Because there is no suspense, this Russian election has lost some attention. Even westerners who don't like Putin can't deny that Putin's support rate in Russia is very high, which may be a bit exaggerated, but it is enough for him to easily win the election. In other words, it was the Russian people who chose Putin. Of course, people's choices should be respected.
The date of this year's general election is somewhat special. Four years ago in March 18, Russia "recovered" Crimea. This is a peak of Putin's prestige in Russia. The election was held on this day, which reminded Russian voters-who helped Russia regain its historical glory? !
But in the eyes of westerners, this is tantamount to demonstrations and even provocations. Because of the Crimean dispute, the relationship between the west and Russia, mainly with Putin, reached a peak and has not yet come out.
The recent poisoning incident of former Russian agents in Britain has cast a thick shadow over the Russian Xiguan system. Behind Yimei stood a large group of westerners who thought Putin was a bad guy. The rift between the two sides is so deep that it shows very rare stability in the complicated international politics.
The hardest thing in the world is long-term love! With the help of this election, we sorted out the reports of Putin in the western media over the years, and the tone was surprisingly consistent. So that criticizing Putin is almost politically correct in the western context. What caused this situation? This is a very interesting question. We can say that there are western paranoia, Putin's persistence, Russia's special national conditions, or something else. ...
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Look at the comments of the western media after 20 12 Putin was elected president: "Fraud! Putin wins disputed election ""Putin's state machine has rusted ""Re-election is the beginning of Putin's doomsday ""Although Putin won the election, his days in power are numbered " ...
In a blink of an eye, six years later, the West continues to sing down Putin and Russia, and this kind of voice is widely circulated in the West. It is believed that after Putin is in power again for six years, that is, in 2024, Russia will fall into chaos because there is no successor. Based on such a simple logic, it is irresponsible to make arbitrary predictions about the future destiny of a country or a nation. Fortunately, they are not responsible.
Let's take a look at the cover of The Economist and feel the style of painting when the western media reported on Putin.
This should be regarded as the most malicious cover for Putin, and there is no one. Ghostly head, plane with two black eyes, mouth sealed by a line. By the way, Putin has a big word "Putinism" on his forehead. ...
This is the year of 20 16 and 10. Putin threatened the United States on the Syrian issue, and The Economist published this issue of Putinism: A Threat from Russia.
In the cover above, Putin is aloof and dignified. Below him are fighters flying at low altitude and troops advancing behind tanks with Russian flags. Obviously, the "Five-Day War" in Georgia made The Economist worry that Russia had opened the box of "military invasion of other countries".
In the Russian Duma election of 20 1 1, the share of votes of Putin's United Russia Party dropped sharply. It seems that even tough guy Putin can't stop the rift in Russia.
20 14 Sochi Winter Olympics was successfully held, and The Economist found a new angle to denigrate Putin: the Winter Olympics made Putin, but Russia suffered losses. You see, Putin is on his high horse, focusing on his performance, regardless of his fallen partner. The girl is wearing a dance skirt with the words "Russia" written on it. She fell, the ice cracked and her situation was in jeopardy.
After Moscow took Crimea, a "new world order" was formed? Putin, shirtless, became a tank driver this time. The Russian tank he was driving was shown a "stop" sign.
Putin's War against the West? No, no, the west has provoked Russia a lot.
This is very intuitive, I don't need to say more.
According to my sister's rough statistics, Putin has been on the cover of The Economist almost every year since 2008. Putin became president of Russia in 2000, but the war in Georgia in 2008 was a turning point in the sharp decline of relations between Russia and the West.
In recent years, western politicians have lined up to criticize Putin (except Trump):
For example, Hillary described Putin as a "dictator" in her memoir Hard Choice. US Republican Senator Mark Lu Biao asked Tilson: "Why not call Putin a' war criminal'"? Mccain's wording is even harsher: "I only see three letters in Putin's eyes: K (gram) G (case) B (bo)."
The feelings of the West towards Putin cannot be summarized by simple "hate" or "love". Whoever can make an accurate analysis and deconstruction of this will win the Nobel Prize.
puzzle
In fact, Westerners are more confused about Putin. "Why does Putin always win?" The British "Times" asked this "Russian problem".
From 65438 to 2008, western media and some politicians have been asking this suggestive question. The west has given various answers, such as election fraud, suppressing opposition candidates and exaggerating nationalism. These answers are simple and wishful thinking.
On the last day of 1999, Yeltsin suddenly resigned. He begged the Russians to forgive him with tears in his eyes. He said, "Tomorrow Russia will enter a new century, and Russia needs a strong and energetic young man to lead us to rejuvenation."
At noon that day, Yeltsin took Putin, then 47, into the presidential office of the Kremlin. "This is your office from now on!" Then, he handed the nuclear button suitcase to Putin. The whole scene was broadcast live on TV, which shocked Russia and the world.
In this way, a "president" Putin is bound to Russia in 2 1 century. Today, three-quarters of Russians were born and raised in the Soviet era. For them, it has been more than 30 years since Gorbachev became the general secretary of the Soviet Union in 1985, and the road Russia has traveled is vivid.
In June+10 last year, at the annual meeting of Valdai International Debate Club, a Russian think tank, a European scholar asked Putin, what was the biggest mistake of Russia and the West? Putin blurted out that our biggest mistake is to trust you too much. And your biggest mistake is to treat our trust as weakness.
Why Putin? Knife elder brother here also don't want to simple answer. But I want to remind you: don't overestimate your own judgment, and don't underestimate the judgment of the Russian people. There is a saying in China that the eyes of the masses are discerning, which also applies to Russia.
Putin's campaign slogan this year is: "Strong President, Strong Russia". Simple and powerful. I have heard a very interesting saying that in every Russian election, people from the United States and Europe force Russian candidate Putin with guns. Every time the West criticizes Putin and puts pressure on Russia, it inspires the patriotic enthusiasm of Russians and is a "heavenly help" to Putin.
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In June 2005, the museum of former President Yeltsin was opened to the public, leaving many people's memories of the 1990s on the museum's guest book.
"I remember that special day in the 1990s: I never tried to wake up my children on weekends. The more they sleep, the less they eat. "
"Every time I have a rest, I sit at my school desk and can't walk, because I am exhausted from hunger."
"We eat macaroni. Morning, noon and evening. "
"To this day, I am still ashamed of those days, because I actually had the idea of stealing food. Moreover, be sure to eat food with mold. "
"The worst thing in the 1990s was not hunger, but a constant sense of humiliation."
It was a period of great decline in Russia, with poor policy coherence and the country facing division. In addition to the Chechen war, there are oligarchs fighting for power and profit, and the national economy is on the verge of collapse.
Putin responded to these severe tests after coming up. His anti-terrorism, anti-secession, anti-oligarchy, anti-poverty and anti-corruption not only restored national stability, but also enhanced Russia's international status. In short, it was Putin who led the Russians through the difficulties and regained their dignity.
Former richest man in Russia Khodorkovsky.
Those young Russians who have not experienced the 1990s are called "Putin generation", and they are used to Russia where Putin is at the helm. My right hand has been with me for so long, which is not bad.
Putin has become a symbol of Russian national stability. Choosing Putin means choosing the "Putin Plan" with the goal of strengthening the country and enriching the people to continue.
Of course, after more than 20 years of changes after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia today is very different from the past. Putin will face many new problems, but he should be fully prepared.
At last year's annual press conference, a young female reporter of Radio Moscow was given the right to ask the first question. She also came straight to the point: "Why do you want to participate in the general election?"
Putin has talked many times about what kind of country he wants Russia to be. The country should be modernized and the political system should be flexible. He said that Russia has many problems to solve, including developing infrastructure, health and education, high technology and improving labor productivity. The ultimate goal is undoubtedly to improve people's income and welfare.
18 years ago, Yeltsin said when handing over the baton, "Russia will never go back to the past, and Russia will always move forward." Putin, who took over, has always stressed that no one can stop Russia from moving forward, and he knows what Russia will look like in the future.
This is the hard road he chose, and he will try to go on. This is also the path chosen by the Russians, and they will work hard to go on.