Igor Yeliseyev
Russia is summing up the results of the Year of the Family.
In late December 2007, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev officially inaugurated the Year of the Family in Russia.
A New Year dinner organised at the Kremlin Palace of Congresses involved children from orphanages and families with many children, as well Russian politicians.
Children continued to meet with top state officials throughout 2008. The President and the Prime Minister visited numerous schools and children's centres. In January 2008, Dmitry Medvedev who was then still First Deputy Prime Minister visited a family of Muscovites where a 100,000th local baby was born on December 26, 2007. The boy was named Alexei and became the third child in the family of teachers Dmitry and Svetlana Grigoryev.
On New Year's Eve, the President gave the "Order for Service to the Fatherland" to Deputy Moscow Mayor Lyudmila Shvetsova who presented a photo of the Grigoryev family to him. Shvetsova, who visited the family several days before said City Hall had provided the Grigoryevs with a new three-room apartment.
Such awards are well-justified because over 107,000 babies will be born in Moscow through 2008.
Several days ago, Vladimir Putin received Dasha Varfolomeyeva who asked him for a Cinderella-style dress during the December 4 question-and-answer session.
Putin and Dasha met in a cozy setting. Dressed in a light grey sweater, the Prime Minister treated his guests to cranberry drink and cakes. Dasha's dream came true when she received a cream-coloured dress.
Putin eventually asked the grownups to leave because Dasha and her sister were extremely shy and he told the girls they should have a heart-to-heart talk.
Nobody knows what they talked about because children and top state officials have their own secrets.
National issue