RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2016-41 :: Monday, 29 February 2016

Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#41
Monday, 29 February 2016
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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1. Irrussianality: Paul Robinson, EASY IS THE DESCENT. (with comment by Lyttenburgh)
2. The Wilson Quarterly: Anna Arutunyan, ONLY CONNECT: RUSSIA BETWEEN INDIVIDUALISM AND COLLECTIVISM. As Russian communities grapple with historical baggage, they are on their way to creating a real national identity.
3. Paul Goble: Russians’ Values ‘Normal but Weak’ not ‘Strong but Abnormal,’ Sociologist Says.
4. Forbes.com: Mark Adomanis, Russia’s Birth Rate Is Decreasing, Or Is It?
5. Moscow Times: Russian Middle Class Has Not Felt Impact of Economic Crisis.
6. Forbes.com: Mark Adomanis, Russian Unemployment Increased By About 5% In 2015.
7. Forbes.com: Kenneth Rapoza, Despite Weathering Sanction Storm, Russia’s ‘Dutch Disease’ Gets Worse.
8. AP: Russian Industry Workers Squeezed but Scared of Speaking Out.
9. Russia Beyond the Headlines/RBC Daily: Over 50% of Russians approve of Orthodox Church role in state politics. Approval of the public actions and statements of the Russian Orthodox Church has increased to record levels in Russia, according to a new survey.
10. www.rt.com: Veteran Russian liberal Yavlinsky announces presidential ambitions.
11. Washington Post: Ellen Bork and David J. Kramer, Russia’s democratic opposition faces increasing threats.
12. Indian Punchline: M.K.Bhadrakumar, Putin can’t bend like Beckam, tensions with US will rise.
13. Wall Street Journal: Tensions Simmer Between Chechen Leader and Anti-Kremlin Opposition. Thousands gathered in Moscow to mark one year since the murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov.
14. Russia Direct: Yury Korgunyuk, A Chechen trace in the Nemstov murder? The investigation is stuck. This weekend Russians took to the streets to commemorate the first anniversary of the murder of Russian well-known opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. Questions have swirled about the potential involvement of the Chechen leadership in the crime – and over why the investigation appears to be stymied.
15. www.rt.com: ‘My time is past’: Chechen strongman leader Kadyrov announces he’s stepping down.
16. TASS: Kremlin comments on Chechen leader’s plans to step down.
17. L’Express (Paris): Putin’s close ally interviewed on ties with France, NATO expansion, US policies. (Vladimir Yakunin)
18. Russia Direct: Pavel Koshkin, How propaganda re-shapes the information space for Russia, the West. The question of whether or not journalists should take sides during a conflict becomes increasingly relevant among both Russian and Westerns media experts.
19. The National Interest: Adriel Kasonta, America Needs Russian Cooperation in Syria. Washington should be clear-eyed about what Moscow can bring to the table.
20. Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Russian pundit views joint Russian-US approach to Syrian ceasefire. (Fedor Lukyanov)
21. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Two options for Syria: Federalization or balkanization?
22. Russia Insider: Alexander Mercouris, Syrian Peace Plan: US Seethes at Its Humiliation by Russia. Public comments confirm reports of furious rows and recriminations between US officials at the way Russia has outplayed US in Syria.
23. TASS: Moscow expects no warming in relations with US after presidential elections – diplomat.
24. Reuters: Trump being advised by ex-U.S. Lieutenant General who favors closer Russia ties. (Lieutenant General Michael Flynn)
25. Council on Foreign Relations: The Presidential Candidates’ Views on Russia.
26. http://usforeignpolicy.blogs.lalibre.be; Gilbert Doctorow, ‘Foreign Affairs’ magazine: security analyses tailored to politically expedient solutions. The problem with describing Russia to suit policy recommendations rather than actually studying Russia and then designing policy is that risks and threats which may actually exist in relations with the subject country are wholly overlooked.
27. www.foreignpolicy.com: Katya Gorchinskaya, He Killed for the Maidan. Here’s why my news organization decided to shed some light on a dark moment in Ukraine’s revolution.
28. Politico.com: Michael Crowley, Obama’s Ukraine policy in shambles. Distracted by ISIL, frustrated by infighting in Kyiv, the administration makes little progress against Putin in Europe.
29. Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs: Update on Ukraine. (interview with Nicolai N. Petro)
30. Dances With Bears: John Helmer, FIRE EYE OR BLOOD SHOT – FINANCIAL TIMES WEAPONIZES REPORTING TO SAVE FINANCIAL COLLAPSE OF BUSINESS.