RUSSIA NEWS & INFORMATION – Johnson’s Russia List contents & links :: JRL 2021-#79 :: Wednesday, 14 April 2021

To inquire about a subscription to the full Johnson’s Russia List e-mail newsletter, e-mail David Johnson at davidjohnson@starpower.net

Support the JRL: russialist.org/funding.php
Donate Online: click here for direct link at GWU

[check back for updates, including more links; some links also posted to facebook and twitter]

Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2021-#79 :: Wednesday, 14 April 2021
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.
JRL Home: russialist.org – JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist – JRL on Twitter: @JohnsonRussiaLi
Support for JRL is provided in part by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York to the George Washington University and by voluntary contributions from readers.

1. Intellinews: Ben Aris, Biden and Putin talk for the second time – sanctions threats and summit promises. US President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin and told him to withdraw troops on the Ukrainian border.
2. Kremlin.ru: Telephone conversation with US President Joseph Biden – en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/65360
3. The White House: Readout of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia.
4. TASS: Media: Biden calls Putin suggesting to meet.
5. Wall Street Journal: Biden Proposes a U.S.-Russian Summit in Call to Putin. U.S., Russian leaders speak as NATO warns of the dangers of a Russian troop buildup on the Ukrainian border.
6. Moscow Times: Putin Receives Second Coronavirus Vaccine Dose.
7. TASS: Vedomosti: Putin’s vaccination encourages more Russians to get inoculated – tass.com/politics/1277895
8. TASS: Western countries pushing Ukraine towards provocations, says Russia’s security chief.
9. Al Jazeera: Leonid Ragozing, Russia’s Ukraine manoeuvres are a response, not a provocation. The Ukrainian government’s push for NATO membership could provoke a dangerous escalation of the Ukrainian conflict.
10. Asia Times: Brandon Weichert, U.S. cannot afford a world war with Russia. Biden administration’s renewed encirclement policy of Russia could backfire badly in Ukraine and beyond.
11. The National Interest: What Explains the Escalating Tensions in Ukraine? What is behind the surge in hostility between Moscow and Kyiv?
12. rt.com: Russian troops on Ukraine border ‘ready to defend country’ in event of war says Defense Minister Shoigu, warning of NATO buildup – rt.com/russia/520914-troops-ukraine-borders-defend-country/
13. RFE/RL: ‘Why Don’t You Like Putin?’: Russian Students Pay A Heavy Price For Political Protests.
14. TASS: Medvedev highlights need to fight NGOs that plot to destabilize Russia – tass.com/economy/1277857
15. Interfax: Central Bank sees no risks in disconnecting Russia from int’l payment systems; it would be very unfavorable for them – CBR first deputy governor.
16. Bloomberg: Climate Change Threatens Russia With Billions in Annual Costs. From Siberian wildfires to flooding in the Far East, the full economic damage caused by more frequent natural disasters is yet unknown.
17. Irrussianality: Paul Robinson, RUSSIA, THE ARCTIC, AND THE HEALTHY NATURE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER – irrussianality.wordpress.com/2021/04/13/russia-the-arctic-and-the-healthy-nature-of-the-international-order/#more-6086
18. Russian International Affairs Council: Andrey Kortunov and Julien Barnes-Dacey, First aid: How Russia and the West Can Help Syrians in Idlib – russiancouncil.ru/en/analytics-and-comments/analytics/first-aid-how-russia-and-the-west-can-help-syrians-in-idlib/
19. Moscow Times: Dimitar Bechev, Turkey’s Tightrope Between Russia and the United States. Turkey has been sitting on two chairs, doing geopolitical business with Russia and calling on the United States on a case-by-case basis when interests happen to converge.
20. Asia Times: Salman Rafi Sheikh, Why Russia suddenly wants an ally in Pakistan. Russia seeks Pakistan’s support for its Afghan peace initiative but US and Turkey may beat Moscow to the geopolitical punch.
21. TASS: Crimea seeks to prosecute Ukrainian individuals for water blockade – tass.com/society/1277935
22. rt.com: Russia is seeking ‘pragmatic cooperation’ with US, not outright conflict, America’s own national intelligence director claims – rt.com/russia/520998-kremlin-washington-relations-historic-lows/
23. Politico.com: Biden’s decision: How hard to punch back at Putin’s hackers. The U.S. could ‘turn the power off in Moscow,’ one former U.S. official said. ‘But that has so many dynamics in the wrong direction.’
24. Russia Matters: George Beebe, Russia’s Impact on US National Interests: Preventing Terrorist Attacks on US Homeland and Assets Abroad.