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Russi-Monitor-Monthl MONTHLY April 2020 CONTENTS 8 13 25 SOURCE: TWITTER.COM/NATOMISSION_RU RUSSIA WAGES SPY RUSSIAN OIL COMPANIES AMID CORONAVIRUS WAR WITH UKRAINE SQUABBLE OVER NEW PANDEMIC AND OIL CRI- OPEC DEAL SIS, RUSSIAN ECONOMY 2 April 2020 IS SUFFOCATING COVID-19 DISINFORMATION: COVID-19 DISINFORMATION: RUSSIA SENDS CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK PUTS RUSSIAN RUSSIA SENDS “AID” TO THE US 3 “AID” TO THE US 17 JAILS UNDER SEVERE THREAT CORONAVIRUS IN RUSSIA: NATIONWIDE PAID HOLIDAYS DELIVER SEVERE BLOW TO RUSSIAN OIL COMPANIES SQUABBLE OVER 4 ECONOMY 19 NEW OPEC DEAL A statement by the U.S. Department of State shows that what Russia sent to Washington was not “humanitarian aid.” Moscow is looking to make a positive PR impression SMALL RUSSIAN OIL FIRMS ASK DOES TURKEY’S S-400 DELAY MEAN 6 PRIME MINISTER FOR HELP 20 NO LONGER CLOSE TIES WITH RUSSIA? while undermining the effectiveness of Western efforts. CORONAVIRUS CRISIS HITS HARD RUSSIA’S HEALTHCARE, BUSINESS RUSSIA IS OPEN FOR TALKS WITH U.S. he United States has purchased from was quoted as saying, yet he provided no details. 7 AND MILITARY 22 ON NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT T Russia medical supplies to fight against the On March 31, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of said Trump agreed to buy medical supplies in the RUSSIA WAGES SPY WAR 8 WITH UKRAINE 23 RUSSIAN OIL COMPANIES HIT BY “BLACK APRIL” State said in a statement. Its spokeswoman Morgan March 30 phone call with his Russian counterpart, Ortagus noted that following the call between adding that “Trump gratefully accepted this AMID CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC RUSSIA’S SHOIGU GOES TO A MONUMENT WAR AND OIL CRISIS, RUSSIAN ECONOMY Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, the United humanitarian aid.” 10 WITH THE CZECH REPUBLIC 25 IS SUFFOCATING States agreed to purchase needed medical supplies, What the U.S. Department of State said in a state- including ventilators and personal protection ment shows that Peskov was lying when saying IN THE BALKANS, TURKSTREAM PIPELINE SEES RUSSIA’S GAZPROM SEES FALL IN GAS OUTPUT equipment, from Russia. In the past, both countries 11 FURTHER DELAYS 26 AND EXPORT VOLUMES about “aid.” Washington bought a medical cargo, have provided humanitarian assistance to each so this could hardly be referred to as “humani- other in times of crisis and will do so again in the RUSSIAN OIL COMPANIES SQUABBLE OVER OPEC+ DEAL: CRUDE OIL COMPANIES AGREED tarian aid.” But recent weeks brought some more 13 NEW OPEC DEAL 28 WITH THE GOVERNMENT future, she added. On March 30, Donald Trump examples of Russian disinformation in this re- said Russia had sent a jet carrying protective gear spect. Moscow is taking advantage of the current WHO WILL COMPLETE RUSSIA’S FEDERAL AUTHORITIES SEE FALLING and medical supplies to help Washington fight 14 NORD STREAM 2? 29 RATINGS OVER CORONAVIRUS CRISIS conundrum to uplift its positive image worldwide against the COVID-19 pandemic. “Russia sent through Putin’s goodwill gesture portrayed as a RUSSIA CONFRONTS SERIOUS TECHNICAL us a very, very large planeload of things, medical PROBLEMS ON IS PRIME MINISTER MISHUSTIN public relations coup, also used to strike a blow to equipment, which was very nice,” the U.S. leader 16 THE PATHWAY TO CURB CRUDE OUTPUT 31 A FAILED EXPERIMENT? the West. Back in March, Russia sent as many as 2 www.warsawinstitute.org www.warsawinstitute.org 3 15 cargo jets packed with medical gear and mili- Germany, France, and China provided swift help tary doctors. When the delivery arrived, however, to other countries in crisis. But of them all, these Italian media outlets discovered that the vast ma- are China and Russia that are using it as a publicity jority of the supplies were useless for coronavirus coup. The Kremlin sees the pandemic as a public treatment. But the propaganda outcome was mas- relations coup, intended to bolster Russia’s image sive. And yet Russia is not the only state to have worldwide while convincing at least some Western dispatched a cargo plane with masks and medical nations to lift sanctions they had imposed after equipment abroad, despite being itself affected by Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier the United States, 8 April 2020 CORONAVIRUS IN RUSSIA: NATIONWIDE PAID HOLIDAYS DELIVER SEVERE BLOW SOURCE: KREMLIN.RU TO ECONOMY properly. Therefore, on April 2, the head of the some of the country’s most prominent business Arkhangelsk region and the governor of the Komi lobby groups, including Delovaya Rossiya, the Republic handed in their resignations. In the Komi Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Vladimir Putin’s latest decision to prolong the non-working period in the country Republic, local authorities failed to take proper or the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of steps on time, thus the area has reported more Russia, sent a letter to the country’s prime minister. to April 30 poses a grave problem to many Russian companies. Business circles have cases of the virus than many other regions. Most Russian businesspeople urged Mishustin to offer not yet got further policies or a broad stimulus package to support the economy and of Russia’s coronavirus cases are in Moscow and its bigger state support for workers and businesses businesses. Putin signed legislation to allow the government to declare a state of surrounding region, the Komi Republic, Buryatia, during the coronavirus crisis. They say this may national emergency to stem the spread of coronavirus, either throughout the country and St. Petersburg. trigger a wave of mass bankruptcies while leading or in some of its regions. The government has introduced a state of heightened to a growing unemployment rate and an unprec- In a televised address to the nation, shortly after readiness for the whole country, which is somewhat between a normal state and a edented decline in tax revenues. In the letter, they an April 1 meeting with the government, Putin regime of extraordinary measures. It is worth adding that the regime of extraordinary suggested that lawmakers introduce a package of prolonged the non-working period in the country. measures is not as strict as a state of emergency and martial law, both enshrined in the measures to support employers amid the lockdown, Also, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin Russian constitution. Perhaps the government will enforce a state of emergency in its requesting subsidies to cover businesses’ rent, loan said the government had earmarked 1.4 trillion most vulnerable regions that are unable to fight against the novel virus. repayments, as well as actions meant to speed up roubles ($17.8 billion) for fighting the spread of public tenders and lessen the tax burden. Mean- the coronavirus and carrying out anti-crisis mea- while, Russia sought to make use of the global t an April 7 meeting with officials and announced the extension of Russia’s nationwide sures. But two days later, at a session of the federal economic crisis to soften or even lift restrictions health experts, Putin said the peak of the “non-working week” until April 30. The paid week- government’s coordinating council on the novel A the West had imposed upon it over the past six coronavirus epidemic in Russia had not passed long vacation was scheduled initially until April 5. virus, the top official said that the coronavirus years. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on yet. “It is vital now to avoid others’ mistakes,” the Employees will continue receiving their pay while situation in Russia could yet develop into a worst- April 5 that the global economic crisis is inevitable, Russian leader told a videoconference meeting on essential industries and healthcare facilities will case scenario. Longer stay-at-home holidays run and thus everybody must brace for it. “There is coronavirus developments. The Kremlin has taken keep operating, and grocery stores and pharmacies the risk of mass bankruptcies. Russia could lose up no doubt that countries will need to align their efforts to fight against the epidemic. Their top goal will remain open. In the address to the nation, to 1 million jobs because of the severe disruptions anti-crisis measures,” the official said. is to enforce social distancing and self-isolation Putin admitted that the situation is different in caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the country’s as well as to declare non-working days across the different regions. This corroborates that many of business group Delovaya Rossiya informed. Earlier, country. Back on April 2, President Vladimir Putin the country’s entities are not handling the outbreak 4 www.warsawinstitute.org www.warsawinstitute.org 5 SOURCE: KREMLIN.RU SOURCE: KREMLIN.RU 13 April 2020 14 April 2020 SMALL RUSSIAN OIL FIRMS ASK CORONAVIRUS CRISIS HITS HARD PRIME MINISTER FOR HELP RUSSIA’S HEALTHCARE, BUSINESS AND MILITARY Deprived of both big resources and state aid, small oil companies are more affected by plummeting oil prices worldwide, which prompted them to call the government for help. Thus, Elena Korzun, the director general of Assoneft, an independent association The epidemic outbreak is sending new shockwaves across Russia. On April 14, the of the Russian Federation oil and gas industry, sent a letter on behalf of them to the country confirmed 2,774 new coronavirus infections, bringing its official figure to country’s Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. 21,000 and marking a one-day record in new cases. Moscow is the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Russia. The country’s capital is seeing further restrictions to We hereby ask the government of the Russian Korzun wrote in the letter, adding that “most in- come. Meanwhile, independent media outlets say that Russia’s weak health system can “ Federation to offer oil and gas companies, dependent oil companies lack money to settle their soon get out of control.
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