RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#186 :: Thursday 24 September 2015

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#186
Thursday – 24 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. The National Interest: Nicolai Petro, Russia’s Moral Framework and Why It Matters. A look into Russia’s moral framework and the relationship it has with religion and state values could help us better understand what makes Moscow tick.
2. Russia Direct: Social transformations in Russia: A guide for Western policymakers. The new Russia Direct report analyzes the reasons behind the political, social and cultural transformation that is taking place in Russian society and examines what it might mean for the future of Russian foreign policy.
3. Business New Europe: Ben Aris, MOSCOW BLOG: Playground politics in Ukraine and Syria.
4. Russia Direct: US-Russia dialogue has avoided the serious questions for too long. RD Interview: Sergey Karaganov explains the nature of the crisis in U.S.-Russia relations and points out the factors that have contributed to the current level of tensions.
5. Irrussianality: Paul Robinson, MORE ON ‘PUTIN’S PHILOSOPHER.’ (Ivan Ilyin)
6. Levada.ru: Putin’s approval rating exceeds 80 per cent – poll.
7. Moscow Times: Most Russians Not Saving Money, Poll Shows.
8. Sputnik: Melting Ice to Make Northern Sea Route Europe’s Shortcut to Asia.
9. TASS: Russia’s consumer rights watchdog supports idea of raising drinking age to 21.
10. Moscow Times: Design Chosen for Moscow Monument Commemorating Gulag Victims.
11. Moscow Times: Russia’s Last Tsar Exhumed as Murder Case Reopened.
12. www.rt.com: Moscow residents want Romanov killer’s name to remain on city map.
13. www.rt.com: Russia’s deputy PM proposes law to boost small and medium businesses. (Igor Shuvalov)
14. Interfax: Achieving balanced budget at cost of its quality unacceptable – PM. (Medvedev)
15. TASS: Share of Internet economy in Russia at 10% of GDP – watchdog.
16. Business New Europe: Ben Aris, Russia’s banking pain is forcing long-overdue sector consolidation.
17. Russia Beyond the Headlines: 5 facts about Moscow’s new central mosque.
18. Russia Direct: How Russia can deal with ISIS extremism within its own borders. With ISIS gaining more financial and political clout, Russian experts consider various options for preventing radical Islamic extremists from gaining adherents within Russia or radicalizing Russia’s Muslim population.
19. Sputnik: Russia’s Strategic Partnership with Europe Inevitable – PM Medvedev.
20. Russia Direct: The UN is a mirror that reflects the ability of global powers to act together. RD Webcast: Ahead of the general debate of the 70th UN General Assembly scheduled to start on Sept. 28, the focus is on the ability of the UN to deal with regional crises and conflicts, especially Ukraine and Syria. (with Richard Gowan and Fyodor Lukyanov)
21. New York Times: Amid Fresh Tension Over Syria, Obama and Putin Seek to Meet.
22. www.rt.com: Pepe Escobar, Live from New York, it’s ‘Putin the Great’
23. Moscow Times: Middle East Leaders Line Up for Putin.
24. Interfax-AVN: Former CGS urges caution over possible Russian land operation in Syria. (General Yuriy Baluyevskiy)
25. The Unz Review: Anatoly Karlin, The Abortive Mistral Deal Works Out for Russia.
26. RIA Novosti: Russia may pull out of INF treaty in response to new US nuclear bombs – senator.
27. www.paulcraigroberts.org: Paul Craig Roberts, Russia’s False Hopes.
28. Russia Insider: Edward Lozansky, US Foreign Policy Landscape: McCainiacs, ObamaKerrys and RohraBradleys. Unfortunately the first two types dominate the presidential candidate field.
29. TASS: Analysts: Russian-Japanese relations show signs of thawing.

UKRAINE

30. Ukraine Today: Ukraine wants help to build nuclear defence shield – Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
31. Interfax: Kiev, unrecognized republics should discuss elections in east Ukraine – Kremlin.
32. TASS: Russia’s Lavrov says rebel “elections” in Ukraine do not violate Minsk accords.
33. Interfax: Up to 150,000 ethnic Russians may relocate from Ukraine to Russia in 2015 – migration service chief.
34. The Hamilton Spectator (Canada): Gwynne Dyer, Ukraine – Peace at last? Despite ceasefire violations Putin appears to have won.
35. The Blog Mire: Rob Slane, Press Freedoms and Making Europe Safer by Banning Steve Rosenberg for 24 Hours.
36. Chatham House: Orysia Lutsevych, Ukraine Reforms in Danger of Leaving Public Behind.
37. Interfax: Saakashvili’s personal agreement is needed to launch procedure of appointing him as Ukrainian PM – Poroshenko.
38. Bloomberg: Marc Champion, Saakashvili for Prime Minister of Ukraine?
39. The Guardian (UK): Shaun Walker, ‘We are preventing a third world war’: the foreigners fighting with Ukrainian rebels. Eastern Ukraine has become a hub for those who believe the Russia-backed rebels are the last line of defence against fascism.
40. Atlantic Council: Halya Coynash, Western Media Must Fight Russia’s Lethal Propaganda More Aggressively.

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

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

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