Author: JRL Russia List

Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#172 :: Friday, 20 September 2013

JRL Tables of Contents, Russian News
Map of Russia

Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#172 :: 20 September 2013 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 POLITICS 1. Moscow TImes: Putin Talks Syria, Gays and John McCain at […]

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Putin Talks Syria, Gays and John McCain at Valdai

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Syria, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Vladimir Putin at Valdai Club 2013 Meeting, Adapted from Screenshot of Valdai Club Video at youtube.com

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Allison Quinn – September 20, 2013) [View entire 3-hour event here http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-PtsodE-ZkY&feature=m-ch-fea] At the 10th-anniversary meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin lapped up praise for his recent New York Times op-ed on the Syria crisis and his “achievement” of averting a U.S. military strike. Putin addressed a wide array of […]

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TRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club [partial transcript]

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Middle East, North Africa, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Religion, Syria, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Vladimir Putin at Valdai Club 2013 Meeting, Adapted from Screenshot of Valdai Club Video at youtube.com

(Kremlin.ru – Novgorod Region, September 19, 2013) Vladimir Putin took part in the final plenary meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club. The theme of the club’s anniversary session is Russia’s Diversity for the Modern World. PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA VLADIMIR PUTIN: Good afternoon, friends, ladies and gentlemen, I hope that the place for your discussions, for our meetings is well […]

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Interview: McCain On Russia, Putin, And His Pravda.ru Op-Ed

Human Rights, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
John McCain file photo

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – NEW YORK, September 20, 2013) U.S. Senator John McCain (Republican-Arizona) has defended an opinion piece he wrote this week that was critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin, telling Yuri Zhigalkin of RFE/RL’s Russian Service that his remarks were based on the facts about rights abuses in Russia. RFE/RL: Senator, I had the feeling that critics and […]

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Putin’s Spokesman Calls Presidential Bid Question ‘Rhetorical’, ‘Untimely’

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladimir Putin at Outdoor Rally with Microphone in Hand and Heavy Coat

(RIA Novosti – September 19, 2013) The Russian president’s press secretary, Dmitriy Peskov, has said that the question put to Vladimir Putin during the meeting of the Valday (also spelt Valdai) discussion club on 19 September about the possibility of him standing in the 2018 presidential election was “rhetorical” and received an appropriate answer, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti […]

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Protest songs in Russia: A sign of democratic society

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Map of Russia

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Vasily Shumov, special to RBTH – September 20, 2013) In modern Russia, we can see that almost every public rally features a music performance that can be identified as a protest song. Russian protest songs have come a long way in the past 60 years following World War II­starting with songs created by […]

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U.S. financial woes source of anxiety for Russia – Putin

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Leaning Towards Barack Hussein Obama With Flags Behind Them

(Interfax – VALDAI, Russia. September 19, 2013) Russia is worrying about the current state of the U.S. finance system with its “unbelievable sovereign debt and budget deficit,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said. “How will the situation develop? This has a direct effect on the global economy, it’s a real source of anxiety for everyone,” Putin said at a meeting of […]

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Russia’s Growth Ranking Low, Hopes High

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Cash, Coins, Line Graph

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Guennadi Moukine – September 20, 2013) A study on economic factors that stimulate growth that was released Thursday puts Russia in 43rd place out of 60 countries, showing no overall improvement over last year’s ranking. The Grant Thornton Global Dynamism Index for 2013, which combined 2012 results with economic development forecasts for 2013, placed Australia […]

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Ex-finance minister does not rule out new economic crisis in Russia with political repercussions

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Alexei Kudrin file photo

(Interfax – VALDAI, September 19, 2013) Former Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin has said that should another economic crisis break out in Russia, it might bring with it political consequences. “If a crisis occurs, it will trigger political repercussions,” Kudrin told reporters on the sidelines of the Valdai discussion club. The ex-minister, however, declined to forecast when a new crisis […]

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Timeline, Assad estimates $1 billion adequate for weapons disposal – Russian expert

Chemical Weapons, Biological Weapons, ChemBio, Syria, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations, WMD Proliferation
File Photo of Bashar al-Assad and Sergei Lavrov

(Interfax – MOSCOW, September 19, 2013) The estimates of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to which the disposal of Syrian chemical weapons would require approximately one year and cost about $1 billion, are fairly accurate, Chairman of the Council on the Foreign and Defense Policy Fyodor Lukyanov said. “It is probably close to the truth. What foreign countries are saying […]

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Ukraine can’t be ‘here and there’ at the same time – Medvedev on Ukraine’s integration

CIS, Customs Union, Eurasian Union, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Western CIS/FSU and European Environs

(Interfax – MOSCOW, September 19, 2013) Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has reiterated that Ukraine cannot combine its associated membership in the European Union with integration in the Customs Union. During a meeting with the participants in the 15th General Assembly of the Organization of Asia- Pacific News Agencies (OANA), he said such statements by the Ukrainian administration on its […]

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Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#171 :: 19 September 2013

JRL Tables of Contents, Russian News
Map of Russia

Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#171 :: 19 September 2013 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 POLITICS 1. Valdai Discussion Club: LIVE: Broadcast of Vladimir Putin’s speech at […]

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Senator John McCain: Russians deserve better than Putin

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
John McCain file photo

(Pravda.ru – September 19, 2013) When Pravda.ru editor, Dmitry Sudakov, offered to publish my commentary, he referred to me as “an active anti-Russian politician for many years.” I’m sure that isn’t the first time Russians have heard me characterized as their antagonist. Since my purpose here is to dispel falsehoods used by Russia’s rulers to perpetuate their power and excuse […]

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Roofs and bottle caps: Deciphering Russian slang

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Russian Language
File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Alexey Mikheev, special to RBTH – September 19, 2013) Matryoshka, kolhkoz, sputnik, perestroika­all of these original and untranslatable words have been borrowed in other languages from Russian at one time in history or another. This happened recently with another Russian word­krysha­in English. The word krysha itself is not new and simply means “roof.” […]

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The West Just Doesn’t Get Putin

Russia & the West, Syria, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Sitting at Desk

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Dmitri Trenin, Director, Carnegie Moscow Center – September 13, 2013) U.S. reactions to President Vladimir Putin’s op-ed article in the New York Times this week, from outrage to ridicule, show just how badly much of the Western policy elite are misinterpreting Russia. This is largely the product of dashed and unrealistic expectations that many in the […]

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Pravda.ru: ‘McCain believes that God left people His Will in America’s national documents’

Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Stylized Russian and U.S. Flags with Number 200, 1807-2007

(Pravda.ru – September 19, 2013) Vladimir Solovyov: “This is Senator’s sincere belief that everyone dreams to live like the Americans, but this is not true. This is a traditional fallacy of not very young politicians of young nations, ” Russian TV host Vladimir Solovyov said in response to Sen. John McCain’s article “Russians deserve better than Putin,” published on Pravda.Ru. […]

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RIA Novosti: Russia Moves Up, US Falls in World Economic Freedom Ranking

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Cash, Coins, Line Graph

(RIA Novosti – Karin Zeitvogel – WASHINGTON, September 18, 2013) ­ Russia has climbed 10 places since 1995 in a global ranking of economic freedom, while the United States has fallen 13 spots over the same period, according to a report from a Canadian public policy think-tank released Wednesday. Russia ranked 101st out of 151 nations, up 10 places from […]

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Navalny’s status as undisputed leader of Russian opposition questioned

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Alexei Navalny Being Grabbed by Police at Protest

(Interfax – Moscow, September 18, 2013) The apparent fact that Aleksey Navalnyy is popular in Moscow does not make him the sole leader of the opposition in the country, believes Boris Nemtsov, co-chairman of RPR-Parnas. “It is an apparent fact that Aleksey Navalnyy is the leader of the opposition in Moscow. However, it is too early to say whether or […]

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Russian Opposition Lawmaker Calls Large-Scale Protests Unlikely

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Moscow Protest file photo

(RIA Novosti – VALDAI, Novgorod Region, September 18, 2013) ­ An outspoken Russian opposition lawmaker said Wednesday that political protest in the country was too fragmented to generate the kind of large-scale public discontent that erupted after parliamentary elections in 2011. “I’m convinced there will be no new wave of protests,” Ilya Ponomaryov of A Just Russia party said at […]

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RIA Novosti: Russian Parliamentary Committee Approves NGO Snap-Check Bill

Human Rights, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, September 18, 2013) ­ A relevant parliamentary committee on Wednesday recommended that lawmakers pass a bill providing additional grounds for unscheduled checks of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The committee for public unions and organizations recommended that the bill, submitted by the Russian government in June, be passed in its first reading. According to the bill, grounds for […]

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Russians Deeply Conflicted on Ethnic Issues, Poll Shows

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Race, Ethnic, Extremism, Xenophobia
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, September 19, 2013) Ethnic Russians often hold positions on ethnic issues that are at odds with one another, a reflection of the difficulties of tapping in to such sensitive questions and of real uncertainties among them about themselves, their nation and country, and about other groups. At the request of the Norwegian […]

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Russian Parliament Gives Approval for State to Take Over Academy of Sciences

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Science, Technology, Engineering
Duma Session file photo

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, September 18, 2013) ­ A bill to hand over control of research institutions in Russia from the country’s Academy of Sciences to the federal government was approved on Wednesday in the federal parliament despite vehement objections from the scientific community. The landmark bill, which has yet to be approved by the upper house of parliament and […]

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IT, Retail Executives Make It to the Top of Russian Business Leaders

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
Empty Boardroom

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – September 19, 2013 – Alexander Panin) The top 25 of the ranking of Russia’s top executives published Wednesday for the first time in its 14-year history had three new names that were not associated with state companies or traditional resource-oriented industries. The Top 1000 Business Leaders ranking, prepared by the Russian Managers Association, is based […]

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Eco-Consciousness Growing, One Package at a Time

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Environment
Siberian Natural Scenery, with River, Trees, Hills

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Lena Smirnova – September 19, 2013) Russian consumers have more interest and demand for environmentally friendly packaging than their counterparts in some developed countries, but still are ranked at the bottom among 11 large consumer markets in terms of actual recycling activity, according to a study that global packaging giant Tetra Pak released this week. […]

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Americans’ Views on Russia, Putin Sour – Poll

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
United States Map

(RIA Novosti – WASHINGTON, September 18, 2013) ­ For the first time in 15 years, more Americans view Russia as an unfriendly or enemy nation than as an ally or friend of the United States, and for the first time since Russian President Vladimir Putin took office in 2000, a majority of Americans have an unfavorable opinion of him, a […]

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Needling, Wary Collaboration

Syria, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Leaning Towards Barack Hussein Obama With Flags Behind Them

(The Weekly Wonk – weeklywonk.newamerica.net – Joshua Tucker – September 12, 2013) It is hard to imagine a more interesting—and confusing—time to take stock of modern U.S.-Russian relations. My Twitter feed is currently ablaze with reports of the possibility that the #US will adopt the #Russia plan for solving the current #Syria crisis. At the same time, Vladimir Putin has […]

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Interfax: Russia is restoring its military presence in Arctic, not expanding it – Foreign Ministry

Arctic, Military
File Photo of Polar Bear on Ice and Snow with Water Nearby

(Interfax – MURMANSK, September 19, 2013) The strengthening of any country’s military forces in the Artic is in most cases not targeted against any of the neighbors, Russian Foreign Ministry charge d’affaires Anton Vasilyev said. “If we don’t take into account strategic nuclear weapons, which are an element of a different, global strategic dimension, it’s difficult to speak about any […]

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Russia shrugged: Searching for national identity

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Population Disaster, Demographics, Race, Ethnic, Extremism, Xenophobia
File Photo of Crowd of Russians with One Waving Russian Flag

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Anna Arutunyan – September 18, 2013) As the Russian government continues to search for a national identity unifying Russians, a recent study shows a society atomized along ethnic and economic lines. With so little holding a people together, the findings, sociologists say, challenge a long-held assumption that Russia is an inherently collectivist society. “We are […]

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Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#170 :: 18 September 2013

JRL Tables of Contents, Russian News
Map of Russia

Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#170 : 18 September 2013 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 POLITICS 1. Moscow News: Anna Arutunyan, Russia shrugged: Searching for national identity. […]

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Interfax: Moscow to send to UNSC proof that insurgents used chemical weapons in Ghouta – Lavrov

Chemical Weapons, Biological Weapons, ChemBio, Syria, United Nations, WMD Proliferation
File Photo of Bashar al-Assad and Sergei Lavrov

(Interfax – MOSCOW, September 18, 2013) Russia intends to provide the proof, provided by Damascus, that the opposition used chemical weapons in eastern Ghouta near Damascus, to the UN Security Council. “Of course, we will provide all of this to the UN Security Council,” Russian Foreign Minister told reporters following his speech at the Valdai Discussion Club. This proof has […]

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RIA Novosti: Pundits Dismiss Russian Trace In UN Report On Chemical Attack In Syria

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Chemical Weapons, Biological Weapons, ChemBio, Syria, United Nations, WMD Proliferation
File Photo of Bashar al-Assad and Sergei Lavrov

(RIA Novosti – September 17, 2013) Armed Syrian opposition could have used parts of Soviet ammunition when preparing the chemical attack in the vicinity of Damascus, editor-in-chief of the Natsionalnaya Oborona (National Defense) magazine Igor Korotchenko told RIA Novosti news agency on 17 September. The UN report confirming the use of chemical weapons in Syria, which was published on 16 […]

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RIA Novosti: Russian Expert Decodes Information On Shells Found In Syria By UN Inspectors

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Chemical Weapons, Biological Weapons, ChemBio, United Nations, WMD Proliferation
Syria Map

(RIA Novosti – Valday, Novgorod Region, September 17, 2013) The parts of Soviet-made munitions found by UN inspectors near Damascus belong to projectiles used in multiple-launch missile systems that the Syrian army took out of service long ago and have probably been improvised to carry chemicals, the director of the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, Ruslan Pukhov, has […]

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RIA Novosti: U.S., Russia Spar over Truth, Consequences in Syria

Chemical Weapons, Biological Weapons, ChemBio, Syria, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Bashar al-Assad and Sergei Lavrov

(RIA Novosti – Carl Schreck – WASHINGTON, September 17, 2013) ­ The United States and Russia remained at loggerheads Tuesday over the potential use of force against Syria should Damascus fail to abide by a US-Russian plan to secure chemical weapons stockpiles controlled by the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Washington is pushing for a UN Security Council resolution […]

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Russia Beyond the Headlines: Can Russia and the U.N. save Syria?

Syria, United Nations
UN Building file photo

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Yuri Paniyev, special to RBTH – September 17, 2013) Despite ­ or perhaps because of ­ its touchy bilateral relations with many member countries, Russia maintains that the United Nations is still relevant today. On Sept. 17, the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly was opened with a strike of a […]

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Russian business ombudsman urges amnesty for migrants

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Boris Titov file photo

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, September 18, 2013) Russia’s business ombudsman proposed on Tuesday that the country’s authorities should declare amnesty for illegal migrants to help both the foreign workers and their employers. Ombudsman Boris Titov, who helped put forward amnesty for Russians jailed on economic charges, wrote a column saying that business in the country needed a considerable inflow of […]

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Russia could cut, redistribute some budget expenditure in next three years

Budget, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Cash, Calculator, Pen

(Interfax – MOSCOW/KAZAN, September 17, 2013) Russia could cut budget expenditure by more than 1.2 trillion rubles in the next three years. Some of this as well as money saved by other means may be redistributed or used for other priorities. Cutting and maneuvering The Kommersant newspaper said the Russian Finance Ministry was proposing to slash budget spending by more […]

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Russian strategy: new article in International Affairs

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
Kremlin and Moscow Environs Aerial View

Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 Subject: Russian strategy: new article in International Affairs From: Andrew Monaghan <a.c.monaghan@gmail.com> Please find below a link to a new article just published in the current edition of International Affairs journal. http://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/ia/archive/view/194090 The article reflects on the nature of strategy and explores how this can be applied to Russian strategic thinking and planning. This is […]

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NEW BOOK: Strategic Cooperation: Overcoming the Barriers of Global Anarchy

CIS, Customs Union, Eurasian Union, Education, Academia, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, History, Soviet Union, International Law
Map of Western CIS/FSU and European Environs

Date: Mon, 9 Sep 2013 Subject: New book: Strategic Cooperation:  Overcoming the Barriers of Global Anarchy From: Michael Slobodchikoff <mslobodchikoff@troy.edu> Michael O. Slobodchikoff Lecturer of Political Science Troy University Troy, AL TITLE: Strategic Cooperation:  Overcoming the Barriers of Global Anarchy AUTHOR: Michael O. Slobodchikoff PUBLISHER: Lexington Books (2013) ABSTRACT: Power inequalities and mistrust have characterized many interstate relationships. Yet most […]

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EVENT & CALL FOR PAPERS: ASN 2014 Convention Call for Papers

Education, Academia, Events, Jobs, Opportunities, Calls for Papers, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's
Columbia University Campus with Main Building

From: Dominique Arel <darel@uottawa.ca> Subject: ASN 2014 Convention Call for Papers Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 Call for Papers 19th Annual World Convention of the Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN) International Affairs Building, Columbia University, NY Sponsored by the Harriman Institute 24-26 April 2014 www.nationalities.org ***Proposal deadline: 24 October 2013*** [Please note that the deadline is earlier than […]

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MEMORIAL SERVICE: Reminder: Peter Juviler Memorial Service, Friday September 20 in New York City

In Memoriam
Columbia University Campus with Main Building

Subject: Reminder: Peter Juviler Memorial Service 9/20 From: The Harriman Institute <harrimanevents@gmail.com> Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 Columbia/Harriman Institute Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies Reminder: Peter Juviler Memorial Service A memorial service will be held for Professor Emeritus Peter Juviler on Friday, September 20, 2013 at 4 pm in the James Memorial Chapel at Union Theological Seminary (3041 Broadway […]

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EVENT REMINDER – PONARS Eurasia Policy Conference – September 23-24, 2013 (RSVP by Thursday September 19)

Central Asia, Events, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Oil, Gas, Energy, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Sports, Olympics, World Cup, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of George Washington Bust at George Washington University

Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 From: PONARS Eurasia / IERES <ieresgwu@gwu.edu> Subject: REMINDER – PONARS Eurasia Policy Conference – September 23-24, 2013 IERES – The Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies We are pleased to invite you to the annual PONARS Eurasia Policy Conference September 23-24, 2013 GW Elliott School of International Affairs 1957 E Street NW Washington DC […]

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Russian territorial integrity must be protected at any cost – poll

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Map of Russia

(Interfax – MOSCOW, September 18, 2013) Russia should be preserved within its current borders at any cost, said 93% of citizens polled by the Public Opinion Foundation in September. Some 57% of 1,000 respondents polled over the phone said there was a threat to Russian territorial integrity. Such answers were mostly given by citizens older than 60 (69%), vocational school […]

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Why Russia still needs the UN

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, United Nations
UN Building file photo

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Vyacheslav Morozov, special to RBTH – September 18, 2013) Although Russia is involved in many other multilateral groups, the UN gives the country status and influence. Russia’s attitude towards the United Nations is defined by two key concerns: status and influence. Being a permanent member of the UN Security Council is crucial for […]

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Over 500 businessman pardoned in Russia under economic amnesty in ten weeks – business ombudsman

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
Boris Titov file photo

(Interfax – MOSCOW. September 17, 2013) Over 500 people have been pardoned under the economic amnesty declared in July 2013 by the Russian State Duma, the office of Russian business ombudsman Boris Titov said. “As of September 16, the number of individuals, to whom the State Duma’s decree On Declaring Amnesty from July 2, 2012 was applied, is 525 people,” […]

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RIA Novosti: Russia’s Economy at Worst Since Global Crisis – Minister

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

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, September 18, 2013) Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) is growing too slowly to pull the country out of its worst economic situation since the 2008 global financial crisis, the country’s economic development minister said Wednesday, and the stagnation is unlikely to improve in 2014. Alexei Ulyukayev said during a “government hour” meeting in the State Duma […]

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Filin Returns to Bolshoi 9 Months After Attack

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
Bolshoi Theater file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ian Bateson – September 18, 2013) Bolshoi Theater artistic director Sergei Filin appeared at the theater Tuesday to help kick off its 238th season, nine months after being splashed in the face with acid in an attack that shocked the world. Standing up at the event and looking around wearing protective sunglasses, Filin said he […]

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Will new standards improve Russian education?

Education, Academia
File Photo of U.S. Diplomat Teaching Class to Russian Students

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Alina Lobzina, special to RBTH – September 18, 2013) During the Cold War, American students were told to study hard to compete with their Soviet counterparts. How does Russian education stack up today? Svetlana Levkovets, a 49-year-old teacher from St. Petersburg, has grown accustomed to competing with mobile phones in the classroom. Levkovets […]

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Have the September elections changed anything?

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(opendemocracy.net – Grigorii Golosov – September 17, 2013) Grigorii Golosov is Professor of Political Science, Project Director, Center for Democracy and Human Rights Helix, St. Petersburg Recent regional elections in Russia provoked more interest than usual, mainly because charismatic and controversial opposition leader Alexei Navalny was standing in the Moscow mayoral election. Some results were dramatic, but Grigorii Golosov wonders […]

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Duma to Consider Science Reform Amid Protest

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Science, Technology, Engineering
Russian Duma Building

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Natalya Krainova – September 18, 2013) The State Duma on Wednesday is set to review a controversial reform of the Russian Academy of Sciences in a key second reading amid a flurry of scandalous accusations against both the academy’s leadership and federal lawmakers who’ve sponsored the reform. The proposed reform has been met with major […]

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Campaign of lies launched against Academy – ex-president

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Science, Technology, Engineering
Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Interfax – MOSCOW, September 17, 2013) Academician Yury Osipov, who was the Russian Academy of Sciences’ president for 12 years, said an unseemly and insulting campaign has been launched in the media against the Academy. “A well-orchestrated and large-scale information campaign against the Academy of Sciences, which is apparently linked to the Academy reform, aims to convince the public, whose […]

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