Notebook

Simple Goddess Passes

Legendary Russian ballet star Galina Ulanova, whom writer Alexei Tolstoy dubbed a “simple Goddess,” died this March at the age of 88. Ulanova was born in 1910 into a family of dancers and began her career at the Mariinsky theater, where she soon became a prima ballerina. In 1944, she moved to Moscow’s Bolshoi theater (many claim at the insistence of Joseph Stalin). 

Ulanova’s star shone brightly on the stage of the Bolshoi from 1944 to 1960. In 1956, during the ballet’s London tour, Ulanova starred in a triumphant performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet that won her a standing ovation. As The Moscow Times noted, “although she was 45 at the time, there have been few Juliets to match the lightness and picture of innocence of Ulanova.” Ulanova also performed on the stages of the United States in 1959, just a few years before her final retirement as a performer. 

Today’s generation of Russians has seen Ulanova only in the role of an outstanding ballet instructor who coached virtually all of the stars of the Bolshoi in recent decades.

A public memorial service was held at the Bolshoi theater, and Ulanova was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, the resting place of many members of Russia’s cultural elite.

Indirect Investment

According to ITAR-TASS, foreign investments in Russia have topped $21 billion since market reforms began early this decade, but less than half have been in the form of direct investment. The scale of investments has increased as Russia’s economy stabilized over the past two years, but remains well below what Russia had hoped for. Moscow has attracted some 60% of the total, said Alexander Shokhin, leader of the pro-government Our Home Is Russia parliamentary faction. Other major recipients include St. Petersburg and the oil-rich Tyumen region.

The China Model

Meanwhile, former First Deputy Premier Boris Nemtsov, in a recent interview with Ekho planety newspaper, said the media needs to report more good news about Russia if the country is to attract more foreign investment. The media, he said, often ignore Russia’s achievements, choosing instead to dwell on “contract killings, the Chechen war, kidnappings, dishonesty in privatization, [and] the criminal connections of big business.” This, he said, “creates a very negative image” that taints business people’s view of the country and discourages investment. By way of analogy, he stated that China is able to attract much greater levels of investment because “Chinese leaders are concerned about the image of their country.” Nemtsov made no mention of China’s extensive use of cheap, prison-camp labor or of the country’s far from free press.

Van Cliburn returns

In March of this year, world-famous pianist Van Cliburn returned to Russia, which he calls his “second home,” for a charity ball hosted by Moscow’s Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and First Lady Naina Yeltsin. Van Cliburn is remembered in Russia for winning the First International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition at the height of the Cold War, in 1958. Many thought it would be impossible for a non-Russian to win, but Van Cliburn’s talent overshadowed all political ideology. The judges asked permission of Nikita Khrushchev to give the gold medal to Van Cliburn and, remarkably, received it. “I didn’t need an excuse to come back,” Van Cliburn told reporters. “I love this city and I love this country.”

Fixing Sheremetevo

The chaotic Sheremetevo international airport will soon pass from federal hands to the city of Moscow, and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov is planning a major overhaul. Specifically, Luzhkov plans to introduce VIP-class services at the airport, including a network of parking lots and a new international terminal. Old runways will be repaired and new ones built. According to Luzhkov, the city authorities do not intend to pass the airport on to private hands but will allow the partial participation of investors in the start-up capital of this major Russian airport. The city will need to collect a total of $500 million to complete the project.

... and Kursky

The reconstruction of the Kursky railway station, the last unrenovated station in Moscow, will cost some $200 million. The money will come from private investors, and the three-year program will include the construction of a multi-functional recreational and business center with shops, a cinema and parking for over 1,000 vehicles. At the final stages of the program, a three-star hotel and supermarket will be built. The city also plans to move the famous Botkin house cultural monument away from the Kursky station.

New Metro Ticket

Moscow’s metro authority has begun selling special, 10-ride magnetic tickets for R20 (R2 per ride), which should prove convenient for short trips to the capital. The tickets are valid for 30 days from date of purchase. 

Wisdom of Youth

Adult wisdom has it that young people are apathetic and care little about their country. Yet things may not be quite as they seem. The Institute for Youth and the MGU Center for Sociological Studies recently conducted a poll which showed that 20% of Russia’s 16-year olds consider it their life’s work to “benefit Russia and mankind.” Perhaps this tendency has something to do with young people’s impatience with their elders. In the same poll, in answer to the question “Which of Russia’s current politicians is most useful to Russia?” about one-fourth said “none.” Trailing close behind was Boris Nemtsov, picked by 21.8% of respondents. Then came General Alexander Lebed, selected by 17% of the youth polled. As to those whom youngsters trusted most, Lebed and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov led the pack, with 42% each. Who were voted the “most harmful” politicians? Over a third named extremist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, and just under a fourth indicated communist leader Gennady Zyuganov. Some 15% of those polled said they would vote for anyone but a communist in the 2000 presidential elections. [Compare these results with the Facts section, page 5.]

Somewhat Poorly?

According to a declaration he submitted to the Tax Service, President Boris Yeltsin’s income tripled last year in comparison with 1996. According to the Associated Press, which quoted Russian press sources, Yeltsin’s earnings rose sharply, from the equivalent of $43,000 in 1996 to about $117,000 last year. Yeltsin’s press service said the president’s income consisted of his salary, book fees and interest on a savings account, but gave no explanation for the big jump (other media sources note that the increase may be due to Yeltsin’s book). The press service also reported that Yeltsin had paid all his taxes (which would amount to some $40,000).

According to the Kremlin, Yeltsin and his wife Naina bought a 452 square meter country home on 10 acres of land in 1995. In Moscow, the president and first lady live in a 323 square meter apartment, which they share with their younger daughter and three members of her family. Acrimonious commentators could not help but recall Yeltsin’s speech when he appointed Boris Nemtsov – the President announced on national TV that both he and the new vice premier live honestly, though somewhat poorly.

Dressing Down

In further efforts to cut costs in the military, it was announced in March that Russia’s soldiers will no longer be issued dress uniforms. Only summer and winter fatigues will be issued. In a more significant cost cutting measure, the defense ministry announced that it will close and sell almost 600 military compounds, and install electrical meters on military facilities elsewhere, to better track energy use (late or non-payment of energy bills by bases led to brown- and black-outs this past year). In addition, some 300,000 commissioned officers will be laid off this year.

Lauder Lauded

A portrait by Russian artist Orest Kiprensky that was carried off by the German army in 1942 has finally been returned to Russia. The portrait, which portrays young Russian artist Pyotr Basin, was executed in 1829 in Italy, where Basin was copying Raphael’s frescoes for use in the Winter Palace. In 1918, it was acquired by the Russian Museum. After the war, the painting dropped out of sight for many years, but in 1996, it turned up in Austria, and Christies auctioned it off for $170,000. The buyer turned out to be none other than the prominent American businessman and collector Ronald Lauder, son of cosmetics king Estee Lauder. On discovering the origins of his purchase, Lauder decided to return the painting to the Russian Museum as a gift for the museum’s 100th anniversary.

Moscow on the Hudson

The final stop on the US tour of the exhibition Jewels of the Romanovs: Treasures of the Russian Imperial Court, is at the Brooklyn Museum of Art through July 5. The exhibition features 200 objects, including crown jewels, royal portraits, court gowns and military uniforms and jewel-encrusted objects spanning 300 years of the Romanov dynasty. 

Films on the Potomac

Meanwhile, Washington, DC’s American Film Institute at the Kennedy Center will be the site for a Russian Film Festival to be held June 9-17. The event has compiled an impressive list of international sponsors and will feature 17 recent Russian films. For more information and a program of the event, contact the American Film Institute at 202-828-4000, or visit their website at www.afionline.org. Part 2 of the Festival will be an American Film Festival held in Moscow this fall. The event is being organized by Washington-based Business Novations.

Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov plans to attract 5 million tourists annually to Moscow over the next two to three years.

Moscow ranked 4th in a listing offered by Business Travel News of the most expensive cities to travel to in the world, with the expected per diem cost of food and lodging and travel at $556. St. Petersburg ranked 11th on the list, with a per diem of $460.

In 1996, Russia earned $5.5 billion from international tourism, placing it 21st in the world. Yet it ranked 14th in the total number of arriving tourists (14.6 million) for that year. Meanwhile, Russians traveling abroad in 1996 spent $10.6 billion, the 10th highest in the world.

In a nationwide poll on Russian presidential candidates taken at the end of March by the Public Opinion Foundation, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov came out on top with 21%. Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and Yabloko leader Grigori Yavlinsky each polled 10%; former First Deputy Premier Boris Nemtsov and former Security Council Secretary Aleksandr Lebed each received 9%; former Premier Viktor Chernomyrdin was selected by just 6%.

Russia’s recently approved federal budget for 1998 foresees a budget deficit of 4.7%. This is based on anticipated revenues of R368 billion ($60.4 billion) and expenditures of R500 billion ($82 billion).

Russia has 150 decommissioned nuclear submarines and 40,000 tons of chemical weapons that are to be destroyed over the next 10 years.

Russia will seek to induct 200,000 young men in its annual draft this year. Of these, some 70% will undergo military service. At present, there are an estimated 17,000 draft dodgers at large in Russia.

$10 billion was invested in Russia by foreign individuals and firms in 1997.  40% was direct investment.

The Russian government needs to pay out 14.5 billion rubles a month to keep current on pension payments. Yet, in February, the government’s Pension Fund took in only 11.1 billion rubles. President Yeltsin has pledged to increase pensions by 20% over the course of 1998.

It is estimated that 57% of Russia’s adult men and 48% of adult women smoke. Among high school students, almost 40% of boys and 25% of girls smoke (rates are even higher for technical school students).

The “combat fitness” of  the Russian Air Force’s aviation equipment is only at about 45-55%, according to the service’s Commander General.

Russian small businesses (of which there are some 877,000, employing 9,000,000 people) contributes 12% to the nation’s GDP.

SOURCES: Business Travel News, New York Times, Kommersant Daily, Interfax, RFE/RL Newsline, ITAR-TASS, Ekonomicheskiye Novosti Rossii i Sodruzhestva, NTV

good news, bad news

“It’s good that our laws are not retroactive, it’s bad that they are not active.” 

Argumenti i Fakti newspaper.

don’t take my word for it

“If I told you I was not hurt, you would not believe me.” 

Ex-Premier Viktor Chernomyrdin

The best explanation yet

“The premier was fired ‘for services to the homeland’.” 

Sevodnya daily on Former Premier Viktor Chernomyrdin 

being awarded the order “Service to 

the Fatherland” on the day of his firing.

the yeltsin defense

“Yeltsin is just such a chess player. If he sees that the chess game is not going the right way – he sees a check, then the knight is in danger, then the pawns are up in the air – he just sweeps all the pieces off the chess board in order to set up the figures anew.”

Komsomolskaya Pravda about the firing of the government. 

All things are relative

“It would be much worse if they were accusing me of a penchant for the ‘strong sex’.” 

Former Vice-Premier Boris Nemtsov, 

on accusations of having distracted himself with strippers.

oh, so that explains it

“If our women changed their hairstyles and their dresses were different – more décolleté – and it were more obvious that this is a woman ... I would then have to be softer with them.” 

Ultranationalist Duma Deputy Vladimir Zhirinovsky, 

about the reasons for his recent outbreak in the Duma, 

where he poured water over deputies.

parliamentary protocol

“If Zhirinovsky offended me, I would hit him straight between the horns.” 

Duma Deputy Vasily Shandybin.

Champion “Bars”

For the first time ever, the Kazan club “AK Bars” became Russia’s hockey champion, beating out Moscow’s Dinamo by a score of 3:2. If AK Bars’ first goal was controversial (it was scored at exactly the same moment that the referee blew his whistle to signal the beginning of a power play), the team’s next two goals left nothing to chance. Head coach Yuri Moiseev superstitiously forbid his players to prepare for a celebration beforehand, but some champagne was sneaked into the locker room nonetheless. By the end of the first period, the outcome of another game (Metallurgiya vs. Torpedo) ensured that AK Bars would win the title no matter what, but that did not stop the players from giving it their all.

Spartak Bested

In the first match of the UEFA Cup semifinals, Moscow’s Spartak soccer team lost 2:1 to Inter-Milan in Italy. Inter’s forward Ivan Zamorano (nicknamed Ivan the Terrible) headed in the first goal during the final minutes of the first half. But in the second half, Dmitry Alenichev – Russia’s top player of 1997 – dribbled past two Inter defenders to even the score. Fate, however, was not on Spartak’s side. After a series of ricochets, the Brazilian Ze’Elias managed to score during the game’s final moments. Spartak still has a chance at victory in the rematch, to be held in Moscow April 14. By the way, after its victory over the Dutch Ajax in the UEFA quarterfinals, Spartak was ranked #7 in the world soccer club ratings.

Kurnikova Climbs

After her performance in the Lipton Tennis Championships, 16-year old Anna Kurnikova has become one of the world’s top 20 seeded women’s tennis players.  Russia’s Kurnikova knocked down top seeds Monica Seles (rated #6), Conchita Martinez (#9), Lindsay Davenport (#2), and finally Arancha Sanchez Vicario (#5) before losing to America’s Venus Williams in the finals. Kurnikova took home $120,000 in winnings and is currently ranked 16th in the world by the World Tennis Association.

Yakushev Back

Former Olympic hockey star Alexander Yakushev is once again making headlines. In 1993, after Spartak lost in the playoffs to Metallurgia, Yakushev was fired as the team’s coach but went on to achieve success coaching in Austria and Switzerland. Now, Spartak’s leadership has invited Yakushev back to his former club to save the team from a crisis. Yakushev is remembered in Russia for his Olympic victories in the 1970s with the USSR national team and for his performances against the US and Canadian teams. A true patriot, Yakushev maintains that the Russian hockey school is the best in the world.

New Face at Davis

For the Davis Cup World Group tennis competition between the US and Russia, Yevgeny Kafelnikov had a new partner – 18-year-old Marat Safin. True, Safin is ranked only 171st in the ATP-Tour ratings (Kafelnikov is ranked 6th). True, he lost both of his singles matches (to Andre Agassi and Jim Courier, respectively). Yet the young Russian gave Courier a tough fight, drawing the match out to five sets. While the more experienced Kafelnikov won both of his single’s match-ups, he was unable to save his team. The US won 3:2, thanks to Todd Martin and Richey Reneberg, who beat Kafelnikov and Safin in the doubles match.

Russia in Minneapolis

The World Figure Skating Championships in Minneapolis were a big success for Russia, but the smiling faces on the pedestal were not those of Nagano’s champions. After Artur Dmitriev got food poisoning in a Japanese restaurant, Ilya Kulik was injured and Pasha Grischuk skated off to Hollywood, some other stars got a chance to shine. Alexei Yagudin (men’s singles), Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze (pairs) and Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov (ice dancing) all won gold medals. In the women’s competition, the athletic Irina Slutskaya and the graceful Marina Butyrskaya took away the silver and bronze, respectively.