How Vladimir Putin became infatuated with genetics and entrusted the industry to friends and family Gregor Fischer / dpa / Alamy / Vida Press A researcher performs CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing Until recently, the Russian authorities showed little interest in genetics. The breakthrough came in 2019, when the government allocated 127 billion rubles ($1.7 billion) to a special seven-year federal program.

"Medusa" tells how genetics became the favorite toy of Vladimir Putin - and what role his relatives and friends played in this Gregor Fischer / DPA / ALAMY / VIDA PRESS The researcher performs the CRISPR / CAS9 method Until recently, the Russian state was little interested in genetics. The breakthrough occurred in 2019, when the government approved a special federal program - with a budget of 127 billion rubles and a period of seven years.

Meduza digs into official claims that millions of Russians were already vaccinated against COVID-19 by mid-January Pavel Golovkin / AP / Scanpix / LETA Vladimir Putin called for a transition from “large-scale” vaccinations to “mass” vaccinations to begin on January 18. In other words, the vaccines are now supposedly available to everyone in Russia without restrictions.

"Medusa" found out where the statements of millions of vaccinated Pavel Golovkin / AP / Scanpix / Leta Vladimir Putin ordered from January 18 to move from “large -scale” vaccination to “mass”: apparently, now everyone will be able to vaccinate without restrictions. However, it will be difficult to sharply increase the rate of vaccination: in the vast majority of the regions of Russia, even large -scale vaccination did not begin, and people still doubt the safety of vaccinations.

Russian lawmakers rush to tighten legislation ahead of the 2021 State Duma elections Russian State Duma The Russian State Duma’s plenary session on December 24, 2020.

Russian lawmakers rush to tighten legislation ahead of the 2021 State Duma elections Russian State Duma The Russian State Duma’s plenary session on December 24, 2020.

Press Service of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Plenary meeting on December 24 On December 24, the State Duma closed the autumn session, the last weeks of which the deputies worked in the “frantic printer” regime, which had managed to slightly forget.

Press Service of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Plenary meeting on December 24 On December 24, the State Duma closed the autumn session, the last weeks of which the deputies worked in the “frantic printer” regime, which had managed to slightly forget.

New legislation in Russia will dramatically reduce transparency when it comes to state officials and their relatives. We asked investigative journalists how this affects their work. This month, Russian lawmakers approved legislation that will allow the state to withhold information about the people who work in the judiciary, law enforcement, and regulatory oversight agencies — from the FSB to the Accounts Chamber (which itself compiles the transparency ratings for Russia’s federal agencies).

Production problems involving Sputnik V’s second dose complicate Russia’s plans for mass coronavirus vaccinations Maxim Sheremetov / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA Russia has currently stockpiled at least 500,000 doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, but no more than 200,000 have been approved for mass release Earlier this week, Vladimir Putin vowed that Russia will produce 2 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine, known as “Sputnik V,” in the coming days.

Maxim Sheremetov / Reuters / Scanpix / Leta now in warehouses in Russia there are 500 thousand doses of the vaccine from Covid, approved for use - no more than 200 thousand At the beginning of the week, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised that in the coming days in Russia, two million doses of the first domestic vaccine “satellite V” would produce. Mass vaccination in the country should begin next week, in Moscow - already on Saturday, December 5.

So the Kremlin wants to show the world the cohesion of Russians around Putin Vladimir Andreev / Ura.ru / TASS United Russia will try to maintain its position in the new composition of the State Duma, having received about the same number of places. A month ago, the party called it a “complicated script”: it is supported by less than a third of voters. But now it has become an installation from the presidential administration (AP).

Mikhail Men: an unremarkable lawmaker, but a prominent bureaucrat and a lasting administrator Alexander Shcherbak / TASS Acting with special permission from the Federation Council, state investigators arrested Mikhail Men on Wednesday, November 18, on charges of embezzling 700 million rubles ($9.2 million) from the Ivanovo region, where he served as governor from 2005 to 2013.

Russia’s Digital Development Ministry is set to launch a coronavirus contact-tracing app Valery Sharifulin / TASS / Scanpix / LETA Meduza sources have revealed that Russia’s Digital Development Ministry is finishing work on a new mobile app designed to combat the spread of COVID-19. Its working name is “Stopcoronavirus.

"Medusa" tells about the stormy biography of the son of a famous priest, a liberal governor and Medvedev Minister Alexander Shcherbak / TASS The son of a priest Alexander me, the former head of the Ministry of Construction of Russia and the current auditor of the Accounts Chamber Mikhail Men on Wednesday, became accused of embezzlement of 700 million rubles from the budget of the Ivanovo region-he headed this region from 2005 to 2013.