The co-chairs of Putin’s election headquarters, Maryana Lysenko and Vladimir Mashkov, held a reception of citizens in Moscow.

On Saturday, the co-chairs of Vladimir Putin’s election headquarters, the head physician of Moscow Hospital No. 52 Maryana Lysenko and actor Vladimir Mashkov, held a reception of citizens in Moscow. Like real avatars of their candidate, they took upon themselves a barrage of various requests and appeals, which usually fall on Mr. Putin himself when he communicates with the people. Someone tried to simultaneously solve the problems of operating clinics and public transport in their area. Someone was looking for funding for his book, consisting of quotes from the current president. And someone even decided to give their heart to Vladimir Putin.

Co-chairs Vladimir Putin’s headquarters has three, and they, apparently, have agreed on some kind of division of powers. Therefore, while the speaker of the parliament of the Donetsk People’s Republic and commander of the Sparta battalion Artem Zhoga met with DPR youth activists in Donetsk on January 20, the other two co-chairs held a reception for citizens of the “old” regions in Moscow, in a public reception on Pokrovka. There, Vladimir Mashkov and Maryana Lysenko went into a small room where workplaces were prepared for them behind glass, in the manner of an MFC. At exactly ten in the morning the first two petitioners came to them.

Mr. Mashkov got a middle-aged man dressed in jeans and a jacket, who introduced himself as Konstantin Shchurak.

“We publish books. Here is one of our books. It has been published since 2016, we simply add to it constantly,” he began immediately with the main thing, handing the actor a small red book with gold embossing on the cover: “Vladimir Putin. Quotes and aphorisms.”

Vladimir Mashkov could only insert approving comments, be interested in the price and circulation (750 rubles and 1000–1500 copies) and agree with the publisher’s principled position to print the book only in Russian (although foreigners also like it, among whom “not only the Chinese”). “Any translation reduces the severity,” explained Mr. Shchurak. It came to a predictable request: according to the publisher, one part of the circulation was sponsored by the FSO, the other by a certain priest (“he just came and gave money”), but the authors, of course, would like to increase the circulation and update the book with quotes after 2023, especially since the book is popular among participants in a special military operation.

“This was undoubtedly made with a lot of love. People who understand what is happening in the country, understand what kind of leader we have, what tasks he sets. Vladimir Vladimirovich with his knowledge of the country, the world, and people… How he formulates his thoughts, of course, is very important,” Vladimir Mashkov demonstrated a sincere desire to help. But he immediately admitted that the headquarters would not be able to spend money on the book from the election fund. Although there is still a way out, the actor reassured the petitioner: “First of all, the Ministry of Digital Development is probably doing this. If you apply there, I am almost 100% sure that you will receive a grant.” Finally, Mr. Mashkov asked Konstantin Shchurak to sign the book.

Maryana Lysenko, meanwhile, had already talked with the first visitor and was busy with the second.

“Good afternoon, Maryana Anatolyevna, I’ve heard a lot about your hospital,” former healthcare worker Lyudmila Mineeva began with praise. She was concerned about the standards adopted in Moscow clinics—12 minutes per patient appointment.

Mrs. Lysenko reassured the pensioner, reminding her that the doctor has the right to extend the time if she considers it necessary. “Of course, we will discuss it, thank you very much for paying attention to this,” the co-chair of the headquarters wanted to end the conversation. But Mrs. Mineeva did not give up so easily: “Open the cards and see what they write there. The same thing: the stomach is soft, the mucous membrane is pink. There’s a ton of stuff there that the doctor has to fill out (in just 12 minutes.— “Kommersant”)”. When the petitioner talked about her not-so-successful experience of seeing a doctor, Maryana Lysenko changed tactics, using a seemingly win-win technique: “Here I have no questions about the fact that you are right. This is the doctor’s mistake… Based on your state of health, I suggest you come to us (to the hospital.— “Kommersant”)”. Lyudmila Mineeva willingly clarified how to do this, but had no intention of leaving, apparently trying to take advantage of the chance to resolve all the accumulated issues at once. Therefore, in the remaining time, she managed to tell the head physician about the lack of safe passage to the new clinic not far from her home (“If someone from the management had walked through in rainy weather, he would probably have looked differently”), and about that the public transport system in the area also needs to be improved.

Following the persistent pensioner, another woman sat down in front of the glass with a story about how calling a doctor to her child with all the telephone conversations, including with a robot, took her 55 minutes. This is a technological aspect, because the ambulance in Moscow arrives on time, Ms. Lysenko continued, solving the difficult task of combining receiving requests from concerned citizens with protecting the capital’s healthcare system.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Mashkov had a pleasant conversation with a middle-aged blonde and her 14-year-old daughter, dressed in a trouser suit and tie, with whom, after the conversation, he even agreed to take a photo. The visitors’ names were Victoria and Inga Nikolaev. The first one said that they were at the reception last week, and the day before they received a call and were asked to come again from their city of Alexandrov (Vladimir region). “For an event like this, driving two hours isn’t that hard,” she explained.

As it turned out, the main petitioner was her daughter Inga, and it immediately became clear why she was invited to the public reception.

“I asked that changes be made to the decree that minors do not have the right to participate in the election campaign of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, since we are the future of Russia!” – she said to reporters.

The girl also asked to support her action, in which schoolchildren sew hearts with letters to SVO participants. “I hope I will achieve my main goal – to talk with Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. I want him to be my mentor in the future, and shake his hand, and say thank you for everything he does for the country,” Inga Nikolaeva has already revealed all her cards. According to her, Vladimir Mashkov promised to help with all her requests. “He said that he would give my heart to Vladimir Vladimirovich, and I hope that we will continue to keep in touch,” she finished, without, however, specifying which heart—rag or real—we are talking about.

Andrey Vinokurov