VZCZCXRO8477
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDBU RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHLN RUEHNAG RUEHPB RUEHSK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHVK #0121/01 3510407
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170407Z DEC 09
FM AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1247
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION COLLECTIVE
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 1358

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VLADIVOSTOK 000121 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON RS
SUBJECT: PORNOGRAPHY ON ICE: VLADIVOSTOK SENDS MAYOR A MESSAGE 
 
VLADIVOSTO 00000121  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  "Have you seen the newspaper?" was the 
question of the day in Vladivostok on December 17.  The front 
page of the Pacific Komsomolets newspaper featured a shocking 
photo of, what shall we call it, a snow phallus erected by 
residents outraged with the city's lack of snow and ice removal. 
 Snow and ice have paralyzed the city for almost two weeks after 
a blizzard hit Vladivostok on December 5.  Early on, some 
residents even had to sleep in their cars and abandon the 
commute home, due to traffic jams.  Rather than just a prank 
that would be the subject of puns and double entendres, this 
incident also exposes some serious political issues. End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) First, is the legitimacy of Mayor Pushkaryev.  The 
mayor was installed by Moscow, since other contenders to the 
post were found ineligible for a host of technical reasons. 
Despite a public relations campaign to improve his image, the 
mayor's popularity is at an all time low.  The mayor has been on 
television repeatedly in the last few days to attempt to deflect 
some of the criticism, but so far residents are not satisfied. 
Icy conditions have caused 590 registered accidents with six 
deaths.  Clinics and hospitals are also trying to cope with 
scores of ice-related injuries as the sidewalks are even worse 
than the roads. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Residents have been unable to safely demonstrate their 
displeasure with the mayor in more traditional ways.  Even 
sanctioned protests have been broken up violently or by citing 
motorists heading to protests for minor, or imagined infractions 
as happened last week.  The communists, TIGR (Citizens 
Initiative of Russia) and the Federation of Motorists of Russia 
attempted to band together to protest a wide range of government 
actions and inactions, but they never reached the main square, 
even though they were ostensibly allowed to stage a 
demonstration, since militia men pulled over all traffic heading 
in that direction.  There was a hint of the unrest as early as 
November, when communist leaders attempted to present the mayor 
with a shovel after the first snowfall.  The mayor's security 
guards didn't allow the shovel in the building and the mayor 
quoted a Russian proverb saying  "he who brings a shovel, should 
use it." 
 
¶4. (SBU) The newspaper that printed the photo is also part of 
the story, since it was founded by journalists who had been 
dismissed from a competing paper that the mayor's team bought 
and then used for their own promotion.  Pacific Komsomolets asks 
on the front page whether the rude sculpture isn't a message 
from Vladivostok residents to the Mayor.  The city, in response, 
banned the sale of the paper to minors, a possible precursor to 
pornography charges for the editors.  The paper says the 
"immodest" photo was not preplanned and that the mayor is waging 
war on Vladivostok citizens through an "ice blockade."  The 
report claims that the sculpture was made by citizens waiting, 
and waiting, for a city bus to make it through the ice.  It will 
be interesting to see what the front page, full frontal photo 
does for the newspaper's circulation and whether it is shut 
down. 
 
¶5. (SBU) In the mayor's defense, it is not clear how many snow 
plows the city has, what federal resources were available, and 
whether the city has first priority on contract plows.  And it 
was a big storm.  However, there are rumors that the plows were 
enticed to richer neighborhoods at first and by the time they 
got around to the secondary roads the snow had turned to black 
ice.  Crews are out in force now, chipping away at the ice and 
treating the roads with sand, but it appears much of the snow 
and ice will be with us until the spring thaw in April.  The 
mayor does not do himself any credit by blaming "hackers" for 
calling for his resignation, but it is a variation from the 
usual suspects -- the Soros Foundation or the Rotary Club. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Work crews are out in force now, trying to chip the ice 
off the sidewalks and treat secondary roads with sand and salt, 
but it appears much of the ice will remain until April's thaw. 
Ice fisherman are now on the bay, avoiding the traffic jams, and 
the temperature is hovering around -20C at night.  Trucks are 
also hampered from getting in and out of the port, which is 
situated in downtown Vladivostok.  At least one Consulate crate 
is trapped in the port due to the ice storm and the consulate 
has closed early on several occasions to prevent four and five 
hour commutes one way for staff. 
 
¶7. (SBU)  Governor Darkin has remained above the fray, and in 
fact is up for reappointment as governor.  All indications are 
that he will be reappointed, given a positive meeting with 
President Medvedev this week in Moscow.  For Mayor Pushkaryev 
the future is not as predictable.  Nor is it for the editors of 
Pacific Komsomolets.  As for residents, Vladivostok is a city 
that on one hand is proud that APEC 2012 will be held here, but 
on the other hand is wondering if the city has the right man in 
the job of mayor.  They certainly do have some creative snow 
 
VLADIVOSTO 00000121  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
artists and an innovative and provocative way to stage a protest. 
JOHNSON