Moscow – «The source of Russian power is the Russian people». The celebration of Vladimir Putin’s victory begins at night, in the electoral campaign headquarters where the man who will remain in power in Moscow longer than Stalin first thanks his supporters, and then responds to journalists. He will slide from one meeting to another throughout the day, which will end in Red Square to celebrate, as well as himself, ten years since the annexation of Crimea. And at every meeting he repeats like a mantra: «We are one family, a compact team. For this reason we will be able to resolve the commitments we face and achieve all our objectives.”
Beyond predictions
The outcome of the vote, which Putin defined with certainty as democratic, even exceeded predictions. Data which now refers to 99.55% of the ballots counted gives the Russian president 87.33% of the votes, the best result in Russia’s entire post-Soviet history. The first of his followers, the communist Nikolai Kharitonov, is however very far away at 4.3%. Even the turnout – as required – exceeded the record set in 2018, rising to 74.22%. The reported support is carefully spread across all regions, including what Putin calls “new territories”, the occupied regions in Ukraine: even here – where electoral officials went house to house with ballot boxes, accompanied by soldiers – the consensus for Putin appears very high.
It is with this Russia on which the Tsar has further cemented his grip and determination to hold high the flag of “the sovereignty and greatness of the homeland”, that a West which he has defined in chorus as “neither free nor correct” will have to deal with these elections, in which the possibility of proposing real alternatives has been eradicated. Putin sets the tone right from the start, following the victory: while thanking the election campaign volunteers, he called them “soratniki”, collaborators. «Where does this word come from? – he asked -. From the word “ratnik”, in the villages of ancient Russia the warriors who were not limited to being militiamen but shared the same thought, in defense of the homeland in the present and for subsequent generations”.
«No one in history has ever managed to scare us»
This is how Putin sees himself and the six years guaranteed by this fifth term. «History repeats itself. We are one team. From everyone’s vote emerges a common will, the most important support base for the country’s existence and its development.” Putin sends special thanks to the “warriors” who at the front “ensure the defense of the country and the historically Russian territories”, meaning the occupied Ukrainian regions. We won’t be scared, he repeats, “no one has ever succeeded in history and no one will ever succeed.” The agenda is “impressive”, the programs “grandiose”: being able to count on such trust and internal unity, Putin has no doubts: “We will achieve everything promised.” Starting from the so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine. Where to counter the incursions on Russian regions and the intensified Ukrainian drone launches on the eve of the vote, Putin called for the creation of a “health safety zone” – within the territory “currently controlled by Kiev” – so that it is not as possible to reach Russian territory with Western armaments. The dimensions of the “zone” remained vague.
They ask him what he thinks of the “At noon once morest Putin” initiative, the opposition’s idea of protesting by meeting at the polls at the same time. Putin appears magnanimous: «If they came to vote I praise them – he said – voting is a civic commitment, it doesn’t matter for whom. Well done. However, it is not good to invalidate a ballot, trampling on the commitment of those who instead fulfill their duty as voters. In this case the law speaks of a crime, on which action will be taken.”
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2024-03-18 13:34:00
