JRL Table of Contents :: Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#151 – 22 August 2012

Map of Russia

Johnson’s Russia List
2012-#151
22 August 2012
davidjohnson@starpower.net
A World Security Institute Project
www.worldsecurityinstitute.org
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In this issue

POLITICS

1. Moscow Times: Report on Putin’s ‘Politburo 2.0’ Sets Tongues Wagging.
2. Moskovskiye Novosti: POLITBURO’2012. Political scientists came up with the list of most powerful people in Russian politics.
3. Gazeta.ru editorial: Power Black Box.
4. Kommersant: DIRECT PRESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT. THE KREMLIN CONTROLS APPOINTMENTS IN STATE CORPORATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES, AND MEDIA OUTLETS.
5. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Eugene Ivanov, Russia ­ and its officials – still searching for its identity. More than 100 days into his third presidency, Vladimir Putin has yet to propose a theme for Russia’s future development.
6. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Moskovskiye Novosti: A final warning to Russian smokers. The Ministry of Health has developed a harsh draft anti-tobacco law that would ban smoking in public areas and remove smoking areas from institutions, hospitals and cafés. The draft will be submitted to the State Duma during the fall session.
7. Moscow Times/BBC Monitoring: What the Papers Say, Aug. 22, 2012.
8. Vedomosti editorial: LEGALIZATION. The campaign against corruption launched by the authorities is a sham.
9. www.opendemocracy.net: Alexander Verkhovsky, The Nationalists and the Protest Movement.
10. Valdai Discussion Club: Piotr Dutkiewicz, Why do people protest?
11. Moscow Times: Yulia Latynina, Homo Orthodoxus Are Destroying Russia.
12. RIA Novosti: Top Russian Rights Activist Slams ‘Orthodox Squads.’ (Lyudmila Alexeyeva)
13. Moscow Times: Shoigu Promotes Transparency, Elections Coverage.
14. Moscow News: Gazprom gets the go ahead for St. Pete skyscraper. The controversial construction has a new erection site.
15. Novaya Gazeta: After the Verdict. The three young women, members of the punk rock band Pussy Riot, recently sentenced to two years behind bars, comment on the verdict in an interview with Novaya Gazeta.
16. RIA Novosti: Crackdown on Pussy Riot Has History ­ Analysis.
17. New York Times: Pussy Riot Was Carefully Calibrated for Protest.
18. http://us-russia.org: Patrick Armstrong, PUSSY RIOT CONDUCTS A TYPING SCHOOL.
19. Not Safe For Work Corporation: Mark Ames, Crime and Pussy Riot. Why Our Entirely Reasonable Support For Jailed Russian Punkettes Could Trigger World War III.

ECONOMY

20. RIA Novosti: Putin Says Stability, Social Spend Budget Priorities.
21. Moscow News: Russia finally joins WTO.
22. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Russia becomes full-fledged WTO member.
23. New York Times: U.S. Companies Worry About Effect of Russia Joining W.T.O.
24. Moscow Times: Russians Upbeat on Labor Outlook.
25. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Major capital outflow from Russia not to stop, experts say.
26. Moscow Times: Anders Aslund, Why Everyone Is Avoiding Gazprom.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

27. Los Angeles Times editorial: Pussy Riot sentences shouldn’t derail our trade relations with Russia. The U.S. has rightly denounced the Pussy Riot sentences in Russia, but it is also rightly pressing Congress to approve normal trade relations with Moscow.
28. Vedomosti: AL-ASSAD, OUR FRIEND. MOST RUSSIANS SUPPORT OFFICIAL MOSCOW’S STAND IN THE SYRIAN CRISIS.
29. The National Interest: Sergey Markedonov, Partitioning the Soviet Legacy.

LONG ITEM

30. Sergei Roy: Russians Abroad. The Lure of the Mediterranean.

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