here with r t this sunday with me turn turn rob and windsor headlines protesters throw smoke grenades and fireworks and monsters with rodney's in moscow at an anti-government rally with a number of opposition leaders arrested after apparently inciting crowds to define police orders to move. unconfirmed reports are putting socialist francois ahead of incumbent make the last supper easy in france presidential election with official exit polls set to be released at any minute now. and

a leading human rights activist from bottom arraignment is arrested days before are to use to air this into the song and when she spoke of a violent crackdown on protesters in his home country. r.t. sophie shevardnadze guides us through parts of the kremlin public just don't get to see and meets those whose unseen efforts keep the wheels turning in russia seat of power. from a bird's eye view the oddly shaped triangle formed by moscow's kremlin could be seen as to heart of russia a small state within

a state these red walls have been protecting moscow's kremlin for more than five centuries. to even idea of its size so we decided to actually go around it before going inside we must start right here at this basket our time your watch. extended over the kremlin walls is over two kilometers and if you want to go around it you better go real fast because the winters in russia are really cold it's minus ten today. the first kremlin was built out of woods poured out a couple of times before being rebuilt in white stowed. three hundred years later the walls in a tower square faced with a famous red rake but if you actually pulled away the red brick you would see

a wall as white as a bridal gown and some of those walls are almost six meters thick. right here on the red square wasn't depend moats filled with water and together with the ring of twenty towers it made the kremlin and inaccessible fortress known around the world. that there was another target log worse to witness it took us twenty seven minutes to go around the kremlin walls but what was behind them well join me on a journey to the heart of the kremlin to places him from the tourist he going to meet some real criminal insiders although they may not be the usual news makers you see on t.v. . so that you're going to meet true kremlin scholar this man is for actually clues saturated with kremlin history so

good to that's of the day that and finally we meet good to see you sir couldn't ask a gate is the major passage into the kremlin and traditionally it has always been open for arriving visitors during the day since the time of ivan the terrible sars an emperor has used it when visiting moscow anyone entering the gates take off their heart out to all of the savior of smaller whose image can be seen above the gate. and tearing through a gate on horseback was traditional legend has it that when napoleon passed through the gate in moscow in eight hundred twelve the winds tore his famous by calling from his head confront the savior. in nine hundred forty five here off the saudi cuny and marshalled. broke both rules in one moment he entered dressed square through spassky gate to receive the first victory day parade on horseback and wearing his service cap. after getting e-mail

so when did the i can appear here the icon has been here since the sixteenth century but disappeared during the soviet era it was only a year ago that the stores discovered the icon under a layer of plaster while examining the mystery almost thanks to them it was saved. in the name of the father. and the holy spirit. is busking gate was open for passage until the late ninety's but motor transport to and from the kremlin disturbed tourists walking along the red square and the kremlin walls and with the new millennium came the decision to close the gate. it now opens only on special occasions during the ninth of may fixture

a day parade for example or on inauguration day to receive the presidential motorcade. the only other visitor to pass through the gate is a giant christmas tree put up earlier celebrations. that could you lead me through those gates no but we can enter the kremlin through the private entrance a secret entrance for a closed circle is just around the corner. because very easy to get inside the kremlin together with you. as for me i've always wanted to get to the kremlin clock and especially to the bells what was it seems a child i always stood outside looking at the clock and i thought a magician lived there can manage the clock and also when the bells rang i was simply routines to the ground. can i get inside was more to the us but you're not dressed warmly enough there's a strong wind up there i have this very cold i think you'll have to put on something warmer. this boss could tell were once the heart of the kremlin's

defensive line it was and to see pate that any offensive would come from the southeast and that the tower would be to first attacked as a result of house trifle and artillery units in the seventeenth century spassky tower was the first to bear the two had eight eagle emblem of russia during soviet times they were all with robbie five pointed star struck. but the towers true jam as its chimes its clock face has a six meters diameter the rim numerals and clock hands are all gold plated a total of twenty eight kilograms of gold is needed just to coat them. inside this basket tower right now we're going to meet a true tower wizard she can those are of knows all about how to keep titans tower oh sissoko. so good to meet you so one to cluck appear in the tower with big charms

we see today has been here since a seems fifty two. clocks appeared on the spot sky tower during the time of zometa heil romanov let me tell you more about them at the top but i'm following you. to reach the clock one has to climb nine floors of spiral stairs. hear the clock your stern steadily waking every fifteen minutes to signal the bells to strike every quarter hour for one big hit on the hours and. fifty two you know the purpose of the bells ringing previously when few people had watches the chimes informed everyone of the toy. previously the clock horse operated manually but since nine hundred thirty seven three electric motors to go

over everything else has been preserved in its original form. our clock is the oldest one in the here up. can you see the pointer at the end of this point to regulate the speed of the clocks motion if the clock blocks behind it increases the speed if it's fast the pointer slows it down so they do lag behind where you never notice it because once it starts to pick up specialists quickly eliminate the problem acting like an ambulance so far we haven't noticed it but we're close to revealing that's right. this is an ancient bell ringing mechanism for setting up melodies at the tower it's almost two and a half meters in diameter and what is seeing with it sing the national anthem of russia. yes yes. they'll strike the melody of russia's national anthem every six hours cables run from the

drum below to the very top where the chime in the bell tower. well here are the bells yes we're in the bell tower. if you look over there see it still has a wooden sealer. forty eight bells hang here in imperial times but were lost during the soviet era today the chime sings the russian anthem with ten bells and a few metal beats up here at ten stories of the ground it's always very windy. we've got to go now because the main bells in us are ringing and we are risking the carriage death and also it's very cold so we're getting out of here.

skating from the noises of the bells just a few minutes later i found myself near the kremlin central square where people are preparing for especially that so right now we're only cathedral square where a giant fir tree is being decorated for newer celebrations these streets tents between the palaces a warship and the palaces of the stars and can just tell you something one hundred years old which basically means that it was born when the last star was still alive . one can see that this huge russian christmas tree has won a very demanding seasonal beauty pageant. gardner spent several months searching moscow regions for the right candidate at least thirty meters tall pyramid shaped and displaying employed slowly each once these criteria is where match the judges ignored the weight and the q shack is especially ordered for this christmas tree and it's scary to straight into the kremlin. it's thirty four meters high it's like

twenty times my height and in no time this tree is going to be wearing at the apartments or walls jewelry and decorations about two thousand. one thousand five hundred meters of garland that's like almost enough to surround the kremlin into. the trees decorations from top to bottom to begin with the large star of bethlehem on top it is a quarter of the size of the rubbish stars atop the kremlin towers but during the holiday season it is the most important one of all. though they look oversized the ornaments are light kremlin old timers believe that if you have a chance to hang at least one piece onto the tree and make a wish it is balanced to come true. so now we're going to talk to any fellow just like me decorate this gravely you or your tree. i wonder how long he's been doing

this for me was so sergey before how long have you been decorating christmas trees . well this is the first time that i'm decorating this tree for the past four years i've been working with christmas trees it because. it is so who decides how to decorate a christmas tree which is a design project is drawn up to clearly define how tiny all these decorations by the way the total weights of the decorated christmas tree is thirty tons and four hundred kilos. well if this size of the tree is any indicator the presence under is also promised much.

make. their life. possible. the next point of my journey is the grand kremlin palace usually it is a venue for important state ceremonies mostly dignitaries are invited here but in

the past children were also received thousands of them came to celebrate the new year's festivities. the tradition of arranging holidays for children in the kremlin dates back to more than fifty years the first reception was in the grand kremlin palace his largest whole st georges in one nine hundred fifty four. back then and christmas tree was tracked directly up the stairs through their front door without much thought for the ancient interior over sixty meters deep st george's hall is the size of a football page a giant fir tree used to be mounted right here in this massively have the object has to be dragged across this park here for that was originally late in eight hundred forty five. when it's scraped that chandelier each one weighing three tons by the way and it's tinkling produced an almost surreal eerie chime also large

nails were hammered into this floor to fix this huge christmas tree the kids who danced and sang in this hall where we're asked not to shuffle because it would ruin the floor nevertheless the interior was heavily damaged even i was asked to come in with soft indoor shoes and i tried my best. these wrongs honor the memory of heroes who received the order of st george for their courage and this is a bomb of a second generation home custodian is also a fine but a fighter to preserve the homes reconstruction stood what has changed after the reconstruction but it will support the park it has definitely changed do you suppose most they covered it with hard to brownish to make it bright blue it's very rare is that in two percent of the pocket has survived since one thousand nine hundred eighty five when it was laid. this is percent of the flooring was it plays during restoration in one thousand sixty eight thousand nine hundred sixty nine it

took almost a year to restore. the. children's parties were moved to a new building in the early sixty's the kremlin palace of congress and built on the shelf it's obvious that this building is from the soviet era and it stands in stark contrast with the kremlin's architectural character the palace used to be a key side for communist forums and now it's the most prestigious musical venue in this country and also a stage for the world's greatest artists show as now or staying elton john tina turner they've all been here. right now her souls are underway in the state kremlin palace for a new year's performance for thousands of kids. inside we have an appointment with the kremlin oldtimer children's writer alexander could get the script to the very

first children's new year party from mt fifty through luton when the i think we've broken the soviet tradition of staging performances here at the kremlin before about which color shots the tree would light up then kids would be shown to play with the revolution we speak. with them and change the plot for what it was about a boy toy out of his current situation so in the story he sent him to a different time. but on one occasion when i came to the new year policy there was no carpets on the floor i also had just gone with the roof it turned out to the during the so some of the children had wet themselves on the carpet out of fear or to want that to be washed and hung out to draw off to prove. how one day stay or your performances are more predictable but still very colorful nevertheless. by tradition at the end of the show the main character of the new

year celebrations makes his grand entrance was cut in the. children always leave kremlin with gifts however the greatest drama is after the show when parents surround the new year's tree to pick the children up to disperse like in kremlin inner sanctum. she so how did you like this show was it a kid did it give you a shock. all right so now it's about time to find out where one can even hear the really kitchen is not far on the fifth floor of the state criminal palace and we're on our way to meet with a slum kremlin chef he called up foot. high you know sophie you got us was to meet you say are there new chef there once talking about just what's here so this is the section where we prepare most you would. order for would be

rich to poor so i can show you short let's go let's over there this is our secret here that's where we lose you put their hearts so many cools. it with you it's so if you fake people that so you're the chef and you're thirty five boys are they scared of you. you did yeah. so this is where all the sugar sins take place on the week before last week. so good and they want to show you where i have the privilege to work for all. this usually you told me the kitchens are in the basement you can have promised me to teach how to cook one of president favorite dishes for you and i want you to make some kind of food mini with a european touch i won't use russian troops in make it

a french style. but the stuffing was kraft made is mixed with vegetables and salad greens then it is pushed onto the world circles or die. shaping them by hand. i don't think. presidents. do need to be very fond of fish and seafood for example lobster salad. also prefers fish or meat in the kitchen they told us she loves sophisticated dishes like bread. on a business trips so when someone in the countryside street scene with pickles cucumbers also a traditional russian delicacy security officers break into a cold sweat as a rule are very carefully checked before it reaches the presidential mouth. so when you when you heard from the person you have like secret service guy do that.

take you. just so busy going that is make sure that most news. in this. people. alcohol is served only on festive occasions. on holidays there. was a lover of the. secretary of state. personally promoted by international receptions thanks to him. cream sauce with parmesan cheese to go with ravioli i guess i can say that i can feed the president are you going to have some.

i want to live in rome when this is so good. after lunch and there is an order perhaps in stars bedroom but i decided first to acquaint myself with those who watch over the peace and quiet in the kremlin. a whole regiment of young soldiers live here guarding the kremlin and the president. the ballots. the presidential regiment is rehearsing a performance with weapons denise and kim are not only soldiers but also honor guards they protected to both the unknown soldier at the eternal flame. can you please show me some special tricks if you like and teach you if you want all right let's do it like a pro commander is. going to unfold the bayonet. let me show you the superman then the then up to the shoulder. to the foot hold the carbine with the right terms not going to cut myself am i get what you want cut yourself i'm told that. almost

a year ago now shoulder the weapon sure but lifted up your shoulder with your left . arm holding it to be careful it should not lean on the left shoulder. this is the position in which we start the honor guard on the fourth. young men between eighteen and twenty or selected across the country for the presidential regiment. one can see that they are russia's elite in perfect health was a good background and professional appearance. for the guards very handsome young men of similar hates are chosen so that they look like twins. there are emergency situations when people break the existing rules for example if people step over the chain we warn them with this kind of signal where the king was tapping the rifle on the ground the public immediately understands what this noise

means and don't go any further. the most frequent violators of the rules are young girls they always try to flirt with the guards. but this is to no avail the guards are not allowed to move never mind smile. so here is your signature move it is about we would raise the leg about seventy eighty degrees move the body forward and put the full foot on the ground you go there with this makes the foot you step with your bend a little you should go quick march. fourth you're doing it well you could join our company in a couple of months. to the right. it's time for the guys to prepare for the changing of the guard but i couldn't miss a chance to take a look at their uniform wardrobe. when it is cold we wear ceremonial overcoats

the overcoats are very warm with a strong color of. course you can. when the temperature is twenty degrees below zero we were warmer uniform called the because. it is made of dense fabric plus it has very warm fur it feels hot and it even when it's minus twenty. third journey into the heart of kremlin is coming to an end thanks time for me to move behind the kremlin walls so i can make it for the changing of the parts. so the guards are changing every hour daily from eight am to eight pm these guys any weather beat minus thirty winter torrential rain outrages hits in the summer but the most hard part of course is to stand there motionless no matter what but hey that's the price you pay to leave rent free inside the kremlin.