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Mikhail Lesin
Mikhail Yuryevich Lesin (Russian: Михаил Юрьевич Лесин; 11 July 1958 – 5 November 2015) was a Russian political figure, media executive and advisor to president Vladimir Putin. In 2006, he was awarded the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", one of Russia's highest state decorations for civilians. Lesin was nicknamed the Bulldozer (Russian: Бульдозер) because of his ability to get virtually all Russian media outlets under the Kremlin's control, and for being combative in person.
Lesin died in a Washington, D.C., hotel room under unusual circumstances. His family initially said the cause of death was a heart attack, but after a year-long investigation Washington's chief medical examiner and federal authorities released a joint statement saying Lesin died of blunt-force trauma to his head, induced by falls amid acute ethanol intoxication. A leaked report by Christopher Steele for the FBI said Lesin was bludgeoned to death by men working for an oligarch close to Putin.
Lesin was born in Moscow to a Jewish family involved in military construction. He spent his childhood years in Mongolia while his father, Yuri, worked on military construction projects.
From 1976 to 1978, Lesin served in the Soviet Army and Soviet Naval Infantry (Marines Corps) of the USSR Armed Forces. In 1984, he graduated from the Moscow Engineering and Construction Institute in Yaroslavsky as a civil engineer. From 1982 to 1987, he worked in engineering at Minpromstroy (Industrial construction ministry) in Moscow and in Ulan Bator. From 1988 to 1989, he was deputy director for Production of television programs of the Creative Production Association "Game Appliances". From 1990 to 1993, he was Director of Youth creative production of the TV company RTV. In the late 1980s, he directed the television show Funny Guys (Весёлые ребята).
In the late 1980s, the New York firm National Video Industry attempted to establish its Moscow subsidiary Video Industry but could not obtain a proper registration although the firm had printed stationery and stored them in Moscow warehouses. In 1988, as head of the Alexander Zavenovich Akopov (Russian: Александр Завенович Акопов) founded 1988 cooperative "Igrotekhnika" (Russian: "Игротехника") which produced television shows, Lesin became aware of the items, obtained them, and with support from Yuri Zapol (Russian: Юрий Михайлович Заполь), Akopov, and others he established Video International through Ingrotekhnika and RTR (Russia Television and Radio which is often called Russia) (Russian: РТР) and obtained a studio in Spain to upgrade its video equipment and editing techniques after the horrible presentation in Russia of the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. In the early 1990s, Lesin established Video International, which became a multibillion-dollar advertising agency with exclusive advertising rights on NTV and in 2015 was still one of Russia's largest agencies. In 1994, he left Video International. From 1993 to 1996, he was Head of Commercial Department, Deputy General Director and General Director of RIA Novosti. At this position in Novosti, he was pivotal in the Russian parliamentary elections of 1995 and especially the re-election campaign of Yeltsin in the 1996 Russian presidential elections. He began the slogan "Voice of the Heart", authored "I believe, I do, I hope" and "Save and Protect", and provided the president's weekly radio address to the country. From September 1996 until February 1997, he was head of Public Relations for the President of Russia under Yeltsin.
From 1997 to 1999, he was first deputy chairman of the VGTRK (ВГТРК), which essentially brought state run television under one roof and follows the designs of Vladislav Surkov. It was counter to the Western approach, which would have ended state owned media by promoting a free press that is not state owned and operated.
On 6 June 1999, and largely from Lesin's background among Video International, Novosti, and VGTRK, Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin appointed Lesin to head the Ministry of Press, Broadcasting and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation. After Stepashin's brief tenure, then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin retained Lesin as minister and allowed him to be a key figure in the 1999 Russian parliamentary elections and the 2000 Russian presidential election. Through Lesin's support, the pro-Kremlin Unity bloc gained power and the incoming Prime Minister Putin succeeded Yeltsin as the Russian president.
Continuing under President Putin from 1999 until 9 March 2004 as Ministry of Press, Broadcasting and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation, Lesin essentially merged a private advertising agency, Video International, which controlled 65–70% of the television advertising market, with the state owned media companies, and thus brought tremendous wealth to Video International.
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Mikhail Lesin
Mikhail Yuryevich Lesin (Russian: Михаил Юрьевич Лесин; 11 July 1958 – 5 November 2015) was a Russian political figure, media executive and advisor to president Vladimir Putin. In 2006, he was awarded the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", one of Russia's highest state decorations for civilians. Lesin was nicknamed the Bulldozer (Russian: Бульдозер) because of his ability to get virtually all Russian media outlets under the Kremlin's control, and for being combative in person.
Lesin died in a Washington, D.C., hotel room under unusual circumstances. His family initially said the cause of death was a heart attack, but after a year-long investigation Washington's chief medical examiner and federal authorities released a joint statement saying Lesin died of blunt-force trauma to his head, induced by falls amid acute ethanol intoxication. A leaked report by Christopher Steele for the FBI said Lesin was bludgeoned to death by men working for an oligarch close to Putin.
Lesin was born in Moscow to a Jewish family involved in military construction. He spent his childhood years in Mongolia while his father, Yuri, worked on military construction projects.
From 1976 to 1978, Lesin served in the Soviet Army and Soviet Naval Infantry (Marines Corps) of the USSR Armed Forces. In 1984, he graduated from the Moscow Engineering and Construction Institute in Yaroslavsky as a civil engineer. From 1982 to 1987, he worked in engineering at Minpromstroy (Industrial construction ministry) in Moscow and in Ulan Bator. From 1988 to 1989, he was deputy director for Production of television programs of the Creative Production Association "Game Appliances". From 1990 to 1993, he was Director of Youth creative production of the TV company RTV. In the late 1980s, he directed the television show Funny Guys (Весёлые ребята).
In the late 1980s, the New York firm National Video Industry attempted to establish its Moscow subsidiary Video Industry but could not obtain a proper registration although the firm had printed stationery and stored them in Moscow warehouses. In 1988, as head of the Alexander Zavenovich Akopov (Russian: Александр Завенович Акопов) founded 1988 cooperative "Igrotekhnika" (Russian: "Игротехника") which produced television shows, Lesin became aware of the items, obtained them, and with support from Yuri Zapol (Russian: Юрий Михайлович Заполь), Akopov, and others he established Video International through Ingrotekhnika and RTR (Russia Television and Radio which is often called Russia) (Russian: РТР) and obtained a studio in Spain to upgrade its video equipment and editing techniques after the horrible presentation in Russia of the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. In the early 1990s, Lesin established Video International, which became a multibillion-dollar advertising agency with exclusive advertising rights on NTV and in 2015 was still one of Russia's largest agencies. In 1994, he left Video International. From 1993 to 1996, he was Head of Commercial Department, Deputy General Director and General Director of RIA Novosti. At this position in Novosti, he was pivotal in the Russian parliamentary elections of 1995 and especially the re-election campaign of Yeltsin in the 1996 Russian presidential elections. He began the slogan "Voice of the Heart", authored "I believe, I do, I hope" and "Save and Protect", and provided the president's weekly radio address to the country. From September 1996 until February 1997, he was head of Public Relations for the President of Russia under Yeltsin.
From 1997 to 1999, he was first deputy chairman of the VGTRK (ВГТРК), which essentially brought state run television under one roof and follows the designs of Vladislav Surkov. It was counter to the Western approach, which would have ended state owned media by promoting a free press that is not state owned and operated.
On 6 June 1999, and largely from Lesin's background among Video International, Novosti, and VGTRK, Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin appointed Lesin to head the Ministry of Press, Broadcasting and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation. After Stepashin's brief tenure, then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin retained Lesin as minister and allowed him to be a key figure in the 1999 Russian parliamentary elections and the 2000 Russian presidential election. Through Lesin's support, the pro-Kremlin Unity bloc gained power and the incoming Prime Minister Putin succeeded Yeltsin as the Russian president.
Continuing under President Putin from 1999 until 9 March 2004 as Ministry of Press, Broadcasting and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation, Lesin essentially merged a private advertising agency, Video International, which controlled 65–70% of the television advertising market, with the state owned media companies, and thus brought tremendous wealth to Video International.