For many, the appointment of Vladimir Medinsky to the post of head of the Ministry of Culture was a very unexpected event. But if we take a closer look at the biography of this person, it becomes clear that he went through a difficult path and worked hard before becoming what he is today. In this article, the life story of a politician, answers to questions about what kind of person Vladimir Medinsky is, photos and various interesting facts.
Origin and childhood
Medinsky Vladimir Rostislavovich was born on 1970-18-07 in the city of Smela, Cherkasy region of the then Ukrainian SSR. His father, Rostislav Ignatievich Medinsky, was a colonel in the Soviet army, who took part in the aftermath of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, his mother, Alla Viktorovna Medinsky, was a general practitioner by profession. As part of the service of Medinsky Sr., the family had to constantly change their place of residence, Vladimir spent his childhood in military garrisons. Only in the 80s did the family finally move to Moscow.
From early childhood, Vladimir was an active child, triedalways be ahead. At school, he commanded the "asterisk" of October, was the secretary of the Komsomol organization.
Education
In 1987, the future Minister of Culture of Russia Vladimir Medinsky began his studies at the Faculty of International Journalism of MGIMO. He has made notable progress in his studies. Vladimir Medinsky was a member of the academic council of the university, held a senior position in the Association of Journalists of the institute, was a member of the Komsomol committee, and was a Lenin scholar. Passed practice, working as a correspondent, in TASS and APN. Studying the Czech language, he did an internship in Prague.
While studying at MGIMO, Vladimir Rostislavovich joined the CPSU. From 1991 to 1992, he did an internship in the USA (at the USSR Embassy), and later in the Russian Federation, acting as an assistant press secretary. Vladimir Rostislavovich graduated from an educational institution with excellent marks, and in 1993 he continued his education at the MGIMO graduate school.
Business activity
While still a student at MGIMO, in 1991 Vladimir Medinsky took an active part in founding the Association of Young Journalists OKO. According to him, OKO later became one of the agencies that were among the first to conclude an agreement with the Izvestia newspaper on the provision of advertising services.
The entrepreneurial activity of Vladimir Rostislavovich was not limited to this - in 1992 he also became a co-founder of the I Corporation agency, which provided advertising and PR services. He had serious plans for the agency, but in 1996 the company was on the verge of ruin due tothe reason for the collapse of financial pyramids, such as Sergey Mavrodi's MMM, who were clients of an advertising agency.
In 1998, Vladimir Rostislavovich put an end to entrepreneurial activity, leaving the post of head of the Ya Corporation and transferring his share in the company to his father.
Scientific and creative activities
Despite his entrepreneurship, Vladimir Medinsky continued to engage in scientific activities. Since 1994 he has been teaching at MGIMO, and in 1997 he successfully defended his dissertation for the degree of candidate of political sciences. He received his doctorate in political sciences in 1999, for which he defended another dissertation, in which he examines the theoretical and methodological difficulties related to the formation of a foreign policy strategy for Russia in the context of the formation of a global information space.
Vladimir Rostislavovich also showed himself as a writer - he wrote a number of books on history, public relations, advertising. Some of them he wrote together with other authors. The most famous of his books is the Myths about Russia series, in which he touches on the themes of drunkenness, laziness, theft, allegedly inherent in the Russian people, which, according to Medinsky, are nothing more than fiction.
Starting from 2008, the Finan FM radio station has launched the weekly program Myths about Russia, authored and hosted by Vladimir Rostislavovich himself. In 2011, he defended his thesis again - this time defending the degree of Doctor of HistorySciences. In his work, he touches upon the problems of objectivity in the interpretation of the history of Russia in the XV-XVII centuries.
Public Service
Vladimir Medinsky, whose biography is replete not only with achievements in entrepreneurial or creative activity, is primarily known as an official. Immediately after leaving the "Ya" Corporation (in 1998), his career began in the public service in the tax police department of Russia. Later he continues to work in the Department of Taxes and Duties. Vladimir Rostislavovich did not work long in the ministry - his political career started in 1999.
Political activities
- From 2000 to 2002, he worked as an adviser to the Deputy State Duma from the Fatherland-All Russia bloc.
- From 2002 to 2004, he headed the executive committee of the Moscow department of the United Russia party, in whose ranks he was from the first days of its foundation.
- In 2003, in the elections to the State Duma of the IV convocation, he received the mandate of a deputy. He was active in the party, held various positions.
- In 2006 he was appointed head of the RASO, but he remained in this position only until 2008.
- In 2007 he was re-elected to the State Duma.
- In 2010, in accordance with the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, he became a member of the commission counteracting the falsification of history to the detriment of Russia's interests. Engaged in this work until the abolition of the commission in 2012.
- Since 2011, as part of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, Vladimir Medinsky has been involved in promoting andstudying the Russian language and culture in different countries of the world. In the same year, he ran for the State Duma of the VI convocation, but was not elected.
- In 2012, he becomes a confidant of Vladimir Putin, who is running for president. A little later, he was appointed head of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
Awards
Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky in 2014 received two awards - the Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh of the second degree and the Order of Honor, in addition, he was twice thanked by the President of the Russian Federation.
In 2014, the leadership of the Italian University of Ca' Foscari nominated Vladimir Rostislavovich for an honorary title. Despite the scandal surrounding this event, on May 15 in Moscow, the diploma of an honorary professor was awarded to the politician, although the ceremony was supposed to take place in Venice.
Criticism against him
As is the case with many high-ranking political figures, he has received a lot of criticism throughout his time in government. As a deputy of the State Duma, the current Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky was repeatedly accused of lobbying the interests of the tobacco, gambling and advertising business. A noteworthy case was when businessman Alexander Lebedev in his blog called the deputy a lobbyist, for which Vladimir Rostislavovich filed a lawsuit against him, which decided to impose a fine of 30 thousand rubles on the defendant and oblige him to publicly renounce accusations ofMedinsky's address.
The scientific dissertations of the statesman, especially his works on history, were also heavily criticized. He was accused of plagiarism, of an unscientific approach to the analysis of sources, and even of deliberate distortion of facts. His books, which were called frank propaganda, did not remain without critical remarks. There were even loud statements in the media that a whole team of authors was working for Medinsky, specializing in propaganda, PR of history, revealing Russophobic sentiments, and his publications were ordered by the Kremlin.
In addition, they condemned the very appointment of a politician to such a high post, they said that the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky does not correspond to his position, all this looks like a desire to turn the Russian Ministry of Culture into a propaganda agency.
Views on politics and life
In the State Duma, Vladimir Rostislavovich paid considerable attention to the work with laws restricting tobacco advertising, gambling, proposed to ban drinking low-alcohol drinks on the street. These aspirations of his were often perceived ambiguously. According to the politician himself, many of the flaws that are attributed to Russia and the Russian people are not actually inherent in them, and there are enough parasites and alcoholics all over the world.
Starting in 2011, Vladimir Medinsky advocated the reburial of Lenin and the creation of a public museum out of the Mausoleum. As head of the ministry, he continues to adhere to this point of view and even declares that the authorities have not yet made such a decision, as they are afraid of losingsupport of the electorate.
Apart from everything else, Medinsky's interest in PR technologies, ideology and propaganda can be noted.
Private life
Not much is known about the politician's personal life. Medinsky Vladimir Rostislavovich is married and seemingly happy in marriage, has three children. His wife, Marina Olegovna Medinskaya (her maiden name is Nikitina), is engaged in entrepreneurial activities.
As for the Medinsky's income, according to the 2014 declaration, the family earns a little more than 98 million rubles a year, of which only 15 are from Vladimir Rostislavovich. They also own a land plot of 3394 sq. m, two apartments, two houses and three cars.
And finally
It remains to be added that, despite all the conflicting opinions about the current Minister of Culture of Russia, this is really an extraordinary person, and as often happens, some people admire such people, while others are dissatisfied with them. As a minister, Vladimir Medinsky, no doubt, will still prove himself, because for all the time he has been in government, he has established himself as an exceptionally energetic and hardworking person.
