Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#234 :: 30 December 2013

Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#234 :: 30 December 2013
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POLITICS

1. RIA Novosti: Half of Russians Describe 2013 as Successful Year – Poll.
2. Moscow News: Russia’s year in review: terror, political surprises, and hope.
3. Russia Beyond the Headlines: The Soviet Union, spy scandals, sex and UFOs: Top 13 stories of 2013. As the year draws to a close, check out these 13 stories that RBTH readers found most interesting, engaging or thought-provoking in 2013.
4. Paul Goble: Window on Eurasia: Structure of Russian Family Continues to Change, Expert Says.
5. Kremlin.ru: New Year reception at the Kremlin.
6. Interfax: Putin named person of the year in Levada Center sociological survey.
7. RIA Novosti: Putin Named International Person of Year by Times.
8. www.opendemocracy.net/Chatham House: Roderic Lyne, The blank poster: Russia heading into 2014.
9. Moscow Times: Michael Bohm The 5 Biggest Events That Shaped Putin’s 2013.
10. Moscow Times: What the Papers Say, Dec. 30, 2013.
11. Reuters: Second suicide bomber in Russia’s Volgograd kills 14 on bus.
12. Christian Science Monitor: Suicide bombs in Volgograd stoke worries of a terror campaign.
13. www.russiatoday.com: Russia’s war on terror to remain within constitutional framework.
14. Moscow Times: Parents of Volgograd Train Station Bomber Pleaded for His Return (Video).
15. RFE/RL: In Wake Of Repeated Bombings, A Question: Why Volgograd?
16. Carnegie Moscow Center: Dmitri Trenin, Terror on the Volga.
17. Paul Goble: Window on Eurasia: Volgograd Explosion Highlights Putin’s Failure in Fight against Terrorism, Russian Blogger Says.
18. Vedomosti: Putin Press Conference Seen Demonstrating ‘Softened’ Attitude Toward Enemies.
19. The International New York Times: Andrew Weiss, Russia’s Oligarchy, Alive and Well.
20. www.opendemocracy.net: Richard Sakwa, Can Putinism solve its contradictions?
21. Russia: Other Points of View: Gordon Hahn, KUDRIN RISING.
22. Izvestia: Yabloko Party Chief Claims Navalnyy Is Performing Assignment From ‘Anti-Putin Oligarchs’
23. RIA Novosti: Putin Signs Law Punishing Separatism with Jail.
24. Moscow Times: Khodorkovsky Thinks One Out of Ten Officials Should be Fired.
25. Moscow Rossiya 24 TV: Russia’s richest man greets Khodorkovskiy’s release, downplays its impact. (Alisher Usmanov)
26. Interfax: Nearly half of Russians welcome amnesty – poll.
27. www.opendemocracy.net: Tanya Lokshina, Russia’s 2013: the year in human rights.
28. Dozhd TV: Russia’s Putin “closed” secret police man with “abundance of fears” – Pussy Riot.
29. Dozhd TV: Russia’s Pussy Riot say attending Sochi Olympics implies backing Putin.
30. The Voice of Russia: Dmitry Babich, Myths about Russia being ‘anti-gay’: misplaced boycott and Olympic calm in Sochi.

ECONOMY

31. Reuters: Russia was most protectionist nation in 2013 – study.
32. New York Times: Signs of a Russian Thaw (Toward Business).

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

33. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Fyodor Lukyanov, 2013 brings revival of classic diplomacy. The dawn of a unipolar world means that countries will have to settle arguments through talks again.
34. Carnegie Moscow Center: Dmitri Trenin, Looking Back: Peace in Eurasia, 2013.
35. New York Times: New Law All but Bars Russian GPS Sites in U.S.
36. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation: US-Russian presidential working groups’ work in 2013 “overall successful”
37. ITAR-TASS: Azarov: Ukraine’s policy to European integration remains unchanged.
38. ITAR-TASS: Ukraine did not turn in European state. Russian Press Review.
39. ITAR-TASS: Medvedev: After issuing loan to Ukraine, Russia will have more financially reliable partner.
40. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Russian Paper Says Ukraine Caught in Balancing Act Between Moscow and Brussels.
41. Reuters: Ukrainian opposition focuses on 2015 election as protests wane.
42. The National Interest: Sergey Glazyev, The Mania of Ukraine’s Euromaidan.