RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2018-21 :: Wednesday, 31 January 2018

St. Basil's Domes

To inquire about a subscription to the full Johnson’s Russia List e-mail newsletter, e-mail David Johnson at davidjohnson@starpower.net

[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter]

Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2018-#21
Wednesday, 31 January 2018
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.
JRL homepage: russialist.org – JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist – JRL on Twitter: @JohnsonRussiaLi
Support for JRL is provided in part by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York to the George Washington University and by voluntary contributions from readers.
Support JRL: russialist.org/funding.phpDonate Online: direct link

1. TASS: Russia reaches lowest mortality rate in 25 years.
2. TASS: Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Russians’ positive expectations growing, pollster reveals.
3. TASS: Media: “Kremlin List” jeopardizes prospects for Russia-US relations, experts note.
5. The Unz Review: Anatoly Karlin, The Phantom List. – unz.com/akarlin/the-phantom-list/
6. Forbes.com: Kenneth Rapoza, DC Think Tanks Fail To Deliver Russian ‘Sanctions’ Smackdown, Market Up. – forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2018/01/30/dc-think-tanks-fail-to-deliver-russian-sanctions-smackdown-market-up/#655249b3340e
7. RFE/RL: Brian Whitmore, Why The List Matters.
8. http://theduran.com: Alexander Mercouris, US announces no new anti Russian sanctions but produces list cobbled together from Kremlin directory and Forbes Russia rich list. – theduran.com/us-versus-russia-washington-publishes-non-sanctions-list/
9. TASS: Peskov chides US unpredictability due to contradictions in ‘Kremlin List’ and sanctions.
10. Bear Market Brief: Mnuchin muddies the waters on new sanctions.
11. Bear Market Blog: Ian Bugbee, CAATSA Me If You Can: Russia has escaped new sanctions–for now. (excerpt) – bearmarketbrief.com/2018/01/31/caatsa-me-if-you-can-russia-has-escaped-new-sanctions-for-now/
12. www.rt.com: US Treasury’s blacklist could provide a huge boost for Russia’s budget.
13. RFE/RL: Investors Take U.S. List Of Russian ‘Oligarchs’ In Stride — For Now.
14. Meduza: Washington added every Russian billionaire to its ‘list of oligarchs.’ Does that make sense? Who are these ‘oligarchs’?
15. Vesti.ru: BEWILDERED AND AMUSED: Liberal Hero Wonders How He Made It on the New US Sanctions List. (Mikhail Fedotov) [Video with English subtitles https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2982448&cid=4441]
16. Vesti.ru: Amusing: Top US and Russian Experts Tear Apart the New Round of Anti-Kremlin Sanctions. [Video with English subtitles https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2982457&cid=4441]
17. http://usforeignpolicy.blogs.lalibre.be: Gilbert Doctorow, US policy on Russia: is the US Administration or Congress calling the shots? And where are sanctions leading?
18. Christian Science Monitor: Fred Weir, Is running against Putin pointless? Why some candidates say no. There is no doubt that Vladimir Putin will win a fourth term in Russia’s presidential election on March 18. But despite the Kremlin’s orchestration of the proceedings, the race provides also-rans with opportunities to shape Russia’s path.
19. Financial Times: Putin sets out election pitch in campaign short of competition. Russian president tries to inject energy into vote he is all but guaranteed to win.
20. AP: Russia’s Communist Nominee for President Shuns Party Dogma.
21. www.rt.com: Sobchak submits supporters’ signatures to Central Election Commission as deadline nears.
22. Interfax: Increase in number of minors taking part in unauthorized rallies is problem – human rights council.
23. www.rt.com: Putin warns of dangers caused by internet anonymity, urges protection from ‘destructive forces’
24. Interfax: Putin warns against further politicization of global sports.
25. Awful Avalanche: Activists Test Status Of Same-Sex Marriage In Russia – Part IV.
26. Moscow Times; Jonathan Brown, Can Russia Sustain Its Foreign Policy Power Plays in 2018?
27. Wall Street Journal: Russia Returns to U.S.’s Backyard. Moscow steadily rebuilds ties in Caribbean and Latin America; ‘an attempt to challenge U.S. leadership’
28. Valdai Discussion Club: Vitaly Naumkin, SYRIAN NATIONAL DIALOGUE CONGRESS AS A UNIQUE EVENT OF RUSSIAN PEACEKEEPING,
29. TASS: Izvestia: Sochi congress becomes springboard for Syria.
30. www.rt.com: Praise & heckling as Russian FM speaks at Syrian National Congress in Sochi (VIDEO) [Video here https://www.rt.com/news/417436-lavrov-interrupted-sochi-talks/]
31. Off-Guardian: If you know anyone who still thinks the White Helmets are “heroes” – show them this 7m video. [Video here https://off-guardian.org/2018/01/27/if-you-know-anyone-who-still-think-the-white-helmets-are-heroes-show-them-this-7m-video/]
32. Valdai Discussion Club: Alexei Miller, VALDAI PAPER #81: THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION OF 1917: HISTORY, MEMORY, AND POLITICS. [English text of paper here: http://valdaiclub.com/files/16936/]
33. RFE/RL: In Ukraine, Ultranationalist Militia Strikes Fear In Some Quarters.
34. Kennan Institute: Matthew Rojansky and Mikhail Minakov, Kennan Cable No. 30: Democracy in Ukraine: Are We There Yet? (excerpt)
35. New York Times editorial: Trump Gives Putin a Pass for Trashing American Democracy.
36. The Register (UK): Kremlin social media trolls aren’t actually that influential, study finds.
[Text with links and graphics https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/30/russian_troll_influence/]
37. Gizmodo.com: Facebook Users Cry ‘Censorship’ After Being Told Which Russian Troll Pages They Liked.
38. Medium.com: Kim Holleman, If You Believe in Russian Collusion, Why Can’t You Explain it? Why can’t you explain this super-serious thing which you are 100% certain happened?
39. http://theduran.com: Alexander Mercouris, Russiagate scandal approaches its implosion point. Publication of GOP memorandum on surveillance abuses by Obama’s Justice Department threatens to blow lid off the scandal. [Text with links http://theduran.com/russiagate-scandal-approaches-its-implosion-point/]

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

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

Map of CIS Central Asia and Environs

Eurasia Map

Comment