During the single day that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin spent in his native St Petersburg, he managed to launch a new supertanker intended for the Far North, to discuss the situation in the defence industry, find money to rescue the building of the Bolshoi Drama Theatre (BDT) and floor several judo masters. Izvestia has dogged the Prime Minister's steps throughout the day.
Buffeted by piercing wind blowing from the Finnish Gulf, the workers at the Admiralty Shipyard were struggling to fix clusters of white, blue and red balloons to the railings. Another group of workers perched on the deck of the freshly painted tanker (raised to the height of a ten-storey house) while preparing the inevitable bottle of champagne.
"How you name a ship determines how it will sail!"
Vladimir Putin and the future "godmother" of the tanker, actress Alisa Freindlikh, appeared on a makeshift platform erected next to the slipway.
"Sailors say that how you name a ship determines how it will sail," Mr Putin began, looking affectionately at the second vessel of this class built at the Admiralty Shipyard (the first was the Mikhail Ulyanov).
"I name this vessel the Kirill Lavrov. May God bless the tanker and all the seamen that man it," Alisa Freindlikh said.
The officer cadets struck up the Russian national anthem, the champagne bottle was smashed against the side of the ship, the stop block was cut, and the huge vessel slipped into the Finnish Gulf.
"The Lavrov can handle the heavy ice in the Barents Sea and low Arctic temperatures. The same is true of the crew. There are railings and a bridge with heating, a sauna, a swimming pool, a gym and high-speed Internet access. If necessary, the huge ship can be controlled by a single person sitting in front of a computer.
"We can undertake missions of any degree of complexity. A similar spurt must be accomplished in naval shipbuilding," Mr Putin encouraged the ministers at the meeting that discussed the Russian defence industry.
The Prime Minister called for a long-term programme of naval development that would meet the pressing needs of the Navy and take into account the challenges it faces now and may face in the next thirty years. That is the minimum task; the maximum task is to create a modern base for producing components in order to stop importing technologies and parts.
"I can go on stage without makeup if it helps to solve the problem."
That same evening, the Georgy Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre gave a performance of Uncle's Dream. Vladimir Putin dropped in at the theatre, but not to watch the play. The management and the company were awaiting the Prime Minister in order to show him the cracks in the walls and ceiling.
Theatre director Boris Kontrebinsky and actress Alisa Freindlikh first took Mr Putin to the lounge, then to the service premises, and finally to the stage. There were somewhere barely noticeable cracks in the walls. In some places the attrition of time was more in evidence, and these places had been hastily painted over. There were traces of former leeks on the walls. During the past week, representatives of the Ministry for Emergencies planted little beacons all over the place.
Meanwhile, Putin was vigorously shaking hands with the theatre's actor Oleg Basilashvili and Culture Minister Alexander Avdeyev.
"I have talked with the Emergencies Ministry and they have sent a team over. Experts are assessing the technical condition of the building. They will report their findings before December 23-25 this year," the Prime Minister was putting the actors and bureaucrats into the picture. "I am aware that there are other problems as well. The Federal Budget has not earmarked any money for the theatre repair in 2010. Let us discuss it quickly because I understand you are performing a play today, am I right? It's time for you to go to your makeup rooms."
"I could go on stage without makeup if it helps to solve the problem," Alisa Freindlikh blurted out.
She needn't have offered the sacrifice. Over tea, the Prime Minister, government officials, and the members of the company agreed that the Culture Ministry would allocate 200 million roubles to finance initial repairs. Work on the foundation and support structures would begin in spring, provided that such work would not require the company to move to a new stage. In 2011, the government will raise the money for a full-scale repair and in 2011-2012, the repairs will be carried out. By that time, a new and large temporary stage would be found.
"You can put me on the team"
While the fate of the Bolshoi Drama Theatre was being decided, members of the national judo team based at the School of Higher Sports were making tea as they prepared to discuss their successes and setbacks with the Prime Minister. The past season was a dismal one for Russian judo. But since the team got a new coach, the athletes won several medals at the last world championship.
Vladimir Putin entered the gym in a judo uniform with his name on it.
"Oss," he made a half-bow to greet the athletes.
"Oss," the athletes who were lined up in front of him answered in a chorus.
Putin chose himself a partner and without much ado threw him on the mat. The journalists who watched the workout from a balcony discussed the goings on with the school's director, Georgy Kukoverov.
"How do you assess him? Is he losing form?"
"He is building up form," Mr Kukoverov replied diplomatically. "Vladimir Putin is a bona fide Master of Sport."
Meanwhile, Putin had released the rather worn-out looking young man, adjusted his belt and took on another partner.
"This is the team's coach, Ezio Gamba, an Italian," the school director said with a wink, probably hinting at the friendship between Putin and Silvio Berlusconi or at his rival's strength. Regardless, Signor Gamba went down feet up and landed on his back. "One has a feeling that they are just offering no resistance. Or is Putin truly invincible?" an Izvestia correspondent wondered.
"That's him all over," Mr Kukoverov assured us and added: "A winner's mentality. To dodge in order to win."
Putin spent a good half hour flooring his rivals and giving autographs.
"If you need help, you can put me on the team," was the Prime Minister's parting shot.
Ezio Gamba appeared to think it through.
Anastasia Savinykh