Putin unleashes judo master on foreign press

It may be out of the Cold War but post-Soviet Russia's image abroad has been tarnished once more under the regime of President Vladimir Putin. Events such as Russia's 2005 shutdown of gas supplies to Europe, its policy among neighbouring countries, its record on human rights and its conduct during the continuing bitter diplomacy row with the UK have done nothing to boost Russia's international standing

Exasperated by the bad publicity he has been receiving, Putin has decided to answer back. The President has recruited a doughty fighter in his battle with the hostile foreign press – a crony from his judo club.

Putin has drafted his long-time friend and training partner, Vasily Shestakov to head Moscow's new press and information bureau - the Orwellian-sounding National Information Centre, which opens next month. The thick-set, no-nonsense Shestakov, who is currently an MP in the state Duma with the pro-Kremlin A Just Russia party, is said to have taught Putin some of his best judo techniques. With a third member of Putin’s club, the Yawara Dojo, the pair also co-authored a book, Judo, History, Theory and Practice (pictured). The President, has previously credited judo with rescuing him from a life of delinquency on the backstreets of Soviet-era Leningrad, now St Petersburg.

A short walk from the Kremlin, the National Information Centre which effectively controls all of Russia's national media, will host events for both Russian and foreign journalists. Unlike most Kremlin departments, it will encourage the presence of journalists and has made a cyber cafe available for them. Roman Abramovich, the billionaire owner of Chelsea football club is reported to be one of the business backers of the new centre.