NO. 11 (1803) САНКТ-ПЕТЕРБУРГ-ТАЙМС WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 WWW.SPTIMES.RU YELENA IGNATYEVA / AP YELENA IGNATYEVA

A person walks outside the head office of Bank Rossiya in St. Petersburg. The lender was put on the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions list because of its owner Yury Kovalchuk, causing Visa DECLINED and MasterCard to suspend services. With about $10 billion in assets, Rossiya is the 17th-largest bank in Russia and maintains numerous ties to the U.S., Europe and elsewhere.

LOCAL NEWS FEATURE Annexation Rally St. Petersburg TRAVEL From Above Dubai’s Bid For Fashion World Credibility An intrepid traveler sends his camera aloft to capture High fashion takes center Opposition claims rally was unique images of the city stage in Dubai. Page 18. led by civil servants. Page 2. from on high. Page 6. LocalNews www.sptimes.ru | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 2 Opposition Claims Rally Led by Civil Servants By Sergey Chernov Mariinsky Theater opera singer Vasily THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES Gerello. A brass band and an accor- Opposition and human rights activists dion player playing military marches have stated that municipal deputies and patriotic songs were seen among and employees of state-owned enter- the crowds. prises were instructed to attend or send The first speaker said that taking a number of people to a rally in support Crimea was just a small first step in re- of the annexation of Crimea held in the uniting the Russian people wherever city last week. they may be. The rally was part of a national Many of the demonstrators held campaign of rallies that were report- similar-looking placards saying edly held in every major Russian city “Crimea, Welcome Back,” “I Am on Mar. 18, hours after a speech by Proud of My Country,” “Crimea, We Russian President Vladimir Putin in Are With You,” “I Love Crimea” and which he announced the annexation of “Sevastopol, Crimea, Russia.” The Crimea. flags of the political parties United Alexander Shurshev, a municipal Russia, A Just Russia, Rodina, the Lib- council deputy of the Yekateringofsky eral Democratic Party and the Com- municipal district and a member of the munist Party of the Russian Federation Civil Platform party, posted on Mar. 17 were all seen at the rally. a letter that he said had been sent by the Many of those in attendance wore Admiralteisky District Administration so-called St. George’s ribbons, orange to local municipalities. and black striped ribbons which were The letter stated that a “city meet- introduced in 2005 as a symbol for the ing” would be held on Konyushennaya / SPT CHERNOV SERGEY U.S.S.R.’s victory in World War II. The Ploshchad at 5:30 p.m. on Mar. 18 and Official figures put the number of demonstrators at the pro-annexation rally on Konyushennaya Ploshchad at 35,000. rally lasted less than 40 minutes, but instructed the heads of municipal units many began to depart earlier. located within Admiralteisky District to of state-owned enterprises to these Meanwhile, others have come for- An employee of Polyclinic No. 107 According to Shurshev, many Rus- “organize the participation at the event kind of rallies, but this is the first time ward to confirm that people were being in the Krasnogvardeisky District, iden- sians support the annexation of Crimea. of deputies of the municipal council and that I received such a letter,” Shurshev recruited for the rally. tified as Maria Ivanovna, told the sta- “I was surprised that the authori- members of the local administration said. Daniil Ken, a member of the RPR- tion that her institution was ordered to ties continue to gather people for ral- numbering 15 people.” According to Shurshev, the Admi- Parnas party who works as a psycholo- send three people to the rally. lies the way they have grown accus- The letter went on to state that infor- ralteisky District Administration re- gist at Lyceum No. 344 in the Nevsky “I refused, saying that it wasn’t in my tomed to [by issuing orders to state- mation about the participants should be acted to the posting via its official Twit- District, said his institution received job description,” she said. “I was given owned institutions], even if many sup- sent to a district administration email ter account five days later, dismissing it similar instructions. to understand that the matter would be port the cause,” he said. “It only un- address before Mar. 18. The letter did as a “forgery.” “On the eve of the rally I received a passed up the chain of command and dermines the legitimacy of such not specify the purpose of the rally. Shurshev pointed out that an official call from the director who said that the that sanctions would be applied.” events,” said Shurshev. “If such an order was sent to every effectively confirmed the fact that such school was required to send a certain Officially, the rally was organized by The St. Petersburg Times estimates municipality, that makes 2,000 people instructions were sent. number of people to this rally. I don’t an obscure new version of the Rodina that between 8,000 and 10,000 people — not counting all of the state-funded Speaking on Ekho Peterburga radio know how many,” he wrote in an email (Motherland) party and was in support took part in the rally, while the police institutions,” Shurshev wrote. on Mar. 18, the chief of the Admi- Monday. of the results of the Mar. 16 referendum and state-controlled media reported The letter appeared to be an authen- ralteisky District Administration’s orga- “I refused and the director accepted on joining Russia held in Crimea. 35,000 participants. tic official document and bore the name nizational department, Nadezhda Davy- it with understanding, so no, when it “By this action, all those who are not On Mar. 24, Tatyana Dorutina, the of Diana Chapurina, the deputy head of dova, denied sending the instructions. came to the school hierarchy, there was indifferent to the fate of Russia — the chairwoman of the League of the the district administration, as the sender, “We are not the organizers. This is no compulsion.” residents of the city on the Neva — will Women Voters, posted on Facebook a but lacked a signature. not our event. Nobody can force a Rus- Human rights activist Maxim express solidarity with our brothers liv- letter reportedly sent from City Hall Speaking to The St. Petersburg sian citizen to attend a rally. No letter Ivantsov, a teacher of history and social ing in the Crimea and Sevastopol and to Lyudmila Kochetova, the director Times on Monday, Shurshev said that with a signature was sent officially,” sciences, wrote on a social network that support their will,” Rodina said in an of the Admiralteisky District’s Family such instructions are usually sent with- Davydova said. there were quotas for the number of announcement for the rally. and Children Support Center. The text out a signature deliberately, so that the “What about unofficially, with no people each school was expected to The original Rodina, a nationalist was identical to that of the letter sender could later deny his or her in- signature?” a journalist asked. send to the rally. party, folded in 2006 after merging with posted by Shurshev, but the number of volvement. Compelling people to take “I am not aware of this happening,” “The funniest thing was that I saw Sergei Mironov’s Russian Party of Life people requested to be allocated for part in a rally is a criminal offence pun- replied Davydova. myself how they summoned teachers,” and transforming into A Just Russia. It the rally was set at 80. It bore the sig- ishable by up to three years in prison if According to Shurshev, the Admi- he wrote on Mar. 17. was revived as a pro-Kremlin national- nature of Tatyana Smirnova, the act- committed by an official using his or ralteisky District Administration “I saw a woman not even ask the ist party in 2012. ing chief of the city committee on so- her position, according to Article 149 would press charges if such a letter name of the rally, saying that she would The rally on Konyushennaya Plosh- cial support, and handwritten instruc- of the Criminal Code. were a forgery. go if the director needed it.” chad began and ended with the play- tions by Kochetova, ordering the “It has been well known for long “I only posted the letter, but I also Ekho Peterburga also published evi- ing of the Russian national anthem heads of departments to allocate the time that the authorities bring admin- have other proof and the source from dence from two more people who said and featured pro-Kremlin Legislative requested number of people to the istrative personnel and the employees which I got this letter,” he said. they were ordered to attend the rally. Assembly as well as Ukraine-born rally, excluding those on duty.

РЕКЛАМА ALL ABOUT TOWN

Wednesday, Mar. 26 Over 400 exhibitors will be on hand famed cultural center. The lectures SwissAm Hospitality School students and the event is expected to receive are free and they aim to help listeners will once again take over the Bib- an estimated 30,000 visitors. Attend- increase their self-awareness of the lioteka restaurant on Nevsky Pros- ees can not only look into acquiring city around them. This week’s lecturer pekt for the One Day Restaurant property but also seal the deal for is Anna Nekrylova and her topic is A project. Diners who visit today will their dream home at the event. Cultural Feast: St. Petersburg in the not only be supporting the restaurant Rodina Cinema is hosting the Late 18th and Early 19th Century. and school but AdVita, a St. Peters- Francophone Days film festival be- burg charity, as well, with a portion of ginning today and running until Mar. Monday, Mar. 31 the proceeds going to the foundation. 30. Movies from France, Belgium, Today is the conclusion of Vivat Pe- Canada, Greece and other countries tersburg!, an annual youth choir Thursday, Mar. 27 will be shown over the course of the competition featuring talented chil- Planning on traveling to an English- short festival. Tickets for all movies dren from around the world. Now in speaking country? Then don’t miss start at 100 rubles. its third year, organizers hope that the British Book Center’s English for the event will be yet another cata- Traveling seminar this evening at Saturday, Mar. 29 lyst for the St. Petersburg cultural 6:30 p.m. Learn how to navigate the Hobbyists rejoice! Hobby 21 is in full scene and help develop creative particularities of being abroad in an- swing this weekend at LenExpo, of- young people into world-class en- other language. fering opportunities for enthusiasts tertainers. to participate in master classes as Friday, Mar. 28 well as explore a variety of different Tuesday, Apr. 1 Feed your need for competition at craft-making activities. Sponsored by The clowns will be sent in to com- the British Book Center’s Board the Collectors Society of St. Peters- memorate the 25th anniversary of Game Evening tonight, starting at 5 burg, the event, which begins on Mar. the Mimigrant’s Clown and Mime p.m. Take the opportunity to meet 27, concludes tomorrow. Theater during the Humor Festival new people and improve your Scrab- starting today with an opening salvo ble vocabulary. Sunday, Mar. 30 at the Peter and Paul Fortress. Check The Real Estate Fair kicks off to- The Mikhailovsky Theater will be the the theater’s website for more infor- day at LenExpo and will be at the site of the ongoing Sunday Intellec- mation about the weeklong gala cel- exhibition center through Mar. 30. tual Leisure Program offered by the ebrating the funnier things in life. The St. Petersburg Times | www.sptimes.ru LOCAL NEWS Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 3 Finland Builds Facilities To Ease Border Crossing By Irina Titova Currently, the number of automo- THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES bile transport crossings over the Rus- Despite a recent drop in the number of sian-Finish border at the Nuijamaa Russian tourists visiting Finland fol- checkpoint is 3.7 million a year, while lowing the abrupt rise in the euro ex- the real capacity at the checkpoint is change rate, Finland continues to make only 2.5 million. Once the expansion of its border more accessible and the the border facilities is completed, Nui- crossing more convenient for its closest jamaa will be able to handle up to six neighbors. million vehicle crossings a year. As a result of new initiatives, the The capacity of the Imatra check- three main Finnish border crossings point will rise from one million to four with Russia are increasing the number million, while the capacity of Vaalimaa of passenger checkpoint booths as well checkpoint will increase from 2.6 mil- as the number of border guards to lion to six million, the Finnish Border make the immigration process Guard office said. “smoother and faster from a passenger At Nuijamaa the new facilities for point of view,” Major Ville Joskitt, vehicles entering Russia are scheduled Chief of the Border Checks Sector and for completion by this summer and Border Operations Office of the South- ready for the increased influx of visi- east Finland Border Guard District, tors by fall 2014. said last week. At Imatra the facilities for both direc- “In general, since 2009 the traffic of tions will be ready this year and they’ll be individual tourists from Russia has finished in 2014/2015 at Vaalimaa.

gradually increased. Accordingly we At all the mentioned checkpoints FOR SPT need to adapt our border and customs the service of passenger and cargo 16-year-old speed skater Sofia Prosvirnova at a meet-and-greet with sports fans last week. facilities to accommodate such an in- transport will be done separately to crease,” Joskitt said. ease the border crossing process. The number of people crossing The new border infrastructure at the checkpoints into Southeast Finland in- Finnish checkpoints will allow passengers Olympians Meet With Fans creased by 48 percent from 2009 to 2012, to complete the border crossing without according to data from the Finnish Bor- ever leaving their car to save time. THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES on the world stage. According to a all found time to meet with fans. This der Guard office. The majority of visi- During periods of peak traffic, the While the Sochi Games may be offi- spokesperson from the cafe, Champion Friday, Sochi Olympic skeleton racer tors traditionally come from Russia. Finnish Border Guard will open more cially over, the Olympic spirit contin- Weeks is also about providing an op- Maria Orlova will stop by the cafe The developments are being intro- cabins to speed up the border process. ues along Nevsky Prospekt with Pe- portunity for locals to learn more first- from 5 p.m., ready to share her Olym- duced at the three largest Finnish Finnish border guards will also be tersburgers invited to meet and greet hand about the winter sports at the pic story. checkpoints on the border with Russia: able to perform some of the duties of local Olympians during Champion Sochi Olympic Games such as bobsled, While none of the invited athletes Nuijamaa, Imatra and Vaalimaa. Fin- customs as well as customs officers per- Weeks at Gloss Cafe. skeleton and curling. placed at the games in Sochi, they all land plans to add 100 more border forming border guard duties, the Finn- Kicking off the first of a series of Over the coming weeks, guests remain local celebrities. guards at all three checkpoints. ish Border Guard office said. sporty encounters at the venue was 16- will have the opportunity to meet For more Sochi memories, a num- year-old speed skater Sofia Pros- bobsled team member Kirill An- ber of Team Russia’s best figure skat- virnova, switching the rink for the tyukh, curling team member Pyotr ers are due to appear at the Ice Pal- trendy cafe setting on Mar. 21 to sign Dron, and speed skater Artyom Kuz- ace arena on Mar. 31 during a one- Future Diplomats Descend autographs, take photos and answer netsov, who, despite busy schedules night-only celebration of their Olym- questions from guests about competing with training and competitions, have pic glory. On St. Petersburg РЕКЛАМА THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES conflicts such as Al-Qaeda’s presence Hundreds of potential future diplomats in the Islamic Maghreb and the war in from around the world arrived in St. Syria to the future of atomic energy Petersburg last week for the 18th St. and ways to confront the steadily in- Petersburg International Model United creasing world population. Nations, which started on Sunday and Held in a number of locations will continue until Mar. 26. around the city, students from coun- The event gives high school students tries such as Russia, Great Britain, Ar- from around the world the opportunity menia, Bahrain, Germany, Greece, to participate in a realistic simulation Egypt, U.S. and Cyprus will play the of the international organization. role of ambassador for their countries This year St. Petersburg has wel- in hopes of reaching unilateral agree- comed more than 500 delegates for the ments with their youthful counterparts three-day event, which will cover top- on some of the planets more pressing ics ranging from complicated regional issues. Zenit Job Offers Villas-Boas A Chance at Redemption RIA NOVOSTI tion has been damaged,” Winterburn Coaching Russian title challengers, Zenit told R-Sport in a recent interview. St. Petersburg offers Andre Villas-Boas Villas-Boas won the Portuguese title a chance at redeeming his reputation af- and Europa League in 2011 with a Porto ter it was tarnished by unsuccessful spells side that included Brazilian striker Hulk, with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, now a key player for Zenit. After leaving former Arsenal and England defender Porto, he lasted just eight months as Nigel Winterburn has told R-Sport. Chelsea manager before a 17-month stint Villas-Boas, 36, was unveiled as Ze- with Spurs, leaving “by mutual consent” nit coach Mar. 20, replacing Italian Lu- in December with the London side a ciano Spalletti, fired earlier this month lowly seventh in the league. after a poor run of form. The Portu- “He came with a very, very high guese boss won his first game in charge reputation to England and I think that’s Monday evening 2-1 in a Russian Pre- been damaged with how quickly he was mier League clash against Krylya fired by both clubs,” Winterburn said. Sovetov Samara at home. “You can say he was fired unrealisti- With Zenit out of the Champions cally, he was fired too quickly, but I League after a 5-4 aggregate loss to think Zenit is a club now that he needs Borussia Dortmund, Villas-Boas has to stay with and he needs to be given said his first priority is to take Zenit, time to show what he can now do.” who are second in the RPL, to their R-Sport understands the 36-year- first Russian title for two years. old’s contract is worth 8.5 million euros “I think Villas-Boas now, he really a year, a sum Winterburn described as needs a club that will allow him to work “huge,” making the Portuguese coach in the way that he wants to work and one of the world’s best paid managers. probably give him two, even three On Mar. 21, he said he had turned 16+ years to establish himself back as a down an offer from Olympique Mar- good young coach, because his reputa- seille to join Zenit. NationalNews www.sptimes.ru | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 4 Cabinet Outlines Costs Of Crimea Absorption By Anatoly Medetsky Russian level for these types of jobs. THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES He referred primarily to teachers, MOSCOW — The costly consequences healthcare workers and staff at muse- of expanding Russia’s territory became ums and libraries. clearer Monday when Prime Minister One more directive that will entail Dmitry Medvedev revealed a Crimea significant spending not only by the to-do list for the government and its Russian government, but also the cor- corporations. porations it controls calls for a “com- Russia will need to take care of en- prehensive” Federal Special Purpose titlements and services ranging from Program for Crimea to be ready by retirement pensions to tax rebates to July. Programs like this typically lay out electricity supply in a peninsula that various development projects, setting has no overland links with its new sov- deadlines, designating responsibilities ereign and used to be part of a different and tentative budgets. country, Ukraine, just a few days ago. Medvedev also called to make the “It is the first time in the history of subtropical peninsula a free economic contemporary Russia that the Cabinet zone — a proposal that would mostly has to solve a problem that is so mas- allow the local authorities to grant tax sive and multidimensional,” Medvedev rebates to companies. said. “It is a good way to show the po- In a goal that will likely be assigned tential of the contemporary Russian to state-controlled Gazprom, Medve- state as well as its managerial skills.” dev said it was necessary to increase Crimea formally became a Russian production of natural gas in Crimea by

PABLO MARTINEZ MOMSIVAIS MARTINEZ PABLO region on March 18 after a referendum 50 to 100 percent in the next few years. The G7 sent a clear message that Russia is unwelcome at the table over its action in Ukraine. that remains unrecognized in the West, That amount would be enough to cover and that has brought about a string of the local needs for electricity genera- sanctions slapped by the U.S. and Eu- tion, he said. ropean Union on Russian government As an alternative, Crimea could get Russia Suspended From G8 officials, businesspeople and a bank a link to Russia’s nationwide electricity described as the preferred financial in- grid by means of a high-voltage cable, THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES “We also strongly condemn Russia’s collapse of the Soviet Union, when all stitution of President Vladimir Putin’s which could go across the Kerch Strait, MOSCOW — Russia’s membership to illegal attempt to annex Crimea in con- kinds of promises were made both inner circle. Medvedev said. The body of water the Group of Eight has been suspended travention of international law and orally and in writing, and in the form of In one of the most expensive mea- separates the peninsula from the Rus- over Moscow’s annexation of Crimea specific international obligations. We political obligations at the highest level. sures Medvedev announced Monday, sian mainland. and its interference in Ukraine, the do not recognize either,” the statement So we can imagine the approximate the government could spend 36 billion Oleg Budargin, chief of state-con- Group of Seven leading industrial na- added. value of the promises from our West- rubles ($1 billion) this year on getting trolled Russian Grids, said the cable to tions said in a statement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei ern partners,” he said. Crimean pensions up to par with the Crimea could run over a planned “This Group came together because Lavrov, on the sidelines of a nuclear se- He also reiterated Moscow’s state- rest of Russia. About a third of the bridge. The electricity hookup would of shared beliefs and shared responsi- curity summit at The Hague, brushed ments that the dispatch of troops to peninsula’s population of 2 million take 1 1/2 years to pull off, he said, In- bilities. Russia’s actions in recent weeks off his country’s exclusion from the Crimea and the subsequent annexation people are pensioners. terfax reported. are not consistent with them,” the lead- group of leading industrialized nations. was intended to prevent bloodshed. The impact of the money inflow Crimea is now dependent on ers of the U.S., Canada, Japan and Eu- “If our Western partners believe Following the deployment of Rus- could be so strong as to send local con- Ukraine for most of its electricity. rope’s four strongest economies said in that this format has exhausted itself, sian troops in Crimea, at least two sumer prices climbing, Medvedev Another state-controlled company, a statement published Monday on the then that’s the way it is going to be. We Ukrainian soldiers have been killed, warned. He called for a gradual sched- national airline Aeroflot, is being roped White House website. don’t cling to it,” Lavrov said, Itar-Tass the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has ule of increasing the payouts. into the integration effort. Medvedev The seven nations have also with- reported. said. An activist from the Crimean Ta- At the same time, other welfare ben- said he counted on the company to drawn from a G8 meeting that had He also said that Moscow did not tar community has also been found efits to be provided by Russia that provide support to Russian tourists, been planned to take place in Sochi in care if the West did not “believe” that dead, with marks of torture on his body, Crimeans used to receive from the should they choose Crimea as a vaca- June, said the statement issued after a Russia supposedly had no plans to ad- and several journalists have reportedly Ukrainian government will remain at tion destination. G7 summit in The Hague. vance further into Ukrainian territory, been beaten. the existing level for a transitional pe- Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Ko- “International law prohibits the ac- or that the annexation of Crimea was The G7 statement said that its lead- riod that ends in January next year, zak, who was put in charge of making quisition of part or all of another state’s needed to protect ethnic Russians on ers “remind Russia of its international Medvedev said. Crimeans feel at home in Russia, said territory through coercion or force,” the peninsula. obligations, and its responsibilities.” “Nobody should lose anything,” he that meant subsidizing air travel. the statement said. “To do so violates “We are not forcing anyone to be- “Russia has a clear choice to make. said. Kozak said he was unafraid of any the principles upon which the interna- lieve us,” Lavrov said, adding that Mos- Diplomatic avenues to de-escalate the In another expense, Medvedev said repercussions from the U.S. and the tional system is built. We condemn the cow did not believe the West either. situation remain open, and we encour- that the government would raise the EU, which could target him personally illegal referendum held in Crimea in “We believed our Western partners age the Russian government to take salaries of workers in Crimea paid from for his role in the government’s effort’s violation of Ukraine’s constitution.” for a very long time, starting with the them,” it said. the state budget to match the average to integrate Crimea into Russia.

РЕКЛАМА Alaska, Gaza Strip Seek to Join Russia By Anna Dolgov their territory join Russia, though no Moscow’s annexation of Crimea THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES confirmation by Hamas leaders of under the guise of protecting its Rus- MOSCOW — Russia’s annexation of any such plans were reported. sian speakers have prompted a flurry Crimea following a referendum has An activist supposedly involved of mock appeals for protection, includ- prompted calls from such distant in the referendum movement, and ing one from a journalist in Vologda places as Alaska and the Gaza Strip identified only by her initial “N,” who asked Putin to dispatch troops to to hold votes on their own absorp- cited Moscow’s statements about its that Russian region to “protect” its tion by Russia. people from corrupt officials. The Vo- A petition calling for Alaska to se- logda regional governor responded by cede from the U.S. and join Russia having prosecutors summon the jour- gathered more than 12,000 signatures Crimea’s annexation nalist, Roman Romanenko, for ques- on the White House website by early has prompted a tioning on suspicion of “extremist” ac- Monday morning, just a few days af- tivities, the journalist said. ter it was posted by an unidentified number of mock The White House petition site local resident. calls and appeals. currently has more than 120 petitions Entitled “Alaska back to Russia,” gathering signatures. Any American the petition cites the travels of 18th- readiness to protect Russian citizens can create a petition on the website century Russian explorers to Alaska, in any part of the world, Palestine- under the First Amendment, which which was a Russian colony until the info.ru website reported. protects the freedom of speech and U.S. bought it in 1867 for a mere $7.2 Joining Russia would provide the right to petition the government. million, or $120 million adjusted for Gaza with “modern weapons — even An earlier petition for secession inflation. The petition must attract nuclear ones cannot be ruled out,” by the state of Texas passed the 100,000 signatures by April 20 to be the woman was quoted as saying. 100,000 signature threshold required reviewed by President Barack Palestine-info said the number of for consideration, but the White Obama’s administration. Russian citizens living in Gaza is House turned it down, saying that In the Middle East, the Russian- about 50,000, most of them Russian while “no one disputes that our coun- language version of a Palestinian women who married Palestinian men, try faces big challenges,” Americans website run by Hamas said that Rus- though Voice of Russia cited Russian needed to work together to resolve sian speakers in the Gaza Strip media reports as saying that the actual them, instead of letting debates tear planned to hold a referendum on number was less than 400 people. the country apart. The St. Petersburg Times | www.sptimes.ru NATIONAL NEWS Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 5 Lavrov Announces Visit From Chief Watchdog RIA NOVOSTI Under a September deal brokered THE HAGUE — The chief of the by Moscow and Washington, Syria world’s chemical arms watchdog is due agreed to destroy its chemical weapons to visit Russia in April, Russian Foreign by the middle of this year. The agree- Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday. ment allowed the Syrian government to The Organization for the Prohibi- stave off the threat of a US air strike. tion of Chemical Weapons said last Syria said the original deadline to week almost half of Syria’s declared remove the highest priority stockpiles, stockpile of chemical weapons had set for December 31, was missed be- been removed from the country. Under cause of security concerns, technical an international agreement, the dead- issues and poor weather conditions in line for completing the destruction the the Middle Eastern country. last of the weapons is June 30. Lavrov said the deadline for removing During talks in The Hague, Lavrov the chemicals by mid-year was realistic. said the country was awaiting the visit of More than 130,000 people have OPCW Director General Ahmet been killed and 9 million displaced Uzumcu. In his turn, Uzumcu praised the since fighting broke out in Syria be- role of Russia and the US in eliminating tween government troops and armed Syria’s stockpile of chemical weapons. rebels in 2011, according to the UN. Dozhd Seeks Viewer PASCAL DUMONT / FOR SPT DUMONT / FOR PASCAL Donations to Stay Afloat A Ukrainian soldier standing guard at a temporary military camp 600 meters from Ukraine’s border with Russia. By Christopher Brennan made up 80 percent of its revenue. THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES The channel’s general director, Na- MOSCOW — Independent televi- talya Sindeyeva, said in early Tensions Rise Along Border sion station Dozhd has begun a March that without television ad- week long fundraising drive aimed vertising, Dozhd could only survive By Ivan Nechepurenko residents have been forming their own cause it makes business more difficult at keeping the channel running after for one or two months. However, THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES groups that aim to unleash a partisan for them.” it was dropped by Russia’s largest she later gave an interview to SNEZHNOYE, Ukraine — While war if Russia invades their territory. The camp has no military vehicles cable providers, causing its revenue Sostav.ru in which she said that the Russia formally takes control of A rift between ordinary Ukrainians and was established only to offer prac- to plummet. outlet would survive by focusing Crimea, tensions have shifted to east- is visible in Snezhnoye as well, where tice on the ground to the soldiers, most From March 24 to March 30 the on the Internet and Smart TV, and ern Ukraine, where both Russian and Seleznev says everybody with diver- of whom came from central Ukraine. channel will be broadcast for free on holding fundraisers. Ukrainian military forces are concen- gent views would be beaten up. Many Despite the growing tensions on the the Internet and viewers will be Last week the station received a trated along the shared border. people in Snezhnoye said they would border, Mamut had a positive outlook asked to donate or purchase items letter from their landlords saying In the poverty-stricken industrial support the Russian Army and do not and doubted there would be any mili- from its store, the channel reported that they will not renew Dozhd’s towns in Ukraine’s Donetsk region tary activity. Monday, adding that guests will be lease in the former factory complex near the border, local self-defense “We are two brotherly nations and invited on air to discuss freedom of Krasny Oktyabr, scheduled to end groups have been forming to protect have nothing to divide. My soldiers feel speech and media independence in on June 20. The fundraiser will fea- the area from what they see as an im- Eastern Ukraine is the same way,” said Mamut, who served Russia. In an article about the cam- ture nightly concerts and a closing minent threat from western Ukraine. divided, with some in a special KGB force in Afghanistan. paign, Dozhd said “The existence of gala on the roof of the complex. Ivan Seleznev, 34, a well-built miner, Many officers and soldiers said they the only independent television sta- A counter on the website indi- is a local activist of the so-called Ukrai- self-defense units had been transferred to Ukraine’s east- tion in Russia is under question and cates that as of Monday afternoon nian Eastern Front organization, ern border after the government in a possible way to continue its work viewers’ donations are enough to which, according to him, has more vowing to fight for Kiev became concerned that Russia is the support and help of viewers.” keep Dozhd open for more than five members than Ukraine’s National Russia. would invade the area. Dozhd came under fire earlier additional days. Guard, which is currently managed by In front of the Malinovka border this year after briefly posting a poll Some observers say that the ca- the fledgling pro-Western government want Ukrainian forces in their region. checkpoint, some five kilometers from asking whether Leningrad should ble companies’ decision to drop the in Kiev. In the neighboring village of Alek- the military camp, giant breakwater have been surrendered during channel points to a larger, political- “It was a mistake to include our re- seevskoye, just 600 meters from the structures have been installed to pre- World War II to save hundreds of ly-motivated campaign against Do- gion into Ukraine. We are part of Rus- Russian border, the Ukrainian military vent Russian tanks from rolling in. thousands of lives. Denounced by zhd. The channel is known for its sia,” said Seleznev, sitting in Snezh- has set up a small camp for several Officials at the checkpoint were conservative politicians, the chan- independent coverage of Russian noye’s only cafe. hundred soldiers. wary about visits from journalists and nel was dropped from satellite and politics and giving airtime to opposi- Snezhnoye is only 15 kilometers The head of the camp, Colonel Igor were reluctant to comment. They fol- cable television packages, which tion politicians. from Russia. Many people make their Mamut, dismissed opposition from the lowed our car when we travelled back living here by smuggling petrol from local population, saying that “many and, according to the driver, tried to the nearest Russian towns. smugglers are against us being here be- harass us on the road.

Many miners in this town and doz- ADVERTISING Civilian Medals Awarded To ens of other surrounding towns were left on the streets after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The area that once Sochi Olympic Organizers flourished today resembles a string of ghost towns along the dark highway RIA NOVOSTI young people,” Putin told the recipients. from Russia to Donetsk. MOSCOW — Russian President “And it was the athletes’ performances Since state-run mines were shut Vladimir Putin bestowed one of the that inspired them,” he added. down, many workers had to dig make- country’s highest civilian awards Mon- Russia finished at the top of the shift shafts themselves, usually without day upon officials tasked with organiz- medal count for both the Olympics and proper ventilation and structural sup- ing the Sochi Olympics for their role in the Paralympics, a result that few saw port. Hundreds of miners die in such ensuring the success of the Games. coming based on the performances of unlicensed mines every year. Last month’s Winter Olympics on the its athletes in the run-up to the Games. Seleznev worked in one of these Black Sea coast were widely lauded as Others bestowed the 2nd Class mines, known as “kopanki,” and many one of the most successful in history, in- honor were Konstantin Ernst, the cre- of his friends have perished there. Years cluding by International Olympic Com- ative director of Channel One television of mismanagement and economic de- mittee President who choreo- spair made him look to Russia, where Thomas Bach, who graphed the ac- he has extended family connections, for called them a true claimed opening relief. “athletes’ Games.” ‘Russia finished at and closing cere- “People in the government and in At a lavish cer- the top of the medal monies, and Alex- western Ukraine think of us as inferior,” emony in the ander Tkachev, he said, sipping tea. “We will prove them Kremlin on Mon- count for both the the governor of wrong.” day, Putin handed Krasnodar Re- “It is not about Russia as such, we out the state order Olympics and the gion, where Sochi just want some positive change in our For Merit to the Paralympics.’ is located. lives,” said Seleznev. Fatherland, 1st Russian Sports “We are not against Ukraine, it just Class, to Deputy Prime Minister Minister Vitaly Mutko received the 3rd failed to provide us with the opportuni- Dmitry Kozak, the government’s Class honor. Various awards also went ties we need,” he said. Olympic supervisor, with Dmitry Cher- to 35 other officials including Russian While we sit and talk, other guests nyshenko, the CEO of the organizing Biathlon Union president and Brook- in the cafe and staff members join the committee, receiving the 2nd Class lyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, conversation, all listing their grievances equivalent. Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov and and supporting Seleznev’s words. “One of the biggest legacy effects is Russian Olympic Committee chief Al- At the same time, however, in the the growth in sports participation among exander Zhukov. neighboring town of Kramatorsk, local Feature www.sptimes.ru | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 6 AMOS CHAPPLE Palace Square, from 45 meters above, October 2013. Hovering at eye level with the top of the Alexander Column, Chapple’s drone captures the true size and detail of the angel holding the cross. A Birds-Eye View of St. Petersburg By Lana Matafonov small light-weight camera and then con- Chapple has been living in St. Pe- the Year Award in 2009 and Editor’s When he finally fulfilled his prom- THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES trols from the ground. It is also uses tersburg on and off for the past two Choice in the 2012 National Geo- ise, one of the challenges was finding a GPS technology so “if you want it to go years. Having started his career at the graphic Photo Contest. way to capture St. Petersburg in a new ou’re a professional pho- straight up, even if there is wind, it will New Zealand Herald at 21 as a staff It was also through this project that unique way. “I have always wanted to tographer, standing in go straight up,” said Chapple. However, photographer, he quit two years later he got his first exposure to Russia. “I photograph this city but when I came front of the The Church with the ability to fly up to 300 meters, when he was invited to be part of the came to Russia in 2006, when I was 23, here I saw that ‘yes that’s a lovely build- of the Savior on Spilled there is always a risk of losing the drone UNESCO Our Place project – a five- for one month and visited Moscow and ing,’ ‘that’s a nice statue,’ but nothing Blood, one of the most or, even worse, crashing to the ground. year job which saw him travel non- really loved the experience and photog- has any kind of teeth here – it’s all Yphotographed churches in the world. “I’ve had a few hairy moments,” recalls stop, photographing all of the World raphy. Unfortunately, St. Petersburg static,” said Chapple. Your money shot depends on capturing Chapple. “I’ve had a drone smash to Heritage sites around the world and had just fallen outside of my reach so I “When it comes to photographing the church in a way that no one has ever pieces on the ground here in St. Peters- picking up a few awards along the way promised myself that one day I would things that are static, it’s very hard to before. With millions of photographs burg which cost me $2,500.” such as the Cathay Pacific Traveler of one day go back and live here,” he said. get that emotional depth and yet some- already out there, taken from all angles how, as a photographer, you have to and times of days, what’s left to do? The make it new or different which is be- answer, according to award-winning coming impossible now… or well it was New Zealand photographer Amos until this drone came along. Now you Chapple, lies in drone technology. are able to photograph from a point in “Using a drone is like photograph- space that’s never been photographed ing 100 years ago where you are like, from before – it’s a complete game there’s a nice building or nice scene changer,” he said. that hasn’t been photographed before Chapple is now preparing to leave St. – I can photograph it and it will have Petersburg to pursue other projects. He value,” said Chapple, speaking to The considers himself lucky to not have had St. Petersburg Times. “Every picture any real problems with police or security needs to be different to push things for- while flying his drone (police approached ward somehow but how do you do that him once while flying the drone, just to when things have been photographed ask how much it cost) and his photo- 100 times before? So from this angle graphs are quickly gaining international [when the drone is in the air] you can interest with publications such as the literally be taking a picture that has Guardian, Daily Mail and Vanity Fair It- never been taken before – you are able aly already purchasing shots. to get right in amongst the buildings.” “It’s incredible you know,” says The drone Chapple refers to is new Chapple, describing what it has been technology that, according to him, is like exploring the city from above in causing a sensation in the photography his last few months in St. Petersburg. field. “Basically everyone has wanted “…it’s like you see these buildings and this for a long time and a company in then from above you see how these ar- the U.S. has finally come out with some- chitects intended it to look as an entity. thing that is small, self-contained and You are used to seeing the façade here simple to use. “ or windows or whatever and then from Packed away in a small suitcase, the above you see the whole shape…it’s re-

drone is a small, battery-operated quad- AMOS CHAPPLE ally amazing,” he said before adding, helicopter, no more than half a meter in Hermitage Pavilion, Pushkin, from 60 meters above, September 2013. “This is probably the best picture I’ve taken “It really gives a completely new per- diameter, to which Chapple attaches his so far. There was this thin layer of dawn mist that made everything look like a fairytale,” said Chapple. spective on the city.”

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 FEATURE www.sptimes.ru | The St. Petersburg Times ❖ 7 > Peter and Paul Fortress, from 60 meters above, January 2014. AMOS CHAPPLE AMOS CHAPPLE

Church of Our Savior on Spilled > Blood, from 35 meters above, January 2014.

> Smolny Cathedral, from 40

AMOS CHAPPLE AMOS CHAPPLE meters above, October 2013.

St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, > Peterhof, from 60 meters above, February 2014. > The Admiralty, from 35 meters above, February 2014. AMOS CHAPPLE AMOS CHAPPLE Business www.sptimes.ru | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 8 Kirishi Chosen for New Oil Refinery U.S. May By Olga Kalashnikova THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES The first new high-conversion residual Hit Out At oil refinery in Russia is due to begin construction in the town of Kirishi, lo- cated 150 kilometers southeast of St. Petersburg. Six years in preparation, Industries the Russian Ministry of Energy has granted its approval of the project and THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES the refinery is currently in the design U.S. President Barack Obama and engineering phase. The first stage has signed an executive order of the plant is due to come online that allows his administration sometime in 2017 or 2018 at a capacity to hit out at entire Russian in- dustries, rather than separate companies and individuals, in response to Moscow’s take- ‘The most recent over of the Ukrainian region of Russian oil refinery Crimea. Measures to apply asset was built in the freezes as well as trade and travel restrictions under the order, if Soviet Union about taken, will go after individuals 35 years ago.’ and companies that operate in such industries as financial ser- of 4 million tons per year, with a subse- vices, energy, metals and mining, quent boost to 12 million tons per engineering, and defense and re- year. lated matériel, according to a “The most recent Russian oil refin- copy of the order. The secretary ery was built in the Soviet Union about of the treasury will determine

35 years ago,” said Maxim Sushkevich, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS the targets in consultation with the executive director of the Kirishi-2 The KINEF refinery in Kirishi has been in operation since the 1960s and will soon be joined by a second refinery. the secretary of state. Oil Refinery, speaking to The St. Pe- In announcing the order, tersburg Times. “After this, only small ing to data from the Kirishi-2 Oil Refin- being constructed specifically with this oil. It will become unprofitable to ex- Obama appeared to indicate oil refineries with a capacity of up to ery. Residual oil is oil found in low con- aim in mind. port, as western consumers will not pay that any sanctions under the or- one million tons per year were devel- centrations naturally or in exhausted oil “Mazut was used in the past for the same price for it as they do for oil. If der would materialize only if oped. Most other oil refineries are ex- fields. The figure represents the amount heating. With the move to gas, the de- given a choice between buying a good- Russian armed forces escalate isting plants that have been modern- of useful products extracted from the mand in mazut is falling in Russia,” quality oil or a residual oil, I think the the already tense situation ized. The uniqueness of our project is oil, such as petrol or diesel fuel. The re- said Sushkevich. choice is obvious. So there will be a lot by making incursions into that we are engineering the refinery maining 29 percent is made up of mazut, “In the past, western oil factories of mazut flooding the domestic market,” Ukrainian territory bordering from the ground up.” a heavy, low-quality waste oil. The new bought mazut as raw material and re- he said. Russia, in the east and south of The average rate of residual oil con- plant expects to increase the conversion processed it. From 2015, the taxes on It is the domestic market, with its Ukraine. version in Russia is 71 percent, accord- figure to 95 – 97 percent. The refinery is mazut will be equal to those levied on lack of quality fuel, that is the target for “We have been working the new refinery. The company plans to closely with our European part- РЕКЛАМА produce AI-95 petrol, diesel, kerosene ners to develop more severe ac- and petrochemicals. Yet the company tions that could be taken if Rus- does not discount the possibility of sell- sia continues to escalate the situ- ing the remaining product abroad. ation,” Obama said Mar. 20. “As The representatives of Kirishi-2 say part of that process, I signed a that the location of the refinery is suit- new executive order today that able, due to prevailing winds. None of gives us the authority to impose the emissions from the factory will af- sanctions not just on individuals, fect either Kirishi or St. Petersburg. but on key sectors of the Russian economy.” He went on to say these sanc- tions would not only have a sig- ‘Kirishi-2 will utilize nificant impact on the Russian economy, but could also be dis- the latest technologies ruptive to the global economy. to ensure that the plant Russia is closely tied to the world economy, thanks to its is ecologically friendly.’ large gas and oil reserves and im- mense commodities market. It was for this reason that the loca- Treasury Secretary Jacob tion was chosen by Soviet authorities for Lew said the order provided the the KINEF refinery, which is often re- U.S. with “broader tools to high- ferred to as the Kirishi refinery. The new light the future choices facing facility, however, is not related to the old Russia’s leadership, and our use biochemical plant but is a separate en- of these tools will be based on tity. The owners of the new plant intend careful consideration of what to use the extant infrastructure that is will be most effective in meeting already available on the site, including that objective.” railway lines and highways that will be Obama made the statement used to transport both raw materials as he announced the expansion and finished products. of sanctions against senior offi- “Kirishi-2 will utilize the latest tech- cials of the Russian government, nologies to ensure that the plant is eco- which also included Bank logically friendly,” said Sushkevich. Rossiya, described as a preferred “The environment is our priority. Al- bank of President Vladimir Pu- though these technologies will slightly tin’s inner circle. boost our costs, we will recoup our ex- Fiona Hill, of the Brookings penses in the end. It is always best to Institution think tank in Washing- minimize risk, including to our reputa- ton, believes that broad, tough tion, beforehand. Our goal is for the re- sanctions would be the only way finery to wholly service the community, to get Putin’s attention. by providing jobs and further stimulat- “To really have any kind of ing the petrochemicals industry region- impact, the sanctions have to be ally and nationally.” akin to the kinds of sanctions we The refinery’s management esti- have applied against Iran, they mates that the investment in the first have to be all-encompassing and stage of construction will be $6 billion. they have to get right to the heart This will be made up of money from of the economy,” she said, Reu- individuals and some private founda- ters reported. tions. The Ministry of Energy also runs Hill is a former U.S. national a program that offers funding for such intelligence officer for Russia enterprises, which Kirishi-2 has applied and Eurasia. to join. The St. Petersburg Times | www.sptimes.ru BUSINESS Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 9 U.S. Sanctions Hit Billionaire Businesses By Anatoly Medetsky financial bite of the sanctions regime can THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES start to get very real, very fast.” The latest U.S. sanctions against Russia The Rotenbergs each own 38 percent have even hurt companies that Washing- of SMP Bank. ton did not formally blacklist. Visa said in a statement on Mar. 21 Although the sanctions officially tar- that it cut service to two more lenders, get only Bank Rossiya, a number of Sobinbank, a subsidiary of Bank other banks also saw disruptions to their Rossiya; and Investkapitalbank, co- services by international payment sys- owned by the Rotenbergs. tems Visa and MasterCard. SMP Bank said it considered the And there is a reason why: These move by the credit card giants unlawful lenders, such as SMP Bank, list among because the U.S. sanctions targeted their co-owners the brothers Boris and shareholders and not the bank itself, Arkady Rotenberg — two of the indi- Reuters reported. viduals that the U.S. hit with fresh puni- Bank Rossiya did get a mention on tive measures on Mar. 20. the official statement that announced Visa and MasterCard resumed ser- the names of those Washington wished vices for the customers of SMP Bank to punish for Russia’s takeover of and other banks that were initially sus- Crimea. The U.S. Treasury stated that pended, saying they had received as- they had included the bank on the surances from the U.S. government sanctions list because the lender is the that they could carry on, Vedomosti re- preferred financial institution for se- ported Sunday. But the confusion nior Russian officials and because its throws into the spotlight the question sanctioned part-owner and chairman of how U.S. businesses should interpret Yury Kovalchuk is a member of Putin’s the sanctions in dealing with their Rus- inner circle. sian counterparts. During a meeting of the Security U.S. law prescribes any business Council on Mar. 21, Putin said that with at least 50 percent of it owned by Rossiya, the country’s 17th largest bank,

sanctioned individuals comes under the was just another lender with no particu- / VEDOMOSTI MAXIM STULOV restrictions as well, said a spokesperson lar personal significance. In a televised Visa and MasterCard suspended service for SMP Bank last week when its billionaire co-owners were blacklisted by the U.S. for the Office of Foreign Assets Con- portion of the meeting, he responded to trol of the U.S. Department of the Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s report symbolic name.” Rossiya means Rus- Billionaire Gennady Timchenko, an- that is set to win a 3.5 billion euro con- Treasury. The U.S. government also on the sanctions. sia in Russian. other name on the sanctions list, sold 44 tract to build a stretch of the South advises caution in dealing with compa- “Regarding the financial institu- Bank Rossiya said on Mar. 21 that it percent in oil trader Gunvor to his major Stream gas pipeline across Bulgaria, nies in which sanctioned individuals tion, it is one of those medium-sized remained “stable” and was rigorously partner in the business, in anticipation of Reuters reported on Mar. 21, citing own smaller stakes. banks, for all I know,” Putin said, add- working to defend its interests and the U.S. reprisals against Russia. sources in the industry. Yury Botiuk, an international trade ing that he did not have an account rights of its clients. One of his other assets, Novatek, gas Arkady Rotenberg, Putin’s former lawyer at London-based Pinsent Ma- there, but would make sure to open Customers could still withdraw their giant Gazprom’s largest competitor, also judo partner, is also an investor in major sons, said that many U.S. and European one on Monday. He said after the money from the bank’s ATMs, but were took a hit on Mar. 21, seeing its shares road builder Mostotrest, in addition to his Union companies and financial institu- meeting that he would have the bank unable to use their bank cards to make tumble at times by as much as 12 percent holdings in the banks. The company had tions would try to limit any exposure to handle his salary account. online payments or cash transfers. in the course of trading at the Moscow substantial contracts in preparing Sochi counterparts affected by the sanctions. Putin also ordered the Central Sanctions on Bank Rossiya could Stock Exchange. Timchenko owns 23.5 for hosting the Winter Olympics, which “Whether this could lead to contrac- Bank to provide support to the insti- trickle down to the other assets that it percent in the natural gas producer. ended last month. The company’s stock tual breaches depends on individual cir- tution and its clients, “especially be- owns in addition to Sobinbank, such as Novatek did not respond to a request fell last week on news of the sanctions. cumstances,” he said. “This is when the cause it has a very resounding and news and entertainment media, includ- for comment on Mar. 21. Botiuk said the risks of association ing publicly traded CTC Media, and Timchenko also owns a 37 percent might well lead the affected individuals insurance company Sogaz. CTC Media stake in privately held chemicals corpo- to challenge their entry on the sanctions shares fell on the NASDAQ at the end ration Sibur, 80 percent in oil transpor- lists in U.S. or EU courts. of last week after news of U.S. mea- tation firm Transoil and 63 percent in “Challenges can be founded on the Russia’s Credit Outlook sures broke out. industrial construction company Stroi- lack of a link between the individual and In fact, the fallout could reach further transgaz. None of them reported any actions in Crimea together with a lack of than just the assets that are related to the issues stemming from the sanctions as information being provided as to why Downgraded to Negative banks. yet. The latter is leading a consortium the person has been named,” he said. THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES ments, but [is] more subject to ad- Credit rating agency Standard & verse economic conditions.” Poor’s has downgraded Russia’s Other countries with a BBB rat- Shake-Up on Crimean Shelf Exploration credit rating outlook to negative, ing are Bahrain, Colombia and Italy. citing the potential economic fallout “Heightened geopolitical risk and THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES only companies eligible to participate EdF controls 5 percent, and Voda of Moscow’s deteriorating relations the prospect of U.S. and EU eco- Foreign firms involved in Crimea’s in oil production. Ukrainy 35 percent, with Chernomor- with the West over the Russian an- nomic sanctions following Russia’s offshore oil and gas exploration will Chernomornaftogaz is currently re- naftogaz holding the remaining 10 per- nexation of Crimea. incorporation of Crimea could reduce find themselves with a new local part- sponsible for production on the cent. Investment was estimated to be Hours after U.S. President Ba- the flow of potential investment, trig- ner following the peninsula’s entrance Crimean shelf. The energy company, between $3 billion to $4 billion, with an rack Obama threatened to sanction ger rising capital outflows, and further into the Russian Federation, Kom- which had been owned by Naftogaz eventual annual yield of up to 3 million key sectors of the Russian economy weaken Russia’s already deteriorat- mersant reported Mar. 20, and their Ukrainy, is now under the control of tons expected. on Thursday, S&P announced that ing economic performance,” S&P continued role in the effort could be the Crimean government. The Crimean It is possible that the contract will it had downgraded Russia’s ranking said in a statement on its website. in doubt. government said on Mar. 19 that it be honored, but politics rather than law to BBB, the second-lowest invest- On Mar. 20, U.S. President Ba- Russia’s Deputy Natural Resources hopes to privatize it and Gazprom has is likely to decide the issue, said Rustam ment grade. rack Obama announced sanctions and Environment Minister Gennady already expressed interest. Kurmayev, a lawyer at Goltsblat. Al- The BBB ranking implies Russia against 20 additional people and Khramov said on Mar. 19 that oil pro- Chernomornaftogaz signed a pro- though the issue may go to court, it is is considered to have “adequate ca- threatened possible penalties di- duction on the Crimean shelf would duction sharing agreement to explore more likely that the Russian state-con- pacity to meet financial commit- rectly targeting the economy. come under government control. Gaz- the shelf with three investors in 2013. trolled companies will partially or to- prom and Rosneft would then be the Italy’s Eni controls 50 percent, France’s tally buy out the foreign investors. Education & JobOpportunities advertising section Wednesday, March 26, 2014 BusinessFocus www.sptimes.ru | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 10 Michael Kechinov: ‘It’s All About Motivation’ By Pavel Slutsky hours with us they had something in THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES their hands.

ichael Kechinov is Q: What’s next for you? the founder of A: Well, we are about to start Hack- REES46, an Internet Day City, a pilot project in urban IT service for e-com- development. At the end, we plan to merce and co- have working prototypes of things that founderM of Coffeelab, an early-stage are useful for the city. On Apr. 27 we’ll internet-startup accelerator. An ex- show something that functions, not pert in recommending systems and simply an idea. We have support from personalization services, Kechinov both the St. Petersburg municipal gov- posses a wealth of experience and of- ernment, the Foundation for Internet ten acts as a CTO for the various Initiative Development and private companies he is involved in. His de- enterprise, like Aviasales. We are also velopment studio has played a re- planning to invite specialists in urban markable role in the development of development and city planning. The the Russian startup-community as the projects that will be developed are to organizer of HackDay, a marathon be used to improve people’s lives. We 48-hour event where participants hope to create a successful pilot and workshop prototypes of projects be- then to repeat in other cities. fore presenting them to colleagues, experts and investors. Q: Is what you do any different Michael Kechinov’s Web Develop- from similar events in other countries, ment Studio has been involved with like Hackathon? HackDay from the very beginning — A: What we do is not like Hacka- uniting managers, designers, interface thon, which is a very important dis- developers, programmers, marketing tinction. Our teams don’t really com- and PR specialists, and all those who pete against one another; there is no have ideas for Internet-based proj- financial motivation and no real ects but no team to implement them. prizes. People do not come to Hack- HackDay is a high-pressure proj- Day to win anything; they come to ect development lab that has at- work and to be part of something

tracted many adherents with its no- VK.COM larger. We do have some abstract nonsense aim of fast and effective Michael Kechinov uses HackDay to bring together the Russian tech community and help drive innovation forward. awards, of course, like the Coolest project development. The events typ- Technology Project, Best Business ically start on a Friday evening when Q: Do you think HackDay has Q: Has the project or the way you A: Yes, we have plans to create Idea, the Hack Award for the simplest participants announce their ideas and contributed to your growth? work on it changed much over the motivational training programs for and most straightforward idea, and assemble the teams they will work A: Well, it was a very successful years? developers based on the HackDay even an award for the Craziest Proj- with over the next two days. Saturday experiment. We got very good pub- A: Since 2011, we have been ex- model. We know who to talk to and ect. We want to see the craziest stuff and Sunday are devoted to prototype licity for both HackDay and our perimenting with specialists being how to talk to them. We hope it will that people can come up with. We development and discussions with company. So we decided to continue present at the event. Now we usually become our monetization strategy. have even developed a program that mentors, and on Sunday evening pro- and to experiment with various for- have two teams of expert practitio- We ran a pilot project within our measures audience reaction to the totypes are presented. mats. We tried a HackDay for film, ners who can offer advice and make a company and it was very successful. presentations — it measures the noise Always challenging, HackDay is a where people made short movies real contribution. There are the “tech Our friends at FirstLine Software they make and their cheers. necessary right of passage for anyone over the course of a weekend; some guys” — people with real working also held a similar event recently. The We are not a platform for competi- interested in cutting-edge technolo- produced really great things by the success stories, and the “business important thing to remember is that tion; we are a platform for coopera- gies and has helped foster a thriving way, very professional. We also tried guys” — people with successful cases this project can only work if the ini- tion. That’s why people like it so much. innovation community in Russia. a music HackDay but it was not that and startup exits. We have experts tiative comes from the bottom up. It’s We have an incredible return rate — The St. Petersburg Times sat down good because the final part — from Russia, Europe and the U.S. — about organizing and driving commu- people who attend once almost always with Mikhail Kechinov, whose studio Demofest, where everyone presented people like Gary Fowler, CEO of nities, and that’s something that can- return for more. That is probably has been involved in the event since their results, became incredibly com- Fowler Int’l, Brenden Mulligan, men- not be done by management. what’s most different about the Rus- it first launched in Russia in 2009. plicated to organize. Setting up the tor at 500 Startups and Ryan Junee, sian IT community; people are moti- stage between each group and the CEO of Inporia, Inc. The U.S. consul- Q: How do you attract people and vated by interesting tasks and chal- Q: How did you initially come to sound checks were very difficult to ates help us to get travel grants for promote HackDay in new cities? lenges more than money. It’s not like be involved in HackDay? pull off smoothly. From that moment international participants. We are A: The idea of community is central we have professional Hackathon pro- A: The first HackDay was brought on we decided to focus on IT, which very grateful for their support; they to HackDay. We have a methodology grammers who do regular business by to Russia from the U.S. by Yury was our company’s priority. We also are always very considerate and have for finding and enrolling local teams. participating and winning prizes; Rus- Livshitz of Yahoo. We were mere began to get invitations and propos- never imposed any restrictions on our We find them, and they find us. We sians are motivated by dialogue, mas- participants. After that first experi- als to organize HackDay in other cit- programs. look at their competence, their set of tery and achievement. We also offer ment, everyone was so excited that ies. In 2013, we had seven different goals and priorities, and the members people a chance to socialize. We en- Yury offered anyone who was inter- locations. of the teams. We target leaders of local courage them to speak publicly about ested to continue the experiment and communities, people who are doing their work and for some of them it is see where it would lead. There were Q: What about monetization? Is ‘All we want to do something, who are active at the local the first time that they speak into a mi- 14 co-organizers at the beginning, all there any business potential in what level. Our first goal is to identify those crophone on stage. HackDay is a place ready to commit resources, but only you do? is attract really local leaders. We have analysts who where people can bring their weirdest four of them remained on board by A: Not really. In the beginning it motivated people — study the local situation, gather infor- ideas and no one is going to laugh at the time the second HackDay rolled was almost like a social outreach mation about local IT communities them. around. The second HackDay was a project for us, we wanted to show and that is exactly and explore communication channels. tremendous success. Over 400 people that work could be interesting in its This leads us to opinion leaders. We This interview first appeared on www. attended the event at ITMO [the St. own right. Now we have the goal of what is happening.’ combine all the information and then software-russia.com, a news and ana- Petersburg State University of Infor- at least breaking even. Financing all decide whether to go into a particular lytics portal focused on the Russian mation Technologies, Mechanics and these events has become something city or not. It must be an informed, ra- software development and outsourcing Optics] and it was amazing to see all of a burden, so now we sell tickets. Q: Why do you think HackDay tional decision — we do have to make industry. those folks coming in to work for free Although it helps us to raise the has been so successful in Russia? ends meet, after all. We need to get on their days off. That was the begin- money needed for the events, selling A: It’s all about motivation. People some publicity and we have to main- ning of the new format, back in De- tickets also helps eliminate those attend because they want to have fun, tain the reputation of the project, so MICHAEL KECHINOV cember 2009. It was a pure IT event, people who show up just to chat and to connect with people with a similar we really don’t want to fail. with people from various spheres: ac- eat. It also allows us to offer really outlook, to accomplish something and 2012–present: Coffeelab.vc, countants, university professors and decent meals because surviving 48 to face a challenge. Sometimes the Q: Do you have any sponsors to Partner so on. hours on coffee and cookies alone is ideas are already there; sometimes help make ends meet? 2009–present: HackDay Russia, too much for most people, even keen they emerge during the event. It’s also A: Actually, we do. We have several Co-founder Q: Why did you decide to take programmers. At about 10 euros, the about testing and implementing ideas agreements with different companies 2006–present: Michael Kechinov over the organization of the event? tickets are fairly cheap and that in- that people were sort of thinking who are interested in supporting us, Web Development Studio, CTO A: In the very beginning we were cludes meals. For us it’s not a busi- about but never had the time or re- although raising money is not easy 2006–2006: Kodeks; Senior not that keen on taking on the re- ness tool, we don’t intend to make sources to develop. But these people these days. We’ve worked with Intel, Developer sponsibility, as we were not sure that any money on HackDay. All we want are in the minority, most people just Skype, Aviasales, Microsoft, Yandex, 2005–2006: Sberbank; Security we could handle it. Then we spoke to do is attract really motivated peo- come to “relax” and do something CFT, Technopolis GS and Fast VPS, Engineer to our CEO, gave it some thought ple — and that is exactly what is hap- different from what they normally do among others. Companies are starting and decided it was worth the risk. pening. We now have up to 25 proj- at work. Sometimes we have whole to realize that there are benefits in Favorite Book: ‘Concepts of the We were motivated by the prospects ects each time, 70 percent of the teams attending — like teams from terms of promoting their products and General Theory of Information’ by for promotion and HR-branding op- ideas make it to the prototype stage. Yandex, for example. For them it’s attracting workforce. For instance, In- Stanislav Yankovsky portunities. At the time we were a What is great is that so many people like an off-site team-building event. tel came to us with their new SDK very small company, employing only are actually willing to pay to work, technology, which is based on gestures. Favorite Film: ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s five people. We now number about instead of being paid for what they Q: Have you thought of offering a They had the technology, but didn’t Door’ 50. do, which is fascinating. HackDay as a team-building tool? have any projects based on it. After 48 DiningGuide advertising section Wednesday, March 26, 2014

INTERNATIONAL ITALY Bottega where you can sample more than 90 pastas and handmade desserts as With over 30 unique cafes in St. Café Vienna unique sorts of Belgian beer. The well as many classic European Petersburg, the large coffee chain with menu offers a great variety of Belgian dishes. A range of wines and a sweet name has been operating in culinary delights — from Flemish lamb alcohols complement every meal and Russia and across the CIS for many stew and Waterzoi to world’s most will amaze guests with its breadth years. Each cafe is designed with a 14 Bolshaya Morskaya Ul., famous Liege-style waffles. Each beer and depth. Special offers are relaxing interior and offers the same Tel.: +7 (812) 944-0-300, is served in an original glass and the available on weekends and discount welcoming hospitality as well as the Corinthia Hotel St Petersburg italy-group.ru eccentric way every dish is presented cards are offered to loyal clients. company’s excellent coffee, desserts 57 Nevsky Prospekt Bottega is Italian for a small but very dish elicits cries of delight from diners. Broadcasting both the Olympics and and hot dishes from both European Open from 10:00 – midnight cozy shop. Diners find themselves in From noon to 4 p.m. on weekdays, a 15 football matches on a big screen. and Russian cuisines. A stylish and cozy restaurant in the such a warm and friendly atmosphere, percent discount is offered on the main The aroma of roasted coffee beans, heart of the city, Café Vienna offers not which brings to mind sunny Italy, upon menu alongside a new GastroBistro $$ along with a classic cappuccino topped only the best tea and coffee in entering the ITALY Bottega restaurant on lunch menu (soup of the day 140 rubles, with soft foam accompanied by a slice St. Petersburg, but also sensational Ulitsa Bolshaya Morskaya. The salads from 150 rubles and main of gourmet Napoleon cake will set a cakes from the hotel’s pastry chef. restaurant seats up to fifty guests, courses for 190 rubles). RUSSIAN romantic mood on any given day. A For those who are looking for more making it both intimate and very In addition, our shop offers a wide Dom toasted club sandwich with chicken, substantial food, the recently launched comfortable. range of beer, beer glasses, gift sets Felino salami, Maasdam cheese and a la carte menu should also satisfy Mikhail Sokolov, the restaurant group’s from Brugge and real Belgian traditional rabbit-filled dumplings will with its variety of fine international and concept chef, oversees the kitchen. He chocolate. also please guests with a hearty Russian dishes for both lunch and lived in Italy for six years, where he appetite. Every day Shokoladnitsa dinner. studied the culinary characteristics of $$$ invites you to enjoy a coffee date each region of this amazing country in 72 Nab. Reki Moiki. across the northern capital. $$ depth. The menu features popular Tel.: +7 (812) 930 7272, rest-dom.ru We look forward to serving you! Italian dishes, homemade pasta and MEDITERRANEAN A restaurant serving modern Russian Cafe-bar Soiree pizzas, signature desserts and an Côté Jardin cuisine, Dom captures the food, $ extensive selection of wines. traditions and culture of Russia. With From noon to 4 p.m., a 15 percent a focus on the family trio of comfort, discount is offered on the entire menu, cuisine and flavor, the restaurant with a 10 percent discount on food and Hotel Novotel St. Petersburg Center adds its own modern twist. The menu

30 percent discount on wine for take- 3a Ulitsa Mayakovskogo includes special dishes such as out orders. Tel: +7 (812) 335-11-88, pelmeni with rabbit, pumpkin fritters Open Sunday to Thursday from 9 a.m. fax: 335-11-80 with red caviar, whole smoked sterlet 28 Ul. Zhukovskogo to midnight, Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. www.accorhotels.com/5679 and borsch with porcini mushrooms Metro: Ploshchad Vosstaniya from until 2 a.m. A contemporary all-day restaurant all exclusively created by chef Eugene 8 (812) 2723512 The restaurant is located at 14 Ulitsa featuring Russian delicacies and Khomenko. Wine connoisseurs and Website: http://spbbar.net/ Bolshaya Morskaya in the city center, Mediterranean specialties with lovers will be delighted by the E-mail: [email protected] just a few short steps from the monthly promotions. selection of wines from both the Old Soiree is a cafe-bar great for business Admiralteisky metro station. Welcome to our new cozy Novotel and New Worlds. And after the dinner meetings, business lunches or even a Cafe where you can have a quick and one can spend time at our old- romantic dinner. The combination of $$ tasty snack. The café offers a fashioned bar enjoying fascinating delicious food and affordable prices comprehensive and balanced cuisine live music performances. gives you the perfect reason to stay TONY’s Kitchen at reasonable price. Novotel Café is and dine! A fine selection of wines to perfect for both spending free time and $$$ suit every taste are also on display holding business meeting in informal around the high shelves in the dining setting. room. 88 Maly Prospekt VO. Tel. 988 8020 At our lobby bar Intermezzo guests Palkin You can be sure to find that Soiree will Tony’s Kitchen is an everyday find an extensive vodka list, beers, suit all your needs and for a wonderful restaurant that is equally perfect for a wines, cocktails, alcohol collection time spent with family or in the business meeting or a romantic dinner. from all around the world. to find them find them to compnay of friends. The meals on offer take into account Mouthwatering homemade tempting 47 Nevsky Prospekt. READING

Breakfast: 9:00-11:00. Lunch: 11:00- any and all preferences: Italian, Pan- cakes and pastries at our La Brioche Tel: +7 (812) 703 5371, Times. The St. Petersburg reading find them to sure are you target, you Whoever Times. The St. Petersburg reading find them to sure are you target, you Whoever Times. The St. Petersburg reading find them to sure are you target, you Whoever Times. The St. Petersburg reading find them to sure are you target, you Whoever Times. The St. Petersburg reading find them to sure are you target, you Whoever Times. The St. Petersburg reading find them to sure are you target, you Whoever Times. The St. Petersburg reading find them to sure are you target, you Whoever 17:00. Dinner: 17:00-23:00. Asian and Japanese cuisine are all Deli-Counter. Take away service. Open www.palkin.ru 110 seats available and a wide selection of wines daily for à la carte from 06:30—23:00, Open: noon to 11.30 p.m. is presented on shelves in the dining breakfast 06:30—10:00, buffet PALKIN restaurant is located in $$ room. The restaurant is located on two business lunch 12:00—16:00. Major the very heart of St. Petersburg. floors, which makes it comfortable for credit cards are accepted. Our constant search for new informal celebrations, including flavors, painstaking work with ITALIAN birthday parties and corporate events. $$ old cookery books, and strict Restaurant Tony’s Kitchen has all the amenties for standards regarding the use of Da Albertone an enjoyable family outing: A spacious ingredients make Palkin one of children’s room with a nanny, coloring STEAK HOUSE the few places in the world books and a children’s menu. Offside Steak House where diners can enjoy the

Sunday is officially family day at Tony’s, finest dishes of aristocratic when creative workshops and Russian cuisine in the elegant 23 Millionnaya Ul. competitions for children are held. atmosphere of an upscale Tel: +7 (812) 315-86-73, 962-08-29. establishment. Extensive wine Popular Italian restaurant. Head chef $$ 32 Ul. Korablestroiteley, build. 3 collection. Opulent interiors with Luca Pellino, sous-chef Tiziano M: Primorskaya open fireplace. Smoking area. Valente. Located close to the PUB Tel.+7 (812) 305-55-25 Hermitage. Open kitchen. Brugge www.оффсайд.рф $$$ Homemade pasta, sausages, Offside Steak House, which is desserts and ice-cream. Supervised located in the very heart of Shokoladnitsa kids’ playroom and menu. Summer Vasilevsky Ostrov, began welcoming terrace. Japanese dishes from the diners in 2006. Offside has not adjacent “Sushi Lounge” can be 22 Makarov Embankment, Vasilievsky changed its traditions in all that time ordered. Open Sun-Thurs 11 a.m. – Island (near Tuchkov Most) and looks forward to welcoming 11 p.m., Fri-Sat until 1 a.m. Tel. 600 2390 guests, old and new, with its varied Delivery service available. Open daily from noon to 2 a.m. dishes and a thoughtful regard for www.inbrugge.ru their enjoyment. The restaurant’s Hotline +8 (800) 100 3360 $$ www.Italy-group.ru menu always includes a variety of www.shoko.ru Brugge is a Belgian Gastronomic Pub marbled beef steaks, homemade Shokoladnitsa — More than just coffee Whoever sure are you target, you

– Banquet hall; – Breakfast; – Children’s room; – Credit cards accepted; – Dancefloor; – Live music; – Home delivery; – Non-smoking area; – Parking; – Wi-Fi zone. Average price of a two-course meal with an alcoholic beverage: $ – 500 to 1,000 rubles; $$ – 1,000 to 1,500 rubles; $$$ – more than 1,500 rubles Feature www.sptimes.ru | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 12 Russia Plans Own Organic Food Certification By Kristian Magnus THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES

trained eye is needed to locate organic foodstuffs on the shelves of Rus- sian supermarkets. Only about 0.2 per- Acent of all food consumed in Russia, a country of 143 million people, may be considered organic, according to the re- cently registered National Union of Or- ganic Products Manufacturers and Con- sumers. The union estimates the value of organic products consumed annually in the country at around $150 million, of which imported foodstuffs are worth between $120 million and $130 million. But new winds are blowing across the eco-friendly fields of Russia. Next year a law, if passed by the State Duma, will legally restrict the term “organic” to suppliers who grow food according to criteria in a bill prepared by the Ag- riculture Ministry, although there are concerns that the wording of the legis- lation could hinder exports. So in 2015 it may no longer be the opinion of a farmer or a visiting foreign inspector determining whether vegeta- bles and fruit have been exposed to chemical fertilizers or pesticides and

whether meat came from animals / SPT VLADIMIR FILONOV treated with growth hormones. A salesman at a LavkaLavka store stocking the shelves with organic products. The firm has been instrumental in promoting organic farming in Russia.

NEW LABEL MAY STALL “If the bill passes in its current form, She does not believe that the law into a broader project, Ecocluster, an “Apart from giving the children a RUSSIAN EXPORT Russian organic food will eventually will be entirely ineffective, but said that association of more than 100 farmers safe and healthy environment to develop David Yavruyan has spent his whole suffocate. The government-regulated creating trust in the organic label be- based in Russia and abroad. Ecocluster in, the village will also be founded on un- working life in the agricultural sector, ini- certification will not provide organic gins at the source — with the farmer. sells organic products online and deliv- compromising organic ideals,” Gudova tially serving as a scientist at the Agricul- farmers with the level of trust they “There will definitely be some trust ers them straight to the customers. explains. ture Ministry before becoming an inspec- need to convince consumers to buy issues to begin with. That is why I think Konovalov considers the bill a long The Fathers and Sons project is funded tor at its animal and plant health watch- their products,” he said. the farmers will have to build an organic anticipated necessity and believes that through the charity organization So- dog, Rosselkhoznadzor. He is now an in- On the other hand, Yavruyan said, if brand themselves. The need for individ- making certification legitimate in Rus- BYTIE, the name of which may be trans- dependent certification consultant within the bill is altered to be more in line with ual organic branding will be much more sia may be a benchmark for the domes- lated from Russian as “event” or “being the project of Ecological Certification European standards, Russia may soon requisite here than in Europe, where the tic organic industry. together.” Sponsors expect that the villag- System, or ECS, launched by the Lavka- become a leader in the production of faith in the products come from the ob- “The wording of the bill is fine. My ers will not only grow crops and raise or- Lavka farmers’ cooperative, which has organic food worldwide due to its vast tained certification,” she says. hope is that the certification process will ganic livestock but also process their prod- an internal system of certificates stating areas of land currently idle and for be done accordingly with no loopholes. ucts. According to Gudova, the village will the level of a product’s organic origin. many years not treated with fertilizers HOPE IS GREEN Trust of the certification is crucial to the set up their own dairy facility, which will He assists farmers in preparing or pesticides, as well as cheap labor. The European Union and the U.S. to- future of organic farming in Russia.” enable it to control the process from cow to products for certification inspection In 2012, organic food sales in Rus- gether consume 96 percent of the supermarket. and provides consulting to conven- sia reached $148 million, which was a world’s organic food. Yavruyan empha- FATHERS AND SONS With 90 percent of all organics con- tional farmers who wish to become 7.8 percent increase from the year be- sizes the importance of penetrating the Near the village of Bogimovo, 180 kilo- sumed in Russia being imported, she is more environmentally friendly. fore, a recent USDA Foreign Agricul- European market, which is growing meters south of Moscow, the first sod is convinced that there is plenty of land to Yavruyan is far from pleased with tural Service report showed. Since steadily every year. Europe is organi- soon to be turned in a project labeled be conquered. And not just in Russia, the present draft of the bill. Although 2003, the sale of organic food has cally undersupplied and this could be Fathers and Sons. The aim is to create a but in Europe as well. the bill contains various positive aspects soared more than tenfold. USDA ex- Russia’s ticket to green greatness. socio-educational center for children in Produce from the Fathers and Sons such as insurance against crop failure, perts estimate sales of organic prod- “Russia is a huge country with cheap cooperation with families that run or- project will obtain both Russian and Eu- special loans, subsidies and support of ucts could reach $167 million in 2013 labor. We are competitive in every area ganic farming. The village will provide ropean organic certificates thereby mak- consumer-agricultural cooperation, it and up to $225 million in 2015 accord- of the organic industry and we have ev- the children with an ecological educa- ing Russian organics available to Euro- has not been well received by parts of ing to projections made by Euromoni- ery chance in the world to compete with tion thereby ensuring the passing down peans, Gudova said. the organic farming community. tor International. the high European prices,” Yavruyan of organic knowledge to the younger “For the consumer to trust us we According to Yavruyan, the Russian said. He believes that by gaining footing generations. need both certificates. Moreover, we put criteria for organic food must match ORGANIC FAITH on the European market, Russian or- Elvira Gudova is sponsoring the transparency on a pedestal, which is why the European criteria. If not, the law Although the consumption of organic ganics will automatically win the confi- project named after Ivan Turgenev’s we will always be open to the public visit- has no purpose, he said. food is on the rise, organic farmers dence of Russian consumers. celebrated novel. “The title lays out the ing us and seeing with their own eyes “The problem is that the draft as it only play a bit part. Just 10 percent of Alexander Konovalov started with relationship between generations so how an organic production is run,” Gu- looks now does not provide an equiva- organic foodstuffs sold here were actu- a small family farm, Konovalovo Eco- well, that we found it matching the goal dova said. “Educating the consumer is lent set of rules that would enable or- ally grown, raised or bred on Russian farm, in 2009. It has since developed of our project perfectly,” she says. the key to success.” ganic farmers to export,” he said. “If not soil. German, Italian and French farm- altered, the bill will merely work as an ers in particular capitalize on the unor- export barrier for the Russian farmer.” ganized state of the Russian organic That is not all. Yavruyan fears that a farmers, with a considerable amount government stamp of approval that of their products finding their way to does not contain the same require- the Russian shopping carts. ments as the European one will lead to Helena Bollesen, an author and in- a collapse of Russia’s organic industry. dependent organic farming consultant, is a little more lenient than Yavruyan ADVERTISING when estimating the consequences of the current bill. She played an active role in the development of organic food in Denmark in the early 1990s and currently works on raising aware- ness of the development of organic food in Russia. She has high hopes for Russian or- ganic food and believes that the new law is a step forward because it brings a common set of rules for farmers that wish to produce foods of organic origin. “The current draft will bring a con- sensus on what organic foods actually is,” she said. “It is not organic when

the farmer uses a tad of pesticides or a / SPT VLADIMIR FILONOV splash of artificial fertilizer.” Certification experts agree that giving a product an organic label is pointless if the farmer lacks integrity. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 14 PAGE 15 PAGE 16 PAGE 20-21 Manifesta Misstep Karelia’s Love Cult The Music of Central Asia Listings

ROAD WARRIORS GET READY FOR TOP GEAR LIVE, AN ARENA SHOW BASED ON ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR TV SHOWS. SEE PAGE 15. TOP GEAR LIVE / FOR SPT GEAR LIVE / FOR TOP Arts&Culture www.sptimes.ru | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 14 Manifesta Plays Down Rights Concerns The European super-biennial scheduled for a June start at the Hermitage gives critics short shrift.

By Sergey Chernov “Sadly, Manifesta cannot rise to this THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES challenge. Had the situation remained as it was, with a soft authoritarianism anifesta, a roving bien- continuing to stagnate in Russia, the nial of contemporary project might have been a positive fac- art whose tenth itera- tor for the further development of a tion is schedule to be fledgling public sphere. But as condi- held at the State Her- tions worsen and reactionary forces mitageM Museum in St. Petersburg be- grow stronger by the day, Manifesta has tween June 28 and Oct. 31, has come in shown that it can respond with little for criticism for declining to take Rus- more than bureaucratic injunctions to sia’s involvement in the Ukrainian cri- respect law and order in a situation sis and its annexation of Crimea into where any and all law has gone to the account. wind. For that reason, any participation The event, which is scheduled as part in the Manifesta 10 exhibition loses its of the Hermitage’s 250th anniversary initial meaning.” exhibitions and festivities, has been lav- Having withdrawn from Manifesta, ishly co-funded by the city in addition to Chto Delat said it would work toward a receiving funding from the European new project, a solidarity exhibition of Union, the Netherlands’ Ministry of Ukrainian and Russian artists, poets, in- Education, Culture and Science, the tellectuals and cultural figures. Netherlands Foundation for Visual “At this terrible moment in our soci- Arts, Design and Architecture and the ety’s history, we are ready to demonstrate Mondriaan Foundation. our unity and the possibility of taking ac- Already coming under fire over Rus- tion against the war together, rising sia’s adoption of anti-gay “propaganda” above the flood of hate, lies, manipula- legislation, a Ukrainian artist has now tion and direct violence, and not above urged international artists to boycott politics,” it said.

Manifesta over Russia’s annexation of DELAT CHTO “We do not know how, when, or Crimea, while a group of Western Euro- Petersburg art collective Chto Delat has pulled out of Manifesta 10 over the ‘corporate policies’ of the organizers. where this project will take place, but we pean artists has launched a petition de- are sure that working toward its realiza- manding the biennial be suspended. A pendence and [a better] future. I appeal fused to relocate the biennial despite political circumstances as “delicate and tion, and not self-representation at the local art collective has also withdrawn to the international art community: Boy- Russia’s actions in Ukraine having been unpleasant” and said that his contract Manifesta Hermitage exhibition is the from the event to hold its own pro- cott Manifesta 10 in St. Petersburg!” condemned by the EU. guaranteed artistic freedom, but “within only responsible way to proceed.” Ukrainian art festival. On Mar. 4, a group of artists from “We were invited by the State Her- Russian law.” It also warned against Last year, LGBT rights and human Meanwhile, City Hall plans to use Amsterdam and Dusseldorf published mitage Museum to investigate the notion “cheap provocations.” rights activists criticized the choice of Manifesta to improve the international im- a petition urging the postponement of of contemporary art and culture in a con- “The environment and the possibili- Russia as the host of the event due to the age of both St. Petersburg and Russia. Manifesta in St Petersburg until Rus- tested society, and we think it is necessary ties for this exhibition are very rich and it law against the “promotion of homosex- “Manifesta 10 is one of the main sian troops are withdrawn from to continue to do so under the current cir- would be a mistake to reduce our possi- uality” that was initiated and passed in events of the Year of Culture in Rus- Ukraine, which was signed by 1,754 cumstances,” the organizers said in a bilities down to the level of just making a St. Petersburg before being taken to the sia,” Deputy Governor Vasily Kiched- people as of Mar. 22. The people who statement dated Mar. 11. particular political statement,” the notice national level by the State Duma, as well zhi was quoted as saying on City Hall’s signed the petition believe that hold- “[…] Canceling the project plays di- to the artists concluded. as for the general clampdown on human website on Feb. 12. “Taking into ac- ing any cultural events in Russia is rectly into the current escalation of the At the end of his statement, König rights and freedoms in Russia. count the international reputation of tacit support of the military actions of ‘cold war’ rhetoric and fails to acknowl- warned against those whom he called That first, LGBT rights-related pe- Manifesta and the interest in the event its authorities. edge the complexity of these geo-poli- “political actors.” tition was launched in Aug. 2013 by from both professionals and the gen- The supporters included Marta tics.” “Of course we are all aware that this Noel Kelly, an Irish curator, critic and eral public, we believe that successful Kuzma, a co-curator of Manifesta 5, Kasper König, the curator of Mani- 10th edition of Manifesta could be mis- art-management specialist from Dub- implementation of the project will con- which was held in San Sebastian, Spain festa 10, added a personal statement used by political actors as a platform for lin. It also had no effect the organizers tribute to strengthening the positive in 2004. which said that neither he, the Hermitage their own self-righteous representation,” of Manifesta. image not only of St. Petersburg, but of “Manifesta was founded on dialogue director Mikhail Piotrovsky, nor the he wrote. Hermitage director Mikhail Pi- Russia as a whole.” and not fracture, on integrity and not Manifesta Foundation and its director “However, it is and should be our goal otrovsky supported König when he spoke Although Manifesta has claimed rhetoric,” Kuzma commented on why Hedwig Fijen were responsible for Rus- to make an exhibition that uses the lim- on Ekho Moskvy radio on Mar. 16. that the Hermitage and City Hall ac- she signed the petition. sia’s political and military action. ited means of art to inspire discussion, “Following the situation in Crimea knowledge its “artistic autonomy,” “I have already rented an apartment “To stop our work for any reason that questions, and that wants to have an and Ukraine, there appeared calls by art- doubts have been expressed over how for the duration of Manifesta in Peters- other than its literal and practical impos- impact even after its closure in the au- ists — mostly those who were not invited free the organizers are to mount the burg, but I still felt I must sign the peti- sibility is not an answer to the current sit- tumn of 2014.” to participate in Manifesta, as I under- exhibition of their choosing in a coun- tion,” Moscow artist Valery Aizenberg uation,” he wrote. Following König’s statement, the St. stand — saying ‘Let’s boycott Manifesta try where a number of media outlets wrote. “The main concern here is to grapple Petersburg art collective Chto Delat an- because Russia is not behaving correctly have been stifled and closed for criti- “Manifesta is the European Biennial with all the possibilities that the art offers nounced it was pulling out of Manifesta. somehow,’” Piotrovsky said. cism of the authorities. of Contemporary Art, it simply can’t act and understand the breadth of perspec- In a statement on Mar. 15, the “Well, there are two sides here. Rus- On March 3, Germany-based Ukrai- without listening to the community that tives that it presents and opens up. I do group accused Manifesta of pre-emp- sia acts as it acts and our objective in this nian artist Yuri Leiderman released a acknowledged its position and made it not aspire to simply present commentary tive censorship. situation is not to wish that Russia lose in statement asking the international art the important event that the foundation and, more importantly, I hope to present “It is clearly art over politics. Kaspar this chess game, and, secondly, save those community to boycott the biennial in is now simply capitalizing on no matter far more than just commentary on the König’s most recent statement denigrates cultural connections that we have, includ- support of the people of Ukraine. what,” wrote Italian art historian and present political circumstances,” wrote any attempts to address the present situa- ing the ones that make up Manifesta.” Leiderman, one of the Moscow Con- curator Matteo Lucchetti. König. tion in Russia by artistic means, demoting City Hall has allocated an unprece- ceptualists of the 1970s and 1980s was Maria Alyokhina, Pussy Riot’s mem- König added that more than 43 artists them to ‘self-righteous representation’ dented sum of 150 million rubles ($4.1 born in Odessa, Ukraine and resides in ber who spent nearly two years in prison have agreed to take part in Manifesta af- and ‘cheap provocation’ and thus effec- million) for Manifesta 10, Deputy Gov- Berlin, Germany. He took part in the for an anti-Putin performance, proposed ter reading the biennial’s notice to poten- tively pre-emptively censoring them,” ernor Vasily Kichedzhi revealed on first Manifesta, which was held in Rot- that Manifesta should be held in tial participants that described the current Chto Delat said. Dec. 4, 2013 at the St. Petersburg In- terdam, the Netherlands in 1996. Ukraine, rather than in Russia. “We see now from this official reac- ternational Cultural Forum, the city- “Dear friends! I appeal to you as an “I am convinced that art must be tion that neither the curator nor the insti- owned television channel Sankt-Peter- artist, a participant of first Manifesta free. For the past few months we all fol- tution are capable of rising to the chal- burg reported. European Biennial of Contemporary lowed for every minute of what was hap- lenge of a dramatically evolving political “Indeed, the city not only partici- Art (1996, Rotterdam) and as a native of pening in Ukraine,” Alyokhina was situation, and we cannot be held hostage pates in such a very interesting project, Ukraine,” he wrote in a statement pub- quoted as saying on the Kievreport.com by its corporate policies, however reason- but plays a most active part,” Kichedzhi lished on the Art Ukraine website. website on Mar. 9. able they would sound under different was shown saying. “For the first time, “It seems that the situation does not “The people who have courage and circumstances.” the large sum of 150 million rubles has require a lengthy explanation. My coun- honor to stand for its freedom and vic- Admitting being generally against cul- been allocated from the budget for such try has experienced cynical brazen mili- tory should see all the festivals of the tural boycotts, Chto Delat said that par- a project.” St. Petersburg was officially tary aggression from Putin’s regime of world in its country. I call for a boycott ticipating would make sense if desper- announced as the site of Manifesta 10 Russia. Clearly St. Petersburg is a mar- of holding Manifesta in Russia. Because ately needed solidarity was shown with on Feb. 27, 2013, when an agreement velous city and Hermitage is one of the of troops. Because of tortures and vio- the marginalized anti-war movement in was made between Kichedzhi, the di- most famous museums in the world. lence in the name of law. Because of the Russia. rector of the Hermitage Mikhail Pi- “Nevertheless there was initially a lack of freedom. “Our aim at least should be to turn otrovsky and Manifesta founding direc- mistaken decision to host Manifesta 10 “I believe that Manifesta should be every cultural project into a manifesta- tor Hedwig Fijen. (2014) in a country where freedom of held in Ukraine this year. Let the festival tion of dissent against the Russian gov- This is not the first time that the Man- artistic expression is repressed and of art take place where there is risk and ernment’s policy of violence, repression, ifesta biennial has faced opposition to a where imperial chauvinism and obscu- freedom.” and lies. Even if you are staging Shake- proposed location. In 2006, an event due rantism are nurtured by state ideology. A week after Leiderman made his speare or exhibiting Matisse, the task of to be held in Cyprus was cancelled three Today, such a decision appears shame- statement and a petition was launched, culture today is to find the artistic lan- months before the opening and moved

ful. I call you to support the people of the organizers of Manifesta dismissed ALBRECHT FUCHS / MANIFESTA guage to bring home that simple mes- to Berlin after opposition from Cypriot Ukraine in their hard struggle for inde- calls to suspend the event and have re- Kasper König, curator of Manifesta 10. sage,” it wrote. artists. www.sptimes.ru ARTS & CULTURE Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 15 Top Gear Speeds Into Town for Arena Show

By Danny Wayne Armstrong Since then the show has returned to THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES Moscow, where it enjoyed further suc- cess before heading north to present the n what will be welcome news to show in St. Petersburg for the first time. every keen petrol head in the “We’ve turned your favorite motor- city, the hugely popular traveling ing television show into the most spec- motor show Top Gear Live tacular motoring theater show in the brings its unique brand of ex- universe,” Clarkson said of the event. traordinaryI stunts and humorous take “We’ll be taking all the best bits of Top on everything in the automotive world Gear and ambitiously attempting them to St. Petersburg later this week. Based live in our action arena. I’m sure it will on the world’s most widely watched work out well!” factual television program of the same Car guru Clarkson, together with name, hosts Jeremy Clarkson and Hammond, explore and celebrate every- Richard Hammond plan to test the ca- thing exciting about machines and mo- pabilities of the world’s most sought tors from the wondrous and intriguing to after and insanely modified cars in the ridiculous, the luxurious and the im- front of a live audience. pressive in what the Top Gear crew Originally scheduled to be held over claim will be a “complete immersion in two days at the St. Petersburg Sport and the world of cars.” Concert Complex on Mar. 29 and Mar. Accompanied by their mysterious 30, the second date was canceled and resident test driver “The Stig,” the pair

folded into a second show on Mar. 29. will explore the wonders and absurdities ANTHONY BLASKO The world’s biggest automotive per- of the Russian and international car Anya Kuts of Love Cult performing at The Red Bull Music Academy in New York City in 2013. formance, which celebrates its tenth an- markets throughout history. All this will niversary this year, is a transformation of come complete with a display of lighting the hugely popular, long-running British and pyrotechnic effects as well as dem- TV program “Top Gear” into an arena onstrations of The Stig’s daredevilry in a show. The live show has already gained series of complex, professional stunts. Love Cult Breaks Out considerable popularity across the globe With speed and adrenaline promised during the course of previous tours and as the Top Gear team push some of the The sounds of Karelia find an international audience. has performed in front of 1.5 million at- world’s most powerful motors to their tendees across four continents. limits, the show is expected to deliver a By Tim Misir Their music is slow-burning and un- creates a palette of sounds, samples, Russia is the show’s third stop in theatrical experience incorporating THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES easy, and — like their hometown — maybe a general bass line or a beat. 2014, after launching in the U.K. and a unique stunts, music, choreography, per- beautiful, dark and cold. Then the other takes over and cuts stop in Australia. After Petersburg, the formers and ground-breaking pyrotech- 00 kilometers north of St. Pe- “We have never tried too hard to things into little pieces, stitches these show moves on to Barbados, South Af- nics — all created by the team from the tersburg on the shores of Lake translate [our environment] with our together and adds vocals and leads.” rica and the Czech Republic later this award winning TV program. Onega lies Petrozavodsk, a music or to approach the culture or his- The result is akin to listening to year. city of 300,000 in the Republic tory of the region, however, it is silly to fragments of a distant or fading mem- According to Clarkson, the decision Top Gear Live will be held at 4 p.m. of Karelia. The capital of the deny that what we do bears the same ory — perhaps someone else’s. to bring the show to Russia again is in and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 29 at the sparsely3 populated region bordering qualities,” they continue. “We ping-pong the track back and hopes of repeating the success of their St. Petersburg Sport and Concert Com- Finland is small by Russian standards, The duo has toured extensively forth, slowing down and speeding up previous performances in Moscow, as plex, 8 Prospekt Yurya Gagarina, M. but is often dubbed the punk capital of abroad and is more well-known outside parts until we reach the point where we their first show in the capital in 2012 at- Park Pobedy. For more information Russia and boasts a thriving indie mu- their native Russia. They have been are not sure anymore what the original tracted more than 30,000 people. visit www.topgearlive.ru sic scene that many larger cities would sounds we started with were.” be proud to have. Their follow-up EP “Know” was re- Love Cult is one of the stalwart leased in late 2013 on Night School Re- bands in this community. Anya Kuts ‘Love Cult has never cords. Last week, they released the al- and Ivan Afanasyev began the group bum “Yr Problems” via the Irish label five years ago as an avant-punk band, been about a certain Trensmat under the moniker Love Cult though categorizing them as part of sound, we do not Take Druss, a collaboration between that particular genre does not help de- the band and Paddy Shine of Gnod, scribe their music any better. worry too much which the duo describe as their favorite “Love Cult has never been about a about these things.’ British music collective. certain sound, we do not worry too “We strive to get deeper in our own much about these things,” they told garnering international acclaim in the vision, so trying out new things in a dif- The St. Petersburg Times at the end of underground music press since their ferent setting is a perfect way to realize a seven-date tour of Russia that began full-length debut album, “Fingers what it is so unique that makes our mu- in St. Petersburg and ended in Moscow Crossed,” was released on British label sic personal and direct,” they say about on Mar. 22. Public Information in 2009. their many collaborations over the Love Cult’s music is equal parts folk The LP was described by record dis- years, both live and recorded. music fragments, ambient soundscapes, tributor Boomkat as a “vodka-curdled In live performances they manipu- garage and dub drones, guitar and mixture of haptic textural processing, late and process pre-programmed sam- feedback loops, field recordings and ghosted chorales and bone-creaking ples, using a web camera to alter the various other samples, deconstructed, noise streaked with stray samples.” effects in the track. “It is as if we have a then put back together along with a Talking about their recording pro- Lego set and we know perfectly well

FOR SPT dose of folklore and fantasy from the cess, Kuts and Afanasyev explain: “Usu- what we are building but it comes out Thrills, and perhaps spills, await visitors to Top Gear Live on Saturday. Karelian forests. ally one of us comes up with an idea and looking a bit different.” the word’s worth Mister Rogers Takes Crimea By Michele A. Berdy ple’s hearts and minds, Crimea has al- plaining life as he sings: “It’s a beautiful the fact that good relations with But sometimes Mister Rogers’ “facts” ways been and will always be an inte- day in this neighborhood, a beautiful Ukraine were the most important thing were contentious, even if his tone stayed Национал-предатель: “national trai- gral part of Russia). day for a neighbor.” But Putin is just not for us, and they should not be hostages simple. In Ukraine, he said, “В ход были tor,” fifth column And there’s his typical sarcasm about a gee-whiz-gosh-and-golly kind of guy. to dead-end territorial disputes.) пущены и террор, и убийства, и пог- the West, like “Нам говорят, что мы на- Tone and message were at odds. His stance was either “don’t mess ромы. Главными исполнителями перево- s is my wont, I watched рушаем нормы международного права. When he was not asserting Slavic with us” or “poor little us,” mistreated рота стали националисты, неонацисты, President Vladimir Putin Во-первых, хорошо, что они хоть вспом- glory, he was coyly asking questions by the West. “Россия искренне стреми- русофобы и антисемиты.” (They re- give his “Crimea speech” нили о том, что существует междуна- and answering them. In describing лась к диалогу с нашими коллегами на sorted to terror, murder and pogroms. and then printed it out to родное право” (We are told that we are Crimea’s status as part of Ukraine after Западе” (Russia sincerely wanted dia- The coup was led by nationalists, neo- study it linguistically. At violating international law. First of all, it’s the breakup of the U.S.S.R. he says: logue with our colleagues in the West). Nazis, Russophobes and anti-Semites.) Afirst I thought there was nothing to say. good that they have at least recalled that “Ну, что Россия? Опустила голову и He explained things in simple phrases I know the crowd roared at every This is not the kind of speech you scour there is such a thing as international law). смирилась, проглотила эту обиду” we could all understand. This was Mister assertion of greatness. But forgive me for hints of mood or intention. It tele- And some pointed digs at the “национал- (And what did Russia do? She put her Rogers doing mansplaining about — I kept hearing Mister Rogers: “Since graphs mood and intention. предатели” (national traitors) at home. head down and accepted the situation Ukraine — but apparently not Russia: we’re together, we might as well say, But then I realized it is very differ- But despite the key message of humbly, swallowing the insult). “Права на мирный протест, демокра- Would you be mine? Could you be ent in tone than any other speech Putin strength and defiance, almost all of the And then: Из чего мы тогда исхо- тические процедуры, выборы для того и mine? Won’t you be my neighbor?” has given. There are, of course, stylistic speech is written from a “gee-whiz, дили? Исходили из того, что хорошие существуют, чтобы менять власть, ко- flourishes he has used before, like the gosh-oh-golly” pose. It is as if the presi- отношения с Украиной для нас главное, торая не устраивает людей” (The right Michele A. Berdy, a Moscow-based high pathos of “В сердце, в сознании dent were trying to channel Jimmy и они не должны быть заложником ту- to peaceful protest, democratic pro- translator and interpreter, is the author людей Крым всегда был и остаётся не- Stewart in “Mr. Smith Goes to Wash- пиковых территориальных споров. cesses, and elections exist solely to re- of ‘The Russian Word’s Worth’ (Glas), отъемлемой частью России” (In peo- ington.” Or become Mister Rogers, ex- (What did we base our actions on? On place leaders who don’t satisfy people). a collection of her columns. 16 ❖ Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ARTS & CULTURE www.sptimes.ru Dying Musical Traditions Preserved A new recording project attempts to capture the dazzling variety of folk music found in the Republic of Georgia.

By Tim Misir THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES

oday, the Caucasus is re- garded as a region of insta- bility, comprising heavily disputed areas as well as separatist regions. Now, a smallT group of scholars has exposed a different aspect of the region’s diver- sity, traveling through the Republic of Georgia and collecting samples of folk music from its myriad ethnicities. The region comprising what is now Georgia was recognized for its linguis- tic and cultural diversity as early as the 10th century when Arab geographer Ali al-Masudi called this area “jabal al- alsum,” or “mountain of tongues.” Forming a land barrier between Eu- rope and Asia that stretches for 500 miles from the Black Sea to the Cas- pian, the Caucasus’ unique geography has seen it being the crossroads of vari- ous cultures and civilizations and the focus of political and religious rivalries for thousands of years. Migration to the region resulted in the Indo-European, Turkic, Mongolic and Semitic languages spoken there, but more surprisingly, 37 of the 50 lan- guages spoken in the Caucasus are be- lieved to be indigenous to the region for at least 4,000 years. The lack of national identities led to an explosion of folk cultures. The land- scape and the isolation of villages from one another also played a role develop-

ment of the region’s diverse cultures with- ONNIK KIRKORIAN out so much as the influence of a neigh- Now in his 80s, Garib is the oldest Ashig — a traditional bard — in his village, and has taught many locals to play the saz, an Azeri stringed instrument. boring village only a few kilometers away. The result of both isolation and ex- For example, one of their first trips provided no information whatsoever,” are playing the music, that is where plore the North Caucasus more exten- change is an extremely rich diversity of was to the village of Algeti in Kvemo Wheeler explains. they are usually performing. It is not in sively in the future. “I think Dagestan musical traditions, but many of these Kartli, one of the centers of the Azeri- “It is amazing that they have been a studio,” she adds. would be an ethnomusicologists’ gold- traditions are now close to being lost, populated parts of southeast Georgia, preserved for as long as they have, espe- The Sayat Nova Project is currently mine,” says Wheeler. and no proper documentation of them to find an elderly Ashig, a troubadour cially in these incredibly small communi- building an interactive website where is being undertaken. who plays the Azeri saz, a plucked ties. … The crazy thing about the Cauca- all their material will be hosted. As for ’Mountains of Tongues: Musical Dia- “You would not call it Georgian mu- string instrument similar to a lute, and sus is that it is such a small area, but there future plans, they tell me that they lects of the South Caucasus’ is available sic, so it was not being studied by Geor- incorporates singing and poetry to the is so much there. If we took the same hope to return to Georgia to distribute on LP and MP3 via Midheaven.com. gian scholars,” explains Ben Wheeler, performance. song and went to the village next door, the proceeds of the record to the musi- More about the project can be found at who was a folk music student at the An elderly man now in his 80s, he they would have no idea,” Wheeler tells cians featured on it, as well as to ex- facebook.com/sayatnovaproject. Tbilisi State Conservatory. There, he had taught all the Ashigs in the com- me, explaining their interest in the noticed “an almost obsessive focus on munity and 15 of his former students smaller folk cultures of Georgia. Georgian polyphonic singing.” showed up to hear him give an im- They took to online crowd-funding While living in Tbilisi in 2012, promptu concert. platform Kickstarter to finance their Wheeler, together with historian Anna “There are all these really interest- research, which lasted nine months. Harbaugh and anthropologist Stefan ing roots that just are not being studied Called the Sayat Nova Project, it is Williamson-Fa, would frequently make and just were not being recorded be- named after the prolific 18th-century weekend trips to villages and towns in cause they did not necessarily fit under Armenian poet and bard of the Cauca- the region on hearing of some interest- certain guidelines. Even the archives of sus who made his compositions in sev- ing musical or cultural phenomenon. field recordings at the Conservatory eral languages.

ADVERTISING They have amassed a trove of audio and video material, including field re- cordings and interviews with musicians collected from their trips, including songs in the Bats language, of which there are only about 2,000 native speakers, by the Udi people, one of the oldest tribes of the Caucasus, with a population of about 200 in the village of Zinobiani, and songs by Avars in Georgia, who also number about 2,000

from three villages. BEN WHEELER A selection of their recordings, Women play the Dyareh, a traditional drum, in the highlands of Georgia. “Mountains of Tongues: Musical Dia- lects of the South Caucasus” has just been released on the L.M. Duplication label, and it includes 19 tracks from 12 communities, including Azeris in Geor- gia, Acharians, Tushetian, Leski musi- cians from Azerbaijan and Kist and Chechen musicians from the Pankisi Gorge, among others. Sounding like a mix of Middle East- ern and Eastern European music, al- most all of the songs are performed by amateurs on traditional instruments, and the recordings are raw and unpro- cessed, sounding like they were just taken at the kitchen table from the liv- ing room with people going about their normal lives in the background, but Harbaugh says it that was a conscious decision to keep it that way. “Some of the ethnomusicology recordings are

very sterile, very academic. The reality BEN WHEELER of the situation is, that is where they The new album has recordings of rarely heard instruments and languages. www.sptimes.ru ARTS & CULTURE Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 17 Foreigners Preferred for Russian Roles Despite the growing number of English-speaking Russian actors, they are still missing out on plum parts.

By Des Brown viets were not the threat, but a rampag- THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES ing alien recovered from the ice which sought to launch a nuclear strike that owadays, Russian charac- would trigger World War III. As so of- ters in British and Ameri- ten before, the Russians were all can drama often fall into played by British actors. stereotyped images of clas- No doubt inspired by the success of sical literary characters, the 2011 film adaptation of John Le NCold War warriors, revolutionaries and Carre’s Cold War thriller “Tinker, Tailor, dissidents. Viewers will soon witness a Soldier, Spy” — the definitive Cold War new attempt by a foreign actor to portray thriller against which most others are a Russian on screen, as Britain’s most pop- ular drama series, “Downton Abbey,” is to feature its first Russian character. 67-year-old Croatian actor Rade It is still more Sherbedgia — whose career includes common for a Russian roles in such productions as “Eyes Wide Shut,” “Mission Impossible II” and “24: character to be played Season 6” — will play a Russian refugee, by a foreign actor than Kuragin, who has fled the Russian revo- lution after World War I and will enter by a native speaker. the lives of the masters and servants at fictional Downton estate in 1920s York- measured — later this year the BBC will shire. Viewers will be introduced to broadcast a new Cold War spy thriller Kuragin when Series 5 airs in Britain this called “The Game” in which a team of fall, in the U.S. in January 2015 and then MI5 agents track down KGB sleeper pretty much everywhere as the series JACKRYAN.RU agents hidden in 1970s Britain. broadcasts in 200 markets. The Russian villain in ‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’ is played by British actor Sir Kenneth Branagh. September is the tentative release More often than not, when a Rus- date for the film version of Tom Rob sian character opens their mouth on Smith’s 2008 novel “Child 44,” wherein English-language television, the accent Londoner Tom Hardy — best known is located somewhere near London or for playing Bane in “The Dark Knight elsewhere in Britain, rather than Mos- Rises” — is cast as the former Russian cow, such as Joe Wright’s highly angli- agent Leo Demidov investigating a So- cized 2012 screen version of Anna Kar- viet Ripper-style serial killer in a chilly enina that featured Keira Knightley as Stalin-era Russia. Another English ac- Anna, Jude Law as Karenin and Aaron tor in the cast is Gary Oldman, who will Taylor-Johnson as Vronsky. Or Sir be remembered being gloriously robust Kenneth Branagh — a native of Belfast as the ruthless Russian terrorist Kors- and Reading — as the oligarch villain hunov who hijacks the president’s plane of “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.” Or in 1997’s “Air Force One.” going back to 2001’s ambitious retelling Apart from simply listing the many of the siege of Stalingrad, “Enemy at instances in which non-Russian actors the Gates,” which placed a quartet of portray Russians with varying levels of English actors as the Russian partici- success in British and U.S. film and tele- pants: Joseph Fiennes, Jude Law, Ra- vision, it is difficult to explain the roots of chel Weisz and Bob Hoskins, as a this phenomenon. While there may have Cockney-sounding Khruschev. been a shortage of Russian actors in the But in 2014, it is the Cold War which West 20 years ago, at this point it seem still captures the imagination and pro- likely that there are crowds of Russian vides dramatists with an image of Rus- actors who speak English to a sufficient sians on screen. It dominated the lives degree to be able to take on a part as an of so many in Europe and the U.S. for accented Russian villain, or hero. four decades — from the Red Scares of It must be noted that Russians are

the early ‘50s to the collapse of the ITV not the only nation frequently given Berlin Wall in 1989 — and it still holds The cast of ‘Downton Abbey’ will be joined by Croatian actor Rade Sherbedgia, who will play a Russian refugee. British accents — U.S. World War II a fascination as a subject for popular movies throughout the 20th century culture. Take the FX Networks televi- lives as ordinary Washington, D.C., Rhys. Both conform to the Cold War War” and took place entirely aboard a portrayed Nazi officers speaking the sion drama “The Americans,” which citizens called Elizabeth and Phillip Russian stereotype. Soviet nuclear submarine beneath the Queen’s English. aired in 2013 — a second series will Jennings — the Russian characters are, A 2013 episode of the BBC’s glob- Arctic ice in that flashpoint year of Perhaps in time this standard will screen in the U.S. between February of course, played by an American and ally popular science fiction series 1983 when relations between East and change, but in the meanwhile, be pre- and May. Two KGB moles live their a Briton, Keri Russell and Matthew “Doctor Who” was even titled “Cold West were at their worst. Here, the So- pared for more cockney Khrushchev. THE DISH Mon Petit Cafe: Joie de Vivre

Mon Petit Cafe other modern cafes in town, with un- had delicious flavors and textures, a beef steak in bacon with countryside this in mind, we ordered a cappuccino 27 Second Sovetskaya Ulitsa derstated colors, comfortable chairs which straddled the line between potatoes (380 rubles, $10.49) and a do- (120 rubles, $3.31) and a crème brûlée Dinner for two with alcohol, 1860 rubles and impressionist artworks on the smoothness and coarseness, and went rado baked in herbs with grilled vege- (180 rubles, $4.97). The cappuccino ($51.34) wall giving off a mildly Parisian vibe. very well with a glass of the house tables (360 rubles, $9.94) won the day. was excellent and also very large. No English menu available. The background music was, perhaps wine (150 rubles, $4.14), a full-bodied Both dishes were surprisingly large While this was somewhat over-facing inevitably, jazz, played from a gramo- Spanish red. for their price and were cooked to per- for an after-dinner coffee, especially By Ben Hiscox phone that seemed to be the cafe’s Keeping to the theme of liver, we fection. The preparation was relatively after a half-liter of cherry cider (150 THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES hallmark, appearing as it did on the also ordered a warm salad of chicken simple, which really allowed the high rubles, $4.14), it would be perfect if French-styled bistros seem to be menus and placemats. Overall there livers in a raspberry sauce (220 rubles, quality ingredients to shine through. you intended to while away an after- cropping up all over St Petersburg was nothing spectacular in the design, $6.07). The salad itself was a bit heavy Although it may be a cliché to call noon at the cafe. The crème brûlée, these days, so a ‘petit cafe’ is not as but it was relaxed and cozy, and left on the lettuce, but the livers and the steak “melt-in-the-mouth,” the piece meanwhile, was adequate. The sugar unusual a prospect as it once was and us anticipating the food. dressing more than compensated. of beef was exactly that, while the do- on top was not quite “brûléed” a French café needs a certain je ne The menu at Mon Petit Cafe The richness of the liver was comple- rado fell off the bone in large, moist enough, lacking that satisfying crackle sais quoi to stand out. The newly- proved to be refreshingly brief, mented by the sharpness of the rasp- flakes. There was some initial confu- and slightly too granular. However, as opened Mon Petit Cafe, a stone’s though there were plenty of tasty- berry, making the salad more than the sion about the grilled vegetables, but a whole, the dessert was still a tasty throw from Nevsky Prospekt and sounding dishes on it. To start with, sum of its parts. this was quickly resolved by the finale to the meal. Ploschad Vosstaniya, therefore had a my companion and I decided to share After our starters we were both friendly waitress and we were able to Overall, Mon Petit Cafe provides lot to live up to when we visited on a a set of three patés with warm toast looking forward to the mains, and thoroughly enjoy our meals. good quality food in large quantities Saturday evening. (150 rubles, $4.14), which is almost these did not disappoint. While the Despite feeling distinctly full after for a very affordable price. While not On stepping into the restaurant, worth a trip in itself. From the choice choices were simple and rather lim- our hearty main courses, we knew we overly complicated, it is clearly made the interior of the cafe provided a of patés we went for beef liver, ited, with four meat, two vegetable it was impossible to leave somewhere using very good ingredients, and it is contrast to the drab grayness of its fa- chicken liver and a vegetarian option and two fish dishes, all of them that billed itself as a cafe without sam- this, in the end, that distinguishes the cade. The decor was similar to a lot of made of olives and capers. All three sounded like good options. In the end pling the coffee and desserts. With cafe from its many rivals. Travel www.sptimes.ru | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 18 GOVERNMENT OF DUBAI, DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND COMMERCE OF TOURISM OF DUBAI, DEPARTMENT GOVERNMENT Dubai blends the traditional with the modern like no other destination. From Bedouin encampments in the desert to the world’s tallest skyscraper and everything in between, Dubai aims to please. Dubai: High Temperatures and High Fashion By Chris Gordon Guinness Book of World Records for Mall is a destination in itself with nu- onto the title of the most visited shop- Because of the vast distances to be VEDOMOSTI launching over 400,000 pyrotechnics. merous leisure activities for young and ping and leisure destination in the world covered in a day’s shopping, comfort- The Burj is also home to the world’s old alike. With the Dubai Aquar- — ahead of both New York City (54 mil- able shoes are an absolute must but be- here are two types of travel- highest restaurant, the aptly named ium and Discovery Center — another lion) and Los Angeles (42 million). The yond that, strategies for conquering the ers: Those who enjoy shop- At.Mosphere, which offers haute cui- Guinness World Record holder for us- mall is also home to the world’s largest mall are a matter of choice. It is perhaps ping on vacation and those sine along with the altitude. ing the world’s largest acrylic panel as a gold souk as well as the month-long best just to decide on a destination or who do not. For the first As a result, there is perhaps nowhere window on the sub-aquatic world — an Dubai Shopping Festival, which saw the attraction and see what you will along category, the success of any better in Dubai to escape the sun for Olympic-sized ice rink, an “edu-tain- organizers, in association with the Dubai the way. Ttrip is measured by the beautiful things both shoppers and, perhaps surprisingly, ment” zone and the SEGA Republic Gold and Jewelry Group, giving away a As well as being simply gigantic, one discovers with which to adorn home beach bunnies and kids, than in the indoor theme park for the kids and a 22- kilogram of gold and a diamond ring to Dubai Mall also positions itself as the and body. For the second, it is the depth shadow of Burj Khalifa. Home to a col- screen cinema. some extremely lucky shoppers every most important fashion destination in of a tan or the number of photos with lection of some 1,200 shops covering a Seventy-five million shoppers visited day of the festival, which ran from Jan. 2 the entire Middle East. With this in which to entertain or bore family and massive 350,000 square meters, Dubai Dubai Mall in 2013, allowing it to hold to Feb. 2 this year. mind, the most rewarding place to start friends. Being one of the former married to one of the latter, few destinations ca- ter to both sides as well as Dubai. That the country boasts some of the best weather in the region nearly all year round is an added benefit — although perhaps beside the point for those who plan to spend most of their stay indoors. Dubai is one of the seven principali- ties that make up the United Arab Emirates and is the most modern and progressive emirate in the U.A.E. Eas- ily reached with direct flights from most of Europe, including St. Petersburg, Dubai makes the perfect mid-winter shopping break and offers a taste of summer while letting you build a warm weather wardrobe for when the sun fi- nally reaches Russia. With temperatures that can soar to more than 40 degrees Celsius in the sum- mer but remain blissfully sultry for most of the year, cool, shaded places are a ne- cessity that the country has made an art of perfecting. In Dubai, air conditioning is even available at some outdoor cafes, making life a delightful dream despite the melting temperatures. As a country of superlatives, Dubai is home to the world’s largest shop- ping center, which sits at the base of the Burj Khalifa. At 829.8 meters tall, the Burj beat the previous record holder, Taipei 101, by more than 300 meters when it opened in 2010 to be- come the world’s tallest building. The tower was recently the focal point of

the country’s New Year’s Eve firework EMAAR PROPERTIES display which propelled it into the Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience attracted 400,000 visitors to its fashion shows and exhibitions, and heralded the arrival of Dubai on the world fashion stage. Wednesday, March 26, 2014 TRAVEL www.sptimes.ru | The St. Petersburg Times ❖ 19 a visit to the mall is with Fashion Ave- nue, a unique section devoted to high- end luxury fashion. Covering an area of 40,877 square meters with its own VIP entrance, Fash- ion Avenue is a custom-designed area dedicated to the world’s best fashion with over 70 flagship stores. Highlight- ing the latest trends in their global rep- ertoire, designers like Armani, Dior, Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Tom Ford, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, Hermes and Givenchy all call Fashion Avenue home in Dubai. In addition to the designer bou- tiques, the area also boasts a dedicated 20-meter long, hydraulic catwalk clad in LED screens with multimedia capabili- ties that disappears into the floor of the mall when not in use. It was here on Fashion Avenue that the Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience took place in October 2013. The first of its kind in the region, the event at- Paul Andrew’s pink feather-covered shoes.. tracted over 400,000 shoppers as well as the fashion world’s glitterati to an event that culminated in a fashion show of emerging regional and international fashions. New York-based Paul Andrew, whose Hosted by Francesca Sozzani, the supremely comfortable, glamorous and editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia, the richly-hued creations feature fine Italian event brought together designers Do- craftsmanship and have made the 34- natella Versace, Roberto Cavalli, Silvia year-old designer one of the top new Fendi, Dean and Dan Caten of names to watch. Dsquared2 and Philipp Plein; models When it’s time for a bit of rest and re- Naomi Campbell, Karolina Kurkova, laxation, you won’t need to walk far to Eva Riccobono and Afef Jnifen; and get to one of the city’s top hotels. From Italian operatic tenor Vittorio Grigolo the conveniently located The Address, for the event, which was followed by a which has an entrance directly from the gala charity auction. The auction raised mall and offers a personal shopper for $5 million for the Dubai Cares charity, guests, to the sublimely chic Armani Ho- which works to improve children’s ac- tel housed within the Burj itself and the cess to quality primary education in traditionally-styled Palace hotel, service, developing countries. comfort and luxury epitomize any stay in In addition to the fashion show that Dubai. Unlike many destinations where launched Dubai as a global fashion des- a luxury price tag is no guarantee of a tination, an impressive exhibition of his- luxurious experience, the hotels sur- toric dresses from the Vogue archives rounding the Burj may make returning gave visitors a chance to get up close home feel like a bit of a letdown. and personal with extravagant haute One of the outdoor activities that couture masterpieces by Versace, Ar- should top the list of must-dos for shop- mani, Valentino, Elie Saab, Jean-Paul pers and sunbathers alike is a desert Gaultier, Givenchy and Chanel, and in- safari. With a number of vetted compa- cluded a spectacular suit by Dior from nies that collect would-be Sheiks and the 1940s. The mall continues its associ- Sheikhas from their hotel in the after- ation with Vogue Italia throughout the noon for an evening in the desert, most month of April, when it launches a new safaris follow a similar program and of- talent-scouting initiative. fer a range of activities. Because shoes will never be far from After a short ride from the city cen- your thoughts with so much walking to ter to the Dubai Desert Conserva- do, a visit to the Level Shoe District is a tion Reserve, which forms the biggest must if your shoes give out or you are piece of land which Dubai has dedi- just in the mood for a change. With sin- cated to a single project, a choice of gle-brand outlets from Chanel, Chris- dune bashing in 4-wheel drive jeeps, tian Louboutin, and Louis Vuitton, sand boarding, camel treks, and fal- among others, surrounding a multi- conry demonstrations is available. Most brand area for both men and women, days end with a dinner in a collection of the 8,918 square meters of floor space tents at a fabulously evocative Bedouin features an extraordinary collection of encampment beneath the glittering unique footwear, with much of it de- stars. signed exclusively for the shop. After returning from the desert, the At the center of it all sits Vogue Cafe. choices continue with an evening out at With a menu created by Condé Nast the Armani Privé nightclub attached to Restaurants’ chef Gary Robinson, the the Armani Hotel followed by a much- vibe at the Level Shoe District is often deserved and comfortable night’s sleep. much like a very civilized cocktail party Either way, after a quick dip in the pool — minus the booze, of course. In addi- and an opulent breakfast, you will be tion to the latest covetable footwear by ready to do it all again the next day. If

major designers, the shop also offers the AND COMMERCE OF TOURISM OF DUBAI, DEPARTMENT GOVERNMENT your credit card hasn’t already melted chance to discover new brands like the The Burj Khalifa houses the world’s largest shopping mall as well as the highest restaurant in the world. from use, that is.

PRACTICALITIES:

Emirates Airlines offers daily non-stop service between St. Petersburg and Dubai starting at 27,740 rubles ($837) for a round-trip economy class ticket. The At.Mosphere restaurant is located on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa. Set menus start at $175 per person. www.atmosphereburjkhalifa.com The Palace Downtown Dubai and The Address Dubai Mall offer standard doubles starting at $462 and $571 per night, respectively before tax. www. theaddress.com Armani Hotel offers deluxe rooms starting at $653 per night before taxes. Dubai Mall is open 365 days a year from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., with later opening hours on certain days. www.dubaimall.com

The St. Petersburg Times was a guest

EMAAR PROPERTIES of Emaar Properties. EMAAR PROPERTIES Fashion Avenue attracts the well heeled for a unique boutique experience. The Gold Souk at Dubai Mall is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the largest in the world. 20 ❖ Wednesday, March 26, 2014 LISTINGS WWW.SPTIMES.RU

HOW TO USE THE LISTINGS: Choral Music Mozart. Conductor Alexander Dead by April Melodic metalcore. Kantorov. Smolny Cathedral, 3/1 Pl. Rastrelli, Kosmonavt, 24 Bronnitskaya Ulitsa. Dates and times are correct at the M: Chernyshevskaya. Tel. 271 9182 Tel. 922 1300. 8 p.m. time of publication, but last-min- Violin Music Brahms. Shostakovich Orphaned Land Folk metal, progressive Philharmonic, Small Hall metal. Zal Ozhidaniya, 118 Nab. Obvodnogo ute changes are not infrequent, Organ Recital Bach, Franck, Liszt. Rubin Kanala. Tel. 333 1069. 8 p.m. so it’s best to check by contacting Abdullin. Mariinsky Concert Hall jazz & blues the venue. COMPLETE LISTINGS can Al Di Meola Plays The Beatles and be found at www.sptimes.ru friday, march 28 More. Music Hall, 4 Alexandrovsky Park. Tel. 232 9201. 7 p.m. (or scan the QR code below). ballet Elvira Trafova and Pyotr Kornev Band Unless otherwise stated, stage A Michel Fokine Evening A performance of Romantic jazz night. Jazz Philharmonic Hall, three of the famed Russian choreographer’s 27 Zagorodny Prospekt. Tel. 764 8565, events start at 7 p.m. ballets. Mariinsky Theater, 7.30 p.m. 764 9843. 7 p.m. Vain Precaution Louis Herold’s ballet about All stage shows and a peasant who tricks the fiance of the woman films are in Russian he loves. Choreographer Oleg Vinogradov. saturday, march 29 Mikhailovsky Theater unless noted. The Nutcracker Tchaikovsky’s ballet based rock, etc. on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s tale. Choreographer Linda & Stefanos Pop rock. Aurora Concert Nikita Dolgushin. Rimsky-Korsakov Hall, St. Petersburg Hotel, 5/2 Pirogovskaya Conservatory Theater, 3 p.m. American virtuoso jazz fusion guitarist Al Di Meola will perform at the Lensoviet Nab.. Tel. 907 1917. 8 p.m. STAGES Swan Lake Tchaikovsky’s ballet about a Palace of Culture on Friday, Mar. 28 in support of his most recent album, ‘All La Minor Urban folk. Griboyedov Hill, swan princess. Choreographers Marius Petipa Your Life,’ which contains his acoustic versions of songs by The Beatles, from 2A Voronezhskaya Ulitsa. Tel. 764 4355, and Nikolai Boyarchikov. Rimsky-Korsakov ‘And I Love Her’ to ‘Because.’ 973 7273. 9 p.m. wednesday, march 26 Conservatory Theater, 7 p.m. Lamb Trip-hop. Zal Ozhidaniya, The Nutcracker Tchaikovsky’s Christmas 118 Nab. Obvodnogo Kanala. ballet classic. Estrada Theater 27 Bolshaya sunday, march 30 Tel. 333 1069. 8 p.m. Anna Karenina A ballet based on Tolstoy’s Konyushennaya Ul. Tel. 314-6661 GIGS novel and set to Tchaikovsky’s music. ballet jazz & blues Alexandrinsky Theater, 8 p.m. opera The Little Humpbacked Horse A ballet Leningrad Dixieland Band Jazz dancing. Swan Lake Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet in Don Giovanni Mozart’s opera about the based on Pyotr Yershov’s fairy tale. Mariinsky wednesday, march 26 Jazz Philharmonic Hall, 27 Zagorodny three acts. Hermitage Theater infamous Don. St. Petersburg Opera II, 8 p.m. Prospekt. Tel. 764 8565, 764 9843. 7 p.m. Sleeping Beauty Tchaikovsky’s classic based rock, etc. Empathy Jazz Dmitry Vasilyev and Alexandra opera theater on the tale by Charles Perrault. Choreographer Burkina Faso Indie pop. Dada, Kurkova. Jazz Philharmonic Hall, Don Quixote Massenet’s opera based on The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Mark Marius Petipa. Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory 47 Gorokhovaya Ulitsa. Tel. 983 7050. 8 p.m. 27 Zagorodny Prospekt. Tel. 764 8565, Cervantes’s novel. Director Yannis Kokkos. Twain’s story about two American boys. Theater, 12 a.m., 3 p.m. Sergei Starostin and Volkovtrio 764 9843. 7 p.m. Mariinsky Theater Director Alla Semak. Musical Comedy Theater, Avant-rock, folk. Fish Fabrique Nouvelle, Yevgeny Onegin Tchaikovsky’s opera based 13 Italianskaya Ul. Tel. 210 4316, 11 a.m. opera 53 Ligovsky Prospekt. Tel. 764 4857. 9 p.m. on Pushkin’s novel. Director Yury Alexandrov. Chaplin Christopher Curtis’ musical about Cinderella Boris Asafiev’s opera based on Forget My Silence Metal. Mod, sunday, march 30 Conductor Vadim Afanasyev. the life of the legendary actor. Director Warren the tale by Charles Perrault. Director 7 Nab. Kanala Griboyedova. St. Petersburg Opera Carlyle. Musical Comedy Theater, 13 Alexander Petrov. Zazerkalya Theater, 7 p.m. Tel. 712 0734. 8 p.m. rock, etc. Iolanta Tchaikovsky’s opera about a princess Italianskaya Ul. Tel. 210 4316, 7 p.m. The Tale of Tsar Saltan Rimsky-Korsakov’s Amazing Exception Pop rock. Dada cured by the love of a man who defies a royal PREMIERE! Sleeping Beauty Based on the opera based on Pushkin’s tale about a tsar jazz & blues (Before), 47 Gorokhovaya Ulitsa. order. Director Vladislav Chernushenko. tale by Charles Perrault. Director Vasily and his son. Director Andrei Petrov 1900: Jazz musical Arseny Ivankovich, David Tel. 983 7050. 8 p.m. Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory Theater Zarzhetsky. Zazerkalye Theater, 12 p.m. Mariinsky Theater Goloshchyokin and His Band. Jazz Hays Alternative rock. Fish Fabrique Nouvelle, L’elisir d’Amore Donizetti’s masterpiece Philharmonic Hall, 27 Zagorodny Prospekt. 53 Ligovsky Prospekt. Tel. 764 4857. 9 p.m. theater concert about a swindler who tricks a village into Tel. 764 8565, 764 9843. 7 p.m. Mo Indie rock. Kosmonavt, 24 The Violet of Montmartre Kalman’s Chamber Music Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, believing his wine is love potion. Director Igor Shilov jazz, funk, hip-hop, ambient. Bronnitskaya Ulitsa. Tel. 922 1300. 8 p.m. operetta about struggling artists. Director Puccini and others. Mariinsky Concert Hall Francesca Sparvoli. Mikhailovsky Theater, JFC Jazz Club, 33 Shpalernaya Ulitsa. Miklos Szinetar. Musical Comedy Theater, Piano Recital Chopin. Andrea Merlo. 1 p.m., 7 p.m. Tel. 272 9850. 8 p.m. jazz & blues 13 Italianskaya Ul. Tel. 210 4316 Smolny Cathedral, 3/1 Pl. Rastrelli, La Boheme Puccini’s opera about the Alexander Latin Band Jazz dancing. Pola Negri Yury Reshentsev’s musical based M: Chernyshevskaya. Tel. 271 9182 romances of a poet, a musician and a Jazz Philharmonic Hall (Ellington Hall), Hollywood sex symbol Pola Negri’s life. Symphony Music Beethoven. Conductor philosopher. Director Yury Alexandrov. thursday, march 27 27 Zagorodny Prospekt. Tel. 764 8565, Director Janusz Jozefowicz. Composer Janusz Freddy Kempf. Shostakovich Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Opera 764 9843. 8 p.m. Stoklosa. Lensoviet Theater, 8 p.m. Main Hall rock, etc. Olesya Yalunina Band Vocal jazz. JFC Jazz PREMIERE! Neurointegrum A one-woman Chamber Music Schumann-Liszt, theater Cyclodol / Stember Fats Electronic, Club, 33 Shpalernaya Ulitsa. Tel. 272 9850. show in which the actress communicates with Schumann, Brahms. Shostakovich Chaplin Christopher Curtis’ musical about the experimental. Fish Fabrique, 53 Ligovsky a computer using her brain. Director Yury Philharmonic, Small Hall life of the legendary actor. Director Warren Prospekt. Tel. 764 4857. 9 p.m. Didevitch. Alexandriinsky Theater, Organ Music Bach, Reger, Messiaen, Carlyle. Musical Comedy Theater, 13 Chizh & Co. Blues rock. Jagger, 2 Ploshchad monday, march 31 Small Stage, 7.30 p.m. Escaich. Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory Italianskaya Ul. Tel. 210 4316, 2 p.m., 7 p.m. Konstitutsii. Tel. 923 1292. 8:30 p.m. Theater, Small Hall PREMIERE! Sleeping Beauty A musical Smooth Kats Acid jazz, funk. The Place, jazz & blues concert Guitar Music Mikhail Kasheutov & Yegor based on the tale by Charles Perrault. Director 47 Ul. Marshala Govorova. Tel. 331 9631. 8 p.m. Pilgrim. Joseph Brodsky Literary jazz Choral Music Bulgarian folk music. Svezhentsev. Yelena Obraztsova Cultural Vasily Zarzhetsky. Zazerkalye Theater, 3 p.m. Delfiny Alternative rock. Zoccolo 2.0, performance. JFC Jazz Club, 33 Shpalernaya St. Ioann Evangelical-Lutheran Cathedral, Center, 65 Nevsky Prospekt.Tel. 575 7294 Pola Negri Yury Reshentsev’s musical 50 korpus 3 Ligovsky Prospekt. 8 p.m. Ulitsa. Tel. 272 9850. 8 p.m. 54 A Dekabristov Ul. based on the Hollywood sex symbol Piano Recital Tishenko, Grieg. Vladimir Pola Negri’s life. Director Janusz Jozefowicz. jazz & blues Polyakov. Shostakovich Philharmonic, saturday, march 29 Composer Janusz Stoklosa. Dmitry Popov Band Saxophone night. tuesday, april 1 Small Hall Lensoviet Theater, 8 p.m. ContraJazz Modern jazz. JFC Jazz Club, Chamber Music Vivaldi, Mozart. Conductor ballet 33 Shpalernaya Ulitsa. Tel. 272 9850. 8 p.m. rock, etc. Ivan Stolbov. Mariinsky Concert Hall A Michel Fokine Evening A performance of concert Smokie / The Illegal Eagles Pop rock. Symphony Music Beethoven, Britten, Saint- three of the famed Russian choreographer’s Symphony Music Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, Lensoviet Palace of Culture, Seanse. Conductor Maxim Feodorov. Cappella ballets. Mariinsky Theater, 7.30 p.m. Kancheli. Conductor Yury Temirkanov. friday, march 28 42 Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt. Choral Music Rachmaninov. Conductor Vain Precaution Louis Herold’s ballet about Shostakovich Philharmonic, Main Hall Tel. 346 0438. 8 p.m. Andrei Petrenko. Mariinsky II, 8 p.m. a peasant who tricks the fiance of the woman Symphony Music Wagner. Conductor Gavriel rock, etc. he loves. Director Oleg Vinogradov. Heine. Mariinsky Concert Hall, 12 p.m. Tesla Boy Electronica. A2, jazz & blues Mikhailovsky Theater Symphony Music Smetana, Dvorak. 3 Prospekt Medikov. Tel. 309 9922. 7 p.m. David Goloshchyokin and His Band Jazz thursday, march 27 The Nutcracker Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet Conductor Alexei Vasilyev. Cappella, 3 p.m. 7Rasa Alternative rock. Dada, 47 violin and organ night. Jazz Philharmonic Hall, based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s tale. Choreographer Vocal Music Mussorgsky. Mariinsky II, 4 p.m. Gorokhovaya Ulitsa. Tel. 983 7050. 8 p.m. 27 Zagorodny Prospekt. Tel. 764 8565, ballet Nikita Dolgushin. Rimsky-Korsakov Vasily K. Acoustic. Fish Fabrique Nouvelle, 764 9843. 7 p.m. Vain Precaution Louis Herold’s ballet about Conservatory Theater, 12 p.m., 3 p.m. 53 Ligovsky Prospekt. Tel. 764 4857. 9 p.m. Jean-Loup Longnon and Jazz a peasant who tricks the fiance of the woman Swan Lake Tchaikovsky’s ballet about a monday, march 31 Nordic Noise Night Hvide Naetter, Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra Big band jazz. JFC he wants to marry. Choreographer Oleg swan princess. Choreographers Marius Petipa Wind. GEZ-21, 53 Ligovsky Prospekt. Jazz Club, 33 Shpalernaya Ulitsa. Vinogradov. Mikhailovsky Theater and Nikolai Boyarchikov. Rimsky-Korsakov concert Tel. 764 5258. 8 p.m. Tel. 272 9850. 8 p.m. Giselle Adolphe Adam’s tale of a peasant Conservatory Theater, 7 p.m. Symphony Music Mussorgsky. Mariinsky woman deceived by an aristocrat. Hermitage Opera soloists and Orchestra. Conductor Theater opera Christian Knapp. Mariinsky Concert Hall Lefty An opera in two acts. Conductor Valery opera Gergiev. Mariinsky II, 7.30 p.m. Yevgeny Onegin Tchaikovsky’s opera based tuesday, april 1 on Pushkin’s novel. Mariinsky Theater theater Sorochintsy Fair Modest Mussorgsky’s Chaplin Christopher Curtis’ musical about ballet opera based Nikolai Gogol’s story. Director the life of the legendary actor. Director Warren La Bayadere A story of an Indian dancer who is Vadim Milkov. Mariinsky II, 7.30 p.m. Carlyle. Musical Comedy Theater, 13 punished for her love of a warrior. Choreographer Italianskaya Ul. Tel. 210 4316, 2 p.m., 7 p.m. Marius Petipa. Mikhailovsky Theater theater Winnie-the-Pooh and Friends A tale of concert opera Winnie-the-Pooh and his adventures. Director Symphony Music Wagner. Conductor Gavriel Salammbo Modest Mussorgsky’s unfinished Alexander Petrov. Zazerkalye Theater, 12 p.m. Heine. Mariinsky Concert Hall, 12 p.m. opera based on Flaubert’s novel. Conductor The Snow Maiden Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera Vocal Music Mussorgsky. Mariinsky II, 4 p.m. Pavel Petrenko. Mariinsky Concert Hall based on Ostrovsky’s fairy tale. Director Vasily Organ Music Bach. St. Maria Evangelical- Zarzhetsky. Zazerkalye Theater, 3 p.m. Lutheran Cathedral, 8a, Bolshaya theater Pola Negri Yury Reshentsev’s musical based Konushennaya Ul. Tel. 314 7161, 6 p.m. Hits of Broadway Director Badi Tomas. on Hollywood sex symbol Pola Negri’s life. Piano Recital Mussorgsky. Alexander Choreographer Vladimir Romanovsky. Director Janusz Jozefowicz. Composer Janusz Markovich. Mariinsky Concert Hall Conductors Alexei Nefedov and Yury Krylov. Stoklosa. Lensoviet Theater, 8 p.m. Chamber Music Shostakovich, Kras, Musical Comedy Theater, 13 Italianskaya Ul. PREMIERE! Neurointegrum A one-woman Martinu, Knipper. Shostakovich Philharmonic, Tel. 210 4316 show in which the actress communicates with Main Hall a computer using her brain. Director Yury Organ Recital Franck, Liszt, Vierne. Daria concert Didevitch. Alexandriinsky Theater, Meyerkova. Smolny Cathedral, Spring Marathon Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Small Stage, 7.30 p.m. 3/1 Pl. Rastrelli, M: Chernyshevskaya. Petrov and others. Conductor Anatoly Rybalko. Tel. 271 9182 Shostakovich Philharmonic, Main Hall Lamb, an electronic music duo from Manchester, England whose influences concert Piano Recital Tchaikovsky. Miroslav Kultyshev. Symphony Music Gershwin, Dunayevsky, include jazz, drum and bass, and trip hop, will perform at Zal Ozhidaniya on Symphony Music Beethoven. Conductor Shostakovich Philharmonic, Small Hall Petrov and others. Conductor Alexander Saturday, Mar. 29. The band consists of producer Andy Barlow and singer- Freddy Kempf. Shostakovich Philharmonic, Choral Music Prokofiev, Taneyev. Conductor Kantorov. Shostakovich Philharmonic, songwriter Lou Rhodes. Main Hall Vladislav Chernushenko. Cappella Main Hall WWW.SPTIMES.RU LISTINGS Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 21

PUSHKINSKAYA 10 ART CENTER GALLERIES 53 Ligovsky Prospekt. Tel. 764 5371. Open SCREENS Wed to Sun, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. www.p-10.ru ARTISTS UNION OF RUSSIA EXHIBITION NEW! 2,04 Gallery. The Russian Rock NEW! Beauty and the Beast (La belle et CENTER Museum. Installation. The 1991 LenExpo la bete) (2014, France-Germany) 38 Bolshaya Morskaya Ul. Tel. 314 3060. exhibition on the history of Russian rock music Christophe Gans’ romantic fantasy film 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Сlosed Monday. is remembered. Through Apr. 6 starring Vincent Cassel, Lea Seydoux and www.spb-uniart.ru Andre Dussollier, Avrora, Velikan Park. Starts NEW! Russian North. Painting. An exhibition RACHMANINOV GARDEN March 27. celebrating Russian North, an artistic 5 Kazanskaya Ul. Tel. 312 9558. Tuesday – organization that sponsors trips to the far Saturday 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. NEW! Family United (La gran familia north and creative workshops. Apr. 1 through www.fotorachmaninov.ru espanola) (2013, Spain) Daniel Sanchez Apr. 6 NEW! Tracks of Lines: Oddvar Paulsen. Arevalo’s comedy starring Veronica Echegui, NEW! Students and Teachers of the Photography. The Norwegian photographer’s Antonio de la Torre and Quim Gutierrez. Dom Anastasia Afanasyeva Studio. work reflects on the illusion of silence. Apr. 1 Kino. Decorative art, painting, graphics. Pieces through May 3 created by the studio’s talented artists. NEW! The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014, Apr. 1 through Apr. 6 ROSPHOTO STATE CENTER OF U.K.-Germany) Wes Anderson’s comedy- PHOTOGRAPHY drama starring Ralph Fiennes and an all-star CAPELLA GALLERY 35 Bolshaya Morskaya Ul. Tel. 314 6184. Daily cast. Avrora, Formula Kino Galereya, Mirage 20 Nab. Reki Moiki. Tel. 314 1058 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. www.rosfoto.org Cinema, Velikan Park. Petersburg Meets London: Anatoly A Woman’s Destiny: Dana Kindrova. Medvednikov. Photography. A memorial Photography. Nearly 100 photos of different NEW! Hard to Be a God (Trydno Byt exhibition of the late photographer’s work. European countries. Through Apr. 20 Bogom) (2013, Russia) Alexei German’s epic Shumotron at Erarta Museum identifies creative practices aided by advances in Through Apr. 4 Cinema and Fashion: Alexander Vasilyev. drama starring Leonid Yarmolnik, Yury Tsurilo digital technology and how its dissemination affects meaning. Photography. Hollywood’s biggest stars are and Natalya Moteva. Avrora, Formula Kino D-137 GALLERY captured through Vasilyev’s lens. Through Apr. 20 Galereya, Velikan Park. 12 Zvenigorodskaya Ul., 3rd floor. anniversary of famed Russian composer M: Pushkinskaya. Tel. +7 (981) 687 6051. TRETYAKOV GALLERY NEW! The Immigrant (2013, U.S.) James MUSEUMS Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Through Oct. 5 Thursday through Saturday 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. 2 Pionerskaya Ul., M: Sportivnaya. Gray’s drama starring Marion Cotillard, www.d137.ru Tel. 233 1007. Tuesday through Friday 12 p.m. Joaquin Phoenix, and Jeremy Renner. Avrora, NIKOLAI ROERICH APARTMENT MUSEUM My Art is Me: Georgy Guryanov. Painting. to 7.30 p.m., Saturday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dom Kino, Mirage Cinema. ACADEMY OF ARTS MUSEUM 1, Line 18, V.O. Wednesday through Sunday, The work of legendary Russian band Kino’s NEW! SaintPetroLenin-burg and Others: 17 Universitetskaya Nab. Tel. 323 6496, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tel. 325 4413. recently deceased drummer is on display. David Plaksin. Graphics, installation. NEW! Short Term 12 (2013, U.S.) Destin 323 3578 M: Vasileostrovskaya. Wednesday www.roerich.spb.ru Through Apr. 27 Plaksin’s ascetic qualities and interest in the Daniel Cretton’s drama starring Brie Larson, through Sunday, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Nikolai Roerich and Estonia. Painting, past are reflected in this exhibition. Apr. 1 John Gallagher, Jr., Keith Stanfield and Kaitlyn Tribute to Maria Callas and Grace Kelly. installation. Through Apr. 20 ERARTA MUSEUM through Apr. 30 Dever. Dom Kino, Formula Kino Galereya. Sculpture. Greek artist Nikos Floros uses 2, 29th Line, V.O. M: Vasileostrovskaya. aluminum to recreate the iconic women’s STATE HERMITAGE MUSEUM Tel. 324 0809. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Closed fashion. Through Apr. 6 1 Palace Square. M: Nevsky Prospekt. Tuesday. www.erarta.com Tel. 571 3420, 571 3465. Daily, 10.30 a.m. to NEW! Look Out: Natasha Van Budman. ANNA AKHMATOVA MUSEUM AT THE 6 p.m. (9 p.m. Wednesday). Closed Monday. Installation. A series of compositions FOUNTAIN HOUSE www.hermitagemuseum.org representing a collective view of modern 34 Fontanka River, entrance from 53 Liteiny Pr. NEW! Symbols and Metamorphosis: Russian society. Mar. 28 through Apr. 9 M: Gostiny Dvor, Mayakovskaya. Tel. 272 2211. Markus Lupertz. Sculpture. The German NEW! Shumotron: Media Art from Daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Monday; 1 p.m. neo-expressionist brings his work to St. Russia. Installation, mixed media. Named to 8 p.m. on the last Wednesday of every month. Petersburg. Mar. 26 through May 25 after a device used by state security in the www.akhmatova.spb.ru Soviet Union, this exhibition focuses on digital 45 Years of the Alexandrino Children’s STATE MUSEUM OF THEATRICAL AND culture and its effect on modern art. Mar. 28 Art School. Paintings, graphics, sculpture. A MUSICAL ART through Apr. 14 display of student pieces in celebration of the 6 Pl. Ostrovskogo, M: Gostiny Dvor. St. Petersburg institution. Through Mar. 30 Tel. 571 2195. Monday through Sunday, LOFT-PROJECT ETAGI NEW! Drovizms: Grigory Izrailevich. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday). 74 Ligovsky Prospekt. Tel. 458 5005. Daily Sculpture. The Soviet artist’s work is on Closed Tuesday and last Friday of every month. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. display. Apr. 1 through Apr. 13 Among My Peers. Graphics. The work of Golden Tortoise 2014. Photography. The famed theater actor Yury Bogatyryev is on winning photos selected from 15,000 entries DOSTOEVSKY APARTMENT MUSEUM display. Through Apr. 7 from 77 different countries will be shown. 5/2 Kuznechny Pereulok, M: Vladimirskaya. Through May 18 Tel. 571 4031. Daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed STATE RUSSIAN MUSEUM Monday and the last Wednesday of each 2 Inzhenernaya Ul. M: Nevsky Prospekt. MANEZH CENTRAL EXHIBITION HALL month. www.md.spb.ru. Tel. 314 3448, 595 4248. Open 10 a.m. to 1 St. Isaac’s Square. Tel. 314 8859. Daily NEW! Victoria (2013, Norway) Torun Lian’s melodrama starring Bill Skarsgard, Jakob Guess the Place. Photography. Test your 6 p.m. (5 p.m. Monday). 1 p.m. to 9 p.m on 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. www.manege.spb.ru Oftebro and Fridtjov Saheim screens Mar. 29 as part of the 5th Norwegian Film knowledge of St. Petersburg by trying to guess Thursdays. Closed Tuesday. NEW! Yellow Triangle. Painting. Abstract Festival at Angleterre. All films are shown in the original with Russian subtitles. where the pictures on display were taken. www.rusmuseum.ru/eng pieces and figurative compositions by various Through Mar. 26 Russian Women’s Folk Costumes from Russian and international artists. Mar. 27 NEW! He Thought of Eternity: Grigory the 18th – 20th Centuries. Exhibition. through Apr. 13 Izrailevich. Graphics, sculpture. An exhibition Colorful dresses and clothes reveal a rich part of the deceased sculptor’s portraits of writers, of Russia’s cultural history. Through May 4 MARINA GISICH GALLERY poets and historical figures. Mar. 29 through 121 Nab. Reki Fontanki, Tel. 314 4380. Daily, Apr. 17 STATE RUSSIAN MUSEUM: MARBLE 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday). PALACE Closed Sunday. KONSTANTINOVSKY PALACE 5/1 Millionnaya Ul. M: Nevsky Prospekt. 64+: Vladimir Kustov. Photography, 3 Beryozovaya Alleya, korp. 1, Strelna. T Tel. 312 9196. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (5 p.m. graphics. Kustov uses chess and the genetic el. 421 4289. Monday). 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursdays. code as inspiration for his newest show. 3rd International Children’s Festival of Closed Tuesday. Through Apr. 5 Technical Creativity. Exhibition. Future Contemporary Drawing. Traditional, scientists, inventors and engineers compete to conceptual and other drawing styles MART GALLERY build the best robot. Through Mar. 28 demonstrate the art form’s function in 35 Ul. Marata. M: Vladimirskaya, contemporary Russian art. Through May 12 Dostoyevskaya. Tel. 710 8835. 12 p.m. to MATYUSHIN MUSEUM OF THE ST. 7 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Closed PETERSBURG AVANT-GARDE STATE RUSSIAN MUSEUM: Sunday and Monday. www.martgallery.ru 10 Ul. Professora Popova. M: Petrogradskaya. MIKHAILOVSKY (ENGINEERS’) CASTLE NEW! Version 1.3: Igor Antonov. Painting. Daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (5 p.m. Tuesday). NEW! The Kokorev Collection. Painting. An Compilations of gaming art, comics and Closed Wednesday. www.spbmuseum.ru exhibition of Russian paintings once owned by posters. Mar. 26 through Apr. 19 Victory Over the Sun. Decorative art, photo, the wealthy 19th-century merchant before he graphics, installation. Through Apr. 3 sold them to the Romanovs in 1870. Mar. 26 MAYAKOVSKY LIBRARY NEW! Noah (2014, U.S.) Darren Aronofsky’s biblical epic starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer through June 9 46 Nab. Reki Fontanki. Entrance via the Connelly, Emma Watson and Ray Winstone. Avrora, Jam Hall, Mirage Cinema, Velikan MUSIC MUSEUM AT THE SHEREMETYEV courtyard. Tel. 571 0856 Park. Starts Mar. 27. PALACE STATE RUSSIAN MUSEUM: STROGANOV Crocodiles and Hippopotamuses. 34 Nab. Reki Fontanki. Tel. 272 4441. Open ST. PETERSBURG STATE MUSEUM OF Installation. An exhibition devoted to the Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. THEATER AND MUSIC satirical magazines of post-revolutionary Heavenly Line. Painting. The winning 8 Stremyannaya Ul. Tel. 764 1130. Daily Russia. Through Apr. 5 watercolors from a local competition for 12 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Monday, Tuesday Mon Repos: A Memorial to 18-19th young artists depict St. Petersburg landmarks and last Friday of the month. Century Landscape Architecture. through the eyes of children. Theatrical Dynasties. Komissarzhevskya. Photography, installation. The history of the Through Apr. 21 Personal items, letters, costumes, posters, iconic Vyborg park is shown through An “I” for Creativity: Ivan Tarasyuk. photo, decorations. Through Apr. 12 photographs and historic materials. Through Painting. An exhibition of the artist’s musically Mar. 30 thematic work. Through Mar. 26 TOY MUSEUM 32 Nab. Reki Karpovki. Entrance from NAME GALLERY PUSHKIN APARTMENT MUSEUM Vsevolod Vishnevsky Ul. M: Petrogradskaya, 33 Nab. Kanala Griboyedova. Tel. 571 5517. 12 Nab. Reki Moiki. Tel. 571 3801. Daily, Chkalovskaya. Tel. 234 4312. Daily, 11 a.m. to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Sunday, Monday. 10:30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Closed Tuesday and 6 p.m. Closed Monday and last Tuesday of the www.namegallery.ru the last Friday of each month. month. Gloomy Pictures: Vladimir Shinkaryev Yevgeny Chemodurov. Exhibition. A Painting. A series of pictures depicting St. collection of posters, photos and private items YELAGIN ISLAND PALACE AND MUSEUM Petersburg in black and gray colors. Through from the famed Soviet actor’s career. Through OF 18TH-20TH CENTURY DECORATIVE Apr. 12 Mar. 31 AND APPLIED ARTS 1 Yelagin Island, M: Krestovsky Island, PERINNIYE RYADY ART CENTER RIMSKY-KORSAKOV APARTMENT Chernaya Rechka. Tel. 430 1131. Tuesday 4 Dumskaya Ulitsa. M: Gostiny Dvor. Daily MUSEUM through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tel. +7 904 601 0000. 28 Zagorodny Prospekt, Courtyard. www.artcenter.su M: Dostoyevskaya. Tel. 713 3208, 315 3975. YUSUPOVSKY PALACE Pop-Art Forum. Graphics, Installation. Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 94 Nab. Reki Moiki, M: Sennaya. Famous works ranging from Banksy to Andy NEW! The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman (2013, Romania-U.S.) Fredrik Closed last Friday of each month. Tel. 314 9883. Daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Warhol ask the viewer whether it is actual art Bond’s romantic action comedy starring Shia LaBeouf, Rupert Grint and Evan Rachel Wood. Small Tragedy, Fatal Passion. Personal The World of Russian Nobility. Painting, or intended for simple shock value. Through Dom Kino, Formula Kino Galereya, Velikan Park. items, posters. Dedicated to the 170th installation. Through Mar. 30 May. 25 Tell the world about your business by advertising in the Real Estate online For additional information, call (812) 325-6080. Wednesday, March 26, 2014 E-mail: [email protected] RealEstate advertising section

rub. per month. For details contact Olga, parking. 150,000 rub./month. Low agency with 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fully fitted tel. +7921 9637454; e-mail: olestate@ fee Photos on www.spb-estate.com. Low kitchen, secure entrance. For details con- gmail.com, [email protected] agency fee. Tel.: +7-921-992-1522, tact Olga, tel. +7921 9637454; e-mail: +7-921-957-0763, 325-3838, NEVSKY [email protected], olga@ctinvestments. PROSTOR AGENCY, E-mail: rent@spb- ru 2-ROOM APARTMENT estate.com, www.spb-estate.com • Apartments for rent and sale 13/15 Berezovaya alleya, Krestovsky 5-min. walk from Gostiny Dvor. Total area 54 Fontanka. Newly renovated apartment island. Wonderfully decorated and per- • Offi ces for rent and sale 100 sq.m. Evgenia, +7-921-389-18-89. of 200 sq. m. with 3 bedrooms, secure fectly equipped apartment on the 2nd PROPERTY entrance, parking, fully fitted kitchen.For floor of a 4-story new elite building. • Retail premises RENT & SALES 10-min. walk from the Hermitage. Sunny,cozy. details contact Olga, tel. +7921 9637454; Splendid layout: faces the four cardinal eurostandard. Evgenia, +7-921-389-18- e-mail: [email protected], olga@ctinvest- points. Total area 252 sq. m.: 3 bedrooms, • Analytics, consulting 89. ments.ru 3 bathrooms, gowning room, sitting room, +7-812-493-23-40, hall, kitchen–dining room (25 sq. m). +7-921-963-74-54 Voronezhskaya Ul. Brand new 2-room Karavannaya Ul. Modern 3-room apart- Guarded parking. Furniture upon request. apartment in an elite residential building, ment in the historic center, elegant design, Photos on www.spb-estate.com. Low +7 (812) 333-15-15 www.ctinvestments.ru modern design, fully furnished and fully furnished, full set of household equip- agency fee. Tel.: +7-921-992-1522, www.nightskyrealty.ru equipped, independent heating system, ment, air conditioning, water filters, +7-812-325-3838 NEVSKY PROSTOR air-conditioning, Internet, satellite TV, con- Internet, satellite TV, video monitoring. AGENCY, E-mail: rent@spb-estate, www. cierge, 24/7 security, underground park- NIGHT SKY REALTY. Tel.: +7-812-333-15- spb-estate.com. ing. NIGHT SKY REALTY. Tel.: +7-812-333- 15. E-mail: [email protected] APARTMENT FOR RENT ture, entrance through the gated court. 15-15. E-mail: [email protected] 60000 rub. per moth. For details contact Ul. Zhukovskogo. Elegant 3-room apart- 5-ROOM APARTMENT Olga, tel. +7921 9637454; e-mail: oles- ment in an elite residential house in the Looking for an apartment? The very best [email protected], [email protected] 3-ROOM APARTMENT city center, Italian furniture, full set of 12 Robespiera Emb. 5-room apartment in rental apartments in the City, at household equipment, concierge service, new building with concierge and parking, www.vk.com/theapartmentblog or call Studio. 2 Kanal Griboedova, right in the 20-min. walk from Gostiny Dvor. security 24/7. NIGHT SKY REALTY. Tel.: near Tavrichesky Park, designed in two +7 (950) 022 62 20 heart of the city stylish apartment of 50 Eurostandard, author’s design. Evgenia, +7-812-333-15-15. E-mail: info@nightsky- levels, has big terrace, fitted, partly fur- sq. m., fully furnished and equipped, +7-921-389-18-89. realty.ru nished, 300 sq. m. For details contact architect design, secure entrance, view of Olga, tel. +7921 9637454; e-mail: oles- 1-ROOM APARTMENT the park, 50000 rub. per month. For 25 Fontanka River. Second building from [email protected], [email protected] details contact Olga, tel. +7921 9637454; Nevsky Prospect. 4th floor. Total area 115 4-ROOM APARTMENT 60 Liteiny Prospect. Corner of Nevsky Pr., e-mail: [email protected], olga@ctinvest- sq. m.: two bedrooms, sitting room with a prime location, modern apartment of 60 ments.ru, fire place, kitchen and 3 bathrooms. Italianskaya Ul. 2-bedroom apartment of 6-ROOM APARTMENT sq. m., European style, in a quiet secure Splendid view of Fontanka river and 100 sq m after renovation, 2 bathrooms, courtyard, 55000 rub. per month. For Close to Summer Gardens. Sunny, cozy. Anichkov bridge from sitting room windows European style, fully furnished, entrance Millionnaya Ul. Bright and spacious 6-room details contact Olga, tel. +7921 9637454; 25,000 rub./month. Evgenia, +7-921-389- and balcony. Bedrooms overlook green with intercom system, 75000 rub. per apartment in the historic center, 4 bed- e-mail: [email protected], olga@ctinvest- 18-89. courtyard. Fully furnished and equipped. month. For details contact Olga, tel. rooms, modern interiors, fully furnished ments.ru Autonomous gas heating and hot water +7921 9637454; e-mail: olestate@gmail. and equipped, air conditioning, video-mon- 49 Liteiny Prospect. Apartment of 70 sq. supply.Very beautiful staircase. Spacious com, [email protected], itoring, secured parking in the courtyard. Moika 64. Near St. Isaac’s Sq., apartment m., in a quiet courtyard, spacious, modern elevator. Renovated entrance from NIGHT SKY REALTY. Tel.: +7-812-333-15- of 60 sq. m., European style, IKEA furni- European standard, fully furnished. 40000 the embankment. Concierge. Guarded 17 Millionnaya Ul. Apartment of 200 sq. m. 15. E-mail: [email protected]

facebook The St. Petersburg Times

READ THE LATEST NEWS AND SHARE YOUR OPINION

www.sp mes.ru Tell the world about your business by advertising in Classifieds online For additional information, call (812) 325-6080. Wednesday, March 26, 2014 E-mail: [email protected] Classifieds advertising section

VISAS FOOD MARKET MOVING/RELOCATION TRAVEL GUIDE INTRODUCTION

Indian Spices Shop St. Petersburg Tourist SPB Information Bureau COMPANION • Wide range of seasonings and spices

• Top class, authentic Your choice for: ESCORT Indian and Ceylon teas International, domestic, SERVICE Information pavilions: • Pulkovo airports (1 and 2) local moving 11 a.m – 12 p.m. • High quality Basmati rice and huge • Marine Facade (Seaport) choice of beans Project/office moving • Palace Square • Prepared traditional Indian dishes • St Isaac’s Square Secure and heated storage • Rastrelli Square 938-39-00 22 Ul. Vosstaniya (M: Pl. Vosstaniya) • Alexandrovsky Park spbcompanion.com Tel. +7 (812)579-09-66. Relocation services • Vosstaniya Square Free tourist information service. EDUCATION GUIDES Triple–A, Attentive, Accurate, 14/52 Sadovaya street, Introduction agency (pro)-Active!!!!! St. Petersburg, Russia, 191023, 37 Sadovaya street, ENGLISH TEACHER. NATIVE SPEAKER. Guided tours. Museums. Tel. : +7-812-579- The mover that listens and St. Petersburg, Russia, 190031 “BANK MODELS” +7-963-995-25-67. INFO@ 99-33. E-mail: [email protected] www. speaks your language. Tel.: +7 (812) 310-28-22; 310-22-31; ENGLISHNATIVESPEAKER.RU travelrussia.su +7 (931) 326-57-44; www.bankmodels.com Fax: +7 (812) 310-28-22 Tel: + 7 921 932 1200 Your contact person: Norbert E-mail: [email protected] ENGLISH. ONLINE LESSONS. +7-909-660- Gooren, General manager www.ispb.info 23-94. [email protected] TAXI www.visit-petersburg.ru Tel.: +7-812-4319919 Native speaker gives English lessons. Tel.: +79-ANGEL-TAXI Email: [email protected] City Marketing Agency: 8(950)009 83 28. Benny angel-taxi.com/moscow-tour www.aaa-russia.com 8 Shpalernaya street.

TEACHERS WANTED LANGUAGE PERSONALS MASSAGE massage. No sex. 12 Goncharnaya Ul. (M. International School of Business English “BIS” LESSONS Vosstaniya Sq.). Tel.: +7-921-645-66-01, is looking for highly motivated and skilled Charming lady, 37 y.o., blond, good-shaped All kinds of massage. Liza. +7-911-720-99- Sofia. teachers from the USA, Canada, and the UK. Russian lessons individually designed for wants to meet a man for serious relation- 19 Teachers with TEFL certificates and experi- your needs. Flexible hours. www.ruslearn. ship [email protected] Escort, erotic and classical massage. Tel.: ence are preferred. Please submit your CV: com Erotic, classical massage. Anastasia. Tel.: +7-965-787-56-09. Eva [email protected]; (812) 715-33-52 910-49-12 Erotic and relaxing massage. Tel.: +7-952- The St. Petersburg Times does not take responsibility for the information printed on Classifieds and Real Estate pages Erotic, urological, classical and other kinds of 351-41-52, Katyusha

DON’T FORGET TO GET YOUR FREE COPY OF THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES AT:

BUSINESS CENTERS 5 Universitetskaya Emb. 4 Konnogvardeisky Blvd. 18 Stremyannaya Ul. Austrian Business Center Regus Il Patio 30 Nevsky Pr. Subway 63 Ulitsa Tchaikovskogo Crowne Plaza Ligovsky 55 Nevsky Pr. 182 Nevsky Pr. 98 Bolshoy Prospekt Petrograd Side 61-63 Ligovsky Pr. Belye Nochi Business Center J.Walker 36 Griboedova Emb. 18 Sytninskaya Ulitsa CubaHostel 5 Kazanskaya Ul. 23 Malaya Morskaya Ul. Jam 12 Ryleeva Ul. Tandoor 2 Voznesensky Pr. Deluxe 14 Bolshaya Konushennaya Ul. Europa House 1 Artilleriyskaya Ul. James Cook Teplo 45 Bolshaya Morskaya Ul. Demetra Art Hotel Goldex 36 Shpalernaya Ul. 2 Shvedsky Per. Tequila-Boom 44 Ulitsa Vosstaniya Gustaf 38 Sredny Pr. V.O. 45 Kamennoostrovsky Pr. 57/127 Voznesensky Pr. Domina prestige Hotels Magnus 34 9-Liniya V.O. Jean Jacque 10 Marata Ul. Terrassa 3 Kazanskaya Ul. St. Petersburg 99 Moika Emb. MCDS 6 Proletarskoy Diktatury Pl. KFC Testo 21 Kazanskaya Ul. Dostoevsky 19 Vladimirsky Pr. Moskovsky 212 Moskovsky Pr. 11 Sheremetievskaya Ul. The Office 5 Kazanskaya Ul. Elizar Hotel Neptun 93А Obvodny Emb. 39/40 Sredny Pr. V.O. Tinkoff 7 Kazanskaya Ul. 85A Obukhovskoy Oborony Pr. Nevsky 30 20 Nevsky Pr. Konyushenny Dvor Victoria 59 Moika Emb. Ermitage Hotel Nevsky 32/34 32/34 Nevsky Pr. 5 Griboedova Emb. Volga-Volga Petrovskaya Emb. 11 Millionnaya Ul. Nevsky 38 38 Nevsky Pr. Korova Bar 8 Karavannaya Ul. Zinger 28 Nevsky Pr. Guyot 23B Professora Popova Ul. NRK 3 Kaluzhsky Per. Kvartira №55 36 1-Liniya V.O. Zoom 22 Gorokhovaya Ul. German Club Hotel 20 Gastello Ul. Oscar 13 Fontanka Per. Lobby Bar 1/7 Mikhailovskaya Ul. HOTELS Golden Garden 9 Vladimirsky Pr. Pulkovo Sky 2 Vnukovskaya Ul. Makaronniki 16 Dobrolyubova Pr. 3 Mosta 3 Moika Emb. Golden Triangle Hotel Purneco Limited 63 Zhukovskogo Ul. Marco Polo 27 12- Liniya V.O. 5th Corner 13 Zagorodny Pr. 12 Bolshaya Konushennaya Ul. Renaissance House McDonald’s Admiralteiskaya Grand Hotel Emerald 17 2-Sovetskaya Ul. 2 A. Nevskogo Pl. 8 Aleksandra Bloka Ul. 18 Suvorovsky Pr. Severnaya Stolitsa 36 Moika Emb. 18А Bolshevikov Pr. Alexander House 27 Kryukov Emb. Grand Hotel Europe Sweden House 11 Novatorov Blvd. Ambassador 1/7 Mikhailovskaya Ul. 1/3A Malaya Konushennaya Ul. 41А Grazhdansky Pr. 5-7 Rimskogo-Korsakova Ul. Helvetia 11 Marata Ul. 71 Zanevsky Pr. Andersen Hotel 4A Chapygina Ul. Holiday Club 2-4 Birzhevoy Per. RESTAURANTS 39 Kamennoostrovsky Pr. Angleterre 39 Bolshaya Morskaya Ul. Hostel life 1 Vladimisky Pr. Abrikosov 40 Nevsky Pr. 100-104 Ligovsky Pr. Arbat Nord Hotel 4 Artilleriyskaya Ul. Hotel SPB Vergaz 70 7-Liniya V.O. Bar Tranzit 85А Nevsky Pr. 45/2 Nevsky Pr. Arkadia 58 Moika Emb. IBIS Hotel 54 Ligovsky Pr. Baranka 5 Chapaeva Ul. 141 Savushkina Ul. Art Hotel 27-29 Mokhovaya Ul. Imperia Park Barcelona 26 Ulitsa Rubinshteina 29А Sredny Pr. V.O. Art Hotel Trezzini 21 Bolshoy Pr. V.O. 10 Akademika Lebedeva Ul. 9 Prospekt Chernyshevskogo 45 Yaroslavsky Pr. Aster 25 Bolshaya Konushennaya Ul. Lancaster 3-5 Fokina Ul. 1 Bolshaya Konyushennaya Ulitsa Mezonin 1/7 Mikhailovskaya Ul. Asteria 71 Fontanka Emb. M Hotel 2/22 Krylova Per. Begemot 12 Sadovaya Ul. Mollie’s Pub 36 Rubinshteyna Ul. Astoria 39 Bolshaya Morskaya Ul. Marco Polo 27 12-Liniya V.O. Bohemia restaurant Moskva 112-114 Nevsky Pr. Atrium Hotel 2 Ispolkomskaya Ul. Marmara 26-2 Novorossiyskaya Ul. 16 Teatralnaya Ploshchad Ocean 14 Dobrolyubova Pr. Austrian Yard 16 Furshtatskaya Ul. Marshal 41 Shpalernaya Ul. Britanskaya konditerskaya Old Customs House 1 Tamozhenny Per. Austrian Yard 45 Furshtatskaya Ul. Moika 22 Kempinski 80 Bolshoy Pr. Petrograd Side Ovsyanka café 11 Gorokhovaya Ulitsa Azimut 43/1 Lermontovsky Pr. 22 Moika Emb. 25 Grechesky Pr. Peoplecafe 2 Italyanskaya Ul. Baltic Star Hotel Holiday Inn Moskovskie Vorota Café Max 90-92 Nevsky Pr. Pervoe, Vtoroe i Kompot 3 Beriozovaya ave., Strelna 97A Moskovsky Pr. Coca Inn 13-15 Sadovaya Ul. 10 Zhukovskogo Ul. Belveder Nevsky Moika 5 5 Moika Emb. Coffee House Gourmet Petropavlovsky 85А Nevsky Pr. 29 Bolshaya Konushennaya Ul. Nash Hotel 50 11- Liniya V.O. 15 Vladimirsky Pr. Pizza Hut 96 Nevsky Pr. Brothers Karamazov Hotel Nautilus 3 Rizhskaya Ul. Coffee House Gourmet 71 Moika Emb. 11A Sotsialisticheskaya Ul. Neptun 93A Obvodny Emb. 86 Marata Ul. Pub Bulldog 20/16 Vosstaniya Ul. Comfort Hotel Nevsky 98 98 Nevsky Pr. Da Albertone 23 Millionnaya Ul. Pushka Inn 14 Moika Emb. 25 Bolshaya Morskaya Ul. Nevsky Breeze 12 Galernaya Ul. Dickens Pub 108 Fontanka Emb. Rossi 1/7 Mikhailovskaya Ul. Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg Nevsky Central Hotel Dom Byta 12 Razezzhaya Ul. Saint-Petersburg 5 Griboedova Emb. 57 Nevsky Pr. 90-92 Nevsky Pr. Europe 1/7 Mikhailovskaya Ul. Sbarro 42 Nevsky Pr. Courtyard Marriott Nevsky Contour 88 Nevsky Pr. Evrasia 85А Nevsky Pr. Sever 46 Nevsky Pr. 61/30A 2-Liniya V.O. Francesco 47 Suvorovsky Pr. Shamrock 27 Dekabristov Ul. 166 Griboedova Emb. …and many other locations Grad Petrov Stroganoff Steak House Cronwell Inn Stremyannaya throughout the city Opinion www.sptimes.ru | Wednesday, March 26, 2014 ❖ 24 Putin’s Own Historical Injustice By Michael Bohm 1867 for a mere $7.2 million. Adjusted for infla- tion, that amounts to only $120 million - highway mong Russians, the most common jus- robbery, as many Russians see it. If Putin corrects tification for the annexation of Crimea this historical injustice by revoking the original is that the Kremlin is rectifying a his- purchase agreement, he would surely have the torical injustice. Meanwhile, Putin is support of Russians who believe that Alaska Acommitting a gross historical injustice of his own. rightfully belongs to Russia. Here is Crimea’s history in brief: It had been To be sure, Russia’s reliance on rectifying sup- Russian territory since 1783, when Catherine the posed historical injustices is a slippery one. Take, Great seized it from the Ottoman Empire. for example, Crimea itself. Turkey could turn Then, in 1954, Soviet leader Nikita Khrush- Russia’s argument on its head and say Crimea is chev transferred Crimea to Ukraine as a “gift” to historically part of Turkish territory. mark the 300th anniversary of Ukraine’s union So could the Crimean Tatars, who lived in with Russia. But this was a symbolic gesture only, large numbers on the peninsula for more than 500 the argument goes. After all, Crimea, Ukraine years before Josef Stalin deported them in 1944. and Russia were all part of one large country in Don’t they have a right to correct their historical 1954, so any administrative shifting of internal injustices as well? borders were largely meaningless outside of the In addition, Poland could say Lviv and other Soviet Union. Khrushchev never imagined that western regions of modern-day Ukraine were his- several decades later — in 1991, when Ukraine torically Polish territory before Stalin annexed declared independence from the Soviet Union — them after World War II. Moscow would lose control over a peninsula that And then there are the four disputed islands in Catherine the Great called “the pearl of the Rus- the Pacific Ocean that Russia calls the Kurils and sian Empire.” Japan says are the Northern Territories. Japan To help correct this “historical injustice,” a claims that two of the islands are not covered by bill was introduced to the State Duma on Mon- post-World War II treaties and that Russia’s “occu- day to officially revoke Khrushchev’s “reckless pation” of them is historically unjust, if not illegal. and arbitrary” gift to Ukraine. This is the Krem- Taking the “historical injustice” argument to its lin’s way of setting the record straight, lest any- logical conclusion is precarious. Borders in Europe one think that Crimea was ever Ukrainian terri- and elsewhere have changed so many times as a tory — even symbolically. on Mar. 12, reportedly telling the head of the the northern territories of Kazakhstan to be result of wars and revolutions that the only way to But what about that pesky 1994 Budapest Agree- Crimean Tatars that Ukraine’s declaration of in- “southern Siberia.” This view is shared by mod- agree on territory integrity is to sign agreements ment or the 1997 Treaty of Friendship, both of which dependence in 1991 had no legal foundation. ern-day nationalistic “Eurasianists” such as Alex- — such as the Budapest Agreement that estab- were signed by Russia and recognized the territorial In his Mar. 18 address, Putin scorned Russia’s ander Dugin. lished the territorial integrity of Ukraine in 1994. integrity of a Ukraine that included Crimea? weakness and inability to defend Crimeans in Russia could even go back to the 1918 Treaty But once these agreements are revoked in the These agreements were also “historical injus- 1991. “Russia handed the Crimeans over to of Brest-Litovsk. Like the Belavezha Accords, name of “rectifying a historical injustice,” as Russia tices,” the supporters of Crimean annexation say, Ukraine like bags of potatoes,” he said. “Russia many believe the treaty was forced upon Russia has done with Crimea, a true Pandora’s box is because Russia was terribly weak in the 1990s un- dropped its head and swallowed the loss … but when the country was weakened by World War I. opened up — one that can easily destroy global sta- der President Boris Yeltsin and could not stand up the people could not come to terms with this his- In accordance with the 1918 treaty, Russia had to bility and security. for its rights — and its possessions — as President torical injustice.” give the Baltic states to Germany. And to add in- It is no surprise, then, that many people in Vladimir Putin is doing now. But to Putin, the Soviet collapse was more sult to injury, the treaty forced Russia to recognize Ukraine and around the world are afraid that Pu- “Russia was not just robbed; it was plundered,” than just a historical injustice. It was “the greatest the independence of Ukraine. (The Bolsheviks tin is planning to annex other parts of Ukraine. Putin declared on Mar. 18 in a speech, denouncing geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century,” as got their revenge four years later, however, when Just three days before Putin’s speech, Russian Yeltsin’s decision to allow Crimea to remain a part he famously put it in a 2005 address to the nation. the Red Army seized power and installed a pup- troops entered Ukraine proper and seized a gas of Ukraine after the Soviet collapse. After the Putin’s firm conviction that the Soviet collapse pet government that “voluntarily” joined the So- terminal. speech in the Kremlin to several hundred mem- was historically unjust is understandably causing viet Union in 1922. Then, 70 years later, Ukraini- Putin offered a vague assurance Mar. 18 that bers of the political elite, Putin signed the treaty alarm in other Soviet republics. Ukraine is most ans rectified this historical injustice by declaring “we do not need a partition of Ukraine.” At the recognizing Crimea as Russian territory. concerned, of course, but Kazakhstan is also un- independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.) same time, however, he reiterated his commit- Now, with the annexation of Crimea all but easy, where about 30 percent of the population Hitler, too, used the “historical injustice” argu- ment to protecting Russians in Ukraine if the completed, it would seem that Russians and Crime- concentrated in Kazakhstan’s northern regions on ment, claiming the 1919 Treaty of Versailles Kremlin felt they were in danger. Furthermore, he ans have received compensation for Khrushchev’s Russia’s border are ethnic Russian. Might Putin, placed overly harsh conditions on Germany after offered little comfort to Ukrainians by referring and Yeltsin’s “plundering” of Russia, and a great like in Crimea, decide to “defend the interests of its loss in World War I. Hitler tried to rectify these in his speech to the eastern parts of Ukraine as historical injustice has been reversed. Russians” in Kazakhstan, too? injustices by annexing Austria in 1938, among “the historical south of Russia.” But why stop at Crimea? What’s more, the Kremlin could use the other things. If Putin does decide to annex the eastern parts If Putin is committed to reversing all of the his- Crimea argument that Kazakhstan is also histori- But why stop correcting perceived historical in- of Ukraine, this would not only be a gross histori- torical injustices committed against Russia, why cally Russian territory. After all, Kazakhstan was justices with Crimea, Kazakhstan and the Baltics? cal injustice on its own, but it could also be the not revoke the Belavezha Accords, signed on a part of the Soviet Union for 70 years. What if Putin could also raise the issue of Alaska. Tak- largest catastrophe of the 21st century. Dec. 8, 1991? After all, Yeltsin and the leaders of Putin wants to rectify the “historical injustice” of ing advantage of Russia’s weak financial condition Ukraine and Belarus had no legal authority to dis- having lost Kazakhstan in 1991? Even Soviet dis- after its disastrous loss in the Crimean War of Michael Bohm is opinion page editor of The St. solve the Soviet Union. Putin reiterated his stance sident writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn considered 1853-56, the U.S. bought Alaska from Russia in Petersburg Times.

COMMENT

ë‡ÌÍÚ-èÂÚÂ·Û„ í‡ÈÏÒ

The St. Petersburg Times is a part of Sanoma Independent Media CEO: Jean-Emmanuel de Witt Not One Inch West Board of Directors: Tatiana Shalygina, Tatyana Shishkova, Mikhail Doubik, Alexander Gukasov, Elena Razumova By Richard Lourie with especially bad memories of Russia like Po- sia is too important to be isolated like Iran. Vic- Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Derk Sauer land and the Baltic states really have nothing to tory, whatever that exactly means, will not come Publisher: OOO “Neva Media” utin’s invasion of the Crimea has been fear from Russia even if they have a Russian- from short-term sanctions. The U.S. and Europe General Director: Tatyana Turikova criticized for “not being 21st century speaking minority. Russia will not send a single should rather create a long-term plan to make Editorial: Christopher Gordon, Acting Editor-in-chief enough,” but even the 21st century itself soldier into a NATO country. Ukraine’s economy dynamic because the example Advertising: Ksenia Chiritsa, Ylia Yanchuk Subscription: Viktoria Borovkova Production: Alla Kalinovskaya hasn’t been very 21st century lately with Perhaps Moscow should even make that a pub- of a vibrant, free and prosperous Ukraine would IT Department: Sergei Karasev Pa Malaysian passenger jet simply vanishing. Now lic promise: “Not one inch west!” do much more to undermine Putin’s system of it turns out that we are not oversurveilled, but un- Putin would seem to have two basic choices commodities-based authoritarianism, which will OOO Neva Media ì˜‰ËÚÂθ Ë ËÁ‰‡ÚÂθ – ééé “ç‚‡ å‰ˇ” dersurveilled, at least where it can matter most here: be satisfied with Crimea and let the other begin to falter as new centers of oil and gas pro- Copyright © 2005 The St. Petersburg Times. All Rights Reserved. — over the open seas. parts of eastern Ukraine that would almost cer- duction arise. But does the West have the vision, Mass media registration certificate number èà ‹ îë2-8918 of November 30, 2007, issued by the Directorate of the Federal Service for the monitoring of compliance with In all our raptures over information technol- tainly vote for secession remain as part of stomach and funds for that? legislation in the sphere of mass communications and the preservation of cultural heritage ogy erasing the boundaries of space and time, we Ukraine. This will make Russia look more judi- The most likely scenario at this point is: of the North-West Federal District. ë‚ˉ ÚÂθ ÒÚ ‚Ó Ó Â„Ë ÒÚ ‡ ˆËË Ò‰ÒÚ ‚‡ χÒÒÓ ‚ÓÈ forgot that the boundaries of space and time are cious than rapacious. More important, later on, if • The Kremlin will not take any more Ukrai- ËÌÙÓ χ ˆËË èà ‹ îë2-8918 ÓÚ 30 ÌÓfl · fl 2007 „Ó‰‡, ‚˚‰‡ ÌÓ ìÔ‡ ‚ ΠÌË ÂÏ î‰Â- still very much with us. The ocean is still vast. the need arises, those restive portions of the nian territory beyond Crimea. ‡Î¸ÌÓÈ ÒÎÛÊ·˚ ÔÓ Ì‡‰ÁÓ Û Á‡ Òӷβ ‰Â ÌË ÂÏ Á‡ÍÓ ÌÓ ‰‡ ÚÂθ ÒÚ ‚‡ ‚ ÒÙÂ χÒÒÓ ‚˚ı And a quick glance at a map reveals that Rus- Ukrainian population could be stimulated more • The West will impose some sanctions, and ÍÓÏÏÛ ÌË Í‡ ˆËÈ Ë Óı‡ Ì ÍÛθÚÛ ÌÓ „Ó Ì‡ÒΠ‰Ëfl ÔÓ ë‚ Ó-ᇠԇ‰ ÌÓ ÏÛ Ù‰ ‡Î¸ ÌÓ ÏÛ sia would be ringed from the Baltic states to the or less at will to take to the streets, protest and the Russians will impose theirs in return. ÓÍÛ „Û. Издание предназначено для аудитории старше 16 лет. Отпечатано в ОАО «Первая Образцовая типография» филиал «СПб газетный Black Sea if Ukraine became part of the Western seize public squares. The European Union and • There will be a nasty but low-grade war of комплекс». 198216, СПб, Ленинский пр., 139. Заказ № 1364. camp. At least 12 of NATO’s 28 members are NATO do not welcome countries with territorial sanctions that will last about two years — until Подписано в печать: по графику в 1.00, фактически в 1.00. Тираж 20000 экз. countries formerly controlled by the Soviet or internal conflicts. Hillary Clinton is elected president and declares a Распространяется бесплатно. The St. Petersburg Times is a free publication. Union. And that was after the U.S. promised Gor- The other choice would be to annex the heav- “reset of the reset.” bachev that if Soviet troops withdrew from West ily Russian areas of eastern and southern Ukraine Hopefully by then the missing plane will have Address: 190000, Russia, St. Petersburg, Germany, NATO would not move “one inch on the tried-and-true principle of “strike while the been found and we can get back on with the glori- 4 Konnogvardeisky boulevard, Entrance 7, 3rd floor. east.” Putin is acting in the Crimea not because he iron is hot.” ous 21st century. Telephone/Fax: (7-812) 325-60-80. is fearless and defiant of the West but because he The West also has some hard choosing to do. ĉÂÒ ‰‡ÍˆËË: 190000, Конногвардейский бульвар, is afraid of NATO, which has been busily out- Sanctions severe enough to cause Russia real pain Richard Lourie is the author of ‘The Autobiography д. 4, лит. А, подъезд 7, этаж 3 Internet: http://www.sptimes.ru flanking Russia to the west. New NATO members could cause painful sanctions in return. And Rus- of Joseph Stalin’ and ‘Sakharov: A Biography.’

Учредитель и издатель – ООО «Нева Медиа». Главный редактор – Крис Гордон. Адрес: 190000, СПб, Конногвардейский бульвар, 4, 7 подъезд, 3-й этаж. Свидетельство о регистрации средства массовой информации ПИ № ФС2-8918 от 30 ноября 2007 года, выдано Управлением Федеральной службы по надзору за соблюдением законодательства в сфере массовых коммуникаций и охране культурного наследия по Саверо-Западному федеральному округу. Издание предназначено для аудитории старше 16 лет. Отпечатано в ОАО «Первая Образцовая типография» филиал «СПб газетный комплекс». 198216, СПб, Ленинский пр., 139. Заказ № 1364. Подписано в печать: по графику в 1.00, фактически в 1.00. Тираж 20000 экз.