RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-20 :: Thursday, 28 January 2016

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#20
Thursday 28 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. Irrussianality: Paul Robinson, PUTIN ON COMMUNISM.
2. Foreign Affairs: Alexander Motyl, Lights Out for the Putin Regime. The Coming Russian Collapse.
3. RAND Corporation: William Courtney and Donald Jensen, The Tide Is Going Out on Putin.
4. Rethinking Russia: Danielle Ryan, Who is to Blame for Instigating a Conflict between Russia and the West?
5. Militarytimes.com: Russian aggression a top concern in U.S. European Command’s new military strategy.
6. Wall Street Journal: Europe Curbing Defence Cuts to Counter ‘More Assertive Russia,’ Says NATO.
7. Militarytimes.com: U.S. vs. Russia: What a war would look like between the world’s most fearsome militaries. VLADIMIR PUTIN’S BRAZEN MOVES IN SYRIA AND UKRAINE RAISE NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT AMERICA’S CONTINGENCY PLANS.
8. Kremlin.ru: Meeting of the Russian Popular Front’s (ONF) interregional forum. (transcript continued)
9. Kremlin.ru: Meeting with Government members.
10. Moscow Times: Fewer Russians Think Country Is on the Right Track – Poll.
11. Russia Direct: RD I sight: Will the economic crisis in Russia drive people to the streets? RD interviewed Russia’s prominent political experts to figure out what are the odds of the current economic crisis driving people to the streets and turning into a political one?
12. Moscow Times: Russia Improves Position in International Corruption Rating.
13. Russia Observer: Patrick Armstrong, Corruption is More Complicated Than That.
14. Forbes.com: Kenneth Rapoza, Russia Sanction Relief ‘Will Be Massive’
15. Russia Insider: Alexander Mercouris, In Upbeat Mood, Putin Reviews the Economy with his Team. Meetings between Putin, Economics Minister Ulyukaev and the rest of his economics team suggest growing confidence and decisions on interest rates as inflation falls and more foreign debt is paid off.
16. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Investors could benefit from Russia’s economic turmoil. As the Russian economy hits hard times, with business incomes falling, government spending facing cuts and the ruble losing value, RBTH spoke to Sergei Katyrin, president of Russia’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to find out how foreign companies are enduring the current “perfect storm” for business.
17. Wall Street Journal: Russia Ready for Talks With OPEC Over Potential ‘Coordination on Production.’ Talks in February would assess changes in market situation, says Russian Oil Minister.
18. Komsomolskaya Pravda: Russian experts debate if liberal ministers are to blame for economic crisis. (Svanidze and Delyagin)
19. Interfax: Sweden delivers judgment in favor of Russia in dispute with Yukos holders.
20. Moscow Times: Chechen Leader Ramzan Kadyrov Losing Popularity Among Russians – Poll.
21. CNBC.com: Ian Ivory, Why Russia’s pivot East is crucial for its own survival.
22. Reuters: International Court to Investigate 2008 Georgia-Russia War.
23. Interfax: Russian Investigative Committee gives ICC data on S. Ossetia conflict crimes.
24. www.thedailybeast.com: Vladimir Putin’s Ex-Wife Finds a New, Younger Love.
25. http://journalitico.com: Danielle Ryan, Putin is secretly an alien, US official reveals.
26. The Kremlin Stooge: Mark Chapman, Drool, Brittania: The Ongoing Imbecilization of Britain Proceeds Apace. (re Litvinenko)
27. Moscow Times: Andrew Davies’ New ‘War and Peace’ Takes the Small Screen by Storm.

UKRAINE

28. The Register (UK): Techie on the ground disputes BlackEnergy Ukraine power outage story. And Russia? That’s too convenient.
29. Russia Direct: Stanislav Tkachenko, Will the Association Agreement with the EU really help the Ukrainian economy? As Ukraine officially pivots away from Russia and towards the EU, what are the implications for Kiev and the Kremlin?
30. Sputnik: ‘We Got Duped’: Ukraine’s Agro Tycoon Complains of EU Free Trade ‘Fraud.’ (Yuriy Kosyuk)
31. AFP: Ukraine’s central bank downgrades 2016 growth forecast.
32. Interfax-Ukraine: Two thirds of Ukrainian face corruption in 2015, corruption is key problem of Ukraine – poll.
33. Bloomberg: Ukraine’s Graft Fight Shows Little Progress, Transparency Says.
34. Russia Insider: Zahkar Prilepin, More and More Ukrainians Waking Up from Maidan-Induced Stupor. Deep seated Russian sympathy, history, and identity cannot be eradicated from Ukraine, try as some extremists might.
35. Fort Russ: HRW Criticizes Kiev for Failing to Investigate the Events of Maidan and Odessa.
36. AP: Putin Aide: Kiev Refuses to Honor Minsk Deal.
37. BBC: Rebels demand special status for Donbass in Ukrainian constitution.
38. Russia Insider: Yurasumy, Ukraine Is Using Minsk to Build a First Strike Army. Ukraine’s regular army was never formidable, but with Washington’s help, it’s using the time bought by the ceasefire to build up its forces.
39. https://newcoldwar.org: Ivan Katchanovski, What the trials and investigations of Ukraine’s extreme right are revealing.
40. Consortiumnews.com: Jonathan Marshall, Nazi Roots of Ukraine’s Conflict.
41. Wall Street Journal: LINAS LINKEVICIUS, Security Before Politics in Eastern Ukraine There can be no free elections in the region so long as Russia’s tanks still roam free.
42. Atlantic Council: Paul Niland, Making Sense of Minsk: Decentralization, Special Status, and Federalism.
43. Paul Goble: Putin’s Departure Alone Won’t Necessarily Solve Ukraine’s Problems, Popovich Says.