Near my home there’s Maryinsky Park, a large stretch of land along the Moscow River. Naturally, it’s a protected natural area. Special status. Naturally, construction is prohibited. Naturally, they want to build there anyway—why let the land go to waste when some random suckers are just walking around on it? Naturally, construction began. Naturally, people got upset. Naturally, people were told: "Yes, we’re building. But it’s for you! In your interests. A sports complex, for example. And, say, a cultural one. They even put up a commemorative marker. Naturally, it’s hideously ugly. Like a tombstone.
Naturally, everyone got screwed. Naturally, once the groundwork was finished—when shutting the project down would be nearly impossible—it turned out to be a shopping mall. Naturally, at first they were embarrassed and kept it quiet. And now they’ve already put up an ad: retail space for lease.
So there they stand, about 30 meters apart: the tombstone-like marker promising a cultural and sports complex, and the sign inviting people to lease retail space. The Mayor of Moscow, one of the leaders of United Russia (the ruling political party), is a crook, a thief, and a con man. Naturally.