RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#181 :: Thursday 17 September 2015

[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter]

Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#181
Thursday – 17 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.
JRL homepage: russialist.org
JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist
JRL on Twitter: twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi
Support JRL: russialist.org/funding.php
Support for JRL is provided in part by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Open Society Foundations to the George Washington University and by voluntary contributions from readers.

RUSSIA

1. Business New Europe: Corruption is Putin’s biggest failing, finds poll.
2. Levada.ru: Most Russians think protests unlikely, not willing to take part in any – poll.
3. Interfax: Kremlin spokesman suggests prankster should apologize to Elton John.
4. Reuters: Russia’s Nabiullina named central bank governor of 2015 by Euromoney.
5. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Sanctions: Russia braces for long haul. Russia, already facing recession and falling oil prices, prepares for the possibility that Western sanctions may remain in place for years to come.
6. www.rt.com: Lukoil is Russia’s biggest private company – Forbes.
7. www.rt.com: Pepe Escobar, Russia’s ultimate lethal weapon.
8. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Regional elections: What’s behind the success of Russia’s ruling party? On Sept. 13, the ruling party United Russia won convincing victories in regional elections as the non-parliamentary opposition failed to make an impression. Political analysts are divided in their opinions: some say the authorities pressured the opposition during the election campaign, others are convinced that we are witnessing “a quality leap in Russia’s electoral system.”
9. Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Commentator says regional elections produced “no sensations.” (Leonid Radzikhovskiy)
10. Moscow Times: Ivan Sukhov, Russian Opposition Must Stop Playing the Fool.
11. Paul Goble: Putin Model 3.1 – Stanovaya on the Kremlin Leader’s Modus Operandi after Crimea.
12. Interfax: Russian economy ministry more optimistic than CBR about oil prices.
13. Carnegie Moscow Center: Mikhail Krutikhin, Russia’s Long-Term Oil Blues.
14. Moscow Times: American Head of Russia’s Silicon Valley University Quits.
15. Moscow Times: Russia’s HIV Patients Struggle to Get Treatment.
16. Moscow Times: Russian Authorities Close Down American Center in Moscow.
17. Russia Beyond the Headlines: American Center to close in Moscow.
18. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Ivan Tsvetkov, Putin unlikely to make waves in Turtle Bay. The Russian president is scheduled to speak at the UN for the first time in a decade. Will he use the opportunity to mend fences with the international community, or further defend his controversial foreign policy positions?
19. www.politico.eu: EU splits in Russian media war. New EU task force hobbled by low funding, lack of political support.
20. Wall Street Journal: Pentagon Takes a Back Seat to State Department on Russia. Defense officials say shift followed breakdown in relations amid Ukraine crisis.
21. Wall Street Journal: Stephen Sestanovich, Will Obama Look Weak If He Meets With Putin?
22. Sputnik: US Presidential Hopeful Fiorina Promises to Rule Out Talking With Russia.
23. Antiwar.com: Justin Raimondo, US Foreign Policy Goes Retro: Hating On Russia. Forget the “war on terrorism”: it’s back to the cold war.
24. Interfax: Russia ready to resume constructive dialogue with NATO – envoy Grushko.
25. Russia Insider: Alexander Mercouris, Putin Explains Russia’s Syrian Policy. Dushanbe speech slams west’s regime change agenda – calls for closing ranks against Islamic State.
26. Wall Street Journal: U.S. Weighs Talks With Russia on Military Activity in Syria. Pentagon leaders grilled over strategy to deal with regime of Bashar al-Assad.
27. www.rt.com: Russia doesn’t rule out airbase in Syria, but has no plans for construction.
28. Counterpunch.com: Mike Whitney, Putin’s Line in the Sand: No Regime Change in Syria.
29. New York Times: Putin Sees Path to Diplomacy Through Syria.
30. The National Interest: Dmitri Trenin, Like It or Not, America and Russia Need to Cooperate in Syria. “The Obama administration is unlikely to fall for the Putin plan of a grand coalition with Moscow, Tehran and Damascus to accomplish that, but a degree of coordination is advisable.”
31. AP: Russian who ‘saved the world’ recalls his decision as 50/50. (Stanislav Petrov)

UKRAINE

32. Military.com: US to Begin Training Ukraine’s Active-Duty Military.
33. Irrussianality: Paul Robinson, IS MINSK DEAD?
34. Russia Direct: The hard choices facing Ukraine as it balances between Russia and the West. Sergey Markedonov, political analyst and professor at the Russian State University for the Humanities, talks to Russia Direct about the conflict in Ukraine and the choices the country faces while struggling between pro-Russian and pro-Western sentiment.
35. USAToday.com: Fighting eases in east Ukraine as Russia backs off support for separatists.
36. Reuters: Ukraine parliament approves debt restructuring deal.
37. Reuters: Ukraine’s Poroshenko says rebel elections threaten peace deal, extends sanctions.
38. Business New Europe: Mark Adomanis, What if Ukraine’s reforms don’t work?
39. TASS: More than half of Ukrainians believe political parties represent business interests.
40. Fort Russ: Ukrainian MOD bought 4 tons of Roshen chocolate for the Ukrainian army.
41. Moscow Times: Jonathan Power, Will Maidan Devour Its Own Children?
42. TASS: Luhansk republic leader says 60% of residents support accession to Russia.
43. Fort Russ: Zakharchenko appeals to citizens ahead of elections.
44. Moscow Times: Russians Tiring of Ukraine Coverage, Poll Shows.
45. Transitions Online: Vazha Tavberidze, Whatever Happened to Viktor Yushchenko? Do you remember Viktor Yushchenko? Of course you do.
46. Euromaidan Press: Luhansk Governor to dismiss all teachers who support “LPR”
47. http://toinformistoinfluence.com: Ukraine SBU blocked the broadcast of Russian programs in the Kharkiv region.
48. The Guardian (UK): Ukraine bans journalists who ‘threaten national interests’ from country.
49. www.rt.com: Bryan MacDonald, #JesuisBBC: Poroshenko bans western journalists from Ukraine.
50. The Independent (UK): Anne Mortensen, Voices in Danger: What happened to Andrei Stenin in Ukraine? Many questions still remain over the Russian photographer’s death.
51. AP: Ukraine Takes BBC Journalists Off Its Sanctions List.
52. Kyiv Post: Yatsenyuk fires back at Russia, oligarchs and those who thwart reform.
53. Embassy of the United States Kyiv: Remarks by Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland at a Panel Discussion “Ukraine’s East and Crimea: Solving the Unsolvable”
54. Dances With Bears; John Helmer, MH17 – INADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE FOR WHAT CANNOT HAVE HAPPENED.