RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#236 :: Monday 7 December 2015

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#236
Monday 7 December 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: Alexander Dynkin and Mathew Burrows, Here’s the Playbook for Getting U.S.-Russian Cooperation Back On Track. America and Russia face a moment reminiscent of the Cold War, unless something can be done about it.
2. Moscow Times: Russians ‘No Longer Ashamed of Country’ – Poll.
3. Moscow Times: Russians Want Better Ties With West, But No Change in Policy – Poll.
4. Russia Direct: Ivan Tsvetkov, What Putin said – and didn’t say – in his Federal Assembly address. Putin’s annual address to the Federal Assembly focused on the need for national unity, but did not delve deeply into important foreign policy and domestic policy issues.
5. TASS: Russian president puts in a word for business.
6. www.rt.com: Alexander Yakovenko, Russia confronts a warming planet.
7. The Guardian: Russia pledges not to stand in the way of Paris climate deal. Vladimir Putin assures that his negotiators will not block an agreement that has the backing of other major countries.
8. Paul Goble: Most Russians Won’t Defend Environment Unless State Gives the Order, Semenov Says.
9. TASS: Deputy PM: Russia has potential to make Northern Sea Route operational round the year.
10. Gazeta.ru: Experts predict return of ex-minister Kudrin to tackle economic reforms.
11. Financial Times editorial: Reform of Russia’s ailing economy cannot wait.
12. Christian Science Monitor: Fred Weir, Russian truckers blockade Moscow. Trouble for Putin? Russian truck drivers are blockading roads in Moscow and other cities in protest over a new tax that is being collected by a private company owned by a Kremlin insider.
13. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Why are Russian truckers protesting? 10 questions and answers.
14. Russia Direct: Yury Korgunyuk, The implications of truckers’ protests in Russia. The Russian political leadership may have significantly underestimated the potential impact of truckers’ protests.
15. Paul Goble: Truckers’ Strike Won’t Lead to Political Change in Russia, Gontmakher Says.
16. International New York Times: Masha Gessen, A Russian Revolt, Delayed.
17. TASS: Kremlin comments on Anti-Corruption Foundation’s report on prosecutor-general.
18. www.rt.com: Communists declare 2016 ‘Year of Stalin’
19. TASS: Poll shows Russian support grows for ‘Dima Yakovlev’ adoption law.
20. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Russian businesswomen break the glass ceiling. Despite large number of female managers in Russia, experts caution that women are mostly active in small businesses.
21. TASS: US still confident of its monopoly on truth – Russian diplomat.
22. TASS: Diplomat: “bogeyman stories” prompt NATO to adopt strategy of countering hybrid threats.
23. Interfax: Russia welcomes intent of U.S., coalition to help seal Syria-Turkey border.
24. The National Interest: Robert Farley, Russia’s 5 Next Big Moves in Syria. As Russia’s commitment escalates, expect to see these additions to the battlefield in the coming days and weeks.
25. Moon of Alabama: Erdogan’s “Turkmen” Lose Some Of Their Chechen And Saudi Leaders.
26. Interfax: Truthfulness of evidence of oil smuggled to Turkey from terrorists-controlled areas raises no doubt – senator Ozerov.
27. www.rt.com: ‘Washington moving from war on terror to regime change in Syria’
28. The Unz Review: The Saker, Week Nine of the Russian Intervention in Syria: The Empire Strikes Back.
29. The Daily Telegraph (UK): Boris Johnson, Let’s deal with the Devil: we should work with Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad in Syria. It is time to set aside our Cold War mindset and stop being picky about our allies if we are to defeat Isil before they kill thousands more.
30. Consortiumnews.com: Rick Sterling, PBS Joins the MSM’s Syria-Russia Bias.
31. www.thedailybeast.com: Edward Lucas, No, We’re Not Facing World War III. But this hysterical argument is effectively used by Vladimir Putin to force the West into submission.

UKRAINE

32. Fair Observer: Olena Lennon and Brian Milakovsky, Is Europe’s Buffer Zone in Ukraine Keeping it Safe?
33. AFP: Biden in Ukraine to push reforms, reaffirm US support.
34. Interfax: Ukrainian government must take important political decisions in view of its obligations to IMF – U.S. Vice President Biden.
35. Interfax-Ukraine: U.S. Vice President suggests Kyiv should accelerate passing of law on elections in Donbas.
36. Human Rights Watch: Letter to Vice President Biden on Ukraine.
37. Vice.com: Simon Ostrovsky, Joe Biden Is Visiting Ukraine – And It Could Get Really Awkward.
38. Interfax: Lavrov: U.S. admits lack of prospects of restoring Ukrainian solvency.
39. Forbes.com: Kenneth Rapoza, Russia Threatens To Sue Ukraine For Overdue Debts.
40. Interfax: Russia won’t turn off gas to Ukraine and risk transit to EU – energy minister.
41. TASS: Ukrainian businessman says Ukraine lost $400 bln due to Ukrainian PM.
42. TASS: Russian Duma speaker says Kiev might unleash new aggression in Donbas.
43. TASS: Luhansk republic leader says Poroshenko won’t launch new offensive in Donbas.
44. Interfax-Ukraine: Right Sector claims to have prevented resumption of power supply to Crimea.
45. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Will Crimea’s ‘energy bridge’ save it from dependency on Ukraine? Electricity in Crimea has been partially restored: On Dec. 2 an underwater cable linked the peninsula’s electricity system with a Russian electrical grid. RBTH finds out why the Russian authorities were unprepared for the peninsula’s electricity being cut off by Ukrainian activists and asks whether the energy bridge will save Crimean residents from other infrastructure failures in the future.
46. Kremlin.ru: The President launched first stage of power bridge to Crimea.
47. Ukraine Today: Time to squeeze Putin’s militant republics. Adam Nathan on the Crimea blackout, east Ukraine conflict, and Minsk ceasefire.
48. Washington Post: Eleanor Knott, Do Crimeans see themselves as Russian or Ukrainian? It’s complicated.
49. http://newcoldwar.org: Roger Annis, New York Times propaganda article on Ukraine’s blockade of Crimea (updated)
50. Euromaidan Press: Maryan Pokhylyy, Six challenges Ukraine’s national state faced before Euromaidan.