Category: United States, U.S.-Russian Relations

NEWSLINK: Russia’s view on the US elections: Mitt Romney’s description of Russia as America’s “No. 1 geopolitical foe” arrived during a period of increasing anti-American rhetoric in Russian politics

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Leaning Towards Barack Hussein Obama With Flags Behind Them

(Russia’s view on the US elections: Mitt Romney’s description of Russia as America’s “No 1 geopolitical foe” arrived during a period of increasing anti-American rhetoric in Russian politics – The Guardian (UK) – Miriam Elder and Howard Amos – November 6, 2012 – http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/05/russia-view-us-elections) The Guardian covers the U.S. presidential from the vantage point of U.S.-Russian relations, noting that Russia […]

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NEWSLINK: Which US presidential candidate is better able to meet the challenges ahead?

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mit Romney file photo

(Which US presidential candidate is better able to meet the challenges ahead? – US-Russia.org – Vlad Sobell, Edward Lozansky, Anatoly Karlin, Irina Bubnova, Vlad Ivanenko, and Dale Herspring – November 6, 2012 – http://us-russia.org/519-which-us-presidential-candidate-is-better-able-to-meet-the-challenges-ahead.html) Arguing that “The US presidential election on 6 November is, arguably, the most important such ballot since the Second World War, given both the deep economic […]

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NEWSLINK: Resetting the Reset: The United States needs to decide whether to treat Russia as a marginal global actor or an asset in America’s global strategy.

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mit Romney file photo

(Resetting the Reset: The United States needs to decide whether to treat Russia as a marginal global actor or an asset in America’s global strategy – Foreign Policy – Dmitri Trenin – November 5, 2012 – Dmitri Trenin is director of the Carnegie Moscow Center – http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/11/05/resetting_the_reset) Writing in Foreign Policy, Dmitry Trenin of the Carnegie Moscow Center holds that […]

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NEWSLINK: Russian observers to be literally knocking on doors of US polling stations

Europe, EU, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Leaning Towards Barack Hussein Obama With Flags Behind Them

Itar-Tass reports how Russian would-be election observers, despite avoiding Texas, still intend to try to visit U.S. polling stations for the U.S. election: Russian observers will be literally “knocking on the doors of the polling stations” at the US presidential elections on Tuesday, State Duma deputy and member of the State Duma committee for security and counteraction to corruption Ilya […]

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U.S. Elections Deepen the Divergence Between Russia’s and Putin’s Interests

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mit Romney file photo

(Jamestown Foundation – jamestown.org – Eurasia Daily Monitor – Eurasia Daily Monitor: Volume 9, Issue 202 – Pavel K. Baev – November 5, 2012) The choice that the United States will make tomorrow is certain to have a strong impact on US-Russia relations, but President Vladimir Putin cannot figure out what outcome will suit his interests better. Back in 2004, […]

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Russian pundits see ties with USA unaffected by poll outcome

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mit Romney file photo

(Interfax – November 5, 2012) The outcome of the US presidential election will not change Russian-US relations significantly, Russian pundits have said, as reported by the Russian privately-owned news agency Interfax on 5 November. The first vice-president of the Centre for Political Technologies, Aleksey Makarkin, said that Obama’s victory would mean the continuation of the “reset” but problems would still […]

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Russian pundit says Magnitskiy list not to affect Russian-US ties

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Human Rights, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of U.S. Capitol Dome

(Interfax – Moscow, 5 November) Russia will not be able to prevent the adoption of the so called Magnitskiy list either in the USA or in Europe, deputy head of the USA and Canada Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences Viktor Kremenyuk said. “The Magnitskiy list will certainly be adopted (in the USA – Interfax) and Europe will also […]

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Jim Beam Didn’t Get Putin Memo as Whiskey Eyes Russians

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Health, Epidemics, Substance Abuse, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Shelf of Alcoholic Beverages with Red and White Tape Across It

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Duane D. Stanford – November 5, 2012) Beam Inc. (BEAM) wants more vodka-imbibing Russians to drink Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark whiskey. Apparently Vladimir Putin didn’t get the memo. In a campaign to help his people live longer, Russia’s president is pushing the biggest crackdown on alcohol since the cold war. That could complicate Beam’s efforts […]

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Russian American Vote Could Sway Tight US Presidential Election

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mit Romney file photo

WASHINGTON, November 5 (By Maria Young for RIA Novosti) – If the 2012 US presidential election is close enough in the right states, the winner could be determined in part by a group of voters barely acknowledged on the national political scene: Russian Americans, who number more than three million in the US and overwhelmingly vote Republican. “States where the […]

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Romney Russia prospects

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mit Romney file photo

Subject: Romney Russia prospects From: Ira Straus <irastraus@aol.com> Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2012 Despite a lot of speculation on Romney’s policies toward Russia, basic points have been missed. 1. Every new President has made a reset with Russia since 1989.  Every one of them positive. But every one of them falling short of results sufficient to make the relationship self-sustaining. […]

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U.S.-Russian Adoption Accord Enters Force

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Schoolchildren with U.S. Official

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – November 2, 2012) Russian children adopted by U.S. families will remain Russian citizens so that they can “return to the motherland in case of a conflict situation,” the office of the children’s ombudsman said Thursday as a new U.S.-Russian adoption accord came into effect. “The U.S. is a lingering pain for us, as literally every […]

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Battle for the White House: Final arrangements

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mit Romney file photo

(Valdai Discussion Club – Nikolai Zlobin – November 2, 2012 – Nikolai Zlobin is Senior Fellow and Director of Russian and Asian Programs, World Security Institute, USA) The presidential campaign in the United States has entered the home stretch. In just a few short days, Americans will elect their next president, setting the country’s course for the next four years. […]

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Why the Foreign Ministry Should Keep Quiet

Human Rights, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Foreign Ministry Building Tower file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Michael Bohm – November 2, 2012 – Michael Bohm is opinion page editor of The Moscow Times) Those nostalgic about the Soviet Union got a nice treat on Oct. 22 when the Foreign Ministry released its report on U.S. human rights violations. Reading just a few pages of the report was enough to bring back […]

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New English-Language Radio Station To Hit Airwaves in Moscow

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Russia & the West, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Kremlin and Moscow Environs Aerial View

MOSCOW, November 2 (RIA Novosti) ­ Moscow city officials plan to target tourists and English-speaking residents in a whole new way: with a new English-language radio station. Moscow FM, which will be hosted on the 105.2 frequency, is expected to hit the airwaves on November 12, the Kommersant daily newspaper reported Friday. Igor Shestakov, chief editor of the Moscow Media […]

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NEWSLINK: The Putin Crackdown: First he went after the punk rockers. Then the activists.

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Oil, Gas, Energy, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Spies, Spy Allegations, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Kremlin and St. Basil's file photo

(“The Putin Crackdown: First he went after the punk rockers. Then the activists.” – Wall Street Journal Editorial – November 1, 2012 – http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204840504578087152147315198.html) A Wall Street Journal editorial calls for Congresss to pass the Magnitsky Act: Congress should get over its gridlock and pass the Magnitsky Act that bars Russian human-rights offenders from traveling to or banking in the […]

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NEWSLINK: GM Russian Car Venture Is Pleasant Surprise

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Niva file photo

(GM Russian Car Venture Is Pleasant Surprise – Wall Street Journal – Lukas I. Alpert – November 1, 2012 – http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203922804578080972277444736.html) The Wall Street Journal reports on General Motors efforts to build cars in Russia, specifically 4-wheel-drive Chevrolet Niva SUV’s for the Russian market.  A joint venture with Russian carmaker OAO AvtoVaz, the enterprise struggled at first, during GM’s reorganization […]

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NEWSLINK: Putin’s Russia: back in the USSR; The president’s crackdown will do nothing to tackle the source of his problems: a corrupt and unreformable system of government

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Vladimir Putin file photo

(Putin’s Russia: back in the USSR; The president’s crackdown will do nothing to tackle the source of his problems: a corrupt and unreformable system of government – The Guardian (UK) Editorial – October 29, 2012 – http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/28/vladimir-putin-russia-crackdown-protest) The Guardian (UK) in an editorial accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin of orchestrating repression unseen since the Soviet Union, despite his supposed public […]

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Russian report on human rights in U.S. indicates that American democracy is not perfect

Human Rights, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Foreign Ministry Building Tower file photo

(Interfax – October 29, 2012) The first report of the Russian Foreign Ministry on the observation of human rights in the United States aims to show that the U.S. also has certain problems with democracy, Ministry Ombudsman for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law Konstantin Dolgov said in an interview published by Kommersant on Monday. “Actually, the U.S. and […]

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New Coordination Council Weighs Rally and Magnitsky

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Moscow Protest file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com –  October 29, 2012) Members of the opposition’s newly elected Coordination Council agreed at their first meeting over the weekend to stage their next rally in December and press the U.S. to expand its Magnitsky list of banned Russian officials. The opposition group, which met at a restaurant in central Moscow on Saturday, is tasked with […]

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Is Russia’s Putin a Secret Fan of Mitt Romney?

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mit Romney file photo

(Voice of America – James Brooke – October 24, 2012 – James Brooke is VOA Moscow bureau chief, covering Russia and the former USSR) The conventional wisdom is that the Kremlin would like to see Barack Obama back in the White House next year. Just last month, President Putin told RT, the state-owned TV channel, that Obama was “a genuine […]

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Analysis: Political Winter Descends on Russia

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Kremlin and St. Basil's file photo

(Voice of America – James Brooke – October 23, 2012 – James Brooke is VOA Moscow bureau chief, covering Russia and the former USSR.) As gray winter skies descend on Moscow, Russians are adjusting to a political winter. Since taking office nearly six months ago, President Vladimir Putin has methodically reduced civic space in Russia by advocating new laws on […]

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Foreign Ministry Slams U.S. on Human Rights

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Human Rights, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Foreign Ministry Building Tower file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Bratersky – October 23, 2012) A senior Foreign Ministry official harshly criticized United States authorities Monday for alleged human rights abuses while presenting a report on human rights in foreign countries. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov condemned what the report described as the often harsh conditions in American prisons, the use of the death […]

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Russia’s Lavrov Says Relations With USA Improving, Missile Defence Main Obstacle

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Missile Defense Control Room file photo

(RIA Novosti –  Moscow, 22 October) Relations with the USA have acquired very positive dynamics over the recent years, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Monday (22 October). In an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper he noted that “a multi-aspect vector of development has emerged – this is the presidential commission which comprises 21 groups”. Lavrov added that one […]

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After 20 Years of US Aid, Russia Goes Solo on Controlling Loose Nukes

Nuclear, Missile Defense, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Nuclear Mushroom Cloud

(Voice of America – James Brooke – James Brooke is VOA Moscow bureau chief, covering Russia and the former USSR – October 18, 2012) The day that Russia’s government decided last week to end its participation in the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program, a huge, mushroom-shaped cloud rose high in the air over Orenburg. In this case, the dust was […]

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Radio Liberty’s Fate Unclear

Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo Adapted from State Department Image of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Poster

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Nikolaus von Twickel – October 19, 2012) Soviet listeners tuned in to Radio Liberty, Voice of America and the British Broadcasting Corp.’s Russian service to get objective information. But since Voice of America and the BBC nixed their Russian radio broadcasts in favor of an online-only regime in 2008 and 2011, respectively, Radio Liberty, known […]

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International Energy Agency: U.S. gas exports might reach a third of Russian exports in future

Oil, Gas, Energy, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Gas Facility file photo

(Interfax – October 17, 2012) The amount of gas that the U.S. exports might reach a third of the amount that Russia exports in the medium term, Laszlo Varro, Head of the Gas, Coal and Power Market Division at the International Energy Agency (IEA), said at ‘Gas Day’ at Skolkovo. American gas exports will play an important role in the […]

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[Re: Romney’s stand on Russia as Foe Number 1] Comment on John Arquilla JRL #179

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mit Romney file photo

From: Jake Kipp <jacobkipp@cs.com> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2012 Subject: Comment on John Arquilla JRL #179 [DJ: Adjunct Professor of History at the University of Kansas, former Deputy Director, School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth] I just read John Arquilla’s piece applauding Romney’s stand on Russia as Foe Number 1. Although I am a great admirer of his work […]

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Russia Walks Out of Nunn-Lugar Agreement ­- Paper

Nuclear, Missile Defense, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Russian Nuclear Missile on Mobile Launcher Near Woods

MOSCOW, October 10 (RIA Novosti) – Moscow is to abandon participation in a decades-old program with the United States aimed at dismantling weapons of mass destruction, Russian daily Kommersant reported Wednesday. The paper reported sources in the US State Department as saying Russia is no longer interested in the Nunn-Lugar program ­ also known as the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program […]

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October Marks 50th Anniversary of Cuban Missile Crisis

Cuba, History, Soviet Union, Nuclear, Missile Defense, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ranges of Soviet Missiles on Cuba

(Andre de Nesnera – Voice of America – October 9, 2012) This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.  Historians say there were several key events that led to the decision by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to […]

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NEWSLINK: ‘No flexibility’ with Putin on missile defense: Romney

NATO, Nuclear, Missile Defense, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Missile Defense Control Room file photo

‘No flexibility’ with Putin on missile defense: Romney – AFP – October 8, 2012 – click here for original article AFP covers Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s assertive backing of U.S. and NATO missile defense in the face of Russian opposition, most recently articulated in Romney’s recent foreign policy address at the Virginia Military Institute: Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney […]

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Romney Keeps Playing Russian Card in Presidential Bid

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mit Romney file photo

WASHINGTON, October 9 (RIA Novosti) – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has reaffirmed his plans to review “questionable” cuts to US defense budget and to maintain a hard stance on missile defense in talks with Russia in a key foreign policy speech during the current election campaign. “I’ll roll back President Obama’s deep and arbitrary cuts to our national defense […]

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Foreign Ministry Plays Down U.S. Smuggling Arrests

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Military, Spies, Spy Allegations, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Image of Stylized Eye Surrounded by Binary Code

Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Bratersky – October 5, 2012 The Foreign Ministry on Thursday complained that it had not been properly informed by United States authorities that a group of Russian citizens had been arrested on charges of smuggling microelectronics, raising “serious concerns” for Russia. “A lot is unclear in this story. It raises serious concerns, and we […]

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Facebook Flirts With Local Geeks in Battle for Russia

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Mark Zuckerberg Gesturing

Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Marie Mawad and Ilya Khrennikov – October 5, 2012 Looking for a public bathroom in Moscow? Facebook Inc. (FB) has you covered. Still a dwarf in Russia, the world’s largest social network is courting local geeks to build apps tailor-made for their home market. Its goal is to win over users in Europe’s most populous country […]

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USAID Russia Lessons Learned

Far East, Siberia, APEC, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Regions, Cities, Municipalities, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
USAID From the American People Logo

Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2012 Subject: USAID Russia Lessons Learned From: Sarah Lindemann-Komarova <echosiberia@gmail.com> USAID Russia Lessons Learned by Sarah Lindemann-Komarova, Siberian based civil society development activist. Almost everyone knew it was time for a USAID end strategy in Russia.  The possible exception to this maybe a few organizations that did not leverage years of generous support from the American […]

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Zuckerberg Visit Sparks Brain-Drain Debate in Russia

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Population Disaster, Demographics, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Mark Zuckerberg Gesturing

Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Leonid Bershidsky – October 3, 2012 – Leonid Bershidsky, an editor and novelist, is Moscow and Kiev correspondent for World View. For Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s visit to Moscow was a great photo opportunity. Some of Russia’s technology entrepreneurs, though, saw it as the latest salvo in a global battle for the […]

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USAID Gone, Kremlin Tightens Control Over Non-Profits

Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Kremlin and St. Basil's

Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Jonathan Earle – October 2, 2012 On Monday, the same day that the U.S. Agency for International Development ended its 20-year presence in Russia, President Vladimir Putin proposed bringing nonprofit groups that provide social services under closer government supervision. A plan outlining criteria for evaluating the quality of services provided by nonprofits, as well as […]

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USAID Stops Operations in Russia

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
USAID From the American People Logo

MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti)-The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which has funded Russian non-governmental organizations, stops its operations in Russia from Monday. Russia said in September that USAID, which provided financing for pro-democracy and human rights groups that have irked the Kremlin, would have to close its offices in the country by October 1. President Vladimir Putin […]

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Nearly 40% of Russians Justify Islamic Anger With Innocence of Muslims – Poll

Middle East, North Africa, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Religion, Terrorism, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Mosque File Photo

MOSCOW. Sept 28 (Interfax) – Sixty-two percent of Russians are aware of the Innocence of Muslims scandalous film released in the United States. Thirty-three percent of them have heard a lot about the film, and 6% are monitoring the situation closely, the Levada Center told Interfax. Thirty-nine percent of the respondents learned about the film in the poll of 1,601 […]

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NEWSLINK: USAID ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA WILL BE CONTINUED BY NDI AND THE FORD FOUNDATION

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
USAID From the American People Logo

USAID ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA WILL BE CONTINUED BY NDI AND THE FORD FOUNDATION – The U.S. Agency for international development (USAID) will continue to carry out its programs with the help of its partners – Izvestia – Anton Lednev – September 28, 2012 [no link available to English-language version of article] Izvestia reports that, while the U.S. Agency for international […]

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Making the Kremlin Queasy: Massive American Aid Has Helped Russians Three Times in the Last Century

United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Stylized Russian and U.S. Flags, 200, 1807-2007

Voice of America – By James Brooke – September 25, 2012 James Brooke is VOA Moscow bureau chief, covering Russia and the former USSR. As American officials struggle to meet an Oct. 1 deadline for closing the 20-year-old USAID office in Moscow, it is worth looking at America’s other great 20th century aid program to Russians. In a corner of […]

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Treason Bill Gains Momentum

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Human Rights, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Spies, Spy Allegations, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Duma Building

Yekaterina Kravtsova – Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – September 24, 2012 The State Duma tentatively approved a bill on Friday to broaden the legal definition of high treason, seen by human rights groups as part of a continuing crackdown on foreign-funded organizations in Russia. While lawmakers contend that the bill would make the work of law enforcement authorities more effective, […]

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Senior MP Says USAID Knew Russia Was Unhappy With It

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
USAID From the American People Logo

(Interfax Moscow, 20 September) As early as two years ago Russia warned the USA about its grievances over the Agency for International Development (USAID), head of the State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Aleksey Pushkov has said. “We warned the US side a long time ago – I think this story is already two years old – that we were not […]

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Golos Vows to Carry on Monitoring Despite USAID Moscow Office Shutdown

Human Rights, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Arm and Torso of Person in Brown Sweater Placing Paper Ballot into Ballot Box

MOSCOW. Sept 20 (Interfax) – The independent election monitor Golos is searching for Russian sponsors to substitute grants from the closing Moscow office of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Golos said some of its projects were endangered by the USAID pullout. “Nevertheless, we will continue election monitoring no matter what,” says the Golos statement received by Interfax […]

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NEWSLINK: Pro-Kremlin source says Putin accuses USAID of meddling in Russian politics

Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Vladimir Putin Leaning Towards Barack Hussein Obama With Flags Behind Them

Kremlin-backed news source Russia Today reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses the U.S. Agency for International Development of meddling in Russian politics. Click here for “Putin agrees: USAID meddling in Russian politics” by Robert Bridge from russiatoday.com on September 20, 2012.

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Russian Foreign Ministry says Russia’s ‘mature’ society can do without USAID

Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Foreign Ministry Building Tower file photo

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website – September 19, 2012 The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on September 19, 2012, addressing Russia’s expulsion of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), leveling accusations regarding the influence of elections and political processes. But the Ministry also decried any international aid: “It should also be noted that Russia has […]

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Kremlin boots USAID for ‘interference’ in Russian politics; The Kremlin, already suspicious of US involvement in the street protests against Vladimir Putin, ordered development agency USAID to cease operations in Russia by Oct. 1.

Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
USAID From the American People Logo

By Fred Weir – Christian Science Monitor – September 19, 2012 [click here for original article] The Christian Science Monitor reports on Russia’s decision to shut down USAID operations in that country, with Russia accusing them of interference in Russian internal politics. While USAID has funded a wide variety of programs in Russia, there is speculation that heightened sensitivity is […]

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Russian Analysts, Rights Activists, Opposition Comment On USAID Closure

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Environment, Health, Epidemics, Substance Abuse, Human Rights, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
USAID From the American People Logo

RIA Novosti – September 19, 2012 The Russian authorities’ decision to bring to an end the work of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has been widely commented by Russian political analysts, opposition politicians and human rights activists. Analysts The closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) operation in Russia is a disturbing signal which indicates that […]

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USAID Sums Up Outcomes of Its Activities in Russia Before Closure

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Health, Epidemics, Substance Abuse, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
USAID From the American People Logo

WASHINGTON. Sept 19 (Interfax) – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided financial support in drafting the Russian Constitution and a number of federal codes over the 20 years of its work in Russia, USAID said in a statement posted on its website. “USAID-funded Rule of Law implementers helped draft the Russian Constitution, Part I of the Russian […]

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Foreign Ministry Accuses USAID of Meddling in Politics

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Foreign Ministry Building Tower file photo

By Nikolaus von Twickel –  Moscow Times –  September 20, 2012 Moscow’s abrupt decision to kick out the U.S. Agency for International Development raised new worries Wednesday about a widening crackdown on pro-democracy groups. The Foreign Ministry bluntly accused the agency, better known as USAID, of meddling in domestic politics. Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Wednesday that the agency had […]

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Romney’s Victory in U.S. Election May Lead to Bigger Arms Spending – Dvorkovich

Military, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Mit Romney file photo

YALTA. Sept 15 (Interfax) – Russia is seriously concerned about the anti-Russian comment of Republican Party candidate Mitt Romney, which may have a series of undesirable consequences, among them an arms race restart, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said at the Russian Future session of the Ninth Annual Yalta Meeting on Saturday. “If Romney wins, we may have to […]

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