“Deteriorating U.S.-Russian ties adversely affect a once-shared goal, leading to a U.S. intelligence assessment of bounties paid to Taliban.” “For years … the U.S. and […]
Headlines
RUSSIALINK: “Denmark Paves Way for Russia’s Nord Stream 2 Restart” – Moscow Times
Russia could restart construction on final pipeline stretch, while U.S. mulls super sanctions bill against project […]
RUSSIALINK: “World Bank forecasting 2020 Russian GDP decline of 9.6% under adverse scenario compared to 6% drop in baseline scenario” – Interfax
The depth of the recession in the Russian economy in 2020 in an adverse scenario could approach 10%, World Bank experts said in their traditional Russian Economic Report […]
RUSSIALINK: “Russia Breaks Heat Records in First Half of 2020” – Moscow Times
Russia broke all recorded heat records in the first six months of the year, and the head of the country’s weather service has warned of “dangerous weather events” to come in July […]
RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents & links :: JRL 2020-#120 :: Monday, 6 July 2020
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 […]
The Map of Political Forces in Today’s Ukraine
“In contemporary Ukraine, political parties rarely survive more than one electoral cycle. The super-electoral year 2019 changed the party structure once again …. A year later, there is already palpable interest on the part of the citizenry in new parties, as people have started losing trust in the current ones […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Evidence of massive ballot stuffing emerges in Russia’s referendum on constitutional changes” – bne Intellinews/ Ben Aris
“Evidence of massive ballot stuffing emerged in a mathematician[‘s] … statistical study of … the referendum on constitutional changes that would allow … Putin to […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Parade’s end; A phoney referendum shows Putin’s legitimacy is fading” – The Economist
“A proposal to extend his rule passes, buried in a huge package of feel-good measures.” “… [Following voter-luring with offers of prizes and pressures from […]
Unplugging the Baltic States: Why Russia’s Economic Approach May Be Shifting
(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Emily Ferris – July 1, 2020) Emily Ferris is a research fellow in the international security studies department at the […]
In Russia, a new generation of activists are taking on climate crisis
… It’s hard to judge how successful this new environmental activism can be in a country so dependent on natural resources exports, but scientists’ concerns are slowly reaching Russia’s general public […]
RUSSIALINK: “Putin gets Russians’ mandate to reset power – expert” – Interfax
MOSCOW. July 2 (Interfax) – The results of the nationwide vote on changes to the Fundamental Law reflect a high level of public trust in […]
RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents & links :: JRL 2020-#119 :: Friday, 3 July 2020
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: “The Theatrical Method in Putin’s Vote Madness” – New York Times/ Andrew Higgins
“The outcome in Russia’s constitutional ‘referendum’ is preordained, but an elaborate spectacle of public affirmation is vital to the leader’s legitimacy.’ “Russia’s seven-day national plebiscite […]
RUSSIALINK: “Where Can I Travel in Russia This Summer?” – Moscow Times
Russia opened its domestic tourist season … as it continues to grapple with the deadly coronavirus pandemic … the world’s third-highest number of infections […]
RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents & links :: JRL 2020-#118 :: Thursday, 2 July 2020
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 […]
What Does Russia Want In Afghanistan?
… Trump tweeted that the intelligence reports were not deemed credible and the Kremlin and the Taliban have rejected reports alleging that officers of the GRU – Russia’s foreign military intelligence — either paid or offered money for killing American soldiers […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Intelligence officials cast doubt on Times’ Russia-Taliban bounty scheme: report” – New York Post/ Ebony Bowden
“Intelligence officials say a news report about Russia paying the Taliban to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan does not match ‘verifiable’ Taliban activity and was […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin a Step Away From Goal as Constitutional Vote Nears End” – AP
“… Putin is just a step away from completing his main political project of the year – constitutional changes that would allow him to extend […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russian Arctic sets ‘fantastical’ heat records: weather chief” – AFP
“The Russian Arctic set record temperatures in June that sparked abnormal tundra fires … Russia’s weather service [director] said … blaming climate change for … […]
Russians Increasingly Angry that They Live in Poverty in a Country So Rich in Natural Resources
(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, June 28, 2020) The pandemic and associated economic crisis have exacerbated widespread anger among Russians that they […]
RUSSIALINK: “Russia’s Arctic Environmental Disasters” – Moscow Times
Russia’s Arctic has been hit by three separate environmental disasters linked to mining giant Norilsk Nickel in the span of a month […]
RUSSIALINK: “Russia reports 6,693 new Covid-19 cases, 154 deaths in past 24 hours – HQ” – Interfax
MOSCOW. June 30 (Interfax) – Russia has recorded 6,693 new Covid-19 cases and 154 coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, the coronavirus response headquarters […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Q&A: What Does the Russia Vote Mean for Putin?” – Wall Street Journal/ Georgi Kantchev
“The result of [the] vote isn’t in much doubt, but the outcome could mean far-reaching changes for Russia as he lays plans to prolong his […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Why the World Worries About Russia’s Natural Gas Pipeline” – Bloomberg/ Anna Shiryaevskaya, Dina Khrennikova
“A … natural gas pipeline being built under the Baltic Sea from Russia … to the German coast is shaking up geopolitics. Nord Stream 2 […]
U.S.-Russian Relations, U.S.-Ukrainian Relations
JRL NEWSWATCH: “How Kremlin’s View of U.S.’s War in Afghanistan Has Shifted” – Wall Street Journal/ Alan Cullison
“Deteriorating U.S.-Russian ties adversely affect a once-shared goal, leading to a U.S. intelligence assessment of bounties paid to Taliban.” “For years … the U.S. and […]
Russia & Ukraine
The Map of Political Forces in Today’s Ukraine
“In contemporary Ukraine, political parties rarely survive more than one electoral cycle. The super-electoral year 2019 changed the party structure once again …. A year later, there is already palpable interest on the part of the citizenry in new parties, as people have started losing trust in the current ones […]
RUSSIALINK: “Where Can I Travel in Russia This Summer?” – Moscow Times
Russia opened its domestic tourist season … as it continues to grapple with the deadly coronavirus pandemic … the world’s third-highest number of infections […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Kremlin’s anti-American propaganda in Ukraine isn’t working” – Kyiv Post/ Mykhailo Basarab
“Over the past six months, we have witnessed a sharp increase in anti-American rhetoric not only by the Viktor Medvedchuk’s pro-Kremlin TV channels but also […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Crimea could become an expensive liability for Putin” – Atlantic Council/ Andreas Umland
“… [A]s Crimea becomes more of a burden on the Russian state budget, it will increasingly be perceived as an expensive political liability. … Putin’s […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Pentagon announces $250 million in security assistance to Ukraine” – CNN/ Ryan Browne
“… ‘[DOD] announced … plans for $250 million in Fiscal Year 2020 Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds for additional training, equipment, and advisory efforts […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin’s Global Ambitions Are Upended by Coronavirus’s Heavy Toll in Russia” – Wall Street Journal/ Yaroslav Trofimov, Thomas Grove
Russian president’s efforts to showcase the country’s strength abroad backfired amid virus troubles at home […]
Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Evidence of massive ballot stuffing emerges in Russia’s referendum on constitutional changes” – bne Intellinews/ Ben Aris
“Evidence of massive ballot stuffing emerged in a mathematician[‘s] … statistical study of … the referendum on constitutional changes that would allow … Putin to […]
Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
RUSSIALINK: “World Bank forecasting 2020 Russian GDP decline of 9.6% under adverse scenario compared to 6% drop in baseline scenario” – Interfax
The depth of the recession in the Russian economy in 2020 in an adverse scenario could approach 10%, World Bank experts said in their traditional Russian Economic Report […]
Oil, Gas, Energy
RUSSIALINK: “Denmark Paves Way for Russia’s Nord Stream 2 Restart” – Moscow Times
Russia could restart construction on final pipeline stretch, while U.S. mulls super sanctions bill against project […]
Nuclear, Missile Defense
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Trump Administration Weighs Extending New START Nuclear Treaty” – Wall Street Journal/ Michael R. Gordon
“President’s decision about pact with Russia will be influenced by whether China joins arms-control negotiations and progress toward tougher agreement.” “… A day after a […]
Human Rights
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Parade’s end; A phoney referendum shows Putin’s legitimacy is fading” – The Economist
“A proposal to extend his rule passes, buried in a huge package of feel-good measures.” “… [Following voter-luring with offers of prizes and pressures from […]
Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's
Contagious Solidarity: As Russia Faces Growing COVID-19 Crisis, Independent Activists Gear Up To Help
(Article text ©2020 RFE/RL, Inc., Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – rferl.org – Lyubov Chizhova, Aleksandr Litoi, Robert Coalson – ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, March 25, 2020 […]
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: “Evidence of massive ballot stuffing emerges in Russia’s referendum on constitutional changes” – bne Intellinews/ Ben Aris
“Evidence of massive ballot stuffing emerged in a mathematician[‘s] … statistical study of … the referendum on constitutional changes that would allow … Putin to […]
Media, Social Media, Internet
RUSSIALINK: “MGIMO University Rector Anatoly Torkunov: The study of international relations needs digital technologies” – Interfax
MGIMO University Rector, Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Anatoly Torkunov discusses in an interview with Interfax how artificial intelligence will help improve relations […]
RUSSIALINK: “Durov on Telegram unblocking in Russia: confidentiality, privacy of correspondence remain messenger’s fundamental principle” – Interfax
MOSCOW. June 19 (Interfax) – Telegram founder Pavel Durov has welcomed the decision of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russian disinformation operation relied on forgeries, fake posts on 300 platforms, new report says” – Washington Post/ Ellen Nakashima, Craig Timberg
“The report underscores the ambition, sweep and scale of Russian disinformation operations” “Russian operatives used online forgeries, fake blog posts and more than 300 social […]
Russia, George Floyd, and the end of the imaginary West; Why are Russians so angered by America’s latest protests?
From liberal columnists to pro-Kremlin pundits, Russia’s opinion formers take the same line on the protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd. Once poles apart, they have merged into a chorus chanting about the death of the West, exposing “political correctness,” and gleefully sharing racist jokes.
JRL NEWSWATCH: “A brazen foray into the Barents yields predictable Cold War-type friction” – Responsible Statecraft/ Lyle J. Goldstein
” … [M]ilitary escalations in the High North need more attention … [not] the [U.S.] media focus … on … Russian trolls, social media influence […]
‘The Message Sends Itself’: In Coverage Of U.S. Protests, Russia Reveals Its Own Fears Of Unrest, Disorder
… Putin’s government has clamped down on protests at home, sometimes deploying violent methods that have earned it opprobrium from Washington and the West and demands that it respect human rights. … Accusations of U.S. hypocrisy are nothing new for the Kremlin and the media outlets it controls […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Pro-Kremlin entrepreneur buys leading Russian business newspaper; Media executive Ivan Eremin to acquire Vedomosti after censorship row sinks alternative deal” – Financial Times/ Max Seddon
A little-known Russian media executive with close commercial ties to the state has bought leading business newspaper Vedomosti […]
Russia Demands Apology From Bloomberg Over Report About Putin’s Low Ratings
… The report on Bloomberg noted that only 27 percent of respondents in the poll, published on April 27, named Putin when asked to name a politician they they most trust. […]
Russian indie media needs visibility – that’s why the Pulitzer row matters
“To no small degree, the stories published by the NYT in the autumn of 2019 repeat findings published at least six months earlier by the independent Russian investigative outlet Proekt ….”
RUSSIALINK: “Some 200 journalists contract coronavirus virus, 5 die in Russia” – Interfax
Coronavirus has killed five journalists in Russia, according to … the Russian Union of Journalists ….
Europe, EU
RUSSIALINK: “Denmark Paves Way for Russia’s Nord Stream 2 Restart” – Moscow Times
Russia could restart construction on final pipeline stretch, while U.S. mulls super sanctions bill against project […]
Health, Alcohol, Smoking, AIDS, Epidemics
RUSSIALINK: “Where Can I Travel in Russia This Summer?” – Moscow Times
Russia opened its domestic tourist season … as it continues to grapple with the deadly coronavirus pandemic … the world’s third-highest number of infections […]
Assassinations
What Does Russia Want In Afghanistan?
… Trump tweeted that the intelligence reports were not deemed credible and the Kremlin and the Taliban have rejected reports alleging that officers of the GRU – Russia’s foreign military intelligence — either paid or offered money for killing American soldiers […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Intelligence officials cast doubt on Times’ Russia-Taliban bounty scheme: report” – New York Post/ Ebony Bowden
“Intelligence officials say a news report about Russia paying the Taliban to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan does not match ‘verifiable’ Taliban activity and was […]
RUSSIALINK: “Skripals Relocate to New Zealand Following Russian Poisoning Attempt – Reports” – Moscow Times
Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia have relocated to New Zealand two years after suffering a near-fatal poisoning attempt that Britain pins on Russia […]
JRL NEWSWATCH: “New evidence reinforces the suspicion that Russia was behind the downed MH17 plane” – Washington Post Editorial
…. The findings suggest … Putin’s regime was overseeing the separatists at the time the Russian missile was fired at the airliner. …
Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Theater, Music
RUSSIALINK: “Court finds stage director Serebrennikov, other Studio Seven case defendants but Apfelbaum guilty of fraud” – Interfax
The Moscow Meshchansky District Court has found stage director Kirill Serebrennikov and other defendants in the Studio Seven case [except] Sofia Apfelbaum guilty of fraud […]
Religion
JRL NEWSWATCH: “Easter in Russia: Between Church and State, a New Divide Has Risen” – NYU Jordan Center/ Kathryn David
“… The enormous variances in how priests chose to observe Easter this year in Russia hints at the broader context that frames the divide between […]
