Overheard

“Мне предъявляют просто невероятное обвинение. Когда я читал его, я не знал, что делать. Плакать? Смеяться? Громко возмущаться? Правда, не знаешь, как на такое реагировать. Это как будто быть обвиненным в том, что копал тоннель от Лондона до Бомбея.”

“The accusation they are making against me is simply unbelievable. When I read it, I didn’t know what to do – Cry? Laugh? Loudly express my indignation? Really, you don’t know how to react. It’s as if I’m being accused of digging a tunnel from London to Mumbai.”

– Theater and film director Kirill Serebrennikov, who has been put under house arrest on charges of defrauding the state of $1 million in arts funding that he says was fully spent on critically acclaimed and award-winning productions. (Moskovsky Komsomolets)

“Оказалось, неправильно работает защита от птиц. Есть такая известная птица — баклан, которая своим мощным клювом разрушает цельность светоотражающей пленки.”

“Turns out the bird defense system is not working properly. There is a well-known bird called the cormorant that uses its massive beak to destroy the integrity of the reflective membrane.”

– Igor Albin, vice governor of St. Petersburg, explaining why the über-expensive Zenith Arena stadium’s roof has started leaking.
(Sport Every Day newspaper)

“Михаил Калашников – это в какой-то степени Кулибин XX в., воплощение самых лучших черт русского человека.”

“Mikhail Kalashnikov was to a certain extent a Kulibin of the twentieth century, the embodiment of a Russian’s best traits.”

– Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky, comparing the creator of the AK-47 rifle to legendary eighteenth century inventor, Ivan Kulibin. (Interfax)

“The state should have a monopoly over violence. And by withdrawing the direct connection between the people who perpetrate violence and the Kremlin – which sanctions it, but does not order it – it is renouncing control.”

– Russian journalist Yulia Latynina, on why she left Russia after a string of attacks on her home by unknown “activists” whom the authorities have been reluctant to stop. (The Moscow Times)

“Современные средства и способы определения допинга развиваются настолько стремительно, а глубина проверки 10 лет настолько велика, что в ближайшее время ‘грязные’ спортсмены будут идентифицированы и закончат свою карьеру. Одна из наших задач – как раз достучаться и объяснить, что это невыгодно.”

“Modern instruments and methods to detect doping are developing very quickly, and the 10-year scope of discovery is so huge that very soon all ‘dirty’ athletes will be identified and end their careers. One of our tasks is to get through to them and explain that this is not in their interest.”

– Newly-appointed chief of Russia’s anti-doping agency RUSADA Yury Ganus, on how he plans to eradicate doping and reinstate the agency’s international standing after a string of doping scandals and disqualifications. (R-Sport agency)