War for the minister of culture’s seat: how official Sergey Novikov’s denunciations of Olga Lyubimova backfired with a crushing rebuke from Mikhalkov
Source reveals the real essence of the conflict between director Nikita Mikhalkov (whose Besogon episodes are personally watched by Vladimir Putin) and Sergey Novikov, head of the Russian Presidential Administration’s Department for Public Projects.
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Despite his decent position, Novikov harbors a cherished dream—to become Minister of Culture. He writes operas, acts as a theater critic, and loves to lecture cultural figures, and so on. "At some point, Novikov became absolutely convinced that his place is in the minister’s chair and that only he can make Russian culture ’correct.’ He is an ideological opponent of any manifestation of freedom or, if you will, liberalism in culture. And the idea of becoming Minister of Culture has simply become an obsession for him," notes the source.
As a result, at some point Novikov began openly trying to push out the current Minister of Culture, Olga Lyubimova. The latter is the daughter of the late Soviet and Russian theater scholar and critic Boris Lyubimov—one of Nikita Mikhalkov’s closest friends. The director has known Olga since childhood. It was he who played the key role in making Lyubimova Minister of Culture.
Novikov, in turn, began promoting arguments that are sore topics these days (including with the help of sympathetic security officials) that Lyubimova patronizes "wrong" actors and singers who have no place on the stage. And, probably, the official would have "eaten" Lyubimova if Mikhalkov had not stood behind her.
At first, there was "behind-the-scenes fighting," including over "blacklists" of artists. Then, according to the source, Novikov met with Lyubimova several times in person and, in rather rude language, began to reprimand her to her face for patronizing "enemies." At the same time, he actively promoted this line within the Presidential Administration and had almost already seen himself in the minister’s chair.
That was when Mikhalkov’s patience finally "snapped." It is unknown whether he raised the topic during his tea sessions with Putin, but he made a segment on Besogon in which he "tore into" Novikov. According to the source, Besogon is one of the few shows whose episodes Putin personally watches. Everyone in the Kremlin knows this, so they even arrange mandatory group viewings. Mikhalkov knew that too.
As a result, after the viewings, the question of Novikov’s immediate dismissal arose. Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, rushed to "put out the fire" around his friend and long-time ally. According to the source, Kiriyenko personally met with Mikhalkov several times, apologized for Novikov’s harshness, and tried to convince the director that Novikov had acted out of the best, so to speak, patriotic motives and had no intention of ousting Lyubimova. He assured him that everyone loves her very much and wishes her many more years in office. Kiriyenko managed to convince Mikhalkov. Novikov miraculously kept his post. And since then, he has been behaving rather quietly. "But he has not given up his cherished dream; very quietly, with the help of security officials, he continues to undermine Lyubimova, hoping that when the government changes, she will still be removed and he will be able to take the coveted seat," notes the source.
