“We came to Hlukhiv to show that we have very serious intentions, which we will implement in domestic and foreign policy,” President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych said a couple of weeks ago. In mid-September, Yanukovych and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev were engaged in a series of talks involving important matters like trade, joint infrastructure projects, border issues, and the merits of Pobeda sedans.
I am not a crook.
Admittedly a publicity stunt, the two Presidents joined a segment of the 100th anniversary International Motor Race from St. Petersburg to Moscow to Kyiv. Car nut Tsar Nicholas II originated the reliability run as part of his long term, but ultimately failed, program to bring an auto industry to Russia; in recent years it’s been revived in the mold of the Gumball 3000, albeit with more old cars. The idea for the photo op was theoretically Medvedev’s, but was clearly inspired by Vladimir Putin’s horrible drive along the new Amur highway in a horrible Lada Kalina in August. Putin, whose permission Medvedev seeks before ordering in a restaurant, had also visited drivers on the Silk Way race a few days earlier (talking time out from his busy schedule of shooting whales with a crossbow (true) and beating up Chuck Norris (possibly)). On the other hand, Medvedev has been attempting to assert his independence from Putin on Ukranian relations…but that’s another story.
Medvedev (white 1948 GAS-M20 Pobeda) and Yanukovych (two-tone beige and red 1950 or ’51 convertible, let me know if you know the model) drove their respective cars about 40 miles from Bryansk in Russia to a car show in Glukhov, Ukraine. Russia Today has background video with hot border crossing action.
Medvedev is a collector and was driving his personal car in the rally; Yanukovych had previously had a ride in it in Moscow in April. Modified Pobedas are kind of a thing there.
Photos courtesy Office of Viktor Yanukovych, President of Ukraine.