Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#153 :: Saturday 8 August 2015

Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#153
8 August 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. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Kommersant: Russians satisfied with life, but are preparing for worst. New survey shows that 81 percent of citizens see situation in country as positive.
2. Sputnik: Russia Blamed for Pentagon Hack, Once Again, Without Evidence.
3. Moscow Times: A Newbie’s Guide to Taking the Moscow Metro.
4. www.rt.com: Most Russians oppose ban on Soviet symbols – poll.
5. Paul Goble: Most Russians Like Soviet Symbols But Lack Knowledge about Soviet Past – and That is Dangerous.
6. Medium: Sarah Lindemann-Komarova, Running for Office in Siberia. Part I in a Series on the District #35 Election for Novosibirsk City Council.
7. Politkom.ru: Russian website looks at opposition’s setback ahead of regional elections.
8. Business New Europe: Russians cheesed off as authorities destroy ‘EU’ food.
9. TASS: Russian authorities to take account of petition against destruction of sanctioned food.
10. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Press Digest: Russia to fight $50 billion Yukos ruling in U.S. court. RBTH presents a selection of views from leading Russian media on international events, featuring reports on Russia’s decision to fight Yukos shareholders in a U.S. court, hopes that Poland will move to improve relations with Moscow; and furthers cuts to the budget for the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia.
11. Moscow Times: Russian Official Lauds Condom Restrictions.
12. Moscow Times: Abandoned Mistral Deal Still Divides Russian Officials, Analysts.
13. Antony Penaud, re. Antony Beevor’s book re WWII.
14. New York Times editorial: As the Arctic Thaws, New Temptations.
15. Sputnik: Danielle Ryan, Western Media Hysteria Over Russia’s Arctic Bid.
16. TASS: Georgia rejects anti-Russian sanctions – PM.
17. Moscow Times: Tinatin Japaridze, Now Boarding: New York – Moscow – Tbilisi.
18. http://readrussia.com: Mark Adomanis, Don’t Trust the KGB!
19. www.rt.com: ‘Russia-EU economic partnership will take years of trust-building to restore.’ (interview with Volker Hellmeyer, chief economist at Bremer Landesbank)
20. Russia Direct: Maxim Suchkov, Russia and the US, in search of a Syrian solution. Instead of offering competing plans and visions for Syria, Moscow and Washington should be working together to develop a compromise diplomatic solution.
21. Russia Direct: Eugene Bai, Cuba still matters for Russia (but not for the reason you think). The new rapprochement between the U.S. and Cuba is further proof of the ability of diplomacy to overcome seemingly irreconcilable differences between two sides. Russia should take note.
22. www.thedailybeast.com: Anna Nemtsova, Russia Slides Back to the Middle Ages. Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has been sliding back toward the middle ages.
23. www.thedailybeast.com: Nancy A. Youssef and Noah Shachtman, Pentagon: Team Obama Is ‘Too Timid’ on Putin. America’s military brass keeps calling Russia an ‘existential’ danger to the U.S.-and the White House isn’t exactly thrilled.
24. Washington Post: Russia or ISIS? Who is America’s No. 1 Enemy?
25. Foreign Affairs: Mark Galeotti, Time for a New Strategy in Russia. The Current Sanctions Regime Has Failed-Here’s What to Do Next.
26. Harvard University Department of Slavic Languages & Literatures: In Memoriam: Professor Svetlana Boym.

UKRAINE

27. Euromaidan Press: Pro-Moscow “republics” in Ukraine likely to end as did Serbska Kraina in Croatia, Kyiv columnist says. (“eliminating the ‘DNR’ and ‘LNR. is going to require military force … When Ukraine retakes the Donbas, most pro-Moscow Russians there will flee.”)
28. Wall Street Journal: In Ukraine’s Capital, a New Show of Force. Kiev hires new police officers with little experience, in a bid to head off systemic corruption.
29. TASS: Poroshenko regime unable to keep oligarchs at bay.
30. Kyiv Post: Ukraine’s top oligarchs weather storm, retain political influence.
31. TASS: Ukrainian military bombarded Donetsk Republic 32 times over past 24 hours.
32. Interfax: LPR to hold elections on November 1 – Plotnitsky.
33. Gazeta.ru: Poll cites attitudes to Russian troops presence in eastern Ukraine.
34. Counterpunch.org: Roger Annis, Well-Known Canadian Journalist Visits Ukraine and Praises Neo-Nazis.
35. Kyiv Post editorial: Steal smart Russians.
36. The Hill: Bernie Quigley, Trump is right on Crimea.
37. International Business Times: To Defeat Russia, Ukraine Needs More Troops, Billions Of Dollars To Expand Military.
38. Fort Russ: US instructors are in Ukraine to learn how to fight Russia.

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

 

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