RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents & links :: JRL 2020-#57 :: Monday, 30 March 2020

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2020-#57 :: Monday, 30 March 2020
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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1. Intellinews.com: Moscow locked down as coronavirus infections in Russia accelerate.
2. www.rt.com: Mandatory self-isolation: With Moscow in partial lockdown, Russian PM urges rest of country to follow suit.
3. Reuters: Russia Weighs Nationwide Coronavirus Lockdown After Moscow Acts.
4. Moscow Times: Coronavirus in Russia: The Latest News | March 30.
5. Russia Beyond: From personal experience: How I was tested for coronavirus – rbth.com/lifestyle/331910-coronavirus-test-personal-experience-moscow
6. Financial Times: VkusVill food retailer feeds off Russia’s appetite for healthy eating. The organic grocer has grown rapidly by tapping demand amid a ban on western foodstuffs.
7. Moscow Times: Is Moscow’s Virus Lockdown Order Legal?
8. Reuters: Russians Seek Refuge From Coronavirus in Dacha Country Homes.
10. AFP: Dour Moscow Mayor Comes to Fore as ‘PM for Coronavirus’
11. Facebook: Former Russian PM warns Covid-19 is threat to ‘human civilisation’ (Medvedev)
12. Beyond the Kremlin: Mark Smith, Coronavirus, Russia and the world: can history help?
13. IISS: Russia wakes up to coronavirus. The coronavirus will test Russia’s under-resourced healthcare system and ailing economy, as well as complicate Putin’s handling of the ‘2024 question’. However, its most significant impact may be on public opinion, writes Nigel Gould-Davies.
14. TASS: Putin’s approval rating rises after address to Russian nation due to COVID-19.
15. No Yardstick: András Tóth-Czifra, COVID-19 and Russia – part 2. – noyardstick.com/?p=713
16. https://gilbertdoctorow.com: Gilbert Doctorow, Kremlinology 2.0: is Vladimir Putin still in charge in the Kremlin? – gilbertdoctorow.com/2020/03/28/kremlinology-2-0-is-vladimir-putin-still-in-charge-in-the-kremlin/
17. TASS: Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Economic recession in Russia inevitable, say experts.
18. www.rt.com: Coronavirus emergency plan could cut Russia’s economic growth.
19. www.rt.com: 6 years of economic war toughened Russia to deal with oil market chaos.
20. TASS: Vedomosti: Rosneft unexpectedly sells assets in Venezuela to Russian government.
21. Financial Times: Why Russian oil groups are well positioned for a price crash. Flexible tax regime, low costs and western sanctions offer advantages over global rivals.
22. Russia Matters: Polling Suggests Soviet Nostalgia Isn’t Going Away.
23. Valdai Discussion Club: Lyubov Shishelina, What Is Happening in Central Europe? Forecasting the development of our relations with the Central European countries is a thankless job against the backdrop of the crisis and the self-isolation of states. Everyone is now trying to save themselves – valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/what-is-happening-in-central-europe/
24. Paul Goble: In New ‘Great Game.’ West Wants to Use Central Asia against Russia and China, Vinnik Says.
25. The Diplomat: Ling Guo and Steven Lloyd Wilson, China, Russia, and Arctic Geopolitics. China’s burgeoning role in the Arctic could translate into direct competition with Russia.
26. Dances With Bears: John Helmer, ANGLO-AMERICAN STANDARD OR DUTCH TREAT – WILL THE MH17 TRIAL STOP FOR LACK OF EVIDENCE OR END IN ACQUITTAL?
– johnhelmer.net/anglo-american-standard-or-dutch-treat-will-the-mh17-trial-stop-for-lack-of-evidence-or-end-in-acquittal/print/
27. The National Interest: How Will the Poorest Country in Europe Deal with the Coronavirus? Ukraine has a problem–thanks to Coronavirus: Most forecasts predict a recession, and best-case scenarios anticipate an economic contraction of 5 to 10 percent, inflation, and half a million unemployed.
28. New Cold War: Dmitriy Kovalevich, March update: Cabinet shift amid coronavirus threat in Ukraine – newcoldwar.org/march-update-cabinet-shift-amidst-coronavirus-threat-in-ukraine/
29. https://thesaker.is: GH Eliason, LDNR State Building- An interview with Donetsk based journalist Christelle Néant – thesaker.is/ldnr-state-building-an-interview-with-donetsk-based-journalist-christelle-neant/
30. Washington Monthly: James Bruno, How Biden Would Change U.S.-Russia Relations. The days of sucking up to Vladimir Putin will be over.
31. www.strategic-culture.org: Michael Averko, Continued Western Mass Media Creativity (Misinformation) on Russia Knows No Bounds – strategic-culture.org/news/2020/03/30/continued-western-mass-media-creativity-misinformation-on-russia-knows-no-bounds/
32. New York Times: How Russia’s Troll Farm Is Changing Tactics Before the Fall Election. The Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency, which interfered in the 2016 election, is using different methods to hide itself better.
33. New York Times: As Virus Spreads, China and Russia See Openings for Disinformation. The two powers amplify discredited conspiracy theories and sow division as they look to undermine the United States.
34. New York Times: Pandemic Mars Putin’s Coronation and Endangers Russia’s Veterans. President Vladimir Putin’s grand plans to celebrate the 75th anniversary of victory in World War II, and his own leadership, may be foiled by the coronavirus, which also threatens war heroes.
35. Washington Post editorial: The coronavirus gives Russia and China another opportunity to spread their disinformation.
36. Washington Post: Russia claims it has covid-19 under control. The facade is cracking.
37. Lawfare (Brookings): Why Does Russia Use Disinformation?
38. The Times (UK): Catherine Belton, The inside story of how Putin and his KGB cronies took control of Russia. It’s 20 years since Vladimir Putin came to power. A former member of his inner circle reveals to author Catherine Belton how he and his closest allies came to dominate, enriched themselves and then challenged the West
39. The Sunday Telegraph (UK): Ben Noble, The Kremlin is terrified that Putin will catch Covid-19, and the whole regime will collapse.
40. The Daily Beast: Fiona Hill: Trump’s Coronavirus Talk Sounds a Lot Like Russia’s. “We’ve been in this space a long time where there is a lot of misinformation that takes on a life of its own, and governments use it for propaganda purposes.”

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