The nationalities minister will be Vladimir Yakovlev, an ex-governor of St Petersburg and one of Mr Putin's political foes.

ECONOMIST: The Kremlin's control freak | The

But while the magazine's mission may be earnest, its name is "a joke, " as Editor in Chief Vladimir Yakovlev puts it.

FORBES: Focus

Not all have chosen happily: a petition to recall Vladimir Yakovlev, the ineffectual governor of St Petersburg, attracted some 250, 000 signatures last month.

ECONOMIST: The Kremlin versus the outpost

He has backed at least a dozen winning candidates in recent regional elections, including Vladimir Yakovlev, mayor of Russia's second city, St Petersburg.

ECONOMIST: Russia

This coalition of two separate movements, Fatherland and All Russia, was formed in 1999 by the mayors of Moscow and St Petersburg, Yury Luzhkov and Vladimir Yakovlev.

BBC: News | Russia at the polls

Its Number Three candidate, Governor Vladimir Yakovlev of Petersburg, has clearly annoyed Mr Luzhkov by suggesting that the government might be moved from Moscow to his city, the old Tsarist capital.

BBC: Russia, bombs and elections

World Bank President James Wolfensohn also received an invitation, as did a host of other dignitaries, including the current governor of St Petersburg, Vladimir Yakovlev, and a possible rival for the post, Deputy Prime Minister Valentina Matvienko.

BBC: Press review: Politics take centre stage