A proposal has been submitted to the Washington, D.C. city council to name a section of Wisconsin Ave. for a famous Russian statesman. What's this about, really? Well, the section of Wisconsin under consideration is also the site of the Russian Embassy. The name change would only be for the section in front of the embassy. This is not without precedent. This was done about 30 years ago when a section of the street(not Wisconsin) was named for Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov , a well know personage who had been imprisoned by the KGB for speaking out against the Communist government of the time. This time the name is of famous statesman Boris Nemtsov, a physicist turned politician who gained considerable clout when the old U.S.S.R. collapsed and a new economy began, introducing capitalism to the moribund nation.
When Mr. Putin took the reins of government about 17 years ago, Mr. Nemtsov seemed to fit right in. But then he fell out of favor when he spoke out against the oligarchs and their insider dealing with the Kremlin. Sadly, this turn around cost him his life. He was murdered outside the kremlin by a group of thugs who claimed they had been hired. Five men were convicted of this despicable incident. Critics continue to point the finger right at the Kremlin and its occupants.
Any name change to a street in DC has to be approved by the US Congress, which manages the district. Time will tell if this obvious protest move has any legs.
We hope it comes to pass.
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