Interfax – Moscow, 24 September: In the past six months, most leaders of the unofficial opposition have managed to increase their name recognition, but their approval ratings have remained the same, while their rejection levels have gone up, according to the results of polls that became available to Interfax. The growth of Russian opposition leaders’ name recognition is especially noticeable […]
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(Interfax – September 24, 2012) The formation of party blocs, which proved efficient in the elections of 1999, may resume with the weakening of the United Russia position, Nezavisimaya Gazeta said on Monday. “The law on election blocs may become a part of Russian politics again in the next election cycle. The Presidential Administration is considering this initiative. The reason […]
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Maximilian Gill – Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – September 24, 2012 Chaos ruled at the opening of an exhibition of “real icons” inspired by Pussy Riot, resulting in the arrest of nine protesters. On Thursday evening, about 20 Orthodox activists and Cossacks blocked the entrance to the Gelman Gallery at Winzavod Modern Art Center, where artist Yevgenia Maltseva’s exhibition “Spiritual […]
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Roland Oliphant – Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – September 24, 2012 Gazprom Neft has delayed the start of oil operations at its offshore Prirazlomnoye oil field due to safety concerns, it was reported Friday. The field is now expected to start producing oil in September or October of next year, a source at the company said, Reuters reported. Earlier, the […]
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Ilya Khrennikov – Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – September 7, 2012 One by one, from the southeastern corner of the continent, Sergey Galitskiy is beating the biggest supermarket chains in Europe. In February, the Russian retailer he founded near the Black Sea, OAO Magnit (MGNT), surged past Metro AG (MEO) of Germany in market value, then overtook Royal Ahold NV of […]
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From: Eliot Borenstein <eb7@nyu.edu> Subject: “All the Russias” Blog at the Jordan Center Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2012 Dear Johnson’s List-ers, The Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia has launched it’s new website (http://jordanrussiacenter.org/), which reflects the Center’s emphasize on the comparative and cross-field contextualization of Russia. You can read more about the Jordan Center on the “From […]
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Yekaterina Kravtsova – Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – September 24, 2012 The State Duma tentatively approved a bill on Friday to broaden the legal definition of high treason, seen by human rights groups as part of a continuing crackdown on foreign-funded organizations in Russia. While lawmakers contend that the bill would make the work of law enforcement authorities more effective, […]
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Evgeniya Chaykovskaya – Moscow News – themoscownews.com – September 24, 2012 Seven people were killed and four more were injured at a bus stop in Moscow when a car hit it at 190 km per hour. The drunk man behind the wheel of a Toyota lost control of the car and crashed into a bus stop where people were waiting. […]
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(Interfax – September 21, 2012) Following the Moscow Helsinki Group and the movement For Human Rights, the Russian human rights society “Memorial” has decided not to fulfil the requirement envisaged by the amendments to the legislation that oblige non-commercial organizations, receiving Western grants, to be registered as a “foreign agent”, Russian news agency Interfax reported on 21 September. “Memorial will […]
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(Interfax Moscow, 20 September) As early as two years ago Russia warned the USA about its grievances over the Agency for International Development (USAID), head of the State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksey Pushkov has said. “We warned the US side a long time ago – I think this story is already two years old – that we were not […]
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Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#168 24 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/AP: Deadly Hobby of Dog Hunting Gains Popularity. 2. Moscow News: Drunk driver kills 7 when he hits […]
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Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#167 23 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. Russia Beyond the Headlines: John Evans, Putin and Russians need a break. Should Russia copy the American model of […]
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Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#166 20 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 News: Baby, it’s cold outside. When the weather turns sour, some Russians splurge on saunas but those […]
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MOSCOW. Sept 20 (Interfax) – The independent election monitor Golos is searching for Russian sponsors to substitute grants from the closing Moscow office of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Golos said some of its projects were endangered by the USAID pullout. “Nevertheless, we will continue election monitoring no matter what,” says the Golos statement received by Interfax […]
» Read more(Business New Europe – Molly Corso in Tbilisi – September 21, 2012) Reeling from graphic evidence of widespread prisoner abuse just 10 days before the parliamentary elections, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and his party are bracing themselves for a major fight to stay in power. The scandal broke on September 18 after a series of violently explicit videos showing prisoners […]
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(Business New Europe – September 21, 2012) Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered his cabinet to draw up urgent plans to “seize” 95% of the RUB130bn (€3.2bn) sitting on Rosneftegaz’s accounts to meet President Vladimir Putin’s demands to increase spending on state salaries and infrastructure investment. The move would emasculate Rosneftegaz CEO and Kremlin insider Igor Sechin’s plans to […]
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Opposition says Georgia vote a choice between “good and evil” – Reuters – Margarita Antidz – September 22, 2012 – click here for original article Reuters covers the campaigns for the October 1 legislative elections in Georgia. On the heels of the broadcasting of a video of prison inmates being tortured and raped with objects, billionaire “Georgian Dream” opposition leader […]
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TBILISI. Sept 21 (Interfax) – The campaign against the government in Georgia is financed from Russia, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said at the Tbilisi House of Justice opening ceremony. “They are fighting us with Russian money, using Russian methods, threatening us and wielding weapons on the border. But they won’t intimidate us,” he said. Saakashvili reiterated that Russia is trying […]
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(Interfax – Moscow, 19 September) The Russian president’s decrees of 7 May, which reflect (Vladimir Putin’s) election campaign ideas, are a priority, and R1,145bn (36.7bn dollars) is to be spent on their implementation over the next three years, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told journalists. “The implementation of the decrees is a priority. For all the ministries and agencies, this […]
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(Interfax – Bishkek, 20 September) The leadership of the (Russian) Ministry of Finance is sceptical about pessimistic takes and forecasts on the outflow of capital from Russia and believes that there are no grounds for this – that this is ordinary banking practice. “I see no indication of there being a withdrawal of funds from Russia. What people are calling […]
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Kremlin-backed news source Russia Today reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses the U.S. Agency for International Development of meddling in Russian politics. Click here for “Putin agrees: USAID meddling in Russian politics” by Robert Bridge from russiatoday.com on September 20, 2012.
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Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website – September 19, 2012 The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on September 19, 2012, addressing Russia’s expulsion of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), leveling accusations regarding the influence of elections and political processes. But the Ministry also decried any international aid: “It should also be noted that Russia has […]
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By Fred Weir – Christian Science Monitor – September 19, 2012 [click here for original article] The Christian Science Monitor reports on Russia’s decision to shut down USAID operations in that country, with Russia accusing them of interference in Russian internal politics. While USAID has funded a wide variety of programs in Russia, there is speculation that heightened sensitivity is […]
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RIA Novosti – September 19, 2012 The Russian authorities’ decision to bring to an end the work of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has been widely commented by Russian political analysts, opposition politicians and human rights activists. Analysts The closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) operation in Russia is a disturbing signal which indicates that […]
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(Interfax – September 19, 2012) The head of the Russian presidential administration, Sergey Ivanov, has said there is no need “to make a tragedy out” of the fact that Russia holds the top position in various international corruption ratings, Interfax news agency reported on 19 September. “There is no need to feel outraged or to make a tragedy out of […]
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By Natalya Krainova – Moscow Times – September 19, 2012 President Vladimir Putin has revised the state’s repatriation program, simplifying the process for former compatriots to move back to Russia and bring relatives along with them. But analysts doubt that the changes will significantly alter migration flows. Earlier this year, the president said that if the demographic decline is not […]
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MOSCOW. Sept 19 (Interfax) – Members of all four State Duma factions have submitted a draft resolution in defense of the religious feelings of members of all creeds which the lower house may mull next Tuesday. “We will make the decision on behalf of the committee and submit the issue to the Duma Council so that it (the draft resolution) […]
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WASHINGTON. Sept 19 (Interfax) – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided financial support in drafting the Russian Constitution and a number of federal codes over the 20 years of its work in Russia, USAID said in a statement posted on its website. “USAID-funded Rule of Law implementers helped draft the Russian Constitution, Part I of the Russian […]
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By Nikolaus von Twickel – Moscow Times – September 20, 2012 Moscow’s abrupt decision to kick out the U.S. Agency for International Development raised new worries Wednesday about a widening crackdown on pro-democracy groups. The Foreign Ministry bluntly accused the agency, better known as USAID, of meddling in domestic politics. Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Wednesday that the agency had […]
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(Interfax – Moscow, 18 September) The March of Millions that took place on 15 September in Moscow has highlighted a disturbing trend – namely, the strengthening of positions and the prevalence of leftist nationalist powers, the leader of the Yabloko party, Sergey Mitrokhin, has said. “Unfortunately, our forecasts about the prevalence of red-brown colours at this march were proved right. […]
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(Interfax – Moscow, 19 September): The opposition organizing committee has postponed the next March of Millions event from 20 October until early December, Left Front leader Sergey Udaltsov has said. “The opposition organizing committee decided today to hold the next March of Millions in early December, the (first) anniversary of the start of mass protest,” Udaltsov told Interfax on Wednesday […]
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By James Brooke – Voice of America – September 18, 2012 James Brooke is VOA Moscow bureau chief, covering Russia and the former USSR. Word of the killings of four American diplomats in Libya took 24 hours to reach me last week. That was fitting as I was contemplating the silence of cedar forests, the grace of wild horses cantering […]
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By Irina Filatova – Moscow Times – September 18, 2012 President Vladimir Putin slammed government officials Tuesday for failing to implement the decrees containing his election promises, with the regional development minister and the labor and social services minister coming under fire. Putin said that he had discussed the assignments with almost all ministers, but there had been major failures […]
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PAVLODAR. Sept 19 (Interfax) – Innovations will help make transportation systems more reliable and effective, said Russian President Vladimir Putin. “The introduction of innovations will help significantly enhance the reliability and effectiveness of transportation systems, first of all under the project to build a transportation corridor between Europe and Western China. It will run from St. Petersburg to the border […]
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MOSCOW. Sept 15 (Interfax) – Boris Nemtsov, one of Russia’s opposition leaders, said on Saturday that the liberal, left-wing and nationalist wings of the opposition had reached agreement on political demands such as the ouster of President Vladimir Putin and new presidential and parliamentary elections. “New elections for the Duma, a new presidential election under public control,” Nemtsov, who is […]
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By Alexander Bratersky – Moscow Times – September 17, 2012 The State Duma voted Friday to strip prominent opposition figure Gennady Gudkov of his seat for engaging in unlawful entrepreneurship, marking the first time that a deputy has been kicked out of the lower house of parliament without first being convicted of a crime. The United Russia-backed vote also removed […]
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Moscow Times/BBC Monitoring – September 17, 2012 Covering politics, Arab unrest, oil, the economy, and more … click here for the Moscow Times monitoring the latest news items in Russian print newspapers.
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Is Putinism a static system, or is it in need of renewal after the events of the past year? Richard Sakwa discusses the options before the Russian president and the elites that surround him. By Richard Sakwa – www.opendemocracy.net – September 14, 2012 Richard Sakwa is professor of Russian and European politics at the University of Kent, England. Among his […]
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By Anatoly Medetsky – Moscow Times – September 17, 2012 – JRL 2012-165 Even customs officers received praise Monday when foreign investors heaped accolades on the Alabuga special economic zone. In terms of attracted investment, Alabuga, in Tatarstan’s Yelabuga region, is the biggest of the 16 zones in the country where the federal government and regional counterparts have created favorable […]
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YALTA. Sept 15 (Interfax) – Russia is seriously concerned about the anti-Russian comment of Republican Party candidate Mitt Romney, which may have a series of undesirable consequences, among them an arms race restart, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said at the Russian Future session of the Ninth Annual Yalta Meeting on Saturday. “If Romney wins, we may have to […]
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MOSCOW, September 16 (RIA Novosti)-The Prosecutor General’s Office has declared the film “Innocence of Muslims” extremist and will seek a court ruling to ban the controversial video in Russia, its spokeswoman said on Monday. Before a court ruling the Prosecutor General’s Office has instructed the federal mass communications watchdog “to take measures to prevent media distribution of the information contained […]
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Newsweek.com – September 17, 2012 – Shrinking Siberia: Why young people are fleeing Russia’s Far East. – By Anna Nemtsova – click here to read more from original article After first profiling a Siberian policewoman fashion model, Anna Nemtsova addresses Siberian population decline. Within a generation, Siberia, which is larger than China, will have less people than Moscow or St. […]
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Putin Moves Towards Conservative Electorate – Argumenty Nedeli – September 13, 2012 – Article by Andrey Uglanov: “Healthy Forces Around Unhealthy ‘Vertical’.” [no link available to English-languge version of article] Argumenty Nedeli reports that, according to the All-Russia Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM), the number of citizens on whom Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a favorable impression […]
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Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#165 17 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: http://russialist.org/funding.php Your source for news and analysis since 1996 In this issue POLITICS 1. www.opendemocracy.net: Richard Sakwa, Putin Redux: Continuity and change. 2. Argumenty Nedeli: Putin Moves Towards Conservative Electorate. (Andrey Uglanov) 3. […]
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Moscow Times – September 17, 2012 – by Jonathan Earle Sending a signal of defiance to President Vladimir Putin, an eclectic crowd of tens of thousands marched peacefully through central Moscow over the weekend, although their numbers appeared smaller than at previous protests. While opposition leaders trumpeted the protest as the largest yet more than 100,000 turned out, they […]
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Russia reveals shiny state secret: It’s awash in diamonds; Trillions of carats’ lie below a 35-million-year-old, 62-mile diameter asteroid crater in eastern Siberia known as Popigai Astroblem. The Russians have known about the site since the 1970s. – Christian Science Monitor – September 17, 2012 – By Fred Weir, Correspondent – JRL 2012-165 click here to read orginal article Russia […]
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“Israel Might Strike Iran After U.S. Presidential Elections – Russian Analyst” – Interfax-AVN – Sept. 11, 2012 [click here to read original article] Interfax-VN cites Alexei Arbatov, former Duma member and current head of the International Security Center under the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), as suggesting that Israel might launch a war […]
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AMERICAN UMBRELLA FOR TBILISI: An update on the American-Georgian military cooperation. – GROUP OF AMERICAN ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENSE EXPERTS IS VISITING GEORGIA – Author: Yuri Roks – Nezavisimaya Gazeta September 12, 2012 [no link available for English-language version of the original article] Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports that American antiaircraft defense experts have come to Tbilisi, under the framework of the Strategic Partnership […]
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Johnson’s Russia List 2012-#164 13 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. RIA Novosti: Russia is world’s most educated country. 2. Moscow Times: Medvedev Calls for Pussy Riot Release. 3. Interfax: […]
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Putin ‘Tightening Screws’ – Nezavisimaya Gazeta – September 10, 2011 – Article by Ivan Rodin, Nezavisimaya Gazeta political observer: “In Politics: Vladimir Putin’s Universal Screwdriver. Russian President Once Again Demonstrates His Signature Harshness.” [no link available to English-language version of original article] Nezavisimaya Gazeta observes that recently “the Russian president once again demonstrated his traditional harshness.” … specifically before […]
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