Russia: Moscow Planetarium Needs To Be Saved!

Hello,

I found this sad situation about a Planetarium in Moscow that seems to be loosing the battle to greedy people......
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Opened in 1929 the futuristic silver-domed Moscow Planetarium has been closed for repairs since 1994. Plans to reopen the landmark structure, shut shortly after the Soviet collapse, are mired in a years-long conflict for control over its real estate.

The conflict took a startling turn last week when staffers say about 20 uniformed men forced their way onto the grounds, beat an unarmed employee and proclaimed that a new boss was in charge.

The space-age cupola of the planetarium, which opened in 1929, embodied the Utopian dreams of a nation that saw science as the key to a glorious future.

Now it stands as a symbol of an era in which millions of Russians believe the good of society is routinely sacrificed to the commercial interests of bureaucrats and businessmen.

"It's shameful," said Anatoly Cherepashchuk, director of the Shternberg Astronomy Institute at Moscow State University. "It's no good when for 14 years all of Moscow and society suffer because of some disagreement among businessmen."

Link: To Article
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I am not sure why science has to take a back seat to money all the time........

Science Definition:

The word science comes from the Latin "scientia," meaning knowledge.

How do we define science? According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, the definition of science is "knowledge attained through study or practice," or "knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general laws, esp. as obtained and tested through scientific method [and] concerned with the physical world."

What does that really mean? Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena. The term science also refers to the organized body of knowledge people have gained using that system. Less formally, the word science often describes any systematic field of study or the knowledge gained from it.

What is the purpose of science? Perhaps the most general description is that the purpose of science is to produce useful models of reality.

Seems that Science helps make the world a better place.......

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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Russia: Moscow Mayor Upset Ukraine!

Hello,

The Mayor of Moscow. Yury Luzhkov. Has been barred from Ukraine. Seems he thinks that the ownership of a Russian naval base on Ukraine's Crimean peninsula needs to be transferred back to Russia.
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"Russian citizen Yury Luzhkov has been barred from entering Ukraine, starting on May 12, because, despite warnings he continued to call for actions that threaten Ukraine's national interests and territorial integrity," Ukraine's Security Service said in a statement.
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I am not sure that Yury Luzhkov really cares what Ukraine thinks about this. I understand that The Crimea wants to be a separate country from the Ukraine anyway.

So Yury can still enjoy the Crimean sunshine!

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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Russia: Victory Day, Inauguration & Classical Music!

Hello,

My Wife & I traveled once again to the center of Moscow. The center was quiet due to the inauguration for Medvedev. The Police force was out in full glory! I think that is a smart move on Moscow's part, in this day & age of people who have no morals when it comes to blowing up public places & things. Over the years Moscow has had its share of Metro, buses and other public buildings bombed by scrupulous people. (So better safe than sorry!)

Once again the Tourists were everywhere. I know that many would be disappointed because Red Square was closed for inauguration.

My wife & I went to a wonderful classical music concert in the Mirror Hall of the Institute of Art Criticism . It was made up of 3 violins, 1 cello and piano. The music was fantastic & suit our tastes perfect. We found this place the last time that we traveled to Moscow Center. The price was free and the music was priceless.
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Festival "Paying Homage to the Master". To the 90th birthday of Tatyana Gaidamovitch

The events of the festival "Paying Homage to the Master", dedicated to the 90th birthday of Tatyana Gaidamovitch (1918-2005) begin on May, 3, and last till May, 15, 2008. They will take place in the Moscow Conservatory halls, in the Stanislavsky music theatre and in the Mirror Hall of the Institute of Art Criticism.
http://www.mosconsv.ru/english/news.phtml?id=112
Link to Moscow Conservatory!
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Svet & I are talking about going this Saturday the 10th, to see another concert by the same men. They were that good!

Tomorrow is the 9th of May. (Victory Day) That means the biggest Holiday of all is going to happen in Russia. Russians have not forgotten about those who fought in WWII. This holiday commemorates that time in history.

This year Russia is going to revitalize the tradition of displaying military might at the Red Square. I wish that I could be there for this parade. Once again the center of Moscow will be quiet and peaceful. (except when the military jets fly over head.) Maybe my wife & I will sneak downtown to try to catch a glimpse of a Tank!

That would be cool! :)

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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Russia: Spring Has Sprung!

Hello,

Today while I was drinking my coffee and my wife was drinking Green Jasmine Tea, I was thinking about how beautiful Spring is in Moscow.

The sun is shinning, the temperature is 17 degrees Celsius, (62-63 F) The air is fresh and clear. The trees are leafing out, the daffodils , jonquils & tulips are in full bloom.

It is a beautiful day in Moscow, Russia.

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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Russia: Ducks!

Hello,

My wife found two neat songs and took some videos of ducks. I put them together & created a video. Svet likes it so much, I decided to put it on Windows To Russia. The original quality is much better and conversion to You-tube hurt the video but it still is very good.

Enjoy...



Music written by Peter Tchaikovsky. Found at LINK:

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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Russia: Spring Is Trying To Start!

Hello,

Moscow has been having some warm days, today has hit over 12.4 degrees C. That is about 54.2 degrees F. These are record temperatures for this time of the year. The previous record for March 25 was 12.2 degrees (53.9 F.) which was registered in 1973. The meteorological bureau said temperatures could climb even higher by the end of the day.

The trees are starting to bud out, and I expect to see flowers growing any time soon. Spring is here & I hope that Old Man Winter does not try to freeze the new growth.

I still think that he may be waiting around the corner..........

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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Russia: Moose In Moscow?

Hello,

This is Cool! I have heard of Cows and Bears in American cities. Never thought of a Moose running loose in a huge city like Moscow.....
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Wild moose 'on the run' in south Moscow industrial zone

19/03/2008 19:56 MOSCOW, March 19 (RIA Novosti) - A wild moose that strayed into an industrial zone in the south of Moscow is currently being sought by environmentalists and police, a police spokesman said on Wednesday.

The moose was initially discovered near a residential building on Varshavskoe Highway.

The animal disappeared into trees near a group of garages and is currently thought to be somewhere in the midst of an industrial zone surrounded by residential buildings, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.

Police are planning to catch the moose with the help of environmental specialists and to return it to its native habitat. Moscow Zoo employees are also at the scene.

Although Russia has the world's second largest moose population, with approximately 500,000 animals, moose are rarely seen in big cities as they inhabit forests and large parks, feeding on grass, plants, leaves and bark.

Moscow police said that the moose had not caused any trouble or damage to property.
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I hope that the Moose is caught and released safely.

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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Russia: Moscows Eiffel Tower!

Hello,

I came upon this article of what was a great Soviet Union Dream at one time. When I first saw this tower about a year ago I was struck in aw! It is huge, but it is less than half the size it should have been. I could not imagine if they had succeeded to get the steel to build the original plans.
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Fantastic Dreams for Moscow's Eiffel Tower

The prominent lattice-worked radio and television broadcasting tower on Moscow's Shabolovka Street - the Shukhov Tower, which was built at the start of the past century, has never been repaired or renovated during its almost 100-year history. Now, experts say this unique structure - designed by Vladimir Shukhov, an outstanding Russian engineer - is in a deplorable state. Vladimir Fyodo­rovich Shukhov, the designer's great grandson and foun­der of the Shukhov Tower Foun­dation, agreed to an interview, in which he speaks candidly about the tower reconstruction project, which includes some very interesting surprises, including the construction of an observation deck at the top of the tower.

Vladimir Fyodorovich, what is the status of the tower, one of Moscow's architectural landmarks?

Most international experts acknowledge the Shukhov Tower as one of the most beautiful and prominent achievements of engineering, a masterpiece of engineering art. But unless urgent measures are taken to save it right now, the tower may simply be lost within the next decade.

The tower, which served as support for radio and television antennas for 85 years, has never been renovated and is in poor repair. Unfortunately, nothing is being done to improve the situation.

Today, the tower is off limits to tourists or specialists: it is fenced off with barbed wire along the perimeter. I believe that this is tantamount to using barbed wire to fence off an area around Moscow's Kremlin, about 1 km wide, and showing visitors its beauty from a distance: "Now look at those little turrets - that's the Kremlin!"

Here, I need to say a few words about the tower's technical characteristics. My great grandfather was the first engineer in the world to use the lattice-style technique. Due to its latticed structure, the Shukhov Tower's steel shell is subject to minimum wind load, which is the main hazard for high-rise structures.

The lattice steel structure combines strength and lightness: three times less metal per unit of height was used on the Shukhov Tower than on the Eiffel Tower. It was projected to attain the height of 350 meters with a mass of just 2,200 tons, whereas the Eiffel Tower, with a height of 305 meters, weighs 7,300 tons. Due to a shortage of steel during the Civil War in Russia, the tower only reached a mere 148.5 meters.

The tower's round conical frame is comprised of six sections, 25 meters each. The lower section rests on a concrete foundation with a diameter of 40 meters, three meters deep. During its 85-year history the Shukhov Tower has served as a support for radio and TV station antennae. On March 19, 1922, the unique tower on Shabolovka went into operation.

In your view, what steps should be taken to preserve the tower?

The Shukhov Tower Foundation has for the past several years been campaigning to develop the area around the tower. European experience in the restoration of unique architectural structures requires that appropriate surrounding infrastructure. Presently, the tower is not being used according to its original function - i.e. to retransmit radio and TV signals. Therefore, it is necessary to approach its reconstruction in a comprehensive manner, integrating adjacent territory into the project. We believe that a scientific/art center named after Shukhov could be constructed around the tower - a modern business, technological and cultural complex.

The complex could comprise a business center, congress hall, a center of culture and arts, and possibly an interactive museum to Vladimir Shukhov and his followers. My great grandfather was an excellent photographer/artist: he has left behind about 2,000 high-quality photos on glass, which could be exhibited.

How could the tower be used in the future?

A small observation deck could be built on top of the tower, which must not, however, affect the lightness of the entire structure. The idea is only to build a small observation platform on the penultimate level, at 125 meters above the surface - just like the one on the Eiffel Tower. Another option is to provide "virtual excursions" to the tower's highest point - offering a panoramic view of Mos­cow: visitors will be able to admire the sights of the capital via video cameras attached to the top of the tower while sitting in a cafe on ground level.

What hampers the project's implementation?

The territory around the tower belongs to different organizations and agencies - for example, units of the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broad­casting Company (VGTRK).

Needless to say, until a decision concerning the use of the land around the tower is made at the state level, we cannot really consider attracting investors or launching the project. We already have investors who are interested in this project, but no one will want to sink money in developing a territory that belongs to a host of legal entities. Apart from its moot property status, the land under the tower is surrounded by a closely guarded belt, 50 to 300 meters wide, and it is almost impossible to come close to the tower as such.

In Paris, avenues and alleys lead to the famous Eiffel Tower, and tourists can walk around it at their leisure. For our tower to become a kind of a public attraction, it should be accessible with a recreational zone around it.

How much money is needed to carry out your project?

Before starting the work to restore the tower, it is necessary to examine it thoroughly. The last such examination was made more than five years ago. Its results indicate that the metal structure has aged and worn down considerably. But the situation is not catastrophic, and with modern technology the tower can be restored fairly quickly. At the same time, in order to determine concrete methods and the time frame for reconstruction, another, more detailed expert examination is needed. This requires more money than we have available at the moment.

In our estimate, such an examination may cost from 1 million to 3 million rubles ($40,000 to $120,000), but it turns out that the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network, on whose balance sheet the tower is listed, does not intend to provide these funds, since it has stopped using the tower as a retransmission facility. Our proposal is being considered by various bodies of legislative and executive power, but thus far without result.

I believe that the only agency that can get the project off the ground is the Moscow city government. The city authorities plan to create a tourist route, called Glass Street, which will be a pedestrian mall under a glass roof leading from Shabolovka Street to Europe Square at the Kiev railway terminal.

Since the Shukhov Tower is at the start of this route, the planners completely supported our concept for preserving the tower and incorporating it into the Glass Street project. Moscow City Hall realizes that making the Shukhov Tower into a tourist attraction will bring additional investment to the city treasury. But before the city government can take on the project, it is critical to transfer the tower and the adjacent area to city ownership.

Private investors could also be attracted to the project - both at home at abroad. Few people deny that the Shukhov Tower is in need of reconstruction, but on the other hand, the relevant agencies are doing little to put the plan into action.
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To allow this tower to deteriorate is a shame. Land marks like this are almost impossible to replace.

As we moderize our world we should not forget the past........

Moscow almost had a tower larger than the Eiffel Tower, Now that is Cool!

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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In Moscow: They will build The gigantic Tunnel!

This is 4.2 meter tunnel shield, Russia will have a 19 meter shield! WOW!

2-level tunnel to be driven below Kolomenskoe

The city authorities of Moscow plan to purchase one more tunneling system to drive a tunnel below Kolomenskoe mansion, Alexander Zemelman, president of JSC Metrogiprotrans, declared at a press conference on December 18, RIA Novosti reported.

“The capital [of Russia] authorities intend to purchase a 19-metre-diameter(62.34 ft.) tunnel shield from a German company for performing this work,” Mr Zemelman said.

He noted that JSC Metrogiprotrans would design, besides the tunnel, the approaches to it as well as a bridge over the Moskva River.

“The tunnel will link Proletarsky Avenue to Pechatniki district,” the company president added.

Mr Zemelman emphasized it would be the two-level tunnel.

“A road tunnel of the fourth ring road will be overlapped with the metro tunnel. The vehicle lanes will be located on the upper level and the metro line – on the lower level, this line is set to link Kashirskaya station to Pechatniki station,” the official concluded.
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(Original Article)
В Москве построят гигантский тоннель
Краснобогатырскую улицу и проспект Буденного свяжет тоннель, длина которого составит 3 км 207 м. По информации Департамента транспорта и связи столицы, он станет участком Северной рокады.

Дорога уйдет под землю на Краснобогатырской улице, пройдет под Преображенской и Семеновской площадями и выйдет на проспект Буденного после Семеновской улицы.

Напомним, что одновременное строительство Северной и Южной рокад заложено в Генплан развития Москвы до 2025г. Эти трассы станут своеобразными хордами и соединят противоположные районы Москвы.

Северная рокада начнется от трассы Москва - Санкт-Петербург в районе Левобережное и выйдет вдоль Октябрьской железной дороги на проспект Королева в сторону Преображенской и Семеновской площадей. Затем трасса уйдет в район Кожухово через Перово.

Южная рокада пройдет через улицу Обручева до Балаклавского проспекта, далее под железнодорожными путями и выйдет на Варшавское шоссе. Естественно, и здесь не обойдется без "супертоннеля", который пройдет под Борисовскими прудами. Его длина, согласно проекту, составит 4,5 километра.

Любопытно, что совсем недавно стало известно о намерении властей открыть еще один тоннель-гигант протяженностью 4,85 км. Он должен пройти под музеем-заповедником "Коломенское", через район Нагатинский Затон к станции "Печатники". Планируется, что благодаря такому строительству удастся облегчить передвижение по городу не только автомобилистам, но и пассажирам метрополитена (в плане заложено продление Каховской линии метро от станции "Каширская" до станции "Печатники").

По нижнему ярусу тоннеля будут следовать поезда метро. Верхний уровень предполагается отвести для автомобильного транспорта. Тоннель будет построен по тому же принципу, что и на Звенигородском шоссе под Серебряным бором, однако для автотранспорта он будет не трех-, а четырехполосным. Ширина полос автомобильного движения составит 3,75 м.

Таким образом, столичные власти замахнулись на весьма амбициозный проект: если замысел будет реализован, то этот подземный путь станет самым длинным городским тоннелем в Европе (сейчас это звание закреплено за тоннелем в Дублине, протянувшемся на 4,5 км).

Пока же самым длинным тоннелем в Москве считается Лефортовский. Его протяженность составляет 2150 м. Кроме того, он является самым широким в Европе: диаметр тоннеля составляет 14 метров.
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(Machine translation)
In Moscow: They will build The gigantic Tunnel!

Krasnobogatyrskuyu street and the prospectus of Budenniy will connect the tunnel, whose length will be 3 km of 207 m. according to the information of the department of transport and connection of the capital, it will become the section of northern belt road.

Road will leave go under the earth on The krasnobogatyrskoy street, it will pass under Preobrazhenskiy and By semenovskoy by areas and will leave the earth to the prospectus of Budenniy after Semenovskoy street.

Let us recall that the simultaneous building of northern and southern belt roads into the general plan of the development of Moscow to 202shchg. these routes will placed become unique chords and will connect the opposite regions of Moscow.

Northern belt road will begin from the route Moscow - Saint Petersburg in the region left-bank and will leave along the October railroad to Korolev's prospectus to Preobrazhenskiy's side and Semenovskoy of areas. Then route will leave into Kozhukhovo region through pointed. Southern belt road will traverse Obruchev's street to The balaklavskogo prospectus, further under the railway lines and will leave to the Warsaw highway.

Naturally, and here it will not manage without the "super-tunnel", which will pass under the Borisov ponds. Its length, according to project, will be 4,5 kilometers. It is interesting that very recently became known about the intention of authorities to open one additional tunnel- giant the length of 4,85 km it it must pass near the museum- preserve "Kolomna", through the region Nagatinskiy creek to the station "printers". It is planned, which because of this building will be succeeded in facilitating movement by the city not only for motorists, but also the passengers of the metro (in the plan placed the prolongation of Kakhovka subway line from "Kashira station" to the station "printers").

The subway trains will follow on the lower tier of tunnel. Upper level is intended to lead for the truck transport. Tunnel will be built on the same principle as on the Zvenigorod highway under silver boron; however, for the motor transport it will be not three -, but four-strip. Width of zones of automobile motion will be 3,75 m. Thus, capital authorities were swung back to the very project: if concept is realized, then this underground way will become the longest urban tunnel in Europe (now this title allotted for tunnel in Dublin, which was lengthened on 4,5 km). As the for the present longest tunnel in Moscow is considered Lefort. Its extent is 2150 m. furthermore, it is the widest in Europe: the diameter of tunnel composes 14 meters.
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Now this is cool!
Bear likes tunnels.

Kyle & Svet

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Russia: Womens International Gymnastics!

(all these countries were there)

Hello,

This last Saturday, 03-01-2008 my wife and I got to go to a fantastic Artistic Gymnastic Competition! I had a blast & from the look on my wifes face she had wonderful time also!

We set near a group of young ladies about 10 to 12 years old and they never let it be a dull moment. They cheered all contenders from any country! The USA was there as was 29 other countries!

The girls from the USA did not perform as well as I would like to have seen but the Russians gave the USA girls a very warm reception! That was nice.

Here is a video that my wife made of one of the contenders........


It was a wonderful competition & the girls gave their best!

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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Moscow Metro: Part 3

Hello,

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee & thinking about the article that I said I would write on the beautiful Moscow Metro! We have written Part 1 & Part 2 within the last month.
We also posted this video along time ago, on the beauty of the Moscow Metro.....

The video shows how beautiful the Moscow Metro is designed! The Moscow Metro has been called the Palace Under the Ground.....

This link is to a website with some beautiful mosaics....
Deineka mosaics on Mayakovskaya

We just let the pictures speak for themselves....



Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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Russia: Putins Speech!

Hello,

This is Putins last Speech from the:




February 8, 2008,
The Kremlin, Moscow

Speech at Expanded Meeting of the State Council on Russia’s Development Strategy through to 2020

PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN:

Citizens of Russia,

Colleagues,

As I come to the end of this second term in office as President of the Russian Federation I think that I should speak about what has been accomplished over these last years and set out our long-term vision of the future.

As you well remember, the country was in a very difficult situation eight years ago. We had gone through a default and people had seen their savings devalued. Terrorists unleashed a large-scale civil war before our very eyes, insolently invading Dagestan and blowing up homes in Russian cities.

But the people responded with neither despair nor fear. On the contrary, our people closed ranks and drew together. Not only our military but society itself rose up to defend Russia, to defend our territorial integrity. Doctors and teachers who had not been paid for months loyally performed their duties. Workers, engineers and businesspeople all continued their work, trying to haul the economy out of its state of stagnation and collapse.

People had a clear and sincere desire to make the state stronger and change the state of affairs in the country. Today, I would like once again to thank everyone who gave us their trust and support back then. I have always felt and seen this support very tangibly and without it we would not have been able to accomplish a thing.

It was the will of the people and their direct participation in Russia’s destiny that was the decisive force that enabled us to accomplish what we have over these last eight years....

* * *

I would like to take a closer look at the state the country was in during the second half of the 1990s and the beginning of this decade.

I remind you that the terrorists’ invasion of Dagestan was a direct consequence of Chechnya having essentially separated from Russia. We faced a situation where outside forces with an interest in weakening Russia and perhaps even bringing about its collapse were openly inciting the separatists.

In Chechnya itself a regime of terror was unleashed on the population, which saw civilians and religious authorities killed, a slave trade of which the local people were also victims, and hostage-taking. Emissaries from Al Qaeda oversaw terrorist training camps. The self-proclaimed ‘Congress of the Peoples of Ichkeria and Dagestan’ declared the goal of establishing a fundamentalist caliphate from the Black Sea to the Caspian.

Absolutely open preparations were going on to carry out aggression against Russia and seize its age-old territories.

What could we respond with?

Our armed forces were demoralized and not prepared for combat. Military servicemen received a pittance, which even then was not always paid on time. Equipment was becoming outdated at an alarming rate. Our defense industry, meanwhile, was choked by debts and its human resources and production base were shrinking.

Russia itself had become a ‘patchwork’ of territories. The majority of regions had laws that contradicted the Russian Constitution. Violations in some cases were simply flagrant. There were regions, for example, that defined their status as that of a ‘sovereign state associated with the Russian Federation’. Legal provisions were drawn up to justify the territorial claims regions held against each other. Let me remind you that there are more than 2,000 such disputed territories, and if we ever let ourselves be drawn into this carve-up in the future it would prove endless and would destroy the country. Just think: back then, you could be a citizen of one of the Russian regions but not be a citizen of Russia!

State power was ineffective. This was evident in the weakened state institutions and disregard for the law. Russian media outlets often acted in the interests of particular corporate groups, carrying out their economic and political orders.

A large part of the economy was in the hands of oligarchs or openly criminal organisations. Agriculture was in a state of serious crisis.

The country’s finances were exhausted and we were almost completely dependent on foreign borrowing. This was what ultimately led to the 1998 default, which ruined many businesses and fuelled poverty and unemployment.

Inflation ate away at people’s already low incomes. Inflation in 1999 was running at 36.5 percent. The beginning of 1999 also saw the peak of wage, pension and benefit arrears (some benefits were not being paid at all