Russia's Putin proposes stripping pharmacy licences for raising anti-virus mask prices

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a ceremony for newly appointed foreign ambassadors to Russia, at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, February 5, 2020. Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday proposed stripping pharmacies of their licences if they raise prices for anti-virus masks amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Russia, which last week reported its first two cases of the virus, has restricted crossings along its 4,300 km (2,670-mile) land border with China and flew home its first group of citizens from Wuhan, the epicentre of coronavirus, on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, Writing by Alexander Marrow, Editing by Louise Heavens)