The dome of the world will sway – Picture of the Day – Kommersant

On March 18, on the anniversary of the reunification of Crimea and Sevastopol, Russian President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly flew to Sevastopol and studied large-scale objects new to the city. Special Correspondent “Kommersant” Andrey Kolesnikov about how and where it happened.

The fact that Vladimir Putin suddenly ended up in Sevastopol came as a big surprise. In fact, it was assumed that he would evaluate the new facilities in Sevastopol using a video link. Meanwhile, at some point, after the Russian president flew out of the city, it turned out that he was there. The precautions were unprecedented even considering the usual in such cases.

Apparently, this was a challenge for Mr. Putin: he could not avoid flying to the Crimea this year, and in the end he made such a decision. Especially after the International Criminal Court in The Hague presented a warrant for his arrest (that is, now there is nothing to lose at all).

In Sevastopol, the Russian president arrived at the historical and archaeological park Tauric Chersonese. Here, in addition to the governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, he was met by the chairman of the Patriarchal Council for Culture, Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov). With Vladimir Putin, according to Kommersant, there was not even a personal cameraman and photographer, so then photos and videos were collected among those who were, that is, mainly from the participants in the event (the VGTRK camera was waiting on the street, but this does not count: All events took place indoors. That is, the photographers were not personal, but street ones.

On the territory of the park, where a few years ago Vladimir Putin was already together with the former Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, built (by the forces of the Ministry of Defense, of course) primarily the children’s center “Korsun” – a branch of “Artek”.

“It took less than a year to build all this,” Vladyka Tikhon showed the president. “Here are the military builders (he also showed.— “b”)… Let’s go further… Hang the pictures here…

— And who is your main sponsor? Vladimir Putin interrupted him.

“Tokarev and Dyukov,” Vladyka responded quickly and to the point.

“Transneft and Gazprom Neft,” the president nodded.

Why did he need to know?

“There probably isn’t such an art school in Russia anymore…” Vladimir Putin looked around the premises. “Not every university has such classrooms…”

– Certainly! Bishop Tikhon picked up. “And most importantly, forty thousand children!”

Certainly not anywhere else. If forty thousand children alone…

“Then we will show the Museum of Christianity,” Vladyka Tikhon promised. “A huge museum! With a dome the same as Hagia Sophia, 33 meters! Naturally, there is a projection and that’s all … There will be an amazing exposition “History of the Crimea and Novorossia” (they are now inseparable.— “b”)… And, of course, in the first place there will be a museum of antiquity and Byzantium (it is strange that they were not united either.— “b”). We are bringing out the current museum, which already has 200,000 artifacts, we can’t… they are in small monastic premises… Now they are given 11,000 square meters of space… And there will also be an International Center for Archeology…

There was a complete impression that it was Metropolitan Tikhon who was in charge of the construction.

“Besides,” he continued, “an amazing archaeological event has taken place here!” Excavations were carried out here on 81 thousand square meters! Nowhere in history has there ever been such an excavation in one place.

– Even in Soviet times it was not? Vladimir Putin asked.

It always makes sense to compare with a reference unit of measurement.

– Neither in the Soviet, nor in the pre-Soviet, nor in the world – nowhere was this! Bishop Tikhon guaranteed, finding himself in the public mundane plane. “More than 3 million artifacts have been found!

“And for everything to come true, we need to say words of gratitude to Gazprom Neft and Transneft,” the Russian president did not forget about mundane things.

That’s why he needed to know. He was getting ready.

Everything works out, in short? Vladimir Putin clarified to Metropolitan Tikhon in the corridor.

“Yes, yes, yes, all thanks to God!” Bishop Tikhon hurried to remark, and by the way he remembered: “His Holiness is interested in …

We need his support! the president assured.

Not everything should be the other way around.

“Blessing, prayers… Of course…” Metropolitan Tikhon agreed.

In the next office, Artek director Konstantin Fedorenko whispered something to Bishop Tikhon.

— Ah, yes! said Metropolitan Tikhon. “Advisors will also be trained here!”

They overshadowed them with a mention in vain.

The Museum of Christianity, which finally confirms where and where it actually came from, still exists mainly in video projections. But there is no doubt that the Ministry of Defense will cope with this facility in record time (sometimes it is not completely clear what it does faster: build or destroy. Both take place in three shifts).

– This is how it will be built! – Vladyka Tikhon admired. – And this will be a temple-park … Imagine, in the summer, when it’s hot, there are dispersed fountains in the temple! Unique too… And the dome opens… Imagine, like this: the dome!.. If there are night services, then under the starry sky…

The open sky, especially in such places, especially starry, that is, at night, is actually not very encouraged now.

“Can you imagine how the procession will go like this through the whole city there …” dreamed Metropolitan Tikhon.

The project really captured him.

The construction can really outshine even the temple of the armed forces in the Patriot park near Moscow (there the fountains are taken out, and the dome, to be honest, is stationary by all indications – although go, of course, you know … Maybe the mine is in the floor at the same time opens…). And it was hard to even imagine.

“The ancient underground river Keraon has been dug up!” — Vladyka Tikhon said. — There are still excavations to be carried out here for several decades… — In antiquity it was, it was underground, and now the most transparent river!

Vladimir Putin made it clear that it was time to go already.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to make it happen! – Metropolitan Tikhon thanked and corrected himself: – They came up with and made it possible to implement!

Yes, for the Russian president it’s like Sirius.

“Keep going in the same spirit,” Vladimir Putin blessed Bishop Tikhon, having already sat behind the wheel of the car in which he arrived.

No, it was not the Aurus, which, apparently, is not as efficient to deliver here for a couple of hours as the S-400 complex is forever, but the Land Cruiser. (Maybe you have to choose.)

– And you too! – Mikhail Razvozhaev was deeply moved.

Of this there could be no doubt.