“Attack Europe? Putin will do it” –

Record turnout in Russia and the occupied Ukrainian territories. Although there was no need for concrete data, confirmation from the electoral commission arrived. Vladimir Putin will remain in the Kremlin until 2030. There has been no shortage of protests. Long queues in some polling stations in Moscow and St. Petersburg for the “South once morest Putin” in honor of Alexei Navalny, the president’s opponent who died for reasons that are still unclear. Yet another overwhelming victory for the Tsar will trigger a counterattack from the European Union, which will agree on new, massive sanctions. “It is not an election, but a farce. The only possible positive comment is that it is a demonstration of how powerful the idea of ​​democracy is, to the point that even the Russians have to pretend to have it”: so the analyst American Anne Applebaum commented on the result to Repubblica.

The reconfirmation of Vladimir Putin, according to the writer, does not suggest a change of pace: “I hope that someone in Russia finds a way to put an end to the disaster that Putin is imposing on his country. He is destroying it, and by remaining in power he will continue to do it,” he said without fear of contradiction. “I have no specific information on attempts at internal revolt, but I hope that someone wakes up quickly to the damage that Putin is causing to his country, to Europe and to the world”, she continued. The focus was then shifted to the conflict that is bringing the heart of our continent to its knees. What repercussions will the plebiscite have on the war in Ukraine?

“He will relaunch the campaign, which will continue to go as badly as it has so far. He has been trying for two years to take over the country and he is not winning. Over 300,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded; he has lost a large percentage of his armed forces and assets military; 10% of oil refining capacities were destroyed by Ukrainian drones; the western border is not secure, because Russian partisan groups supported by Kiev have occupied various villages,” Applebaum explained. US President Joe Biden said that if he won, the tsar would attack Europe. Will he do it? The analyst was clear: “Obviously he will do it, he said it. Why should we ignore what former president Medvedev or Russian propaganda says? They threaten other European countries every day.”