An employee of a call center of the emergency response center on control and monitoring of the coronavirus disease, in Moscow, Russia. Russian authorities declared a war on 'fake news' related to the new coronavirus. The crusade was triggered by what looked like a real disinformation campaign, but as the outbreak in Russia picked up speed and criticism of the Kremlin's 'it is under control' stance mounted, the authorities cracked down on social media users doubting the official numbers and news outlets questioning the government's response to the epidemic. — AP
MOSCOW: Two weeks ago, an opposition-leaning radio station in Russia interviewed political analyst Valery Solovei, who alleged the government was lying when it said no one had died in the country from the coronavirus.
Solovei told radio station Echo Moskvy at least 1,600 people might have died since mid-January. Russia's media and Internet watchdog, Roscomnadzor, quickly pressured the station to delete the interview from its website.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
An employee of a call center of the emergency response center on control and monitoring of the coronavirus disease, in Moscow, Russia. Russian authorities declared a war on 'fake news' related to the new coronavirus. The crusade was triggered by what looked like a real disinformation campaign, but as the outbreak in Russia picked up speed and criticism of the Kremlin's 'it is under control' stance mounted, the authorities cracked down on social media users doubting the official numbers and news outlets questioning the government's response to the epidemic. — AP
Putin wearing a protective suit enters a hall during his visit to the hospital for coronavirus patients in Kommunarka, outside Moscow, Russia. Russian authorities declared a war on 'fake news' related to the new coronavirus. The crusade was triggered by what looked like a real disinformation campaign, but as the outbreak in Russia picked up speed and criticism of the Kremlin's 'it is under control' stance mounted, the authorities cracked down on social media users doubting the official numbers and news outlets questioning the government's response to the epidemic. — AP
Putin, third left, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, left, and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin visit a call center of the emergency response center on control and monitoring of the coronavirus disease, in Moscow, Russia. Russian authorities declared a war on 'fake news' related to the new coronavirus. The crusade was triggered by what looked like a real disinformation campaign, but as the outbreak in Russia picked up speed and criticism of the Kremlin's 'it is under control' stance mounted, the authorities cracked down on social media users doubting the official numbers and news outlets questioning the government's response to the epidemic. — AP
Putin, second right, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, third right, and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, right, visit a call center of the emergency response center on control and monitoring of the coronavirus disease, in Moscow, Russia. Russian authorities declared a war on 'fake news' related to the new coronavirus. The crusade was triggered by what looked like a real disinformation campaign, but as the outbreak in Russia picked up speed and criticism of the Kremlin's 'it is under control' stance mounted, the authorities cracked down on social media users doubting the official numbers and news outlets questioning the government's response to the epidemic. — AP
Putin, right, shakes hands with the hospital's chief Denis Protsenko during his visit to the hospital for coronavirus patients in Kommunarka, outside Moscow, Russia. The chief doctor of Moscow's top hospital for coronavirus patients says he has tested positive for the virus, a statement that comes a week after his encounter with Putin, who visited the Kommunarka hospital on March 23. — AP
A woman walks her dogs with Moscow City skyscrapers in the background in Moscow, Russia. The Russian capital has woken up to a lockdown obliging most people in the city of 13 million to stay home. The government ordered other regions of the vast country to quickly prepare for the same as Moscow, to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. — AP
A food delivery courier rides a bike past a road police officer wearing face mask, to protect against coronavirus, in St. Petersburg, Russia. Moscow, the country's capital, and more than 30 Russian regions have been on lockdown since Monday, with most businesses closed and residents not allowed to leave their apartments except for grocery shopping, buying medicines, taking out trash or walking their dogs. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. — AP
A woman walks her dog through an empty boulevard during a frosty morning in Moscow, Russia. The Russian capital has woken up to a lockdown obliging most people in the city of 13 million to stay home. The government ordered other regions of the vast country to quickly prepare for the same as Moscow, to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. — AP
Municipal workers clean an almost empty Red Square, with St. Basil's Cathedral, center, and Spasskaya Tower and the Kremlin Wall, at right, during light snowfall in Moscow, Russia. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin followed up by ordering Muscovites to stay home starting Monday except for medical emergencies and runs to nearby shops. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. — AP
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
