AM News: Trump Attorney General Sessions Under Fire Over Russian Contacts; Russian Fighter Planes Patrol Mediterranean

Live Updates: President Donald Trump’s Attorney General Jeff Sessions is under fire for his Russian contacts; Trump taps Putin biographer Fiona Hill as White House national security aide. Russian war planes patrol the Mediterranean and three more ships have passed through the Bosphorous.

The previous issue is here.

Recent Analysis and Translations:

‘Hybrid Cyberwars’: Are the Russian Hackers’ Arrests About American or Internal Russian issues?
Don’t Forget About ‘Soft Power’ Part of Russia’s ‘Hybrid War’ in Ukraine: Russian Activist Yashin’s New Report
Russia’s Propaganda War Against Ukraine: Interview with Russian Opposition Activist Ilya Yashin
How Many Russians Are Fighting for ISIS? A Brief History of The Kremlin’s Arbitrary Numbers

UPDATES BELOW

Syrian Army Re-Occupies Palmyra; Trump Taps Putin Biographer for WH

2017-03-02 18:00:48

Russia’s large landing ship Georgy Pobedonosets (St. George the Conqueror) passes through the Bosphorous. Photo by Bosphorous Observer.

The ruble is trading at 58.77 to the dollar and 61.75 to the euro. Brent crude is selling for $55.33 per barrel. 

The following news items were taken from Meduza’s The Real Russia; 7:40 na perrone; BBC, New York Times, TASS, RBC, Colta, and Trud.

– Russian Passenger Arrested in Alexandria Airport Reported to Possess Explosive; Russian Consul General Claims He Had None

– Russian War Planes Begin Patrol of Entire Perimeter of Mediterranean

– Admiral Grigorovich, Georgy Pobedonosets and Yamal Sail to Mediterranean Sea

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– Syrian Army Re-Occupies Palmyra; Photo Report

– Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions Under Fire Over Russia Meetings

– Key G.O.P. Lawmakers Say Jeff Sessions Should Recuse Himself From Russia Inquiry

– Kremlin Blasts US Media’s ‘Fake News’ that Russia’s Envoy to Washington is Rumored ‘Spy’

– Kremlin Baffled by ‘Emotions’ Surrounding Alleged Contacts Between Moscow and Washington

– Trump Taps Putin Critic Fiona Hill for Senior White House Position

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– Polish Foreign Minister: Russia Will ‘Very Likely’ Annex Donbass

– Russia Protests to Bulgarian Government Defacement of Soviet War Monument in Plovdiv

– Putin Awards Rosneft Managers for ‘Improvement of Investment Climate”

– Anti-Corruption Campaigner Navalny Publishes Expose of Prime Minister Medvedev’s ‘Secret Real Estate’

– Medvedev Press Secretary Timakova Dismisses Navalny Expose on His Residences as ‘Campaign Propaganda Attacks’

– Supreme Court Reject Parnas Suit Challenging Election Results

– Former Owner of Kristall and Golden Palace Casinos Demands $10 Million Compensation from Finance Ministry Over Seizure in Mafia Kingpin Shakro Case

– Medvedev Tells Russian Farmers Who Have Profited from ‘Anti-Russian Sanctions’ Not to Worry If They’re Lifted

– Russian Consumer Agency Destroyed 450 Tons of Banned Produce in 2016

– Jailed Interior Ministery Col. Zakharchenko Faces New Bribery Charges

– 10 Psychics Face Charges for Bilking 50 Victims of 13 Million Rubles ($222,000)

What We’re Reading

– What You Need to Know About Jeff Sessions’ Russia Talks and US Perjury Law [English]

– Don’t Call Him ‘Dimon’: Navalny’s Expose of Medvedev’s Reported ‘Secret Residences’ [English]

– As Pressure Mounts, Trump Reportedly Hires the Best US Expert on Putin’s Psyche

– How Canadidate for US Envoy to Moscow Jon Huntsman is Connected to Russia

– Russia Lacks an Institution of Reputations by Ilya Shumanov (Criticism of Navalany’s Report on Medvedev’s Property) Russian

– New Museum of Defense and Blockade of Leningrad [Russian]

– Trump Must Stand Up to Putin [English] by Rachel Ansley

General Philip M. Breedlove, USAF (Ret): “Everything Russia does is connected.”

— Catherine A. Fitzpatrick