A Hot New Rising Star in Russian Politics

I guess this can be presented as "Sarah Palin, watch out! - you got a young, sexy competitor in Russia!" That is at least the gist of the Yahoo Buzz post by Mike Kumboltz about Marya Sergeyeva, a 24-year-old speaker for the Russian youth movement. No need to paraphrase here - this is what the post says:

"The U.K.'s Daily Mail writes that she is the "leading propagandist" of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Critics believe she is being used by Putin to drum up support from Russia's youth. She's certainly carving out a nice career for herself. Sergeyeva is widely believed to be on her way to a government ministry position. Her ultimate ambition, apparently, is to rule Russia.

The Daily Mail goes on to explain that Sergeyeva is "a leading light of the Young Guards, a youthful and growing band of zealots dedicated to resisting any efforts to stop Putin's inexorable Russian revolution." Not exactly a nonpartisan statement, but Sergeyeva isn't exactly nonpartisan herself. The Daily Mail writes that the rising star has called for immigrants to "go home." She also blasts those who criticize Putin and believes that the United States wants Russia to be "weak." The Kyiv Post compares her to Ann Coulter.

While her statements and speeches are debatable, we've noticed that many folks are more intrigued by her looks than her remarks. Searches on her name are up 454% this week, and "maria sergeyeva pictures" are also on the march. Some have labeled her "Putin's pinup," but others believe that focusing on her looks discounts the impact she may have on the world stage.

One thing is for sure: She's an attractive and controversial political figure who sometimes poses in revealing attire. Just one of those three components is usually enough to guarantee a person some buzz. Add 'em together and the possibilities are endless ..."

Do check out the links in this article - they give the term "interesting" a new meaning.