In connection with the publications in the Newspapers New York Times and the Financial Times about the alleged discrepancy between the official data on deaths from the coronavirus in Russia, the real statistics could be deprived of accreditation in the Russian Federation individual journalists, the head of the state Duma Commission on investigation of facts of interference in the internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Committee for security and combating corruption Vasily Piskarev.
The state Duma Commission had earlier asked the foreign Ministry to take measures to the New York Times and Financial Times after biased articles about COVID-19 until the withdrawal of the accreditation in the Russian Federation. In the state Duma also noticed that these articles appeared simultaneously. The head of the Committee Vasily Piskarev has called unacceptable for the levels of those publications the appearance of these articles, based on speculation and does not represent the official Russian point of view. Later the official representative of the Russian foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said that the editors of the Financial Times and the New York Times prepared letters of refutation published of misinformation about the coronavirus in Russia.
"Briefly tell events of the fakes that we have fixed the period of the disease, the coronavirus infection. Remember, there were presentations of two distinguished American and British Newspapers – the New York Times and Financial Times that our state underestimates the number of deaths? We immediately picked up this information and sent it to the foreign Ministry to the Ministry of foreign Affairs could respond appropriately to fakie on this occasion," said the Piskarev at the Commission meeting of the state Duma.
"We also responded to reports by the American media "Radio freedom", which has accused our doctors that they do euthanasia against the sick, that is actually blamed our doctors for murder. That is, to the extent even make fakes. What is the purpose? Clear, to provoke panic and to bring people discontent with the government, so I understand," he said.
The MP added that information about these publications, sent to the Prosecutor General. "I understand that the Prosecutor General’s office informed the Roskomnadzor," he added.
"the foreign Ministry, we asked, too, to take action, because we came from what? There to deprive of accreditation the newspaper is generally full, probably not so simple, and difficult, and there is no need. But individual journalists who poured the dirt, well, an outright lie, you can’t trust them to tolerate," said Piskarev.
He also noted that the Commission analyzed the situation and came to the conclusion that earlier the same newspaper had published false information about Russia on the eve of the Sochi Olympics and world Cup.
Earlier the Financial Times reported that deaths from coronavirus in Russia can be more than 70% higher than the official statistics. According to official data in April in Moscow and St. Petersburg from COVID-19 died 629 people. However, according to the publication, citing its own analysis in both cities this month died by 72% more people than the average for the last five years: 1841 people in Moscow and 232 in Saint-Petersburg, 2073 people. Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said that Russia has never manipulated the official statistics. According to the representative of the who, conscious underreporting of mortality due COVID-19 in Russia.
