MOSCOW, October 4 (Dan Peleschuk, RIA Novosti) – A prominent human rights worker in Moscow has reported receiving anonymous threats on her cell phone. Tanya Lokshina, a senior Russia researcher for Human Rights Watch, said she received direct and severe threats via text messages mentioning specific details of her life, including her pregnancy. She also said the contents of the […]
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Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#174 4 October 2012 davidjohnson@starpower.net A World Security Institute Project www.worldsecurityinstitute.org JRL homepage: www.russialist.org JRL on Facebook: www.facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: www.russialist.org/funding.php Your source for news and analysis since 1996 In this issue POLITICS 1. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Moskovskiye Novosti: Svetlana Babaeva, A new social contract for Russia? Although the protest movement in Russia […]
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Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#173 3 October 2012 davidjohnson@starpower.net A World Security Institute Project www.worldsecurityinstitute.org JRL homepage: www.russialist.org JRL on Facebook: www.facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: www.russialist.org/funding.php Your source for news and analysis since 1996 In this issue POLITICS 1. RIA Novosti: Tanks on Moscow’s Streets During October 1993 Revolt. 2. Moscow Times: Friends and Foes to Mark Putin’s […]
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Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2012 Subject: USAID Russia Lessons Learned From: Sarah Lindemann-Komarova <echosiberia@gmail.com> USAID Russia Lessons Learned by Sarah Lindemann-Komarova, Siberian based civil society development activist. Almost everyone knew it was time for a USAID end strategy in Russia. The possible exception to this maybe a few organizations that did not leverage years of generous support from the American […]
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Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Leonid Bershidsky – October 3, 2012 – Leonid Bershidsky, an editor and novelist, is Moscow and Kiev correspondent for World View. For Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s visit to Moscow was a great photo opportunity. Some of Russia’s technology entrepreneurs, though, saw it as the latest salvo in a global battle for the […]
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Paul Rogers – www.opendemocracy.net – October 4, 2012 Paul Rogers is professor in the department of peace studies at Bradford University, northern England. He is openDemocracy’s international-security editor, and has been writing a weekly column on global security since 28 September 2001; he also writes a monthly briefing for the Oxford Research Group. His books include Why We’re Losing the […]
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Voice of America – October 3, 2012 – By James Brooke – James Brooke is VOA Moscow bureau chief, covering Russia and the former USSR. In the run-up to Georgia’s parliamentary vote, supporters of President Mikheil Saakashvili derided their opponent, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, as “a Kremlin project.” Activists for Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream coalition were even chased out of one village […]
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(Nikolaus von Twickel – Moscow Times – October 3, 2012) Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev praised the results of Georgia’s parliamentary elections, in which the main opposition coalition defeated the party of President Mikheil Saakashvili. “If these results remain, Georgia’s political landscape will become more diverse. You can only welcome this, because it means that more constructive and responsible forces will […]
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MOSCOW, October 2 (Alexey Eremenko, RIA Novosti) – The Georgian opposition’s likely victory in parliamentary elections yesterday spells no more than token changes in relations with Russia, as anti-Kremlin President Mikheil Saakashvili remains entrenched in power, Russian analysts said on Tuesday. “Relations will improve, because they can’t get any worse,” said Alexander Krylov, Caucasus expert at the Institute of World […]
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Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Mark H. Gay – October 3, 2012 The Moscow Times has survived many nicks and scratches in its 20-year history: snipers firing at its editorial offices, staff rescued by helicopter from the midst of military mayhem, thugs muscling into the office to steal the wages, and a two-thirds plunge in the currency that wiped out […]
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Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Howard Amos and Irina Filatova – October 3, 2012 Signaling the start a long-awaited overhaul at Gazprom, President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called for corruption to be eliminated at the state-controlled gas giant and said its business model should be improved. Gazprom has been criticized for years by minority investors who believe their lucrative shares […]
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Kremlin.ru – October 2, 2012 – Moscow The Forum is taking place in Moscow on October 2-4, 2012. Among the main topics for discussion are the strategic priorities of the country’s development in terms of changes in global economic markets, the creation of the Common Economic Space and Russia’s accession to the WTO. The RUSSIA CALLING! Forum has been held […]
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Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#172 2 October 2012 davidjohnson@starpower.net A World Security Institute Project www.worldsecurityinstitute.org JRL homepage: www.russialist.org JRL on Facebook: www.facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: www.russialist.org/funding.php Your source for news and analysis since 1996 In this issue POLITICS 1. Moscow Times: Meg Bortin, How The Moscow Times Was Born 20 Years Ago. 2. Russia Beyond the Headlines: What […]
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Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#171 1 October 2012 davidjohnson@starpower.net A World Security Institute Project www.worldsecurityinstitute.org JRL homepage: www.russialist.org JRL on Facebook: www.facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: www.russialist.org/funding.php Your source for news and analysis since 1996 In this issue POLITICS 1. ITAR-TASS: Russia marks Internet Day. 2. AP: Putin Rolls Back Protege’s Modest Liberal Legacy. 3. Financial TImes: Infighting weakens […]
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Why I Lost My Right To Speak in the Duma – Ilya Ponomaryov- Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – October 1, 2012 – click here to read full text of original article Ilya Ponomaryov is a State Duma deputy with A Just Russia. Ilya Ponomaryov writes in his Moscow Times op-ed about being banned from speaking in the Russian State Duma […]
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RIA Novosti – Natalia Antonova – October 1, 2012 Natalia Antonova is the deputy editor of The Moscow News. I never thought that there would come a day when I would unabashedly cheer on Mark Zuckerberg. After all, even among hardcore Facebook users such as myself, it is much more fashionable to poke fun at the guy, gently or otherwise. […]
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Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Jonathan Earle – October 2, 2012 On Monday, the same day that the U.S. Agency for International Development ended its 20-year presence in Russia, President Vladimir Putin proposed bringing nonprofit groups that provide social services under closer government supervision. A plan outlining criteria for evaluating the quality of services provided by nonprofits, as well as […]
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RFE/RL – October 2, 2012 A report debated on October 2 by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe strongly criticized Russia, highlighting limitations on free speech, political meddling in the judiciary, and multiple violations of human rights. The report was the first produced by the Strasbourg-based body to address Russia’s obligations and commitments to the Council of Europe […]
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MOSCOW. Oct 2 (Interfax) – Russia will respect any choice made by the Georgian people in the October 1 parliamentary election, Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of the Federation Council, the upper chamber of the Russian Parliament, told journalists. “Our country will respect any choice of the Georgian people. It is the Georgian people’s right to elect its parliament and the country’s […]
» Read moreBloomberg – bloomberg.com – Helena Bedwell and Henry Meyer – October 2, 2012 Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili’s opposition coalition unexpectedly won the most votes in a parliamentary election yesterday, dealing a blow to U.S.-backed President Mikheil Saakashvili. The president, 44, said his United National Movement would move to opposition after results with 29.1 percent of votes counted showed Ivanishvili’s Georgian […]
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MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti)-The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which has funded Russian non-governmental organizations, stops its operations in Russia from Monday. Russia said in September that USAID, which provided financing for pro-democracy and human rights groups that have irked the Kremlin, would have to close its offices in the country by October 1. President Vladimir Putin […]
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Dmitri Travin – www.opendemocracy.net – September 28, 2012 Dmitry Travin is Research Director at the European University in St. Petersburg’s Centre of Modernization Studies As the Russian government tries to put together its budget plan for 2013-2015, it is clear that it cannot possibly meet all its pre-election promises. Dmitry Travin looks at the financial crisis facing the country. The […]
» Read moreMoscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Nikolaus von Twickel – October 1, 2012 When Georgia elects a new parliament Monday, the small South Caucasus nation is likely to get the most global attention it’s received since its 2008 war with Russia. The vote has been labeled historic because the parliament will elect a prime minister who, thanks to a 2010 constitutional […]
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MOSCOW. Sept 28 (Interfax) – Sixty-two percent of Russians are aware of the Innocence of Muslims scandalous film released in the United States. Thirty-three percent of them have heard a lot about the film, and 6% are monitoring the situation closely, the Levada Center told Interfax. Thirty-nine percent of the respondents learned about the film in the poll of 1,601 […]
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Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Rachel Nielsen – October 1, 2012 The working group responsible for defining the rules to accompany the law restricting Internet content that goes into effect next month decided last week to continue pressing for blocking whole websites rather than individual Web pages. Officials are also advocating giving broader jurisdiction under the law to government agencies […]
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Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Bratersky – October 1, 2012 Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin did not attend Saturday’s reunification of his nationalist Rodina party, but the re-emergent bloc is likely to become his political vehicle, pundits and party insiders said. Alexei Zhuravlyov, a longtime Rogozin ally, was elected chairman of the party at a congress Saturday. He aims […]
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ST. PETERSBURG. Sept 28 (Interfax) – Russian human rights ombudsman Vladimir Lukin believes there is a need to distinguish between contacts with foreigners and espionage. “Naturally, I believe espionage should be fought. Thank God, we have a very serious organization for fighting espionage. I am for a law-governed state, and, consequently, for legal certainty,” Lukin told reporters on Friday. Lukin […]
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Kremlin oil control drive could backfire – Reuters – By Dmitry Zhdannikov – September 27, 2012 – click here for original article Reuters reports on the Russian government’s efforts to bring more oil assets under state control. Critics charge that growing state control could cripple industry, strain budget resources and even cause social unrest. Some observers warn that paradoxically the […]
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RFE/RL – By Brian Whitemore – September 27, 2012 Russia will have free and fair elections in October. There will be real choice with multiple, viable candidates. There will be vigorous televised debates. The vote will be open and transparent, with clear rules of the game. No, I’m not delusional. And no, I am not talking about the local elections […]
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MOSCOW, September 28 (RIA Novosti) – More members of the anti-Putin punk rock group Pussy Riot have been unmasked, pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi’s head Konstantin Goloskokov claimed on Friday. Nashi earlier announced that they had set up a “prize fund” which would go to anyone sharing reliable information with them regarding the identities of the remaining activists. Three members of […]
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Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – September 28, 2012 Federal investigators will return the almost $2 million in cash they seized from the apartment of it-girl-turned-political activist Ksenia Sobchak in June, the Investigative Committee said late Thursday. “Checks conducted by investigators revealed no tax evasion by Sobchak,” the Investigative Committee said in a statement posted on its website. The money will […]
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www.nato.int – 27 September 2012 I very much appreciate the opportunity to be here today. The Security and Defence Agenda was established just after my last stint in Brussels, when I was US Ambassador to NATO. Over the past decade, the SDA has developed a stellar reputation. So let me compliment Giles Merritt for his inspired leadership of the SDA, […]
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www.nato.int – 27 September 2012 Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen, Let me start by thanking the leadership of the Diplomatic Academy and in particular Rector Bazhanov, Mr. Lukin and Mr. Safranchuk — for their initiative to organise this important conference together with our NATO Information Office in Moscow. I understand there are many distinguished participants in the audience, including […]
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USAID ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA WILL BE CONTINUED BY NDI AND THE FORD FOUNDATION – The U.S. Agency for international development (USAID) will continue to carry out its programs with the help of its partners – Izvestia – Anton Lednev – September 28, 2012 [no link available to English-language version of article] Izvestia reports that, while the U.S. Agency for international […]
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Facebook’s Zuckerberg to meet Russian PM – AFP – September 28, 2012 click here to read original article AFP covers plans for Facebook social network founder Mark Zuckerberg to visit Russia and meet with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Facebook is holding an event in Moscow, and already has ties to Russian IT. “Zuckerberg will be visiting Russia at a […]
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Nikolaus von Twickel – Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – September 28, 2012 When Dmitry Medvedev announced on Sept. 24, 2011, that he would step aside to let Vladimir Putin return as president, he disappointed critics and supporters alike. Disgruntled observers described him as a “political corpse.” A year later, Medvedev is prime minister and leader of United Russia two […]
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By Helena Bedwell and Henry Meyer – Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – September 28, 2012 Public outcry over the rape and beating of prisoners in a Georgian prison is threatening the nine-year rule of U.S. ally President Mikheil Saakashvili in Oct. 1 parliamentary elections. While Saakashvili’s ruling party held a lead of more than 20 percentage points in a poll conducted […]
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By Michael Bohm – Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – September 28, 2012 Michael Bohm is opinion page editor of The Moscow Times. On Tuesday, members of the four parties represented in the State Duma introduced a bill that would carry a three-year prison sentence for “insulting the religious feelings of others.” Given the bill’s widespread support in the Kremlin and […]
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Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2012 From: Sergei Roy <SergeiRoy@yandex.ru> Subject: rejoinder to Alexander Rahr Attached is my rejoinder to Alexander Rahr’s statements posted on JRL 25 September. West Is Punk?! By Sergei Roy [Former editor of Moscow News] Recently I was invited to take part in a panel discussion on US-Russia relations (reported on JRL 25 September 2012, item #36). […]
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Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume 13 Issue 19 – By Pavel Felgenhauer – Jamestown Foundation – jamestown.org– September 17, 2012 In an interview published on September 26 in the official government Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of armaments Dmitry Rogozin, highly praised President Vladimir Putin’s plans to “reindustrialize Russia” by spending hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild its defense […]
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Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#170 28 September 2012 davidjohnson@starpower.net A World Security Institute Project www.worldsecurityinstitute.org JRL homepage: www.russialist.org JRL on Facebook: www.facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: www.russialist.org/funding.php Your source for news and analysis since 1996 In this issue POLITICS 1. Moscow Times: Medvedev Seen Hanging in the Balance. 2. AFP: Facebook’s Zuckerberg to meet Russian PM. 3. Moskovskiye Novosti: […]
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Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#169 17 September 2012 davidjohnson@starpower.net A World Security Institute Project davidjohnson@starpower.net A World Security Institute Project www.worldsecurityinstitute.org JRL homepage: www.russialist.org JRL on Facebook: www.facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: www.russialist.org/funding.php Your source for news and analysis since 1996 In this issue POLITICS 1. Interfax: Number Of Putin’s, Medvedev’s Supporters Growing In Russia – Poll. 2. Nezavisimaya […]
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Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Nikolaus von Twickel – September 27, 2012 Kremlin critic and billionaire Alexander Lebedev has been charged with hooliganism over a fistfight on a television show last year, the Investigative Committee said Wednesday. The charge, which carries a five-year prison sentence, is for “hooliganism motivated by political, ideological, racial, ethnic or religious hatred or enmity,” the […]
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MOSCOW. Sept 25 (Interfax) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia will follow the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) despite the fact that he did not sign the protocol of Russia’s accession to WTO. “Regarding my signing of the WTO accession protocol: I did not sign anything. I worked for Russia’s accession, indeed, we all worked on it, […]
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Voice of America – By James Brooke – September 25, 2012 James Brooke is VOA Moscow bureau chief, covering Russia and the former USSR. As American officials struggle to meet an Oct. 1 deadline for closing the 20-year-old USAID office in Moscow, it is worth looking at America’s other great 20th century aid program to Russians. In a corner of […]
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MOSCOW, September 27 (RIA Novosti) – A compromise with Moscow on U.S. missile defense system in Europe is possible despite the current deadlock, NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow said on Thursday. Several prominent Russian researchers and military experts have recently supported NATO’s claims that the alliance’s plans are not targeting Russia, Vershbow said. Proposals put forth by these experts […]
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Siberia placed to be the new Middle East – Asia Times – By Yong Kwon – September 24, 2012 – http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/NI25Ag01.html Yong Kwon is a Washington-based analyst of international affairs. Asia Times examines the impact of Middle Eastern instability on oil and the global economy, and Siberia’s emergence as a significant source of petroleum. Russia actually starting serving as a […]
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What the Papers Say, Sept. 24, 2012 – Moscow Times/BBC Monitoring – 25 September 2012 – www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/what-the-papers-say-sept-24-2012/468642.html The Moscow Times and BBC Monitoring examine the latest news and trends in Russian-language print newspapers. click here to read the coverage in its entirety
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Deadly Hobby of Dog Hunting Gains Popularity – Moscow Times/AP – September 24, 2012 – http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/deadly-hobby-of-dog-hunting-gains-popularity/468660.html The Moscow Times features an AP story about Moscow dog-killers, with reports of at least 70 dead dogs in a week prompting police action. Psychopaths who poison dogs apparently are using the internet and social networking to share information about the killings and their […]
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(Interfax – September 24, 2012) Restructuring in civil society and in the protest movement may give birth to fresh and serious ideas, said Russia’s ex-Finance Minister and Civil Initiative Committee chairman Alexei Kudrin. “One shouldn’t fear abatement in the [protest] sentiment. I think we are witnessing a restructuring in civil society, including the protest movement, which may give rise to […]
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