News Briefs: July 30, 2025
Tragedy on the M-4 Highway
Events of the Hour:
A bus crash on the M-4 highway near Tula left over 30 people injured, but thankfully no fatalities were reported. The incident involved 48 passengers, and the cause remains under investigation, with preliminary data suggesting that heavy fog may have played a role.
Earthquake in Kamchatka
On July 29, a powerful earthquake struck Kamchatka, causing significant geodynamic changes. With a moment magnitude of 8.8, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred due to shallow reverse faulting on the subduction zone interface beneath the Pacific coast of Kamchatka. The region is part of a tectonically active area where the Pacific plate is being subducted under the North American plate.
The earthquake triggered tsunami alerts across the Pacific, leading to evacuations in affected areas. The strongest shifts from the earthquake were recorded in the southern part of Kamchatka, where the peninsula shifted south-east almost two meters. At least 617 aftershocks followed, including significant events like a M~w~ 6.9 and M~w~ 6.8 quake. The likelihood of large aftershocks remains high for weeks.
Other Notable Events
- The Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin, has ordered the preparation of financial models for the production of a fleet of aircraft and helicopters.
- The artistic director of the "Electrotheater Stanislavsky," Boris Yukhananov, has passed away at the age of 67.
- A court has rejected a complaint against the decision to liquidate the "Ryzhman Foundation."
- In Belgorod, the FSB foiled an assassination attempt on the head of a defense enterprise. A Russian citizen has been detained and charged with high treason for assisting a foreign state under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
- In a separate incident, the Sverdlovsk Regional Court has rejected the appeal of the representative of "Fond Roizman" against the decision of the Oktyabrsky District Court of Yekaterinburg to liquidate the organization.
In the realm of general news, the national transport authorities are closely investigating the cause of a bus accident on the M-4 highway near Tula, which left over 30 people injured and resulted in no fatalities, amid speculation that heavy fog may have been a contributing factor.
In the world of politics and crime-and-justice, an assassination attempt on the head of a defense enterprise in Belgorod was foiled by the FSB, leading to the detention of a Russian citizen on charges of high treason for aiding a foreign state. The court's rejection of an appeal against the liquidation of "Fond Roizman" in the Sverdlovsk Region adds to the turbulence in Russia's non-profit sector.
