MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia recorded 157,181 deaths in August, up 9.6% or 13,787 cases on the same month the previous year, the state statistics service Rosstat showed on Friday. Of these cases, Russia officially recorded 7,463 deaths linked to suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of these, the virus had been the main cause of death in 3,863 cases, Rosstat said. Russia reported 9,412 new coronavirus cases on Friday, its highest daily tally since May 23, pushing the national total to 1,194,643.