Fully two years after the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned against the deployment of Western troops and underlined the danger of a nuclear conflict. The consequences of such a move would be tragic, Putin said in his state of the nation address regarding the debate initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron over possible Western ground troops in Ukraine. Putin stressed that Russia possesses weapons that could hit targets in Western territory. An escalation could lead to conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and thus to the “extinction of civilization.”
At the same time, the president dismissed as “nonsensical” claims that Russia wanted to attack the West. Putin once again offered the United States a dialogue on strategic security in the world if the United States stopped aiming for the strategic defeat of Moscow, as he claimed.
Russian troops have recently made progress in Ukraine, although the invasion is not proceeding as quickly as expected before the attack in February 2022. In his propaganda program, broadcast on television and even in some cinemas, Putin presented his worldview and thanked the support, as he stated, of the “absolute majority of the population” for the “special military operation”. People work in three shifts to meet the needs of the front. “Together we can do anything,” Putin implored the Russian people.
Before the elections, Putin makes big announcements
The 71-year-old Putin has held the reins of Russian politics since the beginning of the new millennium. In just over two weeks he would like to be reconfirmed in the presidential elections in March. His election is considered safe because no real opposition candidates are admitted. Putin’s competitors support the policy of the Kremlin head and, from the point of view of government critics, are purely personal.
Putin’s staunchest opponent to date, Alexei Navalny, who died in a prison camp a few days ago, will be buried this Friday. The cause of death is officially unknown, but Navalny’s supporters and many politicians in the West blame Putin for his death. In his speech, the head of the Kremlin did not address the deceased opponent of the regime.
While Putin can expect to remain in power for years to come, the mood in the world’s largest country in terms of land area is not entirely positive. Many Russians complain about rising prices and the high cost of living. Putin then announced increased financial aid from the state in several sectors.
His re-election is considered certain, but Vladimir Putin still promises the Russians a lot of money.
(Photo: GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/AFP)
He allocated one thousand billion rubles (about ten billion euros) in new budget funds to modernize the health system and announced a new national family support program. Putin acknowledged that 13.5 million people in Russia still live below the poverty line. For approximately 30% of large families the financial situation is precarious. He called for this percentage to be reduced to 12% by 2030. Then Putin’s fifth presidential term will end, which is why the address to the nation was also seen as a presentation of his election program for the next six years.
To support families, Putin presented social mortgage programs, higher tax breaks for children and regional social programs that would be supported by the federal budget. The minimum wage should rise from the equivalent of 190 euros per month to 350 euros by 2030.
By improving the healthcare system and investing in sports infrastructure, life expectancy in Russia is expected to increase from the current 73 to 78 years by 2030. For comparison: in Germany, according to official information, life expectancy for men it is over 78 years and for women even over 83 years.
