Russia’s sham election will confirm the obvious: Putin calls the shots

It is not a spoiler alert to say that Vladimir Putin will win. upcoming Russian presidential election. If nothing else comes to light, it will once again be clear that Putin is leading the show in the 2024 elections.

In the 2000 presidential election, 53 percent of voting. In 2004 he 72 percent. Russia’s constitution at the time prohibited Putin from serving more than two consecutive terms, but he remained in power as prime minister from 2008 to 2012. Putin won the 2012 presidential election. 64 percent Of the votes that increased to 77 percent In 2018.

Russian public opinion polling agency estimates Putin’s current approval rating at approx. 80 percent -Does that reflect the Kremlin’s instructions or the people’s cautiousness when talking to pollsters? There are no serious opponents who are not allowed to play against him.

The result is a foregone conclusion. So why bother?

The election in Putin’s Russia is not a contest. It is an affirmation of Putin’s authority, a show of power, a staged spectacle like the Changing of the Guard in London.President Putin will be re-elected do not have This is because he is inevitably chosen by the voters over other candidates, but he has demonstrated his authority by eliminating serious opponents to his leadership and has ensured that he has complete control. This is because it shows that you are holding the

The contest and the speech will tell the Russian people what Putin believes and has decided, and the big difference here with the election is not what the Russian people can expect, but how to align themselves. I’m teaching you how to do it. herather what he expects they. The Soviet Union had a command economy. President Putin’s Russia has a command philosophy.

As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, elections have become a way to send a message:

President Putin will remain in power. Despite the challenge to his leadership – as strange as it is march to moscow By the late Evgeny Prigozhin or others inspiration from Alexei Navalny, who was recently removed — Putin bears a lot of responsibility.

The war in Ukraine will continue. That was made clear by the performance of President Putin’s officials. announcement That he would run. It took place after a ceremony in which Russian soldiers who fought in Ukraine were awarded the highest medals for heroism. As President Putin chatted with the winners after the ceremony, the former commander of the pro-Russian Spartan battalion in Russian-occupied Donetsk was well prepared. remarks spontaneously He asked President Putin to run for office.

“Your actions and decisions have given us freedom. ” He said. “We want to participate in the elections. [the] President of the Russian Federation, and you are our president. We have a lot of work ahead of us…we want to do this under your leadership. ”

President Putin is confident that Russia will win. Putin’s February 29th national speech He confidently stated that the situation in Ukraine had turned a corner and that Russia now had a strategic advantage. If you look at recent reports about the scary situation in Russia, casualtiesthe Loss of state-of-the-art aircraft and the number Warship sunk by Ukrainians, that assessment may seem delusional, but Putin’s path to victory has always depended on divisions and discouragement within the Western alliance. President Putin is convinced that Russia will win because the West is wobbling.

If you look at countries that have elections with real results, such as the United States, Putin’s assessment probably doesn’t seem so outlandish. His allies are divided within the country and at war with each other. The outcome of the US election could have a major impact on Ukraine’s defense and the future of NATO.

To allay any alarm that might renew Western resolve, Putin said Russia had no interest in invading “Poland, Latvia or anywhere else.” other than that” Remember, he said in January 2022 that Russia has no intention of doing so. invade ukraine.

In response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s idea of ​​sending NATO troops to Ukraine, President Putin warned that this could lead to nuclear war. As of Wednesday, President Putin has warned of nuclear escalation 11 times since the invasion. ukraine.

Of course, the rattle of Russian nuclear sabers must be taken seriously, but it may also be a psychological campaign to remind everyone that Russia has nuclear weapons. The world’s largest nuclear arsenal Therefore, it must be respected as a world superpower. It also serves as a reminder of how dependent Europeans are on the American nuclear umbrella and are extremely vulnerable without it.

But while the threat of Putin launching a nuclear attack is frightening to the West, it is equally frightening to Russian military officials and the oligarchs surrounding him, threatening his political survival. there’s a possibility that.

Putin’s vision is even grander: a global culture war. The world war President Putin envisions is not about Russian tanks rolling through Eastern Europe, much less about nuclear weapons. According to President Putin’s vision, Russia is defending not only its own country but also its traditional conservative values ​​from imperialist claims. the devilish and decadent west — a competition in which Russia can rely on its allies in the Global South and many allies in the West.

Part of this is the reassertion of Cold War alliances. This also reflects the economic restructuring that has taken place since Russia invaded Ukraine and the imposition of numerous economic sanctions. But much of it stems from Putin’s interpretation of Russian history, which goes back far before the 1917 Revolution. It shows throughout his public messages.

Without formally institutionalizing the role of religion, President Putin has combined a mystical vision of Russia’s past with the cultural outlook of Russian Orthodoxy as a unifying ideology. Russia protects not only Russian territory, but also important Russian cultural sovereignty.

A senior Russian military leader recently spoke of “integrating the entire Russian society into the center of the state.” need for defense” The exact meaning of this phrase is not entirely clear, but it suggests that the Russian leadership wants to prepare for an escalation of the war in Ukraine. We also understand that Putin’s war will be a long one, so we must mobilize resources, produce more weapons, advance military technology, and, above all, ensure that the Russian people commit wholeheartedly to this effort. must be dedicated.

In other words, Russian society must be organized for permanent war.

as poutin Said In announcing the presidential election, he said, “The selflessness and courage shown by our nation’s warfighters is a tribute to the workers and engineers of our defense enterprises, to the employees of other economic sectors, and to all citizens who contribute to world peace. This is an example for everyone to follow.” It strengthens Russia’s economic, technological, and cultural sovereignty. ”

Global ideological warfare without geographic limits or schedules is Putin’s comfort zone. His life and future were shattered in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the mind of President Putin, it was the “greatest geopolitical catastrophe” of the 20th century. it was, President Putin said., the end of “historic Russia”. Russians lost respect and territory. The country was poor. KGB Colonel Putin was forced to work as a taxi driver.

Thirty-five years later, President Putin has amassed more authority than any other Soviet leader, perhaps with the exception of Stalin.there is no political bureau. There are no systematic checks. President Putin has personal power comparable to Russia’s most powerful tsar.

He can claim to have restored Russia’s standing, military power and cultural superiority in the world. His messianic mission to restore the land will continue and will require continued determination and sacrifice. Above all, we will need a resolute and disciplined society in line with President Putin’s ambitions.

Which brings us back to the point of the election. In other words, Russia is confirmed to be Putin. Putin is Russia. Russia’s all-out efforts are required. Dissent will not be tolerated. Sabotage is an act of sabotage. Disloyalty to President Putin is treason. This is the roadmap for his future as he runs for president for the fifth time.

Brian Michael Jenkins is a senior advisor to President Landland. An analyst of unconventional warfare, terrorism, and psychological operations, he has written about Russia’s perception manipulation strategies and the impact of the war in Ukraine.