No achievements to show? Putin will not give his traditional speech to the nation, even though it is unconstitutional

“The special military operation continues”. While Russia announces that the Christmas holidays will not signify a ceasefire in the war against Ukraine -as maintained by the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri Peskov-, its president Vladimir Putin cancels its traditional public events at the end of the year. There will be no address to the nation, no press conference, and no Christmas celebration in the Kremlin.

“This is probably happening because public opinion is changing, it’s not as supportive as it used to be when it comes to the invasion. -holds the analyst Francesco Tucci-. It must be considered that, although there are no clear numbers of the Russians affected by the war, estimates of USA They speak of close to one hundred thousand, including deaths, wounded and missing. surely that’s why putin wants to appear less than before”.

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From the Kremlin there is another version. It is argued that “Russia it is a besieged fortress and Putin is its commander”, but for Tucci a Ukrainian attack is unlikely to happen. In any case, adds the specialist, this sounds like an excuse. Since the war began, the president “lives isolated and shielded”, even so, he has traveled to summits and visited allies -such as belarus-. If kyiv could not reach him outside his territory, why fear that he will within his fiefdom?

The EFE agency recalls that, since 2012, Putin spent four hours talking to the press. Will breaking tradition be your way of avoiding?uncomfortable questions about the unpopular mobilization, the problems with supplies and the participation of recruits in the fighting”?

Tucci replies:Nor do I think he fears questions from the press. Let’s remember that there is a gag law and that independent media are persecuted”.

Securing the future of the regime

Canceling these events means breaking Russian law. According to Constitution of 1994the president has to give a speech at the end of the year to give an account of his management and anticipate what will come for the following year.

EFE notes: “In March 2014 Putin took advantage of the speech to announce the annexation of Crimea and in 2018 an unparalleled hypersonic weapons program capable of outwitting any Western anti-missile shield”.

In this regard, Tucci describes the Russian government as a “competitive authoritarianism” that, during this war against Ukraineleaned towards him pure authoritarianism. “It is a hybrid regime: there are institutions that are formally democratic, but they are manipulated. Putin is above the rulesso it is understood that they did not consult their Constitutional Court on whether the cancellation of the events was viable or not”.

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Added to the equation is the proximity of the presidential election. In it 2024, Putin must submit to a popular vote. Even though the regime’s legal tricks all but ensure it stays in power – the Central Election Commission usually rejects applications from opponents-, Could it be that you don’t want to leave any loose ends?

According to EFE, during the last weeks the president was seen “inaugurate roads, deposits, icebreakers and other infrastructure”, as well as meeting with “mothers of soldiers – all linked to the Kremlin party”.

“On warthere are polls that show that the majority of Russians are in favor of a negotiated solution with Ukraine. But that doesn’t mean they don’t trust Putin. –scores tucci-. Let us think that internal propaganda could point to the NATO Y West as the cause of bad results”.

In any case, he adds, as in Russia demonstrations are prohibited, it is impossible to determine the magnitude of the dissent.

“What is beginning to become clear is that the Russians are tired of a war that they cannot win and that kills their own. If Putin had managed to control the Donbas Y Odessathe situation would have been different. So it can be understood that he doesn’t want to give the speech to the nation: after the initial attack, he has backed down, so he has no achievements to show for it.”, concludes the specialist.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.