RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2016-45 :: Friday, 4 March 2016

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#45
Friday, 4 March 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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RUSSIA

1. www.opendemocracy.net: Vladimir Itkin, The ordinary, yet exceptional people of Russia’s provinces. A significant part of Russia remains unknown to many of its citizens – mainstream media have no interest in the provinces. This photoblog captures a provincial life otherwise left behind.
2. Moon of Alabama: Russia Is ‘Weaponizing’ … Everything.
3. Rethinking Russia: Ivan Blot, The Popularity of President Putin Shows the Democratic Character of His Presidency.
4. www.opendemocracy.net: Why we don’t publish articles about Putin. Mainstream media in the west and Russia is fixated on the Russian president. Here’s why we’re not.
5. TASS: Poll: Russians are certain women’s business talents are in no way inferior to men’s.
6. BBC Monitoring: Russian press says rights ombudswoman likely to chair election body.(Ella Pamfilova)
7. www.rt.com: Veteran Russian liberal vows to beat Putin in 2018 presidential race. (Yavlinsky)
8. Interfax: Yabloko and PARNAS to have separate lists at elections, unified party impossible for technical, political reasons – Yavlinsky.
9. Novaya Gazeta: Russian opposition leader interviewed on prospects for democratic alliance. (Mikhail Kasyanov)
10. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Russian oil companies approve production freeze. The country’s top oil bosses have agreed to keep production at January levels in a deal with the government, which is hoping the move will see oil prices increase. However, analysts say that the move may not necessarily lead to a recovery.
11. www.rt.com: Deutsche Bank positive on Russian ruble.
12. Russia Insider: It’s Not Oil That’s Russia’s Curse, It’s Excessive Imports. RI features yet another perspective in the ongoing debate about the future of Russia’s economy. (Victor Ivanter)
13. Gazeta.ru: Seven out of 10 Russians think economy in crisis.
14. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Russian media silent as U.S. extends sanctions against Moscow. The U.S. has extended its economic sanctions regime against Russia. While the mass media kept quiet on the news, one or two outlets speculated about the possible reasons behind the decision as well as about the likely outcome of a coming EU vote on whether to follow suit.
15. Wall Street Journal: How Putin’s Embargo Is Reshaping Russia’s Cuisine. Putin’s embargo is changing the way Russians dine out, and chef Vladimir Mukhin is taking the opportunity to transfigure the country’s cuisine.
16. The Economist: Russia and sanctions. Toe in the water. Why is Russia tapping international debt markets?
17. AP: In Its First Week, Syria Truce Brings Sharp Drop in Violence.
18. BBC: Steve Rosenberg, Can Russia help build the peace in Syria?
19. Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Analyst views Russian-US Syria ceasefire plan as most singular recent event. (Leonid Radzikhovskiy)
20. Russia Direct: Ex-US diplomat explains competing interests of Russia, West in Syria. RD Interview: Former diplomat Daniel Kurtzer of Princeton explains the nature of U.S.-Russia cooperation on Syria and the ability of the two former superpower rivals to influence their regional allies.
21. The National Interest: Zach Abels, What’s Behind the Effectiveness of Russia’s Syria Strategy.
22. AP: US returns stolen archival material to Russia.
23. Interfax: Moscow grateful to U.S. for return of stolen archive documents, expect such cooperation in other areas – foreign ministry.
24. Valdai Discussion Club: Piotr Dutkiewicz, THE COLD WAR THAT ISN’T. Despite numerous politicians’ and journalists’ bombastic claims, the Cold War is over and it neither has nor will it ever start again.
25. Sputnik: War and Peace: Are US Hawks at Odds With Secretary of State Kerry?
26. Defusing the Nuclear Threat: Martin Hellman, The Turing Award, Nuclear Risk, and Recapturing True Love. (DJ: Longtime JRL recipient)

UKRAINE

27. Irrussianality: Paul Robinson, REPORT ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN UKRAINE.
28. DPA: Ukraine will not join EU, NATO for another 20-25 years, Juncker says.
29. www.rt.com: EU’s refusal to accept Ukraine exposes Kiev’s deceit of its own people, says Russian MP.
30. Kyiv Post: EU To Ukraine: Grow Up!
31. Wall Street Journal: Ukraine Talks Fail to Ease Standoff. Meeting between foreign ministers aimed at reviving peace process for eastern Ukraine ends in acrimony.
32. TASS: Moscow calls on Kiev to speed up implementation of Minsk-2 package.
33. Kyiv Post editorial: Reflexively repressive.
34. Russia Insider: Alexei Pankin, Ukrainians Dying by the Thousands Due to Lack of Meds, Protesters Blame Yatsenyuk (Video). Terminally ill patients suffering from cancer, AIDS, hepatitis, and tuberculosis protested at the Ukrainian Government Building.
35. Fort Russ/RIA: New IMF Tranche to Kiev Depends on the Payment of Debt to Moscow.
36. New York Times: In Ukraine Towns Ravaged by War, Evangelical Missionaries Find Fertile Ground.
37. Russia Insider: Oleg Tsarev, Yanukovich Planning Return to Ukraine to Establish Constitutional Order.
38. www.opendemocracy.net: Alexandr Litoy, The “heroes of Novorossiya”: where are they now? Two years ago, a separatist movement in southeast Ukraine brought war and tragedy to the whole country. Though the crisis continues, the movement’s first leaders have gone their separate ways.
39. www.rt.com: Washington refuses to reveal details of cooperation with Dutch investigators over MH-17.
40. Facebook: Ivan Katchanovski, Stepan Bandera Prospect.
41. Voice of America: ‘We’re Not Giving Up on Crimea,’ US Defense Official Says. (Michael Carpenter)

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

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