Tag: Slider

NEWSWATCH Carnegie Endowment for International Peace:/ Balázs Jarábik, Mikhail Minakov: “Ukraine’s Hybrid State. Ukraine has new institutions and a vibrant civil society, but a culture of corruption erodes state legitimacy. The state has been captured by enemies within.”

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, JRL NewsBlog, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

With no end in sight to the slow-motion hybrid war in Donbas, the impetus to reform the Ukrainian state has moved in fits and starts. Attempts to carry out a series of fundamental reforms have fallen far short of expectations. These efforts have produced what some observers have described as a hybrid Ukrainian state. The country boasts new institutions and […]

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Right Sector and Maidan

Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Maidan Square in Kiev, Ukraine

(Ivan Katchanovski, University of Ottawa – Facebook post – April 22, 2016) [after loading, embedded post should appear below; post also appeared at https://www.facebook.com/ivan.katchanovski/posts/1229863963710154] [featured image at upper left is file photo, from different occasion]

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NEWSLINK Russia Direct: “What Russia’s military buildup near Aleppo means for Syria ceasefire. Russia’s military buildup near Aleppo indicates that it is too early to make conclusions about the implications of the Russian campaign in Syria. The campaign is not over, which might be both a boon and a bane for the Kremlin, experts warn.” [Alexei Arbatov, etc.]

Middle East, North Africa, Military, Newslinks, Syria
Syria Map » Read more
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RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2016-77 :: Friday, 22 April 2016

JRL Tables of Contents, Russian News, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
St. Basil's Domes

Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#77 Friday, 22 April 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. JRL homepage: russialist.org – JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist – JRL on Twitter: @JohnsonRussiaLi Support for JRL is provided in part […]

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Alarm bells ring as chief Maidan crimes investigator threatened with criminal charges

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Maidan Square in Kiev, Ukraine

(Human Rights in Ukraine – khpg.org – Halya Coynash – April 21, 2016) Civic activists and Euromaidan victims’ lawyers have sounded the alarm about a major offensive against Serhiy Horbatyuk and his special investigative department which has been described as the “last bastion within the Prosecutor General’s Office really doing anything to investigate Euromaidan-related crimes”.  Several criminal investigations have been […]

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Russia will watch for “adverse consequences” of Ukraine-EU deal – Kremlin

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
Dmitry Peskov file photo adapted from image at kremlin.ru/wikimedia commons

(Interfax – April 21, 2016) Russia will only be “too happy” if Ukraine’s association agreement with the EU brings it economic stability and prosperity, but will take “balancing measures” if the deal has a negative impact on Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “This topic rather concerns the EU and Ukraine. As regards the economic aspect, to the extent that […]

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RBTH: Can Russia stomach Ukraine and Georgia becoming NATO ‘associates’?

Georgia, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
NATO Meeting file photo

The upcoming NATO summit in Warsaw (8-9 July 2016) will be hallmarked by Ukraine and Georgia’s elevation to a still-elusive status of “associate partners.” While the move could be interpreted as one step closer to full membership, Moscow military experts view it as lip service to keep the two countries, going through a turbulent transitional period, in the Western alliance’s […]

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Former Prime Minister Kasyanov Stifled by Both Kremlin and Allies

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Mikhail Kasyanov File Photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Mikhail Fishman, Daria Litvinova – April 22, 2016) Sitting on a deep leather sofa in his office, Mikhail Kasyanov looks much like he always has. There’s the same no-nonsense demeanor, the expensive suit and his smooth, deep voice. He has an almost aristocratic style of talking, heavy and bureaucratic. He is a man who made […]

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Barred From Hundreds Of Occupations In Russia, A Few Women Fight Back

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Tom Balmforth – MOSCOW, April 17, 2016) Svetlana Medvedeva cannot rise to the top of her chosen profession for a very simple reason — she is a woman. The ambition of the 30-year-old mother of two is to earn a much better wage as the captain of a boat on the Volga River, which runs through […]

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On My Mind [re: Kudrin and Pamfilova]

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Arm and Torso of Person in Brown Sweater Placing Paper Ballot into Ballot Box

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Brian Whitmore – April 21, 2016) You have to wonder what drives people like Aleksei Kudrin and Ella Pamfilova. Both were in the news this week. Kudrin accepted an offer to chair the Kremlin’s top economics think tank, the Center for Strategic Reform, and called for a fundamental restructuring of Russia’s economy and political system. And […]

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Russia’s regions: federalism and its discontents

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Regions, Cities, Municipalities
Russia Regions Map

Creating the appearance of stability is the Russian political elite’s primary goal. Yet colonial-like rule over the country’s regions, combined with a lack of civic activity, harms the Kremlin’s legitimacy on the ground. (opendemocracy.net – Badma Byurchiev – April 21, 2016) Badma Byurchiev was born in Kalmykia in 1973, and has worked as a journalist since 2003. He currently works […]

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Hard Work vs. Magic

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Kremlin and River

(Kennan Institute – wilsoncenter.org/program/kennan-institute – Maxim Trudolyubov, Senior Fellow, Kennan Institute. Editor-at-Large, Vedomosti Daily – April 19, 2016) Russian officials still refer to “conditions for doing business” or “quality of governance” when discussing the country’s economic performance. But the lack of gravitas in these conversations is palpable. Russia’s official economic policymakers command an excellent understanding of the country’s economic problems, […]

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Russians’ Approach to Politics Inconsistent and Paradoxical, Sociologist Says

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Map of Russia and Russian Flag adapted from images at state.gov

(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, April 20, 2106) New polls showing more than half of Russians regret the demise of the USSR (vestikavkaza.ru/news/Bolee-poloviny-rossiyan-sozhaleyut-o-raspade-SSSR-opros.html) and that 40 percent of Russians do not believe the state is meeting its obligations to them (kasparov.ru/material.php?id=57172AB41357E) have attracted a great deal of attention. But a third survey conducted by Irina Vorobyova of […]

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More Than Half of Russians Want New Soviet State – Poll

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, History, Soviet Union, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and Saint Basil's File Photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – April 21, 2016) More than half of Russians would like to see the restoration of the Soviet Union, according to a poll released Tuesday. Although 58 percent of respondents said they would like to see a new socialist system, only 14 percent believed that it was likely to happen, the report by the independent Levada […]

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VIDEO & ARTICLE: The Kremlin’s Spin, NATO’s Reality

NATO
NATO Meeting file photo

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – The Daily Vertical: Brian Whitmore – April 20, 2016) The Kremlin and its surrogates are spinning today’s meeting of the NATO-Russia Council as the end of Moscow’s isolation. In Brussels, it is viewed as a technical meeting to put safeguards in place to prevent an accidental conflict from breaking out amid rising tensions. The Kremlin says […]

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RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2016-76 :: Thursday, 21 April 2016

JRL Tables of Contents, Russian News, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
St. Basil's Domes

Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#76 Thursday, 21 April 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. JRL homepage: russialist.org – JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist – JRL on Twitter: @JohnsonRussiaLi Support for JRL is provided in part […]

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Poll Shows Russians Want Trump to Win U.S. Presidential Election

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Donald Trump

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – April 20, 2016) The majority of Russian citizens would like to see Donald Trump become the next president of the United States, according to a poll held by the Britain-based research firm YouGov. 20,000 citizens from G20 countries were surveyed and asked their opinions on the upcoming U.S. elections. Thirty-one percent of Russians gave Trump […]

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Interfax: Positive attitude to Lenin in Russia tops 50% – poll

History, Soviet Union, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin

(Interfax – April 20, 2016) The share of Russian citizens who positively assess the historical role of Vladimir Lenin has grown from 40 percent to 53 percent in the past ten years, the Levada Center told Interfax. The opinion was mostly voiced by pensioners (67 percent), Russians older than 55 (66 percent), people with primary education (59 percent), people with […]

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Oil prices remain stable despite lack of progress in Doha

Oil, Gas, Energy
Offshore Oil Rig file photo

While the recent talks between the world’s oil exporters of crude were inconclusive, the preceding two months have seen verbal interventions send oil prices up, while fundamental factors have revived demand for crude. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – ANNA KUCHMA, RBTH – April 20, 2016) Despite the world’s leading oil producers’ inability to reach an agreement on the […]

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Russians Spend Half Their Incomes on Food For First Time Since 2008

Agriculture, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade
File Photo of Older Russian Woman Shopping in Grocery Store

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – April 19, 2016) For the first time since 2008 Russians are spending more than half their monthly income on food, as falling real incomes force them to buy only basic necessities, a study published Tuesday revealed. In February, Russians spent 50.1 percent of their earnings on food products, including alcohol and tobacco, according to the […]

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Growing Number of Russians Think State Has Failed in Duties to Citizens – Poll

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Map of Russia and Russian Flag adapted from images at state.gov

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Anna Dolgov – April 20, 2016) The number of Russians who believe the state is failing in its duties to citizens has increased to 39 percent from 28 percent a year ago, but analysts think the dissatisfaction is unlikely to affect the outcome of the upcoming parliamentary elections significantly, poll results reported Wednesday indicated. The […]

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RBTH: Why are Russians so eager to talk to Putin in person?

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Vladimir Putin file photo with VOA logo; screen shot from video still

A constant feature of Vladimir Putin’s reign as Russian leader, his “Direct Line” TV phone-in may appear to be inconsistent with his image as an inaccessible ruler. But the president’s annual Q&A session is merely a modern-day incarnation of an ancient tradition. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – GEORGY BOVT, SPECIAL TO RBTH – April 19, 2016) The author […]

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Government report on its performance in 2015

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Kremlin and Saint Basil's File Photo

(Government.ru – April 19, 2016) “The Government of the Russian Federation <…> shall submit to the State Duma annual reports on the Government’s performance, including on issues formulated by the State Duma.” (Constitution of the Russian Federation, Article 114, Claus.e 1, Subclause “a”). Dmitry Medvedev: Mr Naryshkin, Ms Matviyenko, members of the State Duma, colleagues, The Government performance report I […]

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How Russia is moving ahead with its Asian pivot

China, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Far East, Siberia, APEC, Japan
Asia Map

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently visited Mongolia and Japan. His goal was to initiate a real “Eastern turn” in Russian foreign policy. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – GEVORG MIRZAYAN, RBTH – April 20, 2016) At first glance Russia made an Eastward turn a long time before the West imposed sanctions on the country. However, until now we […]

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NEWSLINK RBTH/Gazeta.ru: “Russian general: ‘We never send notes to the U.S. State Department.’ General Pyotr Deinekin, former chief of the Russian air force, talks about the latest incidents involving Russian warplanes and U.S. ships and aircraft”

Baltics, International Law, Military, Newslinks, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Jet Buzzing U.S. Navy Destroyer, adapted from U.S. Navy photo » Read more
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Bilateral trade: Russia and U.S. must ‘avoid the point of no return’

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Putin and Obama with U.S. and Russian Flags

Commodity turnover between Russia and the U.S. has declined by 50 percent since the introduction of sanctions However, Russia is not losing hope and is offering attractive conditions for small and medium-sized American businesses looking to invest in the country. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – ANNA KUCHMA, RBTH – April 20, 2016) [Charts here http://rbth.com/business/2016/04/20/bilateral-trade-russia-and-us-must-avoid-the-point-of-no-return_586555] With the introduction […]

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NEWSLINK Russia Direct: “Russia might be the first casualty if nuclear terrorism becomes reality. RD Interview: Alexey Arbatov, the head of the Carnegie Moscow Center’s Nonproliferation Program, discusses nuclear security challenges and the risk of terrorist groups getting access to nuclear weapons.”

Newslinks, Nuclear Proliferation, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Oil, Gas, Energy, Terrorism
Radioactivity Symbol » Read more
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RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2016-75 :: Wednesday, 20 April 2016

JRL Tables of Contents, Russian News, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
St. Basil's Domes

Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#75 Wednesday, 20 April 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. JRL homepage: russialist.org – JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist – JRL on Twitter: @JohnsonRussiaLi Support for JRL is provided in part […]

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