Sayings attributed to former Russian prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin
A chernomyrdinka (
Russian: Черномы́рдинка; plural: Черномы́рдинки) or a chernomyrdinism[1] is a quotation, often a
malapropism or a
gaffe, attributed to the former Russian prime minister
Viktor Chernomyrdin. Many of them entered the everyday Russian lexicon. The most famous example[2] is "We wanted the best, but it turned out as always", uttered in the context of Russia's efforts in economic reforms, namely the
monetary reform in Russia, 1993.[3][4]
Chernomyrdin did not try to be smart, chernomyrdinkas were produced naturally. Even when they sounded funny, people have found a deeper meaning in them.[4] They were produced after the
dissolution of the Soviet Union, when country leadership, including Chernomyrdin, attempted to speak "not from the paper sheet" (in other words, not in a scripted fashion) and without bureaucratisms typical of the late
Soviet Union.[5] Russian journalist
Dmitry Travin [
ru] writes that chernomyrdinkas often reflected the spirit of the epoch better than thick books of writers and philosophers.[6]
Russian writer and satirist
Victor Shenderovich is quoted to say that he envies Chernomyrdin: a writer toils hard, but Chernomyrdin just opens his mouth, and here you go: a brilliant quote is here.[7]
The
Orenburg gas processing plant [
ru], whose first director was Chernomyrdin, on the occasion of its 45th anniversary opened a park dedicated to Chernomyrdin and adorned it with plaques with chernomyrdinkas.[8]
The phrase was uttered on August 6, 1993.
Yuri Luzhkov described it as belonging to the golden pool of Russian managerial folklore. The first part of the phrase is a common Russian formula of excuse. Russian culturologist Konstantin Dushenko notes that according to internet statistics by
Yandex, of all utterances by Russian politicians, this one is the runner-up after the
"Putinism"Dunk them in toilets [
ru].[9] A similar phrase is traced to
Pyotr Kropotkin: "The state [...] wanted to do the best, but it turned out as always."[10]
We Wanted the Best... has become the title of the book about Chernomyrdin and the
Yeltsin epoch.[2][4]
"It has never been like this and now it is exactly the same again." (Отродясь такого не бывало, и опять то же самое;[2] commonly cited as: Никогда такого не было, и вот опять)[11]
"Better than vodka, there is nothing worse." (Лучше водки — хуже нет!) [4]
"Whatever party we establish, it always turns out to be the Soviet Communist Party or the Kalashnikov rifle"[11]
"You can't scare a woman with high-heeled shoes."[4][1]
"We have accomplished all items: from A to B." (Мы выполнили все пункты: от А до Б)[1]
"I will not speak much, otherwise I will say something again" (Много говорить не буду, а то опять чего-нибудь скажу)[2]