Support The Moscow Times!

Premier Cuts Sochi Visit For Checkup

Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin broke off his Black Sea vacation to travel to Germany to receive treatment for kidney stones, a government spokesman said Monday. The spokesman, who asked not to be named, said Chernomyrdin was having a "checkup" for a longstanding ailment. He said the visit was "purely private" and that Chernomyrdin would resume his two-week holiday in the resort of Sochi "at the end of the week." Chernomyrdin, 56, had a kidney stone operation last December, which forced him to reschedule an official trip to Italy. Interfax reported Monday that Chernomyrdin's Russian doctors recommended that the prime minister have a checkup in a specialized foreign clinic and that a private clinic in southern Germany was chosen.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis 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