… Navalny and his supporters have said … criminal cases filed against him, the poisoning attack, and other incidents of harassment are retribution for … political activity and … criticism of the Putin government […]
Headlines
Putin’s Speech to Chekists Highlights His Increased Focus on Domestic Opponents and Foreign Enemies
(Paul Goble – Window On Eurasia – Staunton, Feb. 25, 2021) Vladimir Putin’s speeches to the FSB are often the most important he delivers because […]
RUSSIALINK: “Opposition to Putin’s Re-Election Hits Post-Crimea High – Poll” – Moscow Times
More Russians are opposed to … Putin’s re-election today than at any other point since the 2014 annexation of Crimea, an independent survey said […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “CIA Nominee Burns Promises Spying Focus on China, Seeing ‘Adversarial, Predatory’ Regime” – Wall Street Journal/ Warren P. Strobel
“Veteran diplomat pledges to deliver bad news to policy makers, after senators note tumult of Trump years.” “[The nominee] pick[ed] to … lead the Central […]
The Real Russia ‘Reset’: Reassessing U.S. Sanctions Policy Against Russia
The use of targeted sanctions has been arguably the central response of U.S. foreign policy against Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014 […]
‘Prisoners Of Conscience’: A Look At Some Of The Biggest Names On The List
… Russia is a virtual cornucopia of prisoners of conscience […]
‘Enemy Of My Enemy:’ In Ukraine, Mixed Feelings About Kremlin Foe Navalny
(Article text ©2021 RFE/RL, Inc., Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – rferl.org – Dan Peleschuk – KYIV, Feb. 24, 2021 – article text also appeared at […]
RUSSIA NEWS & INFORMATION – Johnson’s Russia List contents & links :: JRL 2021-#41 :: Friday, 26 February 2021
To inquire about a subscription to the full Johnson’s Russia List e-mail newsletter, e-mail David Johnson at davidjohnson@starpower.net Support the JRL: russialist.org/funding.php Donate Online: click […]
RUSSIALINK: “Armenian Armed Forces demand PM Pashinyan’s resignation – General Staff” – Interfax
YEREVAN. Feb 25 (Interfax) – The Armenian Armed Forces demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the national government, the Armed Forces’ General […]
RUSSIA NEWS & INFORMATION – Johnson’s Russia List contents & links :: JRL 2021-#40 :: Thursday, 25 February 2021
To inquire about a subscription to the full Johnson’s Russia List e-mail newsletter, e-mail David Johnson at davidjohnson@starpower.net Support the JRL: russialist.org/funding.php Donate Online: click […]
JRL NEWSWATCH VIDEO: “Navalny and the Kremlin: Politics and Protest in Russia” – NYU Jordan Center, Columbia University Harriman Institute
“On February 1st, the Jordan Center and the Harriman Institute co-hosted a panel on Alexei Navalny as part of the New York–Russia Public Policy Series. Panelists […]
COVID-19 in Russia: What Russians Expected, What They Got, and What They Think About It
(PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo – Sarah Wilson Sokhey – Feb, 22, 2021) Sarah Wilson Sokhey is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Colorado […]
U.S.-Russian Relations, U.S.-Ukrainian Relations
JRL NEWSWATCH: “CIA Nominee Burns Promises Spying Focus on China, Seeing ‘Adversarial, Predatory’ Regime” – Wall Street Journal/ Warren P. Strobel
“Veteran diplomat pledges to deliver bad news to policy makers, after senators note tumult of Trump years.” “[The nominee] pick[ed] to … lead the Central […]
Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Russian Prison Authority Confirms Navalny Transfer, Doesn’t Reveal Location
… Navalny and his supporters have said … criminal cases filed against him, the poisoning attack, and other incidents of harassment are retribution for … political activity and … criticism of the Putin government […]
Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
The Real Russia ‘Reset’: Reassessing U.S. Sanctions Policy Against Russia
The use of targeted sanctions has been arguably the central response of U.S. foreign policy against Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014 […]
Oil, Gas, Energy
JRL NEWSWATCH AUDIO: “Biden Faces Decision On Gas Pipeline From Russia That Could Alienate Germany” – NPR
“The Biden administration has to decide whether to alienate Germany … continuing … Trump administration[] sanctions on companies building Germany’s gas pipeline from Russia. … […]
Nuclear, Missile Defense
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Biden faces first foreign policy test with Russian balancing act; White House seeks arms control pact even as it warns of consequences for Navalny arrest” – Financial Times/ Katrina Manson, Henry Foy, Lauren Fedor
“… the White House said … it wanted a straight extension of [New START for five years,] a nuclear arms control agreement … fac[ing] imminent […]
Russia & Ukraine
‘Enemy Of My Enemy:’ In Ukraine, Mixed Feelings About Kremlin Foe Navalny
(Article text ©2021 RFE/RL, Inc., Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – rferl.org – Dan Peleschuk – KYIV, Feb. 24, 2021 – article text also appeared at […]
Banning Pro-Russian Media: Fighting Disinformation, Silencing Dissonant Opinions, or Both?
The basic questions at play … are not unique to Ukraine, though they are sharpened by Russia’s aggression in the Donbas and Crimea: Who defines the boundary between disinformation and dissonant opinions? […]
Justice Or Commemoration? As Maidan Massacre Anniversary Approaches, Both Appear Elusive
… There is no police cordon to give away the forensic significance of the vacant lot atop Instytutska Street, but investigators believe it may hold important clues to conclusively establish who gunned down dozens of anti-government demonstrators […]
No Sputnik Shot For Ukraine As Kyiv Bans Registration Of COVID Vaccines From ‘Aggressor States’
Ukraine’s government has banned the registration of vaccines for COVID-19 from “aggressor states,” a designation it has applied to Russia since 2015 […]
RUSSIALINK: “Covid-19 vaccination using Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine starts in DPR and LPR” – Interfax
The vaccination campaign against the novel coronavirus has begun in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) using the Russian vaccine […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Vaccine Is Now a Weapon in Ukraine’s Conflict With Russia” – Bloomberg/ Daryna Krasnolutska, Kateryna Choursina,
“Ukraine hasn’t started an inoculation program yet, while eastern regions allied with Moscow appear closer to getting shots.” “… Ukraine is the biggest of only […]
Assassinations, Assassination Attempts, Beatings, Threats
Andrei Liakhov: “Subject: Navalny saga: What does it mean?”
Subject: Navalny saga: What does it mean? Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2021 From: Andrei Liakhov <gaffriloff@yahoo.co.uk> [About: third-rome.com/en/team/] In its article dated 9 December 2011 […]
RUSSIALINK: “True Beliefs and Opportunism: Navalny’s Tangled Political Development” – Moscow Times
… Navalny, who has channeled the frustrations of Russians … to rally tens of thousands to protests …, has been on a complex ideological journey throughout his two decades in Russian politics […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Biden faces first foreign policy test with Russian balancing act; White House seeks arms control pact even as it warns of consequences for Navalny arrest” – Financial Times/ Katrina Manson, Henry Foy, Lauren Fedor
“… the White House said … it wanted a straight extension of [New START for five years,] a nuclear arms control agreement … fac[ing] imminent […]
VIDEO: JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin’s Palace. History of World’s Largest Bribe” – Navalny.com
“… one place where you can understand everything about … Putin. … the most guarded place in Russia … a state within a state, … Putin’s biggest secret. … protected by hundreds, even thousands of people – from unknown guards, gardeners and builders to the richest and most famous people in Russia. …”
Belarus
U.S. Lawmakers Call For New Sanctions If Russia Moves Forward With Fines On RFE/RL
… Republican and Democratic lawmakers called for new sanctions against Moscow if the Kremlin moves to enforce stringent restrictions and punishing fines that threaten RFE/RL’s news operations in Russia […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Energy deals point to thawing of Belarus-Russia relations” – Financial Times
“Moscow’s attitude towards Minsk had cooled in wake of protests against Lukashenko” “… Lukashenko[,] … rul[ing] Belarus since 1994, has faced massive street protests and […]
RUSSIALINK: “Foreign Policy Experts Map Russia’s Plans for 2021” – Moscow Times
We asked 10 experts to predict what Russia has in store for the world next year. (Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Pjotr Sauer – Jan. […]
RUSSIALINK: “Former presidential candidate Tikhanovskaya wants to be Belarusian interim president for 45 days” – Interfax
Former Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has said that she is willing to lead the country in the transitional period […]
Human Rights
‘Prisoners Of Conscience’: A Look At Some Of The Biggest Names On The List
… Russia is a virtual cornucopia of prisoners of conscience […]
Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's
‘Prisoners Of Conscience’: A Look At Some Of The Biggest Names On The List
… Russia is a virtual cornucopia of prisoners of conscience […]
Chechnya, Dagestan, North Caucasus
RUSSIALINK: “Chechnya Outperforms Kremlin’s KPIs Nationwide – Reports” – Moscow Times
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Nov. 12, 2019) Russia’s republic of Chechnya has the highest trust ratings toward its leaders and President Vladimir Putin among […]
Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime
JRL NEWSWATCH VIDEO: “Navalny and the Kremlin: Politics and Protest in Russia” – NYU Jordan Center, Columbia University Harriman Institute
“On February 1st, the Jordan Center and the Harriman Institute co-hosted a panel on Alexei Navalny as part of the New York–Russia Public Policy Series. Panelists […]
Media, Social Media, Internet
Banning Pro-Russian Media: Fighting Disinformation, Silencing Dissonant Opinions, or Both?
The basic questions at play … are not unique to Ukraine, though they are sharpened by Russia’s aggression in the Donbas and Crimea: Who defines the boundary between disinformation and dissonant opinions? […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: NEW BOOK: “Striking Back: Overt and Covert Options to Combat Russian Disinformation” – Jamestown Foundation/ Thomas Kent
Disinformation by Russia and its allies has increased sharply … Western responses have been weak and uncoordinated … Striking Back presents concrete recommendations for aggressive messaging to combat Russian disinformation […]
Eliot Borenstein: “The Saker and Unz Review”
Subject: The Saker and Unz Review Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2021 From: Eliot Borenstein <eb7@nyu.edu> Dear David, As you know, I’ve been an avid reader […]
U.S. Lawmakers Call For New Sanctions If Russia Moves Forward With Fines On RFE/RL
… Republican and Democratic lawmakers called for new sanctions against Moscow if the Kremlin moves to enforce stringent restrictions and punishing fines that threaten RFE/RL’s news operations in Russia […]
RUSSIALINK: “Telegram shuts down hundreds of calls for violence in U.S. last week – app founder Durov” – Interfax
Telegram has blocked and shut down hundreds of public calls for violence on channels connected to the recent events in the United States, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov said […]
Navalny’s Expected Return To Moscow Lights Up The Russian Internet
… Navalny has announced … he will return to Russia … following months of recuperation after being poisoned by a Novichok-type nerve agent …. Compelling evidence indicates he was poisoned by … FSB[] operatives …. The Kremlin has said it was not involved … but has refused to cooperate […]
VIDEO & ARTICLE: RUSSIALINK: “Self-Isolation, Elections and Vibes: Google Ranks Top Russian-Language Searches of 2020” – Moscow Times
The Russian-language … Google posted its end-of-year video summarizing … top searches and main events in 2020. Spoiler alert: it’s as depressing as you think […]
RUSSIALINK: “Russia’s Mixed Censorship Model Is a Boon for Online Activism” – Moscow Times
New research shows the growth of mobile internet leads to falling trust in governments, with Navalny as the prime example. (Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – […]
RUSSIALINK: “Putin explains why AI cannot yet run country” – Interfax
While the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in public administration is bound to grow, a machine cannot yet be the leader of a state, … Putin […]
RUSSIALINK: “Moscow Plans Expanded Social Credit-Style Tracking System – Open Media” – Moscow Times
Moscow plans to track its residents’ “loyalty” with detailed digital profiles […]
Europe, EU
The Real Russia ‘Reset’: Reassessing U.S. Sanctions Policy Against Russia
The use of targeted sanctions has been arguably the central response of U.S. foreign policy against Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014 […]
Health, Alcohol, Smoking, AIDS, Epidemics
COVID-19 in Russia: What Russians Expected, What They Got, and What They Think About It
(PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo – Sarah Wilson Sokhey – Feb, 22, 2021) Sarah Wilson Sokhey is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Colorado […]
Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Theater, Music
Moscow Drops Plans for Foreign Language Requirement for Secondary School Graduation
(Paul Goble – Window On Eurasia – Staunton, Jan. 4, 2021) To graduate from secondary schools, Russians will still have to pass tests in Russian; […]
Religion
RUSSIALINK: “2020: The People Russia Lost” – Moscow Times
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Dec. 31, 2020) In 2020 the number of deaths in Russia of prominent and beloved public figures was devastatingly high, […]
