On Thursday, Vladimir Putin for the 15th time held one of their favorite PR events: answers to questions from citizens on live television. Observers note that aired on multiple public and private channels, the program was carefully prepared so that, despite appearances, to bring the improvisation to a minimum.
Low wages, a crumbling health care, dilapidated housing, broken roads… the Russians ask the President questions about the deterioration of their standard of living. Their description of the country very far from the muted picture, which draws the formal channels. Vladimir Putin, too, seems surprised. But he has an excuse to solve these problems should be local authorities. Whatever it was, he often promises to do everything personally. “How are we to live in such conditions for another 12 years?” — asks one member of the program. “I plan to be in Izhevsk, I’ll come to you and see what you have going on there”, — said the President.
In this program, which would be called “Good king, bad boyars” is still marked “trolls”. At the bottom of the screen there were dozens of unpleasant questions. “Maybe three time’s enough?” “It is true that Navalny takes You on an investigation?” “Rogozin employed his son. Maybe he and my son will be employed?” Sent via SMS questions was to illustrate the shaft of complaints of Russians to the President. Whatever it was, they were not visible to Putin and quickly disappeared.
“Invaluable” experience
One of the few questions on foreign policy gave Putin the opportunity to offer political asylum to the former Director of the FBI James Komi, against which brought the case the American law enforcement. Finally, Putin called it “absolutely priceless” experience of Russian intervention in Syria, noting his “enormous benefits for our military-industrial complex”. As for the new us sanctions, “in fact, the history of Russia shows that we, as a rule, lived under sanctions”.
