There is a lot of attention on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his plans for the future. Some events work in his favour, strengthening and encouraging him. Putin recently announced that he will run for the presidency of Russia for the fifth time, which has created a new political landscape.
Dates for Russia’s next presidential election
During an awards ceremony for those who fully participated in the Ukraine war that began in 2022, the speaker emphasised that the upcoming presidential election in Russia is scheduled for March 15-17, 2024. They also announced their intention to run for the presidency to maintain the integrity of Russia. Suppose current President Putin, who is 71 years old, decides to run for re-election this year. In that case, he will become the longest-serving President in the history of Russia.
Putin’s victory is confirmed
It has been predicted that President Putin may win the upcoming presidential election. He has created a favourable political environment, and the survey results suggest he will likely achieve a great victory. In 2020, Russia’s constitution was amended to extend the presidential term from four to six years. Consequently, Putin was permitted to contest again next year after the end of his current term. Several aspects can be examined to assess Putin’s ability to win the election.
Putin’s ability
It should be noted that Putin holds central control power of the state and can undermine opposing parties. He has consolidated his authority in the state while the opposition party remains weakened. Unfortunately, many genuine opponents have died, and there have been severe accusations of imprisonment or exile of some individuals under Putin’s regime. However, despite these challenges, the rise of an opposition party has significantly weakened the government.
First amongst a thousand leaders
Between 2000 and 2008, Vladimir Putin served as the President of Russia. In 2012, he returned to the presidency after being the prime minister. Putin has been able to maintain his political power, surpassing all the rulers of the Soviet Union since Joseph Stalin. Few leaders possess This unique ability, and Putin is among the handful who do.
The upcoming presidential election in March 2024 is expected to be an easy win for Putin, securing his presidency until 2030. Suppose he decides to run for the presidency again after that. In that case, he will undoubtedly break the record for the longest-serving leader in international politics. However, it is too early to make predictions about 2036.
The official announcement of the Federation Council
The Federation Council, the Russian Parliament’s upper house, recently announced a referendum. Following this, the Russian Election Commission declared that it planned to hold the presidential election over three days, from March 15-17. After this announcement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov stated that it was important for Vladimir Putin to continue as Russia’s leader. The official spokesperson also confirmed that Putin would also run for the next presidential election.
Recently, the Russian President made a brief statement explaining his future plans. “I am running for the post of President of the Russian Federation,” Putin said. International commentators believe this statement indicates a strong direction for Russia’s future. Although the news is small, its meaning is significant. Russia is the strongest challenger to the West, and Putin is Russia’s leader, so this statement from the Russian President is essential. The world is watching to see what Putin, who is leading the affairs of the presidency and becoming the unstoppable leader of Russia, will do next.
22 million square kilometres
The total land area of the world is 149 million square kilometres. One-seventh of this area, or 22 million square kilometres, belonged to the Soviet Union. It is an integral part of global history. In October 1917, the Soviet Union was established when the Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin captured the Snow Palace in St. Petersburg. This event changed the course of the entire world.
By 1989, the Soviet economy had become the third largest economy in the world, with a gross national product of three trillion dollars. At that time, America, the world’s largest economy, had a nearly six trillion dollar gross national product.
A hundred years later, the Soviet experiment in communism collapsed. However, it is widely accepted that the experiment set the world differently. The history of Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union is a topic that deserves particular discussion. The explanation briefly summarizes a period of significant changes in Russia and the entire world.
The Russian Revolution From Lenin to Putin
A hundred years after the revolution, the Soviet Union no longer exists as a state on the world map. In the late 1980s, then-Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev initiated the break-up of the Soviet Union through his policies of glasnost and perestroika. The reason for the collapse was the separation of the states that were once united under the Soviet Union.
It is important to note that the Russian Revolution led by Lenin in 1917 was not just a victory for the Soviet Union but a significant achievement for the entire human race. The Soviet Red Army played a crucial role in defeating Hitler’s Nazism and liberating the world from fascist dictatorship during World War II, which was an unforgettable moment in history. The Red Army lost around a million soldiers during the war, and close to one crore civilians also sacrificed their lives. It is an indisputable fact that the Red Army disabled the German military regime. At that time, British Prime Minister Vincent Churchill and the Marshal of the American Army both stated that the American Army did not have enough strength to face the aggressor.
The Soviet Union also travelled into space
After World War II, the Soviet Union also began exploring space. Dog Laika’s space travel was a significant achievement in this regard. One of the notable events was Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human to travel in space. This momentous achievement led to a substantial resurgence of literature, culture, science, and technology in the Soviet Union, which had a ripple effect throughout the world. Amid this unique period of activity, Russia underwent a significant change. The Russian people, who were struggling to recover from the devastation of the war, welcomed this change as a new hope.
In December 1999, President Yeltsin resigned due to ill health, and Vladimir Putin, who had been serving as Prime Minister, assumed the presidency. He also became the leader of the ‘United Russia’ party. At that time, Russia desperately needed a new way of thinking to help it recover from its economic and social crises. Putin’s system was seen by many as the solution. He started his journey with the motto, ‘Always think about the future…Always look ahead and face numerous challenges along the way.
The challenges are not trivial
During his first term as President of Russia, Vladimir Putin successfully faced several challenges, such as Chechnya separatist movements, threats from Western countries, and maintaining friendly relations with states that broke away from the Soviet Union. He was able to overcome many of these challenges. Under Putin’s leadership, Russia has re-emerged as a world power. During his second term (2004 – 2008), President Putin worked hard to free Russia from debt and boost the country’s economy through oil and gas businesses and international trade.
According to the Russian Constitution, it is impossible to hold the office of President more than twice in a row. Therefore, in the 2006 presidential election, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was appointed to the presidential chair, and Putin became the prime minister. Putin won the next presidential election in 2012 with a vote percentage of 64%. The Communist Party candidate Yuganova, who came in second place, got only 17% of the votes.
Vladimir Putin is still ruling Russia on the centenary of the October Revolution. In 2007, the international TIME magazine and EXPERT magazine named Russian President Putin the Man of the Year. Although America is a world power, according to the choice of FORBES magazine, in 2013, the most influential person was Putin. American President Barack Obama got the second place.
Putin’s power
Russia demonstrated resilience during the economic crisis, even as America and the Western powers declined. Russia prioritises national security, a policy that has caused discontent amongst America and Western countries. However, this approach has allowed Russia to operate independently and avoid manipulation in global politics based on America’s preferences.
Putin challenges the West
In 2003, when the United States invaded Iraq, Russia opposed it. Furthermore, Russia was successful in preventing America from placing missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic.
Russia was strongly against the process that Western countries supported to establish Kosovo as a separate state from the former Yugoslavia. Additionally, Russia disapproved of the nations that separated from the Soviet Union and moved closer to NATO. Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova are prime examples of this. The intervention of Russia in Ukraine has caused concern for Western countries, including the United States. Consequently, they have taken steps to impose various sanctions on Russia.
Invasion of Ukraine
In February 2022, President Putin made a statement about invading Ukraine. This attack was not planned for months, but it involved a large military force of 200,000 soldiers and has continued since then.
Russia is the largest country in Europe, while Ukraine is the second largest. Although both countries were part of the Soviet Union, Ukraine declared independence in 1991. President Putin sees Ukraine’s pro-Western policy as a serious threat to Russia.
Putin has been critical of Ukraine’s orientation towards NATO and the European Union, as he believes it puts Russia at risk. He points out that most of the countries surrounding Russia are pro-Western, and Ukraine’s alignment in the same direction would make his nation insecure. In 2004 the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia joined the European Union. Bulgaria and Romania followed suit in 2007. Putin will not tolerate similar situations with the countries in the former Soviet Union. Soviet camp being taken over by the West.
Putin has pointed out that if Ukraine joins NATO and the European Union, a western wall will be built against Russia, and thus, the chances of his country having access to the Black Sea will be lost. Ukraine was a period of internal crisis between 2010 and 2014 when a troubled population moved to oust the ruling President in 2014. The President left the country after internal conflicts.
Putin calls the Ukrainian rulers puppets of the West. One of the conditions imposed by Putin is that Ukraine and Western countries must ensure that Ukraine does not become a member of NATO. He also informed Ukraine that it should act as a neutral country.
Russian is widely spoken in Ukraine
In 2014, events created severe problems for the reconciliation between Ukraine and Russia. During this time, separatist fighters in Eastern Ukraine were observed to receive support from Russia. As a result, the Donetsk and Luhansk regions came under the control of Russian-backed rulers who declared them independent republics. President Putin announced that Russia recognised the independence of these regions.
President Putin launched an invasion against Ukraine, citing national security as the reason. The majority of Russians accepted this move, and it helped create an opinion in Russia that Putin is committed to ensuring national security.
There are various perspectives from which the invasion of Ukraine can be discussed. However, the current political climate is vital in the run-up to the presidential elections. Vladimir Putin is not an ordinary leader; he is a cunning one who has been able to acquire continuous power and become the proud leader of Russia. He has been successful in manipulating public opinion about the invasion of Ukraine to his advantage. Putin recently declared his intention to run again for the post of President of the Russian Federation, which the public has widely accepted due to his ability to express the threat to national security with facts.
