- Vladimir Gruzdev
Vladimir Sergeyevich Gruzdev ( _ru. Владимир Сергеевич Груздев) is a Russian politician, businessman and explorer.
Vladimir Gruzdev was born in 1967 in Bolshevo, Moscow oblast, to a military officer and a teacher. He initially studied as a cadet of military institute, then served in the Russian foreign intelligence service as a translator.
In 1993 he abandoned his military career and founded Sedmoy Kontinent
hypermarket s net. The company grew in the following years, becoming one of the largestretail ers in Russia, and making its founder a millionaire.In 2000 Gruzdev was elected to the Moscow City Duma, and in 2003 was elected as a deputy of State Duma. He is a member of the
United Russia political party.Gruzdev is also known for his extreme tourism and exploration. He took part in the Russian expedition
Arktika 2007 to the North Pole and onJanuary 10 2008 was awarded theOrder of Merit Before the Fatherland , 3rd Class "for courage showed in extremal conditions during ." [ [http://www.kremlin.ru/text/docs/2008/01/156144.shtml Президент России | Указ «О награждении государственными наградами Российской Федерации» ] ] He is expected to become the first Russian space tourist in 2009, launching on board aSoyuz-TMA spacecraft. [cite web | url = http://en.rian.ru/russia/20071005/82599456.html | title = First Russian space tourist will not lift off until 2009 | publisher =RIA Novosti | date =2007-10-05 ]Vladimir Gruzdev is married and has three children.
References
ource
* [http://www.gruzdev.ru/personal/bio/ Official Gruzdev website]
* [http://www.kommersant.com/p-11324/Space_tourist_Gruzdev/ Kommersant article]
* [http://voyageurs-touristes-espace.blogspot.com/2007/09/russe-vladimir-gruzdev-touriste-spatial.html First Russian tourist in Space]
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