PRESIDENT APPROVES RESTORATION OF LENSK
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, October 19, 2001, p. 1
On his way to Shanghai for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, President Vladimir Putin made a one-day stopover in Yakutia, where he inspected the results of restoration work in districts affected by flooding earlier this year. The head of state visited the town of Novaya Muria and Lensk, where he inspected a new school building and the restored residential areas Alrosa and Severny. In Lensk Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the government commission on restoration of the districts, which had suffered from the flood. Present at the meeting were Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu, President Mikhail Nikolaev of Yakutia, Security Council Secretary Vladimir Rushailo, deputy director of the Presidential Administration Alexander Abramov, and presidential envoy for the Far Eastern federal district Konstantin Pulikovsky. According to Putin, “the state has done what it had to do.”
“I think the government commission has completed its work, and people who work here deserve gratitude,” stressed the president.
THE KURSK TO WAIT FOR HIGH WATER
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, October 19, 2001, p. 7
On evening of October 18 Vice-President of the Mammoeth company Ian van Seimeren must have left the Giant-4 barge, which would have been an obvious sign that the work of driving the pontoons for a tandem “barge – nuclear-powered submarine” were without excesses. The first pontoon was driven on Thursday morning, whereas the work of driving the second pontoon should have been completed by the evening of October 18. If the “venting” of both vessels is a success and a required immersion of the link “barge – nuclear-powered submarine – pontoons” is achieved, the only thing left would be to check everything and launch the procedure of docking the Kursk into a PD-50 floating dock.
The docking is only possible on high water. The tide in the Kolsky Gulf is at its maximal mark at 16.00. The first attempt would obviously be me already on Saturday, whereas Sunday would be a spare day.
The background radiation in the site where the work of raising the submarine was completed and where it had sunk is normal. As Ingar Amudsen, assistant advisor of the Norwegian state department for radiation shielding, and his colleague Bjorn Lind, who both had spent two weeks in the site of the Kursk’s salvage, say, “the Barents Sea is absolutely harmless for fishing.”
AN EPIDEMIC OF FEAR
Izvestia, October 19, 2001, p. 2
A number of appeals to the police from citizens, who discover suspicious white powder inside envelopes, sharply increased over the past day in Russia. The number jokers, who are trying to play tricks to their friends or shake the nerves to their superiors increased also. As it seems, safe messages will thus far increase in the geometric sequence, just like “letters of happiness.”
As Izvestia were reported at the Center for handling emergency situations of the Emergencies Ministry, on Tuesday six appeals of Muscovites, who received letters with white powder inside envelopes, were registered. According to reports of the Moscow Department of the Interior Ministry, dozens of appeals were received yesterday.
Indeed, all the letters were sent by jokers thus far, one of them caught in St. Petersburg yesterday. An employee of the oceanology research institute, who had palmed an envelope with an inscription “Jihad” and harmless powder inside to one of his colleagues, could not even guess that this trick would lead to a prolonged conversation with a policeman.
ACQUIREMENT OF CITIZENSHIP TO BECOME MORE DIFFICULT
Izvestia, October 19, 2001, p. 2
On October 18 in the first reading the Duma debated two optional bills of the law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation.” Vladimir Putin submitted one of them, while members of the Duma committee on CIS affairs put forward another one. The majority of deputies seconded the president’s option.
Persons without Russian citizenship would be able to apply for naturalization in Russia if they continuously reside in our country for five years. Continuity is confirmed very simple – it would not be allowed for more than three months in a single year.
One can be given Russian citizenship on receiving a status of a refugee or asking for a political refuge; “possession of high achievements in science, technology, and culture; possession of a profession or a qualification, which is of interest for the Russian Federation” is welcomed. So far it is unknown what specialty one must possess to get the passport as soon as possible.
THE PRIMORIE TERRITORY: BROADCASTING STOPPED
Trud, October 19, 2001, p. 1
Broadcasts of nationwide TV channels ORT, RTR, NTV, and also radio channels Mayak and Radio of Russia discontinued yesterday in the Primorie territory. Now broadcasts of Chinese music and conversations can only be available for residents of the Far East. Energy suppliers cut off the Primorie radio and television transmitting center owing to unredeemed payments.
Moreover, systems of guarding skyscrapers, which ensure safety of flights for aircraft at nighttime and in the mists, and also the system of delivering materials of media services of the Russian Federation is expected to be cut off in the entire territory. The emergency situation would not influence the Internet or telephone links.
The black-outs will cause discontinuation of TV broadcasting in large cities of the Primorie territory like Artem, Nakhodka, and Vladivostok.
YUMASHEV MARRIES YELTSIN’S DAUGHTER
Moskovskii Komsomolets, October 19, 2001, p. 1
A source in banking circles has reported sensational news – Valentin Yumashev and Tatiana Dyachenko got married a few weeks ago. The marriage took place in strictest secrecy: even Boris Yeltsin was among the last to learn about his daughter’s wedding.
When Yeltsin was in power, Yumashev and Dyachenko were almost inseparable. However, it was said in the Kremlin that they were a “mere formed political couple.”
In June it was reported that Tatiana Dyachenko had divorced her husband and Valentin Yumashev had divorced his wife. It was then that talk of a possible wedding arose, but rumors were denied. Now they have proved true.
Tatiana Dyachenko has two sons. Valentin Yumashev has a daughter named Polina; she recently married aluminum tycoon Oleg Deripaska, and Yumashev has become a grandfather.
