Putin （6do encyclopedia）

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Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has been the President of Russia since 2012, having previously served as President from 2000 to 2008 and also served as Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 and 2008 to 2012. Putin is widely considered to be one of the most powerful politicians in the world and is known for his strongman tactics, controversial policies, and alleged involvement in conflicts and political assassinations.

Early Life and Career

Born on October 7, 1952 in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Putin grew up in a communal apartment and was raised by his parents, who were factory workers. He graduated from Leningrad State University in 1975 where he studied law and joined the KGB, the Soviet Union’s security agency, shortly afterwards. Putin’s career with the KGB led him to be stationed in East Germany in the late 1980s, where he served as a spy and maintained covert contacts with the East German Stasi.

Political Rise

In 1989, Putin made his way back to the Soviet Union and swiftly rose through the ranks of the newly formed Federal Security Service (FSB), which succeeded the KGB. In 1999, then-Russian President Boris Yeltsin appointed Putin as prime minister, and when Yeltsin resigned on December 31, 1999, Putin took over as acting President.

Putin was elected President in 2000 in a landslide victory and went on to win reelection in 2004. During his first term, Putin implemented policies that were aimed at stabilizing Russia’s unstable economy, reducing the power of oligarchs, and consolidating state authority. He is credited with stabilizing the Russian economy and reducing the country’s debt burden, as well as improving the standard of living for many Russians. Putin continued to expand his influence in Russian politics and was reelected as President in 2012.

Controversies and Allegations

Throughout Putin’s presidency, he has been the subject of numerous controversies and allegations of involvement in political assassinations and international conflicts. Critics accuse Putin of suppressing political opposition and taking steps to tighten control over Russia’s media and law enforcement agencies.

One of the most controversial incidents associated with Putin’s presidency was the 2004 Beslan school siege, in which over 300 people, mostly children, were killed. Putin has also been accused of involvement in the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya and opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, though he has denied any involvement in either case.

In 2014, Russian forces invaded and annexed Crimea, a move that was met with international condemnation and sanctions against Russia. Putin has also been accused of involvement in the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists have been fighting Ukrainian government forces since 2014.

Furthermore, Putin has been accused of backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the ongoing Syrian Civil War, and has been accused of ordering Russian military involvement in the war.

Putin’s image has been further tarnished by allegations of corruption, both in Russia and internationally. The release of the so-called “Panama Papers” in 2016, which revealed offshore financial transactions of several Russian oligarchs, including some with close ties to Putin, added fuel to these allegations.

Legacy

Putin’s legacy will undoubtedly be a subject of debate for many years to come. While some credit him with stabilizing Russia’s economy and consolidating state authority, others accuse him of suppressing political opposition and limiting freedom of the press. Putin’s military interventions and alleged involvement in political assassinations have further complicated his legacy and led to international sanctions against Russia.

Putin’s popularity among Russians remains high, and he remains a dominant figure in Russian politics. Critics warn that Putin’s authoritarian tactics and consolidation of power represent a threat to democratic values. Regardless of one’s opinion of Putin, his presidency has had a significant impact on Russia and the world as a whole.

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We renamed our son Putin and now we regret it, say family in Russia

Telegraph

23-05-17 20:00

A Russian family has asked for permission to change their son's name from Putin back to Rasul. The family renamed the boy Putin in honour of the president when he was one-and-a-half years old, but in an unexpected move asked registry officials in the town of Aleksandrov, 90km north-east of Moscow, to restore his original name. No reason for the request to change the boy's name has been given. His grandfather is a strong supporter of Putin.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/05/17/we-renamed-son-putin-and-now-we-regret-it-say-family-russia/

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Russia admits ‘problems’ as energy revenues fall

Financial Times

23-05-17 19:19

Russia's finance minister, Anton Siluanov, has admitted that oil and gas revenues have fallen to their lowest levels in years due to "problems" caused by "all these discounts," which have caused energy revenues to fall by over 50% in Q1 2015. Russian oil has traded at a discount to global benchmarks due to G7-led price caps on Russian oil and refined petroleum products; this discount has narrowed as Russia has turned to non-western shipping, though it remains significant enough to weigh on government coffers. In addition to the sanctions, researchers at the Kyiv School of Economics estimate that Russia's economy is going to shrink by over 6% this year, while Ukraine's economy is predicted to stabilise at 1%, suffering a total fall of 25% due to the ongoing conflict.

https://www.ft.com/content/c99fc8e9-35d5-42c6-9361-5012d5dec581

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Wednesday evening news briefing: Harry and Meghan in 'near catastrophic car chase'

Telegraph

23-05-17 17:49

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were involved in a "near catastrophic car chase" involving paparazzi photographers. Kensington Palace has issued a statement condemning the "relentless pursuit”, which lasted over two hours and resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers. The trio were forced to seek refuge in multiple police stations as they tried to lose the photographers. The couple had been attending an event in New York.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/17/wednesday-evening-news-briefing-harry-meghan-car-chase/

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Ukraine ‘increasingly ready’ for counteroffensive, Western officials say

The Independent

23-05-17 16:26

Western officials have stated that Ukraine is close to being able to launch its expected counteroffensive against Russian occupation. Troops are reportedly highly motivated, with "much higher" morale than Putin's forces. Ukrainian air defences, boosted by sophisticated western-supplied systems, have been able to thwart multiple Russian air raids targeting Kyiv, with "potentially up to six" Kinzhal hypersonic missiles being knocked out, which were previously considered "impossible to shoot down". Helping Ukraine "build the momentum to defend their country" should be the priority before deciding on whether the country joins NATO, according to UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ukraine-vladimir-putin-kremlin-volodymyr-zelensky-ben-wallace-b2340780.html

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At Hiroshima summit, Japan to push against nukes — but world disagrees

Washington Post

23-05-17 16:01

World leaders are gathering in Hiroshima for the Group of Seven nations summit, which Japan is hosting with the goal of advancing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s dream of “a world without nuclear weapons”. The G7 comes at a time when the world’s largest nuclear powers are increasingly clashing over issues such as the war in Ukraine, the threat of proliferation, and climate change. The memorial forms a stark reminder of the growing threat under President Biden’s watch, and is putting pressure on him to stand up to nuclear-armed adversaries and advance the cause of disarmament.

A debate still rages among historians about whether dropping the bombs was a necessary act by the United States to end the war and prevent more deaths, or an unjustified atrocity calling for apology and regret. In Hiroshima, however, many are simply focused on the need to prevent a recurrence. Joe Biden’s visit to Hiroshima will include meeting survivors of the atomic bomb and visiting the memorial that commemorates an estimated 140,000 people who died during the bombing and its aftermath.

Hosting the G-7 takes on increased significance for Japan as it has been buffeted by many of the proliferating nuclear developments and is the only country ever targeted by a nuclear weapon. Japanese officials hope the moment will resonate especially with Biden, who, to a degree unusual for politicians, is given to public expressions of empathy in the face of loss. Hidehiko Yuzaki, the governor of Hiroshima, said in an interview that visiting the city is important because nuclear deterrence is very theoretical and is often seen as something that just exists in people’s heads.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/17/biden-hiroshima-g7-nuclear-threat/

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Xi Summit to Deepen Central Asian Ties in Split-Screen With G-7

Bloomberg

23-05-17 21:30

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to deepen China's influence in Central Asia by attending a meeting between the Beijing leadership and leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on Thursday in the Chinese city of Xi’an. Talks will be dominated by trade ties, regional security concerns and Russia’s war in Ukraine. The event will run in parallel with US President Joe Biden's meeting with G7 leaders in Japan, further highlighting the division between the Western-led order and China's increasing influence. The meeting is also expected to be used by Xi to reinforce China's Belt and Road initiative, which has lost strength recently. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson met with Joe Biden on Thursday to establish a more coordinated approach to China and Russia, in addition to ensuring increased global vaccine production, particularly in poorer nations, is achieved.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-17/xi-summit-to-deepen-central-asian-ties-in-split-screen-with-g-7?srnd=next-china

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Ukraine and Russia Renew a Deal to Allow Ukraine to Ship Grain

NY Times

23-05-17 21:00

Ukraine and Russia have agreed a two-month extension to the wartime Black Sea Grain Initiative deal, which expires on Thursday, marking a rare example of cooperation between the two nations. The agreement enables Ukraine to ship grain across the Black Sea, subject to inspection off the coast of Istanbul, along a corridor past Russian naval vessels that have blockaded Ukraine's ports since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion 15 months ago. The deal also serves President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey who acted as an intermediary, by averting a food price spike in the run-up to the country's presidential runoff.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/world/europe/ukraine-russia-grain-black-sea.html?searchResultPosition=3

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Japan’s Dream of Nuclear-Free World Crashes Into Reality at Hiroshima G-7

Bloomberg

23-05-17 21:00

The Group of Seven meeting, set to begin on Friday, will see Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida appeal to the seven wealthiest democracies to scrap nuclear arms and work towards “a world without nuclear arms”. The strength of his case will be challenged by the security situation in the region, with Japan’s neighbours, North Korea, China and Russia being the possessors of about half of the world's nuclear warheads. The US has recently brought more assets close to Japan and South Korea in a bid to increase deterrence to counter the rising nuclear threats around the world; G-7 statements have highlighted other concerns over non-proliferation, including the rising atomic ambitions of Iran. Critics argue that the US is pulling the group towards an increase in nuclear weapons capability when Kishida is appealing for disarmament. Leaders are therefore expected to try for a balance between disarmament and countering nuclear threats.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-17/japan-g-7-nuclear-threats-by-russia-china-north-korea-pose-dilemma-for-world?srnd=next-china

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There’s now even less reason to blame Clinton for the Russia probe

Washington Post

23-05-17 20:35

The New York Post published an article on Wednesday suggesting that Hillary Clinton and "Clinton operatives" invented the investigation into Russian election interference. The article claimed that the entire investigation was based on disinformation in the "Steele dossier" compiled by former intelligence officer Christopher Steele, and that Clinton operatives invented the Russian collusion conspiracy and put it into the Steele dossier. The article was written by Jonathan Turley, an attorney who has become a vocal supporter of former US President Donald Trump’s claims of an unfair investigation. The claims made by Turley have been popular in right-wing circles, but have been refuted by the recent report of special counsel John Durham. In an attempt to counter the report, Turley incorrectly claims that the dossier was the origin of the Russia probe rather than based on credible intelligence sources, and that the Clinton campaign invented the conspiracy theory linking Trump to Russia. A detailed timeline of the events that preceded the investigation into Russia’s attempts to influence the 2016 US presidential election shows that the claims made by Turley are unfounded.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/17/clinton-durham-report/

[brief (簡報編譯)]

We renamed our son Putin and now we regret it, say family in Russia

Telegraph

23-05-17 20:00

A Russian family has asked for permission to change their son's name from Putin back to Rasul. The family renamed the boy Putin in honour of the president when he was one-and-a-half years old, but in an unexpected move asked registry officials in the town of Aleksandrov, 90km north-east of Moscow, to restore his original name. No reason for the request to change the boy's name has been given. His grandfather is a strong supporter of Putin.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/05/17/we-renamed-son-putin-and-now-we-regret-it-say-family-russia/

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Ukraine tells Chi­na en­voy peace plan must not lose land to Rus­sia

Al Jazeera

23-05-18 01:45

Ukraine's foreign minister has told a high-level Chinese envoy that Kyiv will not accept any proposals to end the ongoing war with Russia that could lead to Ukraine losing territory. Dmytro Kuleba also said that "just peace" could only be restored if "respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine" was observed. Li Hui, China's special representative for Eurasian affairs, was in Kyiv to promote Beijing-led negotiations to resolve the conflict and is now expected to visit Moscow to discuss a possible political solution to the conflict.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/ukraine-tells-china-envoy-peace-plan-must-not-lose-land-to-russia

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Xi summit to deepen Central Asian ties in split-screen with G7

Japan Times

23-05-18 01:21

Chinese President Xi Jinping will take measures to strengthen Beijing’s sway over Central Asia at a major summit of China’s leaders and representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Set to take place on Thursday in the Chinese city of Xi’an, the China-Central Asia Summit is anticipated to prioritise discussions of trade ties, regional security issues, and Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The appearance of traditional performers greeting public figures on their arrival was given prominent coverage on state television. The parallel G7 summit in Japan this week will be led by US President Joe Biden, who will attempt to establish a cohesive response to Chinese “economic coercion”. These meetings reflect a multipolar global political landscape where Global South nations are being sought as crucial strategic partners, as China finds itself increasingly isolated within the predominantly US-led system.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/05/18/asia-pacific/china-central-asia-summit-g7-parallel/

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What connects Brexit and the fall of the Roman Empire?

Telegraph

23-05-18 08:00

Medieval historian Peter Heather and political economist John Rapley have authored a new book entitled Why Empires Fall. Examining the rise and fall of ancient Rome, the authors argue that the West needs to learn from history if they are to avoid a similar collapse. Some historians have claimed that Rome experienced an extended decline before the city fell. However, the book's authors argue instead that the Empire appeared to be in a position of economic strength when it saw its final collapse at the hands of barbarians. Warnings from the perspective of the past that the Western world needs to make the right political and financial decisions are made. The authors also discuss Britain's exit from the European Union whilst comparing it to the country's position in the Roman empire. The book concludes that if western politicians are able to learn from the past, there is still some hope of preventing a Roman-like collapse.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/non-fiction/review-why-empires-fall-rapley-heather/

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The failure of Russia’s Wunderwaffe is game over for Putin

Telegraph

23-05-18 07:00

Russian forces recently launched a missile attack on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, using Iranian Shahed loitering drones, Kalibr 'hypersonic' cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, as well as some other weaponry. Although Putin's attack intended to demonstrate force, it proved to expose Russia's weaknesses and military corruption. Moreover, after Ukraine defeated every missile, it showed how their ability to repel the military, resulting in more support from Western countries. Ukrainian forces' bravery is prevalent, but they need significant military aid from the West to continue fighting.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/18/the-failure-of-russias-wunderwaffe-is-game-over-for-putin/

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G7 weighs new sanc­tions on Rus­sia to end Ukraine war

Al Jazeera

23-05-18 05:56

The G7 will meet in Japan and there are increasing expectations that the group will tighten economic sanctions against Russia. Despite the reality that sanctions have affected Russia with a heavy toll, it is widely believed they have not succeeded in their geopolitical aims. The sanctions have instead driven Russia deeper into the embrace of emerging-market nations such as China, India and Turkey, providing leverage for Russian foreign policy and making a nonsense of western compliance efforts. There is even wider concern related to the potential that sanctions could collapse an already weak global economy. The EU has also recently announced that it was considering penalties for EU firms that help Russia evade western sanctions, such as providing financing, investing in sanctioned sectors, or sharing technologies that could aid the energy sector.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/g7-weighs-new-sanctions-on-russia-to-end-ukraine-war

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Johnson dismissed Macron as ‘Putin’s lickspittle’, says former comms chief

The Independent

23-05-18 04:40

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called French President Emmanuel Macron a "Putin's lickspittle" after he criticised the then-PM's response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis, according to former Downing Street director of communication Guto Harri. Harri recounts that Johnson said of Macron, "He’s a four-letter word that begins with C, he’s a weirdo... We need an orgy of frog bashing. I’m going to have to punch his lights out." Harri said the two leaders had made peace before a G7 summit. He also remembered the night Ukraine was invaded and a phone call between Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/emmanuel-macron-boris-johnson-volodymyr-zelensky-french-ukraine-b2341108.html

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Ukraine’s allies fear military support will fade in US election year

Financial Times

23-05-18 04:19

European officials are growing concerned that support for Ukraine against Russia has peaked and fear that the flow of aid will be disrupted in 2023 as the US enters a divisive presidential campaign. Although there are sufficient preapproved funds to sustain Kiev for five more months, major questions remain over whether the US government will meet its existing $48bn aid package, particularly as it requires a vote in Congress in the autumn against a background of increased partisan debate on the war. European allies say that current levels of support could be sustained for a year or two but not for longer.

https://www.ft.com/content/bf182b8d-8f0b-4f73-b49a-ab79fa59bdb6

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The unfashionable idea that links Jordan Peterson and ‘Putin’s brain’

Telegraph

23-05-18 12:00

The ideals of Traditionalism, a belief system that claims that there exists a primordial order beyond the visible world to which only certain individuals may be initiated, have resurged in recent years, according to a new survey by author Mark Sedgwick. Traditionalism's emphasis on the contrast between sacred order and modern disorder is fueling the resurgence. A combination of critique and alternative understanding of reality in response to modernity's perceived flaws has made Traditionalism attractive to political figures who support it, such as Aleksandr Dugin, said to be the ideologue behind President Putin, noted Sedgwick.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/non-fiction/review-traditionalism-radical-sacred-order-mark-sedgwick/

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G7 leaders to discuss proposal for Ukraine peace summit

Financial Times

23-05-18 11:18

The G7 leaders are set to debate endorsing a proposed Ukraine peace summit with the aim of promoting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal for how to end Russia's war against Ukraine rather than Beijing's proposal. Zelenskyy's 10-point plan includes a demand for Moscow to withdraw all its troops from Ukraine and for the country's full territorial integrity to be restored. China's version requires Russia to withdraw troops before peace negotiations are opened. The move by the G7 is seen as an effort to bolster support for Zelenskyy's peace plan, which has its Western allies concerned over the possible decline in US military support to Ukraine ahead of next year's US election. Ukraine has confirmed that it has contacted Beijing to reiterate that it will not accept a peace agreement involving a loss of Ukrainian territory and that it is interested in getting China involved in implementing the Ukrainian peace formula. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has blamed Ukraine for the lack of progress in peace talks, has so far not indicated that he will accept any solution other than a complete capitulation from Kyiv.

https://www.ft.com/content/54b763e8-c7ee-40a8-aabc-2dfecbccf4e0