Putin's 'grand finale'
(Baonghean.vn) - Successfully organizing the annual military parade on Red Square, Moscow, Russia not only sends a message about controlling the pandemic, but is also a way for President Vladimir Putin to consolidate his prestige and gain public support. This is considered the grand finale in a "victory year" of Mr. Putin himself.
In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic still attacking the world, and Russia being the third country in the world to be heavily affected, this country held the annual military parade to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany at Red Square, Moscow.
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| Parade groups and technical weapons marched for nearly 1.5 hours at the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in Red Square (Russia). Photo: Reuters |
This is a major national holiday, allowing Russia to show off its military might to the world. However, more than that, the event is also seen as a way for President Vladimir Putin to strengthen the patriotism of the Russian people and his power base.
The parade involved more than 14,000 soldiers, 225 pieces of military equipment and 75 military aircraft. Many questions have been raised as to why the White Day parade is so important to the Kremlin.
“The victory over Nazi Germany is by far the greatest and most significant historical event for modern Russia. For the Kremlin, it is the most effective way to unite the peoples of Russia, to legitimize the Kremlin’s foreign policy aspirations in general, and to demonstrate Russia’s great power status in particular. Over the past decade, the importance of the holiday has grown steadily.”
Although Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin advised the capital's residents to watch the parade on television, thousands of people still took to the streets to witness the parade in person, although the scale was not as large as in previous years.
The parade is an effective way to stir up Russia's national pride amid economic hardship, helping people temporarily forget the fatigue and gloom caused by Covid-19.
That national pride is important to President Putin. This year’s parade was scheduled to take place after a referendum (April 22) on constitutional changes that would “recalculate” previous presidential terms, allowing President Putin to run for subsequent terms and stay in power until 2036, after his current fourth term ends in 2024.
However, the parade was postponed on June 24, and the referendum will take place on July 1. Therefore, observers say that the recent parade is considered the grand finale in a “victory year” for Mr. Putin himself.
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| Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the military parade in Red Square. Photo: CNBC |
The parade is a way to boost Putin’s public support ahead of the vote, especially at a time when Putin’s approval rating has fallen to a multi-year low of 59% due to the Russian government’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis and the bleak economic situation in recent months.
Previous displays of Russian military might, such as the intervention in the Syrian civil war, have seen President Putin’s approval ratings skyrocket. The Kremlin seems to hope that projecting a powerful image through the display of modern weapons at this year’s parade will have a similar effect.
“The Victory Day Parade is indeed an important, symbolic holiday for the Russian people, as it represents one of the most positive achievements of the Soviet Union. However, the timing of the parade clearly serves electoral purposes.”
In addition, the large-scale parade, in which all soldiers and officials attending did not wear masks, will reinforce the Russian government's message that Covid-19 is under control.
