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Svetlana Medvedeva originally from the city of Kupchino, Leningrad region. She was born and raised in a military family. As a child, Svetlana was not much different from other children, except that she was very bright, proactive and knew how to defend her position. Many boys tried to win her favor, and among the mass of fans was the then teenager Dmitry Medvedev. Svetlana Vladimirovna met her future husband when they were both 7 years old. They studied at the same school, but in parallel classes. Dmitry was particularly modest and could not shout to the whole world about his feelings, but at the graduation party he still dared to give Svetlana a bouquet of flowers. After school, the young people went their separate ways. Svetlana entered FINEK, and Dmitry entered Leningrad State University. The girl strived for independence, so after the first year she transferred to the evening department and went to work. In 1987, she received a diploma in the specialty "Analysis of Economic Activities of Enterprises." Despite the long break in communication, Svetlana and Dmitry met again, and they never parted. In 1989, the young people got married. Svetlana has always been distinguished by her strength of character; she looked difficulties straight in the eye and was not afraid of change.
Close people note that Svetlana has always had an influence on Dmitry. Using her contacts, the wife introduced Dmitry into business circles, and then he himself began to actively communicate with the “right” people. However, this does not mean at all that Svetlana is a “gray eminence” in the Medvedev family. On the contrary, she is an adviser and assistant in her husband’s career. In 1996, the Medvedevs had a son, Ilya, and Svetlana took full responsibility for caring for her son and husband. The feminine principle took over the desire to build a career.
Medvedev's wife cares about the cultural and moral education of young people
Today this woman is known not only as the first lady of the country, but also as an active participant in life with a charitable bent. One of her projects was the Russian-Italian program, which consisted of strengthening tourism ties between the countries. Svetlana Vladimirovna contributed to various charitable events, which over time became narrower and limited to Russia. Dmitry Medvedev’s wife is a deeply religious person, and therefore considers the task of moral education of young people to be paramount. That is why Svetlana Vladimirovna was pleased to head the board of trustees of the targeted comprehensive program “Spiritual and moral culture of the younger generation of Russia,” created with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'. As part of this program, Svetlana Medvedeva patronizes boarding school No. 1 in St. Petersburg, where more than 300 children live.
“Day of Family, Love and Fidelity” in Russia was invented by Svetlana Medvedeva
In addition to the fate of disadvantaged children, Svetlana Medvedeva is concerned about the issue of strengthening the institution of marriage. The fact that the “Day of Family, Love and Loyalty” holiday has now appeared in Russia is considered the merit of the country’s first lady. Svetlana Medvedeva headed the organizing committee, chose a symbol (daisy) and in every possible way promotes the value of true feelings and relationships.
Medvedev's wife is one of the most elegant women in the country
Dmitry Medvedev's wife does not like official receptions. She prefers charity and social events. For example, this year she headed the All-Russian Blonde Rally (Sochi). Svetlana Vladimirovna is a person with subtle style and taste, she has a special elegance. The organizers of the event believe that a real blonde should, first of all, not only have light hair color, but be kind, sensitive and beautiful in every sense of the word. They always say only good things about Svetlana Vladimirovna Medvedeva. For example, V. Vinokur considers her a beautiful Russian woman, who is completely devoid of pathos and pomposity.
The natural charm of Medvedev's wife is supported by the good work of the stylists. For example, Svetlana Vladimirovna is familiar with V. Yudashkin. She is a regular at fashion shows held in different countries. By the way, Medvedev’s wife can often be seen next to the head of the Russian Silhouette Foundation, Tatyana Mikhalkova.
Some compare Svetlana Medvedeva with Raisa Gorbachova, predicting a bright political future for her within the framework of her husband’s career. There is even an opinion that it was thanks to his wife that Dmitry Medvedev achieved such a high position. Svetlana is a kind of image of a wife-mother who always gives advice and is interested in the problems of a loved one. And she does it well. Even if her position in the family is not visible to the average person, in practice this results in Russia’s active movement towards rapprochement and partnership with many countries.
Childhood and youth of Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev was born into an intelligent Leningrad family.
His father, Anatoly Afanasyevich Medvedev, was a professor at the Leningrad Technological Institute. Lensoveta (currently St. Petersburg State Technological Institute), and my mother, Yulia Veniaminovna, taught at the Pedagogical Institute. Herzen, later worked as a guide in the suburban nature reserve Pavlovsk. Dmitry was the only child in the family.
Dmitry Medvedev spent his childhood in the residential area of Leningrad - Kupchino. He attended school No. 305 on Budapest Street. Nina Pavlovna Eryukhina, Medvedev’s class teacher, recalled that Dmitry devoted all his time to studying, was fond of chemistry and often sat in the office, conducting various experiments, but he could rarely be seen on walks with classmates. By the way, Dmitry still keeps in touch with the teachers of his native school.
In 1979, Dmitry joined the ranks of the Komsomol, of which he remained a member until August 1991.
In 1982, Dmitry Medvedev graduated from school, after which he entered the law faculty of St. Petersburg State University, which in those years bore the unpronounceable name “Leningrad Order of Lenin and Order of the Red Banner of Labor State University. Zhdanov."
Nikolai Kropachev, at that time a graduate student at the Department of Criminal Law (in 2008 he became the rector of St. Petersburg State University), described the student Medvedev as follows: “A strong, good student. He was involved in sports, in particular weightlifting. One day I won something for my department. But in his main activities he was the same as everyone else. Just be more diligent."
By the way, in his youth the politician was fond of hard rock, his favorite bands were Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Dmitry also listened to domestic rock, in particular the group Chaif. In addition, as a student, Medvedev became the owner of a Smena-8M camera and became seriously interested in photography. Dmitry Medvedev did not serve in the army, but as a student he attended military training in Huhoyamäki (Karelia).
In 1987, Dmitry received a law degree, then continued his scientific career in graduate school. For the next three years, he worked on his Ph.D. dissertation on the topic “Problems of implementing the civil legal personality of a state enterprise,” while simultaneously teaching at the department of civil law at his alma mater, and also working as a janitor for 120 rubles a month.
Political career of Dmitry Medvedev
When the elections to the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR took place in March 1989, professor Anatoly Sobchak was among the deputies who stood. The future mayor of St. Petersburg was Medvedev’s supervisor, and the young graduate student helped his mentor as much as possible: he put up posters, agitated passers-by on the streets, and spoke at election rallies.
When Dmitry Medvedev defended his Ph.D. thesis in 1990, Sobchak, who already held the post of chairman of the Leningrad City Council, invited his ward to join the staff, saying that he would need “young and modern” people. The young man accepted the offer, becoming one of Sobchak’s advisers, while continuing his teaching activities at the department. It was at Sobchak's headquarters that Medvedev first met Vladimir Putin, who was also invited to work by Anatoly Alexandrovich.
When Anatoly Sobchak was elected mayor of Leningrad in 1991, Putin followed him and became vice-mayor, while Dmitry Medvedev returned to teaching and also became a freelance expert for the Committee on External Relations of the St. Petersburg Administration under Putin's leadership. As part of this position, he was sent to Sweden, where he completed an internship on local government issues.
In 1993, Dmitry became one of the co-founders of Finzell CJSC, where he owned half of the shares, as well as director of the pulp and paper corporation Ilim Pulp Enterprise for legal issues, and was later appointed Ilim’s representative on the Board of Directors of the Bratsk Timber Industry Complex.
In 1996, Dmitry Medvedev stopped collaborating with Smolny due to Sobchak’s loss to Vladimir Yakovlev in the gubernatorial elections. And in 1999, he was appointed to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff of the Government of the Russian Federation. As the editors of the site suggest, in connection with the appointment, he left teaching and moved to the capital.
After Boris Yeltsin left, Dmitry Anatolyevich became deputy head of the presidential administration of the Russian Federation. In 2000, after Vladimir Putin won the presidential election, he took the post of First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration.
At the same time, he assumed the post of Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gazprom (in 2001 he was listed as Deputy Chairman) and held this responsible position until 2008.
From the fall of 2003 to the fall of 2005, Dmitry Medvedev headed the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. Also in 2003, he was appointed a member of the Russian Security Council.
From October 2005 to July 2008, Dmitry Medvedev was First Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Council for the Implementation of National Projects and Demographic Policy. At the end of 2005, he was appointed First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation (reappointed to the position in September 2007).
From mid-2006, for two years, Medvedev was chairman of the presidium of the Council for the Implementation of National Projects.
Dmitry Medvedev's election campaign
In November 2005, Medvedev’s election campaign de facto started on central television channels; at the same time, Dmitry Anatolyevich’s election website was registered. A few months later, the politician began to be mentioned in the press as a favorite of Vladimir Putin.
In September 2006, Medvedev headed the International Board of Trustees of the capital's school of management Skolkovo. And six months later, at the beginning of 2007, Medvedev began to be called the main potential candidate for Russian presidency. According to analysts, even then 33% of voters in the first round and 54% in the second were ready to vote for him.
The active phase of the election campaign began in October 2007. A couple of months later, Putin supported Medvedev’s candidacy, after which at the United Russia congress, Dmitry Anatolyevich was officially nominated for the post of president.
While submitting documents to the Central Election Commission, Dmitry Medvedev announced that he would resign from the post of Gazprom’s Board of Directors if he became president.
Presidency of Dmitry Medvedev
On March 2, 2008, Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev was elected the third President of the Russian Federation, ahead of his main rivals - Vladimir Zhirinovsky (LDPR), Gennady Zyuganov (KPRF) and Andrei Bogdanov (DPR) - with an overwhelming majority of 70.28% of the votes.
Two months after the official summing up of the results of the election campaign (May 7), Dmitry Medvedev’s inauguration took place. In his inaugural address, he spoke of the need to focus on civil and economic freedoms. The first decree that Medvedev signed in his new position was the Federal Law, which was supposed to provide free housing to veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
The beginning of Medvedev's presidency coincided with the beginning of the global financial crisis and the armed conflict with Georgia on the territory of South Ossetia, which became the most significant event in Medvedev's foreign policy.
Dmitry Medvedev about the conflict in South Ossetia (2013)
As Dmitry Anatolyevich himself admitted, the so-called “five-day” war came as a surprise to him. Some tension in relations between Russia and Georgia was felt at the beginning of 2008, but, according to the president, he “had no idea what ideas lived in Saakashvili’s fevered brain.”
The escalation of the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict occurred at the end of July - beginning of August; third month of Medvedev's presidency. On the night of August 7-8, the Minister of Defense called the president and told him about the start of hostilities by Georgian troops. When Anatoly Serdyukov reported the death of Russian peacekeepers, Medvedev ordered to open fire to kill. This was his personal decision, made without the participation of ministers. On the morning of the 8th, Russian aviation began shelling military targets located on Georgian territory.
On August 12, 2008, Dmitry Anatolyevich and French President Nicolas Sarkozy adopted a plan to resolve differences, which was signed a few days later by the presidents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Despite the president's decisive action at a critical moment, many analysts tend to believe that Medvedev's foreign policy has been punctuated by both comparative successes and obvious failures. So, despite the initially well-developed relations between Medvedev and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who replaced Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine never joined the Customs Union, and the situation with the “gas” relations between the countries worsened.
Medvedev's position on the Libyan issue caused great concern among the patriotic public. At his request, Russia abstained from voting on the resolution in the UN Security Council when its members were deciding on a possible military operation in Libya to protect civilians from Gaddafi’s troops.
Events in Libya have quarreled Putin and Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev's efforts in the social sphere bore fruit: during his presidency, population growth stabilized, reaching its peak value in several decades, and the percentage of large families increased; real incomes of the population increased by almost 20%, the average size of pensions doubled; more than a million families have improved their living conditions thanks to the maternity capital program. Much has been done in the field of small business - Medvedev helped simplify the procedure for starting your own business, and also lifted some restrictions for entrepreneurs.
The beginning was made of the creation of a powerful research center, which was supposed to become an analogue of the American Silicon Valley. In September 2010, Medvedev signed Federal Law-244 “On the Skolkovo Innovation Center.” The working group of the Skolkovo project was led by Vladislav Surkov.
Dmitry Medvedev about Skolkovo
At the initiative of the president, in 2009-2011, a reform of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs was carried out, and law enforcement agencies were renamed “police”. Also, according to the Minister of Internal Affairs Rashid Nurgaliev, the level of social security and work efficiency of internal affairs employees has been increased.
With the support of Anatoly Serdyukov, the reform of the Armed Forces was also initiated, which consisted of optimizing the number of officers, optimizing the management system (transition from a 4-tier hierarchy to a 3-tier one) and the reform of military education.
Also, during Medvedev’s tenure, the presidential term was increased from 4 to 6 years, and that of the Duma from 4 to 5. In September 2010, Medvedev removed Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who had exhausted the government’s credit, from his post. Subsequently, Sergei Sobyanin was appointed in his place.
In September 2011, it was announced that Vladimir Putin would nominate his candidacy for the 2012 presidential elections, and if he wins, Dmitry Medvedev will head the government.
Results of Dmitry Medvedev's presidency
Overall, Dmitry Medvedev's presidency has received mixed reviews. Thus, the famous publicist Dmitry Bykov reproached him for “hypertrophied attention to the third-rate”, many public figures criticized Medvedev for the lack of real power, while Alexei Kudrin, who was the Minister of Finance until September 2011, stated that he “witnessed the development and adoption of many key decisions" personally by Medvedev.
Russian Internet users were especially warm towards Dmitry Medvedev. Thanks to his interest in technology and open character, the president has more than once become the hero of videos that quickly spread across the Internet. For example, a video in which Dmitry Medvedev dances to the song “American Boy” together with showman Garik Martirosyan has collected several million views.
Dmitry Medvedev dancing
Further activities of Dmitry Medvedev
After Vladimir Putin was elected president in the 2012 elections, Dmitry Medvedev headed the Government and became Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Under his leadership are outstanding political figures of Russia: First Deputy Igor Shuvalov, Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu, Minister of Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky and others.
In May 2012, Dmitry Medvedev was appointed chairman of United Russia.
In 2016, Dmitry Medvedev headed the Government of the Russian Federation and the United Russia party, being one of the key political figures in the country. He was elected as the main Program Commission, which was involved in developing the political course of the party. Oversaw economic issues, in particular, pricing and import substitution, solved problems in the field of healthcare and education. I visited Crimea several times on business trips, which was the reason for the note of protest from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
Dmitry Medvedev: “There is no money, but you hold on”
At the beginning of 2017, the prime minister found himself at the center of a major corruption scandal. Opposition politician Alexei Navalny and employees of his Anti-Corruption Foundation posted a 50-minute video investigation on YouTube entitled “He’s not Dimon to you” (a reference to a quote from the prime minister’s press secretary Natalya Timakova), which alleged that Medvedev heads a multi-level corruption scheme based on on charitable foundations. A key place in the investigation was occupied by the Dar Foundation, headed by the prime minister’s classmate Ilya Eliseev. The film also allegedly showed Medvedev's mansions in Phesaco, his vineyard and castle in Tuscany and two Photinia yachts.
On March 26, thousands of Russians rallied, demanding answers from the government to the accusations outlined in the FBK film. The answer from Dmitry Anatolyevich came on April 19. “I will not make special comments on the absolutely false products of political crooks,” he noted during a speech in the State Duma. On June 12, another wave of anti-corruption rallies awaited Russia.
Hobbies and personal life of Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev's wife is Svetlana Linnik, his school friend from parallel. According to Dmitry Anatolyevich, mutual sympathy between them arose during his school years, but only in his senior year did he pluck up the courage and confess his feelings to the girl.
After graduation, their paths diverged: Svetlana became a student at LEFI, Dmitry chose Leningrad State University; During their student years, they practically did not communicate, but a chance meeting reminded them of past feelings. In 1989, the lovers got married.
In August 1995, Dmitry and Svetlana became parents - the boy who was born was named Ilya. Medvedev Jr. grew up with a knack for exact sciences and was interested in football, saber fencing and computer technology. In 2007, he starred in several episodes of Boris Grachevsky's Yeralash. In 2012, Ilya entered MGIMO with 359 points out of a possible 400.
"Yeralash" with the son of Dmitry Medvedev
The Medvedev family loves animals. The couple have a cat and a Neva Masquerade cat - Dorofey and Milka, who have more than once become the heroes of news articles. Dmitry Medvedev is also the owner of four dogs: English setters Daniel and Jolie, a Central Asian shepherd whose name is unknown to the press, and a golden retriever Alba.
It is no secret that Dmitry Medvedev closely follows new technologies and is an active user of social networks. Medvedev got his first computer back in the early 80s; it was a Soviet computer M-6000. He is registered on Odnoklassniki, VKontakte, Twitter and Instagram, and was one of the first among politicians to begin addressing the population through a video blog.
He is known as an ardent supporter of Apple technology: in 2010, during the president’s visit to Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs gave him the newly released iPhone 4, which had not yet been sold in Russia; later the politician could be seen with an Apple “smart watch” on his hand . At this time, Medvedev is actively advocating the replacement of foreign software with domestic analogues.
The former president is fond of photography and often delights his subscribers with his works on the social network Instagram. In 2011, he participated in the photo exhibition “The World through the Eyes of Russians” with a photograph of the Tobolsk Kremlin.
Dmitry Medvedev now
After the 2018 presidential elections, Dmitry Medvedev retained his position as prime minister. Although deputies of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and A Just Russia (with the exception of 4 people) refused to support his candidacy, the majority of State Duma deputies supported his appointment - 376 people, i.e. 83%. During his speech to members of the lower house of parliament, Medvedev thanked them for their trust and announced an upcoming increase in the retirement age.
Did the daughter of a military sailor think that after marrying her high school sweetheart, after 15 years of marriage she would become the first lady of the country. What path in life did the wife of future Russian President Dmitry Medvedev choose?
Svetlana Linnik was born in 1965 in the city of Kronstadt. This joyful event occurred at the very beginning of spring. Before the girl attended school, the family often moved around the suburbs of Leningrad. The move to the northern capital was timed to coincide with the start of Svetlana’s schooling.
Academic years
- The girl went to first grade while living in Leningrad. Being an energetic child, Sveta took an active part in school amateur performances; in addition to acting in plays, the young lady was a member of the youth KVN. The school curriculum was easy for the future wife of the president.
- After graduating from school and receiving a certificate, the purposeful girl entered the Leningrad Financial and Economic Institute (now St. Petersburg State Economic University), choosing an economic direction to continue her education.
- The desire to get to work as soon as possible forces Svetlana Vladimirovna to transfer to the correspondence department already in the first year of study and begin professional activities. One can note the diligence and hard work of the young student, who managed to graduate from such a prestigious university, combining study with work.
- A high-quality education made Svetlana Medvedeva a good expert in financial matters, but the young woman did not actively pursue her career aspirations, leaving this prerogative in the hands of her husband.
From school dating to marriage
The future first lady met Dmitry Medvedev at the age of seven; a modest and quiet student in a parallel class attracted the attention of an active girl. Starting at the age of 14, the couple transitioned to teenage love. Student years separated young people. And only a chance meeting again brought the life paths of the Medvedev couple together. Already a teacher at a university and an adviser to the mayor of St. Petersburg, Dmitry continued his courtship of the beautiful Svetlana, which the girl reciprocated. The wedding took place in 1989.
Despite her extremely feminine appearance, Svetlana Medvedeva has a very strong and strong-willed character. Thanks to her good vision of the future after the wedding, she was able to become an excellent adviser to her husband. It was quite difficult for a university employee to support a young family on a teacher’s salary. Therefore, Svetlana invited her husband to develop her activities in the field of commerce, changing her husband’s main priorities.
Supported within the family, a young man headed the legal department in a commercial structure, subsequently rising higher up the career ladder and taking the place of manager of the timber industry complex. Thanks to the support of his wife, the future third president of the country was able to confidently walk along his intended path in life. Svetlana became the main ally and support for Dmitry.
In an effort to create the right image of her husband, Svetlana also takes care of Dmitry’s appearance. So the wife encouraged the politician to take up sports and keep himself in great shape.
Birth of a son
After several years of legal marriage, the couple had an heir. Born in the summer of 1995, the boy was named Ilya. From that moment on, Svetlana, agreeing with her husband’s opinion, decides to get serious about raising her son and becomes a housewife. According to the young man himself, his mother was always aware of his hobbies and raised the young man in strictness.
Svetlana Vladimirovna coped with raising the boy with a solid A, the son entered the budget department of MGIMO, becoming the winner of the prestigious Olympiad. After graduating from university, he began working as a lawyer. Like any modern young man, Ilya is interested in technology, football and travel.
Enjoying the role of a mother, the young woman returns to public life, but after working for some time in large corporations she again prefers to take up the life of her beloved son.
Social activity
Svetlana Medvedeva conducts her work both in the capital and in St. Petersburg. Being the wife of a prominent Russian politician, she strives to improve the level of education and cultural development of the country's citizens. Since 2007, Medvedeva has headed the board of trustees, whose goal is to introduce Russian youth to the traditions of their native fatherland.
An equally important activity of a famous person is participation in a program to promote a healthy atmosphere in the family. Ten years ago, she headed a foundation for socio-cultural initiatives promoting gifted youth in Russia. The fund organizes many promotions supported by both the Orthodox clergy of the country and ordinary citizens.
Since 2010, the foundation headed by Medvedev has repeatedly held a number of events for young talents, which are available for public viewing on the official website of the foundation and on the website of its president.
Engaged in active social activities aimed at improving the quality of life and atmosphere in Russian society, Svetlana Medvedeva has been repeatedly awarded with awards and prizes from Russia.
A string of expensive cars with special license plates, special signals, police officers turning trucks around... Anyone who thinks about a government highway along which cars of high-ranking officials are racing would be mistaken. This summer, such a motorcade has already been spotted several times on the road to the village of Kovashi, located in the Lomonosovsky district of the Leningrad region, not far from the town of Sosnovy Bor.
“To your mother-in-law for pancakes”?
The secret is simple: relatives of Dmitry Medvedev, the parents of his wife Svetlana, live here. What kind of village is this where the prime minister goes “to see his mother-in-law for pancakes”? And what other places in their small homeland do the Medvedev couple covertly visit?
The village of Kovashi does not stand out in any way outwardly. It is located 90 km from St. Petersburg and 10 km from Sosnovy Bor. The nearest railway platform is located 10 km away, so the easiest way to get here is by car, fortunately there is a good route. Although historically this place is remarkable.The village is mentioned in the Swedish “Scribe Books of the Izhora Land” of 1618-1623. It is also indicated on the “Geographical drawing of the Izhora land” of 1705. The lands were considered state-owned, so in the 17th century Catherine II gave the villages of Kovashi, Tentelevo, Shishkino and others to Mikhail Lomonosov. On September 25, 1788, a two-altar wooden church was “consecrated here in the name of the Annunciation,” built by the landowner, Prince Jacob Petrovich Dolgorukov. By the way, in 1917 this church was converted into a stone one, then, during Soviet times, a department of the regional hospital was located there. In 1928, 297 people lived in Kovashi.
Growing potatoes and cucumbers
Today, little remains of the historical landmarks. The village differs little from dozens of other similar settlements. Its most famous inhabitants, Vladimir Alekseevich and Larisa Ivanovna Linnik, the father and mother of Svetlana Medvedeva, also live modestly, without standing out. They dig a vegetable garden, grow potatoes, beets and cucumbers, and go for mushrooms and berries. They are pensioners, and their pension is very ordinary, in the range of 14-15 thousand rubles. Their house is also ordinary, with a veranda and a gate, an apple orchard. No fences or security. It was built by the older generation of the Linnik family. Here, in front of the eyes of her fellow villagers, Svetlana spent her childhood, who often came to the village on vacation. She does not forget her parents and now, as neighbors confirmed, she visits at every opportunity. Prime Minister Medvedev came here on June 18 with their 22-year-old son Ilya to show his now adult grandson to his grandparents. Moreover, as eyewitnesses say, they left the car and walked to the house, across the bridge.
True, it is possible that next time Dmitry Anatolyevich will come for a housewarming party. Nearby, the new house of the older Linniks is almost ready. On a plot of 12 acres there is a two-story estate with a balcony and double-glazed windows. The house is good, comfortable, but nothing more. He is far from the castles of oligarchs or the estates of big bosses.
Helped with the House of Culture
Do residents benefit from their stellar neighbors? There is, but the villagers do not burden the Medvedevs with requests. Only contacted a few times. So in 2009, the House of Culture in the village closed. There was no money in the budget for the construction of a new one for a long time, and the Kovash people directly asked Svetlana Vladimirovna to help.
The request reached the addressee: six million rubles were promptly allocated from the reserve fund of the Leningrad region. Construction also proceeded at an accelerated pace, so that the building was ready the following year. On this occasion, a big celebration was held in Kovashi, where Svetlana Vladimirovna was also invited. Due to her busy schedule, the first lady (at that time D. Medvedev served as president of the country) did not come to the opening, but, of course, she was conveyed the gratitude of her fellow villagers. Today the recreation center is the center of the village, there is also a post office under one roof, but in general the village is no different in prosperity. The first-aid post, for example, is closed, and it is unknown when it will open.
Revive an ancient church
It is also known that Svetlana Medvedeva is going to revive an ancient church in Kovashi. The same one built in 1788 by the prince and local landowner Yakov Dolgorukov. Work in the archives and at the construction site has already begun, excavations have been carried out, and the search for philanthropists and investors is underway. No one doubts that everything will be done at a high level, because this is not the first temple that will be restored with the participation of the prime minister’s wife. So three years ago the famous Naval Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Kronstadt was restored. This largely happened with the support of the Foundation for Social and Cultural Initiatives, which is headed by Svetlana Medvedeva, who was born in this island city.
The Medvedev couple visited the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
The topic of spirituality is generally very close to the Medvedev couple. So, on June 24, as part of a private visit, they visited the Holy Trinity Alexander-Svirsky Monastery, located in the village of Staraya Sloboda. The couple was accompanied by the governor of the Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko. The high-ranking guests were accompanied by Bishop Mstislav of Tikhvin and Lodeynopol. The prime minister did not refuse the monks, who talked with him and even took pictures. When saying goodbye, the Medvedevs assured that they would come to their native land more than once.
Even when Dmitry Medvedev assumed a high position, political scientists and the elite expected the arrival of a “second Raisa Gorbacheva”, who would influence her husband and be actively present in the political life of the country. The forecast was based on an analysis of the personal qualities of the first couple of the state - the lively activist Svetlana and the calmer excellent student Dmitry.
“Svetlana was really very sociable, cheerful, active and lively,” Nina Muzykantova, the director of the school in St. Petersburg, where the Medvedevs studied in parallel classes, told Interlocutor. – Svetlana has strong leadership qualities and the ability to be the center of attention and attract people to her. She still sings with pleasure at alumni evenings - this is what she loved as a child. She's good at it. But I wouldn’t say that Dmitry was so quiet. In any case, there was no obvious contrast between them.
They say that at the last meeting of graduates, which in the “Medvedev” parallel still occurs regularly, Svetlana sang “Where does childhood go.” However, the successful lady does not have to regret her school years - it is not for nothing that one of the latest surveys brought her to first place among Russian business women, although Svetlana Medvedeva was never directly involved in business, despite the fact that she graduated from the Institute of Finance and Economics. Her business became her family and her husband’s career. In any case, rumors attribute Dmitry Medvedev’s transition from teachers to the founders of the Ilim Pulp pulp and paper enterprise, which soon turned into a global giant, to her business qualities and ability to build personal connections. As they say, Svetlana was friends with the wife of a useful businessman in this business.
Does the first lady now influence the decisions of the first person? At least, the foreign press several times provided information that it was Svetlana Medvedeva who “incited” Dmitry Medvedev against Vladimir Putin. It’s as if the wife is more ambitious than her husband and would like her husband to secure the first place in the ruling tandem. It even got to the point that foreign paparazzi attributed a certain role to Svetlana Medvedeva in disseminating “at court” information about Vladimir Putin’s special affection for gymnast Alina Kabaeva. True, the story of the political-sports romance did not find any obvious confirmation and remained at the level of rumors.
“Still, one should not overestimate the influence of Svetlana Medvedeva on her husband,” says political scientist Stanislav Radkevich. – From people who worked with Dmitry Medvedev even before his presidency, I know that Dmitry Anatolyevich is actually much tougher than he seems. In any case, he clearly does not fit into the image of a person who can be strongly influenced by his other half.
Nevertheless, a number of independent experts refused to comment to Sobesednik on the topic of the president’s wife, fearing that they would not please the energetic first lady with their assessments.
Believer
If at the beginning of her career as the first lady we observed Svetlana Medvedeva more as a secular lady, now her main hypostasis is Orthodoxy. A skirt below the knee, a beautiful scarf on her head - this is how we most often see Svetlana Medvedeva today. Considering the role of religion in today's society, one cannot say that this is going into the shadows - in churches today, much more noticeable issues are sometimes resolved than once upon a time at secular parties.
If earlier the company of the country's most famous blonde was often accompanied by Alla Pugacheva, Nelly Kobzon, Marina Yudashkina and Tatyana Mikhalkova, now Svetlana Medvedeva increasingly appears in the company of Patriarch Kirill and Father Cyprian, with whom she works together to educate young people according to the comprehensive program “Spiritually -moral culture of the younger generation of Russia." The program is supervised by both the Russian Orthodox Church and the presidential administration. Officials and businessmen are jostling for the right to insert their 2 cents into this charitable cause - in order not only to cleanse their souls, but also to earn political points.
Best of the day
“Judging by the circulating information, Svetlana Medvedeva is a sincerely religious person, and her religious history began even before her husband’s presidency,” said Evgeniy Minchenko, director of the International Institute of Political Expertise.
It is believed that Svetlana was brought to the temple by her older sister Catherine, who had previously had the same influence on Irina Abramovich, the ex-wife of the oligarch. These ladies, not offended by God, even have their own special places in the Church of Hagia Sophia. Svetlana Medvedeva goes to services and to confession with her confessor Vladimir Volgin. The same holy father, as they say, also takes care of the high-ranking husband of the main parishioner of the temple.
As a religious and political burden, Svetlana Medvedeva is actively involved in social projects and charity. She supervises an orphanage for children with mental disabilities in her native St. Petersburg - she helps him financially, although she does not go there herself. Apparently, visiting such a specific place does not fit into the official protocol. But the first lady willingly posed on the seashore of the All-Russian children's camp "Eaglet".
All in white
For two years as First Lady, Svetlana Medvedeva thought not only about spiritual things. Experts believe that the president’s wife loves to dress brightly and beautifully. The white gold Breguet watch alone is worth it! In fact, we know what it is – 30 thousand dollars. In clothes, Svetlana also does not shy away from attracting attention to herself - she prefers to wear very light shades and shiny fabrics, and strict silhouettes can be complemented with a flower made of fabric or ruffles. Svetlana Medvedeva’s outfits are designed by Russian couturier Valentin Yudashkin, the fabrics are said to be brought from Italy, and sewn by tailors from the Kremlin specialist shop, who also sew the president himself.
Svetlana Medvedeva loves going to fashion shows.
– In the image of the first lady, we took into account the mistakes of previous periods. Raisa Gorbachev was well received in the West, but caused a lot of negativity within Russia. This is probably why Svetlana Medvedeva was not reshaped according to “European patterns” - she looks like Russian women look, says Pavel Salin, a leading expert at the Center for Political Conjuncture.
It is unknown which of the image makers works with Svetlana - their names are disclosed only after the end of the contract. But it is noticeable that they do not put pressure, but, on the contrary, unobtrusively emphasize the “Russian image” - blond hair, white skin, rounded build. Nobody makes Carla Bruni from Svetlana Medvedeva: it’s impossible, and probably not necessary.
– Svetlana Medvedeva’s style, one might say, has not changed in 2 years. It is clear that she has found herself and is confident in her choice. Her style can be called “romantic elegance.” In her image, she uses both European trends and Russian traditions, says Igor Stoyanov, owner of a network of image laboratories and a VIP style coach. – She does not need to turn to a professional stylist; some details of her image can be honed by a kind adviser with subtle taste who appreciates her individuality.
“It’s clear that Svetlana Medvedeva likes her role,” says physiognomist Milana Minaeva. “She enjoys being visible and interacting with people.” She always smiles widely at events. It is noticeable that she is not burdened by her “work”, but, on the contrary, she is discovering more and more pleasant aspects of it.