Category: Foreign Policy, Security, Visas

TRANSCRIPT: [Putin] Visit to Lebedinsky GOK. (excerpts)

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Vladimir Putin at Podium Gesturing

(Kremlin.ru – July 14, 2017) [Complete transcript here http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/55052] On the eve of Steelworker Day, Vladimir Putin visited the Lebedinsky GOK ore dressing plant that is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and watched the launch of the third sponge iron production shop. The President visited the viewing platform of Lebedinsky GOK, learned about the production process and observed the launch of […]

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Interfax: Serious Russia-NATO talk about de-escalation in Europe requires restoration of military contacts – Grushko

Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
NATO Meeting file photo

BRUSSELS. July 13 (Interfax) – Information briefings even at the level of ambassadors in the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) are not sufficient for a serious talk about de-escalation of the military situation in Europe; what is needed is a restoration of interrupted military contacts, Alexander Grushko, Russia’s Permanent Representative to NATO, said after a NRC meeting on Thursday. “If someone is […]

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VIDEO NEWSWATCH: “Inside Russia’s propaganda machine” – PBS Newshour

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations, Videos
Kremlin and River

(PBS Newshour – July 11, 2017 – also appeared at pbs.org/newshour/bb/inside-russias-propaganda-machine/) “For years, the Kremlin and the media it controls have waged a multifaceted information (and disinformation) campaign inside Russia and pointed at its perceived adversaries, including the U.S. As part of our week-long series Inside Putin’s Russia, special correspondent Nick Schifrin and producer Zach Fannin report on the information […]

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RUSSIALINK: “What Russians Want From Their President; The country’s voters may have just one request for their next president: maintain the status quo” – Moscow Times/ Alexei Levinson/ Levada Center

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Newslinks, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

“… One such survey that the Levada Center conducted in June asked which types of domestic and foreign policies the Russian people would like the future president to pursue. …”

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Article by Vladimir Putin published in the German business newspaper Handelsblatt (re G20)

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Environment, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
Map of Germany

(Kremlin.ru – July 6, 2017) Ahead of my trip to Germany to take part in the Summit of the Group of Twenty, I would like to share some thoughts about cooperation within the G20 framework with the readers of Handelsblatt, one of the most popular and reputable German newspapers. Over the years of its existence, the Group of Twenty has […]

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RUSSIALINK TRANSCRIPT: “Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions at the Primakov Readings International Forum, Moscow, June 30, 2017” – Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Newslinks, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Sergei Lavrov file photo

“Mr Dynkin, Mr Kissinger, Ladies and gentlemen, Colleagues, It is a great honour for me to address the second Primakov Readings International Forum, which has been organised by the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO). …”

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[PDF] NEWSLINK: “[DIA Report:] ‘Russia Military Power: Building a Military to Support Great Power Aspirations'” – Defense Intelligence Agency [116-page PDF]

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
DIA Headquarters file photo, adapted from DIA Public Affairs photo at defense.gov

“… Since returning to power in 2012, Russian President Putin has sought to reassert Russia as a great power on the global stage and to restructure an international order that the Kremlin believes is tilted too heavily in favor of the United States at Russia’s expense. …”

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Putin’s Next Spectacle

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Vladimir Putin file photo with VOA logo; screen shot from video still

(Article ©2017 RFE/RL, Inc., Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – rferl.org – June 28, 2017 – also appeared at https://www.rferl.org/a/daily-vertical-transcript-putins-next-spectacle/28583415.html) The Kremlin needs a new distraction. Russia’s rulers need a new story to tell. Vladimir Putin needs a new bright shiny object to wave in front of the Russian people. And if recent experience is any guide, Putin’s next spectacle, the Kremlin’s […]

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VIDEOS & LINKS: Watch All Four Parts of Oliver Stone’s “The Putin Interviews” [on/from] Vimeo

Cybersecurity, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Spies, Spy Allegations, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Screenshot of Vladimir Putin in Twitter Video of Trailer of Oliver Stone TV Film Regarding Russia

VIDEOS & LINKS: Watch all four parts of Oliver Stone’s “The Putin Interviews” on Vimeo [links and embedded video below] Transcript: skyhorsepublishing.com/titles/13188-9781510733428-putin-interviews Showtime series site: sho.com/the-putin-interviews#/closed Part One https://vimeo.com/222012543 THE PUTIN INTERVIEWS / OLIVER STONE PART ONE from patrice greanville on Vimeo. Part Two https://vimeo.com/221567261 The Putin Interviews | Part 2 | Oliver Stone & Vladimir Putin from vbulahtin on […]

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TRANSCRIPT: [Putin] Answers to journalists’ questions following Direct Line

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

(Kremlin.ru – June 15, 2017) Vladimir Putin answered media questions after Direct Line. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Let us start with our Chinese friends. Question: This past May the heads of state and government of thirty countries adopted a joint communiqué at the first Belt and Road International Economic Forum, which includes a commitment to step up cooperation. Mr […]

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TRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Meeting with RDIF International Advisory Board members and investment community representatives

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Vladimir Putin file photo with VOA logo; screen shot from video still

(Kremlin.ru – June 1, 2017) Vladimir Putin met with members of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) International Advisory Board and representatives of the international investment community. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon friends, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank you for coming to Russia and meeting together in St Petersburg again. I must say that many […]

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TRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Meeting with heads of international news agencies

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Vladimir Putin file photo with VOA logo; screen shot from video still

(Kremlin.ru – June 1, 2017) Vladimir Putin began his work at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum by meeting with the heads of international news agencies. Taking part in the meeting were President of EFE (Spain) Jose Antonio Vera, Editor-in-Chief of PTI (India) Vijay Joshi, Vice President of Kyodo News (Japan) Juno Kondo, General Director of DPA (Germany) Peter Kropsch, […]

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TRANSCRIPT: Vladimir Putin’s interview with Le Figaro

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, France, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Eiffel Tower and Tree-Lined Grassy Green, adapted from image at lbl.gov

(Kremlin.ru – May 31, 2017) The interview was recorded on May 29 in Paris during the President’s visit to France. Question (retranslated): A very good afternoon. Thank you very much for agreeing to answer questions from Le Figaro. I would also like to thank you for meeting with us here, in a classroom at the Russian Cultural Centre. Once again, […]

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NEWSWATCH RAND: “Russian Views of the International Order”

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, JRL NewsBlog, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mercator Projection Satellite Image of Earth

RAND researchers analyze Russian views of the international order, identifying core Russian foreign policy interests, including defense of the regime, influence in its neighborhood, and status as a great power, tracing how those interests impact Russia’s view of the United States and the West …

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Putin Regime Now Entering Its Fifth and Final Phase, Yakovenko Says

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Vladimir Putin file photo with VOA logo; screen shot from video still

(Paul Goble – Window on Eurasia – Staunton, May 9, 2017) Vladimir Putin’s regime, which has always been authoritarian and kleptocratic, nonetheless has evolved over the course of the last 18 years through four stages and now is entering its fifth and final one, according to Moscow commentator Igor Yakovenko (kasparov.ru/material.php?id=5910CBCC3CA63). The first period lasted from 1999 to 2003, having […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Kremlin Critic Navalny Says Russia Stops Him Traveling Abroad” – Reuters

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Human Rights, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

“Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said … authorities in Russia were stopping him [from] going abroad to seek urgent medical treatment after an attack that left him mostly blind in one eye.  … authorities … unexpectedly issued … an international passport … [giving] the impression he could fly to a foreign clinic to get treatment …. But he said a senior official from the country’s prison […]

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Russia Gives Putin Critic Navalny Passport to Travel Abroad

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Health, Epidemics, Substance Abuse, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Alexei Navalny file photo

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Ilya Arkhipov – May 4, 2017) #Russian opposition leader Alexey #Navalny said he’s been issued with a passport that would allow him to seek treatment abroad for eye damage suffered when an assailant threw a chemical in his face. The Federal Migration Service notified him that he can collect the passport after a five-year struggle to […]

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Putin’s Arms Bazaar Is in a Serious Sales Slump

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military
File Photo of Buk-1 SAM

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Tobin Harshaw – April 25, 2017) Tobin Harshaw writes editorials on national security, education and food for Bloomberg View. He was an editor with the op-ed page of the New York Times and the paper’s letters editor. Russian President Vladimir #Putin is mighty proud of his #military’s performance in #Syria. And, as I have written, it’s […]

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RUSSIALINK Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov’s interview with Kommersant newspaper, published 19 April 2017”

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Newslinks, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Sergei Ryabkov file photo

“Question: Do you know when and where President of Russia Vladimir Putin will meet with US President Donald Trump? Sergey Ryabkov: We have reaffirmed our readiness for such a meeting several times. We understand that contacts at the highest level are crucial for adjusting the agenda, areas of focus and the direction we are moving in. We confirmed our willingness […]

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NEWSWATCH: “How Russia Became the Jihadists’ No. 1 Target; Monday’s bombing in St. Petersburg might be only the beginning of a new terrorist wave” – Politico/COLIN P. CLARKE

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, JRL NewsBlog, Middle East, North Africa, Military, Syria, Terrorism
Map of Middle East and North Africa with Inset Map of Holy Land

“… too soon to say who is responsible for the bombing … in St. Petersburg … it wouldn’t be surprising if international terrorists were responsible. Russia is fast replacing the United States as the No. 1 enemy of al Qaeda, the Islamic State, and other Sunni jihadist groups …. recent Russian actions in the Middle East … escalating intervention in Syria and its […]

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NEWSLINK: “Propaganda or alternative worldview? RT, Russia’s voice to the world. The international television news channel RT was an attempt to promote Russian influence in the world. How far has it succeeded?” – Le Monde Diplomatique/ Maxime Audinet

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television
File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

“Russia’s state-owned international news channel, RT (formerly Russia Today), celebrated its tenth birthday in December 2015 with a promotional video that showed Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief, in Soviet uniform, inspecting her staff at their Moscow HQ. …”

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RUSSIALINK: “Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov answers questions from readers of the newspaper Argumenty i Fakty” – Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Newslinks
Sergei Lavrov file photo

“Question: What happened to Vitaly Churkin? Are there any grounds for thinking that his death was not accidental? Who will be the new Russian representative to the UN? Is Russia again facing the pro-American company at the Security Council alone?”

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Putin to Stress Superpower Status in Presidential Campaign; Restoring Moscow’s global influence will be a dominant theme of the 2018 election, experts say

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Vladimir Putin file photo with VOA logo; screen shot from video still

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Mikhail Fishman, Matthew Kupfer – March 23, 2017) In 2016, Donald Trump rode a wave of popular discontent to the White House on the promise that he would “make America great again.” As Russia’s presidential election, scheduled for March 2018 draws nearer, President Vladimir Putin may try a similar tactic – by contending that he […]

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@McFaul: “This is important. Russia has a serious, sophisticated disinformation strategy. We ignore it at our peril. “

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Ambassador Mike McFaul file photo

[Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, @McFaul at twitter.com/mcfaul, tweets about #Russia and disinformation: embedded tweet should load below; tweet also is available at twitter.com/McFaul/status/843706148733693953] This is important. Russia has a serious, sophisticated disinformation strategy. We ignore it at our peril. https://t.co/eq15A6f6HG — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) March 20, 2017

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NEWSWATCH: “Russia cannot live with the west – or without it; Technological backwardness increases its dependence on liberal democracies” – Financial Times/Lilia Shevtsova

Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, JRL NewsBlog, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Science, Technology, Engineering, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of G7 Leaders and other Officials Around Round Table at the Hague, with Flags

“Great power status and the desire for external domination have long been central components of the Russian system of personalised power. … With diminishing resources, the Kremlin has increasingly resorted to intimidating … liberal democracies into accepting Russia’s grand ambitions. At the same time, the country has to wrestle with … how to preserve its role as a global power without […]

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RUSSIALINK RBTH: “Why Russia does not want to join OPEC; Russia sees oil club as a competitor, though they share tactical interests”

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Oil, Gas, Energy
Oil Well file photo

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – MARIA KUTUZOVA, SPECIAL TO RBTH) Russia is not considering joining OPEC, Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak has told a U.S. conference. Speaking during the CERAWeek Oil Conference in Houston, Texas early March Novak added: “But our cooperation with the oil exporting countries has proven to be necessary and useful.” He has often spoken […]

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NEWSLINK: “Dearth of young diplomatic talent in Moscow sparks concern; ‘Old boys’ network’ steers Russia through worst stand-off with west since cold war” – Financial Times/Kathrin Hille

Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
foreign-ministry-200

“… The Kremlin’s hesitation over … Ushakov throws a spotlight on the bureaucracy steering Moscow through its most serious stand-off with the west since the cold war and engineering the push to restore Russia’s global power status. It is an apparatus built under the Soviet Union and staffed by people whose skills were honed in the Soviet era. Russian diplomatic […]

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Moscow Times: Read Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s Poem to Russia’s Late UN Ambassador

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, United Nations
File Photo of UN Building with Flags

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – February 21, 2017) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has published a poem dedicated to his country’s late permanent representative to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin. Churkin died unexpectedly yesterday in New York, reportedly from heart problems, just a day shy of his 65th birthday. Since then, many politicians and diplomats have paid their respects to […]

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NEWSLINK: “Disillusioned With the West, Russia Too Is Pivoting to Asia” – The Wire (India)/ Fred Weir

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Kremlin and River

“East-West conflict over Ukraine is likely to continue to loom large when it comes to Russian foreign relations, especially as there seems no way – short of a third world war – that it is ever likely to relent on the main issue, its annexation of Crimea.”

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Interfax: Over 80% of Russians sure army can deter military threat – poll

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Tanks on Parade

MOSCOW. Feb 20 (Interfax) – Over half of Russians (58%) believe in the existence of a military threat posed by other countries, Levada Center told Interfax, adding that the indicator had notably declined in the past two years from 68% in 2015. Some 34% of 1,600 respondents polled in 137 populated localities in 48 regions on January 20-23 maintained the […]

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RUSSIALINK: TRANSCRIPT: Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s address and answers to questions at the 53rd Munich Security Conference, Munich, February 18, 2017”

Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Sergei Lavrov file photo

“… Question: I have a concrete question about military exercises. Why are Russian military exercises held without prior announcement, and why are they so non-transparent? This year you will hold the largest Zapad (West) exercises in 20 years, which have alarmed your neighbours. What should be done to build up confidence regarding this issue? …” [featured image is file photo]

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Re: The Gathering Storm

China, Far East, Siberia, APEC, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, History, Soviet Union, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Eurasia Map

Subject: The Gathering Storm Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2017 From: David Law <davidmurraylaw@gmail.com> The Gathering Storm By David Law Senior Associate, Security Governance Group; former Head of NATO Policy Planning and Speechwriting Unit With Donald Trump now sworn in as the American President and Commander-in-Chief, here are some thoughts on where the world may be headed. In 1948, Winston Churchill […]

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Ten Years Ago Today, Putin Declared War

Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, Russia & the West, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United Nations, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Vladimir Putin file photo with VOA logo; screen shot from video still

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Brian Whitmore – February 10, 2017) Ten years ago today, a cold wind blew in Munich. A decade ago today, Vladimir Putin telegraphed his intentions. On February 10, 2007, the Kremlin leader threw down the gauntlet to the West. On that day, Putin stunned the Munich Security Conference with a bellicose speech in which he railed […]

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Putin’s Tough Choice: China Or The West

China, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Oil, Gas, Energy, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Eurasia Map

(Oilprice.com – Robert Berke – February 3, 2017) To many observers, the appointment of Tillerson to the helm the State Dept signaled the Administration’s priority of supporting the oil industry, which in recent years has been under severe pressure from OPEC’s campaign of over-production that forced prices down to a post-recession low. Seen from a different angle, the move also […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Russia’s Bad Equilibrium” – project-syndicate/Anders Åslund

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, JRL NewsBlog, Military, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

After more than two years of economic contraction, Russia seems to have achieved some semblance of stability. Though economic growth is expected to reach only about 1% in 2017, the fear of economic destabilization that has permeated the country since its 2014 invasion of Crimea – which was met with crippling sanctions from the West – has all but evaporated. […]

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NEWSLINK: “TODAY’S FEAR-MONGERING” – Irrussianality/Paul Robinson

Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, Newslinks, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

“Doug Saunders of the Globe and Mail newspaper writes some good op-eds. But like a lot of commentators he seems to go completely off the rails when the subject of Russia comes up. His latest piece entitled ‘Is Putin scoring political goals on an empty net?’ had me spluttering over my breakfast cereal this morning, and merits a detailed response.”

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UN Braces as Trump’s Detente With Russia Upsets Balance of Power

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United Nations, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
UN Building file photo

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Kambiz Foroohar – January 31, 2017) President Donald #Trump’s outreach to #Russia is reverberating through the United Nations, where U.S. allies worry that a partnership between Washington and Moscow could undermine a historic balance of power dating to the early days of the Cold War. For decades, the five veto-wielding members of the 15-nation Security Council […]

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RUSSIALINK RBTH: “Index of fear: What are Russians most afraid of?”

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Map of Russia and Russian Flag adapted from images at state.gov

Most Russians polled are afraid of war and international conflicts, but the number decreased to 14 points in December compared to 23 points in January 2016. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – January 30, 2017) Russians’ main fears remain the threat of war and inflation, while family troubles are the least worry. These findings are the results of a […]

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Meeting between Putin, Russian Security Council members involved exchange of opinions on current state of Russian-U.S. relations – Peskov

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Dmitry Peskov file photo adapted from image at kremlin.ru/wikimedia commons

MOSCOW. Jan 27 (Interfax) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday held an operative meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council, presidential press officer Dmitry Peskov told Interfax. “The meeting addressed current issues relating to the internal Russian socio-economic agenda,” Peskov said. “It also addressed the outcome of the Astana negotiations, and also the prospects of further efforts […]

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NEWSLINK: “Russia investment and political stories go their separate ways” – bne/Intellinews/Ben Aris

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Human Rights, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Newslinks, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Kremlin and Saint Basil's File Photo

“There are two Russias at the moment. The first is the evil “Putin’s Russia” that kills journalists, bombs civilians and invades other countries. Then there is “bull Russia”, where investors have been making fat profits ….”

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RUSSIALINK TRANSCRIPT: “Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to questions during the Government Hour at the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation” – Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas
Sergei Lavrov file photo

“Mr Volodin, Members of the State Duma, Thank you for inviting me to speak as part of the Government Hour in the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. …”  

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Putin’s War On The ’90s

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Vladimir Putin file photo with VOA logo; screen shot from video still

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Brian Whitmore – January 25, 2017) Vladimir Putin wants to relitigate the 1990s. He seems determined to erase an entire decade. He wants a do-over. He wants backsies. And this, I believe, is one of the keys to understanding the Kremlin leader’s behavior. It explains Putin’s memorable comments that Ukraine, which like the rest of the […]

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And Then Putin Came For The West

Cybersecurity, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Russia & the West, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Brian Whitmore – January 17, 2016) First he went after the domestic opposition. When Vladimir Putin returned to the Kremlin five years ago, he launched a massive crackdown on dissent, jailing opposition leaders, staging a series of show trials, and cracking down on social media. He called them fifth columnists and tools of the West. Outside […]

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Putin’s New Year

Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Military
Europe Map

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Brian Whitmore – January 9, 2017) So 2017 is here. And one thing we can be pretty certain of this year is that Vladimir Putin’s regime will try to push the advantage it gained last year — and intensify its efforts to undermine the liberal world order. And there will be plenty of targets of opportunity. […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Putin won 2016, but Russia has its limits as a superpower” – Washington Post/David Filipov

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, JRL NewsBlog, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

“… Putin heads into 2017 … having brokered a cease-fire in Syria that sidelined the United States … having won the praise of … Trump by declining to retaliate in response to the Obama administration’s decision to punish Moscow over its alleged interference in the U.S. election. … Putin is as popular as ever at home …. But Russia is […]

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TRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Middle East, North Africa, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Syria
Syria Map

(Kremlin.ru – December 29, 2016) Mr Shoigu and Mr Lavrov briefed the President on work to resolve the Syrian crisis, in particular, agreements reached between the Syrian government and the opposition on a ceasefire and readiness to begin peace talks. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, The news has just come in that this morning, a few hours ago, an […]

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TRANSCRIPT: [Putin at] Meeting with Sergei Lavrov, Sergei Naryshkin and Alexander Bortnikov

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Turkey
Turkey and Environs Satellite Image

(Kremlin.ru – December 19, 2016) Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin and Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Tragic news has arrived from Turkey, where Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was brutally murdered. First of all, I would like to […]

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RBTH: 2016 in review: Top 5 political events

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Snowy Night on Red Square with Old St. Basil's Lit Up

From the war in Syria to high-level corruption and doping scandals, here are the stories that shook up Russian politics in the past year. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – OLEG YEGOROV, RBTH – December 19, 2016) 1. Intervention in Syria Although President Vladimir Putin stated in March 2016 that the operation in Syria, which began in September 2015, […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Nuclear War Is No Longer ‘Unthinkable’ for Russia; Putin is warning the United States to back off” – The National Interest/Nikolas K. Gvosdev

Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Nuclear, Missile Defense
Russian Mobile ICBM Parade File Photo

“The newly-released ‘Foreign Policy Concept’ of the #Russian Federation contains some interesting changes and updates. … this document reflects the #Kremlin’s strategic mindset and how it views international relations …. The first is a slight but significant shift in assessing the possibility of the use of #nuclear weapons from ‘unthinkable’ to ‘unlikely.’ While the concept does not anticipate a high […]

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