RUSSIA – Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-8 :: Friday AM, 15 January 2016

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#8
Friday 15 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 Atlantic: Cari Romm, A Mammoth, a Spear, and a New Timeline for Humans in the Arctic. A new paper uses prehistoric animal injuries to argue that people populated the region thousands of years earlier than previously believed.
2. UVAToday (University of Virginia): TO UNDERSTAND MODERN RUSSIA, J-TERM STUDENTS REVIEW 1,000 YEARS OF HISTORY.
3. Christian Science Monitor: Fred Weir, Why fear of war weighs heavily for Russians in the New Year. The Russian public is worried about a full-on conflict with the US, fed in part by a drumbeat from the Kremlin and in part by US and NATO foreign policies.
4. Government.ru: The 7th Gaidar Forum.
5. Russia Insider: Patrick Armstrong, One-Pager on Latest Developments in Russia.
6. Interfax: Putin urges government to be ready for any economic scenario.
7. www.rt.com: Russia to cut social spending in 2016.
8. TASS: PM Medvedev: Cabinet of Ministers to cut costs and scrap projects.
9. Moscow Times: Russian Ministry Predicts More Recession, Lower Incomes and Less Employment.
10. Forbes.com: Mark Adomanis, Amidst A Deepening Recession, Russia’s International Reserves Are Stable (For Now).
11. Moskovskiy Komsomolets: Prime minister, president criticized for “silence” amid economic crisis. (Mikhail Rostovskiy)
12. www.rt.com: ‘Ruble won’t be in free fall forever.’ (Vladimir Rozhankovsky)
13. Vedomosti: Sources differ over prospects of ex-minister Kudrin’s return to power.
14. Dances With Bears: John Helmer, ALEXEI KUDRIN PLAYS AMERICAN BALL – STRIKES OUT, AGAIN.
15. TASS: Investment stimulation as key task for Russian economic growth.
16. Moscow Times: Russians Increasingly Pessimistic About Job Prospects – Poll.
17. Forbes.com: Rapoza, Strong Dollar Crushing Russia’s Gazprom.
18. The Daily Telegraph (UK): Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, Glimmers of hope for oil as Russia poised to slash output. RBC Capital Markets said the changes in Russia could pave the way for an implicit accord with Opec but huge hurdles remain.
19. Washington Post: With oil prices plunging, Russia looks ahead to grim 2016.
20. Gazeta.ru: Russian study predicts upswing in protest activity during 2016 Duma election.
21. Moscow Times: Russian Culture Minister Says Burning Books ‘Completely Unacceptable’
22. TASS: Russia concurs with outcome of WADA doping inquiry – sports minister.
23. www.rt.com: Six months till Olympics, IAAF still playing games with Russia.
24. Moscow Times: China’s Economic Turmoil Ruins Russia’s New Year.
25. Russia Direct: How Russia can help the Chinese economy. Fears of a Chinese economic slowdown are leading to new thinking about the trade and investment partnership between Russia and China, according to participants at the Gaidar Economic Forum.
26. Interfax: New Russian security strategy views use of military force as “extreme measure”
26. Interfax: New Russian security strategy views use of military force as “extreme measure” 27. Interfax: In Russia’s updated national security strategy NATO not named a ‘threat’
28. Timothy Stubbs: Re: 2016-#7-Johnson’s Russia List/Mercouris re NATO.
29. Vedomosti: Analysts see economic problems as driver of Putin bid to “make peace” with West.
30. CNBC.com: Putin takes on disarming tone with West as oil prices plunge.
31. Wall Street Journal: Russian Intervention Emboldens Syrian Kurds. Moscow’s operations allows fighters to ignore U.S. concerns and gain ground against other rebel groups.
32. The Guardian: Mary Dejevsky, Exiling Assad to Russia isn’t as crazy as it sounds. The problem of who would succeed Syria remains a huge one, but this idea raised by a German journalist is worth including in the upcoming talks
33. Sputnik: Seymour Hersh: US Military Recognizes Russia’s Success in Syria.
34. The National Interest: Maxim Sushkov, Russia’s Plan for the Middle East. After an explosive 2015, Moscow looks to the year ahead.
35. Russia Insider: Deena Stryker, Is it Really Russia that’s Isolated, Mr. President? Obama’s State of the Union as an exercise in national denial.
36. Reuters: Josh Cohen, Vladimir Putin is the closest thing to a friend Israel has ever had in Moscow.
37. Los Angeles Times: Lev Golinkin, Heinous, ideological enemy? The U.S. has been there before.
38. www.rt.com: Public opinion of Stalin improves over past few years – poll results.
39. Russia Insider: Alexei Pankin, Is Stalin Really Dead? – Poll Shows Support for Uncle Joe on the Rise. China, without repenting for Mao’s crimes, has achieved more progress than Russia, though it has been repenting for over 60 years.
40. Wall Street Journal: ‘War & Peace’ Review: Tolstoy in the Bedroom. This small-screen adaptation tries to spice up a cornerstone of Russian literature.
41. www.thedailybeast.com: Anna Nemtsova, Putin’s $300 Billion Brain Fart. While Russia’s Economy Crumbles, Putin’s in Wonderland.
42. Washington Times: Ted R. Bromund, Russia’s insecurity strategy.
43. New York Times: Ivan Krastev , Why Putin Loves Trump.