Marry 

Major international events of the year. All-Russian elections of deputies of the State Duma

"Trend, of course, it's time to break"

"2016 turned out to be a harder year than the previous one," the president said at the Kremlin's New Year's buffet. And you can't argue with that.

Only now it turns out that exactly the same was the year 2015. And 2014 was harder than 2013. And so on... At least another five years.

It does not add optimism. But "difficulties harden"

and the Russians are already world champions in everyday hardening.

Although the trend with the annual "weighting", of course, it's time to break.

Concert of Russian musicians in Palmyra liberated from militants.

Theatergoers have a term "back". This back background curtain is part of the theatrical scenery. The war in Syria was the "back" of the year.


Fighting in the streets of Aleppo.

Many significant events took place against the backdrop of this war. In one way or another, they were connected with it. They flowed from her. Starting with nonsense - from the fact that we stopped going on vacation to Turkey and Egypt. And ending with the terrorist attacks in Europe, the nanny Bobokulova, Varvara Karaulova, the murder of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov and the national tragedy - the crash of the Tu-154.


On the morning of December 25, a Tu-154 aircraft of the Ministry of Defense crashed into the Black Sea on takeoff from Adler Airport. The plane was heading to Syria, to the Khmeimim military base, to congratulate our servicemen on the New Year. 92 people died: most of the Alexandrov ensemble, 9 journalists, Elizaveta Glinka, the crew and the servicemen accompanying the flight.


Victims of explosions at the Brussels airport. Photo: twitter.com Tabagari

The bloody terrorist attacks in Istanbul, Ankara, Brussels, Nice, Berlin, committed during the year, confirmed that there really were terrorists among the refugees who fled to Europe from the war. More than 400 people died in the attacks, more than 1000 were injured.


The mentally ill nanny Bobokulova, zombified by Islamist propaganda, strangled and beheaded a 4-year-old disabled girl left in her care. Due to a mental disorder, she was released from criminal liability and sent to compulsory treatment.


Andrey Karlov, the Russian ambassador to Turkey, was shot dead in Ankara on December 19 by a security officer of President Erdogan. The employee, who turned out to be a terrorist, committed a public murder as "revenge for Aleppo."


20-year-old Varvara Karaulova, who fell in love with a Syrian militant via Internet correspondence, was sentenced to a disproportionately long term of 4.5 years in prison. Despite cooperating with the security authorities during the investigation, she was convicted of "attempting to join a terrorist organization." Reposts of harmless texts, pictures, photographs, and other "thought crimes" were also punished excessively severely throughout the year.


Money seized from Colonel Zakharchenko.

The fight against corruption in the outgoing year has reached a level where it is better to be silent about it than to talk about it. 9 billion Colonel Zakharchenko amazed everyone. This is what is going on in the state, if a simple colonel has such money scrambled?


Although the CEC was led this year by the beautiful new Ella Pamfilova, and not by the old Vladimir Churov, who had bothered everyone, the elections to the State Duma were held as usual. The turnout is low, the advantage of United Russia is overwhelming.


Ksenia Sobchak gave birth to a son in a clinic near Moscow, and so far no one has taken a picture of the baby, posted it, posted it or shared it. Let him grow up healthy and smart, God bless him.


Ex-Minister Ulyukaev in court.

And then how much do the generals have? .. The Minister of Economic Development Ulyukaev became the decoration of the list of the best corrupt officials of 2016. But there are other bright personalities: the governor of the Kirov region Nikita Belykh, the head of RusHydro Egeny Dod, the head of the Main Directorate of Security for the North-West Federal District of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation Yuri Timchenko, the mayor of Vladivostok Igor Pushkarev, the deputy head of the Main Directorate of the ICR Denis Nikandrov, the governor of the Sakhalin region Alexander Khoroshavin, the head of the FSO for the North Caucasus FD Gennady Lopyrev.


Another shock of the year is the tragedy at Syamozero. 14 children resting in the camp drowned because they were caught in a storm, the approach of which was known. But the camp was overcrowded, there were no beds for them, so they were escorted out on a deadly march.


Two-time Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva, barred from the Rio Games, cries at a reception in the Kremlin.

The muddy doping story, brewed by the muddy Rodchenkov, who was appointed to stir up doping by muddy sports leaders, led to the fact that our athletes broke through to the Olympics in Rio like partisans from the environment. In the end, not all broke through. But, even tortured and tormented, our team performed very well, winning 4th place in the medal standings. Paralympic athletes, unfortunately, were excluded from the Olympics.


In June, British citizens voted to leave the EU - mainly because of the "come in large numbers" of migrants who take away jobs and enjoy social benefits. It is predicted that other countries will follow the UK, and in the future the collapse of the European Union is inevitable.


Police extricate a hooligan who had pissed on several exhibits at the "Not Embarrassed" exhibition by photographer Jock Sturges.

The Orthodox community, led by retired officers and active bikers, controlled cultural events throughout the year in order to prevent offending the feelings of believers and destroying spiritual bonds. When visits to exhibitions and performances became systemic, Konstantin Raikin called on cultural figures to unite and fight back.


A fight between Russian and English fans in the stands.

The European Football Championship was an expected disappointment. The lack of will of our players on the field and the unwillingness to strain was so obvious that the fans demanded to disband the national team. Finally, everyone was finished off by a party in a nightclub in Monte Carlo with champagne for 250 thousand euros, which was arranged by Mamaev and Kokorin after the failure at the Euro.


The new Minister of Education Olga Vasilyeva.

Minister of Education Livanov and presidential commissioner for children's affairs Astakhov were dismissed. In order to strengthen the spiritual bonds, their positions were taken by Olga Vasilyeva and Anna Kuznetsova, close to the Russian Orthodox Church. They began to strengthen the bonds with the fact that Vasilyeva decided to include astronomy in the school curriculum, and Kuznetsova decided to create a register of pedophiles.


The biggest surprise of the year was the election of the American President. Nobody believed Trump would beat Clinton. But he won. Trump's victory, coupled with Britain's Brexit, marks a turning point for the Western world. Its liberalization, which began after World War II, appears to be coming to an end. The West is entering a new phase - a rollback to nationalism, conservatism and populism.


Significantly increased the area of ​​paid parking in Moscow and increased their cost.


In September, the long-awaited Moscow Central Ring opened, and getting around the city became noticeably easier. With us, if something is bad, then everyone scolds it. And if something is good, then they are silent about it. They are silent about the MCC. MCC is good.

The editors of mger2020.ru sum up the results of 2016: we will be reminded of it by the first launch from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, the launch of an energy bridge to the Crimea, the restoration of relations with Turkey, the victory in the competition for the right to host the World Festival of Youth and Students in 2017.

Unfortunately, speaking of the outgoing year, one cannot but recall the terrible plane crashes, terrorist attacks and other tragedies in Russia, Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, and the United States, in which hundreds of innocent adults and children died.

We present a selection of key events that influenced both the domestic policy of Russia and changed the situation in the world.

Russia strengthens its position in international ratings

In December, Russian President Vladimir Putin topped the ranking of the most influential people in the world according to Forbes magazine. The head of state is the leader of this list for the fourth year in a row. “Both in his homeland, and in Syria, and in the presidential elections in the United States, the Russian leader continues to achieve everything he wants,” Forbes notes.

Meanwhile, in Russia, the activities of the President are approved by 86.8% of citizens - this is the annual maximum recorded by sociologists of VTsIOM in December. “I think that people see that I work hard, openly, honestly and sincerely strive to achieve the results that the country needs. I believe that they also see that not everything can be done - we have smart, observant people. But I believe that the main thing is a sincere desire for the maximum result, for the country to feel more secure and people to live better,” Vladimir Putin said, commenting on the high level of trust.

The removal of Russia did not go unnoticed at the Paralympics itself. At the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Andrei Fomochkin, a member of the delegation of the Belarusian national team, carried the flag of Russia as a sign of solidarity with Russian athletes. The leadership of Belarus supported the position of the Paralympic delegation of the country.

Preliminary voting of "United Russia"

This year, on the eve of the State Duma elections, United Russia became the only party to hold a preliminary vote. In total, 2781 people became participants in the primaries, of which 43% are non-partisans. 1,171 people were nominated on party lists, and 2,107 people were nominated in single-mandate constituencies. The final turnout for electoral participants on April 22, the day of preliminary voting, exceeded the mark of 10 million people.

On November 14, a telephone conversation took place between Russian President Vladimir Putin and American leader Donald Trump. The head of state wished him success in the implementation of the election program and noted the readiness to build a partnership dialogue with the new administration on the principles of equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

Migration pain in Europe and the fall of Merkel's rating

For the second year, Europe has been gripped by a migration crisis. Almost every month, the countries of the "Old World" come up with new methods to deal with the consequences of the endless flow of refugees from the Middle East: they close the borders of their states, spend billions of dollars on the return of constant control of border zones, and contribute fabulous money to the fund for refugees.

For a year, every European has formed his own opinion about the causes of the second largest migration crisis after the Second World War. The vast majority of Europeans believe that migrants seek asylum because of threats from terrorist groups, including ISIS (banned in Russia), because of government military action and poor social conditions in the refugee homeland. Another widespread opinion about the causes of the migration crisis is the US and EU military intervention in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa.

A poll conducted by the German television and radio company ARD showed that if the elections to the Bundestag were held on April 24, then only 33% of voters would vote for the bloc of conservative parties in the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union, and 21% of voters would vote for the Social Democratic Party, which is a partner of the ruling coalition.

Nevertheless, German Chancellor Angela Merkel remains confident in the correctness of migration policy and refuses to tighten or partially change relevant legislation in order to increase the safety of Germans from a massive influx of migrants.

By the way, in June, the people of Great Britain made a resonant decision at a referendum on the country's exit from the European Union. According to official figures, about 52% of the population voted for Brexit. According to British political scientists, the outcome of the referendum indicates a major split in British society. Prime Minister David Cameron, who opposed Brexit, was forced to resign immediately after the announcement of the results of the referendum. The referendum on UK membership in the EU was the first sign of the collapse of the European Union: for example, after Brexit, other European states thought about leaving the EU.

Europe is against sanctions and for constructive relations with Russia

This year, European countries continue to talk about the lifting of economic sanctions against Russia.

At a meeting with the President of Russia, Fischer said that "those who are interested in relations with Russia are not happy about the existence of sanctions."

A French research center specializing in the field of international economics has estimated the losses of Western countries from the imposition of sanctions against Russia, and most of the losses are the result of the actions of the West, and not the response of the Russian side. The economic study says that between 2014 and July 2015, the loss is estimated at $60.2 billion.

Serbia, Italy, Cyprus, and the Netherlands oppose the sanctions. In addition, representatives of Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic spoke in one form or another for the lifting or easing of sanctions.

tragedy

In the outgoing year, we had to endure many tragedies that claimed the lives of hundreds of people.

On March 19, a Boeing 737-800 passenger airliner crashed in Rostov-on-Don. The plane crash of flight 981 Dubai - Rostov-on-Don occurred presumably at 3.40 Moscow time at the airport of Rostov-on-Don during a re-landing approach in difficult weather conditions. There were 62 people on board, all of them died.

On December 19, in Ankara, in the Gallery of Modern Art at the exhibition "Russia through the eyes of the Turks", Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was wounded. The diplomat died from his wounds. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to the family of Andrei Karlov and instructed to present the diplomat for a state award. The head of state said that Moscow should know exactly who is behind the murder of the Russian ambassador to Turkey.

On the morning of December 25, a Tu-154 plane crashed over the Black Sea in Sochi. There were 92 people on board, among them were the artists of the Academic Song and Dance Ensemble. Alexandrova, journalists from the TV channel Zvezda and Channel One, NTV, as well as the head of the Fair Aid charity foundation Elizaveta Glinka, known as Doctor Lisa. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree declaring December 26 a day of mourning. As a sign of solidarity with Russia, Belarus has declared a Day of Mourning in connection with the plane crash. Citizens of the Republic bring flowers and candles to the building of the Russian embassy in Minsk, leave notes in the book of condolences. On behalf of President Alexander Lukashenko, state flags were flown at half mast over the buildings of state institutions throughout the country, and entertainment programs on radio and television were canceled.

A series of terrorist attacks that took place in Belgium on March 22 stirred up the entire international community, forcing everyone to think about the need to unite to fight the main world threat - terrorism. According to the latest data, during the monstrous explosions, 34 people died and 135 were injured.

On the evening of July 14, a truck drove at full speed into the crowd on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, where at that moment there were thousands of people dispersing after the celebration of Bastille Day. According to the latest data, 84 people died as a result of the attack. More than a hundred people were injured.

Vladimir Putin emphasized that "the recent terrorist attacks committed in various regions of the world once again show that terrorism can only be countered jointly, relying on the norms and principles of international law, with the UN coordinating the role." “There shouldn't be double standards here, you can't divide terrorists into 'good' and 'bad'. And, of course, it is unacceptable and extremely dangerous to try to use terrorist and radical, extremist groups for political or geopolitical interests,” the President of the Russian Federation believes.

Russian military power in Syria

A year ago, the Russian Aerospace Forces launched a military operation to combat terrorists in Syria. As a result of intensive operations by military aviation, it was possible to seriously undermine the positions of ISIS and other groups, destroy the infrastructure of terrorists and prevent the disintegration of the Syrian Republic.

Russia announced the organization of a humanitarian pause in Aleppo from September 18 so that everyone could leave the city and receive the necessary assistance, but the militants prevent civilians from leaving.

On December 22, the command of the Syrian army announced that Aleppo was completely liberated from terrorists and came under the control of the country's government forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin the day before, on December 29, announced that an agreement had been reached on a ceasefire in Syria and that he was ready to start peace talks. Three documents were signed: the first is between the Syrian government and the armed opposition on a ceasefire in Syria, the second is a set of measures to control the ceasefire, and the third is a statement of readiness to start peace talks on a Syrian settlement.

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    • Image copyright RIA Novosti

    Events and changes in life occur without reference to the calendar. January 1 is a conditional date. But, if you have already decided to consider it a certain frontier, you cannot do without forecasts for the future.

    IN THE WORLD

    United States presidential election

    The British newspaper Independent once wrote that since the President of the United States has such an impact on the life of all mankind, then it would be not only Americans who should choose him.

    This is, of course, a joke. But what happens on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2016 is truly global.

    An additional intrigue of the current elections is the presence of Republican Donald Trump among the contenders, whose statements, primarily on foreign policy and immigration, are liked by part of the public.

    In Russia, Trump is sometimes compared in style with, although he still does not propose to install giant fans on the border to drive radioactive dust on neighbors, or fire officials weighing more than 80 kg.

    So far, according to polls, Trump is one of 12 Republican candidates.

    "The Republican elite does not believe in him, but it will be quite difficult for them to stop the pressure from below," says Andrey Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council.

    Image copyright AP Image caption Donald Trump leaves no one indifferent

    Experts notice that the average American "from the roots of the grass" does not like everything connected with the collective Washington, and periodically gets carried away by characters who tell him: "professional politicians purposely complicate everything, fool citizens, write three - two in my mind, and I boy, I say what I think, and the simple solution is always the best."

    “If the main topics are security, terrorism, foreign policy, then the Republican has hope. But if the leitmotif of the election campaign, as usual, turns out to be the economy, then the Democrats have a very good chance of winning. The states are doing relatively well economically, and this will work for Democrats," Kortunov said.

    In the 1990s, there was a popular joke among Republicans: "We don't like President Clinton or her husband Bill!" Now, it looks like it will come true, and the US, following the first black president in history, will elect a woman president for the first time.

    The event itself is historical. Journalists are already wondering how in this case Bill Clinton will have to be called: the first gentleman?

    Image copyright AP Image caption Hillary Clinton represents the political mainstream

    It should also be noted that Hillary Clinton will turn 69 a week before the vote. At this age, only Ronald Reagan was elected to the first term.

    Experts point out that the tendency of many Russians to demonize and ridicule Barack Obama, associating bad relations between Moscow and Washington with him, is dictated by a misunderstanding of the issue.

    In fact, Obama is the biggest dove in the White House since the end of World War II.

    The next president, whether Hillary Clinton or Republicans Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio or Jeb Bush, is likely to take a tougher stance on the Kremlin.

    Only Trump has repeatedly said that, however, without specifying how and under what conditions.

    Putin, speaking to reporters on December 17, called Trump "the absolute leader of the presidential race," although his nomination as a Republican candidate is not yet clear, let alone elected president.

    "Trump would start from scratch, would not be bound by any obligations and previous decisions, would recruit new people. On the other hand, he is an authoritarian politician, with a bright personality, and this could play in the other direction: remember Putin's relationship with Erdogan," Andrey Kortunov noted.

    Syria

    With a reasonable degree of probability, it can be predicted that in 2016 the crisis in Syria, which has been going on for the past few years, will not end.

    The enemy has neither a complex infrastructure that can be destroyed, nor vital centers to take, nor a generally recognized leader whose statue can be demolished. The war with him is a fight with a dragon, in which three new ones grow in place of a severed head.

    But the shaky position and the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

    "I absolutely do not believe that elections can be held in Syria that can lead to something. The fact that the Syrian army, even with the support of Russian aviation, will disperse all enemies is also too bold an assumption, based on what is happening now," says the leading Russian Arabist Georgy Mirsky.

    Image copyright AP Image caption According to experts, in 2016 in Syria everything will be like in the outgoing

    "The degradation of the Syrian society has crossed the red line," Leonid Isaev, an expert on monitoring conflicts in the Middle East, agrees.

    "All opposition groups are raising the issue harshly and firmly: as long as Assad is in power, there can be no talk of a political settlement. At the same time, they do not have a single center with which to negotiate," recalls Mirsky.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin repeated the previous position: "Only the Syrian people should determine who should govern them," which means continued support for official Damascus.

    Analysts find it unlikely that either a military victory of one of the parties, or a political settlement, or the creation of a single anti-ISIS coalition, or an end, or vice versa, a significant escalation of Russian military involvement.

    Most likely, in 2016 everything will remain the same. Russian pilots train and earn daily allowances, the rest of the people go about their business, the Kremlin demonstrates that it is actively involved in world affairs.

    Ukraine

    In Ukraine, according to the forecasts of most observers, life will be turbulent, but neither a new Maidan nor a war will happen.

    The economic situation will remain difficult. Some experts are counting on a way out of the recession at the end of the upcoming or early 2017, pointing out that for the first time in the history of sovereign Ukraine, a balanced budget has been adopted for 2016.

    Image copyright AP Image caption The main political topics of the coming year in Ukraine are the future of Prime Minister Yatsenyuk, the situation in the Donbass and the abolition of visas

    “In the spring, a partial change in the composition of the government is possible, but whether the prime minister [Arseniy Yatsenyuk] will be replaced is still a question,” says Ukrainian political analyst Serhiy Taran. “Theoretically, early parliamentary elections are not ruled out in the autumn. European integration and pluralistic democracy. A political crisis is possible at the level of parties and parliament, but not a crisis of society that can lead to a split and Maidan."

    The main event of next year in Ukraine may be the introduction of a visa-free regime with the European Union. The political will is evident, although some experts doubt that the European side will have time to complete all the formalities in a year.

    On November 12, the Verkhovna Rada, despite the resistance of some deputies, banned labor discrimination against sexual minorities, completing the process of making the necessary amendments to the legislation.

    On December 23, the European Commission presented Ukraine with a New Year's gift: it confirmed the fulfillment of the requirements of the Visa Liberalization Action Plan and recommended the EU Council to consider the introduction of a visa-free regime in 2016.

    "There are chances that at the end of summer or autumn Ukrainians will start traveling to Europe without visas," Sergei Taran hopes.

    Oil

    The forecast is basically the same: energy carriers will remain cheap.

    On New Year's Eve, the price of Brent oil per barrel is the lowest level in .

    OPEC at a meeting on December 4 did not make a decision to reduce production. At the beginning of next year, oil from Iran should enter the market, the export of which was previously impossible due to sanctions.

    The Russian budget for 2018 is based on a price of $50 per barrel, but in December high-ranking officials were already talking about $40 (Deputy Finance Minister Maxim Oreshkin) and even $35 (Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina).

    "A corridor around the price of $45 per barrel of Brent with the possibility of significant fluctuations in both directions," Mikhail Krutikhin, an expert on the oil and gas market, gave such a forecast to the BBC Russian Service.

    Bank of America, where production costs are low, has waged a price war against both shale oil producers in the United States and other traditional suppliers, according to analysts.

    At the same time, shale production becomes profitable at prices from $60 per barrel, so oil is unlikely to rise above this indicator in the foreseeable future.

    "Traditional industrial raw materials have exhausted their foreign trade potential," says financial analyst Valery Vaysberg.

    Olympics in Rio

    Image copyright getty

    Official representatives of Russian sports do not yet make predictions for the 2016 Summer Games - too early. However, statistics show that each time Russia is slowly but steadily worsening its performance in the overall medal standings.

    A veteran of Soviet and Russian sports journalism, in an interview with the BBC Russian Service a year before the start of the Olympics, described the situation with team events as a failure and placed his main hopes on rhythmic and artistic gymnastics, wrestling and fencing.

    Currently, the main story is the participation or non-participation of Russian athletes in the Games due to a doping scandal.

    In November, the board of the International Association of Athletics Federations temporarily suspended the Russians from competitions under its auspices for an indefinite period.

    On December 10, the president of the association said that if Russia fails to bring the practice of training and doping testing in line with the rules of the association before the start of the Games, then Russian athletes will not be able to participate in the Olympics.

    "If the desired changes do not happen, then I'm afraid that the "clean" [from doping] athletes will be left behind," he warned.

    IN RUSSIA

    Duma elections

    Image copyright AFP

    Elections to the State Duma of the seventh convocation for the first time since 2003 will be held according to a mixed scheme: half on party lists and half on single-mandate districts.

    In June this year, they were moved from December 4 to September 18. The authors of the initiative from United Russia explained this by the desire to give the new Duma the opportunity to discuss and adopt the budget for 2017. According to the opposition, the postponement was dictated by the desire to weaken its chances during the election campaign, which will take place during the summer holiday season.

    Analysts have no doubt that United Russia will retain its parliamentary majority.

    The main uncertainty is whether the authorities will allow the liberal People's Freedom Party to participate in the elections.

    They can, for example, change the legislation at the last moment in such a way as to force Parnassus to collect voters' signatures.

    Aleksey Navalny is associated with Parnassus, who, according to current laws, is not entitled not only to run, but also to participate in pre-election debates - at the same time, he is the locomotive of the party and at the same time a strong irritant for the Kremlin.

    Image copyright AP Image caption A suspended sentence hangs over Alexei Navalny

    "The authorities are working in one direction, and this direction is called" tightening the screws ". The situation is complicated by the fact that the economy is no longer shuffling along the bottom, but simply sat on the rocks. Since there will be more and more criticism and dissatisfied, the authorities will act more and more harshly, " - believes political scientist Dmitry Oreshkin.

    "Judging by the experience of the regional campaigns of the outgoing year, we can expect disqualification for some technical reasons, although the participation of Parnassus would at least revive the campaign: the systemic opposition would have to be more active," the president of the National Strategy Institute believes. Mikhail Remizov.

    Yevgeny Minchenko, director of the International Institute of Political Expertise, is sure: "There will be no big problems with the admission of Parnassus, because the authorities have nothing to worry about here."

    According to the analyst, "Parnassus" and "Yabloko" will steal away the liberal electorate and, as a result, will not get into the Duma.

    Experts believe that the restoration of majoritarian districts does not matter much. What is important is not the election mechanism, but the presence of a sufficient number of independent and critical citizens.

    Economy

    Most experts predict stagnation with a gradual deterioration for the next year. The country will hold out for another year at the expense of the Reserve Fund; catastrophic shocks, such as a landslide depreciation of the ruble, the collapse of banks and non-execution of the budget, are not expected, but there is no reason to expect a recovery from the recession.

    "Long-term plans will have to be revised, because our economy is highly dependent on oil prices, including areas far from oil," says Oleg Buklemishev, associate professor at the Faculty of Economics at Moscow State University.

    “There are no positive factors that can balance the decline in prices for commodity exports. The main thing is that there is no positive image of the future that we could strive for, and it is not clear where it will come from. Without this, there is no need to talk about growth and investment recovery ", he added.

    "If the price of oil is in the range of 35-50 dollars per barrel, Russia will face a further reduction in GDP, a decline in living standards, and. We can expect a deterioration in the quality of decisions made and a more tense social situation," predicts economist Kirill Rogov.

    Image copyright Reuters

    According to experts, the authorities have already realized the seriousness of the situation, first of all, that oil prices will not rise soon, but are not yet ripe for making decisions that they do not want to make.

    “So far, a policy is being pursued, the purpose of which is to live until tomorrow. There is no talk of changing the policy yet. They will gradually reduce costs in order to stretch it out as long as possible,” believes Oleg Buklemishev.

    "A period of low prices for commodities lasting 5-10 years requires a deep restructuring of the economy and reform of the political system. For now, the authorities prefer to hide their heads in the sand. Challenges will become apparent in the second or third year of low prices," says Kirill Rogov.

    Experts unanimously predict the future, but find it difficult to name specific parameters.

    According to analysts, more dramatic events will unfold in 2017, when the financial cushion accumulated in the “fat years” will practically dry up. We will either have to cut all spending drastically or print money, which will lead to hyperinflation along the lines of the 1990s.

    An alternative to such unpleasant scenarios could be external borrowing, but this is hindered by the political situation.

    Gull

    Image copyright AP

    Experts unanimously find an official investigation against the Prosecutor General Yury Chaika in connection with the investigation of the Anti-Corruption Foundation or his loud dismissal almost impossible. In terms of the Russian authorities, this would mean weakness.

    At a press conference on December 17, Vladimir Putin avoided talking about this topic, and in his message to the Federal Assembly on December 3, he did not mention it in a single word. But, brought to him by activists of the All-Russian Popular Front, making it clear who has a patent for the fight against corruption and whose signals should be responded to and whose not.

    Judging by the statements of lower-ranking officials and pro-Kremlin commentators, two lines of defense of Chaika from Navalny's revelations have been identified: "The father is not responsible for his sons" and "Whose mill are you pouring water on?"

    Experts do not exclude that after June 22, 2016, when Chaika's next five-year term ends, the 65-year-old Prosecutor General will be quietly retired.

    “The fact that Chaika is criticized by Navalny gives him immunity from proceedings. But the expiration of the term of office is a completely plausible pretext to close the issue not on corruption claims, but in the order of a planned rotation,” says Mikhail Remizov.

    Leap year 2016 is coming to an end. This year has been full of events of various scale and character. I decided to recall the brightest and most significant moments of this difficult and at the same time memorable 2016.

    1. Presidential elections in the USA and Uzbekistan

    The most anticipated event of 2016 in politics was that took place on November 8. Billionaire businessman Donald Trump became the official Republican nominee on July 19, 2016, defeating Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, Ohio Governor John Kasik and thirteen other candidates. Former Secretary of State and Senator Hillary Clinton was nominated on July 26, 2016 after defeating Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

    Donald Trump won the election, he was recognized as the elected president. The appointment is expected on January 20, 2017. Hillary Clinton is two and a half million votes ahead of Donald Trump. 65.8 million voters voted for Clinton, while 62.9 million voted for Trump. Donald Trump will become the oldest US president at the time of his election to the first presidential term (at 70 years old), previously he was Ronald Reagan (at 69 years old). The Republican Party will also control both houses of Congress - the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    This election was the fifth in US history when the candidate who received fewer votes than the losing candidate became president of the country.

    On November 9, 2016 and the following days, protests against the victory of Donald Trump in the presidential election took place in many major US cities. The largest of them took place in New York. In Los Angeles and Portland, protesters began to block individual city highways, but were dispersed by the police. On November 10, more than 2 million signatures were collected on a petition urging electors to ignore the results of the vote in their states and vote for Hillary Clinton on December 19. In Portland, protesters blocked a highway. On November 12, thousands of protest marches took place in Los Angeles and New York. There were also student protests from 80 schools against Donald Trump's immigration policies, and on November 18, demonstrators blocked a major intersection in Chapel Hill.

    On December 19, the number of electors who voted for Donald Trump exceeded the required threshold of 270 votes. In total, 538 electors participated in the vote, which corresponds to the number of congressional deputies: 100 senators, 435 members of the House of Representatives and three delegates from the metropolitan District of Columbia.

    No less expected were the presidential elections, which took place on December 4.They were held after the death of 78-year-old President Islam Karimov on September 2 after a stroke.

    Four candidates took part in the elections: Shavkat Mirziyoyev (Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan), Khatamjon Ketmonov (People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, PDPU), Sarvar Otamuradov (National Democratic Party "Milliy Tiklanish", "National Revival") and Narimon Umarov (Social Democratic Party "Adolat", "Justice"). The new president of Uzbekistan. According to the election commission, Mirziyoyev won 88.61 percent of the vote. After the results were announced, the elected candidate addressed the rally and thanked his former opponents. Mirziyoyev took office on December 14.

    2. The main event in the field of culture and art, of course, was , which took place on February 28 in Los Angeles.


    American actor Leonardo DiCaprio has finally received his first career statuette for The Revenant. Before that, he was nominated five times for the most prestigious award in American cinema, but each time he lost. The audience gave DiCaprio a standing ovation as he walked up to the stage of the Hollywood Dolby Theater for the Oscars. In 1998, he publicly announced his refusal to attend the ceremony because the academy would not nominate him for his role in Titanic. This year, even social media users actively supported DiCaprio, as evidenced by .

    The most outstanding film of 2016 was Tom McCarthy's Spotlight, which tells the story of a scandalous investigation by journalists from The Boston Globe. It should also be noted that the most figurines this year (to the surprise of many critics) were collected by the film Mad Max: Fury Road. And even if he won not in the most prestigious categories (the film distinguished itself for sound, editing, make-up and costumes), nevertheless, in terms of the number of awards, it became the undisputed leader this year. And The Martian, who claimed 7 Oscars, was left with nothing.

    But in the female category, film critics noted Brie Larson, who played in the drama "Room". The Academy Awards nominated Mark Rylens (Bridge of Spies) and Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl) as Best Supporting Actor.

    Eurovision-2016 was no less striking event.


    The 61st Song Contest was held in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. The country became the winner of the previous Eurovision Song Contest 2015, held in Vienna (Austria), with the song "Heroes" performed by Mons Selmerlev. The final of the competition took place on May 14, 2016. The victory this year was won by a participant from Ukraine Jamala with the song "1944", gaining 534 points. Australia and Russia came in second and third respectively.

    42 countries took part in the competition. Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine and Croatia returned to the competition. Australia continued its participation - the debutant country of the previous year. Portugal withdrew from participation this year, and Romania was also excluded due to debts to the European Broadcasting Union in the amount of 16 million Swiss francs.

    3. Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and the doping scandal.



    The 31st Summer Olympic Games were held in Brazil from 5 to 21 August. It was the first Olympic Games to be held in South America, the second in Latin America since the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, and the first since 2000 to be held in the southern hemisphere. The Olympics featured a record number of medal sets (306) and a record number of countries (206), including Kosovo and South Sudan for the first time.

    On the opening day of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, riots took place: several thousand people protested at the Maracanã stadium to protest against the use of budget funds for the organization of the Olympics, as well as against corruption in the country. The protesters burned the national flag of Brazil and behaved aggressively. Police used tear gas and stun grenades, with several people hospitalized with injuries and poisoning.

    The Olympics was marked by a large number of different incidents, including criminal ones, as well as accidents, injuries and traffic accidents. Yes, bElgian judoka Dirk van Tichelt, who won the bronze medal, was beaten and robbed on Copacabana beach. Armed robbers robbed Russian swimmer Yevgeny Korotyshkin, as well as New Zealand jiu-jitsu fighter Jason Lee. Teenagers armed with knives robbed two coaches of the Australian national rowing team near the Olympic village. During a fire in the Olympic village, the Australian national team was robbed. In the central region of Ipanema, the Portuguese Minister of Sports and Education, Thiago Brandao, was robbed by two unknown persons, the police managed to detain one of the attackers, he turned out to be a well-known crime boss, the namesake of the minister. On the night of August 10, a bus with journalists heading to the press center was fired upon (according to one version, stones were thrown at it). At the same time, representatives of the media from Belarus and Turkey suffered, they were cut by fragments of broken window glass. After an accident in Rio de Janeiro, the coach of the German national rowing slalom team, Stefan Henze, died from his injuries.

    For the Russian Federation, these games were marred by a doping scandal. On June 17, 2016, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) decided not to renew the membership of the All-Russian Athletics Federation.On June 21, 2016, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) supported the decision of the IAAF not to allow the Russian track and field team to participate in the 2016 Olympic Games.On July 3, the Russian Olympic Committee and 68 Russian athletes filed a lawsuit with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne (CAS). The trial was scheduled for July 19, the CAS verdict was announced on July 21 - Russian athletes were not allowed to compete at the Olympics. Russian weightlifters and rowers were also suspended.

    The doping scandal also affected Kazakhstan.On June 16, 2016, the International Weightlifting Federation suspended Ilya Ilyin, Maya Maneza, Svetlana Podobedova and Zulfiya Chinshanlo from sports activities. Prohibited drugs were found in the anti-doping samples of athletes. U - dehydrochloromethyltestosterone and stanozolol, Zulfiya Chinshanlo - oxandrolone and stanozolol, Maya Maneza and Svetlana Podobedova - stanozolol.On June 25, 2016, by the decision of the disciplinary commission of the International Weightlifting Federation, Kazakhstani weightlifters were also disqualified: Almas Uteshov (with deprivation of medals) and Ermek Omirtai for four years, Zhasulan Kydyrbaev (with deprivation of medals) for eight years. Banned anabolic androgenic steroids were found in the doping samples of these athletes during the World Championships in Houston.

    4. Death of world leaders, politicians and celebrities.



    The illness of the Uzbek leader became known on August 28, when the country's government announced that Karimov was in the hospital for inpatient treatment. Later, the politician's daughter said that her father was hospitalized with a stroke and is in intensive care. On September 2, the Government of the country reported that the President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, was in a critical condition. On the same day it became known that he had died. Islam Karimov, 78, has been in charge of Uzbekistan since 1990. He was buried on September 3 in Samarkand.

    Fidel Castro - Cuban revolutionary, statesman and politician was born on August 13, 1926. From December 1976, for 30 years, he was the chairman of the State Council and the Council of Ministers of Cuba, he was also the commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and chairman of the country's National Defense Council.As a result of the deterioration of his health, on July 31, 2006, Fidel Castro transferred the duties and powers of the head of the State Council and the Council of Ministers to his brother Raul Castro.The urn with the ashes of Fidel Castro was buried in the city of Santiago de Cuba.

    He died after a long illness at the age of 88. Most likely, the cause of death was hydrocephalus (dropsy of the brain), this disease became known in early 2015.The king was born on December 5, 1927 in Cambridge (USA), where his father - the brother of King Rama the Seventh - studied medicine at Harvard University.

    Bhumibol Adulyadej inherited the throne on June 9, 1946 after the death of his elder brother, King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII). He was officially crowned on May 5, 1950, and in 1987 he was given the title of Great. The king in Thailand is not only the head of state and at the same time the supreme commander of the country's armed forces, but also the patron and protector of all religions.Bhumibol Adulyadej ruled longer than any living monarch in the world and longer than all his predecessors. During the years of his reign in Thailand, more than 20 prime ministers were replaced, 18 constitutions were adopted, and 19 coups d'etat took place.Now the body of the late monarch is in the Grand Royal Palace, where huge queues line up every day from those wishing to honor his memory. The cremation of the monarch can take place no earlier than next autumn.

    The new King of Thailand, the only son of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He will rule under the throne name of Rama H.

    Shimon Peres died at the age of 93, having not recovered from a stroke, after which he was placed in a medically induced coma and connected to a ventilator.Peres, who was born on the territory of modern Belarus, is considered the last of the galaxy of "founding fathers" of Israel, the creator of its military-industrial complex and nuclear program, the architect of the Middle East peace process.He held more than a dozen ministerial posts, headed the Israeli government twice, and was the country's president from 2007-2014. For signing peace agreements with the Palestinians, Peres received the Nobel Prize in 1994, along with then-Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

    According to German media, the politician had been ill for a long time before his death.In the sixties, he was first Minister of Economic Cooperation, then from 1969 to 1974 - Foreign Minister and Vice-Chancellor. From 1974 to 1979 Scheel was the President of Germany.



    Ali is one of the most famous boxers in the history of boxing.During his career, he spent 61 fights, scoring 56 victories (37 of them by knockout).

    His body was found in an elevator in a home recording studio. In June, it became known that the famous American musician died from an overdose of a drug containing opiates.Prince Rogers Nelson was born on June 7, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The peak of the singer's popularity came in the 80s.Winner of Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe awards. In 2005, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

    In January, also known for the Harry Potter film series, as well as such films as Die Hard, Dogma and Perfumer.

    The film actor died of cancer. During his career, Rickman has acted in more than 50 films. One of the most popular is the role of Professor Severus Snape in the film adaptation of JK Rowling's novels about the wizard Harry Potter.

    Bowie passed away surrounded by his family after battling cancer for 18 months.David Bowie, the winner of the Grammy, Saturn Awards and other awards, became widely known in the late 60s after the release of Space Oddity, which became a classic of world rock.

    Also in 2016, they left us - Bulgarian pop singer Beads Kirov, Soviet and Russian theater and film actor, artist of the Central Academic Theater of the Russian Army since 1945, People's Artist of the USSRVladimir Mikhailovich Zeldin,

    Soviet and Russian circus artist, animal trainer, director, People's Artist of the USSRMstislav Mikhailovich Zapashny,Soviet and Kazakh guitarist, composer and arranger of the Musicola group, former member of the A'Studio group Bulat Syzdykov, First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989Nancy Reagan and many others.

    5. Brexit.



    The exit of the UK from the European Union is the main political goal of the conservative opposition and some individuals (nationalists and eurosceptics) in the UK.

    During the 2016 referendum, 51.9% of those who voted for the UK to leave the European Union, respectively, 48.1% of voters supported the continuation of EU membership. In the constituent entities of Great Britain, the voting results differed: for example, the inhabitants of Scotland and Northern Ireland spoke mainly against the withdrawal, while the representatives of England (not counting the capital) and Wales were in favor. The first reaction of the world community was somewhat surprised - the results of the referendum even shocked some, as many political scientists predicted a different outcome of the vote. The reaction of the stock exchanges was manifested by a sharp drop in many indices, in particular, the Japanese NIKKEI fell to 1,000 points, after which, in order to avoid further falling to fatal values, trading was closed.

    Discouraged by the results of the referendum, David Cameron decided to leave the post of leader of the ruling party and head of the cabinet. In the parliamentary debate that followed, five leading Conservative MPs put forward their candidacies to replace Cameron as prime minister. On July 11, the victory was won by Home Secretary Theresa May, who already on the morning of July 13 began to form a new government. She immediately created two special ministries - on leaving the EU (headed by Cameron's longtime opponent D. Davis) and international trade (led by the Scottish-born former Minister of Defense of the United Kingdom L. Fox). The main supporter of Brexit in the ranks of the party, Boris Johnson, unexpectedly for many, became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Thus, the conservatives remained in power in order to finalize the divorce from United Europe by December 2018.

    Considering a lawsuit filed by social activists, on November 3, 2016, the High Court of London ruled that the UK government cannot begin the procedure for withdrawing the country from the European Union without the approval of Parliament. The UK Government filed an appeal with the UK Supreme Court, which was considered from 5-8 December 2016. At this stage of the proceedings, the UK Supreme Court also took into consideration the submission of the Lord Justice General of Scotland, legal representatives of the Welsh government, one of the trade union organizations (IWGB) and another private independent plaintiff, whose generalized argument is that the actions of the UK Government to notify the European Council of the country's withdrawal from the EU will entail inevitable violations of the already existing rights and freedoms of individuals and legal entities resident in Scotland (and Wales).

    According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies of the United Kingdom, every British family will lose £1,250 (about €1,474) annually after the country leaves the European Union. It is reported that in the decade after Brexit, the real income of the population is expected to decline in the country. The estimated revenue reduction ratio is 3.7%.

    6. The impeachment of the President in Brazil and the launch of the procedure in South Korea.



    On August 31, 2016, the Brazilian Senate voted for the final impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff.The vote was broadcast live on Brazilian television.

    61 senators voted for impeachment, 20 people voted against him. Impeachers needed 54 votes to remove Rousseff.Senators temporarily removed Rousseff from office in May of this year. On Wednesday, they decided that she should be permanently removed and that Vice President Michel Temer be the interim president of Brazil until the 2018 elections.

    Rousseff herself, speaking at impeachment hearings in the Senate, insisted on her innocence. She stated that her removal from office was the result of a conspiracy, and impeachment was a kind of coup d'état.Rousseff led Brazil in 2011. The Senate initiated impeachment proceedings in 2015. Formally, the senators considered removing her from office due to her violation of the budget law.However, the main reasons for dissatisfaction with the policies of Rousseff and the ruling Workers' Party were the corruption scandal around the state-owned oil company Petrobras, which involved many politicians, as well as the difficult situation in the economy (the decline in GDP in 2015 was the most severe since the beginning of the 20th century - 3, 8%).

    Perhaps the same fate awaits the President of South Korea.

    In early December, the country's parliament following the results of the vote.234 deputies of the National Assembly voted in favor, 56 deputies voted against. Two deputies abstained. Seven ballots were declared invalid. The meeting was broadcast live on South Korean television.

    The reason for the removal from power of the president was the largest. It is alleged that she used her connections for selfish purposes and even interfered in state affairs with the connivance of the president and her administration.

    According to media reports, Park Geun-hye has handed over powers to Prime Minister Hwang Kye-an in accordance with the law. The press reports that shecan no longer act as head of state and administration. Meanwhile, the decision on impeachment will be considered by the Constitutional Court of South Korea, which will take up to 180 days. This court can reject impeachment and restore Park Geun-hye's presidential powers.

    7. High-profile corruption scandals and detentions in Russia.



    Perhaps the most scandalous detention of this year in Russia was the detentionMinister of Economic Development of Russia Alexei Ulyukaev. According to some reports, the official received a bribe of $2 million for a positive assessment, which allowed Rosneft to carry out a deal to acquire the state-owned stake in Bashneft. According to investigators, the head of the Ministry of Economic Development was caught red-handed, but the minister himself refused to admit guilt during interrogation. Later, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Ulyukaev from the post of Minister of Economic Development due to a loss of confidence.

    This arrest was not the only one in the past year. So, inSeptember 2016, during a search of the apartment of the Deputy Head of Department "T" of the Main Directorate for Economic Security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Colonel Dmitry Zakharchenko, operatives found an astronomical amount - 8 billion rubles. Zakharchenko was detained on September 8 in the case of taking a bribe of 7 million rubles. During the arrest, another 20 million rubles were seized from the colonel.

    On July 26, 2016, FSB operatives visited a country house with searches Head of the Federal Customs Service Andrey Belyaninov in the suburban cottage village "Bachurino". In the shoe boxes, they found 9.5 million rubles, 390 thousand US dollars and 350 thousand euros, folded in neat bundles. They also found in the house a gold bar of 1 kilogram and five gold nuggets with a total weight of about 200 grams. Belyaninov is suspected of aiding three entrepreneurs who illegally transported elite alcohol across the border.

    On July 19, FSB officers detained Denis Nikandrov, deputy head of the Investigative Committee for Moscow, Mikhail Maksimenko, head of the Investigative Committee's own security, and Alexander Lamonov, his deputy. They are suspected of taking a $1 million bribe from kingpin Zakhary Kalashov, known as Shakro Molodoy. According to operational data, for this money, the leaders of the Moscow Investigative Committee released a criminal authority named Italian from the pre-trial detention center.

    In early July, Alexander Buryakov, deputy director of Spetsstroy, was arrested. He is suspected of embezzling 450 million rubles during the construction of subcontracted objects of the Ministry of Defense. Buryakov does not admit his guilt and claims that two objects were successfully commissioned, and the other seven are in varying degrees of readiness.

    The governor of the Kirov region, Nikita Belykh, was detained on June 24 in a luxurious Moscow restaurant while receiving a bribe of 400,000 euros. On his hands, investigators recorded traces of marked bait. According to investigators, the official personally and through an intermediary received this money for the patronage of JSC "Novovyatsky Ski Plant" controlled by him and LLC "Forest Management Company".

    On June 2, the court sent into custody Mayor of Vladivostok Igor Pushkarev, who is suspected of illegally issuing government orders to companies of his relatives. The searches took place in the Spasskcement company, as well as in the main office of Vostokcement OJSC and Vladivostok Crushed Stone Plant OJSC. The damage from the activities of the mayor is estimated at more than 160 million rubles.

    8. Magnificent weddings in 2016.

    When one of the celebrities gets married or marries, then a real stir flares up around this event, because the wedding of idols is a wonderful, long-awaited and joyful event not only for the bride and groom, but also for their fans and admirers.

    famous this year singer Ciara and professional American football player Russell Wilson staged a fabulous wedding ceremony. Russell made a marriage proposal to his beloved on March 18, 2016 on a picturesque island in the Seychelles. Decorating Ciara's ring finger with a white gold ring with diamonds, he heard the cherished words of consent. The wedding ceremony took place three months later in the city of Cheshire, UK, in the ancient Peckforton castle, made in the Gothic style.


    The long-awaited wedding of one of the "desperate housewives" Eva Longoria also took place in 2016. The model and actress married renowned media mogul Jose Baston on May 21 this year.

    Jose made an offer in Dubai during their joint vacation. While traveling through the sand dunes, Jose got down on one knee and asked Eva the main question, after which he handed her a ring with a huge ruby ​​and diamond trim. The ceremony took place five months later.A hot Hispanic couple celebrated their magical wedding in hot Mexico, in a private residence on the lake. The celebration in the open air was an unforgettable event for the newlyweds: the ceremonial arch was decorated with bright purple flower lianas, and the stage where the lovers took the oath was decorated with a large white cross.

    The wedding of the son of the oligarch Mikhail Gutseriev Said and his young bride Khadija Uzhakhova especially stands out among other celebrations of this year with splendor and wealth.




    In the VTsIOM poll, the Russians named the main event, the policy of the year, as well as the leaders of the rating in sports, cinema, music, literature and TV

    Moscow. December 26th. website - The All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) presents survey data on how Russians remember 2016 and what they expect from 2017.

    Events-2016

    33% of Russians consider the war in Syria to be the main world event of 2016 (in 2015, this topic was also in first place - it was named by 43%).

    On the third - sports events (13%).

    Resonant events across the country for our fellow citizens were, first of all (10%), stories with the use of Russian athletes (7%), corruption (4%), Syria (4%).

    Ratings-2016

    Politics. Russian President Vladimir Putin remains the politician of the year for Russians. It was named by 64% of the respondents. Sergey Lavrov (18%), Vladimir Zhirinovsky (8%), Sergey Shoigu (8%), Dmitry Medvedev (7%) and others follow by a wide margin. In the ranking of the Russian elite, the president also holds the first place (77%).

    Music. For several years in a row, Philip Kirkorov (7%) has been more often called the Musician of the Year, followed by Grigory Leps (4%), Nikolai Baskov (4%), Sergey Lazarev (4%), Alla Pugacheva (4%).

    Literature. The writer of the year is still the most difficult for Russians to choose: all meaningful answers gain no more than 3%: Daria Dontsova (3%), Tatyana Ustinova (2%), the rest - 1% or less each.

    TV. The most popular TV programs again became the projects of the First Channel: the talk show "Let them talk" (11%), "Voice" (8%), "News" (6%). In the rating of series, "Major" (8%) is in the lead, less often called "Secrets of the Investigation" (4%), "Next" (4%), "Univer" (4%), etc.

    In general, it can be noted that among the stars of sports and show business, TV and film premieres, our fellow citizens do not have clear favorites: none of the “hero”, series or film presented in the national rating could get more than 10% of the votes of the respondents.

    Estimates for 2016 and expectations for 2017

    Russians see off 2016 with a somewhat more positive attitude than 2015: the corresponding VTsIOM index rose over the year from 60 points to 63 points (a new historical maximum). 45% of Russians see off the outgoing year with optimism, while only 12% are pessimistic, another 42% do not experience any upsurge or negative emotions. Unrest has become noticeably less over the past two years (from 21% in 2014 to 7% in 2016).

    For themselves and their family members, Russians evaluate the results of 2016 on average the same way as last year. 52% called this year “good” or “successful” personally for themselves and their families, and 47% said that difficulties rather prevailed in their lives or the year was very difficult.

    Citizens have much higher hopes for 2017, expectations of changes for the better than a year ago for 2016. About a quarter of respondents believe that 2017 will be successful (27% for them personally, 24% for the country as a whole).