Month: May 2014

Interfax: Probability Russia enters recession below 50% based on initial April data – Ulyukayev

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
Alexei Ulyukayev file photo

ST. PETERSBURG. May 23 (Interfax) – The initial economic data for April, including industrial output, indicates that the probability that Russia will enter a recession in the second quarter is below 50%, Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev told journalists on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. In any case, he said, economic activity is expected to pick […]

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Interfax: Klepach: Any new shocks to global economy could reduce Russian GDP growth to zero

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
Andrei Klepach file photo

ASTANA. May 23 (Interfax) – Any new shocks to the global economy have the potential to reduce Russian GDP growth in 2014 to zero, Deputy Economic Development Minister Andrei Klepach said. “If any shocks in the global economy occur, such as a drop in oil prices or further aggrava tion of the geopolitical situation, GDP could of course be near […]

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Interfax: Right Sector officially becomes Ukrainian party – representative

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Ukraine Map and Flag

(Interfax – May 22, 2014) The Right Sector has been officially reg istered by the Ukrainian Justice Ministry as a political party, its information coordinator Boryslav Bereza said. “The Right Sector Party has officially been registered. Now we are a legitimate political force, which means we can stand for election and get elected at every level,” he wrote on Facebook […]

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Ukrainians to Decide Who Gets to Clean Up the Mess

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Ukraine Map and Flag

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Allison Quinn – May 23, 2014) As fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian troops intensified in eastern Ukraine on Thursday with 11 killed near Donetsk, ordinary citizens were gearing up for Sunday’s presidential election. The race has had a polarizing effect on many residents of Ukraine, with widespread disagreement on whether it will stabilize the […]

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Willy Wonka in the lead as Ukraine goes to the polls for crucial presidential elections

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Petro Poroshenko file photo, with additional men in background, adapted from image at state.gov

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – May 23, 2014)  Ukraine goes to the polls this weekend in a crucial presidential vote that will end the political vacuum that has been the root cause of the turmoil plaguing the country since former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych fled the country in February. There is little doubt about who will win. Ukrainian oligarch […]

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Russia Working to Develop Promising Energy Sources – Putin

Oil, Gas, Energy
Electrical Yard file photo

ST. PETERSBURG, May 23 (RIA Novosti) – Russia is working on the development of promising new energy sources, but in the next 30 years while power consumption is growing existing sources of energy will essentially re main the same, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday. “Of course, we are already thinking about promising sources of energy: renewable energy, hydrogen energetics, […]

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Interfax: Moscow warns U.S. against further sanctions, retaliation will follow – Ryabkov

Europe, EU, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Sergei Ryabkov file photo

MOSCOW. May 23 (Interfax) – If the United States imposes further sanctions against Russia, these will be followed by retaliation, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said. “We would like to warn the U.S. once again against making hasty decisions in this sphere. Regrettably, the danger remains of additional sanctions being imposed. What we have been watching over the past […]

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Interfax: Putin claims he would sue West over sanctions

Europe, EU, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Putin Descending a Staircase file photo

ST. PETERSBURG. May 23 (Interfax) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Western sanctions imposed over Crimea so far concern the people from his close entourage, and that he would have started a legal action if he were in their shoes. “But for now all these sanctions boil down to picking someone close to me from my personal entourage, and […]

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RIA Novosti: Opinion: West Should Think Twice Before Imposing New Sanctions Against Russia

Europe, EU, Russia & the West, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Truck at Russian Border Crossing

MOSCOW, May 23 (RIA Novosti) – The West should not rush to impose further sanctions against Russia as they could have an extremely negative effect on the global financial system, Chair of the Government Department at Harvard University Timothy Colton told RIA Novosti. “The West should think twice, think very carefully about extending the sanctions, because it could end up […]

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RIA Novosti: Future of US-Russia Relations Depends on Ukraine – Harvard Professor

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama Seated Before Russian and U.S. Flags

ST. PETERSBURG, May 23 (RIA Novosti) – The future of US-Russia relations largely depends on the development of the situation in Ukraine, Chair of Harvard University’s Department of Government Timothy Colton told RIA Novosti on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. “A lot depends on what happens in Ukraine. If things start to settle down – gradually, […]

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Ukraine Crisis Drives a Quiet Lobbying Boom in U.S.

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
U.S. Capitol in Bright Sunlight

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Margaret Talev, Jonathan Allen – May 23, 2014) Turmoil in Ukraine has sparked a boomlet of lobbying in Washington, with an almost five-fold increase in the number of companies and organizations weighing in with lawmakers and officials. The subject is so sensitive that the lobbyists even more than usual want to be heard and not seen. […]

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Russia’s Fundamental Business Problem Lies in Poor Infrastructure – Kudrin

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
Alexei Kudrin file photo

ST. PETERSBURG, May 23 (RIA Novosti), Daria Chernyshova – Russia’s poor infrastructure is a fundamental problem for local businesses and needs to be improved, former Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin told RIA Novosti on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday. “We need to make structural changes. The main problems are with infrastructure. We have […]

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CONFERENCE CALL: Muted mood at Kremlin’s St Petersburg forum

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
File Photo of Cash, Coins, Line Graph

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – Ben Aris in St. Petersburg – May 23, 2014) The mood is muted at the Kremlin’s annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum, which runs May 22-24. The threat of international sanctions is hovering over the heads of Russia n and foreign delegates in attendance at Russia’s premiere investment forum, and the impact of these […]

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Business Leaders in St. Petersburg Debate Russian Economic Growth

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
File Photo of St. Petersburg Economy Forum Outdoor Banners and Building Facade

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Nabi Abdullaev – ST. PETERSBURG, May 23, 2014) As Russia’s resource export- and consumer- driven economic growth fizzles, dozens of top Russian officials, businesspeople and foreign CEOs put their heads together in St. Petersburg on Thursday in a quest for new drivers to boost the country’s economy. No silver bullet was thrown on the table […]

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Russia Beyond the Headlines: Ukraine is not Russia – but it cannot do without Russia

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Ukraine Map and Flag

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Sergei Mikheyev, special to RBTH – May 22, 2014) Sergei Mikheyev is director of the Political Environment Center of Russia Though many of the presidential candidates in the upcoming elections in Ukraine are taking care to position themselves firmly as anti-Russian, the truth of the matter is that the overwhelming majority of Ukrainian […]

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RIA Novosti: US Sees Ukraine Crisis as Technical Issue – Putin

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of Vladimir Putin at Desk

ST. PETERSBURG, May 23 (RIA Novosti) – The situation that has appeared in Ukraine is very important for Russia but is only a technical issue for the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday. “In regard to Ukraine, you know what the problem is. For us it is extremely important, but in America questions on Ukraine were decided on […]

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Interfax: Russia will evaluate Ukrainian elections based on OSCE mission monitoring – Lavrov

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Sergei Lavrov file photo

ST. PETERSBURG. May 23 (Interfax) – Russia will evaluate the upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine based on the monitoring conducted by the OSCE mission and using modern technologies, but will not send its monitors due to the absence of safety guarantees, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. “It’s very easy in our age of electronic mass media,” Lavrov told reporters […]

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RUSSIA & UKRAINE: JRL 2014-#113 contents with links :: Thursday 22 May 2014

JRL Tables of Contents, Russian News
St. Basil's file photo

… 6. Wall Street Journal: Ian Birrell, Ukraine and the Shame of Europe. From the left to the right, Kiev’s putative friends found reasons to think that Putin isn’t such a bad fellow.
7. Bloomberg: Mark Champion, Ukraine Can Kneel or Starve.
8. RFE/RL: Robert Coalson, The Costs Of Russia’s Ukraine ‘Victory’ ….

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Ukraine Can Kneel or Starve

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Marc Champion – May 21, 2014) Marc Champion writes editorials on international affairs. He was previously Istanbul bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal. He was also an editor at the Financial Times and the editor-in-chief of the Moscow Times. He is based in London. Now that the prospect of a hot war in Ukraine has […]

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Putin Seeks to Destabilize Former Soviet Space Not Occupy It and to Repress Russia Not Modernize It

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, May 21, 2014) If Vladimir Putin had wanted to occupy part or all of Ukraine, he would have installed a different group of leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk, Yegeniya Albats says, a comment that provides an important clue to the Kremlin leader’s more general strategy with regard not only to Ukraine but […]

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The Costs Of Russia’s Ukraine ‘Victory’

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Robert Coalson – May 22, 2014) Russia’s aggressive policies in Ukraine since the fall of 2013 have resulted in some remarkable gains for Moscow. Kyiv’s European-integration plans have been derailed. The strategically important Crimean Peninsula has been annexed. And the destabilization caused by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine threatens to continue casting doubt over the legitimacy of the government in […]

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The West’s Real Double Standards in the Ukrainian Crisis

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Ukraine Map and Flag

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, May 22, 2014) For months, Moscow officials and commentators have complained about what they say is a double standard on the part of the West, arguing that Western governments and writers are condemning Russia for doing in Ukraine exactly what the US and the West more generally have done elsewhere. Such complaints […]

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St. Petersburg Economic Forum Kicks Off in Troubled Times

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
File Photo of St. Petersburg Economy Forum Outdoor Banners and Building Facade

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexey Eremenko – May 22, 2014) The 18th annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum launches Thursday with enthusiasm about Russia’s economy running low – the country is ambling into a recession, and Russia’s squabble with the West has prompted a mass pullout of foreign forum participants. This year’s edition of the forum, titled “Sustaining Confidence […]

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Moscow Grants Rare Approval to Freedom-of-Assembly Protest

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Map of Russia and Russian Flag adapted from images at state.gov

(Moscow Times – Christopher Brennan – May 22, 2014) In an unexpected move, Moscow authorities have reportedly approved a request by controversial political party The Other Russia to hold a freedom-of-assembly rally in the city center this month. Party member Alexander Averin announced via his LiveJournal page on Wednesday that city officials had sanctioned a “Strategy 31” event that the […]

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The Hilterisation of Putin

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler Riding in Convertible

(Business New Europe – bne.eu – COMMENT – Ben Aris in Moscow – May 21, 2014) Hitler has followed me to Russia and won’t leave me alone. The cover of the Daily Mail on May 21 has a shock-sensation banner headline: “Charles: Putin is behaving like Hitler.” Before I go any further let me say for the record that Hitler […]

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Granville on Poker with Putin: “The Folly of Playing High-Stakes Poker with Putin”

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

(Jack Matlock, U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1987 to 1991 – jackmatlock.com – May 18, 2014 – http://jackmatlock.com/2014/05/granville-on-poker-with-putin/#more-723 – reviewing “[PDF] The Folly of Playing High-Stakes Poker with Putin: More to Lose than Gain over Ukraine” by Johanna Granville) Dr. Johanna Granville, a professor at the American University of Bulgaria who has resided in Western Ukraine for the last two years, has written […]

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RUSSIA & UKRAINE: JRL 2014-#111 contents with links :: Tuesday 20 May 2014

JRL Tables of Contents, Russian News, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
St. Basil's file photo

… 18. Reuters: Factbox: Leading candidates in Ukraine’s May 25 presidential race.
19. Interfax-Ukraine: Presidential polls must, will be held in all Ukrainian regions – premier.
20. International New York Times editorial: A Critical Election in Ukraine.
21. Washington 19. Interfax-Ukraine: Presidential polls must, will be held in all Ukrainian regions – premier.Post editorial: Russia’s interference in Ukraine’s national election must carry consequences.
22. Reuters: Russia says Ukraine election may aggravate crisis. ….

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Interfax: Visa, MasterCard to continue operating in Russia – Siluanov

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Stack of Credit Cards, adapted from image at fdic.gov

(Interfax – May 20, 2014) The payment systems Visa and MasterCard will continue operating in Russia, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told Interfax on Tuesday. “We can’t abandon these systems since over 90 percent of those who use payment systems work with them,” he said. He did not say how the problem would be resolved with security deposits that Visa and […]

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RIA Novosti: Ukraine Says No Russian Troops Within 10km of Border

Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

KIEV, May 20 (RIA Novosti) – The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service did not detect any Russian troops within ten kilometers of Ukraine’s eastern border during aerial inspections on Monday, a spokesman for the service said Tuesday. “An aircraft inspection of 820 kilometers of the border was conducted yesterday. We did not detect any wrongdoing, any convoys crossing the border. […]

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RIA Novosti: Russia Withdraws Troops From Ukrainian Border

Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

MOSCOW, May 20 (RIA Novosti) – Russia has started a pullback of its troops from temporary bases near the Ukrainian border, Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said Tuesday. “It seems to me that maybe a few days will be enough and if you ask me when you start this process I would like to confirm openly that it has been […]

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Bolshoi Theater announces plans for new season ahead of U.S. tour

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
Bolshoi Theater file photo

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Dmitriy Romendik, RBTH – May 19, 2014) After a series of high-profile scandals at the Bolshoi Theater led to a change in leadership, fans of opera and ballet have been left wondering which direction the theater will now take. The Bolshoi has now announced the details of its repertoire for the 2014-2015 season, […]

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Ukraine Must Show Will to Pay Before Gas Talks, Medvedev Says

Oil, Gas, Energy, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Gas Facility file photo

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Ryan Chilcote, Olga Tanas and Henry Meyer – May 20, 2014) Ukraine should settle a substantial part of its natural-gas debt and set a payment schedule before Russia will start price negotiations amid a dispute that may affect Europe, according to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. “It should be a substantial sum that would clearly indicate their […]

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Interfax: Russian troops ordered to pull back after drills in southwestern Russia – Defense Ministry

Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

MOSCOW. May 20 (Interfax) – Russian Armed Forces units taking part in routine military exercises at ranges in the Rostov, Belgorod and Bryansk regions have been ordered by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to return to their permanent bases, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a press release. “Following the completion of the exercises, which were conducted in field conditions at […]

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RIA Novosti: Russian PM Says Claims of Moscow Planning to Attain Parts of Ukraine – Propaganda

Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Dmitry Medvedev file photo

MOSCOW, May 20 (RIA Novosti) – Confirmation that Russia has plans to claim any part of Ukraine is propaganda and the comparison with the situation with Crimea is inappropriate, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday. “In regard to the type of hypotheses that Russia would like get some extra land is nothing more than propaganda. I don’t even want […]

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New Cold War May Emerge in Ukraine Crisis, Medvedev Says

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of Barack Hussein Obama and Dmitry Medvedev with Flags, Shaking Hands

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Ryan Chilcote, Henry Meyer and Olga Tanas – May 20, 2014) Russia is being pulled into a new Cold War with the U.S. and its allies, who are using economic warfare reminiscent of the Soviet Union under Leonid Brezhnev, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said. Russia has prepared a raft of retaliatory steps in response to […]

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Putin’s Russia ‘Already Almost a Totalitarian State,’ Democratic Activists Say

Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Sitting at Desk

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, May 19, 2014) Putin’s Russia is “already almost a totalitarian state,” one in which “citizens are losing their individual rights” and “government propaganda is stupefying people,” according to a declaration of 52 leading human rights activists, opposition political leaders, and commentators, who collectively form the December Roundtable. Among those who signed it […]

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Kiselyov Defends TV Network After Caucasus Footage Labeled as Ukraine

Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Kremlin and Saint Basil's File Photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Anna Dolgov – May 20, 2014) The deputy chief of a pro-Kremlin television holding has dismissed as an “accidental error” his network’s use of footage from a gunfight in the North Caucasus to illustrate supposed recent anti-Russian violence in eastern Ukraine, a news report said. The footage – first used in a Rossiya television report […]

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RIA Novosti: Opinion: Russia Could Turn Off Gas Supply to Ukraine

Oil, Gas, Energy, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Gas Flame file photo

MOSCOW, May 20 (RIA Novosti), Nadia Koulikova – There is every possibility that Russia will turn off gas flows to Ukraine should the country not pay its outstanding debts, William Powell, senior managing editor for Platts International Gas Report, told RIA Novosti Tuesday. “To do otherwise would set a dangerous precedent that bills are optional. No other consumer is entitled […]

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RUSSIA & UKRAINE: JRL 2014-#110 contents with links :: Monday 19 May 2014

JRL Tables of Contents, Russian News
St. Basil's file photo

… 13. AFP: Ukraine’s very survival at stake in presidential vote.
14. The Times (UK): Chocolate King to sweet-talk Ukraine back from brink. (Petro Poroshenko)
15. New York Times: Front-Runner in Ukraine Election May Be Shifting Putin’s Stance.
16. Der Spiegel: Loved and Hated. Can Tymoshenko Still Lead Ukraine? ….

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Russia Reduces Domestic Borrowing Plan Seeing Budget Surplus

Budget, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Cash, Coins, Line Graph

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Vladimir Kuznetsov – May 19, 2014) Russia reduced its 2014 domestic borrowing plan by 46 percent as the world’s largest energy exporter expects to turn a fiscal surplus, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said. The government lowered the fundraising target to 435 billion rubles ($12.6 billion) from 808 billion rubles, Siluanov told reporters in Moscow today. The […]

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Life for people with disabilities in Russia is getting better

Disabilities, Human Rights
File Photo of Back of Wheelchari with Line of Persons in Business Dress in Background

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Maxim Kireyev, special to RBTH – May 11, 2014) Improving the quality of life for Russians with disabilities was a focus for the government leading up to the Paralympic Games. Will the initiatives continue? The success of the Russian Paralympic team in the recent Winter Paralympic Games and the state-of-the-art facilities built for […]

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Medinsky the Media Magnet

Europe, EU, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
Kremlin and Saint Basil's File Photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – John Freedman – May 19, 2014) Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky received an honorary fellowship on Thursday a few days late and not quite as planned. The institution doing the honors was Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy, but a planned ceremony in Italy on May 12 was junked at the last minute. Instead, the […]

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Russian Premier Medvedev Defends Facebook, Twitter

Media, Internet, Social Media, Television
File Photo Dmitry Medvedev at Desk with Laptop Computer

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Torrey Clark – May 17, 2014) Russians access to Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. is safe if Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has a say in the matter. The government leader rebuked a communications official for saying in an interview published yesterday that Russia has the right to fully block online social networks if they don’t uphold […]

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Welcome to a multipolar world

China, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, NATO, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
World Map Showing Continents, Greens, Browns, Ice

(Business New Europe, MOSCOW BLOG – bne.eu – Ben Aris in Moscow – May 19, 2014) The shouting match between west and east continues, but the Russian stock market was surging on May 19, a day before Russian President Vladimir Putin was due to arrive in China, where he is expected to sign a string of massive investment deals. Some […]

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RIA Novosti: Opinion: EU-Russia Economic Ties Too Important For Threats to Continue

Europe, EU
EU Map

MOSCOW, May 19 (RIA Novosti), Daria Chernyshova – The EU-Russia economic relationship is far too important for the sides to continue talking in the language of sanctions, so the EU is scaling back its rhetoric, Chris Weafer, a founding partner of Macro Advisory, told RIA Novosti Monday. “The bottom line is that the economic relationship between Russia and Europe is […]

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Golinkin on the Language Issue in Ukraine; The Lessons of Donetsk’s Referendum

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

(jackmatlock.com – May 18, 2014) Much of the media and official comment on the turmoil in Ukraine has focused on geopolitical factors, with little attention to the historical context of the various issues or to one of the most emotional issues dividing Ukraine: the status of the Russian language. One of the first acts of the Ukrainian parliament following the forcible ouster […]

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Interfax: Almost no police left in Donetsk, Luhansk regions – Turchynov

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Olexander Turchynov file photo

KYIV. May 19 (Interfax) – The Donetsk and Luhansk regions have effectively been left with no security or police forces, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada Speaker and Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said. “The reform of the law enforcement system is not happening fast. For instance, the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are effectively left without the Security Service and police who are supposed […]

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Interfax: National Guard refutes claims of executing 10 servicemen for refusing to participate in counterterrorist effort

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Ukraine Map and Flag

DONETSK/KYIV. May 18 (Interfax) – The self-defense force in Donetsk region claims that a Ukrainian National Guard unit deployed in Kramatorsk executed 10 servicemen for refusing to participate in the military operation in the region. The press service of the National Guard refutes the claims. “In Kramatorsk National Guards shot dead ten of their colleagues, conscripts who said they did […]

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Interfax: Russia outraged with Kyiv’s attempts to lie about reasons behind Odessa tragedy – Lavrov

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Sergei Lavrov file photo

MOSCOW. May 19 (Interfax) – Moscow thinks that the Ukrainian authorities are lying about the reasons behind the tragedy, which occurred in Odessa. “We are outraged with what happened in Odessa and how the Ukrainian authorities treat this, we are outraged with the attemp ts to lie about the reasons of what happened and attempts to hide the truth,” Russian […]

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RIA Novosti: Ukraine’s Communist Party Vows Not to Recognize May 25 Election

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Maidan Square file photo

KIEV, May 19 (RIA Novosti) – Ukraine’s Communist Party, whose leader has been banned from withdrawing his candidacy for the presidency, will not recognize the results of the upcoming May 25 election, People’s Deputy Alexander Golub said. “We will support neither candidate as we have no choice in Ukraine. Everything happening now is a farce and we acknowledge neither the […]

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