JRL E-Mail Newsletter Table of Contents :: Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#89 :: 17 May 2013

Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#89 :: 17 May 2013
E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net
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POLITICS

1. ITAR-TASS: Some 200 mln roubles spent to build helicopter pad in Kremlin.
2. Moscow News: Russia faces Olympic struggle, World Championships predict.
3. Gazeta.ru: Study Finds Russians Despondent about Future.
4. Paul Goble: Window on Eurasia: Russia Should Become Neither European nor Asian but American, Moscow Commentator Says.
5. Interfax: Russians don’t like idea of bringing monarchy back – poll.
6. Business New Europe: Is this the end for Russian NGOs?
7. Moscow Times/BBC Monitoring: What the Papers Say, May 17, 2013.
8. Kommersant: Anniversary Opinion Polls Show Putin Support Base.
9. Moscow Times: Medvedev Vows to Revamp Legal System.
10. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Ex-finance minister may replace Medvedev as Russian PM by year end. (Aleksey Kudrin)
11. Gazeta.ru: Following Surkov, Dvorkovich Seen Coming Under Attack.
12. Russia! Magazine: Sean Guillory, The Kids Aren’t Alright. (re youth)
13. Moscow Times: Putin’s Patriotism: Duma May Make Criticism of WWII Illegal.
14. RIA Novosti: NGO Checks In Russia To Become More Organized And ‘Systematic’ – Minister.
15. Moscow Times: ‘Blasphemy Bill’ Signals Return to 18th-Century Morals, Activists Say.
16. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. State Duma corrects law on believers’ feelings.
17. Moscow News: Alexei Korolyov, Searching for superman. The resurrection of the Hero of Labor award is natural for a country seeking new role models.
18. Interfax: 60% of Russians wish to bar children from social networks – poll.
19. RIA Novosti: Russians Not Ready To Sponsor First Public Service TV Channel – Poll.
20. Interfax: Judicial probe needed into activities of Stalin’s security agencies – rights group.
21. Moscow Times: Phil Baty, Russia Must Globalize Its Universities.

ECONOMY

22. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Cabinet’s estimate of the future of the Russian economy is moderately optimistic.
23. Interfax: Russian Econ Min expects economic growth slowdown to reverse in Q2.
24. Interfax: Russia yet to reverse income inequality trend – Rosstat head.
25. Reuters: Clash between Russian oil chiefs could undercut Putin ally.
26. Moscow Times: Rosbank Bribery Scandal Highlights Need for Ethics Enforcement.
27. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Amnesty for businessmen may become subject of bargaining.
28. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Kommersant Vlast: Leaders and outsiders: Where to do business in Russia. The Public Opinion Laboratory (LIOM) has published its ranking of the most business-friendly Russian governors.
29. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Russia and the W.T.O.: Equality without Fraternity.
30. Reuters: Insight: Bank documents portray Cyprus as Russia’s favorite haven.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

31. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Ogonyok: Fyodor Lukyanov, Does Russia stand among the great nations? Russia debuted as a fully fledged G8 member in May 1998. Over the past 15 years, it has joined practically all international organizations it has aspired to. So what does it have to show for it?
32. Forbes.com: Mark Adomanis, The Spy Scandal in Moscow: Nothing To See Here.
33. The National Interest: Paul Saunders, The Tensions Beneath the Moscow Spy Scandal.
34. www.russiatoday.com: Syria not a bargaining chip in relations with West – Lavrov.
35. RIA Novosti: Lavrov Plays Down Reports of New Missile Deliveries to Syria.
36. BBC Monitoring: Russian TV shows trench battles, public execution in Syria.
37. Wall Street Journal: Russia Raises Stakes in Syria. Assad Ally Bolsters Warships in Region; U.S. Sees Warning.
38. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Russian Experts: Four Divisions of S-300s Plus Russian Military Specialists ‘Already in Syria’
39. Gazeta.ru: Russian Pundit Eyes ‘Diplomatic Game’ Surrounding Proposed Syrian Peace Talks. (Fedor Lukyanov)
40. US-Russia.org: Expert Panel Discussion. Moscow and Washington come closer to a joint position on Syria: Could this signal a new departure in attempts to resolve the conflict?
41. Reuters: Fearing Afghan instability, Russia mulls border troops.
42. Russia Beyond the Headlines: An American’s experience with Russian education, culture and red tape. American student Bryce Carr, who studies at the Academy of National Economy in Moscow, talks about Russia’s education system and his impressions of Red Square.
43. New York Times: Chechen Refugee Questioned in F.B.I.’s Inquiry of Bombing.
44. Interfax: Saakashvili administration criticizes investigation into 2008 war.