Yuri Mikhailovich Luzhkov(born September 21, 1936, Moscow, USSR) - Russian politician, former mayor of Moscow(from June 6, 1992 to September 28, 2010). Husband .
Career of Yuri Luzhkov
Yuri Luzhkov born on September 21, 1936 in Moscow in the family of a carpenter. Ancestors Yuri Luzhkov on his father’s side they lived in the now defunct village of Luzhkovo in the Tver province; father Mikhail Andreevich Luzhkov born in the village of Molodoy Tud (now Oleninsky Tverskoy district region); in 1928 he moved to Moscow and got a job at an oil depot. Mother Anna Petrovna is a native of the village (currently the village) of Kalegino.
In 1953 Yuri Luzhkov graduated from school. Three last year(grades 8-10) Yuri Luzhkov studied at school No. 1259 (then No. 529). In 1954 Yuri Luzhkov worked in the first student team to explore virgin lands in Kazakhstan. Yuri Luzhkov Graduated from the Institute of Petrochemical and Gas Industry named after. Gubkina.
From 1958 to 1963 Yuri Luzhkov worked at the Research Institute of Plastics as a junior researcher, group leader, and deputy head of the technological process automation laboratory.
From 1964 to 1971 Yuri Luzhkov- Head of the Department for Automation of Management of the State Committee on Chemistry, from 1971 to 1974 Yuri Luzhkov- head of department automated systems control (ACS). From 1974 to 1980 Yuri Luzhkov- Director of the Experimental Design Bureau for Automation under the Ministry of Chemical Industry. In 1980, he was appointed general director of the research and production association Neftekhimavtomatika, and in 1986 Yuri Luzhkov- Head of the Department of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Chemical Industry. Member of the CPSU from 1968 until its ban in August 1991.
In 1975 Yuri Luzhkov was elected people's deputy of the Babushkinsky District Council of Moscow, from 1977 to 1991 - deputy of the Moscow City Council. He was a deputy of the Supreme Council (SC) of the RSFSR of the 11th convocation (1987-1990).
In 1987, on the initiative of the new first secretary of the Moscow City Committee of the CPSU, Boris Yeltsin, who was selecting fresh personnel, Yuri Luzhkov was appointed first deputy chairman of the Moscow City Executive Committee. Simultaneously Luzhkov became chairman of the Moscow City Agro-Industrial Committee and headed the city commission on cooperative and individual labor activities. The secretary of this commission was Elena Baturina. As the head of Mosagroprom, he came into conflict with Literaturnaya Gazeta over the publication of an article about the unsuitable quality of sausage produced at the Moscow meat-packing plant. Yuri Luzhkov filed a lawsuit against Litgazeta, banned the admission of journalists and trade inspectors to all enterprises producing food products, but after publication in the newspaper it statement of claim and letters from readers in support of the author of the article, the lawsuit was withdrawn.
In April 1990 Yuri Luzhkov Before the first session of the newly elected democratic Moscow Council, he became the acting chairman of the Moscow City Executive Committee as a result of the resignation of the last communist chairman of the executive committee, Valery Saikin. The new chairman of the Moscow City Council, Gavriil Popov, on the recommendation of B. Yeltsin, nominated Yu. Luzhkova for the post of chairman of the Moscow City Executive Committee.
Summer-autumn 1990 Yuri Luzhkov tried to actively implement the resolution of the Moscow Council, signed by G. Popov, on the introduction of trade in goods using passports with Moscow registration and “buyer’s business cards”, which caused retaliatory measures from the regions neighboring Moscow, which stopped supplying food to Moscow.
Yuri Luzhkov At the head of the city
In July 1991 Yuri Luzhkov was proposed for the post Deputy Mayor of Moscow and the chairman of the Moscow government, chairman of the Moscow Council Gabriel Popov as an experienced business executive and was approved by a vote of deputies.
In 1992, Moscow Mayor G. Kh. Popov unexpectedly resigned. June 6, 1992, by Decree of the President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin Luzhkov was appointed mayor of Moscow and subsequently four times (1996, 1999, 2003, 2007) was re-elected to this post (having received, respectively, 88.5%, 69.9%, 74.8% of the votes and 32 out of 35 votes of Moscow City Duma deputies; vice-mayor together with Luzhkov elected the first two times V. P. Shantsev, the post ceased to be elective).
Between 1992 and 1996 Yuri Luzhkov occupied position of mayor of Moscow without elective powers, on the basis of a decree.
In October 1993, during the dispersal of the Supreme Council, he sided with the president. By his order, the White House building, along with nearby residential buildings, was cut off from all communications.
In December 1994 Yuri Luzhkov founded the first commercial television company in Russia - Teleexpo.
In the 1999 elections Yuri Luzhkov together with Primakov, he headed the Fatherland party, which criticized Yeltsin’s policies and advocated his early resignation.
Yuri Luzhkov-member of the Federation Council (1996-2002). He held the position of member of the Federation Council in accordance with the procedure in force at that time as the head of a subject of the federation.
Yuri Luzhkov- member State Council under the President of the Russian Federation, representative Russian Federation in the Chamber of Regions of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe, former member of the Federation Council Committee on Budget, Tax Policy, Currency Regulation, and Banking.
Soviet and Russian political and statesman. Headed Moscow in 1990—1991 years as chairman of the executive committee of the Moscow City Council. 18 years (1992-2010) occupied post of mayor of Moscow. From 2001 to 2010 he was co-chairman of the Supreme Council of the party « United Russia» . He left the party immediately after his dismissal from the post of mayor of Moscow.
Childhood and youth
Yuri Mikhailovich was born September 21, 1936 in Moscow. Father Mikhail Andreevich worked as a carpenter, participated in the Great Patriotic War, was drafted into the Red Army in 1941 by the Kirov RVC of Moscow. Seriously wounded on March 16, 1942. Was captured. Re-called into the Red Army in 1944 by the Ananyevsky RVK of Odessa. In 1945, he fought in the 960th Infantry Regiment of the 299th Infantry Division of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. He was awarded two medals “For military merits”, and his mother Anna Petrovna (nee Syropyatova) was a general worker at the factory. He spent his childhood and youth with his grandmother in the city of Konotop (Ukrainian SSR).
Luzhkov in his youth (left)
In 1953, he graduated from seventh grade at school No. 529 and left for Moscow. Since 1954, he worked in the first student detachment that explored virgin lands in Kazakhstan. Completed his studies at the Institute of Petrochemical and Gas Industry named after. I. M. Gubkina. While studying at the institute, he actively organized social events and conducted Komsomol work.
The beginning of Luzhkov's political career
In 1958, he got a job at the Plastics Research Institute as a junior employee, group leader. Since 1964, he was the head of the department for automation of management of the State Administration for Chemistry, and after 22 years (in 1986) he moved up the career ladder to the head of the department for science and technology of the Ministry of Chemical Industry of the USSR.
In 1975, he was elected deputy of the Babushkinsky District Council of Moscow. From 1987 to 1990 he was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR of the 11th convocation.
In 1987, according to the decision of the new first secretary of the Moscow City Committee of the CPSU, he was appointed to the position of first deputy chairman in the executive committee of the Moscow City Council of People's Deputies (Moscow City Executive Committee). At the same time, Luzhkov became chairman of the Moscow City Agro-Industrial Committee and became head of the municipal commission on cooperative and individual labor activities.
In the first elections for the mayor of Moscow, held June 12, 1991 was elected to the post of mayor Gabriel Popov, Luzhkov took the post of vice-mayor at that time.
Luzhkov - Mayor of Moscow
Due to interruptions in the supply of food products to the capital, to the point that some of them had to be distributed using coupons, Moscow Mayor Gavriil Popov resigned on June 6, 1992. To his position, by order of the President of Russia Boris Yeltsin, Yuri Luzhkov was appointed.
Due to the combination of the positions of mayor of Moscow and prime minister of the Moscow government, disputes arose in the Moscow Council regarding the legality of such actions. The Moscow Soviet made several attempts to prove the correctness of its beliefs, but they were unsuccessful.
Luzhkov served as mayor of Moscow for 14 years. Until 1999, he supported Boris Yeltsin in projects, crises, and various innovations. In 1996, he took part in the presidential campaign, supporting Boris Yeltsin. Yuri Mikhailovich repeatedly expressed support political action Russian President and the government in Chechnya.
However, already at the elections held in 1999, together with he headed the electoral bloc "Fatherland - All Russia", who criticized the policies of President Yeltsin and advocated his early resignation.
During the time that Yuri Luzhkov was mayor of Moscow, the capital was transformed. Support for small businesses contributed to an increase in the city's trading area by 1.5 times. The construction market also had a positive impact. The number of hotel complexes increased by 1/4. The Social Mortgage program has opened, helping low-income citizens of the Russian Federation purchase housing at reduced loan rates. The Department of Social Protection was created for pensioners and disabled people. The number of jobs in enterprises increased every year.
WITH budget funds Yuri Mikhailovich contributed to the construction of new buildings of Moscow State University. He did not ignore the revival of religious buildings such as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Kazan Cathedral and the Iveron Gate. It was with him that the first concert took place. Michael Jackson at the stadium in Luzhniki
After the victory Vladimir Putin in the 1999 presidential elections, the political bloc "Fatherland - all Russia" joined the party "United Russia", where Yuri Luzhkov was able to retain the position of chairman.
Luzhkov S
In June 2007, on the recommendation of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, deputies of the Moscow City Duma restored Yuri Luzhkov all the powers of the mayor of Moscow for four years.
Personal life and family of Luzhkov
Yuri Luzhkov married three times. Luzhkov's first wife was Alevtina; they married as students, but they quickly divorced. There are no children left from his first marriage.
The politician met Marina Mikhailovna Bashilova, who became his second wife, while studying at the Institute of Oil, Gas and Chemical Industry. The girl was from a wealthy family; her father was Deputy Minister of the Petrochemical Industry of the USSR. They got married in 1958, and already in 1988 Marina died of liver cancer, giving Luzhkov two sons - Mikhail (b. 1959) and Alexander (b. 1973)
The third marriage took place in 1991 with Elena Baturina. In Luzhkov’s marriage, two girls were born - Elena was born in 1992, and Olga in 1994. Initially, the sisters studied at Moscow State University, but after their father’s resignation they moved to London, where they received higher education. Elena Baturina - famous entrepreneur and billionaire, company owner "Inteko", carries out production and construction contracts throughout the Moscow region and beyond.
Criticism of politics
The liberal media and the business community often seriously criticized urban planning activities and economic policy metropolitan government under Luzhkov.
Patronage of such creative people as the artist A. M. Shilov, the sculptor Z. K. Tsereteli, as well as the low artistic taste of the former mayor of Moscow, who embodies himself in the architecture of new buildings in the city, attracted the attention of cultural figures and art critics and was condemned.
Luzhkov was accused by the opposition of the fact that all the capital's courts are under his control, since they most often made their decisions in a way that was convenient for the mayor, his associates and supporters at that moment.
In 2009, there was an attempt to introduce a program that would significantly reduce the cost of cleaning Moscow streets. But the leadership of the Moscow region and environmentalists criticized the idea of redistributing precipitation in the capital and the region, as they feared that this could harm the environment.
Representatives of sexual minorities accused Yuri Luzhkov of constant discrimination, since all public demonstrations were strictly prohibited. In one interview, the politician called homosexuals “faggots” and gay pride parades “satanic acts.”
Party "United Russia" criticized not only Luzhkov, but also some human rights organizations for allowing ten portraits to be placed on the streets of the capital before the celebration of the 65th anniversary of Victory Day Stalin.
D. A. Medvedev shared with Russian journalists: “It is the duty of any leader of our country to monitor the territory itself. We all know and love Moscow. There are a huge number of problems in this city. Corruption is on an unprecedented scale, traffic jams, transport collapse, and not only because the president or prime minister passed by in a car. We mindlessly bumped into buildings. Competitive environment: who won all the contracts and tenders until recently? I know how such decisions were made, all this must end.”
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United Russia »
But despite numerous criticism from the opposition, cultural figures, liberals, and authorities regarding Yuri Mikhailovich, the newspaper "Vedomosti" indicated that the level of trust on the part of Muscovites remains high: in 2010, more than 56% of the population of the Moscow region believed that Luzhkov was needed as mayor of the capital.
Removal from the post of Mayor of Moscow
One of the factors in Luzhkov’s removal from the post of mayor were documentaries that criticized his political activities, which were released in 2010 on central television. On NTV - "It's the cap." On Russia-24 - “Mayhem. Moscow, which we lost". Outraged by such permissiveness in the media, Yuri Mikhailovich handed over to the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation a letter addressed to the then-current President Dmitry Medvedev, where he expressed his negative attitude towards the lack of any action by the authorities regarding the appearance of programs about himself on federal television channels.
Luzhkov and
And already on September 28, 2010, the current President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev issued an order according to which Yuri Luzhkov prematurely terminated his powers as mayor of Moscow “due to the loss of confidence of the President of the Russian Federation”
According to Yuri Luzhkov himself, he was not fired because political activity, but because he refused to support Dmitry Medvedev during his candidacy for a second presidential term. The former mayor considered all this a manifestation of revenge.
The ex-mayor of Moscow still pays attention to political events in Russia and the world; he expresses his thoughts in "twitter". Quotes from the former mayor of the capital are popular in social network, but Luzhkov does not start an official website.
Yuri Mikhailovich has a farm in the Ozersky district of the Kaliningrad region. The ex-mayor is engaged in his favorite hobby - beekeeping, and also grows mushrooms - oyster mushrooms.
Graduated from the Gubkin Institute of Petrochemical and Gas Industry.
In Moscow.
In 1958 he graduated from the Moscow Institute of Petrochemical and Gas Industry (now Russian state university oil and gas) named after I.M. Gubkin with a degree in mechanical engineer.
In 1958-1963 he worked as a junior researcher, group leader, and deputy head of the laboratory for automation of technological processes at the Scientific Research Institute (SRI) of plastics.
In 1964-1971 he was the head of the department for automation of management of the State Committee on Chemistry.
In 1971-1974 he served as head of the automated control systems (ACS) department.
In 1974-1980, Yuri Luzhkov worked as director of the experimental design bureau for automation at the USSR Ministry of Chemical Industry.
In 1980, he was appointed general director of the Neftekhimavtomatika research and production association, and in 1986, head of the department for science and technology of the USSR Ministry of Chemical Industry.
In 1987, he became first deputy chairman of the Moscow City Executive Committee, chairman of the Moscow City Agro-Industrial Committee (Mosagroprom).
In June 1991, together with Popov, he was elected vice-mayor of Moscow.
In July 1991, he took the post of prime minister of the Moscow city government, formed on the basis of the Moscow City Executive Committee.
Yuri Luzhkov is a laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of science and technology (2000).
Awarded the Order of Lenin, the Red Banner of Labor, "For Services to the Fatherland" 1st degree (2006), "For Services to the Fatherland" 2nd degree (1995), "For Military Merit" (2003), the Order of Honor (2000), medals.
He has departmental awards and awards of the Russian Orthodox Church.
He was also awarded the honorary titles "Honored Chemist of the Russian Federation", "Honored Builder of the Russian Federation".
Yuri Luzhkov is married for the third time. The first marriage was a student marriage and quickly broke up. His second wife, Marina Bashilova, died in 1989. In 1991, Yuri Luzhkov married businesswoman Elena Baturina.
Elena Baturina topped the Forbes ranking of “Russia’s 25 Richest Women.” Forbes estimated Baturina's fortune at $1.1 billion.
Yuri Luzhkov has four children. Two sons from his marriage with Marina Bashilova - Mikhail (1959) and Alexander (1973), and two daughters from Elena Baturina - Elena (1992) and Olga (1994).
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
The wife of the ex-mayor Elena Baturina gave her husband surprises
Turning 80 is a reason to have a blast. It was with this mood that ex-mayor of the capital Yuri Luzhkov celebrated his anniversary. The celebration program lasted almost a week and included a tennis match, in which Rafael Nadal's coach played together with the hero of the day, a meeting with classmates, a dinner for relatives and friends in the former Moscow Hotel, and the presentation of state awards in the Kremlin. The final chord was the subbotnik in Kolomenskoye, where Luzhkov planted apple trees, sang ditties and received an offer from the “Buranovsky grandmothers” to become their grandfather.
Yuri Luzhkov has been observing the tradition of meeting with classmates for many years, without changing it even in the most difficult moments of his life. This year he invited friends from his youth to a tennis match, which took place on the occasion of his birthday.
They all came with sticks, and I’m running around the court,” the hero of the day boasts. According to Luzhkov, on tennis court he tries to go out every day. And in the holiday tournament in the “teapot + professional” format, he won twice: first, paired with Russian tennis player Andrei Olkhovsky, and then with the coach of the world’s first racket, Rafael Nadal. And this was the first gift for my 80th birthday.
It is useless to ask Luzhkov about the rest. “A lot,” he replies nonchalantly, “Just a huge amount.” The most valuable ones come from my wife, who donated a tractor, and relatives, who donated money for a KAMAZ with a trailer. The most unexpected one came from Patriarch Kirill, who pointedly stopped communicating with Luzhkov after his high-profile resignation. This time, His Holiness personally came to the former Moscow Hotel, where an official reception was held in honor of the hero of the day and awarded him the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov.
There, Luzhkov was congratulated by former members of the Moscow government, federal and regional officials, as well as cultural figures with whom he has long maintained friendly relations - Galina Volchek, Ilya Reznik, Elina Bystritskaya, Alexander Shirvindt...
Yuri Luzhkov's wife came up with the idea of how to invite not only officials and artists, but also ordinary Muscovites to her husband's birthday. “I didn’t want to celebrate anything. 80 years old, as they say, from the fair, not to the fair. And then she took matters into her own hands,” says Luzhkov.
In secret from the hero of the day, Baturina agreed to meet with Vladimir Putin (and without his consent, no public events with the participation of the disgraced mayor would have been possible in principle) and told him about the idea of holding a citywide cleanup day in Moscow. Autumn is the time to plant trees. And Kolomenskoye, chosen for the establishment of an apple orchard, is a symbolic place for Luzhkov himself. Here he recreated the Russian wonder of the world - the wooden palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Here he held the first honey fairs in Moscow. In addition, the director of Kolomenskoye is still the former Minister of Culture of the Moscow government, Sergei Khudyakov. “The President,” says Luzhkov, “understood what kind of birthday the former mayor needed, and everything started to work out.” They decided to restore the orchards that were in Kolomenskoye under Ivan the Terrible.
The organizers gave everyone who came to the cleanup event branded caps and work aprons. The seedlings (and these were 5-year-old apple and pear trees), as well as buckets and shovels, were already standing near the pre-prepared holes. Leonid Yarmolnik ran between them with a microphone in his hands. “I’m not an artist or a presenter. Today I’m a foreman,” he proudly told those who wanted an autograph.
At the gates of Kolomenskoye, Luzhkov was met by his old comrades. “It’s like we’re back on a Saturday detour again,” they joked among themselves. Former deputy mayor for property and land issues, and now the head of the sailing federation, Vladimir Silkin told MK that for the sake of the chief’s anniversary he specially flew in with Far East. And ex-Minister for Foreign Economic Relations Georgy Muradov left Crimea for the weekend, where he works for Sergei Aksenov. "Working in Luzhkov's team was best job in a career. There are one in a million bosses like him,” they admitted.
A little further away stood the “mountain man” - the mayor’s former security guard, Vladimir Shukshin. The vice mayor was fussing around the tree with a watering can. economic issues Yuri Roslyak. Former developers who helped the ex-mayor raise Moscow also came to the anniversary. Now their companies, which once built millions of square meters of housing and kilometers of roads, are bankrupt or at the stage of bankruptcy. And only the ex-head of the capital’s construction complex, Vladimir Resin, was not among those gathered. He still remains persona non grata for Yuri Luzhkov.
Ordinary Muscovites (fortunately, Kolomenskoye is surrounded by large residential areas) came to the subbotnik with their families. “You see the uncle in the cap,” they showed Luzhkov to the baby, who was born after his resignation, “he built your kindergarten"Predictably, there were a lot of pensioners at the holiday, for whom the organizers set up special tents with the inscription “For those the same age as the hero of the day.” They were treated to tea with honey and bagels.
The ex-mayor's youngest son, Alexander, brought his grandson Luzhkov to the cleanup, who is like two peas in a pod like his grandfather. His wife, Elena Baturina, meanwhile, danced “Russian” next to the newly dug seedlings.
Son of Yuri Luzhkov Alexander (in a cap) and grandson of ex-mayor Yura (left)
“My wife has prepared homemade marshmallows for your tea. Please take them, otherwise you won’t be able to get through to the hero of the day,” the gray-haired man asked the richest woman in the country after waiting for the accordion to die down. Baturina carefully put the package in her pocket.
Luzhkov, putting down his shovel, was not bored either. With difficulty escaping from the circle of Muscovites tightly surrounding him, he climbed onto an improvised stage to sing with the Buranovsky Babushki. “We are always asked: grandmothers, where is your grandfather?” the “old ladies” laughed, “Please be our grandfather - record a song with us!”
Elena Baturina started dancing
“Grandmothers” were replaced by Ilya Reznik, then the group “Doctor Watson” appeared on stage, followed by circus performers sent to Kolomenskoye by Maxim Nikulin (Luzhkov was also very friendly with his father, the famous Yuri Nikulin, and even broke his leg, performing at his request in reprise).
Holiday under open air lasted about four hours. “I love you, my happy lot, And my life lasts and I look forward!” - the hero of the day read his poems to Muscovites. Luzhkov thanked the townspeople for participating in the cleanup and invited them to new holiday. “In five years, we will plant the last fifth garden of Ivan the Terrible here,” he promised.
Former Moscow mayor revives the estate of a German horse breeder
When five years ago the most famous regional politician, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, was dismissed with the derogatory wording “due to loss of confidence,” many were sure that he would never recover from the blow. But Mayakovsky also wrote about people like him: “we should make nails out of these people.” Luzhkov did not drink himself to death, did not go crazy and, pah-pah-pah, feels great. He also fulfilled his promise “not to sit on the stove as a pensioner.” After wandering around Kaliningrad fields, farms and elevators for two days, MK correspondents were convinced that the former mayor received the nickname “strong businessman” for a reason.
Luzhkov's farm is not just in the provinces. Even by local standards, this is a real wilderness. From almost two hours by car. Dunes and Baltic are even further away. The border with Poland is a stone's throw away, but in the current conditions this is also not a plus. After the introduction of sanctions, commercial and tourist flows sharply decreased (in both directions) and the border cities again returned to the state of 1946, when annexation to the northern part East Prussia provoked their desolation and decline.
Having passed the regional center of Ozersk, the driver makes a sharp turn to the left and, having driven a few hundred meters more, slows down near a complex of stone buildings, whose size indicates a rich and glorious past, and the sound of hammers and piles of building materials - about hopes for an equally worthy future. This is the Weedern estate, known since the 17th century. Until the end of World War II, it belonged to the descendants of the German horse breeder Eberhard von Zitzewitz. And now it belongs to the former mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov. Fate often presented him with surprises. And this is far from the most unexpected of them. “When I was appointed to head the Khimavtomatika Design Bureau, it was a surprise! And when they threw it at Mosagroprom! And this is a normal story,” the owner laughs.
"Weedern" has been specializing in horse breeding since the century before last. The cost of some stallions exceeds a million.
Easily jumping out of an SUV (you simply cannot drive through valleys and fields in another car), Luzhkov, who next year will celebrate another, very respectable anniversary, not paying attention to calls to “take a break from the road”, and goes to inspect his possessions. Straight ahead are the stables. Weedern has historically specialized in raising Trakehner and Hanoverian horses. They are still grown here today. The cost of some stallions reaches a million rubles, but Luzhkov is now more interested not in them, but in small house bizarre architecture, nestled not far from the arena. With the same passion with which he once erected skyscrapers and built bridges, the former mayor is trying to breathe new life into its old walls. The manager of Veedern, Timur, complains about the lack of electricity and rotten boards, calling on the chef to show prudence, but he, carefreely waving his hand, rushes to the second floor, where, in his words, a unique room has been preserved - a smokehouse, in which the previous owners prepared simple delicacies.
The former mayor spends the entire month of August in the fields: he says that it is more difficult to control a combine than an airplane.
“Apparently, the coachman’s family previously lived in this house,” Luzhkov explains, turning on the “flashlight” function on his iPhone. — After the restoration it will be exactly the same, only better.
The ex-mayor himself does not live in the manor’s estate (the three-story mansion, which housed a school in Soviet times, is boarded up), but in a former German office, from where the estate was managed under the Tsitsevits. The house is two-story and rather modest (although Luzhkov, out of old habit, calls it a “residence”): the dining room and master bedroom are on the second floor, guest rooms are on the first. Having opened the door to one of them, we find an unknown person on the bed young man with a newspaper in his hands. “He probably came to work,” Luzhkov was not at all surprised.
— Do strangers often spend the night in your house?
- Well, where else should he spend the night? “The place is remote,” shrugs the man, who just five years ago was under the watchful eye of armed guards, shrugs carefree.
In the courtyard of the house there is an oak tree, which is at least 250 years old, on the oak tree, as expected, there is a chain, and on the chain there is a cat... “He goes to the right - he starts a song, to the left - he tells a fairy tale, there are miracles, there is a goblin wandering there, Elena is on the branches sitting,” recites Yuri Luzhkov, replacing Pushkin’s mermaid with the name of his beloved wife. Her portrait, galloping at full speed on a bay stallion, is prominently displayed in the dining room, along with numerous Weedern awards. But lately Elena Baturina practically doesn’t come here, supporting her husband with calls, advice and, let’s be honest, finances. “Her soul does not lie,” the ex-mayor grows gloomy. To distract him from sad thoughts, I ask about the fate of the previous owners of the stud farm. It is known that in 1946, Anna von Zitzewitz, who until the last hoped that Prussia would remain part of Germany, was nevertheless forced to leave here in the last echelon...
“She came here about 10 years ago,” Luzhkov nods his head. - She was already quite old. I cried a lot. But at the same time, I was glad that the farm was not left to the mercy of fate, like many local estates, and was even slowly being revived...
Next to "Weedern" there is a village of five houses. The buildings there are still German, but the people live in typically Russian ways. Which means they drink. And they also steal! “If all this is not protected, tomorrow there will be no stone left here,” says manager Timur and points to the drains covered with concrete slabs. The ex-mayor's neighbors have long since sold the metal pancakes from them for scrap metal. And when Luzhkov restored the cowshed, they went there too forged gates and even the hooks on which they hung. “Moreover, people drove a tractor and tore them out along with pieces of the walls,” says Timur. Neighbors are not hired to work on their farms not only because of their thieving nature, but also because of their habitual drunkenness. Luzhkov, as you know, has not drunk anything stronger than kefir for many years. And in “Weedern” he established complete prohibition. “Our technology is complex. If you hurt yourself, you’ll cause more trouble than on a warship,” he explains.
Luzhkov buckwheat.
When Luzhkov led Moscow, his subordinates scolded him behind his back for being too active. Every day, except Sunday, the mayor came to work at 8 a.m. or traveled around the city, visiting problem areas. Moreover, these were not official events in the “came, saw, praised” style. The trips sometimes ended with hours-long meetings with a full debriefing. Five years of retirement have changed the scale, but not the habits of the former mayor. All the inhabitants of Weedern, from the manager to the seasonal workers, are now forced to get used to the peculiarities of his leadership style. “I know they don’t really like it when I come,” Luzhkov whispers in my ear. “They have their own, measured rhythm here.” And my awl is playing in one place.”
It is no coincidence that Luzhkov breeds sheep of the famous Romanov breed: “They helped Russia during the war, and they will help now!”
Despite the late evening, he pulls us to the nearest field to show us how the rapeseed grows. Dry yellow stems with thin pods, similar to acacia fruits, were almost equal to human height. Having poured black peas into his palm, Luzhkov rejoices like a child: the butter should turn out good! Finding himself on the other side of the barricades, the former Moscow mayor experienced all the delights of business in Russian on his own skin. We return to the estate in complete darkness along the road built with Weedern’s money, and the owner complains about the intractability of local officials who refuse to sign the commissioning act. “They're just making fun of me! Either the width is not the same, or the drainage is not the same...” Luzhkov gets angry, and I once again think about the vicissitudes of fate. He built hundreds of kilometers of roads during his life, received the nickname Lord of the Rings and... tripped over a piece of asphalt 300 meters long!
The next morning we meet early. Although Luzhkov got up even earlier. He wears an appropriate shirt with cows embroidered on the pocket and a traditional cap. More precisely, its summer version is made from coarse, dense flax. He had already talked with agronomists and found out that due to rainy weather, each ear of wheat lost from one to two rows of grain. However, crop prospects are still good.
The main construction site of the farm is the house of the German coachman. Restoration work is in full swing.
— It definitely won’t be lower than last year! - the agronomists assure in unison, but Luzhkov is dissatisfied:
- Well, hello! We have done so much here in terms of technology, and they tell me that it won’t get any worse. It should be better than it was!
In the end, everyone agrees that five tons of grain per hectare will definitely work out, and then God willing. Luzhkov has been working at the combine for many years now and says that he really loves this job:
- Imagine: in front of you is a golden sea, swaying from the wind. You sail along it on this colossus and realize that you have grown a good harvest, that you are doing something important and useful thing, who was abandoned in the country, who gave jobs and provided decent wages to people... All this is very stimulating and inspiring!
But what about the government support measures that are now being trumpeted on every corner? Haven't they reached the farmers?
“I don’t see much change,” Luzhkov shrugs. — Support from the region — 1200 rub. per hectare. For that kind of money you can only change into overalls! We ourselves spend 35 thousand rubles per hectare on preparing fields for sowing.
— What about loans?
- I forbade them to be taken! In America during the crisis, the rate was 0.25%, in Japan it was generally minus, the bank still pays you extra for taking a loan from them, and in our country, even after the key rate was reduced, the interest rates are crazy. I don’t want to support monetarism with my money!
In addition to rapeseed and wheat, Weedern grows oats, barley and buckwheat, which over time has every chance of becoming the hallmark of the farm. The former mayor had to give up his dreams of Nikita Khrushchev’s laurels several years ago, when, having planted and grown his favorite corn, he was unable to realize a very successful harvest. It turned out that no one in the Kaliningrad region and its environs needed the queen of the fields... But another expense item appeared - hay (it is eaten not only by horses, but also by the famous Romanov sheep, which are also raised by Weedern). “Having learned that Kosygin at one time organized and personally opened a large conference on grassland farming, with my last name, at first I was surprised at what to discuss there: take it and mow it! But it turned out that this is a whole science - different animals require different quality hay. And the land should not be waste: to grow good grass, you need to provide for a thousand little things. The Germans receive 10 tons of hay per hectare, and we only get 3 tons,” the ex-mayor says with enthusiasm, not paying attention to his bursting mobile phone. “It’s the governor calling you!” - warns the vigilant Timur.
The acting head of the Kaliningrad region, Nikolai Tsukanov, without knowing it, laid the foundation for a new specialization of “Weederna”. Having collected a decent harvest of buckwheat last year, Luzhkov, as usual, was going to sell it to Lithuania - there are no processing facilities in the region. But times were troubled: people were just sweeping cereals off the shelves, prices were rising, a shortage was looming... Tsukanov asked Luzhkov to hold back the “strategic reserve,” and he, as a statesman, agreed. Buckwheat lay like a dead weight at the elevator for several months, and the ex-mayor searched through cities and villages for equipment for processing it. The fact is that grains arrive from the fields in a dense box and are not suitable for consumption. Before selling, they must be put through a grain grinder and the wheat must be carefully separated from the chaff.
Suitable for price and technical specifications the unit was finally found by Ukrainian manufacturers, and although the country had already embarked on the path of import substitution at that time, Luzhkov, without thinking twice, shook hands... The history of Weedern itself is the history of international cooperation. It may be forced, but, as practice has shown, it is quite successful. German equipment from the first third of the last century still serves its owners well, regardless of title and political situation. Luzhkov proudly clicks the massive Siemens switches and shows how a Krupp conveyor delivers buckwheat from storage areas to the grain mill. The former mayor got the old elevator by chance (the previous owner refused to sell the land without it), and now he can’t get enough of it. The pipes in the new granary had to be replaced twice already, but they have been standing here since 1931 - and for the hell of it!
In addition to the Ukrainian grain grinder and German pipes, Luzhkov’s farm has an English grain dryer, as well as a number of devices designed by the ex-mayor himself. For example, a gearbox on a conveyor (the previous engine, according to him, was too complex) or a container for unloading buckwheat. Part of the buckwheat husk is used to heat steam boilers used in production. Some are sold to pharmacies for pillows. The owner himself believes that there is nothing unusual in this approach. Well, what does it mean for a person with a Soviet technical education to improve a gearbox? A couple of trifles! But local workers look with respect. “He’s such a guy! - shows thumb a young guy in overalls. “You can’t even say that he’s a former bureaucrat!”
Luzhkov promises to feed the entire Kaliningrad region with his buckwheat in the near future. There will be enough capacity for everyone - for soldiers in local units, for kindergartens, and for pensioners. The first batches will be sold at fairs at a symbolic price - 39 rubles per kilogram. “Yes, this is not a business,” agrees the ex-mayor, being responsible for both buckwheat and the entire Weedern. — From the point of view of how the state treats the agricultural sector, there is not even a smell of business here. But this activity is important both in terms of food security and as a social component, so I do it.”
When, after a walk around the house, we sit down to drink tea with Luzhkov’s signature honey, I finally ask the question that has been tormenting me from the very beginning: how satisfied is the former mayor with such a life? What is it like - after communicating on an equal footing with the powers that be and managing a huge metropolis, find yourself driving a combine harvester in a godforsaken corner of the enclave? Luzhkov is silent for a long time, frowning, obviously searching for words.
“I’m satisfied with my current life,” he finally says. “But the state, it seems to me, should feel dissatisfied. This is not narcissism syndrome, and I’m not just talking about myself. We cannot recklessly ignore the experience of people like Shaimiev, Boos, Rossel, Filipenko. Thanks to their work, the country at one time was kept from collapse; they were prominent figures at both the regional and governmental levels. And now, anyone who can name the names of at least five governors should be given a bonus... In the USA, the same Kissinger is respected, his connections, experience and knowledge are used in the interests of the country, and Bush...
- You feel resentment...
“My resignation is injustice and lawlessness.” And revenge for my refusal to support Medvedev’s nomination for a second presidential term.
— Is the criminal case in which you were a witness closed?
- Don't know. Maybe it's not closed. It's good to have it on hand just in case. This is what I want to ask: five years have passed, has anyone from Moscow been imprisoned? Ryabinin (Luzhkov’s deputy in 2007-2010 - “MK”) was dragged through the courts for three years because he pursued the policy of the mayor of Moscow and stepped on the calluses of many, including government agencies. It was a purely political matter, a political order. As a result, Ryabinin was completely acquitted, and the investigators apologized to him. But who is responsible for this?
-Are you angry?
— Bitterness is not in my character. It's about disappointment. I absolutely don’t feel like a pensioner, I’m not going to lie upside down. Down - yes, this happens on the farm. But I don’t strive for a calm old age, since there is still enough dope.
- How old are you, Yuri Mikhailovich?
He thinks again, twirls in his hands a cup with the inscription “To the most talented sheep farmer”, which was made by his youngest daughter Olga, and a sly smile replaces the cold mask on his face:
- Probably still more than thirty. Well, let's go, I'll show you how buckwheat blooms...