RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#194 :: Tuesday 6 October 2015

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Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2015-#194
Tuesday – 6 October 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. Time.com: Donna Gorman, How to Parent Like a Russian.
2. Russia Insider: Gilbert Doctorow, Putin at the U.N., Russia in Syria: 10 Days That Shook the World.
3. www.thedailybeast.com: Michael Weiss, Russia’s Propaganda Blitzkrieg. The propaganda war propping up Putin and his cronies has reached new heights with the bombing campaign in Syria.
4. The Independent (UK): Robert Fisk, Syria’s ‘moderates’ have disappeared … and there are no good guys. Western confusion reigns while the Russians go for the jugular.
5. Moon of Alabama: Russia “Violated” Turkish Airspace Because Turkey “Moved” Its Border.
6. TASS: Russian aircraft briefly entered Turkish airspace due to bad weather – defense ministry.
7. Russia Insider: Patrick Armstrong, We Know What Putin Wants; We Haven’t a Clue What He Wants.
8. Bellona.org: Charles Diggs, Russian Rights Council leader defends environmental and human rights groups to Putin. Mikhail Fedotov, the head of the Presidential Council on Civil Society Development and Human Rights, blasted in a meeting with Vladimir Putin the reach of Moscow’s NGO, or “foreign agent” law, which he said has tarred too many necessary organizations, the official Tass newswire reported.
9. RIA Novosti: Ex-finance minister forecasts more mass layoffs, fall in incomes in Russia. (Aleksey Kudrin)
10. Russia Direct: Strategy 2030: A new economic vision for Russia. During the International Investment Forum Sochi-2015, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced new economic priorities for Russia and set long-term development goals for the nation’s economy.
11. Russia Direct: Russian media weighs the risks of Russia’s Syria campaign. Russia Direct presents a roundup of Russian media, with the focus on Russia’s airstrikes against ISIS in Syria and the Normandy Four meeting in Paris.
12. Sputnik: What is Russia’s Most ‘Selfish’ Reason for Engaging in Syria?
13. www.rt.com: Moscow’s red lines were crossed – ex US intel chief on Russian military op in Syria. (Lieutenant General Michael Flynn)
14. The National Interest: Dave Majumdar, Russia Could Fly 96 Sorties a Day over Syria.
15. TASS: Logic of events may spread Russia’s operation against IS from Syria to Iraq.
16. Russia Direct: Is there a way to reconcile interests of the US, Russia in Syria? Five high-profile experts discuss the implications of the Kremlin’s Syria gamble, including the potential impact on the U.S.-Russia relationship and the potential for a new peace deal for Syria.
17. Moskovskiy Komsomolets: Moscow, Washington must combine efforts to settle Syrian crisis – Russian pundit. (Mikhail Rostovskiy)
18. Moskovskiy Komsomolets: Moscow’s main aim in Syria is to support Al-Asad, says Russian pundit. (Interview with Aleksey Malashenko)
19. Journalitco: Danielle Ryan, Western spin machines functioning at full capacity on Syria.
20. Izvestia: Sergey Markov, Great cooperation of continents?
21. Sputnik: Free Syrian Army Command Asks Russia for Help Against ISIL.
22. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Syrian rebels ask U.S. for arms to defend against Russian strikes. Representatives of “moderate” rebel groups in Syria opposed to the regime of Bashar al-Assad have asked the U.S. to supply them with surface-to-air missiles to counter Russian air strikes, American media have reported. Russian observers say this is unlikely but caution that arms may be supplied by the key regional sponsors of Syria’s opposition, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
23. www.rt.com: From Day 1 of Russian anti-ISIS op in Syria MSM launched anti-Moscow information campaign – FM.
24. Moscow Times: Syria Air Strikes Raise Risk of Terror Attack in Russia, Experts Warn.
25. The Nation: James Carden, ‘The Washington Post’ Finally Finds a War It Won’t Cheer. The Post is coming down hard against Russia’s operations in Syria.
26. Politico.com: Brzezinski: Obama should retaliate if Russia doesn’t stop attacking U.S. assets.
27. Huffingtonpost.com: Ivan Eland, Russia versus the United States in Syria.
28. Moscow Times: Ex-U.K. Ambassador a Lonely Friend of Russia. (Anthony Brenton)
29. Reuters: Russia, U.S. move to resume talks on air-to-air conduct over Syria.
30. Militarytimes.com: Andrew Tilghman and Oriana Pawlyk, U.S. vs. Russia: What a war would look like between the world’s most fearsome militaries. Vladimir Putin’s brazen moves in Syria and Ukraine raise new questions about America’s contingency plans. Russia has big ambitions, growing capabilities.
31. www.rt.com: Gabriel Gorodetsky, Hitler invades Russia: Soviet ambassador Maisky’s view from London: Red Ambassador’s London Diaries: 1930s to WWII.

UKRAINE

32. Reuters: West, Ukraine, hail rebel decision to postpone disputed elections.
33. Interfax: OSCE SMM reports weapons pullback in Donbass in line with Minsk accords.
34. Interfax: LPR promises to pull back artillery guns after OSCE confirms Ukrainian tanks withdrawal.
35. Russia Insider: 8 out of 9 Ukrainians Want a Negotiated Solution to War in Donbass.
36. http://newcoldwar.org: New survey of Ukrainians shows high support for end to civil war, low support for political leaders in Kyiv. KIIS survey: Socio-political situation in Ukraine in September 2015.
37. TASS: Normandy Quartet’s Paris summit made long stride towards settlement in Ukraine.
38. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Sergey Strokan and Vladimir Mikheev, Russia’s double track: Escaping the impasse on Ukraine and Syria. Are there any chances that putting the Donbass crisis on the back burner and achieving a modest military success in Syria could set the stage for a more meaningful cooperation with some Western powers?
39. Ukrayina TV (Kyiv): Ukrainian president’s party rejects special status for Donbass in electioncast.
40. In Moscow’s Shadows: Mark Galeotti, Is Ukraine being thrown off the bus? Not really, but France and Germany are right.
41. Fort Russ: 16 Thousand Deserters roam with guns in Ukraine.
42. Kyiv Post: Candidates find new ways of bribing voters at local elections.
43. Interfax: Ulyukayev: EU proposals on Ukraine association agreement fall short.
44. Bloomberg: Ukraine Sees IMF Bailout Continuing Even With Russia Bond Unpaid.
45. TASS: Ukrainian gas transit: Europe leaves issue unaddressed.
46. Atlantic Council: Anders Aslund, How to Fight Corruption in Ukraine.
47. Interfax: Mother of correspondent Voloshin killed in Donbas dies. (re Nadiya Savchenko trial).
48. The Daily Telegraph (UK): Crimea’s charms uncovered Crimea may be mired in negative press, but for John Simpson this controversial place is thoroughly worth the trip
49. Dances With Bears: John Helmer, WHAT AMBULANCE-CHASING LAWYERS REVEAL ABOUT THE MH17 SHOOT-DOWN – THERE IS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION IN ANY NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL COURT.