Vladimir Putin

Russia celebrates Nazi Germany – by accident

Julien — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:54:21 +0200

The end of WWII is celebrated on May 9 in Russia. Since Putin came to power, the event has become increasingly more commercial. But this year, it went a step too far, when eager party-goers put up Nazi symbols in place of Soviet war imagery.

"Medvedev is the one who’s really in power"

Julien — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:29:38 +0200

The Western press reacted cynically to the inauguration of Russia's new president, Dmitry Medvedev, who has been considered a puppet of outgoing president - and now Prime Minister - Vladimir Putin since being elected in March. However, a political analyst in the country and harsh critic of the ruling party, tells us why the idea is entirely speculative.

"The West has a twisted vision of Russia"

Julien — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:42:53 +0200

Dimitri Medvedev was inaugurated as Russia's new president today. Evguenia Obitchkina, an international relations lecturer in Moscow, explains that the conflict between Russia and the West might have more to do with the hydrocarbon trade than human rights.

Even school children support Medvedev

Julien — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:40:05 +0100

Russian tabloid Express Gazeta organized a drawing competition all across Russia to support President Valdimir Putin's successor, Dmitry Medvedev. These drawings, published three days before the presidential election, are strangely reminiscent of personality cults from the Soviet era.

About 1000 kids participated in the contest called "draw the president." Every single drawing was about Dmitry Medvedev. These drawings have been displayed in Moscow since Feb. 26. The first contest prize : laptop. The second : a Smartphone. the third : a teddybear.

“Med erm, Medeved… Meded-deva…whatever…”

Julien — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:06:03 +0100

Questioned Tuesday about the name of Putin’s successor in a televised debate with Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton faltered to pronounce the name. “Med erm, Medeved… Meded-deva… whatever…” Russian Blogger Alexander Kireev was not impressed.

The Kremlin’s ‘pet democrat’ tells us how to get through the system

Julien — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:25:10 +0100

As the ruckus of the American primaries rambles on, the less noisy wheels of the Russian presidential elections are also in motion. While four applicants were accepted as candidates, the People's Democratic Union leader and former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov - a known rival of Putin- was declined for having forged 13% of the two million required signatures. The only supposedly ‘different' candidate who managed to get through the rigid process was Andrei Bogdanov, little known leader of the little known Russian Democratic Party. A former member of Putin's ruling United Russia Party, and hoping for 3.5% of the vote ‘if lucky'; the candidate doesn't offer much competition. However, the Putin fan denies being a stooge for the president. Our Observer for Russia spoke to him about why he, and not Kasyanov, managed to become a candidate.

Justice is dogged for former Yukos executive

Julien — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:07:32 +0100

Thirty-five year old Vasiliy Aleksanyan is a former executive for the Russian oil giant Yukos, which the Russian government has been persecuting for the past few years. Aleksanyan also served as acting Vice President for 6 days before he was arrested. Like his previous boss the oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, he was accused of tax evasion and money laundering. For the past two years he has been awaiting trial in prison. Aleksanyan is dying of AIDS, but the authorities refuse to allow him to be hospitalised. He says that the prosecution offered to free him if he testified against former heads of Yukos. Well-known antagonists of Putin's Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev are already serving prison sentences.

Despite a decision by the European Court of Human Rights to hospitalise Vasiliy Aleksanyan in November last year, the Russian Supreme Court declared on 22 January that he would remain in prison. According to his lawyer, Aleksanyan could soon be facing a death sentence if he doesn't receive aid.