Support The Moscow Times!

News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

Anarchist activists Dmitry Tsibukovsky and his wife Anastasia Safonova were sentenced to prison for hanging a banner likening the country’s security services to terrorists. Andrei Lepyokhin

‘Irrefutable proof’

Russia said late Friday it summoned the U.S. ambassador in Moscow over interference of U.S. tech giants in parliamentary polls due later this week.

The Foreign Ministry said Ambassador John Sullivan was presented with "irrefutable proof" of U.S. tech giants violating Russian laws in connection with the Sept. 17-19 elections to the lower house State Duma. 

‘Natural priority’

Russia on Saturday said it was ready to resume anti-terrorism cooperation with the United States as America marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11.

In a statement released by Moscow's diplomatic mission in Washington, ambassador Anatoly Antonov said Russia was grieving together with the United States and proposed reviving cooperation on the fight against terrorism despite a litany of problems in bilateral ties.

Arms for Minsk

Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday said Minsk planned to buy $1 billion worth of Russian arms by 2025 as he oversaw massive Moscow-led military drills that rattled some EU countries.

Lukashenko added that he wanted to buy Russia's S-400 air defense systems with a view to placing them on his country's border with Western-backed Ukraine. The consignment included about 10 planes, several dozen helicopters and a Tor surface-to-air missile system, he said.


					Alexander Lukashenko					 					president.gov.by
Alexander Lukashenko president.gov.by

Sentenced opposition

Veteran Pussy Riot member Maria Alyokhina was sentenced Friday to one year of “restricted freedom” for promoting January protests in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Alyokhina is one of 10 opposition figures accused of violating coronavirus restrictions on mass events by calling for the Jan. 23 protest that saw thousands take to the streets in Moscow and dozens of other Russian cities. 


					Maria Alekhina					 					Press Office of the Moscow City Court / TASS
Maria Alekhina Press Office of the Moscow City Court / TASS

Jailed for a banner

A Russian court sentenced a self-described anarchist couple to prison for hanging a banner likening the Federal Security Service (FSB) to terrorists.

Dmitry Tsibukovsky and his wife Anastasia Safonova were detained in 2018 after hanging a banner that read “The FSB is the main terrorist” on the fence of the Chelyabinsk regional FSB headquarters. The act was in support of members of the Set’ (“Network”) anti-fascist activist group who were jailed on terrorism charges that rights groups condemned as fabricated.

Tennis upset

Daniil Medvedev shattered Novak Djokovic's Grand Slam dream with a straight sets victory in the U.S. Open final Sunday, denying the world number one a record-breaking 21st major men's singles title.

Russia's second-ranked Medvedev dominated Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to prevent the first calendar-year Grand Slam since 1969 and keep Djokovic level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal atop the career Slam title list.

‘Strong’ prince

President Vladimir Putin on Saturday unveiled a huge monument to legendary medieval prince Alexander Nevsky as he praised a "strong" Russia ahead of parliamentary polls.

Accompanied by Patriarch Kirill, the head of Russia's Orthodox Church, and top officials, the Russian leader unveiled a 50-ton monument to the prince and his warriors on the shores of Chudskoe Lake, on the northwestern border with EU member Estonia.

AFP contributed reporting.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more