Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#148 :: 14 August 2013

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Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#148 :: 14 August 2013
E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net
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POLITICS

1. Russia Beyond the Headlines: A hitchhiker’s guide to the Russian galaxy. Hitchhiking in the world’s largest country can be a thrilling experience. Gathering bits of advice from Russia’s most experienced travelers, RBTH delves into the history and local habits of this adventurous mode of travel.
2. RIA Novosti: Most Russians Still Trust TV News More Than Internet – Poll.
3. RIA Novosti: Russians Despise Living in Debt, Laxer About Tax Evasion – Poll.
4. Nezavisimaya Gazeta editorial: Strong Putin Minority. The President No Longer Enjoys the Steady Support of a Majority of Russians.
5. Polit.ru: Russians Seen Growing ‘Tired’ of Putin. (Mikhail Zakharov)
6. Moscow TImes/BBC Monitoring: What the Papers Say, Aug. 14, 2013.
7. Moscow News: More than 50% of Muscovites to vote for Sobyanin – poll.
8. ITAR-TASS: More than 70% of polled Muscovites hail mayor’s activity.
9. BBC Monitoring: Russian election debate: five of six Moscow mayor candidates outline positions.
10. BBC Monitoring: Russian commentators split over first Moscow mayor election debate.
11. BBC Monitoring: Moscow mayoral hopefuls play to their strengths in first campaign videos.
12. BBC Monitoring: More of the same in Moscow mayoral hopefuls’ TV ads on day two.
13. Moscow Times: Kevin Rothrock, The Business Of Endorsing Alexei Navalny.
14. Russia Beyond the Headlines: No fair play in Moscow mayoral election. All is fair in love and war – and in the Moscow mayoral race. As Navalny deals with accusations of receiving campaign funding from abroad, Sobyanin’s properties are the target of the opposition.
15. www.russiatoday.com: US ambassador puzzled after finding his image on Navalny campaign poster.
16. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Investigation Committee Said Harassing Oppositionists Through ‘Insulted’ Deputies Complaint.
17. RFE/RL: Russia’s ‘Traditional Values’ Lawmaker Faces Online Backlash. (Yelena Mizulina)
18. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Patrick Sewell, Understanding Russia’s perspective on “gay propaganda.” Despite the now notorious “gay propaganda” bill, frustrated westerners would be wrong to view Russian society as innately homophobic.
19. Izvestia: State Duma Nationalities Committee Official Interviewed on Russian Migration Policy, Ethnic Issues. (Mikhail Starshinov)
20. RIA Novosti: Natalia Antonova, Moscow’s Migrant Problem ­ And Lack of Community.
21. Institute of Modern Russia:Tatiana Stanovaya, Movement Toward Catastrophe. (re migrants)
22. Interfax: Nearly half of Russians do not mind piracy – poll.

ECONOMY

23. ITAR-TASS: August 2013 puts Russian economy between stagnation and recession.
24. Moskovskiy Komsomolets: Russian Economy Likely To Face Continued ‘Sluggish Stagnation’
25. Forbes.com: Mark Adomanis, Reports Of The Death Of Russia’s Oil Sector Have Been Greatly Exaggerated.
26. Interfax: Russia willing to assist EU countries in overcoming economic crisis – Lavrov.
27. RIA Novosti: Amazon Launches ‘Massive’ Expansion in Russia ­- Report.
28. Nature.com: Russia pins hopes on science city. But sceptics question prospects for Skolkovo commercial park.
29. Paul Goble: Window on Eurasia: ‘How Many Icebreakers Does Russia Need?’
30. Barents Observer (Norway): Kara Strait will never be new Suez.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

31. RIA Novosti: No Progress in Russia-NATO Missile Defense Talks ­- Official.
32. Interfax: U.S. tactical nuclear weapons must be withdrawn from Europe – Russian Defense Ministry.
33. RIA Novosti: No Pause in US-Russia Relations – Kremlin.
34. AFP: Chill in US-Russian relations dims disarmament hopes.
35. New York TImes: James Goodby, The End of a Nuclear Era.
36. Interfax: Snowden Sr. to visit Russia shortly, visit info to be posted after he meets with his son – source.
37. China Daily: Chen Xiangyang, US, Russia may control rift.
38. Moscow Times: Jonathan Power, Focus on Ballet, Not Ballistic Missiles.
39. The Independent (UK): Ian Kearns, A US-Russia freeze isn’t in the interests of Putin – or the West. Despite continuous disagreements, the relationship is beneficial both ways.
40. New York TImes: Thomas Friedman, Obama, Snowden and Putin.
41. Moscow Times: Putin’s Visit to Baku Highlights Russia’s ‘Clout’
42. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Vladimir Putin visits Azerbaijan.
43. Carnegie Moscow Center: Thomas de Waal, What was not said in Baku.
44. RIA Novosti: NATO Pullout From Afghanistan ‘Too Hasty’ – Russian Defense Official.
45. Paul Goble: Window on Eurasia: Moscow to Help Tehran Build More Nuclear Reactors.
46. Kommersant: Moscow ‘Demonstratively Ignoring’ Tehran’s Wish for Nuclear Cooperation With Russia.
47. Institute of Modern Russia: Donald Jensen, Why Putin Needs Ukraine.
48. Moscow Times: Russians Flocking to Britain’s Boarding Schools.