Translated material
Irada outside?
Smolny created confusion with the status of the newly appointed director Isaac.
On the morning of June 2, Fontanka, citing its own sources, spread the news: the Governor of St. Petersburg, Georgy Poltavchenko, ordered an urgent search for a replacement for Irada Vovnenko. As the publication’s source clarified, the mayor prefers to see a man in this post.
According to one version, Poltavchenko received quotes from Mrs. Vovnenko’s romance novels, at which the whole city laughed the day before. According to another, in Smolny they remembered that women (according to Old Testament regulations) were prohibited from entering the altar.
However, a little later, Fontanka’s information was refuted by the head of the governor’s press service, Andrei Kibitov:
Classic Fake news from the respected @fontanka_news . 1. G. Poltavchenko did not give instructions to look for a new acting director of St. Isaac's Cathedral.
— Andrey Kibitov (@Kibitov_Andrey) June 2, 2017
All this did not prevent RIA Novosti from almost at the same time releasing a note about Vovneko’s dismissal. The agency quoted her as saying: “I’m leaving myself, now I’m writing a statement. And I’m very happy about it!” It was noted that Irada Tofikovna refused further comments.
By lunchtime, museum spokeswoman Maria Morozova told Novaya Gazeta that Vovnenko was continuing to work, and the information about her departure was untrue.
“Irada is not leaving. She’s working now,” Morozova said. Answering Novaya's question about how and why the information appeared on RIA Novosti, the press secretary was laconic: “I don’t know.”
Morozova added that the museum has no information about the appointment of another person in her place.
In turn, Vovnenko herself refused to clarify the situation. "Good afternoon. I’m working and I kindly ask you not to disturb me,” she said in a conversation with Novaya.
- Irada Vovnenko was appointed acting director Isaac on May 31. She previously served as the museum's deputy director of public relations.
- Since 2008, Nikolai Burov has been the director of the museum; he announced his resignation at the end of April, citing the scandal surrounding Isaac.
The news is being updated