Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#95 :: 27 May 2013

Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#95 :: 27 May 2013
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POLITICS

1. RFE/RL: Russia’s Population Decline Said To Have ‘Stopped’
2. Moscow Times: Medvedev Cites Putin Relationship as Reason He’ll Keep His Job.
3. RIA Novosti: Cabinet Reshuffle Expected Sooner Or Later – Russian PM.
4. BBC Monitoring: Russian TV shows feature about Prime Minster Medvedev.
5. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Dmitry Medvedev dwells on the rumours about a possible dismissal of the government.
6. Interfax: Putin says Russia needs to look back to move forward.
7. Moscow Times: Vladimir Frolov, Nobody Knows if Russia Can Survive After Putin.
8. Sarah Lindemann-Komarova: The Fabulous 90’s: A Siberian memoir: Response to Adomanis JRL#94.
9. Christian Science Monitor: Fred Weir, Russia evacuates ‘drifting’ Arctic research station as ice floe melts.
10. Moscow Times/BBC Monitoring: What the Papers Say, May 27, 2013.
11. Business New Europe: MOSCOW BLOG: Kudrin for PM?
12. Moscow Times: Polygraph Tests Could Be Used to Tackle Corruption.
13. Moskovskij Komsomolets: Mikhail Rostovsky, Surkov for Breakfast, Medvedev for Lunch, and where do Russian Democrats come from?
14. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Russian Opposition Leader Yavlinskiy Stresses Need for Alternative to Putin.
15. Kommersant: Pressure on the Square. Could it have been calculated beforehand what would happen at Bolotnaya?
16. Moscow News: Foreign agents and pollsters: Research held hostage?
17. The Guardian: Lyudmila Alexeeva, Vadimir Putin’s goal is to destroy Russian civil society
18. Washington Post: Kathy Lally, Russia foreign agent law imperils democracy.
19. RIA Novosti: Veteran TV Presenter Laments Current State Of Journalism In Russia. (Pozner)
20. BBC Monitoring: Russian protest activists launch new television series on internet.
21. BBC Monitoring: Russian Public TV report chides authorities over Soviet ‘nostalgia’
22 The Globe and Mail (Canada): An unlikely hero fights urban sprawl in St. Petersburg. Cty residents band together to fight developers from erecting massive eyesores.
23. www.russiatoday.com: Russia’s Investigative Committee to monitor social networks for criminal cases.
24. Moscow Times: Victor Davidoff, The New Russian Anti-Semitism.
25. BBC Monitoring: There is complete artistic freedom in Russia, Putin tells filmmakers.
26. New York Times: Emily Parker, Bulgakov’s Ghost. Some Russians say literature had more political power when it was foridden.
26a. Moscow Times: John Freedman, Russia’s “Third Cultural Center,” Yekaterinburg.

ECONOMY

27. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. The Russian leadership is discussing a possible amnesty of businesspeople.
28. Interfax: Over half of foreign investors see positive changes in Russia’s investment climate – Shuvalov.
29. Interfax: Foreign direct investment in Russia soars 63.2% to $6.3 bln in Q1 – Rosstat.
30. Reuters: Russia’s commitment to new budget rule already in doubt.
31. Reuters: No more easy pickings in Russia’s banking market.
32. The Diplomat: Gabe Collins, Russia: Can The Gas Empire Strike Back? Intransigence on pricing may cost Moscow dearly in the huge Asian gas market.
33. ITAR-TASS: Russia-China economic relations should reduce dependence from foreign climate – Russian ambassador.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

34. Russia Beyond the Headlines: How can Russia best use its G20 presidency? Moscow is being urged to press ahead with a forward-looking agenda during the remaining months of its G20 presidency.
35. RIA Novosti: Konstantin von Eggert, Russia’s Aggressive Defensiveness Is Damaging Its Image.
36. Moscow Times: Russians to Get Access to FBI Data.
37. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Will spy scandal hamper U.S.-Russia collaboration on Sochi Olympics security? New York University’s Professor of Global Affairs Mark Galeotti reflects on the long-term consequences of the recent spy scandal and whether it will affect U.S.-Russia cooperation on security during the 2014 Olympics.
38. Kommersant: Putin Letter Reportedly Rejects US Missile Defense, Nulcear Arms Cuts Proposals.
39. Interfax: Russia needs ‘clear and reliable’ missile defence guarantees.
40. Washington Post: Holly Burkhalter, The U.S. should use its ability to pressure Russia to end orphan trafficking.
41. www.russiatoday.com: ‘Secret deal with Israel’: UK newspaper claims Russia cancels alleged S-300 sales to Syria.