Letter From the Editors: Feb. 8 - 14, 2016

Abstract

Biggest Losers of Week: Yatsenyuk, Medvedev and Kolokoltsev Battle It Out for Title ... In game of life - and big politics - there always be winners and losers. But why should former all the attention? Take Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk, for instance. He is undeniable star of Ukraine's latest political crisis. Ukrainians consider current cabinet by Arseny Yatsenyuk worst government in of independent Ukraine, writes Izvestia. His approval rating is at a laughably low 1%. And this despite fact that Yatsenyuk's National Front came in second in 2014 parliamentary elections! ... The Supreme Rada has one week to decide what to do with this corpse - that's when Yatsenyuk present a report in Rada on government's work since December 2014. Following that, deputies have to decide whether to keep him around for another year, or kick him to curb (along with cabinet, which is just as unpopular). ... But not everything is as simple as it seems. For now, Yatsenyuk is drawing people's ire for declining living standards, continued government corruption and a lack of progress on privatization. But what happens if he is dismissed? According to Vitaly Portnikov, other ruling coalition parties will end up in a worst-case scenario: They be held fully responsible for all of executive branch's further actions. Meanwhile, given how quickly former economic development and trade minister Abromavicius went from zero to hero in voters' eyes following his resignation, Yatsenyuk could still rebuild his tarnished reputation just in time for early parliamentary elections. So the biggest loser of Ukrainian politics may have last laugh yet. ... Will his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev be so lucky? Medvedev is tasked with getting United Russia into Duma in the upcoming elections. Given party's declining popularity, it promises to be an uphill battle. What's more, Medvedev gets to take heat from left - Communists and A Just Russia - for a declining economic situation. And this time, United Russia is headed by Medvedev, not Putin. All their criticisms target prime minister, while Putin remain above fray during a crisis, writes commentator Tatyana Stanovaya. ... As if that weren't enough, PM Medvedev got to be Russia's envoy to Munich Security Conference. Last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was basically laughed off stage as he attempted to toe official line and justify Russia's annexation of Crimea. This year, atmosphere isn't much cozier (let's just say Sen. John McCain is one of participants). But Medvedev is seen as the West's Russian sweetheart, writes The Moscow Times. And his mission is to seek end of sanctions imposed on Russia by West. Even Kremlin realizes this not be an easy task: According to political analyst Mark Galeotti, were the Russians expecting a diplomatic triumph, Putin likely would have gone. ... The final biggest loser of week is trying to keep a handle on things back home. Dubbed the worst internal affairs minister in Russia's entire post-Soviet history by Oleg Kashin, Vladimir Kolokoltsev gets called to task for letting Chechen branch of ministry he supposedly oversees run rampant in Russian capital. According to Kashin, people who get involved in the vilest criminal affairs report to Vladimir Kolokoltsev. The murder of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov is just one instance that comes to mind. And no matter how Kolokoltsev may rationalize that terrifying trend, fact is he no longer controls his subordinates. The tail is wagging dog. ... Xenia Grushetsky, ... Managing Editor