RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#180 :: Wednesday 16 September 2015

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#180
Wednesday – 16 September 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. Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs: Russia’s Soft Power: A Matter for Church and State. (With Nadieszda Kizenko, Nikolas K. Gvosdev, Nicolai N. Petro, David C. Speedie)
2. Russia Beyond the Headlines: 10 pearls of wisdom on world culture from the Hermitage director. A new book published in Russia called “Mikhail Piotrovsky” consists of an interview with the renowned director of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, who is an authoritative Middle East and Arabic scholar. RBTH has selected 10 quotes on world culture and heritage from the book and from the presentation in Moscow.
3. The Guardian: Aaron Renn, How St Petersburg is creating a permanent home for street art. The Street Art Museum in St Petersburg is the first of its kind – a fixed home for a transitory art form. Can this space help the city reinvent itself for a new era?
4. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Why do diasporas in Russia want more political representation? The Eurasian Network of Political Studies (ENPS) NGO carried out a study earlier in 2015 called “Russian Social Organizations of Eurasian Diasporas: An Analysis of Influence Mechanisms,” interviewing more than 60 diaspora leaders. The results show that Russia’s diasporas want to participate in politics more actively. RBTH spoke about the study with ENPS president, Vitaly Merkushev.
5. Moscow Times: Chris Weafer, Keeping an Eye on the Russian Financial Market.
6. Interfax: Ulyukayev not expecting ‘major shocks’ from potential rate hike in U.S.
7. Business New Europe: Ben Aris, Foot traffic at Russia’s leading shopping malls tumbles.
8. www.rt.com: ‘Like weather report’: Duma chief plays down importance of new anti-Russian sanctions.
9. Moscow Times: Konstantin Sonin, Football and the Russian Middle Class.
10. AP: Former Kremlin insider expects 2-year economic downturn. (Vladimir Yakunin)
11. http://readrussia.com: Mark Galeotti, Yakunin and the Systemic Virtues of a Generous Retirement.
12. http://gordonhahn.com: Gordon Hahn, Putin Is No Stolypin.
13. www.opendemocracy.net: Vyacheslav Koslov, Knocking back Russia’s nationalists. The conflict in Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea has brought the Kremlin and Russia’s ultra-nationalists closer together. Recent prosecutions show that their ideas still have the government worried.
14. www.rt.com: Most Russians don’t expect major protests, don’t plan to participate – poll.
15. Fort Russ/PolitRussia: Navalny is a Political Corpse.
16. Russia Insider: William Dunkerley, Litvinenko Death Blamed on Carelessness. Polonium poisoning is a needlessly elaborate and complicated way of assassinating someone.
17. BBC: Russia in ‘information war’ with West to win hearts and minds.
18. RFE/RL: U.S. Envoy Tells Russia’s Neighbors: Having Putin As Your Only Friend Not A Good Idea.
19. Russia Direct: The Kremlin still prefers the East to the West, at its own risk. The Kremlin’s attempts to strengthen economic ties with the East could put at stake Russia’s future economic prosperity. Experts argue whether Russia should risk its future on the East and turn away from the West.
20. Valdai Discussion Club; Jonathan Holslag, Restoring Relations Between Russia and the European Union.
21. Christian Science Monitor: Fred Weir, Russia as safe zone for Syrian refugees? It’s not as odd as you’d think. A centuries-old imperial conquest, along with an unusual route to Norway, may lead Syria’s migrants to wash up on Russia’s shores.
22. New York Times: Putin Defends Russian Military Aid to Syria.
23. Valdai Discussion Club: Veniamin Popov, The Syrian Factor: Is There a Way out of the Political Deadlock?
24. Consortiumnews.com: Graham Fuller, How Russia Can Help in Syria.
25. TASS: Kremlin refutes reports of suggesting plan envisaging Assad’s resignation.
26. TASS: Why is US fighting not against Islamic State but latter’s main opponent?
27. The Independent (UK): Kim Sengupta, The West is culpable for the bloodshed in Ukraine and Syria – and Putin holds the key to any breakthrough.
28. Russia Insider: Marko Marjanovic, In Syria Russia Is Backing the Side With More Justice on Its Side.

UKRAINE

29. Forbes.com: Kenneth Rapoza, Ukraine Takes On ‘Mission Impossible’ In Push Westward.
30. www.opendemocracy.net: Vitaly Dudin, The dark side of Ukraine’s constitutional reform. ‘Bloody Monday’ raised the stakes for Ukraine’s constitutional reform. The new law not only affects the state’s relationship with the east, but threatens austerity measures and infringements on human rights.
31. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions following a meeting of the Normandy four foreign ministers, Berlin, 12 September 2015.
32. Business New Europe: Winter freeze looms as “transit-less” Ukraine scrabbles for Russian gas.
33. The Unz Review: Anatoly Karlin, Ukraine: Gabon with Snow,
34. http://readrussia.com: Mark Adomanis, The King Is Dead, Long Live the King! (re Poroshenko)
35. Vineyard of the Saker: Listening to the crazies gunning for Poroshenko (and the USA?)
36. Bloomberg: Ukraine Lobbies Lawmakers With Debt Vote Said at Risk of Failing.
37. Antiwar.com: Ukraine President Under Pressure to Install Saakashvili as New PM.
38. Fort Russ: Spying, corruption scandal grips Poroshenko.
39. www.rt.com: ‘Ukraine should not count on US military aid’ – Russian security chief.
40. The National Interest Michael O’Hanlon, How to Resolve the War in Ukraine. “A different approach is needed, one that goes to the heart of the problem by creating a new security architecture for central Europe that all can accept.”
41. Kyiv Post: Berndar-Henri Levy, With Poroshenko – more than ever.