RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2018-75 :: Thursday, 26 April 2018

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2018-#74
Wednesday, 25 April 2018

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1. Deutsche Welle: Ryabkov: ‘The West only hears itself, disregards alternative views’
2. Reuters: Russia Presents Unharmed Syrians to OPCW, Western Allies Stay Away.
3. Meduza: The Russian pension system’s 2018 deficit will be twice as big as predicted.
4. Moscow Times: Kremlin Spokesman Still Uses Telegram Despite Ban.
6. Forbes.com: Kenneth Rapoza, Russia Tightening Screws On Telegram, Says ‘Billions Lost’
7. Russiafeed.com: Seraphim Hanisch, Russian move to block Telegram creates wider access problems for Russian Internet users. Clumsy implementation of mass IP bans create a difficulty in accessing global Internet resources, in a move that is NOT based in propaganda. [Text with links http://russiafeed.com/russian-move-to-block-telegram-creates-wider-access-problems-for-russian-internet-users/]
8. Intellinews.com: Russia’s grain exports may double this year.
9. Reuters: Volatile ruble encourages McDonald’s to cook up Russian fries.
10. TASS: Experts: Russian mogul might aid Rusal by reducing stake, but unlikely to escape sanctions.
11. Dances With Bears: John Helmer, US REPRIEVE FOR RUSAL DOES NOT RELIEVE PRESIDENT PUTIN OF FATAL CHOICE FOR OLEG DERIPASKA. (excerpt) [Full text http://johnhelmer.net/us-reprieve-for-rusal-does-not-relieve-president-putin-of-fatal-choice-for-oleg-deripaska/#more-19104]
12. Intellinews.com: Mark Galeotti, Sanctions have evident bite but little evident strategy.
13. Wall Street Journal: Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Trump Takes the Lead Against Russia. America’s sanctions are now stronger than the European Union’s.
14. www.rt.com: Popular support of Russian operation in Syria increases, poll shows.
15. Valdai Discussion Club: NOT BACK-TO-BACK, BUT FACE-TO-FACE. HOW CULTURAL TRADITIONS INFLUENCE THE POLICIES OF RUSSIA AND CHINA.
16. Valdai Discussion Club: ‘MAKE TRUTH, NOT LIES.’ HOW RUSSIA AND CHINA CAN COMBAT FAKE NEWS.
17. Russian International Affairs Council: Andrey Kortunov, Europe and Russia: Four Scenarios for the New Cycle. [http://russiancouncil.ru/en/analytics-and-comments/analytics/europe-and-russia-four-scenarios-for-the-new-cycle/]
18. Financial Times: Putin urges calm as protesters return to Armenia capital. After Sargsyan steps down acting PM calls off meeting with opposition leader Pashinyan.
19. www.opendemocracy.net: Mikayel Zolyan, Armenia’s “permanent revolution”: why do the protests continue in Yerevan? With the resignation of Armenia’s prime minister, it looks as if Armenia is line for radical change. But the Armenia’s entrenched network of power is not giving up so easily.
21. TASS: Poll reveals 75% of Ukrainians believe their country is headed in the wrong direction.
23. TASS: Diplomat: Forcible entry into Russia’s consulate in Seattle breaches international law.
24. TASS: Kommersant: Experts weigh Russia’s chances of winning lawsuit for diplomatic property in US.
25. Brookings Institution: Shalom Lipner, Time to show Russia a military parade-In Syria.
26. City A.M. (UK): Joan Hoe, This isn’t a new Cold War, but beware letting Russia heat up.
27. War on the Rocks: Raymond Smith, YES, IT IS A NEW COLD WAR. WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
28. The Nation: Stephen Cohen, Forgotten Truths: On the Imperative of Cooperating With-Not Criminalizing-Russia. Cooperation with Moscow remains vital for American national security, but “Russiagate” allegations, now codified in a DNC lawsuit, are making that decades-long pursuit a crime.
29. Russia Beyond: 6 questions about the Chernobyl catastrophe.
30. The Hill: Sandeep Gopalan, With no evidence, can a weak DNC lawsuit against Russia and Trump survive scrutiny?
31. The Hill: Jordan Gans-Morse, Putin’s temporary dominance masks uncertain future.

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