Report by Andrey Kolesnikov from the gala concert on the occasion of City Day

On September 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in a gala concert on the occasion of City Day. Kommersant special correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov believes that it is no less important that almost all candidates for mayor of Moscow took part in it, including Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Kommersant special correspondent talks about whose celebration of life the President of Russia attended.

The main event of this day was to take place in the Zaryadye concert hall. A solemn event dedicated to the celebration of the 876th anniversary of the founding of Moscow took place here. In short, everything has arrived; at least the day, one might say, has just begun. But it’s also good: everyone still had too much to do that day.

There was some problem in the VIP area. Usually it is located on the second floor, immediately to the right from the stairs. Those who are supposed to, that is, the first few rows in the hall, would be seated there comfortably. But this time, on the site of the VIP zone, they equipped a platform from where Vladimir Putin and Sergei Sobyanin went live, commanding the opening of new roads and railways in the city.

And as a result, it must be said right away that so much was opened that it would be enough, I’m sure, to re-elect Sergei Sobyanin as mayor of Moscow a couple more times, and there would still still be another 40 kilometers of new highways left, which, if desired, could be distributed for a win-win campaign for loyal candidates for Moscow City Duma deputies.

The leaders of confessions were the first to appear on the second floor in the buffet area. They arrived at the same time, and went upstairs together, and were now standing in a circle at a table with coffee and plates on which everything that God had sent to the guests of Zaryadye was laid out: pieces of watermelon, melons, shrimp, prosciutto and aromatic cheese with mold.

At the table I observed the Chairman of the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia Talgat Tadzhuddin, and the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church Cornelius, and the Chairman of the Pentecostal Russian United Union of Christians of the Evangelical Faith Sergei Ryakhovsky…

“Wherever you and I went!” Sergei Ryakhovsky smiled brightly at his comrades. “Whatever we did together!”

There was real truth in his words. Everyone passed.

“And they came together today and didn’t leave each other’s side…” I told him later with sincere, I must admit, approval. “What kind of people are you…”

– Yes, of course! — he exclaimed. “We’ve known each other for 30 years.” We go everywhere together!

Yes, they don’t miss a single case.

— Where is your other colleague, Berl Lazar? (Chief Rabbi of Russia.— A.K.) – I suddenly remembered.

“But it’s Saturday for him,” explained Sergei Ryakhovsky. “If the concert had been scheduled later, in the evening, it would definitely have happened.”

I didn’t bother asking where Pandito Khambo Lama Damba Ayusheev, the head of the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia. Probably also a good reason.

Two middle-aged women stood nearby.

— They invited me to Sobyanin’s awards ceremony! — one said. “He rewarded!”

– You? — I think my friend was extremely surprised.

– No! Why me?!

— Was Sobyanin awarded? – suggested a friend.

– Not really! He rewarded everyone! But they called me! I did not expect. After all, I am an ordinary person!

But it seems that only in appearance.

LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky appeared. He led the arm of State Duma deputy Vladimir Resin, the legendary builder of Moscow. Leonid Slutsky carefully led his senior comrade, it was clear that the concern was not accidental (despite the fact that Vladimir Resin is a deputy from the United Russia faction, and not from the Liberal Democratic Party, and at first glance it would be more logical for Leonid Slutsky to be led into the hall at least on the arm candidate for mayor of Moscow from the LDPR Boris Chernyshov, who was also already here). They were connected, of course, by a relationship. Otherwise, Leonid Slutsky would have entrusted Vladimir Resin, who needed some help, to one of those who surrounded them now, and these were four people at once. But no, Leonid Slutsky held Vladimir Resin’s arm himself (it seems whether he wanted it or not).

Then I met another mayoral candidate, Vladislav Davankov. He is running for the New People party. A few minutes ago, at the buffet, he was already drinking champagne. Why, I became interested and asked him:

— What place are you hoping for?

— I was counting on the second. But it looks like there will be a third,” he admitted.

– Does not work?

“Not yet,” he sighed. “But the third is also good.”

– But not as good as the second one.

“The second, yes…” agreed Vladislav Davankov. “But the third is still five percent, most likely…”

– Five is good…

– Yes, very good…

That’s how we talked.

In the buffet area I saw Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy.

— Have you voted, Peter? – I decided to find out.

“Yes, I would have voted a long time ago,” he answered with some annoyance, “but they say that people should see how I vote and film it.” So I’ll go after the concert.

Some people filmed it for others right now, so Peter Tolstoy did everything right. You can generally be sure of it.

“Well then, tell me,” I asked, “where did the “day of silence” go during the elections? Previously, the “day of silence” was Saturday. Nobody campaigned. And now the elections last three days. So, is the “day of silence” Thursday?

“In theory, yes,” Pyotr Tolstoy thought. “Isn’t it written in the law?” All campaigning must cease 24 hours before the elections.

I was amazed at how Peter Tolstoy knew the laws. He answered straight away to the point.

“But everyone was campaigning on Thursday,” I said honestly.

“Yes, and that’s also true,” agreed Peter Tolstoy. “True, I didn’t campaign, if that’s the case.” And he said to his friends: “Don’t, guys.”

“It’s still a strange situation,” I shared my doubts.

“Yes, there is something to think about,” Pyotr Tolstoy nodded.

Somewhere nearby, two people, standing at a table with prosciutto and melons, were already discussing the first results:

— They say that in Moscow 20 percent of voters have already voted!

– Wow! You don’t even need that much!..

– Yes, two more days…

One of the guests came up to me and asked without much participation:

– How are you doing?

“Great,” I said, just in case.

– When someone tells me that things are great, I ask this person: but why are things not like your Motherland? – this man asked me.

And then I fell silent for a long time.

At this point it was time for everyone to go to the hall. However, we had to wait a long time, because before the start of the concert and Vladimir Putin’s opening speech, the President and Mayor of Moscow had to open so many different roads that both Vladislav Davankov and Boris Chernyshov had to clearly understand: they were strangers at this celebration of life.

Leonid Zyuganov, another candidate for mayor, understood and did not come.

Well, he, on the other hand, did not hear either the Gnessin Virtuosi symphony orchestra or the soloist of the New Opera theater Alexander Tyupa with the composition “Moscow in May” (Alexander Tyupa was mobilized in the fall of 2022 and is serving as a corporal in the Northern Military District zone, being an artist of the front-line creative brigade of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Western Military District), nor “Moscow Nocturne” with improvisation on themes of Sergei Rachmaninov performed by Oleg Akkuratov, laureate of the Presidential Prize of the Russian Federation and laureate of the Moscow Prize, and Andrei Goncharov, 11 years old…

Leonid Zyuganov himself, in general, is to blame.

Maybe they’ll show it on TV, though.

And even for sure.

Andrey Kolesnikov