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During his appearances, Putin tried to demonstrate that the country remains under his control
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- Author: Steve Rosenberg
- Scroll, Editor of the Russian Service, BBC News
2 hours ago
Where is Vladimir Putin? That was the big question last Monday two days after the uprising of the Wagner mercenary group, whose troops even marched towards Moscow.
A spokesman for Putin announced on Saturday evening an agreement to end the Wagner uprising. But when would the President himself comment on the controversial agreement?
This hit was controversial, as Wagner’s mercenaries rebelled, seized (seemingly effortlessly) military sites, and then marched on Moscow; Russian Air Force pilots were killed in the mutiny.
However, the Kremlin agreed not to prosecute Wagner’s fighters or their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in exchange for ending the uprising.
Over the past week, President Putin has made a series of unusual public appearances all televised in what appears to be an attempt to stabilize the country and restore his authority.
Monday: Address to the nation
On Monday, Prigozhin sent an audio message, which he posted to social media, setting out his side of the story. He said his men traveled to Moscow to “hold accountable” the leaders he said were responsible for “mistakes” in the war in Ukraine.
Then, late one night, the Russian government announced, “President Putin will address the nation.” At that point, it looked like the Kremlin leader was trying to fight back.
Putin appeared on TV after 10 p.m., an unusual time for his speeches. Rumors circulated on social media that the speech would be about the “fate of Russia.” Anxious, the population turned on the television to hear the President’s speech.
It quickly became clear that the speech would not decide the fate of the country. There were no big announcements. But the fiveminute speech provided clues as to how the Kremlin would use the weekend’s dramatic events to its advantage.
Putin painted a picture of Russia coming together to defeat the treachery of the Wagner leaders.
He tried to get everyone on his side: he thanked the public, the authorities, religious leaders, the armed forces and the security services. He distinguished the insurgent leaders from “Wagner’s regular fighters and commanders,” whom he hailed as patriots. Putin then presented himself as the man who prevented much bloodshed.
“As soon as these events began to unfold, action was taken under my direct instructions to prevent bloodshed,” he said.
Tuesday: In front of the troops
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On Tuesday, Putin attended a public event with army troops.
On Tuesday morning, Putin resumed his public agenda and appeared to be working flat out to restore his authority.
Many Russian officials attended a hastily organized event. About 2,500 soldiers, guards and security officials made their way to the Kremlin Cathedral Square. The coronation (and funeral) processions of the Russian tsars took place here.
With presidential fanfares as the soundtrack, Putin walked down the Kremlin’s many steps to the square (red carpet throughout, of course) and against a backdrop of the onionshaped domes of the Kremlin’s cathedrals, the President and CommanderinChief delivered a speech to his troops.
Even before he spoke, the picture said it all. It’s all in one place: the Orthodox Church, the Kremlin, the President and the army. This is reminiscent of the old slogan of the Russian Empire: “For Faith, Tsar and Fatherland”.
In other words, the visual message was about portraying Russia as a country united around Vladimir Putin. It was almost as if the government wanted Russians to believe that the church, the military, and the president were connected, even part of a whole.
In his brief speech, President Putin reaffirmed that Russian society had come together again after the Wagner mutiny. And most of what he said was praising the military for “stopping a civil war.”
There was a minute’s silence for the Air Force pilots killed in the riot. The president has paid his respects but has yet to address why Wagner fighters are not being prosecuted for deaths caused by the riots.
speech closed. The national anthem was played and there was a gun salute.
The intention of the message was clear: the President does not just call the shots. With the help of the Russian army and people, he had just won a great victory.
Wednesday: Close to the people
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Putin traveled to Dagestan and seemed to interact with the population, which was unusual
This is probably Putin’s most surprising moment of the week maybe of the year. Because the Putin who appeared was clearly different from the usual in his closeness to the crowd.
The official reason why President Putin visited Dagestan, a constituent republic of the Russian Federation, was to chair a meeting on domestic tourism.
But it was not the meeting that later dominated the news on Russian television, but the scenes that followed.
The Kremlin leader was shown amidst a crowd of believers in the city of Derbent.
We are used to Vladimir Putin keeping his distance from people, such as when he sits at one end of a long Kremlin table while his guests sit in the distance at the other end.
But not this Wednesday. In Dagestan, Putin appeared, kissed children, hugged women, shook hands and posed for photos.
State television showed all of this, of course.
“Screams, squeaks, applause,” exclaimed the host of a popular talk show on the Russia1 channel. “Even rock stars don’t get that welcome. The West scoffs at the fact that the president is weakened after the Prigozhin mutiny. That proves the opposite.”
Putin’s behavior seemed very unusual. On the other hand, nothing seems to be normal in Russia anymore.
The President had just survived an armed uprising. Perhaps he felt the need to show the country, the political elite, and himself that he still had supporters out there. A “spontaneous” expression of public worship fitted the project like a glove.
On the other hand, these images contrast with what happened last weekend after the agreement to end the riots was reached. As the Wagner fighters led by Prigozhin left the city of Rostov on Saturday night, they were applauded in the streets.
Did Vladimir Putin see these pictures? Does he feel the need to experience his own “hero moment”?
We’ll probably never know.
Thursday: Standing ovation… and drawing
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Putin received a standing ovation at the event and also drew on a canvas
President Putin attended an economic conference on Russian brands in Moscow.
It wasn’t exactly another “rock star” moment like the day before.
Still, Putin wanted to seize every opportunity to show that he is in charge, active and enjoying popular support.
When he entered the hall, he was applauded. Then he sat back and listened to the opening speech of one of the organizers.
“Vladimir Vladimirovich, together with you and the whole country, we also witnessed the events of June 24 [o motim] with concern,” the organizer said to Putin. “We are all on your side and support you all.”
The participants then gave Vladimir Putin a standing ovation.
Another, slightly more bizarre video was broadcast at the same event: President Putin drawing on an interactive whiteboard.
The result was a red, lively face with three hairs. A strange photo of a leader who has learned the art of political survival.
Lines of loyal troops, gunfire, screaming fans and applause. With such an image, the Kremlin boss is trying to show that he is back in control of the country.
He needs to feel safe.
After the uprising, this week we see a beefed up Putin. He was everywhere, trying to appear omnipresent and in control. It was almost as if he had started his campaign for reelection (his term as president ends next year and he can run again).
But the positive images do not change the fact that the uprising caught the Kremlin by surprise. It was a threat. Wagner’s fighters were on their way to Moscow when the mutiny was crushed. It was an unprecedented challenge to Putin’s authority.
And the longterm consequences are still unclear.