RUSSIAN POLITICS - BEST AND WORST 2015/16

Submitted by: Donald Hank

Every single "failure" of Russian policies -- from the Ukraine quagmire and the sanctions to the Turkish debacle, is actually a result of immoral and illegitimate Western intervention. Russia may or may not succeed in overcoming the immense illegitimate pressures from the West, but the Russian leaders can hold their heads high among their people. The same cannot be said of Western leaders: The illegitimate take down of Ghadaffi and Mubarak drove millions of Middle Easterners to Europe. So did the Western instigation -- failed -- of the Arab Spring, which in turn led to armed opposition to the legitimately elected Assad and the creation of ISIS. So did Western meddling in Ukraine in support of that country's accession to a bankrupt EU that has already converted Ukraine into another Greece. All of this is made in the USA. There are no Russian failures here, only US illegitimate and immoral meddling.

Don Hank

Debates: Russia's foreign policy failures and achievements of 2015

 

At the end of the year, prominent foreign policy experts outlined the Kremlin’s most significant failures and achievements in 2015. Read on!

Top 10 Russian foreign policy events of December U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to Moscow and Vladimir Putin’s annual press conference were the two most important Russian foreign policy events of December.

Quiz: How well have you followed the events in Russia in 2015? From the “patriotic stop-list” to John Kerry’s visit to Moscow, we test how closely you have been paying attention to events in Russia this year.

2015 as seen by Russian pundits Russian think tanks sum up the past year and make predictions for the year ahead. The consensus appears to be that things were tough in 2015, but they will get even tougher in 2016.

Russia Beyond The Headlines: 2015 in review: 8 Russian figures who made an impact this year RBTH has selected eight people and things from various fields of Russian life that had a significant influence on domestic and global affairs in 2015.

Russian International Affairs Council: The Russian-Turkish crisis Andrey Kortunov: A long optimistic chapter in the Russian-Turkish bilateral relationship is over, and we are entering a new, still very unclear and potentially very dangerous period.

The BBC: Turkey faces big losses as Russia sanctions bite Russian sanctions are now affecting Turkish tourism, construction firms and food exports, amid a bitter dispute over the Syria conflict.Cold War. Here is what it has been doing to reclaim its influence.

The Moscow Times: Russian law allows FSB agents to open fire on crowds FSB officers will now have the power to use firearms against crowds of people to prevent acts of terror — including taking hostages or attacking government buildings.

The World Post: Putin lists U.S. as one of the threats to Russia's national security The new security document says Russia has taken on a greater role solving global conflicts, sparking a reaction by the West.

The National: As Obama looked for an exit, Putin seized his chance 2015 was a turning point in several of the most pressing issues facing the Middle East. What looks like chaos and confusion has actually forced clarity on the key players.