Johnson’s Russia List with links :: 2014-#32 :: Friday, 14 February 2014

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Johnson’s Russia List :: 2014-#32 :: 14 February 2013
E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net
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POLITICS

1. Reuters: Olympics-Tolstoy’s words ring true as Putin goes for Sochi gold.
2. Bloomberg: Russians Uniting Around Sochi Offer Putin Return on Games.
3. San Francisco Business Times: Russians use ‘love’ emoticon on Facebook more than any other.
4. RIA Novosti: Russians Unwilling to See Their First Love Again – Poll.
5. AFP: Russians hold outdoor kissathon in coldest city.
6. Moscow Times: What the Papers Say, Feb. 14, 2014.
7. RIA Novosti: Putin Formally Nominates Pamfilova as New Ombudsman.
8. Kremlin.ru: Putin Meeting with Vladimir Lukin and Ella Pamfilova.
9. RIA Novosti: Only One NGO Registered Under Russian Foreign Agent Law.
10. Institute of Modern Russia: Tatiana Stanovaya, The Kremlin’s Interest in “Local Business”
11. Moskovsky Komsomolets : “‘Nemtsov and Kasyanov are banal corporate raiders”. The Founder of the Republican Party told Moskovsky Komsomolets how its brand was taken away. (Interview with Vladimir Ryzhkov)
12. Moscow Times: Experts Warn of Increase in Ethnically Motivated Attacks.
13. RAPSI: Troubled liberal TV channel won’t sue cable operators that dropped it.
14. Washington Post editorial: Putin’s knives in the night threaten an independent Russian broadcaster.
15. ITAR-TASS: Sales of Sochi Olympics tickets exceed one million.
16. Christian Science Monitor: How did Russia lose its hockey mojo? Sochi Olympics a massive test.
17. Reuters: Russia proud of Games so far, star skater’s absence felt.
18. Russia Direct: Sochi Olympics: An Opening Ceremony for the New Russia. The spectacular Opening Ceremony for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics could mark the start of a new, more confident role for Russia on the global stage.
19. World Politics Review: Nikolas Gvosdev, Putin’s Sochi Games Global Even Without Obama, West.
20. The Economist: Putin and the media. Dreams about Russia. Beyond the spectacle of the Sochi Olympics is a crackdown on Russia’s media.
21. Moscow Times: Peter Rutland, A Putinkin Opening Ceremony in Sochi.
22. New York Times: A Russian Protest Zone Where Almost No One Registers a Complaint.
23. Moscow Times: Moscow Ready for Olympic Tourists. And Still Waiting.

ECONOMY

24. Business New Europe: Most Russians pessimistic about improvement of their financial standing.
25. ITAR-TASS: Human capital to act as key driver of development in new era, experts say.
26. RAPSI: Business community to have a say on Russia’s “de-offshorization”
27. www.CentralBankNews.info: Russia holds rate, warns of rises if inflation accelerates.
28. Russia Direct: Russia’s Special Economic Zones: Spreading investment beyond Moscow.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

29. RIA Novosti: Americans’ Opinions of Russia, Putin Hit 20-Year Low – Poll.
30. Bloomberg: Obama Bid for Russia Reset Slips Amid Cold War Iciness.
31. PRI’s The World: US Ambassador Michael McFaul says Russians have a ‘schizophrenic’ view of the US.
32. Moscow Times: Michael Bohm, Farewell, Ambassador McFaul.
33. Russia Direct: Experts lament news of Kennan Moscow Office closure.
34. New York Times: Russia Tells Syrian Opposition to Join Fight Against Terror.
35. Reuters: Russia, NATO plan joint operation on Syria’s chemical weapons.
36. AP: Putin promotes closer ties with Egypt as Gulf nations appear to reduce their reliance on US.
37. Christian Science Monitor: Fred Weir, Russia tells West it’s time for common ground on Ukraine – or else. In a lengthy commentary, Russia’s foreign ministry takes potshots at Western powers for meddling in Ukraine, while hinting at a possible compromise.
38. Interfax: Russia ready to be a mediator in Ukraine but will not impose – Lavrov.
39. Reuters: Russia accuses EU of seeking Ukraine “sphere of influence”
40. Bloomberg: Merkel to Host Ukraine Opposition as New Rally Planned.
41. RAPSI: All detained Ukrainian protesters set free – opposition.
42. Business New Europe: Poll: Russians appalled by aggressive behavior of Maidan activists.
43. Reuters: Ukraine’s president demands investigation of judge’s killing.
44. The Voice of Russia: “The West, led by the US, is playing a geostrategic game in Ukraine”
45. Kyiv Post: Guide To EuroMaidan.
46. http://grahamwphillips.com: Euromaidan Goes Mad.
47. Paul Goble: Window on Eurasia: Ukraine Symbolizes Where the World is Now, Shevtsova Says.
48. Valdai Discussion Club: Rodric Braithwaite, Afghanistan: 25 Years After Withdrawal of the Soviet Troops.
49. Moscow Times: Divided by Borders, Afghan War Veterans Face Differing Challenges.

Map of Russia and Russian Flag adapted from images at state.gov

 

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