Meeting at the Elbe
President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump issued a rare joint statement commemorating the 75th anniversary of the meeting of Soviet and American forces during World War II.
Putin and Trump said the meeting at the Elbe river in Germany on April 25, 1945, a milestone that foreshadowed the defeat of the Nazis, exemplified how their countries can “build trust and cooperate.”
Export ban
Russia, the world's largest wheat exporter, is suspending grain exports, including wheat, rye, barley and corn until July 1, the Agriculture Ministry said Sunday.
In early April, the government introduced export quotas for certain grains until the end of June but these were "fully exhausted" by Sunday, the ministry said in a statement.
MIA
At least 874 Russian troops tested positive for Covid-19 between March and April 26, 19 of whom are in critical or serious condition, the Defense Ministry said.
More than 1,200 cadets, instructors and civilians within the Russian Armed Forces have been infected, the ministry said in a statement.
Hidden figures
As many as one in 10 residents of Moscow and the Moscow region — with a combined population of 20 million — may have been infected with Covid-19, Reuters cited a government project as saying.
Out of 1,000 people who sought tests for the presence of antibodies in people with no flu-like symptoms, 9-10% had coronavirus antibodies. Moscow and the Moscow region are two of Russia’s hardest-hit areas with 51,550 officially reported cases, suggesting a 0.2% rate of infection.
Nagging advice
The Russian Orthodox Church urged women to avoid reprimanding their husbands during the nationwide coronavirus lockdown measures to avoid falling victim to domestic violence.
Bishop Panteleimon, the head of the church’s department for charity, later explained that “it’s equally important for husbands to stop admonishing their wives.”
Includes reporting from AFP.
