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