RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2017-62 :: Thursday, 30 March 2017

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2017-#62
Thursday, 30 March 2017
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1. The Guardian (UK): Natalia Antonova, The arts thrive in Putin’s Russia – though they play a complex game of censorship.
2. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Grisha Bruskin: Russia is more interesting to the West when it is dangerous. How Milos Forman, a New York Times cover, a CIA agent and a Venetian bronze all come together in the life of a Russian artist.
3. The National Interest: Sergey Lavrov: The Interview. An “absolutely artificial hysterical situation was created” in U.S.-Russia relations-but not quite yet a Cold War.
4. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Poll: 89% of Russians believe state corruption must not be tolerated. The Levada Center carried out a survey about public perception of corruption. Russians are less likely to blame President Vladimir Putin, but more likely to complain about universal corruption.
5. TASS: Putin: Corruption must be fought against, but using this issue to score points is wrong.
6. www.rt.com: Rights council launches probe into unsanctioned Moscow protests.
7. The National Interest: Alexander Lukin, Where Will Russia’s Protests Lead? The anticorruption wave could give way to greater instability.
8. Moscow Times: Daria Litvinova, Are Russian Teens Really About to Storm the Kremlin? Recent anti-corruption rallies will go down as Russia’s most youthful protests.
9. Novaya Gazeta: Russia’s Navalny said using Medvedev video for 2018 campaign.
10. The Guardian (UK): Shaun Walker, Dmitry Medvedev: the whipping boy for Russia’s discontented. The corruption allegations that led to street protests add to the air of disappointment surrounding the country’s prime minister.
11. Washington Post: Yevgenia Albats , Russia’s protests show that a new generation is finding its voice.
12. www.rt.com: Russian ruble proves irresistible to emerging market investors, continuing its meteoric rise.
13. www.bearmarketbrief.com: A Unique Labor Model Takes Shape.
14. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Vzglyad: Are Russia’s oil wells truly in danger of drying up? Russia’s economy is heavily dependent on the energy sector. Oil and gas alone are estimated to account for 16 percent of GDP, 52 percent of the federal government’s revenue, and 70 percent of the country’s exports. Russia’s future without oil is inconceivable, and would debilitate the country tremendously. Therefore, investments in the exploration of new oil reserves are imperative, but current Western
15. Bloomberg: Russia Can Wait for $70 Oil Before Re-Entering Arctic Waters.
16. Awful Avalanche: In Hohenfels NATO Dress Rehearses Invasion Of Russia.
17. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Gazeta.ru: Why is Putin expanding Russia’s armed forces to 1.9 million? As the world’s largest country, Russia must be prepared to deal with threats across many times zones and along an extensive border. Nevertheless, the number of active military servicemen and women in Russia is only half that of the U.S. Therefore, the Kremlin is keen to improve its defensive capabilities.
18. Transitions Online: Russia to Step Up Arctic Development. While Putin talks energy projects and security in the far north, Deputy PM Rogozin promises to protect its fragile environment.
19. Kremlin.ru: Meeting on Arctic region’s comprehensive development.
20. www.rt.com: Putin ready to meet Trump at upcoming Arctic summit in Finland.
21. Asia Times: Doug Tsuruoka, Despite US-Russia tensions, Arctic powers eye cooperation. A Council on Foreign Relations report notes both competition and cooperation among China, Russia and the US at the top of the world.
22. New York Times: 150 Years After Sale of Alaska, Some Russians Have Second Thoughts.
23. Asia Times: Sergei Blagov, Alliance with Syria tightens Russia’s ties with Iran. Continuing cooperation on Syria was high on the agenda of a meeting between Putin and Rouhani, but other agreements were made as well.
24. Valdai Discussion Club: Nina Mamedova, RUSSIA AND IRAN CHOOSE FRUGAL COOPERATION.
25. The National Interest: Kenneth Yalowitz and William Courtney, Belarus: Between Russia and the West.
26. Forbes.com: Kenneth Rapoza, In Europe’s Other ‘Divorce,’ Ukraine Loses To Russia … Again.
27. Interfax: SBU cannot yet confirm ex-Duma deputy Voronenkov’s killer was FSB agent.
28. Wall Street Journal: Trump’s Rapid Rapprochement Plans With Russia Fade. Investigations into Russia’s alleged interference in U.S. presidential election complicates relationship.
29. Consortiumnews.com: Robert Parry, The Sleazy Origins of Russia-gate. Official Washington’s groupthink is that Russian “disinformation” helped elect Donald Trump, but the evidence is actually much stronger that Russian “dirt” was helping Hillary Clinton.
30. www.rt.com: Bryan MacDonald, RT covered both of this week’s big protests; CNN ignored one of them.
31. The Nation: Stephen Cohen, The Sovietization of the American Political-Media Establishment? The hunt for Trump’s “Kremlin connections” indulges in practices reminiscent of the Soviet Kremlin and its media.
32. AP: Senate Hearing to Focus on Russian Disinformation Tactics.
33. Kennan Institute: Andrei Babitsky, Our Man in Washington.
34. Russia Matters: Russia, China and the Uncertain Future of the Collective West: Q&A with Kevin Rudd.