RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2016-88 :: Tuesday, 17 May 2016

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#88
Tuesday, 17 May 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. RFE/RL: Russia’s Economy Shows Signs Of Stabilization In First Quarter.
2. Russia Direct: Russia’s anti-terror legislation, liberal media under pressure and Eurovision. Russian media roundup: The Russian State Duma introduced controversial anti-terrorism legislation and the independent media holding company RBC found itself under new pressure from the Kremlin.
3. Kremlin.ru: State Council meeting on construction sector and urban planning development.
4. Kremlin.ru: Meeting of the Commission for Monitoring Targeted Socioeconomic Development Indicators.
5. Intellinews.com: Russia implements Putin ‘May decrees’ to sweeten elections.
6. Izvestia: Government views key areas for work to implement Putin’s decrees.
7. Russia Direct: Ivan Tsvetkov, Russia’s independent media takes another hit. The recent episode involving one of Moscow’s most prominent media companies is just the latest confrontation between the ruling elite and liberal opposition in Russia.
8. www.rt.com: US predicted that sanctions would tear Russian economy apart, but they didn’t – finance minister.
9. Russia Insider/Komsomolskaya Pravda: How Much Russians Spend per Shopping Trip. On average, consumer expenditures are growing in Moscow and St. Petersburg and remaining stable elsewhere.
10. Wall Street Journal: Russian Government Has No Plans to Raise Taxes, Siluanov Says.
11. Intellinews.com: Oil to the rescue of Russia’s stock market.
12. Reuters: Russia’s Putin opens way for state stake sale in Bashneft.
13. Institutional Investor: Atanas Djumaliev, What’s in Store for Russian Oil.
14. www.rt.com: Lavrov, Kerry: Syria meeting sees progress, agrees to turn truce into real ceasefire.
15. Reuters: U.S., Russia stalemate on Syria frustrates European powers.
16. http://theduran.com: Afra’a Dagher, Syria’s Two Front War. The war against Syria is being fought both militarily and through propaganda which turns the reality of Syria’s suffering on its head.
17. www.rt.com: Russia to counter NATO expansion with new radar station in Crimea – source.
18. Valdai Discussion Club: Rein Mullerson, EUROPE: AMERICANS IN – RUSSIANS OUT? There has emerged, and is widening, even an ideological rift between Europa and Russia that to a certain extent is due to the geopolitical conflict, not so much between Europe and Russia, but more between Washington and Moscow.
19. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Olympic doping scandal: Whistleblower Rodchenkov may face court in Russia. Grigory Rodchenkov’s exposure of Russian Olympic champions’ use of doping contains many unsubstantiated accusations and few facts, say Russian officials and experts.
20. New York Times: Russian Sports Doping: Explained.

UKRAINE

21. Carnegie Moscow Center: Maxim Vikhrov, The Tip of the Ukraine Iceberg: After the Dutch EU Referendum. Despite Kiev’s official rhetoric, the national consensus on integration with the EU is increasingly fragile. Pro-Russian forces are reasserting themselves in the southeast, while ultra-right activists are campaigning against the European Union in the west. On top of that, the current pro-European government has no real achievements to boast of.
22. Interfax-Ukraine: Construction of “Wall” started at state border with Russia in Luhansk region.
23. TASS: Russia will not back IMF aid program to Ukraine if it fails to consider debt requests.
24. TASS: Crimea invites Ukraine’s Jamala to sing at opening of memorial to deportation victims.
25. Christian Science Monitor: Fred Weir, Ukraine’s Eurovision win highlights Russia’s Tatar challenge. A song contest, meant to unify Europe, instead puts Ukraine and Russia at odds over a controversial song that obliquely reflects Russia’s current moves against a Crimean minority.
26. Facebook: Mark Sleboda, Comment on Christian Science Monitor article.
27. Russia Beyond the Headlines: A Euro ‘vision’ of discord: The reaction from Russia and Ukraine. Eurovision, Europe’s most popular song contest, has pitted Russia against Ukraine. The winning song and the results of the jury have prompted considerable commentary in both countries, turning an apolitical show into yet another frontline in an ongoing media war.
28. New York Times: Ukraine’s Eurovision Win Rouses a Chorus of Anger and Suspicion in Russia.
29. Fort Russ: Jamala’s “Ukrainian” Parents Prosper in Russian Crimea.
30. The Daily Mail (UK): Peter Hitchens, Is this About Helping the Tatars – or Just Another Pretext for Attacking Russia?
31. Reuters: New Police Force Finds Old Habits Die Hard in Ukraine.
32. Intellinews.com: INTERVIEW: Ukraine’s new finance minister hits all the right notes at EBRD. (Oleksandr Danylyuk)
33. The Atlantic Council: Anders Aslund, High Time for Privatization in Ukraine.
34. www.foreignpolicy.com: Kateryna Krukmay, All the President’s Men. Why President Poroshenko’s latest power grab shows that the reform process in Ukraine is stalling.
35. https://newcoldwar.org: The ‘white race values’ of the Ukrainian government coalition.
36. World Affairs: Alexander J. Motyl, Dying for the Donbas?
37. Moskovsky Komsomolets: Moscow daily interviews Ukraine rebel official Denys Pushylin.
38. Fort Russ: The Eurodream ends, the EU nightmare begins: “Free trade” zone destroying Ukraine’s economy.

 

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

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

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