News of the nuclear explosion at a military base in the far north of Russia trickled out slowly.
News
Bloomberg: Russia’s Virus Epidemic Is Worse Than Data Show, Mayor Warns Putin
In a rare public admission of what some experts and critics have claimed is an under-reporting of the scale of the outbreak, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said testing in Russia’s regions doesn’t show the “full picture” and that the country faces “big trouble that will pop up sooner or later.”
CNN: Why does Russia, population 146 million, have fewer coronavirus cases than Luxembourg?
Does Russia have coronavirus under control? According to information released by Russian officials, Putin’s strategy seems to have worked. The number of confirmed Russian coronavirus cases is surprisingly low, despite Russia sharing a lengthy border with China and recording its first case back in January.
Reuters: Russia to Use Mobile Phones to Track People at Risk of Coronavirus
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Monday gave the authorities five days to develop a system to track people who have come into contact with anyone with coronavirus by using mobile phone geolocation data.
Report: Building Covering Radioactive Material at Chernobyl Close to Collapse
Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari reports officials are concerned that the sarcophagus covering nuclear material at Chernobyl in the Ukraine is on the verge of collapse.
Salt Lake Tribune: Jon Huntsman resigns as U.S. ambassador to Russia
U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman is returning home to Utah, where he is reportedly weighing another run for governor.
Tucker Carlson: Democrats believed Mueller would save America
Robert Mueller testifies in front of the House intelligence and Judiciary Committee.
Breaking Defense: US Upgrades Ukrainian Ports To Fit American Warships
WASHINGTON – As tensions rise between Russia and Ukraine on the Black Sea, the US is upgrading several Ukrainian naval bases to give American and NATO warships the ability to dock just miles from Russia-controlled Crimea.
NY Times: NATO Considers Missile Defense Upgrade, Risking Further Tensions With Russia
BRUSSELS – NATO military officials are exploring whether to upgrade their defenses to make them capable of shooting down newly deployed Russian intermediate-range nuclear missiles after a landmark arms treaty dissolves next month, according to three European officials.
Federation of American Scientists: DoD Doctrine on Nuclear Operations Published, Taken Offline
The Joint Chiefs of Staff briefly published and then removed from public access a new edition of their official doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons. But a public copy was preserved. See Joint Publication 3-72, Nuclear Operations, June 11, 2019.
The Guardian: Nuclear weapons: experts alarmed by new Pentagon ‘war-fighting’ doctrine
US joint chiefs of staff posted then removed paper that suggests nuclear weapons could ‘create conditions for decisive results’…
Fred Weir: Russian internet giant Yandex takes rare stand against state snooping
The primacy of Russia’s security state is beginning to crimp the global growth of the country’s information technology sector. That could foretell hard choices for the government over what it will prioritize.
DW: NATO and Russia: Maneuvers and countermaneuvers in the Baltic Sea
NATO is again running Baltic Sea drills — but now, the exercise is headed by the US Navy’s 2nd Fleet, a key force during the Cold War era.
AFP: Moscow warns against ‘baseless accusations’ over tanker attacks
The Kremlin on Sunday warned against “baseless accusations” over last week’s attacks in the Gulf of Oman on two oil tankers, blamed by Washington and Riyadh on Iran.
Reuters: Putin says U.S.-Russia relations are getting ‘worse and worse’
Putin made his gloomy assessment ahead of a G20 summit in Japan later this month at which he might meet U.S. President Donald Trump.
CNBC: Putin and Xi hail ‘unprecedented’ ties as US relations sour
Russia and China appear to be intent on strengthening their alliance.
Putin not invited to 75th D-Day anniversary
For the first time since 2004 (when the 60th anniversary of D-Day was commemorated), Russian President Vladimir Putin has not been invited.
Reuters: Kremlin rejects Trump warning on Syria airstrikes
The Kremlin rebuffs criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump after he tells the Russian and Syrian government to stop “bombing the hell out of” Syria’s rebel-held Idlib province. Vanessa Johnston reports.
CNBC: US NATO ambassador says Turkey must back down on Russian missile purchase
Moscow has described the Washington ultimatum as unnacceptable.
Flashback: July 2014: CIA admits to spying on Senate staffers
John Brennan, #resistance hero…