Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#130 :: Thursday 2 July 2015

Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#130
Thursday 2 July 2015

A project sponsored through the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs
The contents do not necessarily represent the views of IERES or the George Washington University.
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RUSSIA

1. TASS: Taxi drivers in St. Petersburg demand Uber ban.
2. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Great Russian literature ‘probes the ultimate questions of human life.’ Gary Saul Morson, a professor of Slavic literature at Northwestern University and one of the foremost authorities on Russian literature in the United States, spoke to RBTH about his love for Tolstoy, the ongoing popularity of the Russian classics and what, if anything, politicans can gain from studying literature.
3. Le Monde diplomatique: Jean-Pierre Chevènement, EU and Russia antagonistic by accident. No need for this cold war. A little forethought and less dogma would have prevented the deterioration of the situation in Ukraine into a revived cold war. Demonising Putin’s Russia won’t help.
4. Business New Europe: Russia comes out worst in wealth equality study.
5. Russia Insider: As the Western Media Focuses on Phony Russia ‘Yoga Ban’ Story, ISIS Runs Riot.
6. Channel One TV (Moscow): Russian TV talk show discusses new initiative to blacklist NGOs.
7. TASS: Russian university denies sacking US professor after TV report.
8. www.rt.com: Russians are confident in their military, poll shows.
9. TASS: Kremlin regrets confrontational tone of US national military strategy.
10. TASS: US 2015 military strategy adds chill to new Cold War against Russia – Rogov.
11. Washington Post: Walter Pincus, It seems the Pentagon can never have enough deployed nuclear warheads.
12. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Interview: Thomas Pickering on diplomacy, Iran, Korea, Russia, realpolitik, and the ethics of war. (excerpt re Russia)
13. The National Interest: Mark Katz, Why Russia Shouldn’t Fear NATO. “Far from threatening Russia, a strong NATO has a much greater incentive to act with self-restraint toward Russia than individual countries.”
14. New York Times: Russia Sees a Threat in Its Converts to Islam.
15. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Lavrov and Kerry discuss coalition against ISIS in Vienna. The fight against terrorism in the Middle East was the main subject of discussion between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Vienna on June 30. Having exchanged “concrete opinions,” the ministers decided that consolidation is needed to effectively fight the Islamic State. However, some experts say that the two countries are not prepared for this.
16. www.rt.com: ‘No legal prospects’ for MP request to review Baltic States’ break with USSR.
17. TASS: Armenia sees abortive attempt at orange revolution – analysts.
18. Carnegie Moscow Center: Paul Stronski, Maidan Redux in Armenia?
19. Russia Direct: Russia Direct: No cherry-picking, just analysis. As Russia Direct celebrates its second anniversary this month, our editorial team answers some of your frequently asked questions – including about our efforts to ensure editorial balance, and about how we handle criticism from those who think we’re pushing propaganda from the Kremlin (which we’re not) or from the CIA (which we’re not).
20. World Policy Journal: James Carden, Taking on Russia.

UKRAINE

21. TASS: Russia ready to return over 20 Ukrainian ships based in Crimea to Ukraine.
22. Kyiv Post: Nearly half of young Ukrainians consider emigration.
23. Counterpunch.org: Sergei Baryshnikov, A Participant in the 2014 ‘Russian Spring’ Movement in Donetsk Speaks. ‘Donbas is Returning to its Russian Roots’
24. The International Institute for Strategic Studies: John Drennan, The perilous Line of Contact in southeastern Ukraine.
25. Sputnik: CyberBerkut: Volunteer Battalions ‘Out of Control’ in Eastern Ukraine.
26. TASS: Kiev forces violate ceasefire regime in DPR 46 times over last 24 hours.
27. AFP: Ukraine leader lays out vision of new war-time constitution.
28. Interfax: Local elections in DPR to take place on October 18 in line with Minsk accords – Zakharchenko.
29. TASS: Kiev needs reading again text of Minsk Accords – Putin’s spokesman.
30. Kyiv Post: Yatsenyuk’s party drops in polls as scandals swirl around prime minister.
31. Interfax-Ukraine: To resign now would be betrayal of Ukraine and cowardice – Yatseniuk.
32. Fort Russ: Nalivaichenko Naming Names.
33. Sputnik: The Hand That Feeds: Kiev Now Unable to Survive Without Extremist Support.
34. The Daily Mail (UK): Ukraine cages its soldiers to stop them getting drunk: Alcohol problem is so bad army has to put troops in an open air drunk-tank.
35. Business New Europe: Ukraine cancels gas supplies from Russia in pricing row.
36. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Press digest: Ukraine and EU work on building ties. RBTH presents a selection of views from leading Russian media on international events, featuring reports on the situation concerning Ukraine’s gas supply, the visit of the President of the European Parliament to Kiev and continued challenges in talks concerning Iran’s nuclear program.
37. Wall Street Journal: Ukraine Looks to Privatization to Counter Budget Woes. Government searches for buyers for moribund state enterprises, such as an old silk farm in Shovkove.
38. Forbes.com: Adrian Bonenberger, Ukraine Can Defeat The Separatists.
39. Reuters: Josh Cohen, Want to escalate U.S.-Russia tension? Arm Ukraine.
40. TASS: Chernobyl area fire poses risk to neighboring regions – Polish expert.

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

 

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