The British company Event Communications won a tender to revamp Moscow’s Polytechnical Museum, a famous institution built in the 1870s and standing on Lubyanka square. Once a national and international marvel, today the museum’s science exhibits are severely outdated.
The country’s largest museum of technology will be closed for reconstruction, and its entire modernization program, overseen by a foundation with multiple government representatives, will be completed by the end of 2016. The Russian government has budgeted R7.5 billion for the project, gazeta.ru reported.
While a top-notch renovation by a company that is responsible for award-winning museums in Glasgow sounds like excellent news, some have expressed fears that the result may be far from what many expect. In particular, former museum director Gurgen Grigoryan, who was fired in July, said the renovation may well turn the massive downtown building into a conference hall and move exhibitions and 170,000 items to a different venue, on the outskirts of Moscow.
A privately owned museum devoted to the writer Sergei Dovlatov may open next year in the Pushkinskiye Gory (“Pushkin Hills”) area near Pskov, where Dovlatov lived when he worked as a guide at the Mikhailovskoye estate, where Alexander Pushkin during two years of internal exile. The small, decrepit wooden house Dovlatov rented was purchased by a group of friends from Moscow and St. Petersburg. They are planning to carefully repair the house to keep it from collapsing, in order to open a Dovlatov Museum.
Dovlatov based one of his most famous works, The Reserve, on his time in Pushkinskiye Gory. The nearly century-old house was owned by Muscovite Vera Khaziyeva for 17 years and everything was kept almost the same as it was when Dovlatov lived there in the 1970s. Khaziyeva occasionally let tourists see the house, but finally sold it because she was getting on in age. Due to Dovlatov’s popularity, Mikhailovskoye estate has also started giving Dovlatov tours.
Microsoft announced sweeping changes to its anti-piracy efforts in Russia this summer, following a string of incidents in which police raided outspoken NGOs for alleged usage of pirated software, including Windows, paralyzing their activities.
Microsoft’s announcement, made on the company’s blog, came after a front page article in the New York Times claimed that Microsoft lawyers in Russia were in cahoots with police officers, testifying against NGOs instead of supporting them. Several NGOs, for example, Baikal Environmental Wave in Irkutsk, have seen their computers confiscated for months on grounds that they were using illegal software, despite having all their licensing documents in order.
Striving to protect its image, Microsoft promised that all NGOs would be granted free software licenses and offered legal aid, while an international law firm would investigate the corporation’s Russia operations.
Gennady Yanayev, who led the 1991 August coup against Mikhail Gorbachev, died in September of lung cancer. He was 73.
Yanayev was a longtime Soviet government official working with labor unions and youth groups before he was hand-picked by Gorbachev to be vice-president of the Soviet Union (a defiant parliament voted Yanayev down for the post, and only accepted him after Gorbachev insisted). Yet Yanayev is remembered widely in Russia as “the man with shaking hands,” for when he announced during an August 19, 1991, televised press conference that he was taking over from Gorbachev (who was reputedly stepping down for reasons of ill health), he was so nervous that his hands were trembling.
The coup, or “putsch,” was meant to end Gorbachev’s reforms, but thousands of Soviets took to the streets. The putschists (led by mastermind Vladimir Kryuchkov, head of the KGB), declared a state of emergency, but decided against the widespread use of force, and their coup fell apart in just three days.
Mikhail Gorbachev, who had been held at a Crimean residence, flew back to Moscow, but never recovered his authority. A few months later, the Soviet Union fell apart.
Yanayev, who was accused of treason along with the other coup-plotters and imprisoned, was pardoned in 1994, and taught history in Moscow until his death, refraining from political activity.
The kopek’s days are numbered. Russia’s smallest denomination is likely to be phased out as inflation makes it irrelevant and costly. The Central Bank has proposed a halt to manufacture of one and five kopek coins, and rounding off prices at tenths of a ruble.
This is actually the third cancellation of the kopek. It was terminated once during the Revolution, and again in 1992, following 2600 percent inflation. The coinage was reintroduced after 1998, when currency was re-denominated, but prices have increased nine-fold since then, making production of the kopek 47 times more expensive than its face value. Some Russians have used this fact to collect large quantities of small change and sell it as scrap metal.
According to Pushkarev’s Dictionary of Russian Historical Terms, “kopeiki or dengi kopeiki were first minted in Muscovy in 1534-35. They were small silver coins equal to two dengi [a Mongol term]. The name kopeika derived, probably, from the picture of a rider with a kopiyo (spear) on the face of the coin.” When the Russian government started minting copper kopeiki in 1655 with the nominal value of the silver coins, the currency and financial system collapsed. The monetary system was reformed under Peter I, and in 1704 the kopeika became a copper coin equal to 1/100th of a silver ruble.
Russian archaeologists claim to have found the remains of Czar Ivan VI (right), the only Russian czar whose remains have never been identified. Ivan VI was just an infant and “ruled” for one year after the death of Empress Anna Ioannovna. He was overthrown in a palace coup by a competing side of the Romanov family in 1741.
Tragically for the infant czar, he spent most of his life locked up and in exile, and was separated from not just the throne, but from his family. At the age of 24, he was killed during an attempted prison break from Shlisselburg fortress, during the reign of Catherine II.
A team of amateur archaeologists claim that Ivan’s body was later taken north, to Arkhangelsk region, and buried along with his other exiled family members in the town of Kholmogory. A body found in what appears to be a neglected necropolis fits all the characteristics of the “Russian Iron Mask,” as Ivan VI is unofficially called. Genetic testing would set things straight, but Vladimir Karanin, an Arkhangelsk businessman who financed the long investigation, said he has run out of money and has turned to the government for assistance.
In September, the city of Moscow unveiled the rebuilt Alexei Mikhailovich Castle (below and left). The original castle was built by Tsar Alexei in the 1660s, in Kolomenskoye, a tsarist residence in the south of Moscow that is now a park. The castle had 270 rooms, a throne with mechanized lions, and was reportedly hailed by amazed foreign guests as the “eighth wonder of the world.” The original structure was disassembled by Catherine II after it fell into disrepair following the relocation of the capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg. The Moscow government invested a reported one billion rubles in the palace’s reconstruction, using archival documents and floor plans.
After nearly 18 years of negotiations, Russia is on track to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin recently said all outstanding issues between the U.S. and Russia have been resolved. Russia is the world’s largest economy outside the WTO, and can start the formal adherence process before the end of the year, Kudrin said.
Two U.S. congressmen, Senator Benjamin Cardin (MD) and Representative James McGovern (MA), both Democrats, have introduced a draft bill to freeze U.S. assets and ban visas for 60 individuals allegedly at fault for killing Sergei Magnitsky, a 37-year-old Russian lawyer who was working on behalf of Hermitage Capital and died in pre-trial detention. Magnitsky’s law firm compiled the list, which is comprised of police, prison, and court officials, and wants the ban to be in effect until Russia thoroughly investigates Magnitsky’s death. The Russian Foreign Ministry has criticized the draft legislation, saying it recalls Cold War era policies.
An internet campaign kick-started by several Siberian journalists is encouraging citizens who live east of the Urals to declare their nationality as “Siberian” during Russia’s fall census. “Tell the census worker: I am Siberian,” say internet banners spread throughout blogs. Campaign organizers say they resent the fact that the Siberian regions are viewed as “oil producing colonies” and estimate that 24.5 million people may declare themselves to be Siberian. People are entitled to put anything they want in the “nationality” field.
globalsib.com/8257
Spanish filmmaker, Nicolás Alcalá is planning to make a science fiction movie about a Soviet cosmonaut who comes back to earth, only to find it deserted. And he is using “crowdfunding” to finance the film’s production, promising that anyone who contributes money will be listed in the film’s credits. Alcalá plans to film in Russia’s forests and at Star City, near Moscow, where space training facilities are located. The movie will be released with a Creative Commons license, allowing anyone to use and reuse it, provided proper credit is given. The movie’s script, creative team and other information are already online at thecosmonaut.org. At press time, the film so far had 2288 producers.
KermlinRussia, a Twitter blog that parodies Dmitry Medvedev’s Twitter updates, won an award for the best microblog in Russia from ROTOR, a jury that decides on the year’s best internet resources. The microblog, whose real keeper is unknown, pokes fun at government statements on current affairs in a self-deprecating diary of corruption and poverty in Russia. At press time it had nearly 34,000 followers. twitter.com/kermlinrussia
Alan Myers, a British translator of Russian literature, died in August at the age of 77. Myers worked for most of his life in Britain as a teacher and interpreter and turned to literary translation after retiring, earning critical acclaim for his translation of Dostoyevsky’s The Idiot. He also translated notable Russian essays and poetry, including poems by Joseph Brodsky, who dedicated one of his books to Myers and his wife.
Workers doing routine heating pipe replacement work in the basement of Russia’s State Statistics Service building on Myasnitskaya street in Moscow found an ancient sarcophagus containing human remains, after they broke through a brick wall. Police called in archaeologists for further inspection. The Statistics Service is in a building designed by Le Corbusier and constructed in the 1930s.
International said that previous efforts to economize had led to a 250% increase in the number of government workers, to a quantity higher than under the Soviet Union.
“In the larger scheme, this is similar to Soviet-era anonymous denunciations … How is it different from the Stalin era? Back then, to lock someone up, the NKVD demanded that the note be written by a neighbor. In our times, the ones who are writing the notes and putting people in prison are the same. In other words, it’s all combined. You know, it’s actually a well-advanced system…” Yelena Baturina, left, wife of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who was summarily fired. (The New Times)
“In the larger scheme, this is similar to Soviet-era anonymous denunciations … How is it different from the Stalin era? Back then, to lock someone up, the NKVD demanded that the note be written by a neighbor. In our times, the ones who are writing the notes and putting people in prison are the same. In other words, it’s all combined. You know, it’s actually a well-advanced system…”
Yelena Baturina, left, wife of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who was summarily fired. (The New Times)
“Many American agents made their careers on me. They couldn’t catch bin Laden; it was simpler to catch Bout, who was not hiding anywhere.”
Viktor Bout, awaiting possible eviction to the US from Thailand. (gazeta.ru)
“Those who drink vodka, who smoke – they help out the state more. If you smoke a pack of cigarettes – it means you contribute more money to solving social problems.”
Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, left, on the virtues of the excise tax. (Interfax)
“The essence of this project is to create a new concentration camp named ‘Russia,’ which will be managed by a united criminal group called either the militia or police, it’s not important which.”
Duma Deputy Andrei Makarov at a roundtable discussion of the new law “On Police.” (Forbes Russia)
“In 30 years there won’t be any developing countries in the world. That’s what I think. There will only be developed countries and eternally undeveloped ones.”
Opposition politician Grigory Yavlinsky. (Itogi)
“Dmitry Anatolyevich is doing a quality job in his post. Why would I interfere? It’s not a hobby. I don’t see anything that should evoke any sort of fear.”
Vladimir Putin, denying he intervenes in presidential matters. (Interfax)
“We are not responsible. You won’t find us anywhere in the Forest Code.”
Sergei Shoigu, left, on responsibility for fighting wildfires in Russia. (Prime-TASS)
“He has truly become a political animal, a real politician. How does a professional politician differ from a non-professional? He makes everything into his personal public relations… He wants very much to be loved. Of course, when women from Nizhny Novgorod cursed at him, it was very unpleasant for Vladimir Vladimirovich. Because Putin loves to be loved!”
Alexei Venediktov, chief of Echo Moskvy radio, on Putin and his PR stunts in a summer of wildfires, including in Nizhny Novgorod region. (Sobesednik newspaper)
“Putin, in some respect, has the mentality of a street ringleader, while I have always been a straight-A student, the best in the class.”
Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, left. (GQ Russia magazine)
A fire engulfed a church at a monastery in Ganina Yama, where the Romanov family was shot in 1918. The monastery was preparing for an anniversary celebration in September when a fire destroyed its main church of the Holy Czarist Martyrs. Wildfires destroyed millions of hectares of forest and dozens of villages in Russia this summer, but it was not clear what sparked the fire at Ganina Yama, a major pilgrimage center in the Urals (see Russian Life July/Aug 2009).
Yevgenia Kanayeva grabbed the gold for Russia and defended her all-around title in September’s Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, held in Moscow. Kanaeva rebounded after failing to qualify for the finals in the ribbon event. “I made a mistake,” Kanaeva said. “It is necessary to concentrate, to not be nervous, to do your best. I would like to perform better in my motherland.” She went on to please the crowd with her apparatus routine with the ball (getting a near-perfect score of 29.35) and won gold in that event and in the hoop event. “I’m very, very happy,” Kanaeva said. “I’m glad I didn’t let my coach down.” Daria Kondakova placed second overall (and took gold in the rope event), and Melitina Stanyuta from Belarus came third.
Russian tennis showed its mettle at 2010 US Open. Vera Zvonareva reached her second Grand Slam final in a row (after Wimbledon), succumbing in a lop-sided final to Belgium’s Kim Clijsters (6:1, 6:3). Mikhail Youzhny went through to the semis for the second year running, losing to the eventual winner, Spain’s Rafael Nadal.
In the Open’s juniors category (under 18), the girls’ final was an all-Russian affair, with 16-year-old Daria Gavrilova (ranked #1) defeating 15-year-old Yulia Putintseva (#21) 6:3, 6:2. Gavrilova won gold at the Youth Olympics in Singapore a fortnight prior and is the second Russian to win the US Open junior title in the past five years (after Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in 2006).
Dick Advocaat, Russia’s new head coach of the national soccer squad, set the team a goal of scoring six points in its first two qualifying matches in the UEFA Euro 2012 tourney. But the team came up short, delivering a lackluster win (2-0) over Andorra, then losing to Slovakia (1-0).
But key wins against Ireland (3-2) and Macedonia (1-0) followed, pushing Russia to the top slot in its qualifier group. With an accumulated 9 points and a 3-1 record, the Russian team settles in for the winter break with hopes that its long national soccer nightmare may be over.
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has been re-elected president of FIDE (Federation Internationale des Echecs, “World Chess Federation”) by that body’s General Assembly. Ilyumzhinov received 95 votes to 55 for former World Chess Champion Anatoly Karpov. Ilyumzhinov has been president of FIDE since 1995; his new term runs through 2014.
A few weeks prior to the FIDE vote, Ilyumzhinov announced he would be stepping down as president of Kalmykia, a Russian republic on the Caspian Sea. Ilyumzhinov, 48, has been president of Kalmykia since 1993. The announcement, made on the president’s website, originally said Ilyumzhinov had resigned, but then was changed to “Kirsan requests not to be nominated as President of Kalmykia, in order to focus on FIDE.” The face-saving move, observers speculated, was to avoid being ousted. Of late, the Kremlin has been cleaning its regional “Aegean stables,” forcing many long-time leaders of Russian republics to step down at the end of their terms, including Murtaza G. Rakhimov of Bashkortostan, Eduard Rossel of Sverdlovsk Oblast and Mintimer Shaimiyev of Tatarstan, to say nothing of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who was fired (see page 7). Presidents of republics within Russia are appointed and serve at the discretion of the Kremlin. Ilyumzhinov’s term was due to expire in October 2010.
As Ilyumzhinov’s replacement, President Dmitry Medvedev has proposed Alexey Orlov, formerly the first deputy prime-minister of Kalmykia. Orlov is also, however, closely involved in the world of chess. He is the Honorary President of the World Chess Foundation, was the Co-Chairman of the Organizing Committee of matches such as Karpov-Kamsky and Kasparov-Deep Junior, was actively involved in organizing the 33rd World Chess Olympiad in Elista in 1998, the World Chess Championship in the Kremlin (2001), and the chess tournament RUS vs. rest of the World.
Russia won first place in Greco-Roman and Freestyle wrestling, snagging 16 medals at the World Championships held in Moscow in September. Of the 16, there were 5 golds, 3 silver and 8 bronze. Japan placed second, with 8 medals, and Bulgaria came third (3 medals). Japan won the most medals in women’s wrestling events, however (3 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medal), while Russia placed sixth.
In 2010, the Strasbourg court of human rights received 42,580 complaints from Russian citizens, and looked at 5264 cases, making court decisions on 310. Most complaints had to do with human rights violations (Article 5 of the European Convention). Complaints about use of torture and absence of a fair trial were the second and third most common suits.
Russia has the highest youth homicide rates in Europe, followed by Albania and Kazakhstan. The rate of violent deaths for individuals aged 10-29 is 15.85 per 100,000 persons. The lowest rates among the 53 European countries are in Germany, Armenia, and Austria.
Bureaucrats are most expensive in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Moscow region, with Moscow’s deputies, judges, and government officials costing R21.6 billion in 2009. Yet this was still just 1.9% of the total government budget. Meanwhile, in the Caucasus republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Ingushetia, bureaucrat salaries comprised 10.4% and 10.2% of the budget. The Jewish Autonomous republic, Kalmykia and Altai had the lowest salary costs, in percentage terms.
The 3,000,000th internet domain name was registered in the .ru zone in September. RuNet registrations passed one million registrations in 2007 and two million in March 2009. The .ru zone is the world’s sixth largest in terms of registered domain names.
The Finance Ministry has a plan to cut 5% of government workers by April 1, 2011, and up to 20% by April 1, 2013. The measures are meant to make government spending more efficient, saving R40 billion over three years. Observers were skeptical, however. Transparency International said that previous efforts to economize had led to a 250% increase in the number of government workers, to a quantity higher than under the Soviet Union.
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