RIA Novosti: Five Roadmaps for Solving Ukrainian Crisis

Ukraine Map and Flag

MOSCOW, May 28 (RIA Novosti), Daria Chernyshova – Six months after protests began in Ukraine, the crisis in the country appears to be far from solved. In an attempt to adopt policies that could help deescalate the conflict and find a constructive path forward, top diplomats from Russia, the US, EU and representatives of Ukraine’s interim government met in April […]

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RIA Novosti: Nestle, Mars Could Buy Poroshenko’s Candy Company for $1.5 Bln

Ukraine Map and Flag

MOSCOW, May 28 (RIA Novosti) – Food giants Mars and Nestle have been tipped as favorites to buy Ukraine’s leading chocolate firm Roshen, currently owned by likely president-elect Petro Poroshenko, for as much as $1.5 billion. The candy-maker-turned-politician earlier vowed to sell his biggest asset if elected president, and summoned investment advisors and bankers to assess a best price. Poroshenko’s […]

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Interfax: Russia to decide on whether to congratulate Poroshenko after official election results announced – Kremlin aide

Petro Poroshenko file photo, with additional men in background, adapted from image at state.gov

MOSCOW. May 28 (Interfax) – Russia will decide on whether or not to congratulate Petro Poroshenko on winning the presidency in elections in Ukraine only after the final results of the voting are officially announced, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said. “When the final results are officially specified, then a decision will be made,” Ushakov said at a news conference in […]

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RIA Novosti: Poroshenko’s Lead in Ukraine Presidential Race Grows With 99% of Votes Counted

Petro Poroshenko file photo, with additional men in background, adapted from image at state.gov

KIEV, May 28 (RIA Novosti) – Tycoon Petro Poroshenko has scored 54.7 percent of the vote in Ukraine’s presidential election with 99.05 percent of ballots counted, the country’s Central Election Commission announced Wednesday. Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko came second with 12.82 percent. Oleh Lyashko, the leader of the Radical Party of Ukraine, came third with 8.33 percent of […]

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Interfax: Ukrainian border guards confirm withdrawal of Russian troops from border

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

(Interfax – May 28, 2014) The Ukrainian State Border Service has observed a withdrawal of Russian troops from the bilateral border but is wary of the remaining infrastructure. “Our information suggests troops’ withdrawal from our border is under way, but with certain peculiarities. Intelligence radio units, radio interception units remain in place, so does the logistical infrastructure of the camps. […]

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Interfax: Maidan protestors demand all their requests complied with, only then will they free Kyiv center

Maidan Square file photo

KYIV. May 28 (Interfax) – Maidan activists said they would not leave the Independence Square in central Kyiv until all their demands are met. According to the declaration of Maidan communities on the situation development after May 2014 released at a news conference in Kyiv on Wednesday, “Maidan will not disperse until the demands – punishing criminals, purging, changing the […]

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RUSSIA & UKRAINE: JRL 2014-#118 contents with links :: Tuesday 27 May 2014

St. Basil's file photo

… 1. Youtube.com: FEEM Lecture by Anatol Lieven, King’s College London: “The Ukraine Debacle.”
2. Washington Post: Jackson Diehl, Ukraine’s Poroshenko says he wants direct U.S. military aid.
3. The Times (UK): Battle is on to stop foe at border with Russia. (Estonia) ….

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RIA Novosti: NATO Grooms Georgia As Its New Member in South Caucasus

NATO meeting file photo

MOSCOW, May 27 (RIA Novosti), Rick Rozoff – This past week the North Atlantic Treaty Organization continued its ongoing efforts to prepare the nation of Georgia for full membership in the military bloc. A meeting of the NATO Military Committee, consisting of military representatives and the chiefs of defense of the 28 full members of the alliance, and the chief […]

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Media Regulator Could Block Foreign Websites for Failing to Reveal Data

File Image of Stylized Eye Surrounded by Binary Code

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Anna Dolgov – May 27, 2014) Russia’s media watchdog has drafted a resolution that would allow it to block foreign websites in the country for failing to register with the Kremlin’s monitors, a news report said. The proposed government resolution, drafted by media regulator Roskomnadzor, would cover all websites that allow their users to exchange […]

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Russia tests waters of WTO dispute settlement with EU complaints

WTO Logo

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – COMMENT: Jennifer Freedman of Borderlex – May 17, 2014) Less than two years after becoming a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Russia has filed two complaints with the dispute settlement body in Geneva that target the EU, Russia’s main trading partner. These complaints concern antidumping duties and a package of EU laws […]

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Putin is risking the engine of Russia’s economy

File Photo of Cash, Coins, Line Graph

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – COMMENT: Lord Peter Mandelson of Global Counsel – May 27, 2014) Peter Mandelson was European Trade Commissioner between 2004 and 2008. He is now Chairman of Global Counsel Despite Russia’s recent underperformance, the size and potential of its economy has made it an attractive prospect for global companies. From German manufacturers to French and […]

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Russia ready to continue gas price talks with Ukraine if $2 billion debt is repaid by end of week – Russian Energy Minister

Gas Flame file photo

(Interfax – May 27, 2014) Russia will be prepared to continue negotiations with Ukraine concerning gas prices if Ukraine pays off $2 billion worth of its debt before the end of the week, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said at a press conference after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Yuriy Prodan and European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger. During the […]

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Ukraine needs federalism and power-sharing

Ukraine Map and Flag

(opendemocracy.net – JOHN MCGARRY and NEOPHYTOS LOIZIDES – May 22, 2014) Neophytos Loizides is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Kent. His book Designing Peace Process: Institutional Innovations in Cyprus and Divided Societies is forthcoming with the University of Pennsylvania Press.  John McGarry is Professor in Political Studies and Canada Research Chair in Nationalism and Democracy at Queen’s University […]

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RIA Novosti: Opinion: Ukraine’s Presidential Election Led to One Oligarch Replacing Another

Ukraine Map and Flag

WASHINGTON, May 27 (RIA Novosti), Lyudmila Chernova – Last Sunday’s presidential election in Ukraine replaced one Ukrainian oligarch with another, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Paul Craig Roberts told RIA Novosti Tuesday. “The only difference between Poroshenko’s and Yanukovich’s governments is that Poroshenko might choose to ally with Washington and become richer by participating in the West’s looting of […]

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Interfax: Ukraine’s deposed president says he “respects” people’s choice in election

Viktor Yanukovych file photo

(Interfax – May 26, 2014) Ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said he respects the choice that the Ukrainian people made in the presidential election on 25 May, privately-owned Russian news agency Interfax reported on 26 May. “An early presidential election has been held in Ukraine. Irrespective of what per cent of people in which region took part in the […]

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Press Digest: What the papers say on Ukrainian elections

Collage of Russian Newspapers

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Darya Lyubinskaya, special to RBTH – May 26, 2014) RBTH brings together a selection of views from leading Russian media on Petro Poroshenko’s victory in the presidential vote in Ukraine, with comment on the fate of Yulia Tymoshenko, election turnout, the problems experienced by voters in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and the […]

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‘Donkey Heart’ Shows Soviet Past Behind Family Turmoil

Aerial View of Moscow From Beyond Stadium, file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Elizabeth Kaplunov – May 27, 2014) As the Soviet Union fades from the memories of the youngest generations of Russians, it still underpins the consciousness of their parents. The play “Donkey Heart,” written by Moses Raine and directed by his sister Nina Raine, focuses on the psychological setup of a family in post-Soviet Moscow, describing […]

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The collapse of the USSR and the illusion of progress

Map of European Portion of Former Soviet Union

(opendemocracy.net – John Weeks – May 26, 2014) John Weeks is Professor Emeritus, School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London, and author of ‘Economics of the 1%: How mainstream economics serves the rich, obscures reality and distorts policy’, Anthem Press, published earlier this year. The collapse of the USSR was the occasion for much rejoicing. But 25 years […]

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Navalny’s Popularity Takes a Dive, Poll Says

Alexei Navalny file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Christopher Brennan – May 27, 2014) Once the darling of Russia’s opposition movement, Alexei Navalny has seen his reputation fall in recent months as he has made more headlines for the criminal cases launched against him than for his political activities. The number of Russians who have “nothing good to say about him,” increased from […]

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RIA Novosti: Putin Hails Russian Hockey Team World Victory as Important for Promoting Sports

Map of Russia and Russian Flag adapted from images at state.gov

MOSCOW, May 27 (RIA Novosti) – The victory of Russian team at the 2014 Ice Hockey World Championship is significant for the development of hockey and other sports within the country, President Vladimir Putin said during a prize-giving ceremony for team members in the Kremlin. “Our triumph in Minsk is very important for promoting hockey and sport within the country,” […]

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Poroshenko Signals Continuity Over Change

Petro Poroshenko file photo, with additional men in background, adapted from image at state.gov

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – May 27, 2014) When demonstrators occupied central Kiev at the end of last year, they called for a radically changed Ukraine with reformed political institutions and the replacement of the old political guard with new faces that would lead the country to a prosperous future in Europe. But as Petro Poroshenko, 48, […]

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Interfax: Lavrov: Poroshenko will find reliable partner in Russia if he starts dialogue with eastern Ukraine

Sergei Lavrov file photo

MOSCOW. May 27 (Interfax) – If Petro Poroshenko succeeds in establishing dialogue with citizens of Ukraine, including with residents of the southeastern regions, he will find a serious and reliable partner in Russia, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. “We hope he will act in the interests of the Ukrainian people as a whole. If this is the case, he […]

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Interfax: Lavrov: Russian visit of Poroshenko is not on the table

Sergei Lavrov file photo

MOSCOW. May 27 (Interfax) – A Russian visit of Ukrainian President Elect Petro Poroshenko is not on the table, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. “A Russian trip of Poroshenko is not being considered or discussed by diplomatic or any other channels,” Lavrov told a press conference on Tuesday while answering an Interfax question. Interfax asked whether the situation in […]

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RIA Novosti: Kiev Issues Surrender-or-Die Ultimatum to Donetsk Federalists

Ukraine Map and Flag

KIEV, May 27 (RIA Novosti) – Ukraine has issued a surrender-or-die ultimatum to self-defense forces in the restive city of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, a spokesperson at the headquarters of the ongoing special operation told journalists Tuesday. “The command of the Anti-Terrorist Operation has guaranteed safety to those who are ready to lay down their weapons,” said Vladislav Seleznyov. He […]

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VIDEO: FEEM Lecture by Anatol Lieven, King’s College London: “The Ukraine Debacle”

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

Anatol Lieven, Chair of International Relations in the War Studies Department of King’s College London, and senior fellow of the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C., addresses recent developments in the Ukrainian crisis, and a series of long-neglected problems impacting unfolding events.  The presentation took place in Milan, Italy, on May 14, 2014 under the auspices of the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.  

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Interview: Russia Watcher Lucas Says ‘Tide Has Turned A Bit’ For Ukraine

Maidan Square file photo

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – May 25, 2014) There are still plenty of ways Russia can continue to meddle in Ukraine’s affairs. But with Petro Poroshenko’s apparent victory in the May 25 presidential election amid a solid turnout, Kyiv may have turned a corner. RFE/RL’s Brian Whitmore speaks to longtime Russia-watcher Edward Lucas, senior editor of the British weekly “The Economist.” RFE/RL: What is your […]

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‘Culture’ Newspaper Condemns Contemporary Theater Again

Kremlin and Saint Basil's

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – John Freedman – May 26, 2014) I forced myself to read the entire article. It was not easy to do. But it had to be done. The Culture newspaper, which made headlines in April by attacking 29 contemporary Russian writers and directors as propagators of “sleaze, obscenities and perversion,” is at it again. This time […]

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Tom Thomson: The Speech I Hope Ukraine’s New President Gives at the Inauguration Ceremony

Petro Poroshenko file photo, with additional men in background, adapted from image at state.gov

Subject: The Speech I Hope Ukraine’s New President Gives at the Inauguration Ceremony Date: Sun, 25 May 2014 From: Tom Thomson <tom.thomson@tthomsonassociates.com> The Speech I Hope Ukraine’s New President Gives at the Inauguration Ceremony By Tom Thomson, Principal, T. Thomson & Associates, LLC. As I think about Sunday’s presidential election in strife torn Ukraine, I am reminded of US President […]

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RIA Novosti: Opinion: Third Maidan Unlikely As It Needs Western Support To Succeed

Ukraine Map and Flag

MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novosti, Daria Chernyshova) – The Third Maidan or another Orange Revolution is unlikely to happen in Ukraine, now that that the Western-backed candidate has won the presidency in Ukraine, President of the American University in Moscow Edward Lozansky told RIA Novosti. “The victory of “Chocolate King” in the first round was to be expected,” Lozansky said. […]

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RIA Novosti: Ukraine’s Presidential Vote ‘Step Forward’ – Russian Lawmaker

Russian Duma Building

MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Russian State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin said Monday that Sunday’s presidential election in Ukraine was a step away from lawlessness and toward a lawful government in Kiev. “In general, the election is a step forward to return the legal environment to the state,” said Naryshkin, the speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament. “This […]

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Interfax: Activist Brod points to Ukraine election rigging, dismisses OSCE support as inappropriate

Map of European Portion of Former Soviet Union

MOSCOW. May 26 (Interfax) – Alexander Brod, a member of the Human Rights Council, who also co-chairs of Civil Control, the association of nonprofit organizations protecting voting rights, has concluded on the basis on distance monitoring that the early presidential election in Ukraine was held with violations and the actual exclusion of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions from the voting […]

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RIA Novosti: Opinion: Future of Ukraine-Russia Dialogue Depends on Poroshenko’s Actions in East

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novost, Daria Chernyshova) – The future of dialogue between Moscow and Kiev depends on likely incoming Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s policy towards the country’s eastern regions, Nicolai Petro, a professor of international politics at the University of Rhode Island told RIA Novosti Monday. “Very much will depend on whether or not Petro Poroshenko can establish effective […]

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Interfax: Western sanctions haven’t yet affected Russian economy – Medvedev

Dmitry Medvedev file photo

MOSCOW. May 26 (Interfax) – Russia has not yet felt the effect of the West’s sanctions, but if they are applied to whole sectors of the Russian economy, European businesses will be harmed equally, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said. “The effect of the sanctions on the Russian economy is absolutely minimal at the moment, if there is any at […]

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RIA Novosti: Maidan Barricades Must Be Dismantled – Ukraine’s Klitschko

Maidan Square file photo

KIEV, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Ex-boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, who claimed victory Sunday in Kiev’s mayoral vote, said that the Maidan protests have fulfilled their task and barricades in downtown Kiev must be dismantled. “I firmly confirm that the key task of the Maidan is fulfilled,” Klitschko told journalists Monday. “I am convinced that the barricades, to date, have […]

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RIA Novosti: Ukraine to Keep Non-Aligned Status, Revision Possible

NATO Meeting file photo

KIEV, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Ukraine’s membership in NATO is off the table for now, but its future in the military alliance will depend on Russia’s plan of action, the Ukrainian acting foreign chief said Monday. “I can say for sure that Ukraine is not going to raise the question of its NATO membership any time soon. It runs […]

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RIA Novosti: Factbox: Ukraine’s Likely President Poroshenko Mulls Replacing 1994 Budapest Memorandum

Ukraine Map and Flag

MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Petro Poroshenko, who, with ballots still being tallied, is leading in Ukraine’s presidential race, has said that he intends to spearhead the creation of a new security framework that would replace the Budapest Memorandum. The Memorandum on Security Assurances was signed in Budapest on December 5, 1994 by Russia, Great Britain, the United States […]

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RIA Novosti: Ukraine’s Next President to Face Overwhelming Task of Comprehensive Reform

Ukraine Map and Flag

MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novosti), Nastassia Astrasheuskaya – Ukraine’s May 25 election, regardless of its outcome, will require the country’s new president to tackle large-scale reforms to reverse the public discontent that triggered the February protests, Dr. Nadiya Kravets of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University told RIA Novosti Monday. “Ukraine is in the process of fundamentally restructuring and […]

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Moscow Unlikely to Ease Up on Ukraine After Vote, Experts Say

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexey Eremenko – May 26, 2014) As Ukrainians cast their votes for a new president on Sunday, analysts said the election was unlikely to fully stabilize the situation in the strife-ridden nation – partly because it would be in Moscow’s best interest to keep its smaller neighbor mired in conflict. “Instability in Ukraine is a […]

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Poroshenko Rolls Up His Sleeves: Ukraine’s New President’s Top, Top Priorities

Petro Poroshenko file photo, with additional men in background, adapted from image at state.gov

(RFE/RL – rferl.org –  Robert Coalson – May 26, 2014) Chocolate magnate Petro Poroshenko seems set to be declared the outright winner of Ukraine’s May 25 presidential election. But even before the confetti hits the floor, he’ll have to start tackling some daunting tasks to stabilize a country in the grips of economic, political, and geopolitical crises. Here are a few of […]

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Interfax: ODIHR/OSCE praises Ukrainian election, awaits vote counting completion before June 7

File Photo of OSCE Banners

KYIV. May 26 (Interfax) – The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (ODIHR/OSCE) has praised the way the voting process was organized in Ukraine and hopes the vote counting will be completed before June 7. We shall stay here until all the results have been counted and all complaints considered, […]

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Chocolate King wins Ukraine presidency in first round

Maidan Square file photo

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – Ben Aris in Moscow – May 26, 2014) Ukraine wakes up this morning on May 26 to a totally different country; one with a legitimate president and a chance to finally start rebuilding from the ruins left following the ouster of Viktor Yanukovych. The so-called Chocolate King, Petro Poroshenko, stormed the Ukrainian presidential elections […]

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White House: Statement by the President on Elections in Ukraine

White House

The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release May 25, 2014 Statement by the President on Elections in Ukraine On behalf of all Americans, I congratulate the people of Ukraine for making their voices heard by voting in their presidential election today. Despite provocations and violence, millions of Ukrainians went to the polls throughout the country, and […]

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Russia Invasion Risk Is Unchanged, Ukrainian Envoy Says

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Nicole Gaouette, Daryna Krasnolutska – May 24, 2014) The risk of Russia invading Ukraine is as high as at any time since the crisis began, with Kremlin agents stoking unrest in the east of the country preparing for elections tomorrow, according to Ukraine’s envoy to the U.S. Russia hasn’t taken any “practical steps” to ease tensions […]

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Antony Penaud: The Ukraine crisis and recent russophobia

Ukraine Map and Flag

(Antony Penaud – May 23, 2014) Antony Penaud <antonypenaud@yahoo.fr> received a DPhil in applied mathematics from Somerville College, University of Oxford, UK, in 2000. In the last few years, he has noticed the development of anti-Russia campaigns in the Western media. The quasi-uniform reporting of the Ukraine crisis has led him to write this essay. He is French and lives […]

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Interfax: Russia disagrees with role of passive listener in relations with U.S. – Putin

File Photo of Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama Seated with Flags Behind

ST. PETERSBURG. May 25 (Interfax) – President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia will not agree to an abstract role in cooperation with the United States when Moscow is allowed “to simply sit alongside” and that mutual interests should be taken into account. “Instruments are good only when they are really applied. If we have set up some venues for […]

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Interfax: Just minor violations uncovered in Ukraine elections – observers

Ukraine Map and Flag

MOSCOW/KYIV. May 25 (Interfax) – International observers monitoring the Ukrainian presidential elections, among them Russian, said the violations uncovered were few and not serious. “The most common violation we have noticed is that reports about the number of received ballot papers were not entered on some of the election commission’s reports before the start of the voting. Three observers had […]

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RUSSIA & UKRAINE: JRL 2014-#117 contents with links :: Monday 26 May 2014

St. Basil's file photo

[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List :: 2014-#117 :: 26 May 2014 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 To subscribe to the JRL email version, email David Johnson at davidjohnson@starpower.net 1. Kremlin.ru: Meeting with […]

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RUSSIA & UKRAINE: JRL 2014-#116 contents with links :: Sunday 25 May 2014

St. Basil's file photo

[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List :: 2014-#116 :: 25 May 2014 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 To subscribe to the JRL email version, email David Johnson at davidjohnson@starpower.net 1. The National Interest: […]

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RUSSIA & UKRAINE: JRL 2014-#115 contents with links :: Saturday 24 May 2014

St. Basil's file photo

[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List :: 2014-#115 :: 24 May 2014 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 To subscribe to the JRL email version, email David Johnson at davidjohnson@starpower.net 1. Kremlin.ru: St Petersburg […]

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RUSSIA & UKRAINE: JRL 2014-#114 contents with links :: Friday 23 May 2014

St. Basil's file photo

[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List :: 2014-#114 :: 23 May 2014 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 To subscribe to the JRL email version, email David Johnson at davidjohnson@starpower.net 1. Wall Street Journal: […]

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