Kiseliev Still Optimistic About Russia

Evgeny Kiseliev, the former general director of NTV and host of the now cancelled political talk show “Itogi” expressed optimism about Russia’s political direction in his talk at Stanford University, The Stanford Daily reports. He does not consider Russia a totalitarian state and sees political debate in Russia being well and alive, though hidden in the background. Kiseliev also discussed the presidential elections in 2008 that will, at least under current constitution, bring to the end the presidency of Vladimir Putin. According to Kasiliev there are several ways in which Putin could retain his power besides changing the constitution which would discredit Putin in Russia and abroad.