You're reading: Remembering Viktor Chernomyrdin

He died a year ago, and is still revered by many, including Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who called Viktor Chernomyrdin “one of the brightest and strongest leaders of Russia in the past 20 years.”

He died last November at age 72. A photo exhibit of his life’s achievements was opened in Kyiv on Nov. 11 at the Russian Center for Science and Culture.

A former prime minister of Russia in the wild 1990s, he served as Russia’s ambassador to Ukraine in 2001-2009.

He was believed to be one of the most successful mediators among Russia’s many powerful clans.

Famous for his metaphors (“The government is not the kind of organ where you can just work with your tongue”), he wrote memoirs which were presented on the same day.

The book called “The Time Has Chosen Us” was presented to distinguished audience, which included former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and his wife Lyudmyla, who were Chernomyrdin’s close friends, and his two sons.

The sons of Viktor Chernomyrdin, Andrei and Vitaliy, attended an evening in his memory. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)

Lyudmyla Kuchma, Ukraine’s former first lady, and Viktor Chernomyrdin’s photographer Alexander Burkovskiy (center) attend the exhibition. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)

Ex-President Leonid Kuchma (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)

Actors, businessmen and politicians attend. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)

Anatoliy Kuznetsov, a Russian artist, entertains the guests. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)