Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#152 :: 20 August 2013

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Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#152 :: 20 August 2013
E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net
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POLITICS

1. Reuters: Victims of domestic violence face uphill battle for protection in Russia.
2. Moscow News: Russian ICUs: death behind closed doors.
3. Moscow News: Society at root of worries over rising Russian excise. (re alcohol)
4. ITAR-TASS: Most Russians are indifferent to 1991 coup attempt, many have not heard about it at all.
5. Interfax: Zyuganov fears ‘Yeltsin tragedy’ may repeat itself if current govt is not replaced.
6. Carnegie Moscow Center: Lilia Shevtsova, Thinking History: The Importance of 1991.
7. New York Times: Masha Gessen, This Accursed Month.
8. Moscow Times/BBC Monitoring: What the Papers Say, Aug. 20, 2013.
9. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Russians’ Growing Willingness to Protest on Economic Issues Seen as Threat to Political Stability.
10. Interfax: Medvedev: All regions should ultimately switch to direct elections.
11. Reuters: Russia’s former ‘grey cardinal’ denies new Kremlin role. (Surkov)
12. Interfax: None of State Duma deputies prefers foreign assets to parliament seat.
13. Interfax: Federation Council has no more senators with foreign assets – Matviyenko.
14. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Blogs begin to play a prominent political role.
15. Interfax: Medvedev proposes that bloggers be involved in information security sphere.
16. ITAR-TASS: Publishing private information of Russian social network users without consent to become illegal.
17. ITAR-TASS: Government to slash spending on North Caucasus government machinery.
18. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Patrick Sewell, Why Russia fails in ethnic conflict resolution. Flare-ups of nationalist conflict in July exposed the government as being either unable, or unwilling, to oppose a dangerous nationalist interpretation of Russian statehood with one based on civic identity.
19. RIA Novosti: Acting Moscow Mayor’s Election Documents Complete – Officials.
20. Interfax: Navalny staff denies violations in fund raising.
21. Interfax: Navalny gives account on election fund spending on Internet.
22. RIA Novosti: Russian Pundits Say Navalnyy’s Pull Out From Election Debates Is Non Fatal Error.
23. Grani.ru: Commentator Says Navalnyy ‘Right’ To Pull Out of Election Debate. (Ilya Milshteyn)
24. Echo Moskvy: Alexei Navalny, Yet Another Daughter. Yet Another Apartment. Yet Another Question for Civil Servant Sobyanin.
25. BBC: Russia: South Park spoof ‘attacks opposition leader.
26. Interfax: Dorenko returns to Ekho Moskvy.
27. Interfax: Khodorkovsky lawyer doubts human rights council’s idea on new amnesty will be implemented.
28. www.russiatoday.com: Pussy Riot member files defamation lawsuit against former lawyer.
29. Moscow Times: Anti-Gay Vigilante Groups Face Backlash.
30. R-Sport: Russian Sprinters Deny Podium Kiss was an Act of Protest.
31. www.thenation.com: Dave Zirin, Was a Kiss Just a Kiss? The Medal-Stand Smooch Heard Round the World.
32. Moscow News: Simon Speakman Cordall, Russia: LGBT rights and isolationism.
33. New York Times: Cemetery Left in Peace in City Remade by Olympics. (Sochi)
34. Moscow Times: Gorky Park Prepares for Another Radical Makeover.

ECONOMY

35. Reuters: Russia’s economy shows signs of improving in July.
36. Bloomberg: Russian Consumer Demand Strengthens in Sign of Resilience.
37. Interfax: Third of Russians anticipate further ruble slide – poll.
38. Valdai Discussion Club: Enduring slow down of growth threatens Russian economy. Interview with Bruno Sergi
39. Reuters: Russia ­ the one-eyed emerging market among the blind.
40. Business Week: Alexei Sitnikov, U.S.-Russia Relations: Don’t Let Politics Get in the Way of Business.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

41. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Gazeta.ru: Fyodor Lukyanov, Russia does not want another Soviet Union. Moscow’s policy with regard to its closest neighbors is becoming more and more pragmatic.
42. Politkom.ru: Mikhail Agadzhanyan, International Trends Push Russia and China Into Each Other’s ‘Embrace’.
43. Valdai Discussion Club: Valdai Experts to Define Russia’s National Idea at the Anniversary Summit
44. Moscow Times: Peter Rutland, Snowden Tests Putin’s Machiavellianism.
45. Mint Press News: Steve Horn, What The US And Russia Are Really Quarreling Over: Pipelines.
46. Forbes.com: Mark Adomanis, Why Aren’t There Any Russians In Texas?
47. RIA Novosti: Russian Pundits Warn Of Disintegration Of Egypt, Civil War.
48. Carnegie Moscow Center: Andrew Weiss, Rumors of War Traced Back to Sources. (re Ukraine)