Russia
Feature
Mrs. Medvedeva
Russia’s next first lady?
BEYOND
She’s more than meets
the eye
THE HEADLINES
P.08
US Edition
Russia After Russia’s Top
Distributed with
Putin... Ten List
This pull-out is produced and published
Experts share thoughts Russian corpora-
by Rossiyskaya Gazeta (Russia) and did not involve on his legacy and the tions are going
the news or editorial departments of The Washington Post
country’s future international
Wednesday
January 30, 2008
P.05 P.02
Remarkable Russians Each month, RBTH will
Medvedev’s First Putin Sets His
profile a leading figure of contemporary Russia
Term: Will it Equal Sights Beyond
Russia’s Own
Putin’s Third? Russia
Opera Star
Russian poet Evgeny cupy after stepping down from
Evtushenko once stated that the presidency).
“in Russia, a poet is more This is the most interesting
than just a poet.” Vladimir facet of his current predica-
Putin echoed these words in ment. The President has not
his inauguration speech in revealed the motivation behind
2000, declaring: “a Russian his decision to exchange the
president is more than just a role of a ‘popularity god’ for one
president.” Putin spent the of a simple bureaucrat. The
next eight years realizing tasks associated with a Rus-
this conviction, debunking sian Prime Minister – traveling
all the myths that somebody around the country, supervis-
so closely tied to Yeltsin’s ing social programs, reporting
entourage could not rise to to the new president – seem
become a genuinely popular mostly mundane and routine
national leader. compared to those of a presi-
dent. GRIGORY SYSOEV_ITAR-TASS
MARINA VOLKOVA / POLITICS EDITOR
Putin’s decision to submit him-
ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA self to these chores seems log-
MOSCOW
ical only under two scenarios. Following Time magazine’s made several fundamental
First, the new President could announcement, the Russian decisions that would come to
In an attempt to predict Rus- resign at some point in the fu- weekly Expert also named define Russia’s future role as
sia’s course over the upcoming ture. New elections would be Vladimir Putin its Person of a country with European cul-
four years, political experts scheduled within three months, the Year, giving him credit for ture and a global influence.
began asking the question and Putin’s participation in Russia’s resurgence in global The first important step in this
“who are you, Mr. Medvedev?” them would fully comply with politics. direction was Putin’s Munich
immediately upon his nomina- the constitution. However, this speech on February 10, 2007,
tion by Putin to become the course of events seems a little Time magazine recently in which he defined the pillars
next President. This question extravagant, even for Putin. He named Russian president of Russia’s new foreign poli-
was reminiscent of the “who has repeatedly said that mak- Vladimir Putin its Person of the cy. He told the West (the U.S.
are you, Mr. Putin?” that domi- ing plans for a return to the Year for his efforts at stabilizing directly, and Europe indirect-
nated political airwaves eight presidency, especially in Rus- his country. In Russia, the busi- ly) that a single country could
years ago. sia, is a futile task. For this rea- ness weekly Expert gave Putin not justifiably dictate its will to
The role of a leader’s personal- son, the second scenario is the same title, but for a different others, even with tacit agree-
ity has enjoyed much greater more likely: Putin could as- reason: Expert credited Putin ment from the “silent majori-
historical significance in Rus- sume the job temporarily to with extending his influence far ty.” He argued that global sta-
sia than in the West. Putin’s re- smoothen the transition to a beyond Russia’s geographical bility was only possible if
cent development of a ‘vertical new national leader, thereby and political borders. countries were ready to con-
power structure,’ which placed pacifying the security struc- In 2007, Putin most vividly re- sider the interests of others
most important decisions ex- tures and other members of vealed his skills as a policy- when implementing their own
clusively in the hands of the the elite. maker: his readiness to take political strategy. He also re-
chief executive, greatly in- This has already happened at serious risks, his ability at affirmed, citing instability all
creased the dependence of the least once during Putin’s ten- backing a rival into a political over the world, Russia’s mili-
entire state apparatus on the ure as president: in 2000, he corner with a mutually advan- tary-strategic potential.
president. Putin is not interest- appointed Dmitry Medvedev tageous proposal and his will- Before Munich, Putin had tried
ed in destabilizing this align- First Deputy Chief of the Presi- ingness to act unilaterally. to compromise with the West.
ment of forces and, for this rea- dential Administration. After a This drive caused many to After Munich, the situation
son, his choosing a successor four year “training course,” doubt that Putin would aban- changed dramatically: Rus-
followed the six ‘do nots’ of Medvedev had developed his don the Russian presidency in sian strategic aviation re-
power transfer in Russia: do own style of leadership and 2008. For many years, ordi- sumed long-distance patrol-
not violate the course followed was promoted to head the ad- nary people and experts alike ling of its air space, while the
by the previous leader, do not ministration. During the years discussed how and when he Russian navy went on several
ruin relations with either the that he ran the show in the would make his move to hold far-flung missions for the first
East or the West, do not allow Kremlin (2003-2005), the coun- on to power. Even after first time in many years. Putin con-
the country to slide back in his- try also changed significantly deputy Prime Minister Dmitry tinued this independent
tory, do not allow a fragmenta- as government objectives were Medvedev received Putin’s course during negotiations
tion of the country’s elite, do transformed to focus on high personal blessing to become with the West over Kosovo,
not allow a security threat to levels of economic growth and the next president, not every- Iran, and North Korea.
develop (either to the country, development. The same will one was convinced. This was During the summer, Putin
or to the leader) and do not happen after the March elec- understandable for Russians, made a trip to Guatemala to
choose a successor obsessed tions; Medvedev’s first term will whose political history is dom- attend a session of the Inter-
with personal power. Dmitry not be a continuation of Putin’s inated by Czars and General national Olympic Committee.
Medvedev fits all the criteria, second term.
-
Secretaries who tried to hold His efforts paid off: Russia’s
especially when he is backed on to power at all costs. candidate city, Sochi, was
by Putin in the Prime Minister’s
FOR MORE ON THIS TOPIC
In fact, Putin was trying to chosen to host the 2014 Win-
seat (a post he promised to oc-
READ ON PAGES 5, 8
meet a more important chal- ter Olympics.
PHOTOGRAPH BY TERRENCE MCCARTHY lenge than simply maintaining
his influence. In 2007, he CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Last November, Musical Named as one of Time maga- it that Mariinsky director Valeri
America named Russian zine’s Top 100 Artists for 2007, Gergiev discovered her talent
Opera singer Anna Netrebko Anna Netrebko has taken the when she was mopping the
its “Musician of the Year,” opera world by storm, although floor. This is a myth, but her
Business:
describing her as “a genuine her rise to fame began rather entry into the Mariinsky school
superstar for the 21st modestly. Born in a Russian was no less conventional. Ne-
century.” In doing so, the provincial center of Krasnodar, trebko was propelled to the top Oil: Black Gold
magazine placed the young Anna Netrebko has risen to the of the opera scene without the
soprano in the same league heights of international stardom required credentials to study in or Black Death?
as Placido Domingo, Marilyn through a rags to riches story al- the St. Petersburg Conserva-
Horne, Karita Mattila, most befitting a Hollywood film. toire: at the age of 23, she Experts on whether high prices
Beverly Sills and Leontyne When she came to study in St. played the leading role in Glin- could lead to inflation and a global
Price. However, unlike these Petersburg, Netrebko earned ka’s “Ruslan and Lyudmila.” economic slowdown
stars, Netrebko traces her money as a cleaning lady at the
roots to Southern Russia. Mariinsky Theatre. Legend has CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 DMITRY ASTACHOV TURN TO PAGE 3
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