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### Viewing cable 08MOSCOW2306, SVETLANA MEDVEDEVA STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08MOSCOW2306 | 2008-08-08 06:06 | 2010-12-01 21:09 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Moscow

`

    VZCZCXRO6107
    OO RUEHLN RUEHPOD RUEHVK RUEHYG
    DE RUEHMO #2306/01 2210609
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    O 080609Z AUG 08
    FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9361
    INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
    RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 002306

    SENSITIVE
    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: PGOV SOCI PINR RS
    SUBJECT: SVETLANA MEDVEDEVA STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT

    ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Since Dmitriy Medvedev's election to the
    post of president, a degree of uncertainty permeated the
    press as the public tried to figure out what role his wife,
    Svetlana Medvedeva, would play in the new administration.
    The role of First Ladies in Russia and the Soviet Union has
    often been a contentious issue. Some, such as Raisa
    Gorbacheva, were quite active and frequently seen in public,
    while others, such as Lyudmila Putina, were more reclusive
    and less involved in state affairs. Due to her recent
    involvement in the planning for the "Day of Family, Love, and
    Fidelity," many have compared Medvedeva to Gorbacheva, but
    that analogy seems less apt; instead she seems to be
    altogether a new type of Russian First Lady, one who is more
    active than Putina, but -- for now -- less flashy than
    Gorbacheva.

    Previous First Ladies
    ---------------------

    ¶2. (SBU) In a May 14 article, Georgiy Zotov of the Moscow
    daily Argumenty i Fakty attempted to compare the roles of
    several Russian first ladies to set-up a context for
    Medvedeva's recent activities. While Naina Khrushcheva did
    travel with her husband to the U.S., she was not involved in
    his decision making. Viktoriya Brezhneva was not involved in
    her husband's public life. Raisa Gorbacheva was perhaps the
    most controversial; the public saw her as being overly active
    and her stylish dress provoked much criticism as the Soviet
    Union teetered economically. Yet Zotov asserted that Mikhail
    Gorbachev would not make any decisions without first
    consulting her. Naina Yeltsina always traveled with her
    husband but spent her time smoothing his increasingly erratic
    edges, while devoting her many energies to philanthropy.
    Then there was Lyudmila Putina, the least active publicly of
    all First Ladies. Putina typically appeared at those events
    required by protocol and avoided making public statements.
    Over time, as rumors started over her health and the
    extramarital pursuits of her husband, she became increasingly
    remote, frumpy (to a condescending Moscow elite), and distant
    from public life. She even chose not to accompany her
    husband to Sochi for his farewell meeting as president with
    President Bush.

    Svetlana Medvedeva as First Lady
    --------------------------------

    ¶3. (SBU) Svetlana Medvedeva does not fit neatly into any of
    these roles. After graduating from the Leningrad
    Financial-Economic Institute in 1987, she worked for several
    years but gave up her job at the behest of her husband when
    their son was born in 1995. Yet many have characterized her
    as the driving force both in the family and in Dmitriy
    Medvedev's career. Sources close to the couple describe
    Medvedeva as charismatic, and as having opened up doors for
    her husband, then a non-important law school professor in the
    early 90's when they lived in St. Petersburg. Recently, she
    has worked almost exclusively on a variety of cultural and
    philanthropic initiatives and has a strong connection with
    the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). Some of her activities
    include the Festival of Russian Art and the Council for the
    Spiritual-Moral Culture of the Rising Generation of Russia
    that was founded by Aleksey II.

    Criticisms of Medvedeva
    -----------------------

    ¶4. (SBU) Few have directly criticized Medvedeva in the
    media -- a taboo set by Putin as president -- most simply
    have noted her previous social habits. When the couple moved
    to Moscow as Medvedev's governmental career took off in the
    mid-1990's, Medvedeva was known to frequent elite parties,
    fashion shows, and the circles of high society. Many have
    noted her penchant for high fashion, just like Gorbacheva,
    which is why the two are often compared. However, on
    becoming First Lady, Medvedeva took a half-step back from
    public view, most likely once again at Medvedev's behest.
    She and the Kremlin seem cognizant of the attention that is
    being placed on her and are trying to find a balance between
    the reclusiveness of Putina and the perceived
    ostentatiousness of Gorbacheva. XXXXXXXXXXXX attributed
    his inability to interview  Medvedeva in person as "over
    cautiousness" by Medvedev's  handlers, fearful of inciting
    public opinion against an  "overly ambitious" Kremlin spouse.

    ¶5. (SBU) Most recently, Medvedeva took the national stage
    with planning for the new Russian holiday, the "Day of
    Family, Love, and Fidelity." Medvedeva was at the forefront
    of this project's spiritual and moral realm because of her
    links with the ROC. The holiday was celebrated on July 8

    MOSCOW 00002306 002 OF 002

    because, according to the Orthodox Church's calendar, this is
    the holy day for the patron saints of families. According to
    a Russian legend, a Ryazan peasant's daughter named Fevroniy
    cured a prince Peter from Murom, who then married her against
    the wishes of his family. They lived a long and happy life
    together, died within hours of each other, and in 1547, were
    canonized. While festivals have been held in Murom on this
    date for centuries to celebrate the two saints, some
    political observers noted to us the irony of this childless
    couple being chosen to headline Russia's pro-family message.
    While discussing the holiday with the media, Medvedeva summed
    up her role in the initiative, saying "A woman should by her
    nature strive for humility. Her mission is to keep peace and
    love in the family. Of course, today's couples are more
    inclined to a balanced relationship."

    ¶6. (SBU) While there has been no direct criticism of
    Medvedeva and this recent family-based initiative, the
    government's policies towards the demographic problem
    continue to be criticized for not effectively addressing the
    political, cultural, and economic causes of the problem.
    Olga Vorobyeva, chair of Social Statistics and Demography at
    Russian State Social University, said that initiatives
    addressing the demographic problem need a two-pronged
    approach, improving family-life values and the public
    mentality. She also cited housing problems and access to
    education as contributing factors. Mikhail Nikolayev, Deputy
    Speaker of the Federation Council, said that the economic
    problems of families are not being adequately addressed by
    the government. Nikolayev also stressed the need for
    spiritual and moral education.

    Comment
    -------

    ¶7. (SBU) As president, Medvedev has said that he wants
    Russians to be optimistic about their country's future, and
    Medvedeva has carefully chosen to spearhead an issue that
    clearly conforms to his priorities. While she took an active
    role in planning the "Day of Family, Love, and Fidelity," she
    has been careful not to attract too much attention to
    herself. Despite Medvedeva's fascination with high fashion,
    she -- or her handlers -- has made an apparent conscious
    decision to avoid unflattering references to Gorbacheva;
    instead she has chosen to chart her own path, publicly
    engaging in philanthropy and work with the ROC, while
    purportedly exerting influence on Medvedev behind the scenes.
    RUBIN

`