RUSSIALINK: “Foreign Policy Experts Map Russia’s Plans for 2022” – Moscow Times

Satellite

The Moscow Times asked 10 commentators for their predictions for the coming year […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “In a Blow to Maduro, Russia Withdraws Key Defense Support to Venezuela” – Wall Street Journal/ Thomas Grove,Alan Cullison, Maolis Castro

Venezuela Map, adapted from image at cia.gov

Russia has been one of Maduro’s major supporters in its standoff with the U.S. “Russia has withdrawn key defense advisers from Venezuela, an embarrassment for … Maduro as Moscow weighs the leader’s political and economic resilience against … U.S. pressure. Russian state defense contractor Rostec … trained Venezuelan troops and advised on … arms contracts, [but reportedly now] has cut […]

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RUSSIALINK: “Peskov refers question on Russian specialists in Venezuela to organizations servicing hardware there” – Interfax

Dmitry Peskov file photo adapted from image at kremlin.ru/wikimedia commons

MOSCOW. June 3 (Interfax) – Media reports alleging that a group of Russian specialists is leaving Venezuela is a question not for the Kremlin but for the organizations responsible for the maintenance of special hardware shipped there, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said. Asked by journalists on Monday to comment on reports that a large group of Russian specialists has […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia’s Venezuela motives: It’s about the U.S., not Maduro.” – Christian Science Monitor/ Fred Weir

Venezuela Map, adapted from image at cia.gov

“Historically, when Washington and Moscow have butted heads over a power struggle in a third-party nation, it’s been in a Cold War context. But the core issue over their divide on Venezuela today is simpler: staking out turf.” “… Russian affinity for former Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez’ Bolivarian Socialism has no part in it. … The U.S. demands that Russia […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Is Venezuela where Trump finally stands up to Putin?” – Washington Post/ Fareed Zakaria

Venezuela Map, adapted from image at cia.gov

“… [the] Trump … administration has made absolutely clear that the United States no longer considers … Maduro to be [Venezuela’s] president, publicly backing Juan Guaidó, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, as … interim leader. … go[ing] so far as to urge the Venezuelan military not to follow Maduro’s orders. … declarations … much stronger than the ‘red line’ […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Venezuela Sets the Stage for a Putin-Trump Confrontation; In the past, Trump has taken hard stances against Russia, only to back away” – Moscow Times/ Lincoln Mitchell, Tinatin Japaridze

Venezuela Map, adapted from image at cia.gov

“… the economic tragedy in Venezuela has evolved into a full-blown political crisis. Demands for President Nicolas Maduro’s ouster, now fronted by the head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly Juan Guaido, have reached fever pitch as years of his misrule have destroyed Venezuela’s once prosperous economy. … the decision [by Trump] to recognize Guaido as the legitimate Venezuelan leader is […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Enforce the Monroe Doctrine on Russian Moves in Latin America; The Trump administration needs to adopt a firmer policy toward Moscow’s intrusions into Latin America” – The National Interest/ Ted Galen Carpenter

Latin America Map

“… Moscow[ has sent] two nuclear-capable bombers to Venezuela to show support for Nicolas Maduro’s leftist regime. Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu said … Russia would continue to send military aircraft and warships to visit Venezuela as part of … bilateral military cooperation. … The Trump administration increasingly is concerned about the Maduro regime’s ugly authoritarianism, the meltdown of the […]

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Russian Meddling Is a Meme

File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

(Kennan Institute – wilsoncenter.org/program/kennan-institute – Maxim Trudolyubov – January 24, 2018) Maxim Trudolyubov is a Senior Fellow at the Kennan Institute and the Editor-at-Large of Vedomosti, an independent Russian daily. Mr. Trudolyubov was the editorial page editor of Vedomosti between 2003 and 2015. He has been a contributing opinion writer for The International New York Times since the fall of […]

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Russian diplomat interviewed on relations with Latin America

Latin America Map

(RIA Novosti – December 15, 2015) Interview with Aleksandr Shchetinin, director of the Russian Federation Foreign Ministry’s Latin America Department, by RIA Novosti special correspondent Tatyana Kukushkina, date and place not specified: “Foreign Ministry: Russian Federation Makes Contact with All the Political Forces in Latin America In an interview for RIA Novosti, Aleksandr Shchetinin, director of the Russian Federation Foreign […]

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Russia forging new acquaintances in Latin America

Latin America Map

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Yevgeny Bai, special to RBTH – March 27, 2015) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently completed a tour of Latin America that was notable for its focus on countries usually seen to be outside Moscow’s sphere of interest. With traditional ally Venezuela mired in crisis and the leaders of Brazil and Argentina occupied […]

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NEWSLINK Christian Science Monitor: Russia heads to ‘America’s backyard’ to find salve for sanctions

Latin America Map

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited several Latin American nations this week to seek trade opportunities that could offset US efforts to puncture Russia’s economy. Russia took its global charm offensive to Latin America this week, as the Kremlin seeks to counter Western sanctions over its policies in eastern Ukraine and Crimea. … http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2015/0326/Russia-heads-to-America-s-backyard-to-find-salve-for-sanctions  

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Putin makes “historic” visit to Latin America

Latin America Map

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Yuri Paniyev, special to RBTH – July 11, 2014) Trip will include meetings in Cuba, Argentina and Brazil ahead of BRICS summit. On July 11, Vladimir Putin set off on a six-day trip around Latin America during which he is scheduled to visit Cuba, Argentina and Brazil and meet with leaders from across […]

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NEWSLINK: Chavez’s death puts under threat Russia’s position in Latin America

Venezuela Map

[Chavez’s death puts under threat Russia’s position in Latin America – ITAR-TASS – March 7, 2013 – http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c142/669826.html] ITAR-TASS takes a look at Russian press coverage of the death of Venezuelan strong-man Huge Chavez, and the impact upon Russian interests: The Russian newspapers publish broad comments on possible consequences of the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. According to some […]

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