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Russian Officials Get a Gift From the Kremlin: A Book of Putin Quotes Russian Officials Get a Gift From the Kremlin: A Book of Putin Quotes
(about 1 hour later)
MOSCOW — The Kremlin is bestowing a special gift this holiday season on a select group of Russian officials.MOSCOW — The Kremlin is bestowing a special gift this holiday season on a select group of Russian officials.
The gift is words. Not just any words, but the collected wisdom of President Vladimir V. Putin, compiled in a 400-page book modestly titled “Words That Change the World.”The gift is words. Not just any words, but the collected wisdom of President Vladimir V. Putin, compiled in a 400-page book modestly titled “Words That Change the World.”
The inch-thick hardback, mercifully shorter than the 55-volume collected speeches of Lenin, includes snappy, Twitter-length quotes drawn from the past 12 years of Mr. Putin’s most important speeches and interviews to help attract the so-called Putin generation of young Russians.The inch-thick hardback, mercifully shorter than the 55-volume collected speeches of Lenin, includes snappy, Twitter-length quotes drawn from the past 12 years of Mr. Putin’s most important speeches and interviews to help attract the so-called Putin generation of young Russians.
“His policy is consistent and predictable and cohesive,” said Anton Volodin, one of the media-savvy marketing managers at Set, a Russian youth political movement, who edited the book.“His policy is consistent and predictable and cohesive,” said Anton Volodin, one of the media-savvy marketing managers at Set, a Russian youth political movement, who edited the book.
Mr. Volodin, 29, described the president’s words as “prophetic,” and said he decided to publish the book so that every senior official or important politician could have Mr. Putin’s most important pronouncements readily at hand.Mr. Volodin, 29, described the president’s words as “prophetic,” and said he decided to publish the book so that every senior official or important politician could have Mr. Putin’s most important pronouncements readily at hand.
The editors highlight some infamous Putin aphorisms on the black-and-white cover of the book, which features a portrait of the Russian leader. His quote from 1999 about terrorists, “we will waste them in the outhouse,” is there, along with a curiously mundane confession: “I drink kefir,” a popular yogurt drink. The editors highlight some infamous Putin aphorisms on the black-and-white cover of the book, which features a portrait of the Russian leader. His quote from 1999 about terrorists, “we will waste them in the outhouse,” is there, along with a seemingly mundane confession: “I drink kefir,” a popular yogurt drink. (Unlike, say, his predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, who drank copious amounts of vodka.)
Mr. Volodin and Makar Vikhlyantsev, 31, another editor, spent five months culling 150 speeches and interviews, selecting 19 to be included in the book. It starts with Mr. Putin’s address to the United Nations in 2003 and ends with his speech there in September, when he called for an international coalition to fight terrorism.Mr. Volodin and Makar Vikhlyantsev, 31, another editor, spent five months culling 150 speeches and interviews, selecting 19 to be included in the book. It starts with Mr. Putin’s address to the United Nations in 2003 and ends with his speech there in September, when he called for an international coalition to fight terrorism.
The editors hoped Russian officials would use the book as “a manual for action, for understanding,” Mr. Vikhlyantsev said.The editors hoped Russian officials would use the book as “a manual for action, for understanding,” Mr. Vikhlyantsev said.
The selected speeches reflect the major themes of Mr. Putin’s presidency, taking aim at rivals and touting Russia’s virtues.
The book includes Mr. Putin’s speech to a global security conference in Munich in 2007, when he bristled with resentment at how Russia had been treated since the Soviet collapse. That speech did indeed presage much of what was to come in a new, more aggressive Kremlin policy toward the rest of the world.
“Russia — we — are constantly being taught about democracy. But for some reason, those who teach us do not want to learn themselves,” Mr. Putin said, singling out the United States for its use of military force, “that is plunging the world into an abyss of permanent conflicts.”
“This is extremely dangerous,” he said, adding later: “No one feels safe!”
In another 2007 speech, in Guatemala, Mr. Putin touted Russia’s bid to host the Olympics in Sochi, saying: “We in Russia turn a sports competition into a really spectacular event and we are good at it.”
When news of the book was reported, members of Moscow’s intelligentsia recoiled at what they viewed as a Russian version of “The Little Red Book,” the pocket edition of Chairman Mao Zedong’s maxims, first published in China around 1964.When news of the book was reported, members of Moscow’s intelligentsia recoiled at what they viewed as a Russian version of “The Little Red Book,” the pocket edition of Chairman Mao Zedong’s maxims, first published in China around 1964.
“It is a kind of Asian thing — countries with authoritarian and autocratic regimes always make an effort to publish the most eloquent pronouncements of the leaders, even when they are not so eloquent,” Nikolai Svanidze, a Russian historian, told the Russian website RBC daily. “Countries with authoritarian and autocratic regimes always make an effort to publish the most eloquent pronouncements of the leaders, even when they are not so eloquent,” Nikolai Svanidze, a Russian historian, told the Russian website RBC daily.
During Soviet times, academic research papers published on almost any scientific topic included a quote from Stalin, and Mr. Svanidze speculated that day might fast be approaching: “It’s not obligatory to include Putin’s words in a work on physical education yet, but as they say, the night is still young.” During Soviet times, academic research papers published on almost any scientific topic included a quote from Stalin, and Mr. Svanidze speculated, “It’s not obligatory to include Putin’s words in a work on physical education yet, but as they say, the night is still young.”
Mr. Volodin and Mr. Vikhlyantsev work out of Set’s chic Moscow headquarters, decorated with all manner of Putin paraphernalia: a jewelry case holding silver Putin rings and a mural that asks, “What does Superman dream about?” (Hint: The muscled man from Krypton is sleeping in a Putin T-shirt.)Mr. Volodin and Mr. Vikhlyantsev work out of Set’s chic Moscow headquarters, decorated with all manner of Putin paraphernalia: a jewelry case holding silver Putin rings and a mural that asks, “What does Superman dream about?” (Hint: The muscled man from Krypton is sleeping in a Putin T-shirt.)
They said they receive government grants for their films, the patriotic clothing line they produce and other projects, but they said none of that money went toward publishing the book of Putin quotes.They said they receive government grants for their films, the patriotic clothing line they produce and other projects, but they said none of that money went toward publishing the book of Putin quotes.
They sent a copy to the Kremlin, where Vyacheslav V. Volodin, Mr. Putin’s deputy chief of staff, decided that the book was a must-have manual for Russian apparatchiks.They sent a copy to the Kremlin, where Vyacheslav V. Volodin, Mr. Putin’s deputy chief of staff, decided that the book was a must-have manual for Russian apparatchiks.
Mr. Volodin, who is not related to the book’s editor, quickly snapped up the initial print run of 1,500 copies to distribute as presents for the New Year.Mr. Volodin, who is not related to the book’s editor, quickly snapped up the initial print run of 1,500 copies to distribute as presents for the New Year.
The next print run is scheduled to go on sale to the public in January for about $11 a copy, with English and Chinese translations planned.The next print run is scheduled to go on sale to the public in January for about $11 a copy, with English and Chinese translations planned.
Mr. Putin’s office has traditionally tried to ward off any suggestion that he was developing a cult of personality, and despite Set’s close ties to government youth-outreach efforts, the Kremlin maintained it was not involved in the creation of the book.Mr. Putin’s office has traditionally tried to ward off any suggestion that he was developing a cult of personality, and despite Set’s close ties to government youth-outreach efforts, the Kremlin maintained it was not involved in the creation of the book.
“I have not seen this book, have not read it and I don’t know who is sending it off,” Dmitri S. Peskov, the presidential spokesman, told reporters.“I have not seen this book, have not read it and I don’t know who is sending it off,” Dmitri S. Peskov, the presidential spokesman, told reporters.
The newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets said it could not find any official who had received a copy yet, and at least one politician pretended to lament the fact that he did not make the cut.The newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets said it could not find any official who had received a copy yet, and at least one politician pretended to lament the fact that he did not make the cut.
“Maybe I could become a better politician,” Dmitri G. Gudkov, one of the few independent voices left in the Parliament, posted on Twitter.“Maybe I could become a better politician,” Dmitri G. Gudkov, one of the few independent voices left in the Parliament, posted on Twitter.