RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-12 :: Tuesday, 19 January 2016

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#12
Tuesday 19 January 2016
A project sponsored through the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs
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RUSSIA

1. The National Interest: Matthew Dal Santo, The Cult of Nicholas II. Russians’ attitudes toward “Bloody Nicholas” have come a long way in one hundred years. [also re Putin]
2. TASS: Analysts: West-Russia compromise essential to easing economic risks.
3. Interfax: Russians using less alcohol, says watchdog.
4. Moscow Times: Russians Expect Kremlin to Stabilize Economy – Poll.
5. Russia Beyond the Headlines/RBC Daily: Russia preparing for large-scale privatization. Shares of country’s largest banks could be sold.
6. Reuters: Russia’s current account improves in 2015, capital outflows fall two-thirds.
7. Reuters: IMF Cuts 2016 Growth Forecast for Russia.
8. www.rt.com: IMF cuts global growth outlook for 2016.
9. AP: RUSSIAN RUBLE HITS A NEW LOW AS OIL PRICES WEAKEN.
10. Sputnik: Will Russia Save the Day as Oil World Crumbles?
11. Russia Insider: Alexander Mercouris, Russia’s Economy in 2015 Rolled With the Punches. Contrary to the doomsayers the country has coped with the oil price and other blows well.
12. Russia Direct: Doing business in Russia: High risk, but also high reward. New Report “The Magnetic Push and Pull of the Russian Economy: What’s Next for Investors in Russia?” examines how the Russian economy has changed over the past year and what new opportunities have emerged there for foreign investors.
13. Moscow Times: Netflix’s Desire for World Domination Reaches Russia.
14. Interfax: Head of Chechnya says his controversial comments not aimed at “legal opposition”
15. Interfax: Russian media bosses unimpressed with Chechen leaders’ anti-opposition rhetoric.
16. Moscow Times: New Anti-Gay Law Rejected by Russian Duma Committee.
17. New York Times editorial: Fueling Homophobia in Russia.
18. www.thedailybeast.com: Anna Nemtsova, The Forgotten AIDS Crisis in Russia. In Moscow the situation for AIDS/HIV sufferers is bad. In the provinces, it can be desperate.
19. Russia Direct: Review of the week: Putin’s Bild interview and US-Russia relations. The most important Russian foreign policy events of the past week centered on Ukraine, including a discussion of the Minsk agreements and the potential for increased Russia-U.S. coordination in bringing the confrontation to an end.
20. Russia Direct: Russia, China and the US need to work together in 2016. At the Gaidar Forum in Moscow, Russian and foreign experts discussed the role of the great powers in shaping the current system of international relations, as well as the potential ability for Russia and the U.S. to find common ground in 2016.
21. International Policy Digest: Arctic Trade Route Presents Opportunity for Russia-West Cooperation.
22. The Daily Telegraph (UK): EU, Russia may nuke asteroids. Blowing up comets and asteroids with nuclear bombs is just one way to save the planet from an Armageddon-style impact, say scientists.
23. www.rt.com: Russia to respond to NATO Black Sea force by deploying new weapons – report.
24. Gazeta.ru: Website explores potential for conflicts between Russia and its neighbours.
25. Interfax: Mutko anticipating rivalry between Russian and US athletes at Olympic Games.
26. Moscow Times: Russian Animated Film Gets Oscar Nod.
27. www.rt.com: Danielle Ryan, US investigation into ‘Russian meddling’ in the EU will be a farce.
28. The Unz Report: Anatoly Karlin, Poland Can Into Putinization?
29. Russia Insider: US and OPEC Depression of the Oil Price Cannot Last.
30. Dances With Bears: John Helmer, WATCH MY MOOSE LIPS – MORE SECRETS FROM THE YELTSIN CENTRE, INCLUDING ITS $220 MILLION COST.

UKRAINE

31. Reuters: With One Eye on Moscow, Europe Presses Ukraine on Reforms.
32. Ukraine Today (Kyiv): New US-style police officers begin patrol duties on the streets of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk.
33. The Guardian: Shaun Walker, No regrets over Ukraine split, but Crimeans want more love from Russia. Nearly two years on, many are pleased to be free of Kiev, but relations with Moscow are not as rosy as they would like.
34. Interfax: Tensions escalate in conflict zone in eastern Ukraine after New Year holidays – OSCE SMM.
35. Asia Times: M.K.Bhadrakumar, Ukraine: Euromaidan’s godmother engages Kremlin grey cardinal.
36. Kyiv Post: Timothy Ash, Is Ukraine-Russian peace deal brewing behind the scenes?
37. Fort Russ: Ishchenko: the US Was Forced to Put Pressure on Kiev.
38. Kyiv Post: Months without pay at Donetsk mine leads to strike, firings.
39. Facebook: Ivan Katchanovski, EU-Ukraine Agreement.
40. Interfax: Over 20 judges making decisions on Euromaidan activists may be dismissed in Ukraine.
41. Atlantic Council: Anders Aslund, Seven Key Reforms for Ukraine in 2016.