Putin may deploy military as cases surge

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the military could be deployed to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic in the country, after the number of cases in the country rose sharply. On Monday, Russia recorded its largest daily rise in confirmed cases, with 2,558 new infections, taking the total to 21,102, with the vast majority of those in Moscow, the BBC reported.

The death toll currently stood at 210. "We see that the situation is changing almost daily and, unfortunately, it is not changing for the better," the BBC quoted Putin as saying during a video meeting with top officials on Monday. Lockdown measures have been introduced in the capital Moscow, the worst-hit area, as well as several other regions. People have been asked to stay at home unless there was an essential reason for them to go out. Moscow has introduced an electronic system that issues permits to people who need to leave their homes.