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 has come a long way 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 is Vladimir Medinsky, photos and various interesting facts.
Origin and childhood
Medinsky Vladimir Rostislavovich was born on July 18, 1970 in the city of Smele, Cherkasy region of the then USSR. His father, Rostislav Ignatievich Medinsky, was a colonel of the Soviet army who took part in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster, his mother, Alla Viktorovna Medinskaya, was a general practitioner. On duty, the Medinsky senior family had to constantly change their place of residence, Vladimir's childhood was spent in military garrisons. Only in the 80s the family finally moved to Moscow.
From early childhood Vladimir was an active child, tried to always be in front. In school, he commanded an “asterisk” 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 at MGIMO. In school, he achieved notable successes. Vladimir Medinsky was a member of the academic council of the university, held a leading position in the Association of Journalists of the Institute, was a member of the Komsomol committee, and was a Lenin scholarship holder. Trained as a correspondent in TASS and APN. Studying Czech, he completed an internship in Prague.
During his studies at MGIMO, Vladimir Rostislavovich joined the CPSU. From 1991 to 1992, he completed practical training in the USA (at the Embassy of the USSR), and later in the Russian Federation, acting as assistant press secretary. Vladimir Rostislavovich graduated from the educational institution with excellent marks, and in 1993 continued his education at the graduate school of MGIMO.
Business activities
While still a student at MGIMO, in 1991 Vladimir Medinsky took an active part in the founding of the Association of Young Journalists JCE. According to him, JCE later became one of the agencies that were among the first to conclude an agreement on the provision of advertising services with the Izvestia newspaper.
Entrepreneurial activity of Vladimir Rostislavovich was not limited to this - in 1992 he also became a co-founder of the Corporation Ya agency, which provided advertising and PR services. He had serious plans for the agency, but in 1996 the company was on the brink of ruin due to the collapse of financial pyramids, such as MMM Sergei Mavrodi, who were clients of an advertising agency.
In 1998, Vladimir Rostislavovich ended his entrepreneurial activity, leaving the post of head of the Corporation "I" and transferring his share in the company to his father.
Scientific and creative activity
Despite 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 a doctorate in political science in 1999, for which he defends another dissertation, in which he considers theoretical and methodological difficulties regarding the formation of a strategy for Russia to conduct foreign policy in the context of the formation of a global information space.
Vladimir Rostislavovich also proved himself as a writer - he wrote a number of books on history, public relations, and advertising. He wrote some of them together with other authors. His books of the Myths about Russia series are the most famous, in which he addresses the themes of drunkenness, laziness, theft, supposedly inherent in the Russian people, which, according to Medinsky, is nothing more than fiction.
Since 2008, the weekly program “Myths about Russia” has been launched on the radio station “Finance FM”, the author and host of which is Vladimir Rostislavovich himself. In 2011, he again defended his thesis - this time defending a doctorate in historical sciences. In his work, he addresses the problems of objectivity in the interpretation of Russian history of the XV-XVII centuries.
Public service
Vladimir Medinsky, whose biography abounds not only with achievements in entrepreneurial or creative activity, is primarily known as an official. Immediately after leaving the Ya Corporation (in 1998), he began his career in public service at the Russian Tax Police Department. Later, he continues to work in the department of taxes and fees. Vladimir Rostislavovich did not work long in the ministry - since 1999, his political career began.
Political activity
- From 2000 to 2002, he worked as an adviser to the deputy of the State Duma from the “Fatherland-All Russia” block.
- From 2002 to 2004, he headed the executive committee of the Moscow department of the United Russia party, which has been in the ranks from the first days of its founding.
- In 2003, at 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 RASO, but remained in this position only until 2008.
- In 2007, re-elected to the State Duma.
- In 2010, in accordance with a decree of the President of the Russian Federation, he became a member of a commission that counteracts 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 the promotion and study of 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 the presidential candidate Vladimir Putin. A little later he was appointed head of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
Awards
In 2014, the Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky 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 to receive an honorary title. Despite the scandal surrounding this event, on May 15, a diploma of honorary professor was awarded to the politician in Moscow, although the ceremony was to be held in Venice.
Criticism of him
As happens with many high-ranking politicians, there has been a lot of criticism of him throughout his time in government. As a State Duma deputy, the current Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky has repeatedly been accused of lobbying for the interests of the tobacco, gambling and advertising businesses. A noteworthy case is when the businessman Alexander Lebedev on 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 refuse charges against Medinsky.
The scientific dissertations of a statesman, especially works on history, were also subjected to great criticism. He was accused of plagiarism, an unscientific approach to analyzing sources, and even intentionally misrepresenting the facts. His books, which were called outright propaganda, were not left without criticism. The media even made loud statements that a whole group of authors was working for Medinsky, specializing in propaganda, PR, revealing Russophobic sentiments, and its publication was an order from the Kremlin.
In addition, the very appointment of a politician to such a high post was also condemned, they said that the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky does not correspond to his position, all this is like a desire to turn the Russian Ministry of Culture into a propaganda department.
Views on politics and life
In the State Duma, Vladimir Rostislavovich paid considerable attention to working with laws restricting tobacco advertising, the gambling business, proposed banning the drinking of low-alcohol drinks on the street. These of his aspirations were often perceived ambiguously. According to the politician himself, many of the flaws that are attributed to Russia and the Russian people, in fact, are not inherent in them, and parasites and alcoholics are missing all over the world.
Since 2011, Vladimir Medinsky advocated the reburial of Lenin and the creation of a public museum from the Mausoleum. As the head of the ministry, he continues to adhere to this point of view and even states that the authorities have not yet made such a decision, as they are afraid of losing the support of the electorate by such actions.
Among other things, Medinsky’s interest in PR technologies, ideology and propaganda can be noted.
Personal life
Not much is known about the personal life of a politician. Medinsky Vladimir Rostislavovich is married and seems to be 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 fall to Vladimir Rostislavovich. Also in their property is a land area of 3394 square meters. m, two apartments, two houses and three cars.
In conclusion
It remains to add that, despite all the conflicting opinions regarding the current Minister of Culture of Russia, this is really an extraordinary person, and as often happens, such people arouse admiration of some, and others are dissatisfied with them. As a minister, Vladimir Medinsky will undoubtedly prove himself, because for all the time he worked in the government, he established himself as an extremely energetic and hardworking person.