Support The Moscow Times!
Contribute today
'high price'

West Warns Russia Against ‘Any’ Ukraine Incursion

The United States and its allies warned Moscow of grave consequences if "any" of the Russian troops massed on the border were to cross into Ukraine.
currency control

Russian Central Bank Seeks to Ban Crypto Mining, Investment

Russia has the world’s third-largest share in the global crypto mining market behind the United States and Kazakhstan.
oceanic action

Russian Navy to Stage Massive Drills as Tensions Flare With West

Over 140 warships, 60 aircraft, 1,000 pieces of military equipment and about 10,000 troops will be involved in the exercises.
russia's response

LIVE | Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Jan. 20

Omicron fears. Covid passes. Vaccination push.
more news

A Letter to Our Readers

MT Team

Coronavirus Crisis

Coronavirus: With Your Help We Can Continue to Bring You the News You Need

Latest Podcast

Jan. 14, 2022
How Don't I Care? Let Me Count The Ways
It turns out you can say you don't care in dozens of ways in Russian - some even in polite company.

MT Feature

ANSWERS AND ACCOUNTABILITY

As the Dust Settles on Kazakhstan’s Unrest, Reports of Torture and Violence Surface

Activists are trying to determine the full extent of the crackdown during anti-government protests that rocked the Central Asian nation.

Editor's Pick

SLOWLY DISAPPEARING

As Caucasian Glaciers Melt, Locals Face the Future With Stoicism

Caucasian glaciers have lost a quarter of their surface area to climate change since the millennium.

Coronavirus Cases in Russia

10,938,261 Total Confirmed Cases
663,868 Total Active Cases
38,850 Today's Cases
9,950,333 Total Recovered
2,300 Total Critical
684 Today's Deaths
324,060 Total Deaths
74,903 Cases per Million
2,219 Deaths per Million
Data Sources
API: Open Disease Data API

highlights

ramping tensions

Russia-Ukraine Standoff – Daily Briefing | Jan. 20

The latest developments you need to know.
SLOWLY DISAPPEARING

As Caucasian Glaciers Melt, Locals Face the Future With Stoicism

Caucasian glaciers have lost a quarter of their surface area to climate change since the millennium.
iced out

In Photos: St. Petersburg Grapples With Ice-Covered Streets

Hundreds have been hospitalized after slipping and falling, while some savvy residents have traded their boots for skates.
'new stability order'

France’s Macron Calls for EU-Russia Security Pact in Break With U.S. Calls for Unity

The U.S. has repeatedly insisted on a unified Western front in its standoff with Russia over its buildup near Ukraine.
prehistoric party

Bronze Age Tubes Found in Russia May Be Earliest Beer-Drinking Straws – Researchers

The intricate tubes once believed to be “scepters” may have actually been used for communal beer drinking.
Combatting the contagion

Russia Fights Coronavirus
Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | Jan. 20
Australia Recognizes Russia’s Sputnik V Vaccine for Incoming Travelers
Russia Delays Legislation on Coronavirus Health Passes
Russia’s Excess Death Toll Hits 930K

opinion

opinion Kirill Martynov

How Alexei Navalny’s Jailing Changed Russia

opinion Neil Hauer

Will Turkey and Armenia Reach a Compromise?

opinion Michele A. Berdy

How Don't I Care? Let Me Count The Ways

opinion Nigel Gould-Davies

Western Diplomacy on Russia Must Serve Deterrence

opinion Mark Galeotti

Russia and West Continue to Talk, But Not Necessarily in the Same Language

opinion Alexander Gabuev

Turmoil in Kazakhstan Heralds the End of the Nazarbayev Era

more opinion

Meanwhile in Russia

prehistoric party

Bronze Age Tubes Found in Russia May Be Earliest Beer-Drinking Straws – Researchers

big baby

Moscow Zoo Welcomes Baby Yak

curb your enthusiasm

No Laughing at Weddings, Russian Region Says

four-legged firefighter

Stray Cat Joins Russian Fire Department

More meanwhile in russia

Business

currency control

Russian Central Bank Seeks to Ban Crypto Mining, Investment

Russia has the world’s third-largest share in the global crypto mining market behind the United States and Kazakhstan.
‘SEVERE CONSEQUENCES’

Biden Threatens Dollar Ban on Russian Banks

The U.S. said it could block Russian financial institutions from trading in dollars if Moscow invades Ukraine.
Heavy Losses

Investors Continue to Ditch Russian Assets Amid War Fears

Russia’s largest companies have lost more than $100 billion in value over the last week.
DEAD END

Russian Ruble, Stocks, Slide as Security Talks Fall Flat

Russian officials have said they see no point in returning to the negotiating table any time soon.
read more

arts and life

dark yet danceable

Molchat Doma: The Best Band You've Never Heard Of

This three-man band has been topping streaming charts and inspiring - oddly, in their view - a TikTok following.
what's cooler than being cool?

Russians Brave the Ice in Annual Epiphany Swim

Thousands of Russians, religious or not, are taking a dip in sub-zero waters — wearing only their bathing suits.
winter wonderland

Snow and Ice Festival Lights Up Moscow Riverside

Enormous creatures and people sculpted from snow and ice have appeared along the Moscow River in Gorky Park as part of the "Snow and Ice" festival.
Carved...
Moscow treasure

Architectural Treasures of Moscow: St. Basil's Cathedral

A photographic tour inside the cathedral, revealing its beauty and secrets.
weekend kitchen

Ring in the Old New Year With a Jewel-Studded Dish

Our favorite chef is worried about our health, so she suggests starting the new year with beets, pomegranate and wild rice.
More Arts and Life

Climate

SLOWLY DISAPPEARING

As Caucasian Glaciers Melt, Locals Face the Future With Stoicism

Caucasian glaciers have lost a quarter of their surface area to climate change since the millennium.
2021 in review

Russia’s Climate Epiphany May Be Greenwashing

Russia’s about-face toward climate change in 2021 may be little more than window dressing to protect its industrial giants, experts fear. 
RECORD HIGH

New Arctic Temperature Record Sounds Climate Alarm – UN

The World Meteorological Organization said a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius in the town of Verkhoyansk was the highest-ever in the region.
shot down

Russia Defends Veto of UN Climate Change Resolution

Diplomats said Russia's opposition was hard to understand given that the resolution itself "was not radical."
read more

In-Depth

opinion Alexander Gabuev

Turmoil in Kazakhstan Heralds the End of the Nazarbayev Era

The protests in Kazakhstan have shown that the current model of governance has angered millions of people who missed out when the resources pie was shared...
2022 Look Ahead

Foreign Policy Experts Map Russia's Plans for 2022

The Moscow Times asked 10 commentators for their predictions for the coming year.
opinion Mark Kramer

The Derailment of Memorial’s Goals – for Now

Putin’s efforts to curtail scrutiny of the Stalin era may succeed in the short term, but Memorial's work can't be erased from the historical record.
opinion Dmitry Trenin

Russia-India: From Rethink to Adjust to Upgrade

Russia needs to decide what it wants from the Indian connection.
more in-depth