Month: January 2016
NEWSLINK Sputnik: “Maidan’s Tragic Aftermath: Ukraine Slides Into ‘Staggering’ Poverty”
NEWSLINK Russia Insider/Ricky Twisdale: “‘Impossible’ Kerch Strait Bridge Is Metaphor for Ukraine’s Fantasies About Russia. Russia doesn’t build anything – except state-of-the-art 19 km long bridges”
NEWSLINK: Dances With Bears/John Helmer: “EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS FIRES SECRET UKRAINE MISSILE TO DOWN MH17 VICTIM’S CASE”
RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-14 :: Thursday, 21 January 2016
[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#14 Thursday 21 January 2016 A project sponsored through the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs The contents do not necessarily represent the views of IERES or the George Washington University. JRL homepage: russialist.org – JRL […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “How I stopped worrying and learned to love Ukraine’s system” – Euromaidan Press/Lucy Sohryu
NEWSLINK: “In Ukraine, an Opportunity for Progress Between Russia and the West” – Stratfor
NEWSLINK: “Cheap oil roils ruble, but Russia bears the pain. Oil prices have dropped to 12-year-lows, dragging the Russian currency along with it. But the Russian economy may be able to withstand the crunch for now.” – Christian Science Monitor
NEWSLINK: “Russian Economy Stumbles as Stocks and Oil Prices Fall” – New York Times
Interfax: Moscow dismisses findings of UK public inquiry into Litvinenko death – source
MOSCOW. Jan 21 (Interfax) – Moscow dismisses the findings of the public inquiry conducted in the United Kingdom into the death of former Russian special services officer Alexander Litvinenko, a source with knowledge of the situation told Interfax on Thursday. “Russia has every reason to declare that it will not accept any verdict handed down following this kind of inquiry,” […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK RBTH/Kommersant: “Which companies are leaving Russia?”
NEWSLINK Sputnik: “Russia Increases Holdings of US Securities by $6Bln – Treasury Department”
NEWSLINK RBTH/Vzglad: “Who is Putin talking to? Analyst attempts to put president’s recent interview in context.”
NEWSLINK Russia Direct: “What do the Kremlin and the Russian opposition have in common?”
If Putin Sacks Kadyrov, He Could Lose the North Caucasus; If He Doesn’t, He Could Lose Russia
(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, January 19, 2016) Ramzan Kadyrov’s increasingly outrageous statements confront Vladimir Putin with what for him is a Hobson’s choice: if he sacks Kadyrov, he will undermine his longstanding approach to the North Caucasus and quite possibly lead to a situation in which Moscow could no longer hold it. But if the Kremlin […]
» Read moreTRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Meeting on the Advanced Research Fund’s development
(Kremlin.ru – January 19, 2016) The President held a meeting on the development of the Advanced Research Fund. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues. Today we will discuss the development of the Advanced Research Fund. We will consider the implementation of its main projects and how they are assisting the development of applied research. We will look into […]
» Read morePeskov: Surkov, Nuland hold expert dialogue on settlement in Ukraine
(Interfax – January 20, 2016) The negotiations held between Russian Presidential Aide Vladislav Surkov and Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the United States Department of State, in Kaliningrad with regard to the settlement in Ukraine were an expert exchange of opinions between Moscow and Washington, which is not a member of the ‘Normandy […]
» Read moreU.S., Russia Start Syria Negotiations Amid Threat to Peace Talks
(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Henry Meyer – January 20, 2016) The top U.S. and Russian diplomats began talks in Zurich Wednesday to try to bridge divisions over which belligerents in Syria’s five-year civil war should be labeled “terrorist,” an issue that threatens to hold up the start of peace talks. John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov need to strike a deal […]
» Read moreConfrontation between Chechnya leadership, non-systemic opposition causes concern, exchange of insults cannot solve political problems – Pamfilova
MOSCOW. Jan 20 (Interfax) – Russian Human Rights Ombudsperson Ella Pamfilova has expressed concern about the ongoing confrontation between leadership of the Chechen republic and members of the non-systemic opposition. “What really worries me is the escalating confrontation between the leadership of Chechnya and members of the non-systemtic opposition,” the press service of the ombudsperson’s office quoted Pamfilova as saying […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK Russia Direct: “It’s too early to talk about an improvement in US-Russia relations”
RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-13 :: Wednesday, 20 January 2016
[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#13 Wednesday 20 January 2016 A project sponsored through the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs The contents do not necessarily represent the views of IERES or the George Washington University. JRL homepage: russialist.org – JRL […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Can Russia handle the flood of Ukrainian immigrants?” – Inter Press Service
Russia identifies economic backwardness as national security threat
(Interfax – January 19, 2016) Russia’s new national security strategy identifies the key threats to the country. The main threats to national security in the economic sphere are the low competitiveness of the Russian economy and its continuing dependence on raw material exports, Sergey Vakhrukov, aide to the secretary of the Russian Security Council, told journalists on 19 January, as […]
» Read moreTRANSCRIPT: [Putin] at National Entrepreneurs’ Forum Small Business – National Idea?
(Kremlin.ru – January 20, 2016) Vladimir Putin took part in the plenary session of the National Entrepreneurs’ Forum Small Business – National Idea? The forum examined issues such as support for small and medium-sized enterprises and measures to encourage business activity. The forum, organised by the OPORA Russia national public association of small and medium-sized enterprises, is taking place in […]
» Read moreGorbachev: Russian-U.S. summit needed for settling crisis in Ukraine
(Interfax – January 20, 2016) The Russian and U.S. presidents should meet to speed up the settlement of the crisis in eastern Ukraine, says former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. Negotiations between Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland in Kaliningrad last week could mark the beginning of preparations for a bilateral summit dealing with […]
» Read moreUSSR collapsed because of oil prices heralding Russia’s future?
(Pravda.ru – January 19, 2016) Pravda.Ru editor-in-chief Inna Novikova sat down with historian Alexander Fursov to speak about Russia’s foreign and domestic policy. “In connection with the collapse of the world prices on oil, many analysts say that the times that we are living now are very similar to the times of the 90s when the Soviet Union broke up.” […]
» Read moreRussian Animated Film Gets Oscar Nod
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – January 15, 2016) [Trailer here http://www.themoscowtimes.com/arts_n_ideas/news/article/russian-animated-film-gets-oscar-nod/555777.html] The Russian animated film “We Can’t Live Without Cosmos” has been shortlisted for an Academy Award. The film by Russian director Konstantin Bronzit was named a nominee on Thursday in the Best Animated Short Film category. The film tells the story of two friends and their paths to achieving […]
» Read moreInterfax: Mutko anticipating rivalry between Russian and US athletes at Olympic Games
(Interfax – January 19, 2016) The Summer Olympic Games cannot be imagined without a rivalry between Russian and American track and field athletes, Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said. “Track and field athletics is the queen of sport. [Athletes] will compete for 47 medals [at the Olympic Games]. I will also say that I cannot imagine any tournament without a […]
» Read moreMoscow Times: New Anti-Gay Law Rejected by Russian Duma Committee
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – January 18, 2016) The State Duma Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building has rejected a bill that would make it illegal to come out as gay in Russia, the Interfax news agency reported Monday. Dmitry Vyatkin, the deputy chairman of the committee said that the draft bill was rejected “primarily due to the fact […]
» Read moreRussian media bosses unimpressed with Chechen leaders’ anti-opposition rhetoric
(Interfax – Moscow, January 18, 2016) Editor-in-Chief of Ekho Moskvy radio station Aleksey Venediktov has said that Chechen parliament speaker Magomed Daudov’s statements against opposition journalists were an inappropriate reaction to uncomfortable questions in the media about the investigation into the murder of politician Boris Nemtsov. “I consider his words to be a reaction to our questions about the investigation […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK The Guardian/Shaun Walker: “No regrets over Ukraine split, but Crimeans want more love from Russia. Nearly two years on, many are pleased to be free of Kiev, but relations with Moscow are not as rosy as they would like”
NEWSLINK: “With One Eye on Moscow, Europe Presses Ukraine on Reforms” – Reuters
NEWSLINK: “New US-style police officers begin patrol duties on the streets of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk” – Ukraine Today (Kyiv)
NEWSLINK: “IMF Cuts 2016 Growth Forecast for Russia” – Reuters
NEWSLINK: “RUSSIAN RUBLE HITS A NEW LOW AS OIL PRICES WEAKEN” – AP
Head of Chechnya says his controversial comments not aimed at “legal opposition”
(Interfax – Moscow, January 18, 2016) Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov has said that his comments, which caused an outcry, were not aimed against the lawful opposition in Russia; he expressed the view that Russian human rights commissioner Ella Panfilova “was too hasty” to criticize him. “I was not talking about the lawful opposition, which raises social and economic problems, […]
» Read moreNetflix’s Desire for World Domination Reaches Russia
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Eva Hartog – January 15, 2016) China, the world’s most populous country, might have slipped through its fingers, but with Russia Netflix in January pocketed the largest country by landmass and the promise of tapping into a booming online market. Netflix’s move into Russia, along with 129 other countries, was heralded by its CEO as […]
» Read moreRussians Expect Kremlin to Stabilize Economy – Poll
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – January 19, 2016) The majority of Russian citizens expect that the government will stabilize economic and political conditions in the country, a poll carried out by the independent Levada Center pollster revealed. The results of the survey, published on Monday, showed that 53 percent of respondents believe that government policy should be focused on the […]
» Read moreRussians using less alcohol, says watchdog
(Interfax – January 19, 2016) Up to 500,000 Russians die annually of causes related to the excessive use of alcohol, Rospotrebnadzor consumer rights’ watchdog reports. “Experts say that in Russia alcohol abuse causes the premature avertable death of about half a million people every year, resulting in a mortality rate of about 30 percent of men and 15 percent of […]
» Read moreNEWSWATCH: “Months without pay at Donetsk mine leads to strike, firings” – Kyiv Post – Josh Kovensky – January 19, 2016
The Kiev Post covers labor unrest amidst the conflict in eastern Ukraine. After months without pay, workers in one of Ukraine’s largest coal mines had enough. Workers at the Kholodna Balka mine in Donetsk Oblast’s Makeevka decided to strike on Jan. 13, bringing work to a halt …. miners said that they decided to go on strike after nearly a […]
» Read moreTensions escalate in conflict zone in eastern Ukraine after New Year holidays – OSCE SMM
DONETSK. Jan 19 (Interfax) – Members from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) have observed an escalation of tensions along the Donbas contact line in January after a relative lull in the period before the New Year holidays. Things calmed down before New Year’s Eve, and tensions escalated after the holidays, OSCE Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug […]
» Read moreOver 20 judges making decisions on Euromaidan activists may be dismissed in Ukraine
KYIV. Jan 19 (Interfax) – Ukraine’s Supreme Council of Justice has recommended that 21 judges be dismissed for breaking their oath when issuing court rulings with regard to Euromaidan activists, council head Ihor Benedisyuk told reporters in Kyiv on Tuesday. “Of the 41 conclusions that have already been received by the Supreme Council of Justice [from the provisional specialized commission […]
» Read moreRUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-12 :: Tuesday, 19 January 2016
[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#12 Tuesday 19 January 2016 A project sponsored through the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs The contents do not necessarily represent the views of IERES or the George Washington University. JRL homepage: russialist.org – JRL […]
» Read moreNEWSWATCH: “Seven Key Reforms for Ukraine in 2016” – Atlantic Council/Anders Åslund
Anders Åslund covers unfolding conditions in Ukraine, adding recommendations for steps forward in 2016. … It is quite striking how the mood has changed in a positive direction. The 2016 budget and the modified tax code were adopted on December 24. After two weeks of well-deserved rest, there is a sudden realization that Ukraine accomplished many important economic reforms in […]
» Read moreNEWSWATCH: “EU, Russia may nuke asteroids. Blowing up comets and asteroids with nuclear bombs is just one way to save the planet from an Armageddon-style impact, say scientists.” – The Daily Telegraph (UK)
The Daily Telegraph covers the prospect of the EU and Russia launching nuclear missiles against asteroids or comets that threaten the earth. The European Commission funded Russian scientists to develop plans to save the world from rogue asteroids by blowing them up with nuclear weapons. … Russia’s top space research institute teamed up with missile and rocket engineers to look […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK Russia Direct: “Russia, China and the US need to work together in 2016. At the Gaidar Forum in Moscow, Russian and foreign experts discussed the role of the great powers in shaping the current system of international relations, as well as the potential ability for Russia and the U.S. to find common ground in 2016”
NEWSLINK International Policy Digest: “Arctic Trade Route Presents Opportunity for Russia-West Cooperation”
NEWSLINK Russia Direct: “Review of the week: Putin’s Bild interview and US-Russia relations. The most important Russian foreign policy events of the past week centered on Ukraine, including a discussion of the Minsk agreements and the potential for increased Russia-U.S. coordination in bringing the confrontation to an end.”
NEWSWATCH Vladimir Suchan: “Nuland-Surkov Talks”
(Vladimir Suchan – Facebook post – January 17, 2016) Alexander Chalenko, who belongs to the ex-Ukrainian circle of Surkov’s and the Kremlin’s PR horns, published an article… Posted by Vladimir Suchan on Saturday, January 16, 2016
» Read more