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Allan Prikhodko struggles to read Russian and has never been to Russia. Yet, he has designs on becoming mayor of Moscow. Photo courtesy of the Associated Press.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Allan Prikhodko has never set foot in Russia, speaks Russian with a slight American accent and struggles to read the language. Still, the 18-year-old dreams of becoming the mayor of Moscow.

"I feel like as a patriot I should do my bit in contributing to the improvement of Russia," the U.S.-born son of Soviet immigrants said from his suburban Chicago home.

Prikhodko's aspiration is representative of the renewed patriotism that's among many Russian and some former Soviet immigrants in the United States. It is a sense of pride that has mushroomed as they watched their homeland transition from a decaying, authoritarian Communist state plagued by food shortages to a country enjoying an economic boom and, once again, a prominent role in world politics.

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By: Jessica Cantarelli | Staff Writer At 07/22/2008 - 11:30am |  |  |