Today to his people descended unusually mild Russian President to answer questions during his marathon meeting with the people. It was the President who took a conciliatory tone, without harsh remarks as to address the opposition and rivals in international politics, he answered the questions posed by people from all over the vast country. Humility was thus an expression of musicality, when the President took into account the state of the country after three years of economic downturn in a row. At the meeting with his people Putin were soft, many were able to ask questions, which was surprisingly critical of the authorities.
But unlike previous events of this kind, Putin this time, no specific news is not reported. They didn’t say anything about whether to stand as a candidate in the presidential elections in March next year. He didn’t say anything about the main Russian oppositionist Alexey Navalny and about the demonstrations earlier this week, when nearly 1,500 people were arrested in the vicinity of the place where Putin himself, the Kremlin. Without mentioning Navalny by name, Putin said only that he wants to cooperate with all who want to participate in solving problems.
And he barely said anything about the US President Donald trump, meeting with which, during the summit of “Big twenty” in Germany in three weeks, he just said that it seems “strange” that the former FBI Director James Comey gave news about the investigation of ties with Russia of the organization trump the press. In a slightly humorous tone, Putin suggested that the Komi Republic political asylum in Russia, the same as became a us informant Edward Snowden.
But apart from that, they talked about everyday problems. The caller complained that the house was burned, and there is no help. People complained about the disgusting health system and low wages. One managed to complain about bad roads in Krasnoyarsk. One boy complained about the pollution of the port of Nakhodka on the Pacific ocean, while Putin made notes in his notebook and promised to investigate. Because it was the king who spoke to his people. The Russian experience of many centuries, which gives them reason to believe that only HE can understand the troubles of ordinary people. Those who managed to break through, could complain. On this show, at first glance, an open agenda, but in spite of this with the strict directing.
There is another reason Putin has shown himself today at a meeting with voters on the soft side. The fact what to say to him was nothing special. It may seem that he no longer has no plan. Shine after the annexation of Crimea in 2014 that led to the fact that Putin has received record support in more than 80%, gradually begins to fade. Russia’s role in the war in Syria never had the same level of enthusiasm as Ukraine. Instead, more and more people are asking the critical question: how much Syria really cost Russia?
The lack of a plan has led to the fact that the basic idea of today’s meeting can be perceived in the form of a slogan that Putin is not formulated directly, namely make Russia great again. He defended the policy in Ukraine that led to Western sanctions against Russia, saying that Russia “lost somewhere 50-52 billion dollars, and those countries that imposed sanctions, lost 100 billion dollars.” He also said that Russia reached the bottom, after the country was hit by sanctions and falling oil prices in 2014. In the last three quarters of Russia’s economic growth. The government predicts that in 2017 the growth will be 1.2%.
Now Putin has shown himself in some other way. In an interview with the American Pro-Russian filmmaker Oliver stone, posted online on Wednesday, Putin said that he became a grandfather. The Russian President never talks about his family they’re not public, and two Putin’s daughters are never a topic for Russian media. But Putin said yesterday that he had two grandsons, one preschooler, and he has a grandson, the son of a daughter, born “not long ago”. Putin appealed to the “soft values”, and that is partly helped to answer the question about the big demographic problems in Russia, saying that these problems are due to the fact that now in the most fertile age of women born in 1990-e years, and that the crisis of this decade is the reason that now comes very few children. Many young Russians say that low fertility is due to the poor economic situation and uncertain prospects for the future, in particular because of corruption.
Perhaps the most interesting at the meeting of Putin with his people was what he said. It is still not confirmed whether to take part in the presidential elections in March, he walked around and such unpleasant moments, as large demonstrations. Because that is how behaves a real chef, even — at first glance — public meeting with his people.
