Governor Valentina Matviyenko is preparing to become a councilwoman in one of St. Petersburg’s 111 district councils — a step that will pave the way for her to be appointed speaker of the Federation Council. At least three St. Petersburg districts — Rzhevka, Porokhoviye and Finlyandsky — have publicly voiced their readiness to hold an early election and welcome Matviyenko as councilwoman. Matviyenko’s deputy and possible successor, Mikhail Oseyevsky, […]