Current Time

Russia Sends In Troops As Biggest Gold Mine Hit By COVID-19

The Russian Army has set up field hospitals in a remote Siberian village, where more than 1,200 people have been infected with COVID-19 at the country's largest gold mine.

Unknown Belarus Director Lyubov Zemtsova Dies From Injuries

Ukraine: Without Sufficient Funds, ‘Medically Naked’ For COVID-19 Fight

Ukrainian Prisoners Pay A Price For Less Crowded Conditions Amid COVID-19 Threat

Detainees at Kyiv's notoriously overcrowded Lukyanivska prison, parts of which are 160 years old, have been offered a way out of overcrowded cells with up to a dozen inmates and poor sanitation. But there's a catch. More spacious, refurbished cells, with fewer prisoners and modern bathrooms, come at a price.

COVID-19 Exposes Funding Crisis In Ukraine's Hospitals

COVID-19 is exposing acute funding shortages in Ukraine's health service. In Kharkiv, a public hospital is mostly relying on private donations and patients are paying for medicines that are supposed to be free.

'A Nightmare': Mourning Doctors Felled During Ukraine's COVID-19 Outbreak

Current Time has spoken to spouses and close colleagues of medical staff who have died treating COVID-19 patients.

Car Accident Kills Two Unknown Belarus Team Members, Severely Injures One

The Death Of Stalin: Unique Propaganda Footage Shows Dictator's Funeral

Largely unseen footage of the funeral and official mourning following the death of Soviet leader Josef Stalin is featured in a new documentary, State Funeral, by Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa. It's being shown on Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. The mourning events were held at factories, on collective farms, town squares, and in meeting halls across the Soviet Union.

After Deadly Fires, Russia Suspends The Use Of Ventilators Sold To The United States

Russia has suspended the use of a model of domestically-made ventilators after they were linked to hospital fires that killed COVID-19 patients in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The Aventa-M ventilators were also included in a high-profile delivery of Russian medical equipment sold to the United States last month but have not been used there.

Workers Go Hungry As Central Asia's Largest Bazaar Stands Empty

Central Asia's largest bazaar has been closed for a month now, causing hunger and poverty for some 50,000 people in Bishkek who worked there before COVID-19 struck. Some of these people live on-site in shipping containers, while others live at an informal shantytown on a garbage dump near the giant marketplace in the Kyrgyz capital.

Funeral Fears Rise In Russia As Mourners For COVID-19 Victims Go Online

Russian funeral homes and undertakers have been adapting to new regulations governing the burial or cremation of COVID-19 victims. Meanwhile, mourners are being offered the chance to attend funeral services online.

Russia's 'Captain Tom': Stalingrad Veteran Raises Money Amid COVID-19 Battle

A 97-year-old Russian World War II veteran has been inspired by the fund-raising efforts of the UK's Captain Tom Moore during the coronavirus pandemic She is posting war stories online every day to raise money for the families of Russian medics who have died fighting COVID-19.

Let It All Burn: Russian Rockers' Fight For Free Speech

Russia's experimental rock band IC3PEAK is known for laying bare millennials' malaise. Filmmaker Andrey Loshak documented how that reputation led to a 2018 standoff with police over the right to perform.

Feeding Hungry Migrants Amid Moscow's COVID-19 Lockdown

Many migrant workers in Moscow have lost their jobs and are not getting enough to eat amid the COVID-19 lockdown, according to volunteers who are distributing food parcels.

'Fake News' Law Targets Russian Media Over Coronavirus Info

Russians who share information about the coronavirus crisis that's judged to be "fake news" can now face a fine or even prison time. Critics say the new law can be used to silence independent media and maintain official control over information concerning the pandemic.

Independent Media Fear Russia's War On Fake Coronavirus News Will Target Them

As Russia's coronavirus cases skyrocket, journalists for independent media outlets charge that Russian prosecutors are using anti-fake-news regulations to target reporting critical of the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

St. Petersburg Doctor Quits Over Protective Equipment Shortages

The head cardiologist at a St. Petersburg hospital in Russia has resigned, claiming staff have not been given all the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need during the COVID-19 epidemic. Marianna Zamyatina says she was demoted after complaining to hospital administrators about the lack of equipment.

Russians Denied Critical Care As COVID-19 Saps Resources

Scheduled surgeries for patients in Russia are being canceled as resources are diverted to fight the COVID-19 epidemic. Treatments are being delayed or denied for patients with conditions like cancer, hepatitis and cystic fibrosis.

Shocking Video Highlights Surge In Domestic Violence During Lockdowns

A shocking video spread online has highlighted the problem of domestic violence amid lockdowns in Central Asia. In Kyrgyzstan, an activist says women have an "ingrained distrust" in the authorities, while a Kazakh crisis center is renting apartments for victims it can't house.

Coronavirus Clampdown Challenges Kyrgyz Journalists