MOSCOW, February 13 (AVN) - Russia's leading reporters have named Airborne Commander Georgy Shpak the Military Profile of 2000, the Military News Agency learned on Tuesday.
A popular Profil magazine carried out a poll among over 200 chief editors and leading reporters of central and regional press. Apart from Shpak, the nominations were won by President Vladimir Putin (Political Profile), Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu (Official Profile), Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov (Regional Profile), Chukotka Governor Roman Abramovich (Business Profile), and Central Bank Chairman Viktor Gerashchenko (Manager of the Year).
To become the Military Profile, the nominee was supposed to have brought the greatest influence to bear on the military-political situation in Russia; contributed most to the army reform. He should also have support from the state, be well-reputed and be of greatest interest to the press. Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Ivanov came second in the military nomination. It is worth mentioning that neither Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev, nor Chief-of-Staff Anatoly Kvashnin have made it to the top three.