Notebook

Top Man

Russians vote Putin

nicest president ever

 

President Vladimir Putin was voted “Man of the Year” in an opinion poll conducted by the authoritative Gallup Media on a special order from Itogi weekly. An overwhelming majority of respondents not only called him the “Man of the Year” but also the “nicest” leader of Russia. The sociological survey was meant to determine the most influential, successful Russian newsmakers who evoked positive feelings from Russians in 2001. 

Putin gleaned 1,517 points and was ranked first in all critical aspects of the poll: 1) exerted serious influence on events in the country; 2) achieved most success in his post; 3) style of behavior and communication; 4) dress and appearance; 5) agreeably surprised respondents this past year. 

Emergency Minister Sergei Shoygu was ranked second in the final ranking, with 1,251 points. Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov came in a solid third with 1,118 points. The top ten also included Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov (4th), Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov (6th), Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov (7th), Patriarch Alexei II (9th) and Governor of the Moscow region Boris Gromov (10th). Mikhail Gorbachev was ranked 35th, and Boris Yeltsin was 72nd, just behind communist leader Gennady Zyuganov (71st). 

 

Taking Stock

Biggest-ever census 

starts this year

 

“Write Yourself Down in Russian History” was the slogan of the public relations campaign launched in January to raise citizens’ awareness of the need to participate in the all-Russian population census October 9-16, 2002. For nearly a year, Russians will hear arguments about why it is essential for them to participate in the census. The hard-core of “agit-prop” will come from the mass media via TV commercials and printed ads, and be supported by the official census website: perepis2002.ru. 

The October 2002 census will be the first in the history of post-Soviet Russia. The last national census was conducted in 1989 and found 286.7 million Soviet citizens. According to Goskomstat, the census will cover all Russians on the country’s territory, regardless of their specific location at the moment of the census. Census workers will make door-to-door tours of people’s apartments as well as such public gathering places as markets and railway stations. 

In principle, the participation in the census is purely voluntary, and authorities have launched the public relations campaign because they expect some citizens will not open their doors to census workers—if only for fear of running into robbers. Likewise, illegal residents without registration permits would not want to “raise their heads,” as each participant in the census will need to fill out a questionnaire containing 16 questions, including some about the source and level of income. 

 

Laser Visionary

Nobel Laureate, inventor of laser, 

passes on

 

With the death in January at 86 of academician Alexander Prokhorov, Russia lost one of its most famous Nobel Prize winners. In 1964 Prokhorov, together with his scientific pupil and colleague Nikolai Basov was awarded the Nobel Prize for the invention of the laser. The prize was shared with American scientist Charles H. Townes, who was conducting analogous research at the same time. Lasers, nuclear energy and computers are considered by some to be the three most important inventions of the past century. 

Prokhorov was born into the family of Russian émigré revolutionaries in Australia. His mother and father had fled there from Siberian exile. In 1923, the Prokhorovs returned to Soviet Russia. In 1939, Alexander Prokhorov graduated with special honors from the Physics Faculty of the Leningrad University and then enrolled in a post-graduate course at the Institute of Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences (FIAN). The future world-famous scientist fought in WWII, where he served in reconnaissance squads and was wounded twice. 

In 1952, Prokhorov and Basov made a report at the All-Soviet Conference on Radiospectrocopy, where they relayed the general principles of a kvant generator—a source for a highly-focused radio beams, known as a mazer, i.e. a future laser. In 1966, Prokhorov was elected an acting member of the Soviet Academy of Sciences. In the 1970s the academician was given numerous official and social posts and charges, but he valued most his activities as editor-in-chief of the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, and it is thanks to Prokhorov that an article on then maverick academician Andrei Sakharov was included in the Encyclopedia. His scientific activities at FIAN were later focused mostly on fulfilling orders from the military-industrial complex—in the West he was mentioned among creators of the Soviet star wars program. Prokhorov’s colleague, Nikolai Basov, died in July 2001, in his 79th year. Thus, Charles Townes (born in 1915), remains the only living creator of the laser.

 

Lights Out?

Power brokers face off

over energy giant

 

In a continuing stand-off with the general director of the Moscow power giant Mosenergo, Arkady Efstafiev, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov sent a letter to President Vladimir Putin, saying that Efstafiev is unfit for the job, Interfax reported. Efstafiev, Luzhkov averred, is “by education and work experience far from capable of dealing with energy problems.” 

Efstafiev, who comes from the advertising business, was appointed general director after a long dispute between former Mosenergo boss Alexander Remezov and the head of Unified Energy Systems, Anatoly Chubais. Luzhkov said that, since the new management took over, Mosenergo’s gas debts have grown several times while, due to the “dire financial situation,” the utility has not fulfilled its energy and heating plans. 

Luzhkov, a long-time political enemy of Chubais, said the latter knows about the “critical situation” at Mosenergo but has taken no action. Efstafiev is believed to be a  protégé of Chubais, who was a key adviser to and minister under Boris Yeltsin. Efstafiev was also reportedly involved in the strange events surrounding removal of a box containing $500,000 in cash from the “White House” during the 1996 elections. Mosenergo stock is still one of the top blue chips in Russian stock ratings. 

Art Detectives

Organize

Tracking down lost 

Russian masterpieces

 

Russia and America will join efforts in a search for items of cultural value confiscated by the Nazis from Russian museums. An agreement to this effect was signed by Culture Minister Mikhail Shvydkoy and the US organization “Research Project of Artistic Values and Archives.” 

The head of this US research organization, Ronald S. Lauder, became known to Russian cultural officials in 1998, after he handed over to the Russian Museum artist Orest Kiprensky’s canvas, “Portrait of Basin” (see Russian Calendar, page 17).

After purchasing it at a Christie’s auction for $170,000, Lauder learned of the painting’s origins and decided to return it to Russia. Lauder is heir to the famous US perfume empire Estee Lauder. 

According to the Russian Ministry of Culture, the country’s 15 largest museums lost as many as 300,000 items during WWII. The Ministry prepared an electronic version of the list to be passed on to the US organization.

In related news, the Russian state recently spent $260,000 to purchase two canvasses abroad. The paintings—Vladimir Borovikovsky’s “Portrait of D.S. Yakovleva” and Dmitry Levitsky’s “Portrait of an Unknown Woman”—date to the turn of the 19th century. 

The money was earmarked on special order from Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov. Minister of Culture Shvyd-koy said that the Russian state has been tracking the two canvasses for quite some time: the paintings were taken from Russia before the revolution and were part of a private collection. Experts acclaimed the generosity of the sellers, as originals by Levitsky or Borovikovsky typically cost at least five times what the Russian state paid. 

Juicy IPO

First wholly owned Russian

company joins NYSE

 

Russia’s top dairy and juice company, Wimm-Bill Dann, issued an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange (through American Depository Receipts) in January. It was the first 100% Russian-owned company ever to trade on the exchange. The company had sales of $676.3 million in 2001, up 40% from 2000. Its net income increased to about $46 million in 2001, from $21.3 million in 2000. Wimm-Bill Dann controls 14 enterprises across Russia that produce about  300 dairy products, 150 juices and juice drinks (including J-7, inset) as well as canned vegetables. The company claims to control 36% of the country’s, and 45% of Moscow’s, juice market. 

 

Fiddler on Bronnaya

Sholom Aleichem gets a

Moscow monument

 

A monument to Russia’s famous Jewish writer, Sholom Aleichem (nom de plume of the writer Sholom Rabinovich), was unveiled at the intersection of Malaya and Bolshaya Bronnaya streets in downtown Moscow. 

The 4.5 meter tall monument, pictured at right, called “Sholom Aleichem and his Heroes” features the writer and, on the column, some of his famous characters—e.g. Tevier The Milkman, the boy Motl and the characters of his main novel “Errant Stars” (basis for the famous musical, Fiddler on the Roof). The construction of the monument, created by architect Gary Kopans and sculptor Yuri Chernov, was financed by the company Russkoye Zoloto (“Russian Gold”). 

Energy of Sakhalin

Island region shows its muscle

 

“So what do I tell you about Sakhalin?” went the lyrics of a popular romantic Soviet song. Yet now there is something to tell about Sakhalin. The oblast took second place in Russia (after Moscow region) in the volume of foreign investment, leaving behind St. Petersburg. The result was announced by Sakhalin Governor Igor Farkhutdinov at the celebration of Sakha-lin region’s 55th anniversary last January. 

Sakhalin region, comprising the entire island, was formed in 1945 when the USSR seized the territory (along with all of the Kurile Islands) in the waning days of WWII; Southern Sakhalin had been annexed by Japan following the Russo-Japanese war of 1905. 

GDP for the region in 2001 reached R45 bn and Sakhalin for the first time gave more money to the federal budget than it received. A large part of Sakhalin’s success is due to the Production Sharing Agreement Sakhalin-2 (involving Royal Dutch/Shell, Mistsui and Misubishi), which has yielded its first oil and gas. 

 

Lucky Draw

Soccer squad finally gets 

a lucky break

 

Pele, Brazil’s legendary soccer star, drew the seedings for teams participating in the 2002 World Soccer Championship. Pele proved to be Russia’s lucky star as his random selections placed the Russian team in the same group (H) as Belgium, Japan and Tunisia—hardly the strongest teams participating in the event (compared with some “death groups” as Group F, comprising Argentina, Nigeria, England and Sweden). 

Russian players and sports observers opined that Russia just has to overcome the group barrier and reach the semifinals, which should be doable if the team plays its best game and the judges don’t “whistle in favor” of the host team—Japan. The US is in group D, along with Korea—the second host of the championship, Poland and Portugal (the latter team boasts the world’s best soccer player of 2001, Luis Figo). 

 

Down for the Count

Heirs to Karelin battle 

for the gold

 

Alexander Bezruchkin from Ulya-novsk (weight category 97 kg) brought the Russian team its only gold at the world championship of Greco-Roman wrestling held in Patra, Greece. Alexei Glushkov (69 kg) and Alexei Mishin (76 kg) each won a silver. In the super heavy category (130 kg), the heir of legendary Alexander Karelin, Yuri Patrikeev, could not defeat US wrestler Rulon Gardner, who defeated Karelin in Sydney. Russia thus ranked second in the overall team medal count (Cuba was first, the US third). 

In the wake of these results, the head of the Greco-Roman Wrestling Depart-ment of the Federation of Wrestling, Nikolai Prokazov, urged a review of the National Team’s preparation and of Russian wrestling in general, especially on the grassroots level, as the number of junior wrestling clubs and qualified coaches have plummeted in recent years. 

 

Give ‘em a Hand

Women’s handball squad

wins World Title

 

For the first time ever, Russia’s Women’s National Handball Team won the gold at the World Championship, held in the waning days of 2001 in Italy. The victory pleased local handball fans, who reminisced about the heyday of Soviet women’s handball in the mid-1970s to late 1980s, when local athletes were tops in the world and handball was a huge sport in Russia. 

In Italy, the Russian team won nine matches out of nine, beating all their heavily-favored competitors, creating an unexpected sensation. Russia’s Handball Federation had set its sights on just reaching the semi-finals. But the team, led by coach Yevgeny Trefilov, played with such inspiration and verve that they were unstoppable.

In the semi-finals, Russia defeated Olympic champions Denmark. In the finals, Russia beat Norway, the defending world champion, 30-25. Russia’s Lyudmila Bodnieva was named the most efficient scorer of the championship and, together with Irina Poltoratskaya, was included in the symbolic world team of the championship. 

The Russian team had been cut from Olympic competition in 2000 after coming in 12th place in the 1999 world championship. For that, Trefilov’s predecessor, Alexander Tarasikov, was sacked. Now Trefilov confessed that his main headache will be trying to retain his girls in Russia with so many foreign scouts eyeing his pupils. 

 

Russia’s Rookie

Kovalchuk top contender

for NHL Rookie of the Year

 

Sports observers predict that Russia’s Ilya Kovalchuk (see Russian Life, Sept/Oct 2001), who plays forward for the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers, is one of the main pretenders to the title Rookie of the Year. 

At press time, Kovalchuk’s name was already well-known among hockey fans in North America. US sports observers were especially delighted with the goal Kovalchuk scored against the Boston Bruins in the trademark style of Pavel Bure, stealing the puck from his opponent on his side of the rink, then escaping to score the goal one-on-one with the goalie. If Kovalchuk keeps his scoring pace, he may well have sunk some 37-38 goals by the time of the NHL championship. 

In December, Kovelchuk was named best Rookie of the Month. In 15 matches in December, the 18-year-old scored 6 goals and made 9 winning passes. “This is only December, and I want something more,” Kovalchuk told the Russian Sport-Express daily. “I will try to be consistent in winning more points, helping my team in every match.” 

Meanwhile, in other hockey news, Russia won the Ice Hockey World Youth Championship in the Czech Republic, beating archrivals from Canada in the finals 5-4. Russia was down 0-2 eight minutes into the match, but towards the second period, coach Vladimir Plyuschev inspired more confidence in his charges, who scored three goals in twelve minutes, bringing Russia its first gold in 2002. 

The national team had to play without  Kovalchuk. “Of course, Ilya would have helped the team a lot,” Plyuschev said. “But then Kovalchuk was calling us every day, asking for updates. They say he was the only one in North America who believed that Russia would become world champion.” 

 

Safin’s bitter cake

Despite the fact that the match was played on his 22nd birthday (January 27), Marat Safin failed to win his second Grand Slam tennis title, losing the finals match of the Australian Open to Thomas Johansson (6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-7). At the press conference, Safin admited he “did nothing to merit the trophy.” Safin was favored in the match (he had beaten Pete Sampras in the semifinals), but made too many errors. Yet Safin redeemed himself with a decisive victory in a February Davis Cup match, propelling Russia to the finals.

 

Russia Tops in European Championship

Three gold, two silver and two bronze medals (8 out of 12 awarded)—such was the “crop” of trophies collected by the Russian national team at the European Ice Skating Championship held in Lausanne (Switzerland) in the run-up to the Winter Olympics. 

In the absence of Russia’s leader in men’s singles, Yevgeny Plyuschenko, first place went to Alexei Yagudin, who beat his adversaries despite a fall in the free program—which was technically less impressive than the program performed by the Alexander Abt (bronze medal). In women’s singles, Russia took all three medals: Marina Butyrskaya (1st place), Irina Slutskaya (2nd), Viktoriya Volchkova (3rd). 

Despite the absence of the favorites Anton Sikharulidze and Yelena Berezhnaya, Russia’s supremacy in doubles prevailed as the young Maxim Marinin and Tatyana Totmianina (above) took first place with an impressive free program to the tune of “West Side Story.” Another Russian pair—Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov were third. It was the 35th time in 38 years that a Russian or Soviet pair has won the European doubles figure skating championship. “The tradition and the experience keep on accumulating,” Marinin explained. “It is the coaches that work with the athletes from generation to generation. The coach gives the knowledge to the student and so on,” said Marinin, coached by 1984 Olympic gold medalist Oleg Vasiliev. 

In ice dancing, Ilya Averbukh and Irina Lobacheva performed a crowd-pleasing free program dedicated to the victims of September 11 in the US and to all of Russia’s tragedies in recent years. But they brought home only a bronze medal.

 

Russia Tops in European Championship

Three gold, two silver and two bronze medals (8 out of 12 awarded)—such was the “crop” of trophies collected by the Russian national team at the European Ice Skating Championship held in Lausanne (Switzerland) in the run-up to the Winter Olympics. 

In the absence of Russia’s leader in men’s singles, Yevgeny Plyuschenko, first place went to Alexei Yagudin, who beat his adversaries despite a fall in the free program—which was technically less impressive than the program performed by the Alexander Abt (bronze medal). In women’s singles, Russia took all three medals: Marina Butyrskaya (1st place), Irina Slutskaya (2nd), Viktoriya Volchkova (3rd). 

Despite the absence of the favorites Anton Sikharulidze and Yelena Berezhnaya, Russia’s supremacy in doubles prevailed as the young Maxim Marinin and Tatyana Totmianina (above) took first place with an impressive free program to the tune of “West Side Story.” Another Russian pair—Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov were third. It was the 35th time in 38 years that a Russian or Soviet pair has won the European doubles figure skating championship. “The tradition and the experience keep on accumulating,” Marinin explained. “It is the coaches that work with the athletes from generation to generation. The coach gives the knowledge to the student and so on,” said Marinin, coached by 1984 Olympic gold medalist Oleg Vasiliev. 

In ice dancing, Ilya Averbukh and Irina Lobacheva performed a crowd-pleasing free program dedicated to the victims of September 11 in the US and to all of Russia’s tragedies in recent years. But they brought home only a bronze medal.

 

“It is not the reforms of Gorbachev-Yeltsin that Putin’s 

integration into the West will finalize, but rather the 

gigantic cycle of Russian history initiated by Peter [the Great]. But then it takes tremendous efforts on a super scale to turn a 300-year-old wheel ... Will Putin be able to “round-up” the Petersburg cycle of Russian history? In 2001 he just made the first step. And that’s why the year 2001 is justly his year.” 

Itogi weekly observer Leonid Radzikhovsky.

 

Turn Back the Clock?

As many as 55.1% of Russians say, if given a choice, they would prefer to live the life they lived before the reforms of 1991. The opinion poll, conducted by  ROMIR and published in Izvestia, found that just 32.6% of respondents preferred their present life; 12.3% had no definite opinion. Living standards of respondents were the decisive factor influencing their answers.

 

“Because it is so typical of us, Russians: first, we say: 

“Oh, my brother.” And then, “You S.O.B.”

Head of the Foundation of Efficient Policy Gleb Pavlovsky, explaining 

why he urges caution in closer relations with the US. (Kommersant) 

 

“I wasn’t especially moved when I overnighted at Bush’s ranch. I think it was he who should be thinking about 

what happens when you let in a former operative of 

Soviet intelligence.” 

Vladimir Putin

 

“A car is not like wine—it doesn’t get better with time.”

Chairman of the board of directors of Avtovaz carmaker, 

Gennady Kadannikov. (Itogi)

 

“Take a look at the bathrooms in these plants. It is with this that spiritual resurrection begins.” 

Nikolai Fedorov, president of the Chuvash Republic, 

praising his republic’s new hygiene standards. (Itogi)

 

 

“In 1995-1998, our economists were doing to the country the same thing Argentinean rulers were doing there. It is just that our guys failed quicker: August 1998 broke out ... While in Argentina they lasted 10 years.”

Presidential adviser on economics Andrei Illarionov,

 commenting on Argentina’s economic collapse (Kommersant).

 

 

“One must protect domestic carmakers only when the level of ‘automobilization’ in the country is higher than 300 cars per 1,000 people, and when the country manufactures 

12-15 million cars a year and not 1 million, like we do. We must admit that we are not capable of manufacturing quality cars, but rather make something looking like a car, which in its use is more dangerous than an old, foreign-made car.”

Deputy head of government chief of staff Alexei Volin, on the proposed 

protectionist measures to drastically raise import duties on second-hand 

foreign cars three to seven years old (Kommersant) . 

 

“I once said that Russia will not become world champion 

in soccer before Brazil becomes a world champion in 

ice hockey. You can tell I am trying to bring this 

moment closer.”

Three time world champion in soccer, Brazilian Pele, 

on the results of the draw ceremony of the world championship 

in soccer (Sport Express). 

 

Early Olympic Results

In the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Russia brought home 18 Olympic medals. At press time, February 17 (before many women’s figure skating events, hockey finals, etc.), Russian athletes had secured 10 medals.

BIATHLON

Olga Pyleva Women’s 10 km Pursuit Gold

Victor Maigurov Men’s 20 km Individual Bronze

 

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

Olga Danilova Women’s 5 km Free Pursuit Gold

Olga Danilova Women’s 10 km Classical Silver

Larissa Lazutina Women’s 15 km Free Mass Start Silver

Larissa Lazutina Women’s 5 km Free Pursuit Silver

Julia Chepalova Women’s 10 km Classical Bronze

 

FIGURE SKATING

Alexei Yagudin Men’s Gold

Yelena Berezhnaya &

Anton Sikharulidze Pairs Gold

Yevgeny Plyushenko Men’s Silver

Industrial output rose more than 5% in 2001 (Interfax). Industrial production grew by 11% in 1999 and 11.9% in 2000. Real personal incomes in 2001 rose by an estimated 6.5%, and wages were up 17% from 2000. Industrial production growth is forecast to grow 3-4% in 2002. ! The volume of TV advertising in Russia grew by 55% in the first nine months of 2001 (vs. 2000), (Taylor Nelson Sofres) Advertising in newspapers and magazines rose 30% and 43%, respectively. Radio advertising rose 10%, outdoor advertising 40%. ! Just 22% of Russians work in small and medium-sized 

businesses. (Vladimir Putin). ! Russia’s GDP grew by 5.2% in 2001, down from 8.3% growth the year before. GDP growth in 2002 is forecast at 5%. (Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov) ! Direct investment into Russia’s economy will grow to $6 bn in 2002, vs. $5 bn in 2001. (Kommersant) ! The minimal per capita survival income has been set at R1,524. ! 2,737,600 crimes were registered in Russia in the first eleven months of 2001. (Argumenty i Fakty) !  The Moscow City Telephone Network (MGTS) raised fixed monthly fees for telephone services to R80 on January 1. It was MGTS’s second 

price increase since November 2001. (Moscow Times) ! Russia’s foreign trade surplus slipped to $2.87 billion in November 2001. (Russian Central Bank) ! Russia ended 2001 with an 18.6% annual inflation rate. (Goskomstat).  ! Russia’s level of “automobilization” is 130 cars per 1,000 dwellers, just a third that of Europe, but twice as much as in Eastern Europe and Latin America. (Kommersant) ! 29,000 men illegally evaded military service last fall, which is up from 25,000 in the spring (Interfax). ! Monthly capital flight from Russia amounts to some $4 billion. (Russian Central Bank)