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Press Release

Russia in Review

Published: December 2, 2011

A digest of useful news from U.S.-Russia Initiative to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism for November 23 – December 2, 2011

A digest of useful news from U.S.-Russia Initiative to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism for the week of November 23 – December 2, 2011

  1. I. U.S. and Russia priorities for the bilateral agenda.

Nuclear security agenda:

  • Russia urged North Korea on Thursday to halt its uranium enrichment program and re-admit United Nations nuclear monitors to pave the way for international talks. (Reuters, 12.01.11).

Iran nuclear issues:

  • No significant developments.

NATO-Russia cooperation, including transit to Afghanistan:

  • Thirty-four percent of Russian respondents of a VTsIOM poll are convinced that the bloc is posing a threat to Russia's security, and the same percentage (34 percent) of respondents believe there is no real danger from NATO, but nor is this organization an ally of Russia. (Interfax, 11.30.11).

 

Counter-terrorism cooperation:

  • No significant developments.

Missile defense:

  • President Dmitry Medvedev opened an early-warning radar station in the Kaliningrad region bordering two NATO nations on Tuesday. “Our response to European missile defense will be gradual. The first stage has already been completed – that was the launching of the radar system in Kaliningrad,” he said on Thursday. The president warned that more steps will follow if necessary, “but I really would not like any of the Russian leaders to make the decision to deploy strike forces at our borders at the end of this decade.” He said plans to put offensive weapon systems on Russia's borders were not electoral rhetoric but a forced measure. Medvedev underlined that Russia remains “absolutely open” for talks on the issue with NATO partners. (Reuters, 11.29.11, Russia Today, 12.01.11, RIA Novosti, 12.01.11).
  • The only thing that draws attention to the list of "adequate responses" to U.S. missile defense, which President Medvedev announced last Wednesday, is the words on the development of measures for the destruction of information and control components of missile defense systems, according to head of the Center for International Security Alexei Arbatov.  That is what is called cyber warfare. "If the West responds seriously to it,” said Arbatov, “it will react very harshly, and we will regret more than once we made this sort of threat." (Itar-Tass, 11.24.11).
  • “Medvedev has now threatened to develop the means to disrupt the information and control systems of Western missile defense installations if necessary. This does not refer to nuclear missile attacks on those systems, but to the need for Russia’s military to develop the capacity for a cyber attack against U.S. missile defense systems. However, considering Russia’s extremely modest achievements in the field of information technology, a U.S. counterattack along the same lines could be devastating,” according to independent military expert Alexander Golts. (Moscow Times, 10.29.11.)
  • Russia could review its relations with NATO on the critically-important issue of Afghanistan if it does not react to Moscow's statements made in response to America's missile defense plans, Russia's envoy to the alliance Dmitry Rogozin said. (Russia Today, 11.28.11).
  • The State Duma has suggested linking reset between Russia and the United States to the outcome of the missile defense talks. (Itar-Tass, 11.28.11).
  • Russia is uncertain as to whether or not it will take part in the NATO-Russia summit in Chicago in May next year due to a deadlock in missile defense talks, said Deputy Director of the Department for Security and Disarmament of the Russian Foreign Ministry Vladimir Leontyev. (Russia Today, 11.30.11).
  • “We continue to believe that cooperation with Russia on missile defense can enhance the security of the United States, our allies in Europe, and Russia, and we will continue to work with Russia to define the parameters of possible cooperation,'' said White House national security council spokesman Tommy Vietor. (Reuters, 11.23.11).
  • "One should only regret that, unfortunately, Russia cannot hear the Western arguments that the missile defense system is not aimed at Russia but at possible nuclear terrorism acts having in mind such states as North Korea or Iran," Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said. (BNS, 11.24.11).

Nuclear arms control:

  • The United States as of Sept. 1 possessed 448 launch-ready ICBMs and 324 additional ballistic missiles in reserve, according to data released by the State Department under the New START. The country also had 249 launch-ready SLBMs and 161 more of the weapons in storage. The nation fielded 11 nuclear bombers, and had 25 more of such planes in storage. (GSN, 12.02.11).

Energy exports from CIS:

  • Russia’s Gazprom paid $2.5 billion to gain full control over Beltransgaz–one of Belarus’ most prized assets, which ships around 15 percent of Russia’s total gas exports to Europe, a move that further reduces the risk of transit disruptions to Europe.

 

Access to major markets for exports and imports:

  • The Obama administration will make cancellation of the Cold War-era Jackson-Vanik amendment, which imposes restrictions on Russian-U.S. trade, a priority in 2012, U.S. Ambassador to Moscow John Beyrle said on Monday. The administration is coming under pressure from Congress to support sanctions on Russian officials who are known human rights violators in return for repealing the amendment . (Financial Times, 11.29.11, RIA Novosti, 11.28.11).
  • USEC has been acting as the agent for the United States government in a deal with the Russians, to take uranium from former Soviet nuclear weapons and blend it down to a level useful in power reactors. But that deal comes to an end in 2013, and the American utilities have been discussing signing supply contracts directly with Russia, which would reduce their reliance on USEC. (New York Times, 11.24.11).

Other bilateral issues:

  • Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill, is blocking President Barack Obama’s nominee to become ambassador to Russia over suspicions the U.S. might provide Moscow with sensitive missile defense information. Earlier this week, the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee approved the nominations of Mike McFaul to become ambassador to Russia. (AP, 12.02.11, Foreign Policy, 11.29.11).
  • Member nations of the Chemical Weapons Convention this week are considering a plan for addressing the Russian and U.S. inability to eliminate stockpiles of lethal materials by the 2012 deadline set under the international accord. (GSN, 11.30.11).
  • A reported cyberattack on a water district in central Illinois turned out to be a false alarm set off when an American contractor logged onto the system remotely while vacationing in Russia. (AP, 12.01.11).
  • Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's daughter Lana Peters — who was known internationally by her previous name, Svetlana Alliluyeva — died Nov. 22 in Wisconsin. (AP, 11.29.11).
  • The Russian carrier Vladivostok Air plans to start flying between Siberia and the United States in July, the only direct service between the two regions.  (New York Times, 11.30.11).
  • Vladimir Potanin, one of the wealthiest men in Russia, gave the Kennedy Center $5 million. (Washington Post, 12.01.11).

 

  1. II. Russia news.

 

Domestic Politics, Economy and Energy:

  • President Dmitry Medvedev urged Russians on Friday to vote on Sunday "for the future" by electing a strong parliament to maintain stability and said all parties had been treated equally, despite opposition complaints of foul play.  (Reuters, 12.02.11).
  • Prime Minister Vladimir Putin confirmed on Thursday that he would switch posts with outgoing President Medvedev if voters support the pro-Kremlin United Russia party and Putin's candidacy in upcoming elections. (RIA Novosti, 12.01.11).
  • Prime Minister Putin has blamed foreign governments for funding Russia's political opposition, whom he compared with Judas Iscariot.  Putin sternly warned the West not to interfere in Russia’s elections. (Financial Times, 11.28.11, AP, 11.27.11).
  • The defeat of the ruling United Russia at the polls could plunge the country into an economic crisis "like with our friends in Europe," Prime Minister Putin warned Thursday. (Moscow Times, 11.25.11).
  • Prime Minister Putin will unveil his manifesto as a Russian presidential candidate in January 2012. (Interfax, 11.29.11).
  • Russian prosecutors on Thursday opened a probe against the country’s main independent election watchdog Golos on suspicion of election law violations — just three days before the national parliamentary vote. (AP, 12.01.11).
  • Growing tensions between Iran and the West are helping to support oil prices. Russian benchmark Urals crude rose to trade at a premium of 50 cents a barrel Friday, from a premium of 30 cents at the beginning of the week."Urals is similar in quality to Iranian Light and so it can be considered as a replacement crude," said Roy Jordan, downstream consultant at Facts Global Energy. (Wall Street Journal, 11.28.11).
  • Russia by the corruption perception index is in 143rd place of the 182 possible, according to a report by the Transparency International. Its neighbors on the list are Azerbaijan and Belarus. One line below Russia on the list are Ukraine and Tajikistan. Kyrgyzstan occupies the 164th line in the rating, and Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan share the 177th line. (Itar-Tass, 12.01.11).
  • Foreign direct investment in Russia reached $36 billion in the first 10 months of the year, Prime Minister Putin said. Last year the amount of foreign investment for the same period was $32.2 billion. (Moscow Times, 11.29.11).
  • Capital outflow from Russia could reach $80 billion this year and around $20 billion in 2012, Deputy Economic Development Minister Andrei Klepach said. (Interfax, 11.30.11).

Defense:

  • Russia’s newly created Aerospace Defense Forces officially went on duty on Thursday to become the country’s first line of defense against strategic military threats. The new branch of the Russian Armed Forces brings together the country’s air defense and missile defense systems, as well as the early missile warning and space control systems, under a unified command.  (RIA Novosti, 12.01.11).
  • A fourth and final test launch of the Bulava intercontinental missile scheduled for Monday was postponed. If the launch had been successful, officials then planned to incorporate the Bulava into the country’s nuclear arsenal.(Moscow Times, 11.29.11).
  • In 2012 the amount of funds to be allocated for the State Defence Order can consist of 1.769 trillion roubles, in 2013 expenditures will grow to 2.236 trillion roubles, and in 2014 -to 2.625 trillion roubles, according to Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov. (BBC/Kommersant,11.25.11).

Security and law-enforcement:

  • Russia’s top investigative body says the prime suspect in the 2006 radioactive poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko was himself poisoned with polonium. (AP, 11.30.11).
  • A private investigation into the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky who had reported official corruption in his country concluded Monday that he was severely beaten and denied medical treatment in prison, and accused the government of failing to prosecute those responsible. (AP, 11.28.11).

Foreign affairs:

  • Russia, China, and their partners in the BRICS group urged Syria to start talks with the opposition and warned against foreign intervention without U.N. backing.  "Russia sympathizes with the desire of Arab and other peoples to have a better quality of life, democratic reforms and greater involvement in the life of their societies. However, such goals must not be achieved in a violent way," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. (Interfax, 11.29.11, Reuters, 11.25.11).
  • Russia has delivered Yakhont anti-ship cruise missiles to Syria. (RFE/RL, 12.02.11).
  • The U.S., Russia, Japan, Canada, and the EU have all but confirmed they won't be signing on to a new Kyoto. (Wall Street Journal, 11.29.11).
  • A special immigration tribunal ruled that Ekaterina Zatuliveter — a 26-year-old blonde accused of passing parliamentary secrets to Russian intelligence — can remain in Britain because she does not pose a threat to national security. (AP, 11.29.11).

Russia's neighbors:

  • The governments of Kazakhstan and the United States on Wednesday formalized an agreement to deepen their atomic security and safeguards collaboration, NNSA announced.  The NNSA Next Generation Safeguards Initiative will oversee the new areas of activity with Kazakhstan. Separately, FBI and NNSA officials on Thursday concluded an antiterrorism drill that focused on responding to a simulated terrorist action involving radioactive substances. (GSN, 12.02.11).
  • South Ossetia's Supreme Court on Tuesday declared null and void the outcome of the November 27 runoff presidential elections because of violations. With the official outcome of the runoff unannounced, the two candidates—former Education Minister Alla Dzhioyeva and Emergencies Minister Anatoly Bibilov—have both claimed victory. As of Monday, Dzhioyeva had 56.74 percent of the vote with 74 of 85 districts tallied, the Central Electoral Commission said. (RIA Novosti, 11.29.11).
  • Deputy Secretary of Russia's Security Council Vladimir Nazarov said Russia has concrete proof that the USA was involved in the murder of Russian peacekeepers, servicemen, and citizens in South Ossetia.  (Itar-Tass, 11.30.11).
  • Kyrgyzstan’s fragile ruling coalition collapsed Friday, one day after the new president took office — a development certain to spur frenetic political bargaining in the Central Asian nation where both the U.S. and Russia have key interests. (AP, 11.02.11).
  • Turkmenistan's agreement to boost its supply of natural gas to China by nearly two-thirds significantly expands the world's largest energy consumer's access to the clean-burning fuel. (Wall Street Journal, 11.23.11).
  • The first talks in nearly six years between Moldova and the pro-Moscow separatist region of Trans-Dniester concluded in Lithuania Thursday with an agreement for more meetings at the beginning of next year. (AP, 12.01.11).
  • A Belarusian court has convicted and sentenced to death two men for a bomb attack in the Minsk subway in April that killed 15 people and wounded around 200 others. (RFE/RL, 11.30.11).
  • Preliminary hearings have begun in former Ukrainian Premier Yulia Tymoshenko's appeal of her seven-year jail sentence. (AP, 12.01.11).