Medinsky's candidacy was supported by the delegates of the XVII Congress of the Union, the elections were uncontested as no one else was nominated.
Earlier, RBC reported that Medinsky's appointment is related to the increased attention of Russian authorities to the book industry. According to a source from the publication, under current conditions, a «strong ideological personality» is needed, capable of uniting representatives of the book sphere and establishing a dialogue with the authorities.
Medinsky himself is convinced that it is necessary to strengthen the role of the state in the literary market, which «has practically left the sphere of literature and the book market». During his appointment, he stated that he would not like to give an election speech, as heading the union «is not a privilege, but hard work and a burden».
Medinsky replaced Nikolai Ivanov, editor of the magazine «Soviet Warrior», in this position.
Vladimir Medinsky is the head of the Russian Military Historical Society and an assistant to Putin. From 2012 to 2020, he held the position of Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation. Earlier this year, a Russian history textbook edited by Medinsky was presented in Moscow. The manual includes sections dedicated to «heroes of the SVO» and «resisting the aggressive pressure of the West».
Photo: Kommersant