Tag: Politics
NEWSWATCH: “Public support for Putin to serve another term hits highest level in four years: poll” – Reuters
Public support for … Putin to serve another term as president has hit its highest level in four years, a survey by a state-run pollster showed …. Seventy-four percent of Russians would vote to re-elect Putin as president, according to … VTsIOM. Putin dominates state media … and is widely expected to contest the next presidential election in 2018 …. […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK TASS: “Kremlin: Russia’s Central Election Commission chief leaves in ‘natural rotation'”
Interfax: Number of inspections of NGOs declining – Justice Minister
MOSCOW. March 2 (Interfax) – Russian Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov said the number of inspections of non-government organizations (NGOs) scheduled for this year is declining. “When organizing inspections of NGOs, the Justice Ministry uses information received from other public administration agencies, and it has to be said that the total number of inspections conducted in 2015 went down 12% from […]
» Read moreRussia’s Economy Is Tanking, So Why Is Putin Smiling?
(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Evgenia Pismennaya, Anna Andrianova – February 29, 2016) With Russia mired in the longest recession in two decades, there hasn’t been a lot of good economic news lately. But there’s one indicator that’s looking up, and it’s the one that matters most to Vladimir Putin: His hard-currency reserves. The central bank held $379 billion in foreign […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “With ‘resignation’ announcement, Chechnya’s strongman woos Putin.” – Christian Science Monitor/Fred Weir
NEWSLINK: “BOOK REVIEW: Steven Lee Myers examines Putin’s rise and reign in ‘The New Tsar'” – Intellinews/Chris Weafer
NEWSLINK Russia Direct/Sergey Markedonov: “Will Chechnya’s Kadyrov really step down? With the current term of Ramzan Kadyrov as head of Chechnya scheduled to come to a close in April 2016, the status of Chechnya is once again being called into question.”
NEWSLINK Russia Direct/Ivan Tsvetkov: “Russian liberals warn Putin that Kadyrov could be dangerous. A recent report from the liberal opposition released on the anniversary of the murder of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov raises some serious questions about the political influence and future intentions of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.”
Russians’ Values ‘Normal but Weak’ not ‘Strong but Abnormal,’ Sociologist Says
(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, February 28, 2016) Many are inclined to believe that Russians strongly hold “abnormal” values; but in fact, sociologist Ella Paneyakh says, the values they hold are quite normal but they are only weakly attached to them. As a result, there often occur sudden and otherwise apparently inexplicable changes in the goals and […]
» Read moreNEWSWATCH TASS: “Kremlin comments on Chechen leader’s plans to step down”
Russian-controlled TASS reported on Kremlin statements about Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov’s announced plans to step down. The Kremlin will be guided by results of Ramzan Kadyrov’s work rather than his statements, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters …. ‘We should wait for the time [when Chechen leader’s term expires and the president’s decision],’ he said …. Kadyrov, 39, who […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “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.” – Wall Street Journal
NEWSLINK RBTH/RBC: “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.”
NEWSLINK: “Russia’s democratic opposition faces increasing threats” – Washington Post/Ellen Bork, David J. Kramer
Why did Kadyrov publish ‘revelatory’ report about himself?
The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov has chosen to make public himself a report that accuses him of creating a quasi-Islamic state within Russia and not obeying Russian laws. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – YEKATERINA SINELSCHIKOVA, RBTH – February 26, 2016) The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, has chosen to publish a report called “A National Security Threat” […]
» Read moreA year on, what do we know about Boris Nemtsov’s murder?
Russia’s powerful Investigative Committee has announced that it has solved the murder of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov after a probe lasting almost a year. But who killed Nemtsov and why is the investigation seen as inconclusive? RBTH looks back at the most headline-grabbing murder of 2015. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – YEKATERINA SINELSCHIKOVA, RBTH – February 26, 2016) […]
» Read moreTRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Meeting of the Federal Security Service board
(Kremlin.ru – February 26, 2016) Vladimir Putin took part in a meeting of the Federal Security Service (FSB) board to review the results of the Service’s work in 2015 and set its priority tasks for 2016. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, We are here today to review the results of the Federal Security Service’s work in 2015 and […]
» Read more‘Putin’s Children’ – Life, Crime, Terror on the Edge of Russia
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Oliver Carroll – February 26, 2016) The driver’s voice teeters between depression and aggression. “What kinduva life do yoo call this?!” he shouts. “Weerrall peepul … peeeeepul, for sheeettin sake! … Fook, Ruussia, yoo make me want to cry!” We veer from side to side of the snow-covered track. Outside, the mercury pushes twenty under, […]
» Read moreRussia Seen Dodging Political Storm as Putin Rides Out Recession
(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Andre Tartar, Anna Andrianova – February 25, 2016) As Russia hunkers down for the second year of recession, most economists say a parliamentary election in September won’t unleash the kind of protests that rattled the country in 2011. There’s a 30 percent chance that economic distress will translate into political unrest, according to the median of […]
» Read more‘Why Didn’t You Run?’ – The Inside Story on the Arrest of Russian Billionaire Dmitry Kamenshchik
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Peter Hobson – February 25, 2016) On the morning of Feb. 18, Dmitry Kamenshchik, Russia’s 27th-richest tycoon, packed a backpack with some spare clothes, a toothbrush, and shoes without laces – the essentials for a stint in prison. The billionaire owner of Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport was unemotional, says his lawyer. Ten days earlier, three current […]
» Read moreTRANSCRIPT: House Hearing on Understanding and Deterring Russia: U.S. Policies and Strategies – Oral remarks of Dr. Fiona Hill
House Armed Services Committee February 10, 2016 Hearing on Understanding and Deterring Russia: U.S. Policies and Strategies Oral remarks of Dr. Fiona Hill Fiona Hill is director of the Center on the United States and Europe and a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. She is also co-author of the second edition of “Mr. Putin: […]
» Read moreRussian Opposition Battles Fear, Disunity Following Nemtsov’s Death
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Daria Litvinova – February 25, 2016) Ilya Yashin was in the middle of a press conference presenting a special report on the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov – a genre invented and made successful by his late friend and ally Boris Nemtsov – when a police officer tried to force everyone to leave the building. The […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Russia’s lawless economy. Night of the long scoops. Smashing the little capitalists in Russia’s capital.” – The Economist
Russians Adjust to Increasing Poverty like Frogs to Gradually Warming Water, Kirillova Says
(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, February 23, 2016) It has long been claimed that a frog who might jump out of a port of boiling water will stay quietly in a gradually warming pot, even though as a result, he will end up dead. In a new commentary, Kseniya Kirillova suggests that Russians are adapting to gradually […]
» Read moreCan Things Get Any Worse for Russia? You’re About to Find Out
Investors who’ve made a fortune in the country say that with oil’s plunge, the ruble’s collapse, and Putin in power, all bets are off (Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Ksenia Galouchko and Henry Meyer – February 23, 2016) [Charts here bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-24/putin-s-oil-despair-drives-lucky-few-investors-toward-the-exits] For a decade, Dmitri Barinov has been following the volatile economy of his homeland from the safe distance of Union […]
» Read moreHate Crimes Said Down In Russia As Kremlin Cracks Down On Nationalist Critics
(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Tom Balmforth – MOSCOW, February 19, 2016) Researchers who track xenophobia in Russia have recorded an “impressive” decrease in hate crimes as the authorities appear to have stepped up pressure on far-right groups, in particular targeting nationalist critics of the Kremlin and its campaign in eastern Ukraine. The Sova Center’s annual report, presented on February 19, […]
» Read morePost-Soviet parliamentarian drama: a view from ‘the gods’ in Kiev
The political history of Russia’s neighbours can be described in terms of one long conflict between a presidential authoritarian tendency and democratic parliamentarianism. Parliaments are the key. (opendemocracy.net – Mikhail Minakov – February 22, 2016) Mikhail Minakov is Associate Professor at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and President of the Foundation for Good Politics, Kyiv. He is also director of the Krytyka Institute, […]
» Read moreStanding Up for Reason: Russian Academia Fights Pseudoscience
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Daria Litvinova – February 22, 2016) A young woman named Nikol looks to the camera, wiping away what seem to be tears of happiness. She has reason to be happy, having navigated through to the next round of the Russian television show “Battle of the Psychics.” Somehow, she had managed to select the one car […]
» Read moreTRANSCRIPT: [Medvedev on] The Government’s action plan to ensure stable socioeconomic development in 2016
(Government.ru – February 18, 2016) Excerpts from Dmitry Medvedev’s opening remarks at the Government meeting: The budget sector and the real sector are overstrained today due to low oil prices and sanctions, so there have been a lot of proposals to be included in the plan but far from all of them were incorporated into the final version. We need […]
» Read moreTRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Gala reception to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day
(Kremlin.ru – February 20, 2016) Vladimir Putin attended a gala reception at the State Kremlin Palace to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day. The President congratulated veterans and armed forces servicemen and civilian personnel on the upcoming holiday. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrades, friends, I would like to congratulate the military and civilian personnel of our armed forces and […]
» Read moreRussians Still Get News from TV But Trust It Far Less than They Did, Gudkov Says
(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, February 21, 2016) More than eight out of ten Russians still get their news from television, but the share of them trusting that source has fallen from 79 percent in 2008 to only 41 percent now, a trend that is leading ever more of them to rely on family members and close […]
» Read moreRussian Duma Introduces Amendment Defining ‘Political Activity’ to NGO Law
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – February 20, 2016) Representatives of all factions in the State Duma have introduced an amendment to the law on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that specifies the notion of “political activity,” the RBC news agency reported Friday. The draft law, published by the Justice Ministry in January, suggests that operations in a number of spheres including national […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Medvedev takes action to limit growth of Russia’s gray economy” – RBTH/Gazeta.ru
NEWSLINK: “Putin’s Patriotism Playbook. What’s Russian Nationalism Got to Do With It?” – Foreign Affairs/Gregory Feifer
Putin’s Pre-emptive Strike: Kremlin Moves to Liquidate ‘Foreign Agents’
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Daria Litvinova – February 19, 2015) Activist Pavel Chikov could react only with sarcasm when a court handed down a winding up order against his Agora legal advocacy association. “As the first NGO ever to have been liquidated in a Russian court, we are so proud,” he wrote on Twitter. The next day, another organization, […]
» Read moreTen Reasons Putin System May Not be as ‘Sustainable’ as Many Now Think
(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, February 17, 2016) In an interview with Tomsk television, Mariya Snegovaya points to ten reasons why in her view the Putin system may not be nearly as “sustainable” as many now think given that the fall in oil prices has not led to an immediate effort to over throw the Kremlin leader. […]
» Read moreStrategy-2030 to be formulated in coming months – Dvorkovich
KRASNOYARSK. Feb 19 (Interfax) – Russian government officials intend to formulate the country’s development strategy to the year 2030 in the next few months, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said, opening the plenary session of the Krasnoyarsk Economic Forum on Friday. “We have gathered not only in order to talk, but also to formulate solutions or approaches to solving the […]
» Read moreNEWSWATCH: “Russia government mulls five percent cut in defense procurement spending: sources” – Reuters
Russia’s government is considering cutting spending on defense procurement this year by 5 percent … a move that would extend the budget squeeze to a sector that up to now has been immune …. The proposal has support across several ministries and in other state institutions, enough for it to go forward for discussion at a cabinet meeting, the sources […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Exiled oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky: I have no obligations to Putin. Outlining plans to back Russian opposition groups, Khodorkovsky – pardoned in 2013 – says he never agreed to stay out of politics” – The Guardian
Russian Politicians Ask Khodorkovsky for Endorsement As Elections Near
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Anna Dolgov – February 18, 2016) Former oil tycoon turned opposition politician Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s pro-democracy foundation has received dozens of requests from members of Russia’s main political parties to endorse them during an upcoming parliamentary election this fall, the coordinator of Khodorkovsky’s Open Elections project said in comments published Wednesday. The requests that came in […]
» Read moreMoscow Authorities Approve March in Honor of Slain Kremlin Critic Nemtsov
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – February 18, 2016) Moscow City Hall has approved a rally to mark the one-year anniversary of the death of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, opposition party member Konstantin Merzlikin told The Moscow Times on Wednesday. The authorities have given permission for 50,000 people to attend the memorial event, which is due to take place on Feb. […]
» Read moreRussian Nationalists Oppose Moscow’s Plan to Resettle Ukrainian Refugees in Far East
(Paul Goble – Staunton, February 16, 2016) Duma deputies are proposing and the Russian Ministry for Far Eastern Development has come out in support of a plan to resettle as many as 50,000 Ukrainian refugees who had fled their country because of the fighting but have not yet found permanent residences in the Russian Federation. This plan reflects the convergence […]
» Read moreMoscow Times/Levada Center: Majority of Russians Back Continuation of Syria Campaign
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – February 16, 2016) Russians want their country’s military campaign in Syria to continue, according to a recent poll by the independent Levada Center pollster, the RBC news website reported Monday. The majority of Russians are convinced the war in Syria needs to continue, with 18 percent categorically backing Russia’s involvement in the conflict and 41 […]
» Read moreTRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Meeting with President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Alexander Shokhin
(Kremlin.ru – February 15, 2016) The agenda included dialogue between business and the authorities and issues the business community is discussing currently and will examine further at the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) annual congress. President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Alexander Shokhin: Mr President, let me start by thanking you for our regular meetings. […]
» Read moreTRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Conference of court chairmen
(Kremlin.ru – February 16, 2016) The President took part in the national conference of court chairmen of various levels, as well as heads of military and commercial courts. The conference is dedicated to ways of enhancing law and order, improving the business climate, protecting the rights of citizens and analysing the judiciary reform. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Fresh attack on Russian opposition leader amid crackdown on critics ” – The Guardian
TRANSCRIPT: Interview of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to Sputnik News Agency
(Government.ru – February 12, 2016) Question: The organizers of the Munich Security Conference welcomed your participation in the conference, stressing that it is even more important to dialogue at a high level during times of crisis. What aims do you set before your delegation for your trip to Munich? What are the main theses of your speech? Dmitry Medvedev: The […]
» Read moreCan Russia’s ruling party restore its reputation ahead of the elections?
The federal election campaign in 2011 was the least successful to date for United Russia, which saw its reputation tainted by accusations of vote-rigging and fraud. How is Russia’s ruling party preparing for the upcoming elections in 2016 and can it repair its tarnished image among voters? (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – YEKATERINA SINELSCHIKOVA, RBTH – February 11, […]
» Read moreRussia’s Medvedev: Syrian Conflict May Become ‘Permanent War’
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Anna Dolgov – February 12, 2016) The conflict in Syria may escalate into a “permanent” war to last for decades, if peace talks were to collapse or if foreign countries tried to intervene by deploying ground troops, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in comments published on the Cabinet website Thursday. Russia has been conducting […]
» Read moreRBTH: Through a diplomat’s eyes: Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in 7 quotes
Feb. 10 is Diplomatic Worker’s Day in Russia. To mark the occasion, RBTH has collected seven quotes that best represent the attitudes and values of the country’s principal “diplomatic worker” – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – ANNA SOROKINA, RBTH – February 10, 2016) 1. “The global financial and economic crisis has convincingly demonstrated […]
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