Johnson’s Russia List :: 2014-#22 :: Monday, 3 February 2014

Johnson’s Russia List :: 2014-#22 :: 3 February 2013
E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net
A project of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George
Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs: www.ieres.org
JRL homepage: russialist.org
JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist
JRL on Twitter: twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi
Support JRL: russialist.org/funding.php

POLITICS

1. Ben Aris: Comment on the Economist editorial entitled “The triumph of Vladimir Putin” (JRL 2014-#21)
2. Russia Direct: Former NPR correspondent: On understanding the Russians. (Gregory Feifer)
3. Washington Post: David Greene, Why Russians feel adrift in a post-Soviet world.
4. RIA Novosti: One of Two Remaining Marshals of the Soviet Union Dies.
5. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Visiting Russians at home. RBTH has selected the most widespread traditions and stereotypes linked to Russian hospitality.
6. Moscow Times: What the Papers Say, Feb. 3.
7. ITAR-TASS: Russian Orthodox Church gets increasingly political – experts.
8. Moscow Times: Peter Rutland, Putin’s Political Predicament.
9. Paul Goble: Window on Eurasia: Growing Inequality among Russia’s Regions Undermines Power Vertical, Moscow Geographer Says. (Dmitry Oreshkin)
10. Russia Direct: Is the Kremlin behind attacks on Russia’s TV station Dozhd?
11. Moscow News: Natalia Antonova, Dry the rain: the disgraceful hounding of Dozhd TV.
12. Valdai Discussion Club: Alexander Khramchikhin, The Caucasus Mine Field.
13. R-Sport: Weather ‘optimal’ for Sochi Olympic alpine skiing – official.
14. Interfax: Putin chooses Olympic Games venue himself – television.
14a. www.russiatoday.com: Obama: ‘I believe Sochi Olympics are safe’
15. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Under the radar: 8 things to watch for in Sochi. Tired of reading about men’s hockey and security threats? Here are a few issues you might have missed.
16. Moscow Times: With Sochi Locked Down, Worries Arise of an Attack Elsewhere.
17. http://darussophile.com: Patrick Armstrong, Sochi-Adler Krasnaya Polyana Panorama.
18. Wall Street Journal: Tab for Sochi Olympics Fells Russian Moguls. Some Had Hoped Winter Games Would Bring Political Capital and Profits.
19. Washington Post: Jackson Diehl, Putin is losing the Sochi Olympic games.
20. Washington Post: Leon Aron, Will Russia’s Olympics be Putin’s triumph?

ECONOMY

21. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Targeting inflation: The right move for the long haul.
22. Wall Street Journal: Red Alert on Russia Is Premature.
23. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Vzglyad: Cheaper ruble buoys Russian energy companies.
24. Moscow Times: Changes in Regulations Could Help Break the Offshore Ice.
25. Interfax: Moscow concerned by EU demand to bring South Stream agreements in line with Third Energy Package – Lavrov.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

26. Business New Europe: Ben Aris, China buys up Russia’s backyard.
27. Reuters: Global arms sales fall, Russia sales rise sharply in 2012.
28. Interfax: Productiveness of dialogue on space with U.S. exceeds expectations – Foreign Ministry official.
29. Interfax: Russia rebukes NATO for wasting time in European arms control talks.
30. www.russiatoday.com: Russia threatens to quit START as US deploys Aegis destroyer to Spain.
31. Christian Science Monitor: Fred Weir, Shades of the cold war? US eyes Russia on arms-treaty violations.
32. Reuters: Ukraine’s Yanukovich returns to work, street protests go on.
33. Interfax: Yanukovych, Klitschko have highest presidential ratings – study.
34. RIA Novosti: Ukraine Has $3.3Bln Unpaid Gas Bill – Gazprom.
35. Interfax: Lavrov criticizes suggestion Ukraine should choose between Russia, rest of world.
36. Reuters: Ukrainian opposition buoyed by wave of Western support.
37. ITAR-TASS: Yatsenyuk: Ukrainian opposition leaders ask West for financial assistance.
38. Christian Science Monitor: Would Western aid to Ukraine be a setback? Conditions attached to the offer could place Ukraine once again at the center of tug-a-war between the West and Russia.
39. Russia Direct: Covering Ukraine’s Unrest: Journalists in Action. In the wake of Ukraine’s political crisis and violent protests throughout the country, Russia Direct interviewed journalists and media specialists to uncover trends in the coverage and learn about the day-to-day difficulties facing reporters.
40. www.russiatoday.com: “Ukraine police show incredible restraint, US officers would respond with deadly force”
41. The National Interest : Nikolas K. Gvosdev, Ukraine’s Nightmare: Far from Over.
42. The International New York Times: Timothy Snyder, Don’t Let Putin Grab Ukraine.