Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#132 :: 22 July 2013

Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#132 :: 22 July 2013
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POLITICS

1. Interfax: More than half of Russians would like to work in govt sector – poll.
2. RIA Novosti: Influx of ‘Other Ethnicities’ Likeliest of Russia’s ‘Security Threats’- Poll.
3. ITAR-TASS: Sochi marks 200 days before opening of 2014 Olympics.
4. ITAR-TASS: Patriarch urges Russians to fight for freedom from sins.
5. The Voice of Russia: 400th anniversary of the House of Romanov.
6. Vedomosti: Russian Editorial Views Laughter as Important Political Weapon.
7. Russia Direct: Don’t expect a second wave of street protests in Russia soon. In this exclusive interview with Russia Direct, prominent Russian sociologist Olga Kryshtanovskaya suggests that the concept of the Russian middle class “exists in a kind of vacuum”.
8. Moscow Times/BBC Monitoring: What the Papers Say, July 22, 2013.
9. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Municipal Filter Seen Disadvantageous to Power, Abolition After Elections Likely.
10. Moscow Times: Newly Freed Navalny Sets Sights on Mayor’s Office.
11. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Oppositionist Navalny to participate in Moscow mayoral election.
12. BBC Monitoring: Navalnyy’s standing for Moscow mayor gives election legitimacy – view.
13. Interfax: Release of inmate at prosecutor’s demand is unprecedented – lawyer Reznik.
14. Gazeta.ru: Poll Shows Majority of Muscovites Consider ‘Management Experience’ Vital in Choice of New Mayor.
15. www.russiatoday.com: Center-left seeks to broaden amnesty bill to cover Navalny case.
16. RIA Novosti: Kremlin Denies That Putin Played Role in Navalny’s Release.
17. BBC Monitoring: Russian pundit explains Navalnyy’s release by infighting at top.
18. Nezavisimaya Gazeta editorial: Navalnyy’s Criminal Conviction Seen as Major Blow to Russian Opposition.
19. Moscow Times: Vladimir Frolov, Navalny Verdict Turns Vote Into Good vs. Evil.
20. Komsomolskaya Pravda: Political Analyst Markov Comments on Navalnyy Verdict.
21. New York Times: Masha Gessen, That Blunt Russian Force.
22. PONARS Eurasia: The Navalny Verdict: What It Means for Russia: Six Views.
23. BBC Monitoring: Russian state TV says no political subtext to case against opposition mayor.
24. Deutsche Welle: Russian opposition fragmented against Putin.
25. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Opposition’s Coordinating Council suffers a crisis.
26. RFE/RL: Vera Kichanova: Russia’s Opposition Must Go Bold, Even In Starting Small.
27. Izvestia: Russian Duma Committee Head Pushkov Discusses Media Career, US Press Coverage of Snowden Case.
28. Novyye Izvestiya: Union of Journlists Head Bogdanov on Proposed Amendments To Media Law.
29. Moscow Times: Nikolai Petrov, Failed North Caucasus Policy.
30. Interfax: Recognition of same-sex marriages leads humanity to end of world – Patriarch Kirill.
31. New York TImes: Harvey Fierstein, Russia’s Anti-Gay Crackdown.
32. www.mcclatchydc.com: Europe’s image of tolerance doesn’t extend to gay rights.

ECONOMY

33. ITAR-TASS: Russian economy stagnating, authorities admit.
34. www.russiatoday.com: Rock bottom: Russian economy hits low, will pick up in July.
35. Bloomberg: Navalny Highlights Investors’ Black-Box Conundrum: Russia Credit.
36. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Russia discloses data on oil and gas reserves. Official numbers turned out to be double the estimates of foreign auditors. However, to get an objective picture, Russia will have to overhaul its classification system and bring it in line with international standards.
37. ITAR-TASS: Heads of 29 state-run companies to make public reports about their incomes and expenses.
38. Moscow Times: G20 Ministers Focus on Tax Evasion, Stimulus Measures.
39. Financial Times: Arctic shipping set for record as sea ice melts.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

40. Moscow Times: U.S. Increases Pressure Over Snowden.
41. The Voice of Russia: Obama’s plans to visit Russia won’t change over Snowden – Duma Speaker.
42. Interfax: Ambassador: U.S. clearly communicates concerns over Snowden to Russian govt.
43. www.russiatoday.com: US ‘fails to extradite criminals to Russia’.
44. The Hill: US lawmakers fed up with Russia, Putin.
45. New York Times: Russia Says Assad Is Ready for Peace Talks.
46. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Kyrgyzstan is becoming Chinese.