"We will live until the time when he will erect monuments"

Dmitry Zimin, the founder of Beeline and the Dynasty Foundation, died. This is how friends, colleagues and acquaintances remember him

On Wednesday, December 22, at the age of 88, the scientist and businessman, philanthropist Dmitry Zimin,died . It was he who created the Vimpel-Communion company and founded the Dynasty Foundation, which supported scientists, and later the Enlightener Award, which is awarded for the best popular science works in Russian. Medusa collected the statements of friends and colleagues Dmitry Zimin about his contribution to modern science and social life. Quotes are given with minor reductions.

Boris Zimin

son of Dmitry Zimin; Record published on Facebook

My father was a great life -loving and lived a big life. Thanks to him for everything: for creating, for what was. This happened today, not in his homeland, in Switzerland. He went in full consciousness, peacefully, a little sad about us and about life, but still with relief-in recent months he has been seriously ill.

Mikhail Friedman

Alfa-Group and Letterone (main owner of Veon and Vimpelcom); Quote for RBC

Dmitry Borisovich Zimin played an outstanding role in Russian business. Being a native of the Soviet Union, he created one of the leaders of the new industry [Vimpelcom] and brought the first Russian company to the New York Stock Exchange. He was not just a native of the USSR, but a successful person who realized quite ambitious goals in the conditions of the Soviet system. At the same time, Zimin managed to realize his talents in modern Russia. This is a unique case!

[After the sale of Vimpelcom], he sponsored various scientific developments. This, of course, deserves respect and admiration.

Dmitry Borisovich is an extraordinary person in the breadth of his interests and views. By the way, with such harmless appearance in some situations, it could be quite tough and even in the good sense of the word aggressive. I think that few people knew him from this side. But without this, he could hardly build such a large company. He knew how to be different. But whatever he does, he always achieved outstanding results.

Rosa Khatskelevich

Former Deputy Executive Director of the Dynasty Foundation; Record published on Facebook

There is no more Dmitry Borisovich Zimin. The best person in the world. Bright, joyful, perspicacious. I was lucky to know him, work with him. I cry, cry and cry. How bitter I am. My deepest condolences to the family, Boris Zimin.

Dmitry Borisovich, dear, thank you for everything. I love you very much. Sleep calmly.

Konstantin Sonin

Economist, professor of Chicago University and NIU HSE; Record published on Facebook

Dmitry Zimin, an outstanding philanthropist, died, a man who entered the latest history of Russia, making the most to ensure that Russian science not only flourished, and so that all Russians understand what and why scientists are doing.

I do not know if he spent more money on education and enlightenment. Maybe someone in the history of Russia and more. Maybe not. But definitely - no one ever thought about it so structurally in the history of Russia, did not set an example and did not create a sample as Zimin. There was no one like him in recent decades-and it will be happiness if someone who makes life from him appears.

Dmitry Borisovich came to my public lectures several times, and every time I thought: what can I know what he does not know? He was not just an upstart who won the lottery in the 1990s-he was just the first super-bog, whose wealth was not related to privatization. He did not just want to help enlightenment - he knew how to do this, he did it the best.

D. B. wrote Blerb (positive feedback, approx. Medusa ) on my popular science book and, I know, wanted the Enlightener Award for it. The prize was then divided into two parts-humanitarian and natural scientific, and, therefore, the book on social science had no chance. But this is not the moral: the Enlightener prize was his brainchild and his money, he wanted to be given a certain book. But he participated in the discussion and agreed with another decision - the prize went to a more worthy humanitarian book. How many people campaign for democracy are democrats in real life?

Like every great person, in the history of Zimin there are days of defeat. The whole meaning of the Dynasty Foundation was that the support of science does not occur by the will of one person, but systemically, structurally. When idiotic laws made this draft impossible - for me, it is comparable, in Russian history with the murder of [Nikolai] Kondratyev , [Nikolai] Vavilov , Half [Dmitry] Egorov, he closed it. And he himself remained with the same smart, positive person.

Bright memory, Dmitry Borisovich!

Sergey Parkhomenko

journalist; Record published on Facebook

I just received a message about a terrible grief.

Dmitry Borisovich Zimin died.

The greatest philanthropist in Russia. A man of extraordinary, unique nobility and kindness. Absolutely fearless.

Dmitry Gudkov

politician; Record published on Facebook

Dmitry Zimin died.

The last time we saw him this fall , to Marat Gelman, he invited him to Cyprus, where we planned to see each other.

It is hard to believe that this meeting will never be.

Zimin is a model of a Russian entrepreneur. He made Beeline from scratch, himself, who was knocked out by the state from the country, who continued to support Russian science, even though his Dynasty Foundation was declared a “foreign agent” (he received money from the foreign account of Dmitry Borisovich).

I remember a rally in Moscow against that shameful solution - but he, of course, did not help.

All these years there was a feeling that we were fighting against the avalanche - and Zimin did everything that he could: saved science and culture, supported scientists, knowing that one day Russia would need not only people with decommissioned dissertations.

Another time - the one that he was waiting is sure to come. And then Russia will remember one of its best sons - Dmitry Zimin.

Roman Badanin

The editor -in -chief of the Agency;Record published on Facebook

A very important person for current Russia has died. Exactly more important than 100 percent of characters shown on Russian TV. The condolences to Boris Zimin and all relatives and friends. You already know how much your father did for his country. This probably should facilitate the severity of your loss.

Arina Borodina

journalist; Record published on Facebook

Dmitry Borisovich Zimin died. He was 88 years old. A huge man, how much he did - from the creation of “Beeline” to education and education, not surrendering and not afraid. How many wonderful projects, books, video educational ones came out thanks to the support of Dmitry Zimin. That's who the real philanthropist is Zimin. I happened to be a little familiar with him personally, since the time of Kommersant, and now, in a new era, they crossed several times.

This new era pressed on it, and the state squeezed out the activities of Zimin from Russia. And he still helped a lot. He published books, textbooks, issued grants for films and large projects. For thinking and thinking. Helped an independent press, journalists. In the current realities, the authorities could record Dmitry Zimin in “foreign agents”. In fact, his Dynasty Foundation became the first swallow of such defeats. But Dmitry Borisovich Zimin is a great citizen and great enlightener.

Thanks to him for everything!

Leonid Volkov

politician; Record published in a telegram channel

Dmitry Borisovich Zimin was a great citizen and patriot.

He will be very missing. He will be remembered. He understood that for the future of the country there is nothing more important than education, enlightenment, values. We would not forget all either.

Ilya Ber

The editor -in -chief of the factory project "Retrieved"; Record published on Facebook

Very sad day today. The great man Dmitry Borisovich Zimin died. He was unique and made for Russia, for its science and culture, more than, perhaps, any other living people. And this is not an exaggeration. We will live until the time when he will erect monuments.

I was lucky. I have a photo with him, taken at a rally. He just walked among people, modestly, not standing out. Nobody recognized him.

Mikhail Gelfand

bioinformatics; Record published on Facebook

Dmitry Borisovich Zimin died.

“Dynasty”, “Enlightener” (and “Politosvet”), “Trinity Option” (Boris Stern invented, but Dmitry Borisovich very much supported from the very beginning), the school of molecular and theoretical biology (the project that supported the “Dynasty”, and then personally Dmitry Borisovich), the festivals of the “Dynasty”, its also support program, the program of support. Fasted biologists are only that I personally somehow touched me.

Sergey Lukashevsky

Director of the Sakharov Center ; Record published on Facebook

Dmitry Borisovich Zimin died ...

He was a big man. And he has a lot of merits. We will still write everything from the Sakharov Center, as it should be.

But I have personal. Almost 12 years ago, Dmitry Borisovich believed in me. The fact that the new team in the Sakharov Center can do something successful and important. I believed the first. When there was almost no funding, and the prospects were foggy. And we received the support of the Dynasty Foundation. And all the rest (including Western funds with different known names) appeared later. Considering his example, a kind of guarantee.

You remember this all your life with inexhaustible gratitude. After those who love you, the most important people in life are those who were ready to believe in you.

And I am terrible to realize that Dmitry Borisovich is no longer with us. Low bow, deep gratitude and bright memory ...

The material is updated