First Lady of Russia

Svetlana Medvedeva, First Lady of Russia

Svetlana Vladimirovna Medvedeva (Russian: Светлана Владимировна Медведева, née Linnik, Линник) (born 15 March 1965), is the wife of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and thus the first lady of Russia.

Svetlana Linnik was born into a military family in Kronstadt, a town administered by Leningrad. She met her future husband in Middle School #305, in Kupchino, near Leningrad.

In 1987, she began study at the Saint Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance. The Medvedevs married in 1993, after they had completed their studies. In 1995 their son Ilya was born and she stopped pursuing her career. In the same year she was baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church. In 2006, she initiated the annual Russian art festival in Bari, Italy. Medvedeva became first lady when her husband, Dmitry Medvedev, took over as president on 7 May 2008 following his election victory. In the same year, she headed the initiative for the institution of Family Day in Russia. She has already caused something of a media frenzy even though she shies away from photographers and rarely gives interviews.

In a recent interview, however, Svetlana detailed her views on the interaction between the Russian Orthodox Church and the government of Russia in promoting family policies.

Medvedeva speaks French well.