the production of T-80BVM tanks, the Defense Ministry said

West close to sending military to Ukraine, this would 'drag Europe to bottom' — Orban

"This military whirlpool can drag Europe to the bottom. Brussels is playing with fire and angering God," the Hungarian prime minister said

Ukraine’s new ethnic minorities law insufficient to protect Magyars — Hungarian president

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Two people killed in borderline Belgorod Region in Ukrainian drone attack — governor

According to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, a private residence in the village of Poroz caught fire when the unmanned aerial vehicles dropped two explosive devices

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

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Russia’s advanced radar in Kaliningrad to monitor entire territory of Europe — source

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Hungarians in western Ukraine should get their rights back, Budapest says

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North Korea conducts new anti-aircraft missile test — KCNA

A power test of a super-large warhead designed for "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile was held as well

US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

It cannot be ruled out that the House of Representatives may pass this package as early as Saturday

Shoigu orders additional tank protection sets for Ukraine operation

The minister also inspected the training process in Omsk Armor Engineering Institute

US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

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BRICS’ expansion makes it much stronger — senior Russian diplomat

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Moscow demands international organizations condemn killing of Russian war correspondent

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also expressed condolences to Eremin’s family and friends

Russian forces destroy Ukrainian command post, two S-300 missile launchers over day

Russian forces improved their frontline positions and repelled a Ukrainian army counterattack in the Donetsk area where the enemy lost roughly 590 troops over the past day, the ministry reported

Security guarantees on Ukraine did not apply to Crimea, Donbass — Lavrov

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Russian military closely monitors all Ukrainian 'novelties' — Kremlin on UAVs

Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine had developed a UAV with a range of up to 3,000 kilometers

Participation in ‘Columbine’ movement may result in life sentence — Prosecutor General

Earlier, the "Columbine" movement was recognized a terror group

Russian economy positively influences neighboring countries — Deputy PM

In 2023 the Russian economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth, Alexey Overchuk said

UN secretary general urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to normalize relations

Stephane Dujarric noted that the secretary general "encourages the parties to continue the delimitation and demarcation of the remaining sections of the border and tackle all outstanding bilateral issues toward achieving full normalization of relations."

Two pilots of jet that crashed in southern Russia hospitalized

The plane crashed in a field in the Krasnogvardeysky district of southern Russia’s Stavropol Region

Ukraine’s military loses positions near Avdeyevka, says DPR

Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

Russian instructors help train over 10,000 Central African troops — CAR president

According to Faustin-Archange Touadera, since becoming the president, his actions have been guided by the need "to modernize the army and take into account new challenges"

Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate to attack on its soil — agency

"We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack," a senior Iranian official reported

No plans for pauses in fighting if talks on Ukraine begin, Lavrov says

The Russian foreign minister emphasized that the situation on the ground had changed significantly

Founder of neo-Nazi cell in Crimea flees to Georgia — source

According to the official, the investigation established that Mikhail Maurov planned to travel to Ukraine to join the ranks of a right-wing Ukrainian organization called the Freedom of Russia Legion

Russia knows French military instructors working in Ukraine — Lavrov

At the same time, the top Russian diplomat pointed out that "there is information that not only French mercenaries, but also instructors, maybe even together, but along with some other representatives of military and special services of European countries are working there [in Ukraine]"