Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#144 :: Wednesday 29 July 2015

Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#144
Wednesday 29 July 2015
A project sponsored through the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs
The contents do not necessarily represent the views of IERES or the George Washington University.
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RUSSIA

1. Paul Goble: To Escape Putinism, Russia Must Expunge Muscovy as Germany Did Prussia, Sklyarov Says.
2. Valdai Club: Alexei Mukhin, The Kremlin Secret.
3. Xinhua: Things you need to know about Putin’s popularity in Russia.
4. Interfax: Kremlin: Prohibition of NGOs’ operations in Russia does not mean restriction of access to democratic values.
5. Interfax: U.S. embassy in Moscow concerned about NED’s designation as ‘undesirable organization’ in Russia.
6. www.rt.com: US National Endowment for Democracy labeled ‘undesirable’ group under new law.
7. Washington Post editorial: Vladimir Putin is suffocating his own nation.
8. Washington Post: Carl Gershman, Russia’s crackdown on civil society shows the regime’s weakness.
9. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Press Digest: Navalny-led coalition barred from running in Novosibirsk poll. RBTH presents a selection of views from leading Russian media on international events, featuring reports on local authorities’ refusal to register the RPR-Parnas opposition coalition in regional elections in Novosibirsk, and the deployment of nuclear bombers in Crimea, as well as an interview with former deputy Pentagon chief Paul Wolfowitz.
10. Vedomosti: Russian opposition politician calls on people to prepare for “life after Putin.” (Leonid Gozman)
11. TASS: Russia steps up struggle against right-wing radicals.
12. Wall Street Journal: Ruble’s Slide Is Mixed News For Russia. Ruble’s decline is a boon to Russia’s budget, but weighs on consumer demand.
13. Deutsche Welle: Investors lose interest in Russia.
14. Business New Europe: Chart – Just 1 in 10 Russians favour cooperation with Nato.
15. www.rt.com: Russians’ attitude to US improved slightly, latest poll shows.
16. Moscow Times: Russian Defense Industry Revenues Soar Despite Western Sanctions.
17. Moscow Times: Architects Clash Over Vladimir Monument.
18. Russia Insider: The Saker, Russia Just Sent out a Message NATO Should Better Listen To. The key take away from the new official Russian naval doctrine is that Putin – together with his military men – has sent a clear message that NATO encroachment is unacceptable.
19. Russia Beyond the Headlines: How effective is Russian drive to combat ISIS recruiters? People in both Russian diplomatic circles and the security forces have been describing Islamic State (ISIS) as a “real threat” for a long time now. On Aug. 1 a hotline will start working in Russia for those whose friends or family members have joined ISIS. With experts warning that ISIS cannot be defeated with force alone, RBTH found out what else Russia is doing to counter Islamic radicals.
20. Russia Direct: US-Russia cooperation in space: One area not affected by sanctions. RD Interview: NASA official Bob Jacobs analyzes the current scope of U.S.-Russian collaboration in space, especially with regard to partnership with Roscosmos on the International Space Station (ISS) and plans for future missions to the moon and Mars.
21. Bloomberg: Leonid Bershidsky, Putin Hurts a Think Tank by Not Banning It. (re Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)
22. Valdai Club/Gazeta.ru: Fyodor Lukyanov, The Men and Women of Ruins. The July passions have not resolved the Greek crisis and the related euro debacle. Harsh and resolute measures are needed to transform the Eurozone and the EU.

UKRAINE

23. Ukraine Today: Probability of full-scale Russian invasion remains high – Ukrainian army general.
24. Voice of America: Ukraine Again Relies on Foreigners for Leadership Help.
25. Russia Insider: Alexander Mercouris, Exposing the Racism at the Heart of Maidan. The Maidan Revolution is not ultimately about democracy or human rights or Ukraine’s European integration. Rather as the article attached shows, it is the expression of some Ukrainians’ paranoid hatred of Russia.
26. Moscow Times: Tanya Lokshina, Civilians Stuck in the Middle of Donbass Horror.
27. Reuters: Ukraine Struggles to Control Volunteer Fighter Squads.
28. Wall Street Journal: Cut Off From Ukraine, Business in Rebel-Held East Turns Toward Russia. Russian goods, rubles proliferate as access to rest of Ukraine is squeezed.
29. Reuters: Guns and Underpants: Ukrainian Army Hobbled by Bureaucratic Woes.
30. Moscow Times: Moscow, Kiev Grapple With Historic Ties to Prince Vladimir.
31. www.opendemocracy.net: Dmitry Okrest, Ukrainian refugees in Russia receive a mixed welcome. Many people took refuge in Russia after fleeing eastern Ukraine last summer. Their experiences are far from uniform.
32. www.rt.com: Russia to veto MH17 tribunal draft at UN Security Council.
33. www.rt.com: MH17 crash tribunal would ‘extend Dutch-led investigation indefinitely’
34. Paul Goble: Unlike Putin, Russian People Think that a Malaysian Plane Tribunal Would Hold Ukraine Responsible, Gudkov Says.
35. Sputnik: Putin Confirms Russia’s Readiness to Cooperate in MH17 Crash Investigation.
36. Sputnik: US Gives $245Mln of Security Aid to Kiev – Ambassador.
37. The Daily Signal: Nolan Peterson, US Support Quietly Increases for Ukraine as Peace Remains Elusive.
38. Interfax-Ukraine: Kyiv expects to get 1,240 Javelin missiles from U.S. – Poroshenko.
39. Wall Street Journal: Sohrab Ahmadi, Message From Battlefield Ukraine. The President of an invaded country asks the West: Are you with the barbarian or with the free world? (interview with Poroshenko)
40. RFE/RL: Brian Whitmore, Ukraine As A Bargaining Chip?
41. BBC: Ukraine: Odessa Region media highlights 18-24 Jul 15.