Notebook

“Will the Real Boris...”

Communist duma deputy Alexander Saly told Moskovsky Komsomolets that he believes Russian President Boris Yeltsin has a manufactured doppelganger. Through analysis of some 1500 photos of the president, Saly said it is become clear that a “new Yeltsin” has been appearing now and again since the presidential election of 1996. Ear shapes are different and the “new” Yeltsin is not less shy about showing his hand with two missing fingers. Saly has asked the Prosecutor General office to look into the case.

“Mayor” gets 6 years

Andrei Klimentiev, the businessman with a criminial record who won the March elections in Nizhny Novgorod was sentenced to 6 years in jail. Klimentiev was found guilty of corrupting officials and embezzling a Russian Finance Ministry hard currency loan to Nizhny NovgorodÕs Oka shipbuilding plant. The Kremlin annulled the results of the election won by Klimentiev on the grounds that legal procedures were violated.

New fives

The Russian Central Bank launched into circulation the new five ruble note. It is the last in the series of new notes issued since late last year (see photo).

Tenor cut in stone

A monument to the great Russian tenor Ivan Kozlovksy was unveiled at Novodevichy cemetery. The bust of the famous tenor, by sculptor Yuri Orekhov, was ordered by the Moscow Mayor’s office. Ivan Kozlovsky was a star at the Bolshoy for many decades and continued to sing at a very advanced age. Music lovers will recall his famous performance of the Russian romance, Ya vstretil vas (“I met you”), and his arias in operas like Yevgeny Onegin.

Richest Russians

Forbes magazine has dubbed Vladimir Potanin, head of the Interros holding company, the richest Russian -- worth an estimated $1.6 billion -- and the 186th richest person on earth. Close behind (in relative terms) were Rem Vyakhirev ($1.4 billion), head of Gazprom, and Vagit Alekperov ($1.2 bn), head of Lukoil.

Makanin gets Pushkin

Sixty-year-old writer Vladimir Makanin, who already won the prestigous Booker literary prize two years ago received another major Russian literary prizes - the Pushkin Prize, founded by the German Foundation of A. Tepfer. The official statement of the jury accompanying the DM 40,000 prize said: “having begun to write in the 1960s, Makanin has preserved an enviable independence from any market situation ... his proze is characterized by vivid spontaneity and, at the same time, a crystal clear rationalism.Ó Makanin is known for such novels as Precursor, and his newest novel is titled Underground.

Russian stamp best

The Russian stamp featuring the icon of the Our Lady of Kazan (Bogomater kazanskaya) was recognized as the most beautiful stamp emission in Europe. The stamp features the 1894 icon and an icon lamp (1880-1890s) (see photo).

Bronze Cop

St. PetersburgÕs authorities unveiled monument to a Russia’s gorodovoy (city policeman). The bronze statue of the gorodovoy, according to Russia’s Interior Minister, symbolizes Òlaw enforcement and the best of the 280-year traditions of Russian city policemen.” The bronze monument, which was given to the city by the local branch of the Ministry of the Interior, commemorated three dates: the 295th anniversary of St. Petersburg, the 200th anniversary of the Russian Interior Ministry and the 280th anniversary of Peter the GreatÕs decree providing for the creation of an institute for city policemen. St. Petersburg was the first Russian city to revive such an institute after 1991.

Boris and Helmut

According to the international press, during his two-day summit with Helmut Kohl, Boris Yeltsin said that he shares feelings of Òmasculine loveÓ with Kohl. ÒWe are meeting for the fourth time over the last year already. This is what masculine love is,Ó Yeltsin said in Germany. Earlier this year, Presidential Spokesman Sergei Yastrzhembsky advised the press not to take the president’s statements literally ...

Russian Torquemada?

Observers are comparing the new head of the Federal Tax Service, Boris Fedorov, to the 15th century Spanish inquisitor, Thomas Torquemada. Torquemada would draw up lists of the richest Spaniards, then torture those on the list (often to death) as a means to filling state coffers. Fedorov has promised to set up a database of over 1,000 top Russian earners to monitor their tax-paying practices. Kommersant Daily published a list of such people, which included ex-Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. Ironically, commentators believe some “New Russians” might even pay to be included in the prestigious list. Fedorov also promised to target expatriate defaulters. Fedorov estimates that foreigners, including many financial executives, owe several billion dollars in unpaid taxes. ÒOur big friends who advise us to improve tax collection do not pay taxes in this country,Ó he said at a Moscow press-conference.

Lying with Stats

Head of the Russian State Committee on Statistics, Yuri Yurkov has been arrested along with several of his senior deputies on suspicion of selling confidential information and helping large companies to evade taxation. The Federal Security Service alleges that Yurkov led a ring of over 20 people, which has embezzled Òtens of millions of dollarsÓ since 1994. Searches of Yurkov’s apartment, and those of his two major accomplices turned up a large amount of jewelry and some $1.5 million in cash. Prosecutors said they had evidence that Yurkov and his ring took bribes to understate the output of major companies in official reports supplied to the State Tax Service and other federal agencies. Yurkov and his accomplices also apparently sold valuable confidential information on major companies to their rivals. Yurkov and one accomplice have supplied written confessions.

Lukoil in America

The Russian company Lukoil has opened a representation in New York. ÒOur company is entering the worldÕs biggest market,” said Lukoil President Vagiz Alekperov. “Which means we will be in direct contact with our American shareholders, which own a rather substantial stake in Lukoil ...Ó Six Lukoil gas stations have already been opened in the US. Lukoil plans to open 500+ US stations in the next 7-10 years.

Dollar disfavor?

In April 1998, Russians’ savings in bank deposits, securities and cash grew to 291.1 billion rubles (vs. R281.8 billion in January). According to the Russian State Committee on Statistics, bank deposits in Russia account for 55.2 % of all savings. Savings in cash decreased in March from R95.4 bn to R94.6 bn. Purchases of US dollars has been on a gradual decline. At the same time, consumer spending on goods and services increased in the first quarter to 76.6% of total Russian national income (vs. 68.9% in the first quarter of last year).

Sheremetevo Shuttle

Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has ordered the design of a 120 kmh rail line between the city and Sheremetevo I and II airports. the cost of such a rail link is estimated at just under $1 billion. If construction begins next year as planned, the line would be completed by 2004. Such a service is in sharp contrast to present public transport options, which now requires taking a metro, then transferring to a bus. Investment for the project is expected to come from city coffers, as yet unidentified foreign investors and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Rus’ Shrinking

According to the latest data, RussiaÕs population has now fallen to 146.6 million persons. Natural population decrease is cited as the main reason for the decline -- emigration counts for just 38% of the fall. During the first quarter of 1998 the country’s population shrunk by 124,900 persons; in 1997 it decreased by 388,300. This despite the fact that the death rate is declining: 554,700 people died in Russia in the first quarter of 1997, vs. 514, 400 in the first quarter of 1998. The culprit is the birth rate: only 312,900 Russians were born in the first quarter of 1998 (4,200 fewer than in the same period of 1997).

Director in stone

A monument to the eminent Russian musical director and teacher Natalya Satz (1903-1993) was unveiled in Moscow alongside the State Academic ChildrenÕs Musical Theater, where Satz once worked as a director. The theater, located at Universitet metro station not far from Moscow State University and the New Circus, is famous for its remarkable musical plays for children, directed by Satz, such as Madame Butterfly, The Snowmaiden, 12th Night and the famous ballet Blue Bird, the score for which was written by SatzÕ father, Ilya Satz.

Border Tax Redux

In November of last year, Russia’s Constitutional Court ruled that a border tax could only be imposed by federal law. So, in June, the Russian Duma passed a law setting a border tax of about $10 payable by all persons departing Russia. The law must be approved by the Federation Council and signed by President Yeltsin to become law.

Adoption Update

Meanwhile, in an update to Russian Life’s June/July story on adoption, the Duma has passed its new adoption legislation, including a provision that allows foreign adoption agencies to work in Russia only if their home country has signed a bilateral agreement with Russia.

Soccer player in bronze

A monument to a legendary Soviet soccer star of the 1950s-1960s, Eduard Streltsov, was unveiled in Friendship Alley in Luzhniki stadium. StreltsovÕs monument joins bronze statues to the goalie Lev Yashin (Dinamo Moscow) and the Nikolai Starostin (Spartak). Streltsov, who played his entire career for Torpedo (Moscow), possessed filigreed technique and was dubbed the Russian Pele. Yet Streltsov, loved and venerated by millions of soccer fans in the Soviet Union, had a tragic life. He was sentenced in the 1960s to a prison term following conviction on charges of attempted rape after Streltsov and two other Russian soccer players invited three Russian girls to a dacha. Streltsov’s case was foggy and highly controversial at the time, and still raises controversy and arguments among soccer fans and in the Russian press. Then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev personally intervened in the case and allegedly dismissed the notion of pardoning Streltsov, deciding instead to make this a showcase of how Soviet law applies to all, including soccer stars. After serving six years in prison, Streltsov, thanks to his unparalleled talent, staged an impressive comeback and was even selected for the USSR national team. The unveiling of the statue (with the personal involvement of Moscow Mayor and soccer afficionado Yuri Luzhkov) is seen here as a continued rehabilitation -- if not a repentant gesture -- towards the legendary star who pleaded his innocence until his dying day.

Spartak wins Cup

Moscow’s Spartak won the Russian Soccer Cup Final, beating its nemesis Lokomotiv 1-0. This offered sweet revenge: two years ago the Lokomotiv beat Spartak 3-2 in the final. The single goal of the match was scored by Andrei Tikhonov, whose long-range shot deflected off a Lokomotiv defender and past goalkeeper Ruslan Nigmatulin (formerly second string goalie for Spartak) with just two minutes remaining. This luckily deflection filled TikhonovÕs and his team with joy (see picture). Unfortunately for Spartak fans, the season also ended in a loss: Captain Dmitry Alenichev will be leaving Spartak after signing a $5 million contact with the Italian club Roma.

Safin Climbs

Eighteen-year-old Marat Safin has joined the ranks of the world’s top 100 players. Safin arrived at the 1998 French Open ranked 116th in the world, but finished the tournament with a ranking of 68th. After a series of tough qualifying matches, Safin became the first ??? ever to dethrone the defending Paris Open champion -- Brazil’s Gustavo Kuerten, which was after Safin upset Andre Agassi in five sets. He then defeated Daniel Vacek of the Czech Republic, only to lose in the quarterfinals to France’s Cedric Pioline, who had the distinct benefit of a feverish home crowd. SafinÕs success in Paris helped him secure a wild card berth at Wimbledon -- he had missed the deadline for applications and was the only non-British player to receive one of the five wild card offers.

Fedorov leads Detroit

Russian hockey star Sergei Fedorov led the Detroit Red Wings to victory over the Washington Capitals in the finals of the Stanley Cup. Soon after his impressive performance in Nagano, Fedorov re-signed with Detroit (see RL ???), making the “Russian Five” -- Fedorov, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Igor Larionov, Vyacheslav Fetisov and Dmitry Mironov -- an unstoppable force. To boot, Fedorov received a $28 million bonus for helping his team to make it to the semifinals. The win made this DetroitÕs second consecutive win in the Stanley Cup. The most touching moment in the win, however, can when Eduard Mnatskanov and defender Vladimir Konstantinov, the latter in a wheelchair, toured the ice-rink with the trophy. Mnatsakanov, Konstantinov and Fetisov were injured in a car accident last year, but only Fetisov has fully recovered.

Coach Axed

Boris Ignatiev, the battered coach of the Russian national soccer team tendered his lomg-awaited resignation after a series of critical articles in the Russian press. Ignatiev has been under fire ever since Russia fell short of making it into the finals of the World Cup Soccer Championship in Paris, the first time this has happened since 1978. Mikhail Gershkovich, one-time coach of the national youth team, was appointed acitng coach.