Media offer to Putin judo partner

Shestakov, top, is said to have taught Mr Putin, below, some throws

A friend and judo partner of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Vasily Shestakov, has been asked to fill a key role in a new official media centre.

The National Information Centre will offer journalists rare access to senior government figures, an official said.

Mr Shestakov said he had been invited to head the centre's supervisory board, Russian reports say.

The thick-set Mr Shestakov is said to have taught Mr Putin judo throws. The two also co-authored a book on judo.

Heart of government

The new media centre, set to open in February, will be located in a large building close to government offices, Russian media reports said.

It will host media events for journalists, promote national projects and give journalists coveted access to senior government figures, said Ivan Makushok, one of the men behind this initiative.

Overseeing the centre will be a supervisory council of about a dozen media representatives, he said. Mr Shestakov will head this council if he accepts the post.

Little is known about Mr Shestakov, who represents the Putin-friendly party Just Russia in the Duma.

But he once authored a book with Mr Putin called Judo: History, Theory, Practice, and Mr Putin is reported to have learned some of his best judo with him.

'Soft power'

Reports say the media centre aims to improve Russia's image abroad - tarnished by events including Russia's shutdown of gas supplies to Europe two years ago, its policy among neighbouring countries, its record on rights and transparency and its conduct during the recent bitter row with the UK.

"Over the last several years there has been an increasing realisation among the Russian elite that soft power is important, and that Russia could do a lot more in this field," Andrei Zolotov, editor of Russia Profile magazine, told the BBC News website.

"They're up for trying news things out.

"But perhaps this new centre is also the result of struggles behind the scenes - an intense bureaucratic fight for the funds that now exist for this kind of thing."

However, the involvement of Mr Shestakov may serve to reinforce one aspect of the Kremlin's negative image.

As a personal friend of the president himself, it may be interpreted as the Kremlin's wish to maintain a tight grip on the media.