Tag: Slider
NEWSLINK: “Russia set to lose population, power and influence, report predicts. [Straftor]” – News.com.au (Australia)
Keeping Russia’s history safe for the ages: Inside a Moscow archive
The Russian State Archive of Ancient Documents in Moscow is the country’s primary repository of manuscripts and records dating back to the Middle Ages and beyond, but the story of the archive itself is not short on interest. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – NIKOLAI SHEVCHENKO, SPECIAL TO RBTH – February 23, 2016) [Text with links to sources here […]
» Read moreWhy Russia Stopped at Crimea
(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Leonid Bershidsky – February 22, 2016) President Vladimir Putin has boasted that Russia took over Crimea “without a single shot being fired.” There’s even a propaganda movie that presents the operation as the result of brilliant Kremlin planning and seamless execution. A document published on Monday shed new light on why the annexation was bloodless — […]
» Read moreIt’s official: Native Americans and Siberians are cousins
After more than a century of speculation, an international group of geneticists has conclusively proven that the Aztecs, Incas, and Iroquois are closely related to the peoples of Altai, the Siberian region that borders China and Mongolia. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – ARAM TER-GHAZARYAN, SPECIAL TO RBTH – rbth.ru – February 23, 2016) Scientists have suspected for a long time […]
» Read moreObscenities an Inalienable Part of Russian Language and Life, Expert Says
(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, February 22, 2016) Russians today have an “ambiguous” attitude toward obscenities, a specialist on the Russian language says. “On the one hand, there is an official prohibition of their use” in the media and even a fine for cursing in public. But on the other, many public figures and even more ordinary […]
» Read moreObscenities an Inalienable Part of Russian Language and Life, Expert Says
(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, February 22, 2016) Russians today have an “ambiguous” attitude toward obscenities, a specialist on the Russian language says. “On the one hand, there is an official prohibition of their use” in the media and even a fine for cursing in public. But on the other, many public figures and even more ordinary […]
» Read moreTRANSCRIPT: Vladimir Putin’s address following adoption of a joint statement by Russia and US on Syria
(Kremlin.ru – February 22, 2016) The President made a special address following the adoption of a joint statement by the Russian Federation and the United States of America, as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), on the cessation of hostilities in Syria. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends, I just had a telephone conversation with President of the […]
» Read moreRUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2016-37 :: Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#37 Tuesday, 23 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. JRL homepage: russialist.org – JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist – JRL on Twitter: @JohnsonRussiaLi Support for JRL is provided in part […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Russia takes (yet another) look at its ‘unpredictable past.’ A recently opened exhibit introduces the Russia public to a different view of the czars – and shows a strong bias for strong leadership and territorial expansion” -Christian Science Monitor/Fred Weir
Ukraine Deserves Better
(RFE/RL – rferl.org – The Daily Vertical: By Brian Whitmore – February 22, 2016) Two years ago today, a revolution climaxed. Two years ago today, a corrupt and incompetent tyrant was deposed. Two years ago today, a nation’s civil society came of age. On February 22, 2014, everything seemed possible in Ukraine. Today, of course, things look quite different. Much […]
» 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 moreSecond Anniversary of Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity
(US Department of State – February 20, 2016) US Department of State Press Statement Mark C. Toner Deputy Department Spokesperson Washington, DC February 20, 2016 Today, we join the people of Ukraine in honoring the memory of their Revolution of Dignity and those who gave their lives to build a more just, democratic, and European Ukraine. They braved sniper fire […]
» 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 moreNEWSWATCH: “Truce Unravels as Fighting Picks Up in Ukraine” – New York Times
… overshadowed by the war in Syria, fighting in eastern Ukraine has picked up sharply in recent weeks … The resumption of hostilities in Ukraine, with exchanges of machine gun and mortar fire across the front line up to levels not seen since last summer, suggests a willingness by Russia, which supports the rebels in eastern Ukraine, to sustain two […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “EuroMaidan investigations, already showing no progress, could stop on March 1” – Kyiv Post
RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2016-36 :: Monday, 22 February 2016
Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#36 Monday, 22 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. JRL homepage: russialist.org – JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist – JRL on Twitter: @JohnsonRussiaLi Support for JRL is provided in part […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Two years after revolution, corruption plagues war-torn Ukraine” – USA Today
NEWSLINK: “Investigators know not only contractors, organizers and perpetrators of Maidan murder but also have evidence – Poroshenko” – Interfax-Ukraine
NEWSLINK: “Ultra-nationalist group holds public meeting in central Kyiv” – Kyiv Post
NEWSLINK: “Russian Government Official Looks Into Crystal Ball On EU Relations” [Alexei Ulyukayev] – Forbes/Kenneth Rapoza
NEWSLINK: “Far-right group says it aims to ‘open second front’ against government” – Kyiv Post
NEWSLINK: “Medvedev takes action to limit growth of Russia’s gray economy” – RBTH/Gazeta.ru
NEWSLINK: “Should Russia get rid of its dependence on oil exports?” – TASS
NEWSLINK: “Russia Pulls Back From Cooperating With U.S. on Afghanistan” – New York Times
AUDIO & NEWSWATCH: “For Russian Farmers, Climate Change Is Nyet So Great.” – National Public Radio
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says last month was the warmest January on record. That sets off alarm bells for climate scientists, but for the average person living in a northern climate, it might not sound so bad. * * * The problem … is that while warmer weather might open up more land in cold regions such as […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Poll: Americans view Russia as less of a threat” – The Hill
NEWSLINK: “Tajiks fear weaker Russian presence will open the way for ISIS. Locals in Tajikistan are worried about the possible reduction of Russian servicemen in the country, as the Islamic State militant organization grows in strength in neighboring Afghanistan.” – RBTH/Gazeta.ru
NEWSLINK: “Putin’s Patriotism Playbook. What’s Russian Nationalism Got to Do With It?” – Foreign Affairs/Gregory Feifer
NEWSLINK: “The media are misleading the public on Syria” – Boston Globe/Stephen Kinder
RUSSIA & UKRAINE – Johnson’s Russia List table of contents :: JRL 2016-35 :: Friday, 19 February 2016
Johnson’s Russia List :: JRL 2016-#35 Friday, 19 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. JRL homepage: russialist.org – JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist – JRL on Twitter: @JohnsonRussiaLi Support for JRL is provided in part […]
» Read moreChechen Separatist Leader: Kadyrov Is Here To Stay
(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Natalya Golitsyna – February 19, 2016) One of Ramzan Kadyrov’s staunchest critics says the Chechen leader remains one of the most powerful men in Russia despite mounting criticism over his ruthless tactics. According to Akhmed Zakayev, the exiled head of the Chechen separatist government, Kadyrov has accumulated so much clout that Russian President Vladimir Putin himself […]
» Read morePutin’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 AP: “UN Says Conflict in Ukraine Has Affected 580,000 Children”
The conflict in Ukraine has ‘deeply affected’ 580,000 children close to the front lines and in areas in the volatile east not under government control, the U.N. children’s agency said … Ukraine remains locked in conflict with Moscow, which annexed the Crimean Peninsula and has supported a pro-Russian insurgency in the east. Fighting there has killed more than 9,000 people […]
» 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 moreNEWSWATCH: “Russian Premier Bypasses Ban on File-Sharing Site” – Transitions Online
Determined users can easily slip past Russia’s strict anti-piracy laws. … Medvedev used his personal iPad to reach the site during a meeting in which measures to combat piracy were under discussion…. the banned file-sharing website RuTracker …. Click here for Transitions Online: Russian Premier Bypasses Ban on File-Sharing Site
» Read moreNEWSWATCH: “Russian Aggression Drives Increase in European Defense Spending” – Defensenews.com
Fear of Russian aggression will help drive European defense spending up by 8.3 percent this year, putting a halt to 20 years of declining budgets … Over two decades after the end of the Cold War, Vladimir Putin’s expansionist policies in Crimea and Ukraine have pushed European leaders to once again increase their spending on military programs, according to the […]
» Read moreSomething’s Rotten in the State of Ukraine; International aid groups grow impatient with the government.
(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Leonid Ragozin – February 18, 2016) Two years have passed since a popular uprising in Kiev toppled a Russia-backed regime in Ukraine. The glory of that people power moment has faded, and Western supporters are losing patience with the government as corruption hampers efforts to jump-start the economy. The gross domestic product of the war-plagued country […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “The Yatsenyuk Chronicles: How Ukraine’s Prime Minister Survived” – Carnegie Moscow/Oleksandr Holubov
NEWSLINK: “Saving Yatsenyuk” – Kyiv Post
NEWSWATCH: “Pentagon: Russia agreed not to strike US forces in Syria” – The Hill
The Pentagon revealed … that Russia granted a U.S. request not to target American special operations forces deployed to northern Syria …. The Pentagon made the request to the Russians after a U.S. decision to send the special operations forces into Syria last year. * * * … Russia also outlined some areas, such as airfields, that it did not […]
» Read more