100 Young Russians to Watch

When a chronological milestone is passed, you can choose to look forward or backward. You can review achievements and failures to date, or you can list the possibilities and potentialities of the future.

So, with the new millennium looming, we at Russian Life faced a choice: do we mark the century’s end by surveying the amazing hundred years we have just passed through, or do we somehow look to the unknown future?

We chose to do the latter. 

Beginning with this issue of Russian Life, we will present a year-long series of profiles on 100 Young Russians to Watch in the New Century. The purpose of this series of articles is to honor and recognize Russia’s upcoming generation of leaders—leaders in all spheres of life, from business and politics to science and the arts. It is this generation that will shape what Russian can and will become in the decades ahead. By honoring their achievements, we hope to focus attention on the many positive things Russia has to offer the world and on the ways in which individual Russians are doing great things for their country and community.

We do not undertake this huge effort alone. Together with the not-for-profit Russian Arts Foundation (see page 11 for more information), and in consultation with numerous Russian and international experts and public figures, we are seeking out uniquely talented Russians we feel you should know more about. The 100 nominees are being chosen according to the following criteria: the individual is a citizen of Russia; the individual is 45 years of age or under; the individual has made a significant, positive contribution to their sphere of activity and shows particular promise for a lifetime of achievement; the individual’s achievement and promise is recognized by Russian and international observers.

It should be said clearly and openly that we do not pretend to any kind of omniscience or finality. By no means do we feel that these are the “only” 100 young Russians to watch, or, by some metaphysical yardstick, the top 100 individuals in Russia. Instead, we will present 100 very interesting, very exceptional individuals. By themselves, they are individuals who will surely make a difference in the future of Russia. But they are also representatives of the millions of young Russians who must inherit Russia’s past and invent its future. Their backgrounds, interests and pursuits are as varied as could be imagined. But it is our guess that, when this series is done, we will have recognized something innate and perhaps indescribable that they all share in common.

— The Editors

We would like to thank our contributors and numerous  volunteers/aides without whom it would have been impossible to launch this series: Yuliya Shigareva (Argumenty i Fakty weekly) for her expert advice on Russian fashion, Marina Murzina (Argumenty i Fakty) and Yelena Stishova (Iskusstvo Kino journal) for sharing their expertise in the world of Russian cinema. Dmitry Vedev, the Russian National Orchestra, Sergei Pashkov and our cartoonist Vladimir Mochalov all provided useful contacts, information and advice. The fashion houses of Igor Chapurin and Vika Andreyanova provided photos. Darby Fanning and Yuri Medvedev offered journalistic skills, and we found invaluable the resources of ITAR-TASS photo agency, TV Park weekly, Argumenty i Fakty weekly, Tennis+ magazine, and EKSMO publishers’ book series Russian Stars.

Profiled In This Issue