http://english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/22-07-2009/108313-russian_obama-0
22.07.2009
Russia May Soon Have Its Own Obama from Guinea-Bissau
Russia's 'Volgograd Obama'
The campaign to elect the municipal government of Russia's Volgograd region has
turned into a scandal. The candidates use all possible methods, including the
racial issue, to attract electors' attention, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports.
A native of Guinea-Bissau, Joakim Krima, a 37-year-old graduate of the
Volgograd Pedagogical University, set out his wish to run for the head of the
regional government. The "black Russian" was born in Africa and moved to
Russia's Volgograd region 12 years ago. Krima, who sells watermelons, refers to
himself as a Russian citizen. He says that his name is Vasily Ivanovich (in
honor of Vasily Chapayev, a legendary commander of the Red Army).
The billboards with Joakim Krima's image and "The New Head of the Region"
slogan have been erected along many regional highways recently. Local reporters
have already dubbed him as "the Volgograd Obama." Local people joke that if he
is elected, he will work like a slave for the region.
Volgograd is a city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia.
It is 80 kilometres (50 mi) long, north to south, situated on the western bank
of the Volga River. The city was the site of the Battle of Stalingrad during
World War II.
Volgograd originated with the foundation in 1589 of the fortress of Tsaritsyn
at the confluence of the Tsaritsa and Volga Rivers. The fortress, which took
its name from the local name Sary Su (Yellow Water/River in the Tatar
language), was established to defend the unstable southern border of Tsarist
Russia and became the nucleus of a trading settlement. It was captured twice by
Cossack rebels, under Stepan Razin in the rebellion of 1670 and Yemelyan
Pugachev in 1774. Tsaritsyn became an important river port and commercial
centre in the 19th century.
Under Stalin, the city became heavily industrialized and was developed as a
centre of heavy industry and trans-shipment by rail and river. During World War
II (Great Patriotic War), the city of Stalingrad became the center of the
Battle of Stalingrad as well as the pivotal turning point in the war against
Germany. The battle lasted from August 21, 1942 to February 2, 1943. 1.7
million to 2 million Axis and Soviet soldiers were either killed, wounded or
captured, as well as over 40,000 civilians killed. The city was reduced to
rubble during the fierce fighting, but reconstruction began soon after the
Germans were expelled from the city
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