President Vladimir Putin took the oath of office on Tuesday, making him the second-longest-serving leader of the modern Russian state after Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, who held power from 1922 until his death in 1953.
President Putin’s tenure has been marked by the acquisition of political power, concentrated in part through his elimination and imprisonment, or the death of his political opponents, such as his rumored involvement in the assassination of fierce Putin critic Boris Nemtsov just outside the Kremlin gates on February 27, 2015, and more recently his involvement in the prosecution and imprisonment of another prominent Putin critic. Alexei Navalny died on February 16th in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle.
President Putin ordered a military operation in August 2008, which led to the Russo-Georgian War and the severance of diplomatic relations. To this day, the two countries do not maintain formal diplomatic relations. From February to March 2014, Russian forces under his direction invaded and annexed the Crimean Peninsula, part of Ukraine. The resulting hostilities spread to the far eastern Ukrainian region, [provinces] This situation culminated in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, as an escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war that began in 2014. The invasion was the largest attack on a European country since the end of World War II in 1945.
As the war drags on, Putin’s threats of military escalation against NATO countries and the use of nuclear weapons on the battlefield have strained relations with the majority of the European Union and the United States. Russia is under severe sanctions from the West and has turned to other totalitarian regimes, including China, Iran and North Korea, for support.
In his inaugural address, President Putin made a vague reference to his oft-stated desire to recreate the hybrid state of the former Soviet Union.
“At this solemn and important moment of my inauguration as President, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Russian people from all regions of our country and to the people living in Russia’s historical territories who have won the right to unite with the Motherland.”
Afterwards, the Russian president expressed his gratitude to the troops fighting the invasion of Ukraine, saying:
“I humbly pay my respects to our heroes, participants in special military operations and all those fighting for the Motherland. I would like to once again thank you for the trust and unwavering support you have placed in me. These words are addressed to all Russian citizens.”
On the domestic front, as the war in Ukraine drags on and Russian military losses continue, President Putin has passed strict laws and suppressed the press to keep the Russian public in the dark about the cost in both lives and government spending.
Associated Press reported The ambassadors of the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany were not present. The US Embassy stated: Lynn Tracy was out of the country on a “scheduled personal trip.”
A small number of EU envoys attended, despite the EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell saying it was “the right thing to do not to attend the inauguration”. That’s because Putin is the subject of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for war crimes and has been accused of personal responsibility for the inauguration. kidnapping of children from ukraine.
In his speech, President Putin issued a veiled threat to critics of his regime, saying that dissent would not be tolerated.
“The atmosphere in society has changed, and we now see how much we value reliability, responsibility, honesty, integrity, generosity and courage. I will do everything in my power to ensure that those who have shown these great human and professional qualities and have proven their loyalty to the motherland through their deeds gain leading positions in national governance, economics and all other fields.”
We must ensure a reliable continuation of the development of our country in the coming decades, strengthen Russia’s power and cultivate a new generation that will develop our country on the basis of interethnic agreements, preservation of the traditions of all ethnic groups living in Russia, a civilized state united by the Russian language and multiethnic culture. ”
The Russian president has also passed several laws targeting the country’s LGBTQ community, banning gay Russians from being mentioned or acknowledged in public. In his speech, he emphasized his determination to uphold “family values.”
“Our top priority is the protection of people. I am confident that support for centuries-old family values and traditions will continue to unite public bodies, religious groups, political parties and governments at all levels.”
“Our decisions regarding the development of the country and its regions must be effective and fair, promote the prosperity of Russian families and improve their quality of life,” he said.
The Wilson Center, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C., recently pointed out that:
“The escalation of state discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in Russia is a direct result of the Putin regime’s struggle to maintain legitimacy and popular support, especially as Russia’s war in Ukraine drags on. Russia’s federal elections are scheduled for 2024, and officials are reportedly planning to: record level Public support for President Putin. ”
The Ukraine war and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community are both popular policies among socially conservative interest groups, which constitute President Putin’s largest support base, and Russian policymakers say clear connection Between the Kremlin’s narrative that Russia is fighting by proxy against Western ideology in Ukraine and its attacks on the LGBTQ+ experience in Russia.
President Putin’s inaugural address today signaled his future intentions regarding the war effort in Ukraine and the ongoing persecution of LGBTQ+ Russians. ”
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
