Very long interview with Yana, wife of Evgeni ... about everything
http://others.sport-express.ru/reviews/3235/30.12.2009(translation by Ximena: 
http://evgenyplushenkodevotion.yuku.com/to...II.html?page=17)
Yana Rudkovskaya: Interestingly, how is Plushenko kisses?- Do you remember, when was the first time you have seen Evgeni?
- I do, it was at the 2002 Olympic Games. I was in Germany with my mum. We were watching figure skating and supporting Plushenko, I was supporting him and not Yagudin. I remember I said to my mun: "Mum, I want him to win very much. Look Evgeni looks so much like an elf, though he has a very big nose, I wonder how he kiss then?" That's what I was thinking...
- When you met Evgeni in person that impression is lost.
- You mean about the nose?
- Yes. And in general, Plushenko is a very charming person.
- I aboslutely agree with you. I was convinced of it, when I got to meet Evgeni personally.
When did you know that he will be more than a friend for you?
Now it seems to me that it was at first sight! At the first hour! I never felt like that and I think the same happened with Evgeni. Little after we met in London, we were holding hands. Dima Bilan sang on the Trafalgar area, and Plushenko was representing Sochi-2014 - along with Rodnina and Slutskaya. By the way, I still had the photo that we took the first minutes when I met Evgeni. Even then I knew how much I got "hooked" on him, it was an incredible feeling.
- He was easy to talk to?
- Very easy. And he was quite insistent that he wanted to be friends with me.
- What features of him you find unique?
- It amazes me what a kind person he is. I have never met that kind of man. I have many friends and acquaintances but Evgeni is very special in his nature. For example, Dima Bilan has also a very kind heart, but Evgeni is in general ready to help everybody. He has such a huge heart that God has given to very few people.-
- What case has surprised you lately about that?
- He surprises me every day. For example, he has offered a very large money to two churches in St.-Petersburg. A huge sum.
- Someone asked him to?
- That's just the point, none did. He saw by himself what a hard time they were going through and Evgeni is a believer so he made that decision by himself.
- How much did he give?
- I can't tell you that, he won't be happy about it.
***
- Then let's talk about something else. Do you think Plushenko will be Olympic champion again?
- Certainly! I do not doubt about that at all!
- But he has said in an interview that even Olympic bronze will be a fine result.
- It would be good as well, considering he already has gold and silver. Thene he will ger a complete set of medals, and Plushenko will still make history, he will become then a legend. But then again, I don't think he is going to Vancouver for a bronze...
- Do you remember the moment when he told you about returning to compete?
- For a long time he didn't. Though he had previously tried several time to come back to amateurs, but then his injuries, his kneews, he had to go to Germany to get surgery...so to come back was not an spontaneous decision of his part. It didn't happen in one day, not long ago he was not motivated towards it.
- And it appeared thanks to you?
- The motivation appeared, when I told him "Evgeni, you are not a two times Olympic champion, and you can" There has not been a two time Olympic champioon in more than fifty years, right?
- Even more.
- Yes and what kind of jumps they had? No difficult combinations. Figure skating was at absolutely another level. And now - what a fight!
- Is anyone helping Plushenko? Does he has any sponsors?
- I agreed with Oriflame who will sponsor Evgeni for two years. He does not have other sponsors.
***
- Plushenko's comeback has been quite criticise, is there something particular that has been written that has bothered you?
- What was very unpleasant was when someone has written that Evgeni was given five millions dollars to comeback, it's such nonsense. The only amount of money they have given him is 45 thousand roubles for medicines, nothing more. He skates after such a terrible injury, he constantly has shots and people still grin saying: "There's nothing he can't..."
- And does that bothers you?
- Very much. And after all on the Olympic Games Evgeni will represent Russia, he is our hope in Vancouver.
- Who has written about these five millions dollars?
- You know, I'm so used to people writing garbage about me, Dima Bilan and Evgeni that I don't read about it carefully anymore, so I don't remember who wrote about that. But I see, how the Japanese media writes about their stars, and the French care about Joubert, none there is upset about, on the contrary, they only support them! I thought that envy and a rage happenned only in show business, but as it appeared, also happens in sports very much.
- Were you in the Munich clinic where Evgeni got his injections for his knees?
- Of course I was.
- That should have been a very horrible scene to see.
- Do you think it's not longer painful? Do you know how many injections he has gotten? And even then he still skates through an inhuman amount of pain. I can't even begin to imagine what would Evgeni be able to create on the ice if he could live without the pain.
You know, Evgeni is a man, with a capital M. This man, is a very brave one. He is not just the Olympic champion but a great sportsman. You can comeback to sports when you have your full health and sponsors have actually offer you 5 million dollars. But Plushenko came back with his injuries, without any hope of financial help. Has refused all shows offered to him, though now there are huge money offers to skate in Japan and America.
- Has Evgeni been with you on your court dates?
- He's been once, he has helped me very much morally.
***
- Are you getting a house?
- We already have one, and we are building a second one. On the lake. It will be very big, for all the family.
- Does Evgeni manages to see his son now?
- I don't want to talk about that subject.
- The last year you and Evgeni separated for two months, were you worried?
- Yes.
- But you knew that you'll get back together?
- Well, yes and no.
- Why?
- Reason was telling me that we won't but my heart said that we will, that we have to.
- You are a very frank person, what was the reason you separated?
- That's a question that neither me or Evgeni can find the answer to. He decided to be separated but he doesn't know why
- What does Evgeni says?
- That he wanted to check for himself. It was then, probably, the most terrible period of my life, anything more horrible I can't remember. I had my worst days at the court and at the same time at the "Stars on ice" show on which by the way I think people were biased in a negative way towards me.
- Were you "condemned" because of it?
- Yes. All everything was so hard and many people were saying "You were so tense". And how else could I be when they have taken my children away from me and then my favourite person left me? Who in such situation could not be under pressure? I, to tell you the truth, thought that I will not survive it at all. And I didn't want to either.
- And you had to smile about it?
- Yes. To pretend that all was good with me. Evgeni and I agreed that till the end of December we weren't going to say a word that we had separated. I gave interviews, went to tv shows and said: "I'm sure that Evgeni will go to the Olympic Games and will win. Everything is good with us.." And actually all was awful. I'm not used to lying and that was even worse.
- How did Evgeni react?
- He then admitted that he has read all my interviews, it was interesting to him that I didn't say anything bad about him.
- You didn't say anything bad?
- No a word. If we have broken up definetely I think we could have stay in good relations, but we could have hardly be close friends. I loved him too much, I still do! Therefore to see Evgeni would have been too heavy, just too painfull. All our dialogue would have been reduced to telephone conversations: "Hello, how are you?" Though I so have seen many couples that after breaking up have had no problems talking.
- What did Evgeni say about this situation?
- He explained that he didn't want to be wrong again. He made me understand that he had very strong feelings about me but he didn't want to feel deceit again. As if I would have take advantage of something. But that was absolutely not my case. I am a wounded animal, I have suffered much already so I try not cause pain to people. Maybe what Evgeni said was the reason we got separated but I think there's something else.
***
- How did you get back together?
- We agree that will talk only till December, 31st. But what did we talk? We didn't even call each other, unless every now or then that I will write him a text: "The tv show will be there and bring this and that", and then we met on "Stars on Ice" on November 3rd, in his birthday.
- Did you have a gift for him?
- I gave Evgeni a very nice cellphone. He was surprised: "But why? We are sort of separated and you gave me this expensive gift..." And so I told him that he can take it as a souvenir from me, and then I flew to another country.
- Alone?
- Yes. And Evgeni stayed that day in Moscow to meet some friends. And the suddenly he start to call me:"I can not be without you. I can not, at all. Where have you fly to?"
- You met then?
- Evgeni has told me: "I won't leave Moscow without you. We need to talk". He waited and we me, and every since then we have not been apart anymore, not even for one minute.
- You even look for treasures together, Evgeni has said that.
- About that, it was Evgeni's terrific idea. It was a one in a life adventure for me. He bought metal detectors, and in the morning we left and there was none else there, in a Swedish village under Peter, 600 years old. You couldn't even get a phone signal there.
- You were sort of lost to your family?
- Nobody could phone, while we wandered through swamps in huge boots. We left at 6 am and came back at 9 pm. Fifteen kilometres by foot.
- Was it difficult?
- Very much. The thickets were terrible.
- What did you dig out?
- Ancient flasks, coins. You know, Evgeni is overflowed with ideas, he is a very creative person. It is so interesting to be near him! We play tennis, we go bowling, we search for treasures...It's like he is just making real all his childhood's dream, it's a little bit distracting. Evgeni no longer goes clubbing or to parties.
- And where does he go now?
- Sometimes into a restaurant, we invite his parents.But in general now he is focused only with sports and a victory in Vancouver. In his head there's only his new programs, ideas, jumps, combinations... If he gets distracted is by absolutely amazing things like search for treasures. He'll find a coin and get happy, like a child, and I get happy likewise.
- Do the coins worth something?
- The important thing is that we have found them. There were coins from Ekaterina II's time, clearly in a bad condition. Rare enough coins from the time of Paul the first. Also coins from the time of Peter the great.... there was a hairpin, 250 years old.
- All in one time?
- No, sometimes. There are moments that we just wander around and find only two coins, once we got 11. The most interesting thing is that we once found a pot and Evgeni said "It's a pot of money!", and we thought that we actually found a treasure but then we opened the pot and there was just dirt, nothing else.
- That's great. Where are those coins now?
- At home. After the Olympic Games we will go for sure and search for treasures again. Perhaps it sounds ridiculously sounds, but it's a good "high". We study the history, we try to understand, how in this place there could be something. Then we will tell the story to our children.
***
- Do you go with Evgeni to them parks?
- Once we were together in Sweden and there have this horrible attraction, I don't like them in general, but for Evgeni nothing is horrible. You see, you sat in an armchair and with your feet hanging in the air, they fasten you up and you slow go monstrously highly, I thought it was 250 meters and then out of nowhere, you fall down!
- It's nice for a fan.
- I thought that I will turn grey, to tell you the truth. But it was pleasant to Evgeni, he has told me: "Go, go, I'll still a couple of rides". I understood then that he was an Olympic champion. But it became especially clear to me on Eurovision.
- Why?
- It's not difficult to shake us up, but Evgeni, he is completely quiet and calm about it all, even at the press conferences when there were many provocations.
- For example?
- There is one Danish journalist who hates me since 2006. And so he then has declared that Dima Bilan won't even makes it to top 10. And I have answered: Dima will win or be second place.
- In 2006 he was second.
- Yes. And the Finnish group Lordi won [I love them!] You remember those dressed as monsters? Then someone has told that among monsters, Dima was second place, but among people, first. Actually I consider that the success that year was not less than in 2008 when Bilan won.
- So about that journalist?
- He was making me so mad. When we were at the press conference in Belgrad on the eve of the semi-final. This journalist hold up his hand, looks at Bilan and says "Dima, why are you here? Do you honestly think you can win? They have brought Plushenko and we think, what else are you going to do?" And at first he said "Dima" and then he said "Excuse me, Victor".
- Because of the issue about the name of Bilan?
- Just about and Dima under that kind of pressure has turned a little puzzled. Took the microphone and said: "I don't know what to answer, I'm an smart person but I'm going to say all I think about you..." And Plushenko interrupted him and said "Wait, wait, give me the microphone and I will answer it because my name has been mentioned"
- Did Evgeni choose the right words?
- He said: "On the Olympic Games in 2002 I became the second place. In 2006 I went again and I won. Dima that time was second place and now he will win, I'm sure of it. Moreover 'Victor' mean 'the winner". He sounded so powerful! In such good English!
- How did the hall reacted?
- The all have applauded. The Serbian journalist has risen and said: "Friends, look at the Serbian flag, if we turn it, it because the Russian one and I think we all going to be there next year". After that episode and the last stage of the competition, Dima was the leader. The hero of all covers. When the guys came to the press conference, everyone in the hall rose.
***
- Have you read his book?
- I did and I will tell you what I said to Evgeni. At the beggining, his book was twice as thick, he has said everything. He reviewed once, twice, a third time and then Ari, his manager has called and said: "Evgeni you need to edit this, this person can get offended, edit this and that..."
- Was it necessary to edit?
- It wasn't. I explained to him "Evgeni if you want this book to turn into a best seller, it has to be pleasant to the public so you can't edit anything. You have to write it as it is".
- You also wrote your own book?
- I wrote frankly though a lot of people regretted it. But it was good nonetheless. If Eugene had not allowed to edit the manuscript, the book would have appeared much more interestingly. And it turned out dryish. And rugged. The core of Plushenko was a little lost. So we will necessarily republish it as it was intended.
- After Vancouver?
- Yes. And there Evgeni will reveal all secrets. A secret from him, and judging by the stories, he has had many secrets. Many will shudder. The only people who know about them are me and his parents.
***
- You bright people. So for sure your gifts for each other have to be something unexpected.
- We like very much to give each other gifts. Zhenya often gives me something. I will always remember that on February 14th of this year, he gave me 600 roses.
- 600?!
- Yes! I was simply in shock! When all these roses have appeared at home, we got all the family to arrange them. Evgeni is capable of such bright acts that to everyone is clear that he is an unique person.
- And do you surprise him with your gifts?
- He usually says what he wants for a gift.
- Like?
- We've actually agreed that before I buy him soething I will ask him: "What would you like?" He has recently bought a new car so he told me: "We need a bodykit" so I asked him "Is that what you want for your birthday?", "yes"
- And he got one?
- He chose the most stunning bodykit and I paid for it. Now I know that he says to everyone: "Yana gave me this car"
- Does it means that he has replaced his Mercedes with something new?
- He stil has his Mercedes, he just has bought a jeep.
- What did he gave you for your wedding?
- Oh, we had many gifts … Sergey Mihajlovich Mironov collects vases, and gaves us a very interesting one, it's huge. It's in our home now. The Olympic committee has handed over beautiful vases of very unusual form - in the form of skate.
***
- I once saw you and Evgeni with a bodyguard. Have you ever been thankful to have a bodyguard with you?
- I have to be protected. Before I didn't need one, I lived with a very known and wealthy man, thus I used to have an sports car that I drove with my children. I didn't need any protection. But now there are courts, and I began to worry about my life, these are dangerous times, Do you think I like to have often with me a bodyguard? And to pay him a lot of money?
- What story about Evgeni's past has surprised you the most?
- There has been so many stories. I was surprised to have learnt about his life in a communal flat. That his mum and him never had enough money and they have to split an apple so they both could eat, that they collected bottles for a living. All that surprised me because I have grown in a very provided family, my dad was a military pilot …
- Did he earned a lot of money?
- He was the deputy chief of the flight school. Mum was a candidate of medical sciences for a very known doctor. My grandfather was the deputy minister of industry. I eat black caviar, I had beautiful expensive things. In general, I never was in need of anything. So I am surprised about Evgeni's parents, to have brought up such person. Have made of him a great sportsman. Did everything so he could study and train in St.-Petersburg. You have to see how much Evgeni worries and cared about his parents. It is an example of how it is necessary to love and support. Evgeni is an amazing son.
- And have you seen him cry?
- Once. It was real man's tears, miserly. But it was a very private moment and I won't talk about it.
- Evgeni used to adore motorcycles.
- He still does. We have a whole garage full of them. Some of them were gifts and some he has bought. But I do not like extreme sports, I've become very cautious, I have two children after all. I can't allow that by some stupid accident they are left without one. But Evgeni do like extreme a little bit.
- You don't forbid him?
- In general it is impossible to forbid something to him. And it is not necessary, I always let him do what he wants.
***
- Evgeni said that before the Olympic Games he has given up alcohol.
- Yes.
- Was it your idea?
- It's all him.
- It's not a great feat, but there's something heroic about it.
- You think so? It seems to me that it is an usual act of an strong person. .
- In your book there is a recommendation: at the last page, to wash up hands because show business is a dirty piece.
- I am am amazed about it every day, though I'm not one to complain about work and fate. I see it happen but I don't take part on it, I try to stay clean and away from it, that's the important thing.
- Is there something, that prevents you to be completely happy?
- To be away from my children. And the courts days which seem endless.
And I thought, that this just seems to me! 
I'm glad, that I'm not alone in my "paranoia" 
- I would like that someone correct me, when I make an obvious grammatical error, etc. ... 
