RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2016-28 :: Tuesday, 9 February 2016

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#28
Tuesday, 9 February 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
The contents do not necessarily represent the views of IERES or the George Washington University.
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1. TASS: Russians claim to know a lot about science though read little about it – survey.
2. www.rt.com: Russia to become world’s largest wheat exporter in 2016.
3. Spiked: Tara McCormack, A NEW COLD WAR? Tensions may be rising, but Russia is not to blame.
4. www.rt.com: Communists plan ‘popular patriotic coalition’ to counter United Russia at future polls.
5. Politkom.ru: Analyst views impact of perceived economic crisis on social mood in Russia. (Tatyana Stanovaya)
6. True Economics: Constantin Gurdgiev, Down the Ruble Hole? Russian Opinions & Russian Economy.
7. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Small businesses taking off in Russia, thanks to the crisis.
8. Moscow Times: Personal Debt in Russia Up 30% in 2015.
9. Transitions Online: Russian Officials Consider Bank Support Measures.
10. Center on Global Interests: CGI Asks: Who Wins From Russia’s Privatization? (Sergey Aleksashenko, Harley Balzer, Chris Miller, Daniel Russell)
11. www.rt.com: Kremlin appeals Hague court decision in Yukos case.
12. Bloomberg: Putin’s New Internet Czar Wants Apple and Google to Pay More Taxes.
13. Gazeta.ru: Putin’s Internet adviser interviewed about copyright, possible ban on Google. (German Klimenko)
14. Carnegie Moscow Center: Ilya Klishin, Web of Control: the Future of the Russian Internet.
15. Russia Direct: Upcoming meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill attracts attention of Russian media. Russian media roundup: The meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church is being carefully watched by Russian media, especially as it may relate to the situation in the Middle East.
16. TASS: Russia’s operation in Syria destroyed plans for military solution to crisis – ambassador.
17. Middle East Eye: Gareth Porter, US position on Syria tilts in favour of Russian intervention. The US seeks to take advantage of shared American-Russian interests in fighting ISIS, downgrading the objective of Syrian regime change.
18. Wall Street Journal: Chechens Back Russians on the Ground in Syria Conflict. Special forces from Russia’s mostly Muslim region are on the ground helping Kremlin warplanes.
19. Moscow Times: Grozny Says No Chechen Agents Helping Russia in Syria.
20. Global Futures: George Friedman, Why Russian-Turkish Hostility Makes Sense. Tensions between the two countries have heightened again, although this is not surprising when viewed in historical context.
21. Russia Insider: Alexander Mercouris, Why Erdogan Will Not Invade Syria – Probably! US opposition almost certain to deter Erdogan from trying to change the military balance in Syria by direct Turkish military intervention.
22. TASS: Munich Security Conference to continue East-West blame game. (Rogov and Arbatov)
23. Russia Direct: Natalia Bubnova, A Russian perspective on the U.S. presidential campaign. Despite staking out different positions on other policy issues, the candidates running for the U.S. presidency – with the possible exception of Donald Trump – appear to be unanimous in their stance towards Russia. The wildcard factor could be Michael Bloomberg.
24. Washington Times: Russian ambassador sees U.S. ties at post-Cold War low.
25. Russia Direct: Olga Poroshina, How playing the Russia card can be an effective tactic for US politicians. Criticism of Russia within the U.S. can help to achieve a number of useful goals – whether it’s the pursuit of political power, increased military budgets or new business deals.
26. New York Times: Russian Companies Rush to Return to Post-Sanctions Iran.
27. www.rt.com: Danielle Ryan, Coincidence? Baltic invasion story reappears as Pentagon seeks to quadruple Europe spending.
28. Russia Observer: Patrick Armstrong, The Collapse of Russia – Coming Soon!! Again!!
29. RFE/RL: Brian Whitmore, The Daily Vertical: Putin Smells Blood.
30. Interfax: Russians support humanitarian aid to Donbas, relative majority sees no change there – poll.
31. Kyiv Post: Lawyers: Breakthrough in Maidan killings case ‘a PR stunt’ by prosecutors.
32. Jerusalem Post: Ukraine backtracks on Babi Yar plans amid accusations of Holocaust revisionism. Ukrainian gov’t is facing allegations that it’s engaging in historical revisionism following announcement of plans to revamp massacre site to generic symbol rather than emblem of Holocaust.
33. Kyiv Post: Alexei Bayer, Why is Putin’s propaganda successful?
34. Links: Renfrey Clarke and Roger Annis. Perpetrator or victim? Russia and contemporary imperialism.
35. TASS: Russian adaptation of ‘Game of Thrones’ inspired by Romanov dynasty – filmmakers.
36. Moscow Times: Moscow’s Steamship Bolshoi Keeps Rolling. (re “Bolshoi Babylon”)
37. Hoover Institution: A Tribute To Robert Conquest.

 

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