The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
An epic train tribute
A mammoth 5,700-mile rail journey is set to celebrate centuries-old ties between Scotland and Russia, and hopefully create new friendships, as Michael Alexander discovered
Russia has never been far from western media headlines in recent years.
Rising tensions with Ukraine over Crimea, controversy over Russia’s role in Syrian air strikes and more recently, the doping scandal involving the country’s athletes ahead of the Rio Olympics made for negative press.
But how much do we really know about the biggest country on Earth and its 144 million residents – and how much do they really know about us?
According to Vitaly Mironov, president of Russian-Scots organisation the Moscow Caledonian Club (MCC), the answer is very little.
Now, the Moscow-raised 54-year-old is hoping an epic train journey commemorating a great but largelyunknown Scottish explorer can build more bonds between the two countries.
In particular, Vitaly hopes to highlight the achievements of John Dundas Cochrane, a Scottish naval captain who, 200 years ago, traversed 3,000 miles of the Russian empire on foot.
Cochrane married a Russian, Ksenia Ivanovna Loginova, three years before his death in 1825.
Known as the “pedestrian traveller”, he published a travel chronicle so detailed it was used by the architects of the great Trans-Siberian Railway, which will host the 5,772-mile train ride from Moscow to Vladivostock between November 19 and December 1.
The event, known as Captain Cochrane’s Scottish Express, will feature performances from Scottish artists along the way in addition to meetings with Russian businessmen and officials.
It has been planned so participants can celebrate St Andrew’s Day on November 30 in the country.
Understanding
The MCC is hoping the event could lead to greater understanding between Scottish and Russian citizens.
“Cochrane is symbolic of the connections between the two countries and we want to strengthen that relationship,” Vitaly told The Courier during a visit in Dundee.
“He brought the truth of the real Russia and that is what we want people to see.
“We want Scots to come to our country and Russians to go to Scotland. From this we can both benefit from an enduring friendship.”
Vitaly, a former Soviet Army soldier who helped found the MCC in 1994 after studying history at Moscow University, said the journey would show journalists, business and cultural leaders and artists that Russia is so much more than the stereotype portrayed in the western media.
“The western political elite do not understand Russia,” he says.
“But even worse, they do not try to understand. They know absolutely nothing about the modern country. This is a huge mistake. It’s a huge problem.”
Popular Scots
An addition to Cochrane, the former professional historian has always been interested in Scots writers such as Burns, Sir Walter Scot and Robert Louis Stevenson.
He points out they are all incredibly popular in Russia, which shares Scotland’s Saint Andrew as its patron saint and uses a form of the saltire on its naval flag.
During his studies, Vitaly was fascinated to find out about the mainly east coast Scots who travelled east from the middle of the 17th Century onwards.
Many went on to become heroes. Notable names include Alexander Leslie, who, in the 17th Century, became the first foreigner ranked a general in the Russian army.
Inverkeithing-raised Samuel Greig became “father of the Russian Navy” during the 18th Century.
And to this day the Leuchars-based Royal Scots Dragoon Guards still play the Imperial Anthem in memory of Tsar Nicholas II, who was killed during the Russian Revolution and was colonel-in-chief of their predecessors, the Scots Greys.
“The Scots have been more understanding towards us. That’s why so many have been adopted as Russian heroes,” Vitaly said.
Other Angus-origin names in Russia today include Affleck, Lyon, Rattray, Guthrie, Ogilvie, Graham and Scrymgeour, with a professor of biology called Auchterlonie at Moscow University.
Vitaly, a father of three young children, admits he is not a fan of president Vladimir Putin but adds “I understand his mind”.
“It’s about protecting our borders from the possibility of war,” he adds.
“But do not confuse this with Russia wanting to oppress anyone else.
“We are a peaceful country, looking to modernise.”
The Scots have always understood us. That’s why so many have been adopted as Russian heroes
For more information on Captain Cochrane’s Scottish Express and for links to book tickets, go to www.facebook.com/scottishexpress