Russia's New Government Is Announced

The Guardian: Top Russian ministers keep posts as Putin appoints new cabinet

Defence, foreign and interior ministers remain in place while sport and culture change hands

Vladimir Putin has appointed a new cabinet in the latest step of a broad government shake-up seen as the early groundwork for his eventual exit from the presidency, if not from Russian politics.

The lineup introduces a new stable of deputy prime ministers and shows considerable turnover among ministries tied to social affairs and cultural policy.

Prominent ministers tied to Russia’s security and foreign policy have retained their positions, including the defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, and the foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, as well the interior minister, Vladimir Kolokoltsev. The economy minister, Anton Siluanov, has also retained his position in the cabinet, although not as a deputy prime minister.

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WNU Editor: No change in the key ministries. Not much of a shake-up in my opinion. But former Prime Minister Medvedev is definitely gone.

More News On Russia's New Government

Who’s In, Who’s Out, Who’s Who of Russia’s New Government -- Sputnik
Who Made It Into Russia’s New Cabinet? -- Moscow Times
New Russian government: Lavrov & Shoigu remain, but PM Mishustin appoints many fresh faces -- RT
Who’s who in Russia's new cabinet following the sweeping government reshuffle -- TASS
Russia gets new government in what Putin calls 'major shake-up' -- Reuters
Putin Appoints New Cabinet, but Keeps Key Ministers -- Wall Street Journal
Big Changes? Or Maybe Not. Putin’s Plans Keep Russia Guessing. -- The New York Times
Putin names new Cabinet, keeps foreign, defense, finance ministers -- FOX News
Russia gets new government in what Putin calls 'major renewal' -- Al Jazeera

Russian President Putin Floats Another Idea To Change The Russian Constitution

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the State Council in Moscow, Russia, January 15, 2020. Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via REUTERS

Reuters: Putin proposes vote on constitutional shake-up that could extend his rule

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday proposed a nationwide vote on sweeping constitutional changes that would shift power from the presidency to parliament and the prime minister, a move that could allow him to extend his rule after leaving the Kremlin.

In power as either president or prime minister since 1999, Putin, 67, is due to step down in 2024 when his fourth presidential term ends.

He has not yet said what he plans to do when his term expires, but under the current constitution, which bans anyone from serving more than two successive presidential terms, Putin is barred from immediately running again.

Putin told the country’s political elite in his annual state-of-the-nation speech on Wednesday that he favored changing the constitution to hand the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, the power to choose Russia’s prime minister and other key positions.

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WNU Editor: This Kremlin talk about changing the constitution is repeating a cycle that I have noticed in the past year. Every two or three months a new idea is floated on how to change the constitution so that Russian President Putin can stay in power in some capacity. And like all the other proposals, within a week they are shot down by everyone, including those within Putin's inner circle who want to replace him.

Update: I may have spoken too soon .... Russian gov't resigns to clear path for Putin's major constitutional changes (UPI). This is catching everyone by surprise, and everyone that I have spoke to in Russia are not happy. I will be updating this story later.

This Is What Would Happen If The Russian President Should Pass Away Unexpectedly

Russian President Putin and the Security Council. © Sputnik / Alexei Druzhinin

Alexander Morozov, Moscow Times: If Putin Were to Leave Tomorrow

What would the first 90 days after a hypothetical death of the head of state look like?

In recent years, there have been quite a few academic studies of power transition scenarios in long-lasting personalist regimes. More than 200 post-1945 dictatorships have been analysed. The objective is to examine the role of various institutions in the transition of power. The consequences are compared: what is the nature of transition when the regime changes during the lifetime of the leader? And after his death?

As we know, a long-lasting dictatorship eventually brings societal expectations of a leader’s death. Anxiety starts to rise among the elites and rumors begin to swirl. Many of the changes awaited by large social groups get pushed back to an imagined point beyond the head of state’s demise. Dissonant expectations and a general fear of destabilization take root. During a leader's lifetime, the most incredible ideas about the transformation are voiced. Beyond the threshold of his reign there lies a future which is undefined.

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WNU Editor: The process of Russian Presidential succession is very straight forward. Power will be transferred to the Security Council that is headed by the Prime Minister, and a Presidential election must be called and held within 90 days. What will not be straight forward will be the election itself, and the results. Russian elections are organized well in advance, even the "fraud" part of it. A sudden election will throw everything into chaos, and I predict that it will become a free-for-all. In the current situation the front runner will be Russian Prime Minister Medvedev. He has the experience and the backing of the Russian establishment. But he is not an energetic politician, and he is not liked by the electorate. I also do not expect him to get 50% of the vote, thereby guaranteeing a second vote. As for that second vote, I have no idea on what may happen in that scenario. It will be a first for Russia, and If Russian PM Medvedev does win, it will be by a squeaker. 

This Is What Happens When Bureaucracies Rum Amok

I just love OMB Dir. Mulvaney. He uses a really good way of breaking it down so that every day Americans can understand how stupid this whole bureaucracy is. pic.twitter.com/URmQhxlRBT

— Red Nation Rising (@RedNationRising) June 21, 2018

WNU Editor: Growing up in the Soviet Union I lived through worse. There was a time when just to get the proper paper work to travel to Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) from Moscow involved going to see three bureaucrats in three different places. Just to travel between two freaking cities!!!!! For as long as I will live, I will never forget the faces of the men and women who worked at these bureaucracies .... who felt that this was an important job, and they were providing a valuable service to the state. While all that they were doing eight hours a day was filing paperwork that said someone like me had to travel to Leningrad .... correction .... Saint Petersburg for two days. I could rant all night on this .... the joys of living in a communist state .... one bureaucratic torture session after another.

Russian President Vladimir Putin Sworn In As President Of Russia For The Fourth Time

Daily Mail: 'We have revived pride in our fatherland': Vladimir Putin brags about making Russia a world power again as he is sworn in as President for another six years

* Vladimir Putin has been sworn in as President of Russia for a fourth time at an elaborate ceremony
* Will serve another six years as president, after which he is barred from running again unless he changes laws
* Putin, 65, won the election with 77 per cent of the vote two months ago that was widely viewed as rigged

Vladimir Putin has been sworn in for another six years as President of Russia, in a ceremony in an ornate Kremlin hall glimmering with gold leaf.

Putin vowed to serve the Russian people and defend Russian sovereignty with his hand on a gold-embossed copy of the constitution, before making a short speech.

Turning to the crowd in the Grand Kremlin Palace, he thanked Russians for their 'sincere support and cohesiveness', telling them 'we have revived pride in our fatherland'.

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More News On Russian President Vladimir Putin Being Sworn In As President Of Russia For The Fourth Time

LIVE UPDATES: Vladimir Putin's Inauguration as Russian President Held in Kremlin -- Sputnik
Russia's Putin begins new presidential term, keeps Medvedev as PM -- Reuters
Vladimir Putin inaugurated as President of Russia for 4th term -- CBS/AP
Russia's Putin Begins Fourth Term -- VOA
Putin Starts New Term With Same Premier Amid Tensions Abroad -- Bloomberg
Russia's Putin sworn in for another six years -- CNN
Putin Sworn in: 'Russia as Country of Opportunities for the People is Our Goal' -- Sputnik
Putin prioritizes economic breakthrough, quality of life in swearing-in speech -- RT
Putin asks State Duma to appoint Medvedev Russia’s prime minister -- TASS
Putin puts Medvedev candidacy for PM before parliament -- RT
Career Path of Dmitry Medvedev Nominated as Russian Prime Minister -- Sputnik
Government steps down as Putin takes office as Russia’s president -- TASS
Putin Submits Medvedev's Candidacy for Russian Prime Minister's Post -- Sputnik
Factbox: Who is Dmitry Medvedev, Putin's nominee for prime minister? -- Reuters
Russia's acting PM names nominees to deputies’ offices -- TASS
Russian Ministers Expect New Cabinet to Be Formed Within Two Weeks - Source -- Sputnik
How the new Russian government is formed -- TASS
Russians see return of superpower status as Putin’s main achievement in previous term -- RT
Putin plan: Russia to halve poverty, join world’s five biggest economies, increase life expectancy -- RT
New car, selfies & special tune: 5 biggest moments from Putin’s inauguration (VIDEOS) -- RT
For Putin's 4th Term, More a Coronation Than an Inauguration -- New York Times

Book Review: All the Kremlin’s Men: Inside the Court of Vladimir Putin

John Kampfner, the Guardian: All the Kremlin’s Men: Inside the Court of Vladimir Putin – review

Mikhail Zygar’s compelling study shines a light on the fearful band of acolytes second-guessing the wishes of the Russian leader

On the day I finished reading this book, two newspaper articles caught my attention. A former head of the armed forces warned that the UK could not withstand a Russian attack; on the US presidential campaign trail, more evidence emerged of Vladimir Putin’s support for Donald Trump.

Of the many accounts written about the Russian president, Mikhail Zygar’s insider’s guide to his court is one of the most compelling. Zygar, a prominent journalist, has clearly earned the confidence of many. He tiptoes carefully; a number of journalists and their sources who have tried to disclose details of the cash that Putin and his henchmen have squirrelled away have ended up dead or in jail.

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WNU Editor: Hmmm ... something to read in the next few weeks.

Kremlin Prepares Law On Military Missions Abroad

Russian soldiers march during a parade during a visit of Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev to their unit in Vladikavkaz, August 8, 2009. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

From Reuters:

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday proposed legislation to give him the legal basis to send troops abroad to defend Russia's interests, the Kremlin said.

Medvedev sent troops deep into Georgian territory last year in a brief war over the disputed province of South Ossetia, but Russian media questioned whether the proper legal procedures had been followed.

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Update: Russian bill expands reasons for deploying troops -- AP

My Comment: This bill is directed against former Soviet states like the Ukraine, Georgia, the Baltic states, and the central Asian countries. The message is clear .... do something that we do not like .... be prepared for the consequences.