The number of new HIV cases registered in Russian is less than that in Central and Western Europe, a Russian health ministry official has said.

Proposed health legislation on a mandatory liability insurance program would see healthcare providers in Russia pay out $66,000 for deaths caused by negligence.

Russia's chief health inspector said on Wednesday he fully supports the ban on night sales of alcohol which comes into force in Moscow on September 1, and hopes similar bans will be applied across the country.