RUSSIA & UKRAINE: JRL 2014-#153 contents with links :: Friday 11 July 2014

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Friday – JRL 2014-#153 :: 11 July 2014

1. Vice News: Russian Roulette (Dispatch 54). (video of impact of war on Sloviansk with Simon Ostrovsky)
2. The National Interest: David C. Hendrickson, Ukraine’s Dangerous Drift Towards Chaos. Tensions are rising; positions are hardening; the tension between “self-determination” and “territorial integrity” is coming into play. What happens now?
3. Moscow Times: Mark Adomanis, For Better or Worse, Russia Is Not Isolated.
4. New York Times: Putin Angling to Restore Ties With the West While Keeping an Eye on Ukraine.
5. Moscow Times: Igor Ivanov, Ukraine Needs an International Intervention.
6. RIA Novosti: Moscow Ready for International Monitoring on Border With Ukraine.
7. RIA Novosti: Russia Hopes for Positive Outcome of 3-Way Talks on Ukraine’s EU Association – Minister.
8. Izvestia: Tatyana Baykova, Speaking of Peace, Poroshenko Is Preparing for War. The Plan To Capture Donetsk and Luhansk Approved by the President of Ukraine Provides for a Total Cleanup of the Cities of Supporters of the Regions’ Independence.
9. The Atlantic Council: Ukraine’s Army Now Holds Two-Thirds of Donbas, Senior Security Official Says. Kyiv Official Thanks US for Food Rations and Vests, Says Ukraine Needs Sanctions on Russia. (Andriy Parubiy)
10. AFP: Ukraine – assault may last another month.
11. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Press Digest: Kiev begins “filtration” of male populations in seized towns.
12. Kyiv Post: A Guide to Ukraine’s Fighting Forces.
13. Kyiv Post: Civil society pressures on reforms; one leader calls slow progress ‘a real disappointment’
14. Interfax: Reports of dead bodies sent back to Russia “Ukrainian propaganda” – spokesman.
15. The Economist editorial: Conflict in Ukraine. The siege. Believing that Vladimir Putin has surrendered Ukraine would be naive. The West must keep up the pressure.
16. The Economist: War in Ukraine. The turn of the tide. Ukrainian forces regain some rebel-held towns, but face a tougher fight over Donetsk, the biggest of all.
17. Foxnews.com: Leon Aron, Putin’s tactical pause: Russia’s president weighs three options in Ukraine.
18. ITAR-TASS: Western money not to save Ukraine from default.
19. Business New Europe: Iana Dreyer, COMMENT: Why Russia won’t start a trade war with Ukraine this time round.
20. Paul Goble: Window on Eurasia: A Kremlin ‘Reset’ – Putin from ‘Defender of the Russian World’ to ‘Peacemaker’
21. Russia Direct: Dmitry Efremenko, Russia, ‘American Mars’ and ‘European Venus’: Ukraine’s Future. Aside from waiting breathlessly to learn results of the battle between Russia and the U.S., the Ukrainian people are already turning out to be among the losers.
22. Delovaya Stolitsa (Kiev): Oleh Polishchuk, The Kremlin has begun dolling out money for an autumn revolution in Kiev.
23. The Vineyard of the Saker: The reality of Ukie politics today: it *is* a freak show.
24. New York Times: Shadowy Rebel Flexes Iron Fist in Ukraine Fight.
25. The Vineyard of the Saker: Press-Conference of Alexander Borodai and Igor Strelkov, July 10, 2014.
26. Carnegie Moscow Center: Dmitri Trenin, The Ukraine Crisis and the Resumption of Great-Power Rivalry. (excerpt)
27. ITAR-TASS: 446 candidates plan to participate in elections to Moscow parliament.
28. Christian Science Monitor: Fred Weir, Russia takes aim at dissent, media criticism … and high heels? Russia’s parliament has been in overdrive in recent weeks, working on legislation targeting free speech, women’s heels, and the use of foreign words like ‘hamburger.’
29. www.rt.com: Relatives abroad might thwart Russians’ careers in public service.
30. Interfax: Russia’s capital flight hits 75bn dollars.
31. New York Times: Serge Schmemann, Once Again, Art in Russia Carries Moral and Political Overtones.
32. Valdai Discussion Club: David Lane, Russia’s Geo-Political Dilemmas.
33. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Moscow formally approves new U.S. ambassador Tefft. The Russian Foreign Ministry has given its approval to American diplomat John Tefft’s appointment as the new ambassador to Russia. According to Russian political scientists, the career foreign service officer is known for his anti-Russian position – so how will his appointment affect political relations with the U.S.?
34. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin native and savvy diplomat Tefft picked for Russia ambassador.
35. New York Times: Public Opinion Against Russia Hardens After Ukraine Intervention, Poll Finds.
36. The Voice of Russia: Russia and China see no sense in creating military alliance – Kremlin.
37. The National Interest: Andranik Migranyan, Washington’s Creation: A Russia-China Alliance?
38. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Putin makes “historic” visit to Latin America. Trip will include meetings in Cuba, Argentina and Brazil ahead of BRICS summit.
39. Russia Direct: Should the US be concerned by Russia’s presence in its backyard? Russia Direct asked a panel of experts to interpret Russia’s recent signals that it was interested in becoming a more active political and economic player in Latin America.
40. Kremlin.ru: Interview to Prensa Latina and ITAR-TASS.