In fact, it turns out that the former and future President of the Russian Federation is himself a rather roulettian character. There were so many chances for Vladimir Putin to end up never existing.
Putin's paternal grandfather was an excellent cook trusted in high circles: he prepared savory meals for Lenin and his clan and later also for Stalin, whereby he somehow managed to survive Stalin's sweeping random purges unscathed. Putin's maternal grandmother was killed by a stray bullet during World War II, her older brothers disappeared at the front without a trace.
Putin's own two older brothers died as infants: Oleg passed away before his first birthday, Viktor succumbed to diphtheria during the first year of the Leningrad blockade and was buried in a common grave. Maria, Putin's mother, had the chance to evacuate out of encircled, starving Leningrad, but refused to leave her husband, Vladimir, who was wounded by a grenade in 1942. By the end of the blockade, she was so weak from starvation that she could barely move, and only her husband's additional soldier rations prevented her demise.
Over a million people died before the blockade was finally lifted in January 1944, but two of those who survived the entire siege were, amazingly, Vladimir and Maria. In 1952, late in life and after so much suffering, they had a third child, the only one to survive: Vladimir Jr.
Meanwhile, sixty years later, Putin has again been elected president. A few weeks after the elections, the protests seem to be fading, the Snow Revolution is melting away. Putin is at the helm and will be for awhile. Better? Worse?
Red Kirill says, "Of course worse. Everything is completely clear. The situation will deteriorate, you're going to have to be on the look-out at all times, if there's any way they can break you, they will. I am now facing existential decisions. Criminals are in power -- how am I supposed to live with this? Maybe I should sell my apartment and buy a cottage in the country so I can be left alone and pursue my art in peace? You know the only thing that keeps me sane is that I have so much to do. I'm running from one event to the next, one project to the next. There's absolutely no time to think about what a disaster the whole country is in, how am I living, why am I living, what for? That's what's saving me."
Music Manaager Mischa retorts: "You're living on nothing, you're living for nothing, what can you do, let's have a drink!"
On the other hand, Russophile Nikita states, "Everything is in the best of order! Thank God Putin will be president again. And for six years. And hopefully another six years after that. In fact, I hope that when I die, a long time from now, Putin will still be president. And after I die, I hope he lives for another two hundred, three hundred years -- as President!"
When I point out the biological obstacles to that wish, he sighs and says, "Maybe doctors can do something in this special, important case?"
Putin's paternal grandfather was an excellent cook trusted in high circles: he prepared savory meals for Lenin and his clan and later also for Stalin, whereby he somehow managed to survive Stalin's sweeping random purges unscathed. Putin's maternal grandmother was killed by a stray bullet during World War II, her older brothers disappeared at the front without a trace.
Putin's own two older brothers died as infants: Oleg passed away before his first birthday, Viktor succumbed to diphtheria during the first year of the Leningrad blockade and was buried in a common grave. Maria, Putin's mother, had the chance to evacuate out of encircled, starving Leningrad, but refused to leave her husband, Vladimir, who was wounded by a grenade in 1942. By the end of the blockade, she was so weak from starvation that she could barely move, and only her husband's additional soldier rations prevented her demise. Over a million people died before the blockade was finally lifted in January 1944, but two of those who survived the entire siege were, amazingly, Vladimir and Maria. In 1952, late in life and after so much suffering, they had a third child, the only one to survive: Vladimir Jr.
Vladimir Jr with his mother, Maria
Meanwhile, sixty years later, Putin has again been elected president. A few weeks after the elections, the protests seem to be fading, the Snow Revolution is melting away. Putin is at the helm and will be for awhile. Better? Worse?
Red Kirill says, "Of course worse. Everything is completely clear. The situation will deteriorate, you're going to have to be on the look-out at all times, if there's any way they can break you, they will. I am now facing existential decisions. Criminals are in power -- how am I supposed to live with this? Maybe I should sell my apartment and buy a cottage in the country so I can be left alone and pursue my art in peace? You know the only thing that keeps me sane is that I have so much to do. I'm running from one event to the next, one project to the next. There's absolutely no time to think about what a disaster the whole country is in, how am I living, why am I living, what for? That's what's saving me."Music Manaager Mischa retorts: "You're living on nothing, you're living for nothing, what can you do, let's have a drink!"
On the other hand, Russophile Nikita states, "Everything is in the best of order! Thank God Putin will be president again. And for six years. And hopefully another six years after that. In fact, I hope that when I die, a long time from now, Putin will still be president. And after I die, I hope he lives for another two hundred, three hundred years -- as President!"When I point out the biological obstacles to that wish, he sighs and says, "Maybe doctors can do something in this special, important case?"
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