(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, February 27, 2015) Because Vladimir Putin seeks both recognition as the leader of a superpower and a new Yalta at which he and Western leaders will partition the world into spheres of influence and because he can only move toward that goal by new acts of aggression, the Kremlin leader is likely […]
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(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – February 28, 2015) The killing of prominent Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov in central Moscow late on Friday shocked policymakers and other public figures both in Russia and abroad. His associates tend to believe that the murder was politically motivated. They are determined to hold a mourning procession in central Moscow on Sunday […]
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(Interfax – MOSCOW, Feb. 28, 2015) The mayor’s office has given permission for a planned procession in central Moscow on Sunday to mourn Boris Nemtsov, an official in the city administration said. “The route lies from Kitaigorodsky Proyezd along Moskvoretskaya Embankment and the Greater Moskvoretsky Bridge. The procession is to terminate on the Smaller Moskvoretsky Bridge,” Alexei Mayorov, head of […]
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(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Eli Lake – February 28, 2015) The murder of a high-profile Russian opposition leader has already sent a chill among President Vladimir Putin’s beleaguered political foes. Putin’s opponents have turned up dead before. Russia’s president has sent rival oligarchs and punk bands to prison camps. He has shut down television stations and banned nongovernmental organizations. But […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – February 28, 2015) Boris Nemtsov, 55, one of the most vocal political opponents of President Vladimir Putin, was shot dead outside the Kremlin on Friday night, revealing the deep sense of alienation between various political forces in Russia and showing how political divisions in the country can in a moment turn violent. […]
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[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List JRL 2015-#39 :: Friday 27 February 2015 E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net A project of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs JRL homepage: russialist.org JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: russialist.org/funding.php 1. The National Interest: Mark Varga, Exposed: […]
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(Interfax – February 27, 2015) A public opinion poll conducted by the Institute of Priority Regional Projects in February 2015 4 showed that three-fourths of Russians see the situation in the country as a crisis, Nikolai Mironov, general director of the Institute, said. The poll surveyed 1,600 Russian citizens aged older than 18. It was conducted in 120 populated areas […]
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(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, February 27, 2015) Having been slowed by Ukrainian resistance and hope to use the Minsk Accords to avoid new sanctions, Moscow is planning to spark uprisings in major Ukrainian cities in March and April before beginning a major military attack on the country in May, according to Yuri Lutsenko, head of the Poroshenko […]
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(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Elena Popina – February 26, 2015) Russia is emerging as the world’s best stock market after putting in the worst performance last year. For neighboring Ukraine, the second-biggest loser in 2014, there’s no sign of such a turnaround yet. Russia’s dollar-denominated RTS Index has soared 15 percent in 2015, while the Ukrainian Equities Index is last […]
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(RIA Novosti – Moscow, February 26, 2015) According to the data for February, over a half of the Russian population (51 per cent) follow the developments in Ukraine closely and on a regular basis; this figure has risen since November, when it amounted to 39 per cent of the respondents, the c reports. At the same time, the number of Russian […]
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(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Leonid Bershidsky – February 26, 2015) [Chart here http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-02-26/europe-isn-t-really-worried-about-putin?cmpid=yhoo] For all the alarmist rhetoric about Russian barbarians at the gate, NATO countries are reluctant to put their money where their mouth is. Only the countries closest to Russia’s borders are increasing their military spending this year, while other, bigger ones are making cuts. Regardless of what […]
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(Interfax – Moscow, February 25, 2015) Members of the Federation Council have called on constructive forces in Ukraine to concentrate their efforts on implementation of the Minsk agreements and make further efforts to launch a nationwide dialogue. The Federation Council “fully approves the agreements reached in Minsk by the heads of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany and voices support for […]
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(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Leonid Bershidsky – February 26, 2015) Western politicians and pundits should be more careful with their predictions for the Russian economy: Reports of its demise may prove to be premature. Bashing the Russian economy has lately become a popular pastime. In his state of the nation address last month, U.S. President Barack Obama said it was […]
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KYIV. Feb 27 (Interfax) – The heavy arms withdrawal by the Donbas militia from the line of contact has been only partial, and militia forces are being regrouped and bolstered, Kyiv said. “The militants are pulling back their hardware only partially and to distances which can be covered within 30 minutes. Besides, in the words of spokesman for the OSCE […]
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(Interfax – February 26, 2015) Russians are skeptical about demonstrations and many have not heard about the opposition rally scheduled for March 1 but a considerable part of them back the demands to be made during the March 1 action irrespective of the event per se and its organizers, General Director of the Institute for Priority Regional Projects Nikolai Mironov […]
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Johnson’s Russia List JRL 2015-#38 :: Thursday 26 February 2015 E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net A project of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs: www.ieres.org JRL homepage: russialist.org JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: russialist.org/funding.php 1. Science: Mysterious Indo-European homeland may have been in the steppes of Ukraine and Russia. 2. The Calvert Journal: Michael Idov, Pastime […]
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(Interfax – February 25, 2015) The U.S. State Department has banned the cooperation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with Russian counterparts in climate studies, head of Roshydromet environmental monitoring authority Alexander Frolov has announced. “There are difficulties in relations with our partners, primarily the United States. The State Department officially banned climate-related cooperation to state bodies, such […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Allison Quinn – February 26, 2015) As the latest blast in a recent string of mysterious bombings in eastern Ukraine claimed another victim Wednesday, experts warned that there would be more to come – and they could spread the conflict further from the front lines. A Donetsk grocery store became the latest scene of carnage […]
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(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Carl Schreck – February 25, 2015) Few global media outlets elicit such polarized opinions of its coverage as Russia’s state-funded television network RT, which the United States’ top diplomat has called a “propaganda bullhorn” for the Kremlin during the Ukraine crisis. Now, a group of graduate students at a leading U.S. journalism school are in the midst […]
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(Interfax – February 26, 2015) The job approval rating of Russian President Vladimir Putin has grown one percentage point in the past month, rising to 86 percent in February against 85 percent in January, Levada Center sociologists told Interfax on Thursday. Thirteen percent of respondents to the center’s latest survey criticized Putin’s work at the post of Russian president. The […]
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ROSTOV-ON-DON. Feb 26 (Interfax) – The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) has accused Kyiv of increasing the economic blockade on the region in defiance of the latest peace accords. “In defiance of the Minsk agreements, Ukraine is intensifying the economic blockade on the DPR. Humanitarian aid is the only opportunity for people to get food today,” DPR envoy Denis Pushilin […]
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(Interfax – February 25, 2015) Moscow hopes that Ukraine will take a responsible approach to the implementation of the obligations undertaken in Minsk and carry out the constitutional reform, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. He was speaking at a meeting with President of the Senate of France Gerard Larcher in Moscow on 25 February, as reported by privately-owned […]
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(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Andrew Mayeda – February 26, 2015) Ukraine risks losing support from IMF member countries for a proposed $17.5 billion bailout if the conflict in the former Soviet republic continues to escalate, according to two people familiar with the matter. The new four-year loan program is awaiting approval by the International Monetary Fund’s executive board, which represents […]
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… 1. Washington Post: Mikheil Saakashvili, Ukraine is today’s West Berlin.
2. The Siberian Times: Global warming could happen quicker in Russia’s coldest region. …
KYIV. Feb 25 (Interfax) – The militia operating in eastern Ukraine failed to observe the ceasefire in the past 24 hours yet the intensity of gunfire has reduced, the Ukrainian army said. “The number of ceasefire violations by the militants has been markedly reducing for a second day in a row. Yet the enemy continues random attacks in particular populated […]
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(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Leonid Bershidsky – February 24, 2015) Less than a year ago, Igor Bilous was a symbol of hope and change for Ukraine. The 36-year-old investment banker’s appointment to lead the country’s tax service seemed to confirm that the overthrow of President Viktor Yanukovych’s corrupt regime would mark a generational shift and a radical cleanup of the […]
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(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Alexei Timofeichev, RBTH – February 25, 2015) At a meeting in Paris on Feb. 24 the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France proposed extending the OSCE’s mandate in eastern Ukraine and strengthen its mission to monitor the implementation of the Minsk peace agreements. Russian observers view the results of the meeting […]
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NOVO-OGARYOVO. Feb 25 (Interfax) – The central government in Kyiv must ensure energy supplies to Donetsk and Luhansk under the Minsk agreements, which were reflected in a resolution of the United Nations Security Council and have now become an international legal document, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. “We mentioned the Minsk agreements which were not only signed in Minsk […]
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(John Steinbruner – Perspectives on Peace & Security – perspectives.carnegie.org – Carnegie Corporation of New York – February 2015) John Steinbruner Professor, Public Policy Director, Center for International and Security Studies at University of Maryland CUAF – School of Public Policy One year after Russia’s seizure of Crimea, the situation in Ukraine continues to drift toward active military confrontation between […]
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[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List JRL 2015-#36 :: Tuesday 24 February 2015 E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net A project of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs: www.ieres.org JRL homepage: russialist.org JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: russialist.org/funding.php 1. Kremlin.ru: Interview with VGTRK. (Putin) 2. Interfax-Ukraine: Poroshenko pledges […]
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(opendemocracy.net – Yulia Gorbunova – February 19, 2015) Yulia Gorbunova is Researcher at Human Rights Watch, Moscow Daily life in the Donbass region can be described as follows: ‘If there is a Ukrainian flag, there is life. If there isn’t – you are on your own.’ Donetsk: ‘Did they come to an agreement?’ Sergey, my driver, asked anxiously as soon […]
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DONETSK. Feb 24 (Interfax) – A visit of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers to the Donetsk airport is yet to be approved as Ukraine has not provided security guarantees, the Donbas militia said. “The Red Cross filed an enquiry with the Ukrainian side this morning about security guarantees in the Donetsk airport for the period of retrieval […]
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KHARTSYZSK. Feb 24 (Interfax) – Eduard Basurin of the Defense Ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) has denied claims that militia forces are preparing an offensive on Mariupol. “We have no new hardware in the Mariupol area. No offensive is being planned,” Basurin told reporters on Tuesday.
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(Interfax – February 24, 2015) The share of Russians acknowledging the ongoing economic crisis has grown to 71 percent, from 62 percent in January, the Public Opinion Foundation said. Some 14 percent of 1,500 respondents polled in 100 populated localities in 43 regions on February 14-15 claim they do not see any signs of a crisis (down from 20 percent […]
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[“Poroshenko pledges to return Crimea to Ukraine” – Interfax-Ukraine – Feb. 24, 2014] Interfax-Ukraine reports on statements by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko pledging to reunify occupied Crimea with the Ukrainian mainland. ‘The Ukrainian state will regain control over this temporarily occupied territory. I am not saying that this will be a simple thing to do which we will go through quickly. But this […]
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(Business New Europe – bne.eu – Graham Stack in Kyiv – February 24, 2015) One year after opposition protests ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, the fight against Ukraine’s endemic corruption has begun for real – and the tide has started to turn. “Corruption has not been eliminated since Maidan but it has been noticeably driven back where it was most […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – February 24, 2015) U.S. public support for arming Ukraine has grown from 30 percent to 41 percent over the past 10 months, though the majority of Americans still oppose sending lethal military aid to Kiev, a poll has shown. Fifty-three percent of Americans oppose supplying the Ukrainian government with weapons to battle pro-Russian separatists in […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – February 24, 2015) Russians are increasingly worried about foreign states being a military threat, a new poll revealed. The independent Levada Center pollster said Saturday that 68 percent of Russians believe a foreign power threatens Russia’s national security, a 24 percentage point increase over the decade. The poll, taken Jan. 23 to 26, revealed that […]
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… 1. The Daily Express (UK): Danger to UK safety: Vladimir Putin’s Russian bombers ‘put British passenger jets at risk’
2. BBC: How to spot a Russian bomber.
3. Euromaidan Press: Where to attack next? Europe is facilitating Russia’s choice.
4. The Irish Times: People reappear in ruined Debaltseve, hungry and cursing Kiev. …
[“Russia’s military budget may shrink 10 pct in 2015 – Rostec” – Reuters – Stanley Carvalho – Feb. 23, 2015] Reuters covers news that Russian defense spending might shrink this year, due to the impact of Ukraine-related sanctions. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov previously had said that 10 percent cuts to government spending would spare defense. But on Monday the head of […]
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(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Makar Butkov, special to RBTH -February 23, 2015) As in many countries, military service is compulsory in Russia for young men between 18 and 27, yet remains unpopular with many, who find various ways of avoiding the draft. Odd as it may seem, few take up the option of legal alternative civilian service […]
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(RIA Novosti – February 21, 2015) The authorities in Kiev will have to stop discriminating against southeast Ukraine and give the region enough autonomy to protect its rights if they want to hold Ukraine together, ousted former President Viktor Yanukovych said on 21 February. He urged the sides to negotiate a peace and said he would like to return to […]
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State Department transcript [of prepared remarks – click here for PDF of uncorrected transcript including Q&A] Remarks by Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs: “Unity in Challenging Times: Building on Transatlantic Resolve” Brookings Institution Washington, DC January 27, 2015 As prepared View more details on Brookings.edu Thanks, Fiona, for that introduction and thanks to Brookings for […]
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[“How to spot a Russian bomber” – BBC – February 20, 2015] The BBC covers recent incursions by Russian bombers into UK’s area of interest, including information on how to recognize Russian bombers. Two Russian bombers have been escorted from near UK territory – the latest in a series of similar incidents. How easy is it to spot a Russian […]
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[“Danger to UK safety: Vladimir Putin’s Russian bombers ‘put British passenger jets at risk’; Russian bombers in British airspace risk a catastrophic collision with a passenger airliner, a former Armed Forces chief warned yesterday.” – The Daily Express (UK) – Tom Morgan – February 23, 2015] The Daily Express covers recent incidents of Royal Air Force jets being scrambled to […]
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[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List JRL 2015-#34 :: Sunday 22 February 2015 E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net A project of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs: www.ieres.org JRL homepage: russialist.org JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: russialist.org/funding.php 1. Newsweek.com: Explosive Court Case Puts Ukraine’s Chocolate King in […]
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Johnson’s Russia List JRL 2015-#32 :: Friday 20 February 2015 E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net A project of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs: www.ieres.org JRL homepage: russialist.org JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: russialist.org/funding.php 1. The Daily Telegraph (UK): Justin Huggler, ‘Vladimir Putin is a wife-beater’ – and six other claims in new documentary. 2. […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ali Sar – HOLLYWOOD, February 20, 2015) [DJ: It can be found on the Internet] Prognosticators are at work as the guessing game heats up in the Oscar race, especially when it comes to the best foreign-language film category with Russia’s “Leviathan” and Poland’s “Ida” occupying center stage. “Leviathan” has turned its director, Andrei Zvyagintsev, […]
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(Interfax – February 19, 2015) Russian and Ukrainian military representatives are working together to coordinate a plan for withdrawal of heavy weapons in east Ukraine, a Russian general said on Russia’s official state television channel Rossiya 1 on 19 February. Speaking live on the phone in Rossiya’s primetime evening news programme, head of the Russian group for coordinating ceasefire issues […]
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DONETSK. Feb 20 (Interfax) – The Ukrainian army has yet to begin the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the line of contact consistent with the Minsk deal, the command of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) army said. “The DPR Defense Ministry does not have information about the pullout of Ukrainian heavy armaments from the line of contact,” Eduard Basurin […]
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