Becoming a Russian Oligarch After Rebirth
Chapter 1186 - 993: An Encounter at the Theater

Chapter 1186: Chapter 993: An Encounter at the Theater

Vasily’s heart leapt with joy, and he quickly replied with a smile:

"That’s wonderful!

Although it’s winter and not the most beautiful time of the year for Lake Baikal, the scenery of Lake Baikal after a snowfall has its own unique charm.

This year has been colder than usual, so the lake’s surface froze over ahead of time. It’s possible to camp on the ice in a tent and even have BBQ. Chairman Mikhail, you must have never experienced that before, haha..."

The winter temperatures in Siberia are lower than those in Moscow, often around forty degrees below zero, so Lake Baikal can have more than a meter of ice, meaning driving, camping, and barbecuing on the ice is not an issue at all.

And because the lake water is so clear and transparent, the ice is particularly beautiful. It’s said that you can even see fish swimming under the ice...

Wang Ye nodded slightly, not saying much more.

The motorcade had entered the downtown area of Irkutsk, where the main roads were almost free of snow, swept clean, probably in preparation for Wang Ye’s arrival.

In Russia, where heavy snow fell almost every three days during winter, it would be too wasteful of labor and resources to clear it every time.

Even in Moscow, most roads were just treated with de-icing salt to prevent ice from forming. As for the roads getting dirty, that wasn’t a concern.

Only the main streets or in cases when the snow was too heavy and it would impede traffic if not cleared would they deploy snowplows.

In a city with not many inhabitants like Irkutsk, under normal circumstances, there wouldn’t be a "budget" for "clearing snow"...

The population was only around half a million, so the city wasn’t too large, with a single straight avenue cutting across it.

It wasn’t long before the motorcade arrived at the base of the state government building.

It was still the common open office building, resembling a miniaturized version of the Duma Building, with a modest square in front, tall steps, and standard European-style architecture.

Surrounded by a large group of people, Wang Ye briskly ascended the steps and entered the government building.

He was there to lead a meeting, hearing a report on the local state government’s preparations for the day after tomorrow’s pipeline opening ceremony, as well as preparations for receiving the Chinese delegation.

The Chinese delegation was scheduled to arrive in Irkutsk tomorrow.

As the highest-ranking person there, it was naturally Wang Ye’s responsibility to receive them.

He also needed to meet with members of the Chinese delegation to discuss subsequent energy cooperation issues...

"For this pipeline opening ceremony, our state is placing great importance on it, jointly with the Yukos Group, Russian Gas Industry Group, and the Pipeline Group, we have established a preparatory work committee.

I serve as the group leader, having pulled together quite a number of elite soldiers and talents, all to ensure that the ceremony is nothing short of perfect!

For this, we’ve made the following preparations..."

During the meeting, Vasily reported on the related preparations in an orderly manner to Wang Ye.

Wang Ye listened and nodded, it was clear they had indeed done a lot.

They had even specially arranged a ballet performance to better receive the Chinese delegation, selecting numerous talented dancers from several arts universities within the state to participate in this performance.

Speaking of ballet, although it did not originate in Russia, it can be said that Russia brought it to fame, with a continuous outpouring of ballet dancers of international renown!

This time, they would perform the very classic piece, "Swan Lake."

Wang Ye had seen the Royal Ballet Troupe perform in Moscow. Although he was not very knowledgeable about dance, he was indeed influenced by the art, watching the graceful figures on stage, the stunning stage effects, and the beautiful ballet dancers, one after the other.

A ballet drama is certainly considered a form of "high art," so it is suitable and prestigious for welcoming important foreign guests.

This arrangement was indeed not bad, and Wang Ye expressed his approval.

After reporting on the preparatory work, Vasily also took the opportunity to lament their financial hardships, a rare chance with "The God of Wealth" visiting Irkutsk State for the first time, and seeming in good spirits—why not seize the moment to seek "sponsorship"?

"Ah, the state’s finances are really tight, or this ceremony could have been even more perfect.

Not to embarrass myself in front of you, Chairman, but even the funds for holding the ceremony came from Yukos and Russian Gas Industry, as we couldn’t afford it.

Irkutsk actually has a complete industrial base and was once a famous industrial city with a well-established system, housing some of the largest aircraft manufacturers in all of Russia.

It’s just that in recent years, due to the lack of capital investment, life has become more and more difficult..."

Vasily stated with a pained expression on his face.

Wang Ye was aware of the airplane factory he mentioned, as indeed the production of SU-27s, SU-30s, and various large bombers and transport aircraft took place there.

Of course, this aircraft factory was also a subsidiary enterprise of the United Aviation Group, thus part of Wang Ye’s assets.

After Vasily had finished speaking, Wang Ye responded with a smile:

"Yes, this issue isn’t only present in Irkutsk State, it’s a common nationwide problem.

It’s been tough on everyone over these years.

However, as the national economy gradually improves, we’ll have more funds to reinvest in rebuilding our industrial system.

That’s why I’ve initiated major infrastructure projects and established the Industrial Fund Office, with the aim of revitalizing the country’s industrial system."