RBTH Thailand. December 2013 by Russia Beyond

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Thursday, December 12, 2013 there is a smiling babushka serving pelmeni

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2013 in pics

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Looking back at some major events in Russia

OLYMPICS Russia is ready to host the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Follow the topic at rbth.ru/sochi2014

SPYING

GEOPHOTO

Russia granted temporary asylum to American whistle-blower Edward Snowden in August. rbth. ru/28565

SPORTS Russia hosted the World Athletics Championships for the first time. rbth.ru/29041

PRESS PHOTO

Scientists have collected over 100 kilograms of fragments from the meteorite that blasted in the skies of the Chelyabinsk region on February 15. rbth.ru/meteorite_fall

NATURAL DISASTER

SUMMIT

St Petersburg hosted the G-20 Summit last September. rbth.ru/29593

BEYOND THE FUTURE

Russia is closer than you think Eugene Abov RBTH PUBLISHER

elcome to the first Thailand edition of Russia Beyond the Headlines, appearing with The Nation. We hope you will find it enlightening and engaging. The aim of RBTH is to introduce you to our country through compel-

ling stories, insightful opinions and analysis that will encourage the readers to discover more. Russia is a diverse and complex country in a state of major transformation, still coming to terms with its long – sometimes painful, sometimes curious – history. We believe this can

only be understood through in-depth analysis. Even so, Russia punches below its weight in global media. We aim to address that with stories that are topical, enjoyable and – above all – objective. Many of these stories are ones that currently fall under the radar of major international news outlets. Our writers are professional journalists who write for well-known publications in Russia and in-

ternationally, while our expert columnists embrace a wide range of views about Russia’s future and its place in the world. Sitting in Moscow, it’s easy to forget that Russia is a part of the Asia Pacific region, so it is especially important for us to reach out to people across this part of the world to tell our story. We already publish in China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea and Japan,

and the time came for Thailand as one of the most important partners in Asean. However, despite the long-established relationship, Thailand remains a very distant place to the minds of many Russians. As a result, there is much room for development in Russia’s political and economic relationship with Thailand. I recently made my first trip to Thailand and found it a fascinating place – one that I want to learn more about and visit again. We hope that our publication will encourage you to feel

the same way about Russia. If this print edition kindles your curiosity, you can learn more about our country through our website – rbth.ru – where you can find additional news, commentary and multimedia features, including videos, photo galleries and podcasts. There you can also download our iPad app, and take part in the interactive debate about Russia through our Facebook and Twitter pages. We hope you enjoy our publication, and we look forward to hearing from you.

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Russia-Thailand

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Bilateral ties How to forge closer and more result-oriented relations between the two countries

EKATERINA KOLDUNOVA, STEPAN GOLOVIN SPECIAL TO RBTH

There is a unique tradition of bilateral relations between Russia and Siam established way back in the late 19th century as well as the historical memory of friendly relations between King Rama V and Tsar Nicholas II and numerous personal contacts between the people of the two countries, which today make up the fabric of Russian-Thai cooperation. The uncertainty over the development prospects of traditional economic leaders like Europe and the United States is prompting Russia and Thailand to ponder new areas for trade and investment cooperation and to take a closer look at each other. There are well-established mechanisms of interstate cooperation between the two countries, with further contacts developing in the political sphere. Ahead of the 110th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit paid a state visit to Russia. At the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Vladivostok in September 2012, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and invited her to visit Russia. Thailand is one of Russia’s key trade and economic partners in Southeast Asia. There are several Thai companies successfully operating in Russia. Regular flights, visa-free travel and a great interest in Thai culture and traditions translate into a large number of Russian tourists visiting Thailand every year. People to people links are not just limited to tourism. There are students from Thailand studying in Moscow, St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Vladivostok and other Russian cities. Every year, Russia allocates grants

specifically for students from Thailand. Both countries have a long-established tradition of taking a deep academic interest in each other.Thailand studies are carried out at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, the Institute of Asian and African Countries, St Petersburg University, Far Eastern Federal University. There is a Russian studies centre at Chulalongkorn University; Russian is also taught at Thammasat University. However, to reach a higher level of cooperation, our two countries need new forms of interaction aimed, primarily, at economic and technological modernisation. Russia is facing the task of expanding its exports of high-tech products and services while Thailand is seeking to overcome “the middle income trap” and move to a new technologi-

Thailand is one of Russia’s key trade and economic partners in Southeast Asia. In the energy sector, both countries are interested in developing its hightech component. cal level. That is why Russia could become an important partner for Thailand, both in terms of industry and technology cooperation and in terms of training qualified staff. Trade with Russia would give Thailand access not only to the Russian market but also to the market of the whole of the Customs Union. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the gradually changing practical circumstances in both countries. Now, many issues of customs and tariff regulations, technical standards, competition policies, etc, in relation to Russia have to be addressed via the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC).

For Russia, too, the development of trade and economic cooperation with Thailand should be aimed at developing relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as a whole. Since from 2015, the two countries will join the Eurasian Economic Union and the Asean Economic Community respectively, Thailand should now step up its cooperation with the EEC, while Russia should work more on Asean-EEC cooperation. Diversification of trade and economic relations, which would be in the interests of both countries, could be achieved by removing trade barriers, moving to innovative areas of cooperation, engaging in more active investment cooperation. There are obvious prospects for cooperation in the following areas: nanotechnologies, biotechnologies, heathcare (production of vaccines against new strains of flu in Thailand on the basis of Russian technologies), telemedicine, space (in particular, the use of the GLONASS satellite navigation system), telecommunications, and software. In the aviation sector, Thai airlines are showing an interest in the Russian SSJ-100 regional aircraft, which is already

Russia’s bilateral relationship with Thailand began with the establishment of ties with the Kingdom of Siam in the 19th century.

FROM PERSONAL ARCHIVES

Despite being so far away from each other geographically, Russia and Thailand have much in common that can be used to build on.

PHOTOSHOT/VOSTOCK-PHOTO

Paving the road to a brighter future

being supplied to Indonesia and Laos. In the energy sector, both countries are interested in developing their high-tech component, including nuclear energy and alternative sources of energy. Thailand’s strategic goals in solar energy create opportunities for Russian companies in this area, too. The two countries could become natural partners in infrastructure development. Thailand is set to carry out significant modernisation in that area over the next seven years. Russia is start-

ing to upgrade the BAM and Trans-Siberian Railways and could invite Thai partners to take part. In general, companies in Thailand would do well to pay particular attention to plans for the development of Siberia and the Russian Far East, which are gaining momentum. As evident from the experience of CP Group in Kaluga Region, developing business in the regions rather than in the capital may prove to be more profitable since the costs are lower. The priority for Rus-

sia and Thailand at the moment is to get to know each other better, terms of the processes taking place in the two countries and in the peculiarities of their business cultures and opportunities for cooperation. Only then the stable, present Russian-Thai relations will lay the foundation for active and diverse cooperation in the future. Ekaterina Koldunova is a senior expert in MGIMO ASEAN center. Stepan Golovin is an expert on Thailand at MGIMO.

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Business

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Property After the collapse of the USSR, Russians are grabbing the chance to acquire property overseas

Russians buy property abroad Five years ago, only wealthy people could buy houses by the sea outside the former USSR; today many middle-class Russians see the appeal. YARA OLENINA

“Foreign home-owners will suffer the biggest losses if separate EU countries reintroduce national currencies, which will momentarily depreciate against the euro and the US dollar,” Repchenko said. “And the real-estate prices will slump by half.” According to analysts, housing in France could decrease another 20 per cent in value by late 2013. But, for those interested simply in a vacation property, there is a multitude of opportunities, and Russians have been quick to take advantage of these. In recent years, the number of Russians willing to invest up to $25,0 0 0 (Bt795,000) in foreign real estate has grown significantly. At the same time a share of potential buyers willing to invest $60,000-$120,000 has shrunk. This trend has been developing since 2007, according to experts of the Russian branch of the International Real Estate Federation. It signals that the middle class in Russia is now buying foreign housing for their personal use, rather than as a symbol of prestige.

80.9% Buyers look for property near resorts

RBTH

More and more Russians are buying vacation homes abroad, even if it means going into debt. Many Prefer the new buyers see properproperty in big ty abroad as an investcities ment. Prefer to buy apartments The financial crisis in the euro zone has caused real-estate prices in France, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus to drop, but investors believe that prices will eventually recover. Bulgaria enjoys special Property along Russia’s Black popularity as a place to Sea coast is not in high depurchase a second home. mand for Russians with monAccording to the country’s ey to purchase vacation Ministry of Justice, about homes. The Russian resorts 340,000 Russians have alalso do not offer the level of ready bought houses there. comfort and service that has Sources estimate that become customary in foreign Russians rank fifth by volresorts. ume of investment in real estate in Western Europe. Experts, however, believe that these new buyers could The global financial be chasing pipe dreams. crisis transformed Real estate for investment what once was a and real estate for vacationing are rarely the same gold mine into a type of real estate, accord- housing bubble.

Why not the Black Sea?

ITAR-TASS

68.2%

19.1%

ing to Gennady Gudov, director of a foreign real-estate agency. “The most important thing that every potential buyer should have in mind is whether the investment in the real estate is ever going to pay off; it will take a great deal of patience.” The global financial crisis has transformed what once was a gold mine into a housing bubble. The realestate markets of Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Cyprus, Thailand, Spain, Tur-

key and the UAE, where Russians are especially actively buying“houses by the sea”,have frozen. There are many unsold and unfinished buildings, and buying real estate in those countries is not a problem, but it will be impossible to sell it fast if the owner is in need of money. The secondary housing markets are affected by the low demand, partially due to ever newer and cheaper offers from developers. A one-room apartment

with a view of the Black Sea in Bulgaria can be had for US$20,000 (Bt636,000). Sales of properties below $61,000 (Bt1.93 million) make up 80 per cent of the Bulgarian housing market, which makes purchasing a second home there a very attractive proposition. However, should the crisis in Europe develop further, real estate prices will keep falling, notes Oleg Repchenko, head of the Property Market Indices Analytical Center.

Trend Russians prefer Kingdom for summer vacations

RUSSIAN ENTREPRENEURS TELLING YOU THEIR SUCCESS STORIES

Don`t miss the chance to meet them at rbth.ru/30under30

Thailand has long been a popular winter destination for Russian visitors, but now more prefer to visit it in summer. YAROSLAVA KIRYUKHINA RBTH

Thailand enjoys 6th place among the top-10 favourite tourist destinations for Russians, with 1,3 million Russian tourists having visited it in 2012. Moreover, the Kingdom’s popularity among Russian holidaymakers has risen by 25 per cent in the first half of 2013 (compared to the

same period in 2012). According to experts, the tourism growth was mostly driven by Russian regions and the majority of the tours purchased were for summer vacations. Travel search engine Wego reports that Russian tourist are high spenders (an average Russian spends approximately $900 that is three times higher than the sum spent by Australians or Americans and 3.5 times higher than Chinese). On top of that, Russians prefer week-long packages, while other nationalities

SHUTTERSTOCK/LEGION-MEDIA

Thailand sees influx of Russians

In 2012 female visitors from Russia outnumbered males.

mostly stay in Thailand only for a couple of days. Pattaya has become hugely popular, thanks to the influx of Russian tourists and a highway going straight to the Eastern Seaboard resort from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

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Tourism Beach destinations get the nod in winter to avoid the cold season at home and to tan in the sun

More Russian tourists venture abroad NUMBERS

YULIA PONOMAREVA RBTH

Hit by the economic crisis, Europeans increasingly choose to spend their holidays at home. Svyaznoi travel (airline and hotel booking) CEO Alexei Dorosh. About 3 million people travelled abroad on their own this year, an increase of 15 per cent from 2011, says Dmitry Gorin, general director ofVIP-service ticket sales company. According to the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports, in 2012 Russians vacationing in Thailand spent $897 million, which is more than tourists from any other country. The figure is set to grow even further. In the first half of 2012, the numbers of Russians arriving in Thailand rose by 35 per cent. There is, however, another side to this coin. Many people in Thailand find the Russians’ habits and behaviour in their country objectionable.

Million outbound organised tourists (who purchased package tours from operators) travelled outside Russia in 2012.

8.5 Million outbound organised tourists travelled outside Russia only during the first nine months of this year.

“Russians always have the money to spend, and they prefer to pay cash. But they like to drink lots of alcohol right beside the swimming pool, and once they get drunk enough, they often start tossing the empty bottles right into the pool,” says one man working for a hotel in Pattaya, a popular beach resort. Anger at this sort of behaviour by visitors from Russia reached its peak in January 2013, when hundreds of locals on the island of Phuket staged protests. Another important thing to take into account is that many expats from the former Soviet countries have come to work in the Thai tourism industry. That is why tourists from Russia increasingly prefer to use Russian-owned or Russian-staffed cafes and taxi services, finding it easier to explain their needs in the Russian language. “When Russian tourists go to town, they always give their custom to Russianspeaking service providers,” the protesters complained. “The Russian-speaking staff also speak badly of us, saying that we are not very well behaved, and that we

always try to cheat the tourists.” But the protests died down very soon; after all, the problems created by visitors from Russia are nothing compared to the prospect of losing tourists, who are Thailand’s main source of income. In addition, the numbers of Europeans flocking to

Thai resorts has fallen sharply in recent months. Bookings from Europe for the winter season have plunged by as much as 50 per cent. Hit by a protracted economic crisis, Europeans increasingly choose to spend their holidays at home. Expensive five-star hotels have

been especially hard-hit. Were it not for tourists from Russia, luxury beachside bungalows would have been empty this season. Meanwhile, the locals in Thailand are learning to rub along with their boisterous guests. Many have even begun to learn the Russian language.

Popular tourist destinations Russian outbound tourism grew 19 per cent year on year to more than 3.3 million in the first quarter of 2013, according to the Federal Tourism Agency. The total number of Russians who travelled abroad in the first quarter of this year stood at 9.523 million or 15 per cent more year on year. The number of official trips dropped by 22 per cent (234,600). ITAR-TASS

The number of outbound tourists from Russia increased by 20-25 per cent in 2012 and reached approximately 11 million organized tourists (ie, those who purchased package tours from operators), according to Maya Lomidze, executive director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR). In the first nine months of the year, 8.5 million Russian tourists took trips abroad. According to Rosstat, 12 million tourists crossed the Russian border in JanuarySeptember 2012, up from 11.2 million tourists in the first three quarters of 2011. “We only count those who buy package tours, while Rosstat calculates everyone who indicates ‘tourism’ as the purpose of their foreign visits”, Lomidze said, explaining the difference in the figures. The most popular travel destinations for Russian tourists remained unchanged: Turkey, Egypt, China, Spain, Greece and Thailand account for about 60 per cent of all organised tours. Most Russian tourists (54 per cent) selected tours lasting between eight and 14 days in 2012. However, the number of shorter trips has been growing, especially for European destinations. Longer tours of 15-21 nights are common for more distant destinations. The proportion of tours longer than three weeks has also been growing. Egypt has become an increasingly popular destination for

longer tours. Russian travellers have also been buying longer tours to Bulgaria. To u r s av a i l a b l e a t US$1,000 (Bt31,000) to $2,000 were most popular this year. However, this runs counter to the results of a Russia Public Opinion Research Center VTsIOM study, which stated that most Russians are ready to spend only $500 on vacations. In 2012, the average price of package tours acquired in Russia markedly grew from a price range of $600-$1,200 last year. Independent tourists who do not buy tours from operators accounted for about a quarter of all Russian travellers who chose foreign destinations this year, says

ALAMY/LEGION MEDIA (3)

Thai resorts are now firmly at the top of Russian tourists’ favourite destinations. Unlike Turkey, the holiday season here lasts all year round.

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Politics

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PERSONAL PROFILE SERGEY LAVROV RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER SINCE 2004

YULIA PETROVSKAYA SPECIAL TO RBTH

Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister since 2004, played a key role brokering the Syria agreement on chemical weapons, and some commentators have gone so far as to say it will come to be known as the pinnacle of his diplomatic career. Lavrov’s friends describe him as someone who likes to sing, play the guitar, and drink whisky. Unlike many members of the Russian elite, he spends his holidays in the wilderness rather than at exotic foreign resorts. Lavrov likes rafting, football, skiing and spear fishing. He’s also the presi-

dent of the Canoe Slalom Federation. “Mr Lavrov is fit and sporty,” his former classmate, journalist and retired intelligence officerYuri Kobaladze said.“He has a good appetite, but is always in good shape. It probably helps that he likes to split logs and chop wood. Even at the Russian ambassadorial country residence in New York, he would often ask the gardeners to leave a few round logs for him to split.” In the US, Lavrov has had to not only chop wood but also cross swords at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). He served as Russia’s permanent envoy to the UNSC for just as long as he has now spent serving as the Russian foreign minister. Did Lavrov foresee his longevity in the diplomatic

arena? It seems unlikely. His official CV says that he was born in 1950; his ethnicity – Russian. However, Lavrov’s father was actually an ethnic Armenian living in Tbilisi. During a meeting with students in Armenia in 2005, Lavrov had this to say on the matter: “Actually, I have some Georgian roots, because my father was from Tbilisi; but I do have Armenian blood.” After finishing high school, Lavrov entered the Oriental faculty of the Moscow State Institute of International Affairs. In addition to his major, Sinhalese, he also studied English and French. Writing poetry remains one of his favorite pastimes since Lavrov penned his first poem in his student days. After graduating in 1972, he became an intern at the embassy of the

then Soviet Union in Sri Lanka. Lavrov’s diplomatic career has not been atypical. From 1976 to 1981, he served at the Soviet Foreign Ministry’s Department for International Organisations. From 1981 to 1988 he was

the first secretary, adviser and senior adviser at the Soviet mission to the United Nations. And from 1988 to 1990, he was deputy head of the Department for International Economic Relations at the Russian Foreign Ministry. In 1992, he

FORMER FOREIGN MINISTERS

Andrey Kozyrev

Yevgeny Primakov

Igor Ivanov

Russia’s first foreign minister under former president Boris Yeltsin (1991-96), Kozyrev was criticised for his alleged failure to support the Bosnian Serbs. He was one of the politicians who personified the Kremlin that emerged after the collapse of the USSR.

83-year-old Primakov served as Russian prime minister (1998–99) and chief of foreign intelligence (1991-96), and was Putin’s adviser and ally. He famously cancelled his visit to the US in 1999, after being told NATO had started bombing the former Yugoslavia.

Ex-foreign minister (19982004) and secretary of Russia’s Security Council (2004-07), he retired from politics in 2007. He chairs the investment strategy committee at Lukoil, Russia’s largest oil producer. He has a doctorate in history and an honorary PhD in philosophy.

PHOTOSHOT/VOSTOCK-PHOTO (3)

The deal on the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons has directed international attention to Russia’s foreign minister

REUTERS

Statesman set to stand his ground

was appointed deputy foreign minister under then foreign minister Andrey Kozyrev.Two years later, he left for a posting to New York as Russia’s permanent envoy to the UN. During his years with the UN, Lavrov took part in discussions on the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Iraq, the Middle East and Afghanistan and in meetings about the war against terrorism. Lavrov was first slated to replace Kozyrev in December 1995, but the Kremlin appointedYevgeny Primakov instead. And, in 1998, Primakov was succeeded by Igor Ivanov. Lavrov’s turn came in 2004, and since then he has covered considerable ground in his term. He has, for instance, defended Russia’s missile defence system against criticism from the US; he also signed a new agreement about Russia’s border with China; he discussed a peace treaty with Japan – in an effort to end a long-standing territorial dispute between the countries; and he has been closely involved in negotiations about Iran’s nuclear programme. Lavrov is also known for explaining to the world Russia’s position on its military operation against Georgia, which many feared would spiral into a conflict with the US, and he later led negotiations in the subsequent Caucasus peace settlement.

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Politics

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Apec Russia turns its focus to the Asia Pacific, aiming for greater economic integration in the region

What are Russia’s Apec priorities? At the last Apec summit, held on October 7-8 in Bali, Russia worked to promote its already-established priorities in the region. YAROSLAVA KIRYUKHINA

Russian President Vladimir Putin at the recent Apec Summit in Bali. Russia has been a member of the Apec forum since 1998.

Why Russian SMEs go to Asia Yaroslav Lissovolik, chief economist at Deutsche Bank Russia, says the strong presence of Russian corporations in the Asia-Pacific region can be explained by the fact that the small-and-medium enterprises sector in Russia is in early development. Russia still has problems with administrative barriers and the investment climate is not

ideal. Lissovolik says the way the system operates and the economy is set up in Russia make it more favourable for large companies to do well. In contrast, Lissovolik says countries such as Australia have a strong SME sector, thanks, in part, to efficient public policies, which have reduced infrastructure barriers for smaller businesses.

Thailand backs closer links

PHOTOSHOT/VOSTOCK-PHOTO

These priorities included trade and investment liberalisation and greater regional economic integration. But which of Russia’s initiatives can be considered successful, and what has Russia – a country with 60 per cent of its territory in the Asia-Pacific region – achieved during the year that it has presided over the Apec forum, for the first time since its accession to it in 1998. Some noteworthy agenda items included the Apec Model Chapter on Transparency for RTAs/FTAs (regional/free trade agreements), which were designed to increase the transparency of foreign investors, and the Apec List of Environmental Goods. The list, comprising 54 environmentally friendly goods that will receive tariff reductions of up to 5 per cent by 2015, became the first tariff-cutting agreement in Apec in more than 15 years, said Arrow Augerot, deputy assistant US trade representative for Apec affairs. Another positive outcome has been the Policy Partnership on Food Security, which was created under Russian leadership, following several years of discussion. This initiative requires Russia to provide assistance to Asia. Trade and food security were not the only issues covered. Science has also been a priority. Last year, the Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation was established at Apec. And this year Dr Carissa Klein of Australia became the winner of the Apec Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education for her research on sustainable ocean development. However, good beginnings don’t necessarily make for good endings.

KONSTANTIN ZAVRAZHIN / RG

RBTH

Vladivostok hosted the Apec summit in 2013.

Another of Russia’s priorities – regional transport and development of logistical potential – did not gain significant support from Apec members. At this year’s summit Russian President Vladimir Putin once again sought more investment in infrastructure in Russia’s Far East and Siberia. He admitted that Russia was struggling to finance the task on its own. The Trans-Siberian Railway, for instance, needs billions of dollars of investment to increase its tra-

ffic capacity and fulfil Putin’s dream of it becoming a key artery, linking Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, giving a powerful boost to the development of Siberia and the Russian Far East. This year, Russia became a full member of the Apec Business Travel Card system. Specifically set up to facilitate visa procedures, the system allows a greater number of business people to travel faster and more easily within the Asia-Pacific region. There

are more than 120,000 active ABTC cardholders. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov praised this move, in his article called: “Towards peace, stability and sustainable economic development in the APR”, which expressed hope for the expansion of trade and Russia’s economic cooperation with other Apec member economies. Lavrov also stressed that ties with Asean states (including Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the US) are developing on a strong and mutually beneficial

basis. Lavrov said Russia is stepping up economic cooperation with Apec partners. Russian trade with Apec member economies has been on the rise since 2002: in 2011, it accounted for 24 per cent of Russia’s foreign-trade turnover against 16 per just cent nine years earlier. The first deputy prime minister, Igor Shuvalov, said Russia wants its trade volume with Apec to exceed that of trade with the EU ($US320 billion) within the next 10 years.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra called on Apec leaders to back further connectivity between Asia and Europe via the Silk Road. The Silk Road refers to the land trade route opened more than 2,000 years ago, which led from China through Central Asia to Europe. Yingluck also said that her government planned to invest Bt2 trillion in infrastructure mega-projects linking Asean and other regions. She said Apec members should also give importance to air and marine connectivity. She said Thailand backed China’s initiative to establish a bank for infrastructure investment. Chinese President Xi Jinping had earlier proposed a Silk Road economic belt with four former Soviet Republics - Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan - for closer relations between European and Asian nations.

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Religion

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MONASTIC RETREATS RUSSIA’S LITTLE KNOWN BUDDHIST TREASURE, THE IVOGINSKY DATSAN IN THE REPUBLIC OF BURYATIA, EXPOSES VISITORS TO A UNIQUE HISTORY OF TRADITION AND SPIRITUALITY

Ivolginsky Datsan remains the spiritual capital for the small group of faithful since 1945 and is the residence of Pandido Khambo lama, the leader of all Russian Lamas DAN POTOTSKY RBTH

Nestled in a rural area of eastern Siberia, near Lake Baikal, Russia’s most important Buddhist monastery is a little-known reservoir of culture. Founded in 1945, not far from Ulan-Ude, as a refuge for a handful of Buddhists in the country, Ivolginsky Datsan has grown into a complex of eight buildings comprising temples, a library, a greenhouse with a sacred Bodhi tree, and Russia’s only Buddhist university, where students can study philosophy and traditional Tibetan medicine. The datsan is famous for the quality of its contemporary spiritual education, but it may be best known among Buddhists for its connection to DashiDorzho Itigilov, who was the 12th Pandido Khambo Lama – the leader of Russian Buddhists – in the early 20th century and a close associate of the 14th Dalai Lama. Before his death in 1927, Itigilov asked monks to do two things: to read a special requiem and “visit his body in 30 years”. He then assumed the lotus position, started reciting a prayer and then passed away. He was buried in that same position in a cedar sarcophagus in nearby Khukhe-Zurkhen. In 1957, when monks followed Itigilov’s wishes and exhumed his body, they could find no signs of physical decay. The monks performed rites and changed

the clothing on the body and reburied the master. In 1973, the body was exhumed, examined and reburied again. When the sarcophagus was dug up again in September 2002, sceptical scientists examined the body. An analysis showed that Itigilov’s joints remained flexible, and his skin was soft. Scientific experts could not explain the phenomenon, but the monks knew the answer. They carried Itigilov’s body to the datsan and, with the help of volunteers, erected a new building to house their leader. That building turned into the most beautiful traditional structure in the monastery. Through the decades, Ivolginsky Datsan grew from a small blue house, as new temples were built, in addition to housing for the expanding number of monks and lamas. Pilgrims now come to the datsan from both nearby regions and faraway countries to see the undecaying body of the Pandido Khambo Lama. Itigilov is said to assist those who ask him for help. It’s not widely known, but Russia has a long Buddhist tradition. Buddhism has been practised for more than 700 years in the Tuva Republic, which became part of the Russian empire in 1914. During the 18th century, Buddhism enjoyed a brief period in the national limelight when the leader of Buryat Buddhists announced that the Russian empress, Catherine the Great, was an incarnation of the omniscient healing goddess White Tara. At the turn of the 20th century, there were 150,000 Buddhists, some 150 small-

THINGS YOU CAN DO

Consult a doctor. All Buddhist universities train specialists in Tibetan medicine. The doctor will diagnose ailments by checking your pulse and make herbal tea to treat your illness.

Talk to a lama. Lamas are very friendly and are happy to answer any questions you might have. After you talk to a lama, it is customary to make a donation.

Light a candle. Candles are lit in a special way in Buddhist temples. First, you put a note with a name on it inside candles that are large spirals of incense. The candle is then lit and hung on the ceiling. Eventually, the note inside begins to flap in the smoke or wind, and that is considered similar to saying a prayer.

Spin the khurde drums. According to tradition, visitors are expected to walk clockwise around a Buddhist temple before they go in. Along the way, there are khurde drums containing scrolls with mantras. Buddhists believe that spinning the drums is the same as saying a prayer.

See Dashi-Dorzho Itigilov. The leader’s body is located in a separate building of the datsan.

er temples and 30 datsan, or larger temples, across the country. The word“datsan”in the Buryat language can be translated into English as “the monastery, where the wheel of teaching turns, filled with joy and bringing happiness”. In Tibetan tradition, datsans are considered to be faculties of Buddhist universities where philosophy and medicine are taught. However, in Russia, the term is applied to not only a Buddhist university, but also a monastery, probably because of the long isolation of Buddhism from external influence.

A weekend in UlanUde: Lenin, Buddhism, Baikal Ulan-Ude is a blend of Buddhist, Orthodox and Soviet heritage, and a place where the customs of ancient nomads survive to this day. Like many Siberian cities, Ulan-Ude grew up around a small fortress built by Russian Cossacks in the mid-17th century.The annexation of the Buryat people’s land by the Russian empire has in time, formed a cultural cocktail unlike any other in Russia. Everyone who conquered this land added something of their own to the melting pot of Ulan-Ude. Or

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SIBERIA’S HAVEN FOR BUDDHIST FAITHFULS

more precisely, the togoon – that’s the name of the huge vat, which can be found suspended over the

The Zungon Darzhaling is now the only women’s Buddhist monastery in Russia. hearth in the centre of a yurt, the traditional tent of the local nomads. The rows of merchant houses decorated with carved wood and stone in Ulan-Ude’s historic centre recreate an atmosphere of a comfortable and prosperous provincial town in 19th-

century tsarist Russia. The city’s main street, originally named in honour of Tsar Nicholas I but later renamed Lenin Street crosses the whole central part of the city and links the two main squares, which also hark back to the Soviet past: Revolution Square and Soviet Square. The street ends at the local bastion of Orthodox religion – the Odigitrievsky Cathedral. Built in an area of high seismic activity, the church has successfully survived not only two changes of government but

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How to get there

Ulan-Ude is more than 4,000km from Moscow. A one-way flight costs around US$650 (Bt20,900) and takes six hours. If a scenic trip is more appealing, take the train. The fastest train will get you from Moscow to Ulan-Ude in three days. Ticket prices start at $140.

ANDREY SHAPRAN (2)

also two earthquakes. Two blocks away from the church is Bazaar Square. For more than 100 years, Russian merchants organised markets here and traded busily. Today the square is once again home to numerous cafés and shops, where you can find a good selection of authentic Buryat souvenirs and pause for a light lunch. Soviet square features the world’s biggest head of the Vladimir Lenin, standing 13.5 metres high and weighing 12 tonnes. The monument has been honoured with an entry in G u i n n e s s Wo r l d Records. The Ivolginsky datsan (monastery), is the biggest Buddhist temple complex and capital of tra-

ditional Sangha monasticism in Russia. Remarkably, the temple was built in 1945, a period when religious adversity flourished. The temple is only a 30-40-minute drive from Ulan-Ude. A second Buddhist monastery lies within the city limits of Ulan-Ude. The Zungon Darzhaling Buddhist women’s datsan is now the only women’s Buddhist monastery in Russia. The monastery includes a stupa containing sacred relics – traces of blood and a piece of bone from the Buddha. Visitors can end their day in the company of the Buddha in the most picturesque place in UlanUde Mount Lysaya.

SANT KOMMER

The Ivolginsky datsan is the biggest Bud Buddhist temple complex and capital of ttraditional Sangha monasticism in Rus Russia. Remarkably, the temple was con constructed in 1945, as the Soviet Union was recovering from the devastation of Wo World War II.

Trend Religions other than Orthodoxy are practiced in Russia

Russian Buddhists grow in number The Soviets waged war on Buddhists, branding them “Japanese spies”. Twenty years after the collapse of the USSR, Buddhism is seeing a massive revival. ALEXANDRA GARMAZHAPOVA

is growing as ethnic Russians are increasingly attracted to Buddhist practices. People of Slavic ethnicity can be regularly seen at the St Petersburg Datsan. Visitors can often be seen

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Every year, at the end of May, Russian Buddhists celebrate the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing into nirvana, with three days of prayers. While these celebrations are visible in the datsans of Buryatia and Kalmykia, they also take place in Datsan Gunzechoinei in St Petersburg. The St Petersburg Datsan sits in a small, accessible plot of land that allows visitors to feel the appeal of Buddhism. The Buddhist community in St Petersburg is far smaller than the Orthodox Christian community, but it

Russian Buddhism is historically represented by the Mahayana, or Great Vehicle, branch. circumambulating the temple in traditional prayer rituals. Russian Buddhism is historically represented by the Mahayana, or GreatVehicle, branch.The Russian Sangha observes eight major holidays, all marked by solemn prayers and normally lasting three days. The first day is devoted to reading excerpts from the

Kangyur, the 108-volume canon of the Buddha’s teachings. On the second day, there is a service on the occasion of the particular holiday. On the third day, from three to 10 priests say a prayer to Dharma protectors or sakhyuusan. Most people in Russia turn to Buddhism“through books and lectures”, says the press secretary of the St Petersburg Datsan Alla Namsaraeva. “A person may be [Orthodox] Christian, but if they want to take part in a Buddhist ritual or visit a lecture, nobody is going to say no to them”. There are Buryats and Tuvins who can easily explain the meaning of each and every element of a prayer in religious terms. There are others, however, who have a general perception of Buddhism and only follow the religion out of custom.

Tallest Buddha statue in Russia Tibetan sculptors will create a statue of the Buddha for Russia’s east Siberian republic of Tuva. It will be the tallest in the country, said Buyan Bashky, chairman of the Tuva Buddhists Union. The announcement was made this year after Russian President Vladimir Putin promised “100 per cent support” for Russian Buddhists during a visit to the country’s Buryatia republic. The monument, which is being erected on Dogee Mountain in the predominantly Buddhist republic’s capital of Kyzyl, will be of a Buddha sitting on a throne. The total height of the monument after completion is expected to reach 15 metres.

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THE CASE FOR STRATEGIC TIES Andrey Kislyakov MILITARY EXPERT

IORSH

IMPORTANCE OF THE US TO RUSSIA VYACHESLAV MOROZOV PROFESSOR

ussia’s attitude towards the United Nations is defined by two key concerns: status and influence. Being a permanent member of the UN Security Council is crucial for both. It justifies, more than anything else, Moscow’s claim to status of a great power, whose opinion on any global issue must be taken into account by the United States, the European Union and the rest of the international community. But it also ensures real influence: it is obvious, for instance, that the situation around Syria would have evolved in a very different way if Russia, along with China, did not have veto

power in the Security Council. Given that Moscow’s relative power significantly declined following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia is eager to make the most of the remaining resources. Even more important in the Russian view is the role of the UN, and in particular of its charter, in securing the basic principles of international law. Moscow adheres to the most conservative interpretation of the charter, which emphasises state sovereignty as the cornerstone of the international system. Russia interprets this concept as a prohibition of intervention in the domestic affairs of other states. Once again, this position is explained by the relative decline of Russia’s power in the recent decades. The

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Kremlin is seriously concerned about what it perceives as the overwhelming hegemony of the West in world affairs, in particular when it comes to defining the key norms and principles of international society.

Moscow adheres to the most conservative interpretation of the UN charter Russia’s leadership routinely accuses the West of imposing its interpretations of universal values, such as democracy and human rights, on other people and cultures. The principles of sovereignty and non-intervention, enshrined in the UN

Charter, emerge in this context as the key defense against alleged Western interventionism. Many in Russia fear that if these principles were abandoned, their country would eventually go down the same road as Libya. Defending sovereignty against such new norms as the responsibility to protect civilians becomes even more crucial against the background of Russia’s own recent domestic developments. Consolidation of the protest movement that arose after the 2011 State Duma elections along with Russia’s growing disagreement with the West about human rights and fundamental freedoms makes the country’s leadership ever more eager to embrace non-intervention. It is important perhaps not so much as a guarantee against the worst-case scenario, but as a means to de-legitimise Western support of the pro-democracy movements in Russia. Vyacheslav Morozov is a professor of EU-Russian studies at the University of Tartu in Estonia

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nternational military and political experts agree that Russia-US and China-US relations are becoming the key factors in international relations of the world today. China has surpassed the United States in terms of both industrial production and export volume, and it is projected to catch up with the US in gross domestic product (GDP) by 2016-2018 and in military spending by 2025. The US has been trying to adapt to a polycentric world after its efforts to consolidate a unipolar world failed, but it stills finds itself overstretched. The US is currently withdrawing troops from Iraq and preparing for a pullout from Afghanistan, all the while facing a huge budget deficit at home. While economic issues have taken priority in negotiations between the two countries,Washington is increasingly concerned about Beijing’s military build-up. China is now capable of defending its own territory, but, more importantly, has also begun developing military capacity that will allow it to expand its “security perimeter” into the Pacific region. The US released a new defence policy early this year, which introduced an important change to the country’s military strategy. For the first time, the policy has named China, along with Iran, as a potential enemy of America. American weapons and

intelligence experts are confident that, in the event of a crisis, China would initiate cyber-attacks and employ anti-satellite weapons. According to the US Department of Defense, the military and information strategy of the Chinese armed forces provides for the use of special cyber task groups capable of attacking an adversary’s computer networks. Combat computing is a compulsory subject in the Chinese military training. Following the success of the coalition in saving Kuwait, Beijing hastily began developing an anti-satellite weapons programme of its own, and its diversity is impressive. For instance, the Chinese Air Force, which is responsible for coordinating work across the entire spectrum of military space technology, is able to proactively support large-scale use of “conventional” satellites located in “hidden” orbits. Massive deployment of cheap mini-satellites as strike weapons is also planned. According to Sergei Rogov, Director of the Institute of the United States and Canada at the Academy of Sciences in Moscow, Russia’s best position in this situation would be to maintain steady relations with both Beijing and Washington, without allying with America against China or with China against America. Nevertheless, Russia’s integration into modern global processes is reason to hope that its strategic relations with both the West and the East will remain stable.

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WHY RUSSIA PREFERS BRICS TO EU Rakesh Krishnan Simha JOUNALIST

It was Gorbachev – not former Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill – who proposed a union of the four major non-Western powers Russia, India China and Brazil.

rive at a common ground in the area of security.” Belov says that if Nato were only a military arm of the West, Russia could work with it but Nato has become a political entity with expansive aims. There can be lasting peace in Europe only if Nato draws a line across Europe and declares it won’t move closer to Russia. This European churn is

CAN AMERICA ADJUST TO A MULTIPOLAR WORLD? Dimitry Suslov JOUNALIST

IORSH

s one of the main pillars of US ideology and a staple of the country’s foreign policy, exceptionalism is extremely hard to dovetail with unipolarity. It could even be argued that exceptionalism holds the key to why the US finds it so difficult to accept the reality of a multipolar world, and to abandon the commitment to leadership as a paradigm for its foreign policy and philosophy of international involvement. Exceptionalism implies that of all socio-political systems, the US has created the best system of governance: the most advanced, progressive, and human-

friendly. A system that focuses on the protection of the civilian. A system that places at its heart the individual, his freedoms, rights, and interests. Historically, at the turn of the 19th century, it was indeed the case. By that token, exceptionalism became the ideological foundation of the country’s isolationist

happening in the backdrop of the rise of giants such as China and India. The International Monetary Fund says 2013 is the first year in which emerging markets will account for more than half of world GDP on purchasing power parity. Just 13 years ago, they accounted for less than a third. According to Arvind Subramanian and Martin Kes-

sler of the Peterson Institute, China is the first “mega-trader”since colonial Britain. In the area of employment, the BRICS are far ahead.The McKinsey Global Institute says while emerging economies added 900 million non-farm jobs between 1980 and 2010, the advanced economies added just 160 million. Wealth is inexorably shifting east to a narrow circle of countries in the region, which includes China, India and Southeast Asia. More people live in this part of the world than outside it. It is easy to see which bloc Russia would prefer. However, it is not pure mercenary instinct that is nudging Russia east. Russia’s choice is primarily determined by an understanding in the Kremlin that the West cannot be trusted. A little known fact about the BRICS is that it was Gorbachev, not former Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill, who first proposed a union of the four major non-Western powers Russia, China, India and Brazil.

centre of power, nor for equal involvement in the global decision-making and agenda-setting processes, or the creation and administration of a multilateral (not American) international order. After all, who else should lead if not the country with the best system in the world and the most advanced way of life, who brings universal values? Exceptionalism is the reason why the US can either lead an international process or not participate at all. The third option — involvement on equal terms — does not get a look-in. In the present circumstances, exceptionalism is also pushing the US towards an ideological foreign policy that focuses on spreading democracy and dividing the world into two camps: democratic and undemocratic. US foreign policy traditionally shows less respect for the latter. The problem, however, is that neither commitment to leadership, nor an ideologised foreign policy, ties in

with the concept of multipolarity. At a time when the US is not in a position to safeguard its key interests without the help — and moreover the approval — of Russia, China, India, and other countries, leadership as the only permissible form of foreign involvement and the only alternative to isolationism, combined with ideological messianism, is becoming somewhat counter-productive. They are the chief sources of friction in US relations with the likes of Russia and China, and other non-Western centres of power, as well as the reason for the profound crisis in US thinking on foreign policy. Again, it all comes down to exceptionalism. As long as that remains the bedrock of US foreign policy philosophy, relations with global centres of power that do not recognise US leadership or the universality of its values will remain gridlocked.

NIYAZ KARIM

urope has an irresistible appeal for many Russians but after repeated rebuffs by the West, Moscow is coming around to the view that the BRICS grouping, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, makes a better bedfellow. In 1989 when Mikhail Gorbachev propounded his “Common European Home”, German sociologist Ralf Dahrendorf was among those who shot down that idea. He defined Europe as a political community where “small and medium-sized countries try to determine their destiny together. A superpower has no place in their midst, even if it is not an economic and perhaps no longer a political giant”. Is European rejection forcing Russia to turn eastwards? According to Professor Tadeusz Iwinski of Poland, Europe isn’t doing enough to open up to Russia. “Finland issues more

visas to Russians than all other EU countries combined,” he pointed out during a discussion on “Russia and the World of the XXI Century,” at the 23rd Economic Forum held in September in Poland. Clearly, Europe hasn’t quite figured out how to deal with the huge neighbour to its east. But one thing is clear – Russia’s relationship with the world is changing on a transcontinental scale. Iwinski, who is the deputy chairman of Poland’s Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, says the geopolitical landscape has changed and the West now has to contend with powerful bodies such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. In the view of Prof Daniel Tarschys of Stockholm University, “We have replaced the Cold War with Cold Peace.” Again, Nato’s expansion is unsettling Russia.“There is a huge divergence in how Nato and Russia perceive looming threats,”says Belov. “This makes it difficult for Russia and the West to ar-

policy, which it clung to until the middle of the 20th century. At a time when the world was dominated by European empires ideologically hostile to the US, there was no better way to preserve America’s“exceptional” system and way of life. Then, when the US moved to an international-

ist foreign policy, exceptionalism became the ideological foundation of its commitment to leadership. It is no coincidence that America has no historical experience of involvement in the international order on equal terms — as just one centre of many in a multipolar world. The US jumped from a policy of non-participation in the “alien” international order of the 18th, 19th, and first half of the 20th centuries to creating its own American international order during the second half of the 20th and the early 21st century. The reason? That selfsame exceptionalism. It allows neither for dialogue on equal terms, nor for the US to become merely one

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Nizhny Novgorod

ACROSS RUSSIA THE WORLD-FAMOUS TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY LINKS MOSCOW TO THE FAR EAST AND THE SEA OF JAPAN VIA THE LAKE BAIKAL

1 also a stop-off point on river cruises, as it sits where the Volga and Oka rivers meet. With more than 600 historic, architectural and cultural monuments, the city has plenty for visitors to see.

Closed to foreigners for much of the Soviet era because of the city's military research and production facilities, Nizhny Novgorod is now a popular tourist destination. It’s

Nestled on the hilly banks of the Kama River is the industrial city of Perm. Increasingly recognised for its cultural and historical attractions, the city’s best-known museums are the Perm State Art Gallery, the

Irkutsk

Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of the History of Political Repression “Perm-36”. The latter was named after a corrective labour camp in a nearby logging area, which closed only in 1988.

Yekaterinburg

Begun in the Far East in 1891 and completed in 1916 the Trans-Siberian Railway created a corridor through Russia, that linked Europe and Asia. DMITRY SEVASTIANOV RBTH

Since the early 19th century, political exiles were sent from European Russia to Siberia, and Irkutsk was their cultural and intellectual centre. Irkutsk is one of the largest cities in Siberia and the most famous Trans-Siberian stop – primarily because it’s the easiest point from which to access Lake Baikal.

Vladivostok

ALEX KHITROV

European Russians consider Vladivostok the end of the country, but Vladivostok residents see it as the beginning. There are countless opportunities to see the varied landscapes of this fishing, shipping and naval city, but the most popular vantage point is from a viewing platform on Orlinaya Hill.

CONNECTING THE EAST AND THE WEST LORI/LEGION MEDIA (4)

During the Soviet era, Yekaterinburg was a centre of industry. Today, it’s better known as the city where the last tsar of Russia and his family were killed by the Bolsheviks. The city feels like a mixture of Russia’s two capitals: it has Moscow’s hustle and green spaces of St Petersburg.

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Perm

The Trans-Siberian Railway is listed by the Guinness Book of Records in three categories: its total length, the number of stations and the time it took to build. At the beginning of the 20th century, the railway provided a reliable transport service linking the European and Asian parts of Russia. There are new plans to continue developing this route as an international transport corridor between Europe and the Asia-Pacific. The Trans-Siberian carries up to 100 million tonnes of freight and several million passengers annually. It’s a popular tourist route from May to September, when it’s not too cold. It was originally built in

several stages and in six sections. The first – the Ussuriysk Railway (from Vladivostok to Khabarovsk) – is 767km long and was operational six years after the first stone was laid in Vladivostok in 1891. The West Siberian Railway, (the second stage) is 1287km long and runs from Chelyabinsk to the River Ob. It was built in a record time of four years. The third section, from the Ob River to Irkutsk, is 1830km long and is called the Mid-Siberian Railway. It was built in six years – from 1893 to 1899. Building it was significantly more difficult from an engineering point of view, as the flat land gave way to mountainous territory. It’s also where the builders and engineers first encountered permafrost. Construction of the 259km-long Circum-Baikal Railway was postponed because of technical difficulties. In 1900, a train ferry service started on a 72km route

across Lake Baikal: the icebreakers Baikal and Angara, which were brought from Britain, carried trains across the river for five years. In the winter of 1903-04, around 45km of rail track were laid straight on the ice. Horses hauled wagons and

The Trans-Siberian Railway is listed by the Guinness Book of Records in three categories steam locomotives across the lake. The inefficiency of this system was keenly felt during the Russo-Japanese war. Work on a railway along the shore had begun in 1902 and accelerated in 1903-04. The lake shore between Port Baikal and Kultuk stations was a rocky ridge (81km long), 400 metres above the lake. Almost 14km of retaining walls were built along the route, along with 445 steel

bridges, six stone viaducts, 47 rockfall protection galleries and 39 tunnels totalling 7.2km in length. Nothing in the world could match this section in terms of cost, scale and the complexity of its construction. Nevertheless, it was built in only two years and was operational a year ahead of schedule. In May 1908, it was decided to build the last stage of the Trans-Siberian - the Amur Railway - which included the world’s first tunnel constructed through permafrost ground, with an insulating layer between the rock and the lining of the tunnel. The 2177km-long Amur Railway came into operation in 1916, during World War I, to complete construction of the entire Trans-Siberian. The railway didn’t just link Siberia and the Far East with the rest of Russia, it created a string of new towns and settlements in the most remote parts of the country.

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Here is how to have an enjoyable, action-packed adventure

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Luxury and budget options

SIBERIAN HIGHLIGHTS

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The most comfortable way to cross Russia is on the Golden Eagle - a five-star train that includes meals and tours at stops. It departs from Moscow four times a year, each trip taking two weeks. The Golden Eagle’s stops include Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Lake Baikal, UlanUde, Ulan Bator (the capital of Mongolia) and Khabarovsk, and it finishes in Vladivostok. Tickets cost $47,480 to $69,800 per person. There’s also the Rossiya train that leaves Moscow daily and, for a single one-way trip, costs between US$475 and $848. Train prices depend on the class: spalny (1st class) is the most comfortable and consists of a private cabin with two berths; kupe (2nd class) has cabins with four berths; and platskartny (hard class) is an open dormitory carriage, with 54 berths.

Russia to invest $19 bn in railways

The Kremlin is planning to develop the Trans-Siberian into an international transport line linking Europe with the Asia-Pacific region. ALEXANDER PANIN THE MOSCOW NEWS

An initial plan, approved by the Russian cabinet last April, envisaged investment

In Yekaterinburg, visit the Church of All Saints, built on the site of Ipatiev House where the imperial Romanov family were executed in 1918.

of 560 billion roubles ($19 billion) to increase the capacities of the Trans-Siberian and the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) – a 3709km route running parallel to the Trans-Siberian – by 50 million tonnes per year. Out of this sum, 360 billion roubles (Bt350 billion) would go to the BAM and 200 billion roubles ($6.7 billion)

The Slyudyanka is the only station in the world built entirely of pink and white marble. Try the local-delicacy smoked omul.

In Khabarovsk, see the impressive “Amur Miracle” – a road and rail bridge across the Amur River that spans 2600 metres.

to the Trans-Siberian. At the St Petersburg Economic Forum in June, President Vladimir Putin said money from the National Welfare Fund would be spent to modernise both railways. Meanwhile, the government has not excluded the idea that private investors may also be involved. “I know that the interest of private investors in infrastructure projects is very high, especially if the state is ready to provide guarantees, minimise the risks and be a co-investor,”Putin said, without naming particular investors. But the return on investment period is uncertain. For the BAM, experts say that, taking into account the complex geography as well as harsh climate conditions in its vicinity, modernisation of the railroad will involve high cost, which means that it will take a long time before the investment can be recovered. “The rate of return on investments in the Trans-Siberian modernisation project is, on the contrary, within reasonable time limits because it has a large share of highly profitable freight types,”Pavel Tereshko, an analyst with IPEM, said, adding, that quick profits are unlikely.

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ROYAL FAMILY SPECIAL REPORT ON THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE ROMANOV DYNASTY

RUSSIA STILL AMBIVALENT ON ROYALS The Russian royal family: Maria, Alexandra Feodorovna, Alexei, Tatiana, Olga, Nicholas II, Anastasia

Russians from different generations tend to relate to the figure of Nicholas II in different ways. RBTH looks at how post-Soviet Russia remembers the tsar. ALEXANDER MOROZOV SPECIAL TO RBTH

How do modern Russians view the royal legacy and the last tsar, Nicholas II? Public attitudes towards him have undergone several shifts since the collapse of the Soviet Union two decades ago, with the most recent studies showing an

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increase in appreciation for the monarch. A poll of 1,600 Russians, carried out in July by Moscow’s Levada Centre, found 48 per cent viewed Nicholas II positively. He still trailed Soviet-era leader Leonid Brezhnev, Russia’s most popular 20thcentury head of state, and was marginally behind Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin, but ranked far higher than both Boris Yeltsin, independent Russia’s first president, and Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, who polled 22 per cent and 21 per cent respectively. Nicholas also had the lowest negative rating. Russian historians were recently asked to develop a cohesive – or as President Vladimir Putin put it“consistent” – history of Russia for use in school textbooks. How Nicholas’s rule will be judged is not yet clear. Consequently, the 400th anniversary of the founding of the House of Romanov is being celebrated quietly, without a major official programme. Russia has yet to reconcile fully with its past and its history is still a battlefield. But perceptions of the last tsar already look different to those found in a survey in 1994 that asked which past leader could be regarded as a true Russian patriot. Only 5 per cent of respondents at that time chose Nicholas II, who did

THE POLL

The end of the monarchy affected Russia…

not even make the top 10. Public assessments immediately after perestroika focused mainly on the human fate of Nicholas and his family, with people seeing in this tragedy a harbinger of the entire subsequent history of Soviet repression and mercilessness, even toward children. There was no great interest in his rule as a whole or in his politics. Then, under the influence of the émigré Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, a reverence for the last emperor as a saint started to spring up in some parts of the country. After 2005, the Kremlin sought to assemble a pantheon of symbols of Russian greatness. In it were placed medieval military commander Alexander

Nevsky, Stalin, Lenin, cosmonautYuri Gagarin,World War II hero Marshal Zhukov, and Nicholas II.The attempt to give a more cohesive, patriotic account of the past turned out to be more successful than during the Yeltsin era. But reaching this point was costly, as the issue became not the treatment of history for “civil society” but rather for the“subjects of an enlightened despotism”. In the second half of the decade, there were many TV discussions on the greatness of Stalin and his generals. Nicholas II – as the symbol of a special understanding of Russian power – does not now stand out from other Russian rulers as a controversial figure, despite the

tragic circumstances of his demise. Discussion in Russia’s media focuses more on the victory in World War II and the role Stalin played in it than the economic progress made during Nicholas’s reign. Russia remains divided on the consequences of the overthrow of the tsar. For 70 years, Nicholas and the idea of monarchy were seen in terms of class hatred.The Soviet collapse brought a resurgence of feeling for tradition among more conservative social groups, but little demand for restoration. Public appreciation of Nicholas will continue to increase over time, but the reign of the last monarch marks a definite break in Russia’s history.

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USSR Twists and turns in the fate of the last tsar’s murderers

History written in blood; the killers hailed as heroes

YAN SHENKMAN RBTH ALEXEY VLADYKIN

The Romanovs were canonized by the Orthodox Church in 2000 during the Liturgy at the Christ the Savior Cathedral

Participants of public prayer commemorating murder of Tsar’s family in Kiev, 2002.

Ninety-five years since the killing of Russia’s last tsar, Nicholas II, it is still not known with certainty how many people took part in the deed. One account of the event claims there were eight; another insists there were 11. It is clear, however, that the killing squad was led by two men,Yakov Yurovsky and Mikhail MedvedevKudrin. Both later penned their memoirs in which they revealed in great detail about the night when Nicholas II was killed. Both were proud of their role in Russian history. Both held important jobs in the Soviet Union until their deaths. Yurovsky was superin-

FROM PERSONAL ARCHIVES

On July 16, 1918 Russia’s last emperor, Nicolas II, and his family were wiped out in Ekaterinburg. RBTH investigates the lives of the killers of the tsar.

Yakov Yurovsky, left, the jeweller who said his shot killed the tsar. Mikhail Medvedev-Kudrin, right, lectured at Soviet universities on the killing of Nicholas II.

tendent of Ipatyev House in Sverdlovsk, where the royal family was held by the Soviet regime. He headed the firing squad and claimed personally to have fired the shot that killed the tsar. A jeweller by profession, he was determined to find the tsar’s diamonds and partly succeeded; after the bodies of the tsarinas were searched, about eight kilograms of jewellery were discovered sewn into their clothes. Yurovsky later served as chairman of the Urals Regional Emergency Commit-

tee (forerunner of the Soviet KGB) and as head of the gold directorate at the State Reserve. He died in the Kremlin hospital, which was reserved for top government officials. Medvedev-Kudrin toured provincial universities in the 1930s, regaling students with his accounts of the killing of the tsar. He told law students at Moscow State University, how he and his fellow Bolsheviks saved ammunition by using bayonets to finish off their class enemies.

In the late fifties, he was awarded a pension of 4,500 roubles, a vast sum. Medvedev-Kudrin’s memoir of the murder of the royal family, addressed to the then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, was never published. In it, Medvedev insisted that he deserved the credit for murdering the tsar. He was buried with military honours at Moscow’s Novodevichy cemetery. He left the Browning pistol that was used to s h o o t N i ch o l a s I I t o Khrushchev. Another member of the firing squad, Isai Radzinsky, recorded his memoirs on tape. He recalled the morning after the execution when the killers decided to retrieve the bodies of the Romanovs from a mine near Yekaterinburg where they had temporarily been hidden. Radzinsky said: “One man went into the water with ropes and dragged the bodies from the water. The first body to be dragged out was that of Nicholas,” he said. It is rumoured that the recordings of the testimonies of the tsar’s killers are still in the archives of Russia’s security services.

Culture The rehabilitation of the royal family in 200 pictures

A photographer shooting the past Tsar’s Cross, a book by the Alexei Vladykin, represents two decades’ work, documenting the restoration of the Romanov dynasty’s public reputation

PROFILE

Alexei Vladykin PROFESSION: PHOTOJOURNALIST

ILYA KROL

AGE: 48

RBTH

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As a child, Alexei Vladykin would walk to school in his native Ekaterinburg past Ipatyev House, the place where the royal family was executed, without even knowing it.The building had been demolished in 1977 at the suggestion of KGB chief Yuri Andropov, a move approved unanimously by the ruling Soviet Politburo. “I have no recollection of it being pulled down,” says Vladykin.“But I remember vividly years later, as a photojournalist, I travelled to the editorial office past an unkempt abandoned lot. And that at some point, a

wooden cross was erected on the spot.”The cross was put up by a local man, Anatoly Gomzikov.Vladykin recalls:“There were even plans among some officials and businessmen to build a ca-

Alexei Vladykin is the first Russian photographer who spent almost two decades documenting the restoration of the Romanov dynasty’s public reputation. He started taking pictures in his teens after his father bought him a 35mm film camera.

sino on Voznesenskaya Gorka (Ascension Hill). Gomzikov was one of those who helped thwart those plans. He was a strong believer in God, an elderly man who had had his ups and

downs in life, but had never lost his dignity – unlike those who broke down the wooden cross just a few days later.” A metal cross was erected in its place, and a year later, in 1992, residents and clergymen gathered to lay the first stone of the Church on the Blood at the site. “I was taking pictures knowing that they would never be published; they were sure to be rejected by editors on ideological grounds,” says Vladykin. “But the events certainly had historical value, so I felt obligated to document them and then just shelved the negatives for the next 20 years.” The cathedral was consecrated on June 16, 2003. His album has been published – something he could not have dreamt of under the Communist regime and even in the Nineties.

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RUSSIAN LOOK (3)

INTERVIEW: ANASTASIA YANKOVA

Russia’s queen of the muay thai ring THAI-BOXING CHAMPION ANASTASIA YANKOVA SPEAKS TO IGOR LAZORIN ON HER MARTIAL ARTS CAREER

PROFILE NATIONALITY: RUSSIAN AGE: 22

Russia’s Thai-boxing champion Anastasia Yankova, who was involved in karate at the age of 8, inspired by a movie starring JeanClaude Van Damme and Bruce Lee, now thrives in one of the world’s most violent martial arts. She discusses her passions and favourite martial artists. How did you find your way into martial arts? It all began when I was very young. I loved watching films with Bruce Lee and other tough guys. I wanted to be as strong as they were, and to help people. And I kept telling my mother: ‘Mum, I want to learn to do all that too’. After much debate, my mother finally gave up and took me to a karate club, where I stayed for several years.

And what happened next? At 14, I had to decide what future occupation to choose. I had always been interested in journalism, acting and design. In the end, design won. I spent the days drawing and sewing. At that time, sport was something I was doing for myself. Then I came to a fitness club and met a muay thai instructor. I was standing next to the guys, trying to remember my low kicks and mawashi-geri [spin kicks]. And I realised that I had been missing it all. I spent some time going there and then moved to a Muay Thai club called Varyag, where I began to make rapid progress. From there I was soon sent to a competition, the Russia Cup.

To everybody’s surprise, I won it. Isyourmotheramartialartsfan now?Doesshegiveyouprofessional advice? She is. In recent years, my mum has seen more fights than I have. She watches my rivals’ fights and ordinary competitions, too. Even I do not always have time to follow them. Are your sparring partners all male? When I trained at Varyag, they were all men. But now I am training at the Boxing Academy, with Aleksandr Pogorelov, and my sparring partner is a woman. But she is the kind of woman who can throw many guys down on the floor. Her name is Ekaterina Izotova and she has won many

world championships. She is lighter than me, but she has a very good technique. sparring partner like that, who can also teach you, is perfect. She can explain, tell me, show me what to do and what not to do, tell me when to raise my arm, and how to block. Do you have any favourites among martial artists? Gina Carano is a great martial artist. She was the first and she is cool. It is the same with Fedor Emelianenko. No matter what is said about him, his status remains unchanged. Emelianenko is the emperor and will remain one.There is also Mike Zambidis, he is very cool. Zambidis is one of those martial artists whose fights can be watched again and again.

STATUS: IN RELATIONSHIP

On March 2011, Anastasia, a dress-designing student, won the Cup of Russia for Thaiboxing. She made her kickboxing debut on March 30,

2012 at the W5 Fighter tournament and won the fight against Anna Veselova. Nastya used to dream of protecting the weak from a young age. Now she knows how to hold her own and is a formidable opponent in the ring. She fears neither pain nor injury while still managing to maintain both her beauty and feminity.

Batu Khasikov trains in the same gym as me and I am proud of it. I can see with my own eyes what I should aspire to. Batu is at that high level when an instructor can explain something to him, but he can also share his experience. Martial artists who have such a wealth of experience have an opinion of their own. In the end, a compromise is reached and it results in a beautiful fight.

best kind of rest. On my days off, I prefer to do something different. I love horses and equestrianism. When I have a free day, I go out for a ride.

Do you do any other sports? A change of activity is the

The interview first appeared at Gazeta.ru.

Wouldyouliketotryyourhand at mixed martial arts? Yes, I would like that. Mixed fighting is an old dream of mine. But there, I will have to start from the very beginning.That means a different workload, a different kind of training.

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